"Hey, are you even listening?"

Kaia's snapping fingers shuttled Flynn back into the real world. Her vision focused on the displeased expression that painted the dark redhead's face. They sat on the volleyball court, posters surrounding them.

"Yeah, no," the Wilder answered, fingers scratching at the nape of her neck made tight by her ponytail. "What was it?"

"Jesus," Jamie, who had been self-passing a volleyball nearby, chuckled half to himself. "You've been out of it, Flynn."

His tone, rendered as friendly, sent only waves of anger shooting down her spine. "Yeah, well," she huffed in a hostile tone.

"I was asking about practice tomorrow afternoon," Kaia continued, pretending not to notice her attitude. "I can't be there, for once. Are you good to take the reins?"

Anxiety sweltered in her chest at the thought of managing practice alone. The very reason for her fears stood only a few feet away, playing volleyball with a cement wall. "Um, maybe. I'll have to check in with my coach."

Kaia snorted, her gaze growing cold. "Seriously? You've skipped skating practice, what? Like ten times without 'checking in with your coach'? What's so different now?"

Flynn felt her fingernails prickle the fleshy skin of her palm. "What's different is I have a competition coming up," she glowered. "And I've already spent enough time fucking around with you guys, smoking weed and partying and shit. I gotta get back on track."

Now it was Jamie's turn to snort, the lean boy shaking his dark curls. "Wow."

"What?" She snapped even harsher this time. "Please, do share with the class."

"I just can't figure you out," he laughed, the volleyball falling from his hands and rolling away to the bleachers. "Last week you were having fun doing all that stuff. Now you're trying to blow off practice and act like you hate everyone or something?"

Flynn could feel the burning in her chest bottling up, rising past her throat and coating every word she spat from her tongue. "I don't hate everyone, I just hate you."

She watched his face fall, his features turning a ghostly white before melting into red fury. "What the fuck did I do?"

Kaia collected herself off the ground. "Okay, I'm gonna give y'all a minute. Seems like you two need to sort something out."

Flynn gathered herself onto her feet as well, trying to swallow the nerves and allow rage steer herself instead. She waited until the door clicked shut before speaking again. "We need to talk."

Another snort. "Yeah, no shit."

"About that shit you did last week at the party. Remember that?"

One of Jamie's eyebrows rose into an arch, the corners of his lips curving upwards. "I was pretty fucked up that night. Might have to jog my memory."

"When we were dancing," she clarified, voice slick with disgust and hatred. This boy was not at all who she thought he was. Seeing the prideful haze printed on his face was enough to know that, and she ached to wipe that expression off.

He drew a few steps closer, smiling hard enough to expose his too-perfect teeth. "Yeah? That was fun, right?"

A giant wad of bile became lodged in her throat, her gaze lowering to his feet. "No," she managed, attempting to swallow the lump caught in her vocal cords.

"Just tell me what's wrong," he insisted, the comforting tone she now knew to be riddled with manipulation slipping into his voice. "You haven't been yourself lately. And I'm worried. I really like you, you know."

Fingertips grazed hers, and her hand shot back like it had been met with flame. "Get the fuck back," she demanded, her own footsteps receding from him instead. "Or I swear to God, I'll beat your fucking ass."

His expression wavered again, eyebrows knitting together in bewilderment. "Seriously, Flynn. What's wrong?"

A hot tear escaped from the corner of her eye, and she instantly drew her knuckles up to catch it. "You fucking sexually assaulted me, Jamie. That's what's fucking wrong."

His face grew slack, eyes glazing over with something unreadable. The silence pouring out of him overwhelmed her, urging her to continue.

"When we were dancing. You started grinding your fucking boner up against me. You wouldn't let me go. Remember that shit?"

She watched as the hazy blankness on his face molded into darkness. His mouth twitched with anger, possibly something of revulsion that only intensified her rage. He began to draw back, feet carrying him away towards the other side of the gym.

"Where the fuck are you going?" She demanded, a surge of bravery overcoming her as she began charging towards him.

"You're a fucking liar," he spat in an unrecognizable tone, his pace growing faster as he beelined for the exit. "You better stay the fuck away from me, Flynn. Don't you ever fucking accuse me of that shit again."

"You're disgusting, you know that!" She fired back, her scream booming against the vast gym ceiling. "You fucking know what you did Jamie! You know it!"

The gym doors slammed shut after the boy's retreating figure, and all the energy was sucked out of Flynn's body. She watched those doors for a moment, dread deepening in her chest like an open wound. What had she done?

