HAYDEN SANDERS WAS OFFICIALLY A SENIOR.

The thought should've felt good-exciting, even. The final chapter before life really started.

And some days, it did.

Some days, it felt manageable. Like she was finally putting herself back together, finally moving forward.

Like she wasn't just the girl who had spent years fighting, surviving, clawing her way through every battle thrown at her.

But other days?

Other days, she'd wake up with bruises she didn't remember getting.

And then night would come.

And the nightmares would follow.

With her fists clenched so tightly in her sleep that her nails left crescent-shaped cuts in her palms.

Silver's voice, smooth and venomous, curling around her like a vice.

"You don't drop a challenge and try to leave, Sanders."

The way his eyes glinted, the way his words slithered into her head, carving themselves into her like they belonged there.

The stone. The weight of it. The impossible task of breaking it.

The pain in her fists, splitting open over and over again.

His laughter in the background.

The way he watched her like she was weak.

Like she was nothing.

She'd wake up gasping for air, her fists aching even though they were already wrapped.

But she still felt it.

Still felt the way her body betrayed her, the way she had to stand there, taking it, letting herself be pushed past breaking.

And the worst part?

It wasn't just the nightmares.

It was the daytime exhaustion, the way she felt like she was still dragging that weight around with her- even now, even weeks later.

She didn't sleep much.

Didn't let herself.

Because sleeping meant dreaming, and dreaming meant reliving it.

And Hayden was tired of reliving it.

She ran a hand down her face, gently rubbing at her eyelids in hopes of rubbing away the tiredness in her eyes.

She had hoped for an easy first day, something stressless. But she should've known better.

Her life had been anything but stressless. Whether it was karate, school, friends, or her love life.

Her counselor was the one testing her patience this morning.

Hayden walked toward the front of the school, hands tucked into her jacket pockets, already regretting agreeing to this.

She was in the wrong place at the wrong time, obviously.

Show the new kid around, Hayden.
Be welcoming, Hayden.
Try not to look like you want to leave the whole time, Hayden.

She hadn't even listened. Just nodded and walked off before she could pile on more tasks.

Now, here she was, scanning the hall for someone who looked out of place, when-

"So, what do you think so far?"

Hayden's steps slowed slightly at the sound of Sam's voice.

Her eyes flicked ahead, and-yep.

Darius Rothwell.

Tall. Athletic. Ridiculously attractive.

And already smirking at Sam like he was used to making girls smile at him.

And Sam was, in fact, smiling.

Not the polite kind, either.

The kind where she tucked her hair behind her ear and tilted her head slightly, like she wasn't even aware she was doing it.

Hayden exhaled quietly through her nose, amused.

She could already tell where this was going.

She closed the last few steps between them, interrupting before things could go any further.

"Darius Rothwell, right?"

He turned toward her, easy confidence in his posture, hazel eyes flickering with curiosity.

"That's me."

Hayden nodded, expression unreadable.

"I'm supposed to give you the tour."

"Ah," he hummed, looking her over briefly before smirking. "So you're my official guide to West Valley High."

Hayden just stared at him.

Didn't blink. Didn't react.

Darius's smirk twitched slightly, like he wasn't sure whether to be intrigued or thrown off.

But before he could say anything else-

"But," Hayden continued smoothly, glancing at Sam just for a second, "I think Sam should do it instead."

Sam's brows furrowed. "Wait, what?"

"Yeah," Hayden shrugged, voice flat. "You know the school better than me. Plus, I owe you for getting Silver thrown in prison. Consider this me being nice."

Sam narrowed her eyes. "Since when do you do nice things?"

"Don't get used to it." She spoke dryly.

Darius chuckled, clearly enjoying the interaction. "Well, I don't mind."

Hayden caught the flicker of a smile on Sam's lips at that.

Yeah. This was the right call.

"Cool," Hayden said, already turning away, done with the conversation.

As she walked off, she didn't look back.

Didn't need to.

She already knew Sam was interested.

And she got out of doing something she didn't want to do in the first place.

Win-win.

As she walked down the hall, she felt a presence at her side, judging her arm.

She looked, seeing Robby with his Welcome to West Valley High pamphlet waving in his hand.

"You're officially a senior, Robert Swayze Keene." She snorted, nudging him back as they began walking down the hall.

