ISABELLA AWOKE to a surprise when she noticed Daniel LaRusso and Sensei Lawrence agreeing with each other— which never happens.

From that night, the two Sensei's opened up a joint karate dojo to take down Cobra Kai. Of course, every session involved Johnny and Daniel trying to take the lead— it was a shit show in Isabella's opinion.

"Look, I tried," Johnny complained, as he dropped the Diaz twins home, "The only thing LaRusso and I have in common is hating Kreese. I thought that was enough, but it's not."

"There's gotta be a way to make it work." Miguel replied, "You guys just have to connect."

Johnny sighed, "Not gonna happen. We're too different. Too much history."

"And too much chores," Isabella added, "I'm convinced that Mr LaRusso just needs his cars cleaned."

Johnny looked at Miguel, "She gets it."

"What about Rocky Three?" Miguel blurted out, "How did Rocky defeat Clubber Lang? Did he do it alone? No. He and Apollo had to work together. Even though they were complete opposites, they made it work, and it's only because someone had to reach out first."

Johnny smiled slightly, "I'll think about it."

Isabella spent the evening with her brother at the local Chinese Restaurant. They used to go out for a meal every weekend, mainly because the delivery prices had risen, but they hadn't had a chance to do it since Isabella had been in juvie.

Miguel passed the menu to his sister, before speaking, "I've been talking to Sam and Hawk. We want to re-design the dojo to try and connect us as one dojo. Are you in?"

The girl replied, "I'm not really the building type—"

"Please, Belle. The more help, the better." Her brother pleaded, "Don't you want to take down Cobra Kai?"

"Yes." Isabella explained, sitting up, "But, I can't sit on the floor and mediate for that long. I was losing my mind in that dojo, breathing in and out over and over again. Mr LaRusso does that for hours everyday and I can't even do it for five minutes. Miyagi-Do just isn't cut out for me."

"I know it's boring, but that's just his style of karate. Mr LaRusso knows what he's doing." Miguel reassured, "We'll all benefit from his teachings, as well as Johnny's."

Isabella nodded hesitantly, "What are we building?"

"A bridge," Miguel replied, "It's called a Okinawan sparing deck."

"That sounds like something Demetri came up with," Isabella said sarcastically, "Did he test the physics for it, too?"

Miguel chuckled, before replying, "Hawk helped with it, too. I don't think he feels like he belongs at our joint dojo. I think he wants to make amends."

Isabella nodded; she remembered a couple of nights ago when Hawk decided to kick her back through the doors of the LaRusso house. She would've never fought with Tory if she had managed to leave a little earlier— all of it could've been avoided.

She couldn't forget about that night either, mainly because of the endless lectures from her mom, but also because of the bruises on her face. Isabella's lip was cut, her left eye was bruised, and her body ached with every step.

Isabella changed the topic, "What are you having?"

"Mapo tofu," Miguel nodded with a smile, "What about you?"

Isabella read from the menu, "Kung pao chicken, I think."

Miguel suggested, "Do you want me to order for you—"

"Tory." Isabella interrupted, as her gaze shifted to waitress who walked over to their table. She was dressed in red and black uniform, with a note pad and pen in her hand, but still had that look on her face.

Tory questioned sarcastically, "You're stalking me at my work now?"

"Don't flatter yourself," Isabella scoffed, "I'm here with my brother."

"Hi," The boy gave an awkward wave. He cleared his throat, "So, can we have the Kung pao chi—"

"You know, I'm surprised your still here, Diaz." Tory interrupted, "After putting that knife to my throat again, I thought you were gonna end back in juvie."

"Well, you fought me, again." Isabella retorted, "I wasn't gonna do anything, I was trying to get you to stop."

"Keep telling yourself that," Tory teased, "I know a psycho when I see one—"

Isabella stood up, her chair screeching on the tiles as she did so. She stood face-to-face with Tory, her jaw clenched and fists in a ball. Isabella shot back, "Yeah, you must be familiar with psychos since you live with a bunch of them—"

The truth: Isabella had no idea about Tory's home life. She had heard, through rumours at school, that she had a bad upbringing; Isabella would never normally use home-life in an argument, but this was Tory Nichols she was arguing with. She had to be brutal.

"Belle, stop." Miguel warned from his seat, looking up at his sister and giving her a look.

Tory shoved Isabella away from her, "You don't know shit about my life, Diaz. I just know that a normal person wouldn't hold a knife to my throat."

Normal. But, Isabella wasn't normal.

"It was for self defence." She shot back again.

Tory smirked, "All these lies are gonna plant you back in juvie."

"I'm not lying," Isabella snapped, "If I wanted to use a knife, I would."

"I don't believe you," Tory scoffed, "I think you're too afraid. Too much of a pussy to get the job done—"

"Is everything okay here, ma'am?" Another worker approached the scene curiously.

Miguel nodded, "It's fine—"

"No, it isn't." Isabella replied to the young man, "This waitress won't leave me alone—"

Tory raised her voice, "Don't you fucking dare!"

"Tory!" The manager scolded, "That's it. Put away your uniform. I've had enough with your attitude. You're fired!"

Tory scoffed, before looking back at Isabella with hurt in her eyes; tears swelled in them, but she blinked them away. She stressed, "Thanks, a lot, Diaz! Some of us have to work to eat, you know?"

"I know that," Isabella snapped.

She did understand. They weren't poor, but they weren't rich either; Carmen had to work night shifts so she could put groceries on the table. Isabella didn't want Tory to struggle, too, no matter how much she hated her— everyone deserved a meal.

"You better be ready for the All Valley, Diaz." Tory continued angrily, "You don't have a knife to protect you this time."

a/n:
they're so inlove they just don't know it yet xo