The Wilder charged out of the gym in a panic, the aching in her chest worsening into a stabbing sensation as she found it harder and harder to breathe. She found the school exit doors, barreling past them with no intention of returning.

Flynn drew up a chair at her friends' lunch table, plopping into it wordlessly. Her hands were absent of any lunch save for an apple wedged between her fingers that she took a bite of. "What's up?"

"Oh wow, look who finally decided to join us for once," Demetri fired off, voice oozing in sarcasm and a taste of bitterness. "Got tired of ghosting us?"

"I ditched yesterday," she shrugged. She hoped that if she acted like it wasn't a big deal, then it wouldn't be. "Didn't feel like dealing with Mr. A's bullshit in calculus."

"Oh, really? Is that what it was?" The boy snorted.

"You know, I never thought I would have to try to draw pretty brackets in math class," Flynn huffed, trying to ignore her friend's tone as she chewed on another piece of her apple. "Integrals are fucking stupid. I hate math now."

A dreadful silence followed her comment, with only Eli coughing into his hand and Demetri rolling his eyes. Dakota, who had been unusually quiet since the Wilder's arrival, leaned forward to present her kind, dark eyes.

"Seriously, Flynn, what's going on?"

"Nothing!" She drawled, chin lifting towards the ceiling in exasperation. "I just needed a few days to myself. But I'm cool, okay? Can we stop treating me like a wounded animal now?"

Demetri was the first to crack. "Fine, but only if you play me back on checkers."

Flynn smiled, relief blossoming through her chest. "Demetri, you piss me off. All those fun ass games on GamePigeon and you make me play checkers. There's a reason why I keep leaving your ass on read."

"Oh yeah? Please, enlighten me on what other games could possibly be better than checkers!"

"Cup Pong, 8-Ball, Battleship, Mancala—"

"Mancala?" The brunet boy roared in disbelief. "When has your ass ever played Mancala?"

"Hey Kyler!" A painfully familiar voice spat from somewhere nearby. Too engrossed in their useless debate, neither Flynn or the others had noticed the imminent fight about to break out in the cafeteria.

Miguel slammed his lunch tray on the table where Aisha sat, lumbering dangerously close to the tall bully. Flynn's gaze followed to the disruption, noticing that of course, Sam LaRusso stood in the center of it as she gawked at the two boys.

"Why don't you shut the hell up and stop being such an asshole?"

The crowd echoed in a chorus of gasps as Kyler's friends drew up behind him, surrounding Miguel like predators. "Want another beat down, Rhea?" He sneered at the Diaz boy, hands pummeling his chest and knocking him back a few steps.

Miguel stumbled, his face beginning to morph into an anger Flynn knew herself all too well. "I'm ready for your lame ass karate this time," Kyler shoved him again, this time sending the shorter boy back against a table.

Miguel rolled his head around his neck again. "It's not lame ass karate." When Kyler attempted to strike again, he was ready. Flynn felt her own breath draw into a gasp as Miguel caught the boy's blow. "It's Cobra Kai," he snarled before rocketing his fist directly against Kyler's nose.

The two boys became a heap of limbs after that. Kyler tossing Miguel across tables, snaking his arms around his neck. Miguel elbowing Kyler's chest before delivering a spinning kick to his torso.

"No mercy!" Aisha yelled at some point, eyes glowing with a violent hunger as she watched.

Flynn watched with awe as Miguel's body molded into a karate sensation. More spinning kicks and deadly accurate punches as he not only beat the shit out of Kyler but his goons as well. He used a red lunch tray as a weapon, smacking faces and leaping on the back of Brucks to deliver a lethal blow.

The room erupted with applause, multiple phone cameras capturing the moment as everyone revered Miguel. Flynn's table fell into astonished silence, though she couldn't help but slowly bat her hands together as well.

She felt inspiration creeping through her as she watched her friend stand to meet his schoolmates' cheers. There was a new ache, a new yearning spreading through her like an infection. All she could think about was how good it would feel to deliver such a kick to Jamie. Or Kaia. Or anyone who befriended that monster.

"Wow, he's in it deep," Demetri huffed. At first she believed he meant the undoubtedly deep trouble he would be in for causing a fight, but then she saw it.

Miguel locked eyes with Sam LaRusso, the two sharing a meek smile as the girl's blue eyes gleamed with admiration. Even as he was dragged away by the authorities, he dared a few glances back in her direction.

"Oh damn. When did that become a thing?" Flynn asked to no one in particular.

"It's been a thing this whole time, what?" Dakota snickered.

"Well yeah, but I just mean when did it become serious? I thought he was just trying to pick up any girl."