Robby laughed, shaking his head. "We are officially seniors, Hayden Jade Sanders."

Hayden scrunched her nose. "How do you know my middle name?"

Robby blinked. "I saw it."

"Saw it where?"

"On your student ID."

Her brows furrowed. "I've never shown anyone my ID."

Robby sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck. "I may have looked when you weren't looking."

Hayden gaped at him. "You snooped through my bag?"

"I was curious!" Robby defended, dodging another playful hit. "And to be fair, Jade suits you. Sounds fancy. I should start calling you that."

Hayden groaned, shoving him lightly. "Don't you dare."

"Too late, Jade." He smirked.

Before she could retaliate, a familiar voice called out from behind them.

"Well, look who finally got reinstated."

They both turned to see Miguel approaching, a smirk on his lips, his backpack slung over one shoulder.

Robby smiled. "You surprised?" He flashed him his pamphlet.

"Not really." Miguel shrugged. "You're like a cockroach. You always find a way back."

"Wow," Robby muttered. "That's the nicest thing you've ever said to me, Diaz."

Miguel grinned. "Don't get used to it."

It was a weird friendship they had developed.

They weren't at odds anymore, weren't constantly pushing and pulling, but there last conversation still lingered.

Because they both knew.

Sooner or later, Hayden would have to choose.

And one of them would be heartbroken.

That thought sat heavy between them, even when they didn't talk about it.

Even now.

So instead, they did what they always did-kept things light, easy, surface level.

Because neither of them wanted to be the one who lost first.

The three of them fell in step, walking through the halls like nothing had changed- except everything had changed.

Miguel exhaled, glancing at them. "Last year, huh?"

Hayden let that sit for a moment. "Yeah. Last year."

It felt weird saying it out loud.

The final chapter of high school.

The final year before everything changed.

"And the Sekai Taikai?" Miguel glanced between them. "Think we're ready?"

Hayden smirked. Confident. Certain. "I know we are."

Robby nodded. "Damn right."

Miguel chuckled. "Guess we're really doing this, huh?"

Hayden looked between them, at the two people who had both shaped her journey in different ways.

She thought about everything that led them here.

The fights, the losses, the wins.

The blood, the sweat, the pain.

The growth.

The family they found in each other.

She took a deep breath, nodding.

"Yeah. We really are."

And for the first time in a long time-

She wasn't scared of what came next.

-

Hayden rolled her neck out, shifting her weight onto the balls of her feet, loosening up.

Her fists were wrapped tightly, layers of tape doubling over her knuckles-a necessity ever since the stone-breaking incident.

The skin had grown too sensitive, too raw.

Especially after splitting open more times than she could count.

A few feet away, Tory was aggressively working the punching bag, each strike landing with precision and force.

On the opposite side, Sam moved through her kata, controlled and fluid.

The tension between them was palpable.

Because Hayden and Sam still didn't know where they stood with each other. It wasn't that long ago Hayden wanted to embarrass in front of everyone at the All Valley.

Not friends, not enemies.

Just... something in between.

Tory and Sam? Still hated each other.

And Hayden and Tory? Ever since the confession, the air between them was different.

Not hostile. Not distant.

Just... different.

The sound of approaching footsteps pulled Hayden from her thoughts, and she snapped her gaze up.

Her tense shoulders relaxed slightly at the sight of Miguel heading toward her, a lopsided grin on his face.

"Can you help me?" He held up his wrist and a roll of tape.

Hayden arched a brow. He knows how to do this himself.

And Miguel knew she knew that.

But she didn't question it.

She straightened up, tearing off a piece of tape, gently pulling his wrist closer as she began wrapping it with precision.

Miguel's gaze flickered to her hands before he spoke.

"So, I have a proposal."

Hayden arched a brow but gave him a slight nod to continue.

"You, Tory, and Sam have some shit to work out," he stated plainly, glancing toward the other two girls.

Hayden exhaled through her nose. That's an understatement.

"And Robby and I think we have an idea."

Hayden shot him a look, silently urging him to elaborate.

Miguel smirked. "We should all go-"

But before he could finish, a loud call interrupted them.

"Everyone over to the sparring deck!"

Demetri and Eli's voices rang across the dojo.

Hayden shot him an apologetic shrug, tearing off the last strip of tape and patting his hand before turning toward the forming group.

