IT'D BEEN a few weeks since everything had gone down, and to say that this had gotten better would be a gut punch. Thalia wished things could flip themselves upside down and automatically be fixed, but that wasn't the case.

The major downside was that Tory didn't dare look Thalia in the eyes. The two of them barely spoke at home, and when they did, it was about their mother, brother, or the rent. That was it.

On the upside (if you could even call it that), Thalia had grown closer with Demetri and Hawk. They weren't best friends, but they were people she could talk to. She also got back on foot with Miguel. They were officially friends now.

She had gotten her anger off her chest that day in the park. She wasn't resentful. If Miguel liked Sam, she wouldn't be the reason they couldn't be together. Thalia wasn't going to let a guy make her upset; she knew better than that.

She decided to channel all her anger, frustration, and sadness into something new—something more freeing than sitting at home and listening to Billie Eilish and sad Ariana Grande.

She wore black leggings and a matching sports bra, pulled her hair back, and headed toward the gym. She wasn't the biggest gym rat, but it was better than sulking in her bedroom. Besides, this was a healthy alternative. She could get all her emotions out while getting in a good workout.

She had mentioned in passing that she'd been going to the gym to Miguel, Hawk, and Demetri. Sam was also there, but things between her and Sam were still... distant. Thalia didn't blame her. It was strange enough seeing Miguel and Sam back together, even if she had seen it coming. The knot in her chest whenever she saw them was a familiar feeling she was still working through.

But the punching bag? That was a solid, reliable outlet. She could pour her feelings into every hit and swing until she was too exhausted to care about anything else.

But today was different. From the corner of her eye, she saw Miguel and Johnny waiting at the far end of the gym, watching as she threw a series of kicks and punches into the bag.

She didn't know why they were there, but it threw her off slightly.

Johnny crossed his arms, watching her closely, his face unreadable. She caught his gaze and suddenly felt like every punch and kick was under scrutiny. He didn't say a word; he just kept watching, his eyes darting over her stance, her form, and the force of each hit.

"Alright," Johnny finally called out after a minute, his voice loud enough to startle her. "Let's see some real punches. You're still holding back."

Thalia straightened, slightly defensive. "I'm not holding back," she said, wiping a trickle of sweat from her forehead.

Johnny tilted his head, a smirk playing at the corner of his mouth. "Look, Thalia, I get it. You're here to let off some steam. But you're still going easy on that bag, and I'm guessing it's not because you're afraid to break it. What are you really holding back?"

Thalia clenched her fists, staring at the bag in front of her. She could feel Miguel's eyes on her, too, waiting to see what she'd do. It was infuriating to have her emotions on display like this, but she knew Johnny was right. She was holding back.

So she took a deep breath, channeled everything she was feeling—every ache, every frustration, every bit of anger—and swung. Her fists hit the bag with more force this time, each punch carrying the weight of everything she'd been holding in. The sound of her fists hitting the bag echoed through the gym, and for a second, she forgot they were watching. It was just her, the bag, and the release she felt with every hit.

Johnny's expression softened just slightly as he nodded, satisfied. "That's more like it. You've got some good instincts, and you're obviously not afraid to get into it. So why haven't you joined a dojo?"

Thalia stepped back, breathing hard, sweat trickling down her forehead. She felt drained but, for the first time, a little lighter. It was as if every hit had chipped away at the wall of anger she'd been holding inside.

She shrugged, looking away. "It's complicated."

Johnny gave a knowing smirk. "Everything's complicated around here. What's holding you back?"

Thalia shifted, uncomfortable. "My sister's in Cobra Kai," she admitted quietly. "And... we haven't exactly been on good terms."

Miguel's face softened as he watched her, and she could feel his empathy without even looking at him.

Thalia let out a small, bitter laugh. "She thinks I betrayed her. She thinks I'm the enemy now."

Johnny's expression darkened slightly. "Kreese has a way of twisting people's minds," he said, almost to himself. "But that doesn't mean you have to stay on the sidelines. You've got potential, Thalia. And you don't have to fight like Cobra Kai to be strong."