Demetri answered with a dry laugh. "One thing I've learned about Miguel: he loves to punch way above his weight."

"Oh, shut up Meat," Flynn raspberried at him. "Miguel just kicked Kyler's ass. He's reached celebrity status right before our very eyes."

Today 3:56pm

flynn
your video is going viral

miguel👴
I know it's literally insane!! 😭

flynn
can't blame it what you did was really fucking cool
my favorite part was you using the tray😜

miguel👴
Haha thanks!
You coming to the dojo this afternoon?

flynn
nah i gotta skate today but you've inspired me diaz
let your sensei know i'm gonna start showing up a lot more when i can

miguel👴
YESS I'm excited😊
I mean I know you can already kick ass but now you can do it in style!

flynn
💪💪

"He texts like an old man," Dakota commented, her chin hovering over the curve of Flynn's shoulder as she read the texts. "All caps and punctuation? Unironically using those emojis?"

Flynn's mouth corked into an amused smile. "I know. That's why I put the pawpaw emoji next to his name. Well, also just because I was trying to find the most random emoji to put in his contact."

"Real comedian over here," the girl retorted as she chucked her skating bag over her shoulder. "C'mon, let's get our skates on before Coach has a hernia. You were serious, by the way?"

"About what?" Flynn asked, following behind her with her own bag.

"Going to the dojo more. You serious about karate now too?" Her dark eyes fell over her shoulder to cast an uncertain glance back.

"I think so. Why?"

The girl shook her head, lips puckered together. "I don't know. What happened to volleyball? I haven't seen you around Jamie or that redhead in a while."

"Yeah, cause I quit," Flynn attempted nonchalance as she let her bag plop to the floor, already stooped over and untying her sneakers.

Her friend's eyes grew ten sizes at that, landing in the seat next to her. "Wait, seriously?"

"Yep." The Wilder refused to look at her, concentrating on her long laces instead.

"Well, what happened?"

"Just didn't have enough time. Figured taking a few photos for photography club every now and then would be easier."

Dakota's gaze filled with disbelief. "Did something happen? With you and Jamie?"

Flynn's head cocked back as she drew up an eyebrow. "Me and Jamie? What makes you think that?"

"Cause one minute you were talking about going on a date with him, the next I can't even say his name without you looking disgusted and like I shit bricks into your Froot Loops."

"Jesus," Flynn barked out a laugh at her friend's vulgarity. Her body hunched lower, growing smaller under Dakota's intensive gaze.  "I mean, yeah. Things didn't work out."

"But what exactly happened?"

Flynn released her grip on her skate, letting it cling to the ground as she straightened her back and met her friend's eye. She opted for clarity rather than aggression. "Look, it wasn't pretty. But I really don't want to talk about that right now. Okay?"

Immediately sensing the shift in mood, Dakota's muscles grew taut. "Yeah, yeah," she spoke up, clearing her throat. "Yeah, okay. That's cool."

Flynn shot her a curt nod. "Cool," she answered, despite the pain ebbing in her throat and spidering down into her chest.

Flynn and Dakota drove back to the former's house after practice, surprised to find three boys already lounged on the couch with Minecraft on the Xbox. "God, I really need to move the spare key."

"You did," Demetri groaned, mashing buttons as he tried to fight off a skeleton in the game. "Jaden let us in."

"Shit. Where is he?" She demanded, feeling her usual older sister protectiveness swarm her body.

"He's in the kitchen doing homework," Eli answered, eyes glued to the television as he worked on harvesting wheat.

The Wilder reeled at that. "He is?"

Dakota slung her athlete bag off her shoulder before joining them on the sofa, stealing the Cheez-Itz box from Demetri's lap.

"Hey!"

"Shut up. Play your silly cube game."

Flynn inspected the group for a moment more, her eyes shifting down to meet the warm amber gaze of Miguel. He had already been looking at her, a gleam of excitement complementing his features. The boy had been glowing ever since his fight with Kyler.

"You good?" She raised an eyebrow at him, unable to stop the grin that made her cheeks itch.

"Yup."

"Cool," she nodded. "Be right back." The brunette tapered off into the kitchen, scanning for a certain baby brother.

"Okay, that's what I thought," she chuckled at the sight of Jaden. He had abandoned his science homework in favor of scrolling mindlessly on Instagram. "They said you were doing homework in here and I knew it had to be a lie," she hooked an arm around his neck in greeting.

The boy hunched his shoulders. "Can hardly focus when Demetri's in there yelling at Eli about redstone repeaters. Also, can you tell them to make sure they don't delete my worlds again?"