She crossed her arms as Eli and Demetri stood front and center, excitement practically buzzing off them.

"It's been a long road," Eli started, scanning the faces around him. "But we're finally all on the same side. And as a reward? The toughest test any of us have ever had to face."

Demetri took over, launching into his speech.

"The Sekai Taikai is the most prestigious karate tournament in modern martial arts history. For over a century, fighters from across the globe have gathered every two years to compete for the title of World's Best."

"If the All Valley is March Madness," Eli added, "this is the Olympics plus the Gladiator Games and the Kumite from Bloodsport all rolled into one."

"Yeah," Johnny held up a fist.

"If we win-" Demetri cut himself off, "sorry, when we win," he corrected, "the spoils will be life-changing."

Hayden felt the weight of those words.

Life-changing.

Because this wasn't just about a tournament.

This was their chance to prove something bigger than the valley. Bigger than Cobra Kai.

"But," Eli continued, "it's gonna take all of our focus and all the wisdom our senseis have to offer."

"Which is why," Demetri jumped in, "we decided to take at least one thing off your plates-coming up with our new dojo name."

Hayden barely had time to process that sentence before they dramatically pulled off a sheet, revealing the new dojo banner.

"We give you..." Eli paused for effect. "Miyagi Fang Karate."

The logo was... a lot.

Mr. Miyagi, but with fangs, a headband, flames behind him, and bold lettering that read Miyagi Fang Karate.

Demetri and Eli stood there grinning proudly, looking around the room like they had just created a masterpiece.

The dojo burst into murmurs, scattered applause, a few laughs.

Hayden glanced at Mr. LaRusso, catching the stiff way he held himself, the way his lips pressed into a thin line.

Yeah. He hated it.

Hayden smirked, nudging Miguel. "Fifty bucks says he vetoes this in the next five minutes."

Miguel chuckled, shaking his head. "I'm not taking that bet."

Because they both already knew the answer.

-

It had been a few weeks since Silver was taken down.

Since the dojo war ended. Since Hayden was finally free.

But freedom didn't come as easily as she thought.

She still woke up wired and restless like she was waiting for another fight. She still flinched at unexpected sounds, still felt the ghost of bruises that had already healed.

She still wasn't sleeping.

And Robby noticed.

Which was why they were here, paired up, practicing fundamentals-the stuff they could do in their sleep. The stuff that didn't take thought, just repetition.

Footwork. Blocks. Stance. The basics.

Hayden liked the rhythm of it, the predictability. It made her feel steady, even if she was anything but.

But then- Robby caught it.

The way she flexed her fingers between drills.

The way she adjusted her grip every few seconds, like she was ignoring something.

"Hayden."

She exhaled through her nose, didn't stop moving. "What?"

Robby's eyes flickered to her wrapped knuckles.

"Your hand."

She froze for half a second before rolling her shoulders back, resetting. "It's fine."

"That doesn't look fine."

"It's healing."

"Have you been icing it?" Robby's voice was too soft, like he already knew the answer.

Hayden hated that.

Hated when people looked at her like that.

Like she was something broken.

"I don't wanna talk about it." Her voice had an edge now. A warning.

But he didn't back off.

He let out a slow breath, his hands dropping slightly, no longer in stance. "Do you ever actually let it?"

Hayden stilled, gaze flicking to him for the first time.

"Let it what?"

"Heal."

Silence.

Hayden looked away first. Shook her head slightly.

Then-she moved back into stance. "Keep up, Keene."

Robby clenched his jaw, watching her for a long moment.

Because he knew exactly what she was doing.

Ducking. Avoiding. Running.

From what happened.

From what was still happening inside her head.

She might not be wearing the Cobra Kai name anymore, but she still fought like she was in survival mode.

Like she wasn't allowed to stop.

Robby knew she wasn't ready to talk about it. Not with him at least. But he also knew she was keeping up with her therapy sessions.

He had asked Sam to ask Amanda about it, and so far, she's been attending every session.

Even if she weren't talking to him about it, though he wished she would, he was glad she was at least talking to someone about it.

So he just nodded, slipping back into stance.

"Okay, Sanders."

And they kept going.

Kept fighting.

Because it was the only thing she still knew how to do.

-

Hayden wasn't sure how she let herself be persuaded into this.

A group hangout that consisted of Miguel, Robby, Sam, Tory, and now Darius, who Sam insisted she invite.