Johnny passed the blue flyer to Thalia. She took it slowly, looked down at it, and read the words Eagle Fang across the top. She furrowed her brows. "Weren't they just with those Miyagi-Do people?" she thought.

Regardless of what she thought, she looked back up at the two, her eyes darting between them before she gave her final glance over at Miguel.

"Just think about it." Miguel said.

Thalia's thumb traced over the edge of the flyer. Joining a dojo, she thought. It wasn't just about training; it was about making a statement, taking a side. And with Tory still on the opposite end of that decision, the idea made her stomach twist.

The memory of their last fight flashed in her mind: the way Tory's eyes blazed, filled with anger and betrayal—the words they'd exchanged, sharp and unforgiving.

Her hand clenched involuntarily around the flyer. "I don't know," she muttered. "If I join your dojo, it'll just push her further away. We haven't talked since... everything."

Johnny, arms crossed and leaning back slightly, tilted his head. "You can't control what she does, Thalia. Trust me, I've been there. But you can control what you do. If you keep standing still, waiting for her to change, you're gonna be waiting forever."
Miguel nodded, stepping a bit closer. "It's not about her. It's about you, Thalia. What you want."

"What if she thinks I'm choosing sides?" Thalia asked, her voice quieter.

Johnny sighed, his expression softening just a bit. "She probably will. That's how Kreese teaches them to think—us versus them. But this isn't about sides. This is about finding your strength. And if she can't see that, then that's on her."

Thalia swallowed, the knot in her chest loosening slightly. It was so easy for them to say. To see it from the outside and encourage her to make a choice. But the idea of standing against Tory, of cementing the rift between them, made her hesitate.

Miguel's eyes met hers, and he took a deep breath. "We're not asking you to fight against her. We're asking you to fight for yourself. That's different."

Thalia sighed. "I'll think about it."

Johnny nodded, a small grin breaking through his stoic expression. "That's all we need."

With that, Johnny and Miguel left the gym, and Thalia followed shortly after. She made her way home and opened the apartment door to find Tory standing by the stove, stirring something in a pot.

Thalia glanced at Tory and, without thinking, shoved the flyer Johnny had given her into her gym bag. She tried to move quietly toward her room, hoping to avoid the tension that always simmered between them, but Tory's voice stopped her.

"I'm going back to school."

Thalia paused, her breath catching as she turned around to face her sister. She took a step closer to the island, searching Tory's expression for any sign that this was another half-plan or something to provoke a reaction. "What?" she finally managed.

Tory sighed. "I talked to Mrs. LaRusso, and she and the others are letting me go back to school. They said as long as I don't get into any more trouble, I can come back."

"Going back is a good thing," Thalia said softly, stepping closer to the island. "Maybe it's a chance to start over."

Tory's hand paused, the spoon clinking against the edge of the pot. She finally looked up, her eyes shadowed with uncertainty. "Starting over isn't that easy. You know that. You can't expect things to change overnight."

"I won't," Thalia said, the words holding a weight they both understood. She could feel the gap between them, as wide as it had ever been, but for the first time in weeks, it felt like there was a path across it, however uncertain.

Tory returned her attention to the pot, stirring once more. "Dinner's almost ready," she muttered, her usual sharpness softening. It was a small offering, but in their world, it was enough to mean something.

Thalia nodded, her gym bag slipping slightly off her shoulder. She glanced down at her bag, seeing the flyer, a silent reminder of the choice she had to make. Whatever happened next, with school, with Tory, with everything else—she knew it was time to stop standing still.

"Thanks," she said, and this time, when she looked at Tory, there was a flicker of understanding between them. It wasn't forgiveness or resolution, but it was something. And for now, that was enough.

— lucy has something to say !!

everything i wrote got deleted I'm on your ass wattpad

guys imma be honest... i don't remember this season AT ALL

gotta remember that the cobra kai timeline is like 2017-2019 (according to the internet but who knows) so i couldn't say olivia rodrigo because the only music she had out was bizaardvark soooo

anyway thalia eagle fang era

bye :))))