"Yeah, I'll be sure they don't," she spit out a laugh as she went to the fridge for a juice bottle. "I was devastated when your underground city got wiped. You were gonna let me build a library down there."

"Yeah and now I'm back to square one," he huffed.

Flynn reclined against the countertop, beaming at the boy sitting across from her. Sometimes she just couldn't help but be amazed the universe had sent her such an amazing brother. "Yeah. Anyway, you good? School and everything?"

"Yeah. Well, except reading class is still pretty boring."

Her fingers ruffled his head. "Boooo! I guess not everyone in this family was blessed with a good eye for books."

"Well, I also just hate writing time too."

"You still liking robotics at least?"

"Yup. Today I programmed mine to dance while carrying a block." He was unable to stop his lips from curving upwards.

"Shit, dude! That's cool," she took another swig of her juice before popping it back in the fridge. "Well, hey, don't stay on Instagram for too long. Better to finish homework now than have to do it later. Oh, and I'm making pasta later. Is that cool?"

"Yeah."

She resisted the urge to kiss his beautiful head, remembering he was a little more grown now and didn't respond well to it. Instead, she resorted to a fist bump before throwing herself back into the living room.

The Wilder let out a dramatic sigh of relief, arching her back over the couch and allowing herself to lay there. She knocked her head to the side, an upside down Miguel eyeing her amusingly. "Hey again."

"Hi."

"Still on top of the world after your fight?"

"Ugh, please," Demetri huffed, eyes ballooning. "Don't increase his ego. He's heard enough."

"You know what? I think it's me and Miguel's turn on the game. Hand it over, boys," the brunette peeled herself off the couch, clambering over and sitting right side up.

"Fine," Demetri grumbled, handing her his controller while Eli passed his to the Diaz boy. "Just don't mess up my mob spawner."

"Okay," Flynn mumbled before proceeding to place a stack of dirt around said contraption, ignoring his whines of protest. "I'm gonna go find a mineshaft. Wanna come with?" She directed the question to Miguel, who was working on baking the potatoes Eli had secured.

"Yeah, sure."

"So back to the karate thing because I'm allowed to talk about whatever I like it's my house, I'm excited for my first practice tomorrow. My first real one, at least."

"Actually, there's been some news on that front," Demetri butted in. "Eli and I are gonna go tomorrow."

"Nah, seriously?" Dakota drawled out a gasp, still munching on the Cheez-Itz. "No way am I gonna be the only sane person left in this group."

"None of us are sane," Flynn responded before shooting an incredulous look at the two boys across from her. "But for real? You're gonna join Cobra Kai?"

"Yeah," Eli nodded, his eyes lighting up for the first time in a while. It made Flynn's chest ache with a mixture of emotions. "I figured it was worth a shot."

"I'm just going to see what all the fuss is about," the taller brunet beside him inputted. "Everyone in class will not shut up about Miguel's fight. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if a lot of people went tomorrow."

"That would be really nice," Miguel murmured dreamily, keeping his gaze focused on the game as he traversed down a cave with Flynn. "It's only been me and Aisha so far."

"With the occasional me dropping in to beat shit up and then leave," Flynn corrected, earning a cheeky smile of agreement from Miguel. "Oh my God, Miguel!" Her voice exploded into a yell.

"What?" He lurched back in surprise.

"You almost just passed up diamonds," she snickered. "They're mine now."

"Shit."

"So...yeah? Cobra Kai on the up and up?" Flynn redirected the conversation again.

"Maybe. I guess we'll see," Miguel replied, his tone laced with optimism.

"And what about Sam? Or are we not allowed to ask about her yet?"

"Ooh no, let's! Any updates on that front?" Dakota peered over at the Diaz. "She seemed pretty starstruck after you fought for her honor."

"Please," Miguel shook his head, trying to hide the pinkness that dusted his cheekbones.

"No she's right, Sam loved it," Flynn agreed. "You gonna ask her out soon or...?"

"I don't know—OH MY GOD!" The Diaz howled in anguish as his screen illuminated with red. A brutal death by a Creeper.

"No!" Flynn bellowed out between laughs, tears forming in the corners of her eyes. "Miguel, you are so shit at this game!"

"I didn't even see the thing, I swear!"

"I'm gonna go steal your stuff—I mean pick it up for you."

"Hey, no! I don't trust you."

"Oh my God, why do you have so many raw potatoes on you?"

"I don't—Eli?"

The Moskowitz shrugged. "I like to farm?"

The room was alive with laughter, and Flynn allowed herself to sink into it as she laid beside Miguel. Surrounded by her friends like this, she could feel the weight that had been dragging her start to lift.

Maybe things could be okay.