The three girls stood stiffly by, watching Robby swing as hard he could and the numbers rack up to the eight hundreds.

"It's all in the legs," Robby cockily shrugged, raising his arms slightly.

"Yeah, well, congrats on your rather average leg strength, sir." Miguel mocked, chuckling a bit.

"All right, who's next?" Robby looked at the girls.

"I'm good." Tory spoke dryly.

"Me too." Sam said after.

Hayden held up her injured, wrapped, hand. "Can't."

A beat of silence.

Darius's eyes flickered all between the group, feeling the tension in the room. "I'll go," He volunteered, stepping up.

Darius let his fist fly down on the punching bag, watching the numbers rocket up until they stopped just barely under Robby's.

"Close, but not close enough." Robby smirked, lifting his shoulders in a shrug.

"Alright, we can't all be karate kings like you guys." He chuckled, the boys laughing along with him. He turned to the girls. "Any other takers?"

The response was silence.

"What about the, uh, the batting cages? I heard there's a new fast pitch." Miguel suggested.

Hayden let out a small breath, nodding. "Sure."

"Sounds fun," Tory deadpanned, walking straight ahead without waiting to see if anyone was following her.

Robby slowly walked in her direction.

Sam looked at Darius, sending him an apologetic smile before gesturing her head forward, both of them taking off in the same direction.

"For some reason I don't think it sounds fun." Miguel joked lightly, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"What makes you say that?" She lightly chuckled, shaking her head. "Whose idea was this?" She raised a brow.

"Why?"

"So I know who's ass to kick later."

Miguel didn't hesitate. "Robby's."

Hayden shot him a look.

Miguel held his hands up innocently. "Hey, I'm just being honest."

"And what exactly was his grand plan?" Hayden asked dryly.

Miguel rubbed the back of his neck. "He thought it'd help ease some of the tension between you three. It's kinda hard keeping up with who hates who and why."

Hayden pinched the bridge of her nose, "I don't hate either of them. Things are just... different." Hayden murmured, glancing down at her shoes.

"Different how?"

"Sam and I... are weird. I don't hate her. I'm not trying to kick the shit out of her anymore but we're not exactly friends either. And Tory... that's just complicated all around."

Miguel slowly nodded before they came to a stop.

Hayden's eyes trained on Kenny at the basketball game.

"Have you talked to him at all?" She walked up to Robby, tongue wetting her bottom lip.

"No." Robby shook his head, glancing down at her. "I've gotta give it a shot. He needs to know there's another way besides the shit Silver was feeding him. At least here he can't send my call straight to voicemail." He shrugged.

"Or respond a middle finger emoji to them." She added which earned her a look from Robby. She shrugged. "What? He did do that."

Robby playfully rolled his eyes before glancing back over at Kenny. He inhaled. "I'll be right back."

"Should I come?" Hayden asked quietly, staring at the back of Kenny's head.

"Nah, it's okay. Let me try first."

Hayden nodded, taking a step back.

"He a friend or something?" Darius raised a brow, watching Robby walk toward Kenny.

Hayden forgot he was new and wasn't caught up with any of the dynamics or dysfunctional karate drama.

She was a little jealous.

"Yeah, something like that," Sam responded to Darius's question, her voice quiet-like they were in their own little world.

Hayden watched the way he leaned in slightly, the way Sam didn't pull away, her fingers idly playing with the edge of her sleeve.

She smirked faintly. Yeah, she's gone for him.

"Ice cream, anyone?" Miguel suddenly asked, nodding toward the stand a few feet away.

Hayden followed his gaze, the corners of her lips quirking up. "Yeah, okay."

"I could go for some ice cream," Darius chimed in, then turned to Sam, eyes glinting with amusement. "We can share a cup." He nudged her lightly.

Sam's cheeks tinted pink, but she didn't protest.

Which was how they ended up here-huddled around a small metal table, Miguel and Hayden sharing a large cup of vanilla ice cream with sprinkles, while Darius and Sam split a strawberry cup.

Tory, predictably, refused to get anything.

Even when Hayden had nudged the cup toward her, offering a silent truce in the form of a spoon.

Tory had just shook her head, muttering, "I don't like sweets."

Which left them exactly where they were now-in complete, suffocating silence.

Miguel glanced around the table, shifting slightly in his seat before finally speaking.

"So, uh-" He cleared his throat. "Senior year, huh? College right around the corner. That's... kinda crazy."

It was a painfully obvious attempt to fill the awkward void, but Darius took the cue, nodding along.

"Yeah, man, applications are already stressing me out." He let out a low chuckle, scooping another spoonful of ice cream.

Miguel latched onto that immediately. "Where are you applying?"

"Mostly locals. Northridge, Fullerton, Sac-somewhere close," Darius said with a casual shrug. "You?"

"Fingers crossed for Stanford."

Darius's eyes widened slightly. "Damn, really? That's a good-ass school, dude. You must be crazy smart."

Miguel chuckled, shaking his head. "I do alright."

Hayden just smirked into her spoon, knowing full well Miguel was downplaying it.

"You do more than alright," she muttered, nudging him with her knee under the table.

Miguel shot her a grateful grin, but before he could say anything else-

"I didn't know you wanted to go to Stanford," Sam said, looking at him properly for the first time that night.

Miguel hesitated just a beat before nodding. "Yeah, it's always been the goal. Haven't heard back yet."

Sam gave a small, knowing smile. "I'm sure you will soon,"

Miguel's lips twitched slightly, but before the conversation could veer into murkier waters, Darius smoothly steered it back.

"What about you, Sanders?" He turned to Hayden. "Got any big post-high school plans?"

Hayden blinked, caught slightly off guard.

The table's attention shifted toward her, expectant.

She twirled her spoon between her fingers before shrugging. "Haven't decided yet."

"You, undecided? That's a first," Miguel teased, but there was something gentle in the way he said it.

Hayden rolled her eyes. "Shocking, I know."

But Miguel didn't let it drop that easily.

"Come on, you gotta have something in mind. College? Traveling? Underground fight club?"

Hayden blew out a breath, throwing him a look. "I'd run an underground fight club."

"I'd bet on you," Tory muttered.

It was quiet, almost too quiet, but Hayden caught it.

And so did Miguel.

His gaze flickered between the two girls, something unreadable flashing behind his eyes, before he smoothly redirected again.

"What about you, Sam?" he asked. "Still planning on UCLA?"

Sam nodded. "Yeah. It's close to home, good program, makes sense."

"Sounds like you've got it all figured out," Tory said, her tone flat.

Sam's shoulders tensed slightly, but she didn't take the bait.

Darius, completely unbothered by the tension, simply grinned at her.

"Well, lucky for you, I might be in the area. Could show you around campus."

Sam's face flushed again, and Hayden hid her smirk behind her spoon.

At least someone at this table was winning tonight.

Hayden glanced over at Tory, her voice measured, casual-but still offering something.

"Any plans after graduation, Tory?"

She said it in a way that left an opening, like she was putting the ball in her court, letting Tory decide if she wanted to engage or not.

Tory scoffed, leaning back in her chair. "Kinda hard to get in anywhere when you spent almost a year on probation."

She said it with a grin, but her voice dripped with sarcasm, eyes flickering around the table.

The reaction was immediate.

Darius and Sam shifted uncomfortably in their seats.

Miguel gave an awkward cough, suddenly very interested in his ice cream.

No one seemed to know what to say, unfamiliar with Tory's social cues, the way she threw things out like a challenge-like she was daring someone to call her out on it.

Hayden, however, didn't miss a beat.

"No, it's not."

Tory's eyes snapped to her.

Hayden shrugged, bringing a spoonful of ice cream to her mouth. "Community college is an option. Free school, financial aid. There's other choices too."

Tory blinked, like she hadn't expected a response that wasn't pity or silence.

For a second, the table went quiet again.

Then, Tory scoffed, shaking her head. "You sound like my probation officer."

Hayden smirked slightly. "Sounds like they had a point."

Tory rolled her eyes, but the tension in her shoulders eased slightly.

And just like that, the conversation drifted from one topic to the next, but Hayden only half-paid attention, idly dragging her spoon through the melted ice cream.

The arcade was buzzing with noise-kids yelling over machines, tokens clinking, the occasional cheer from someone winning a game. It was the usual background chaos, nothing out of the ordinary.

But when she glanced toward the arcade entrance, her spoon stilled against the cup.

Robby was standing near one of the machines, talking to Kenny. But it wasn't just them.

There was someone else.

A guy, older than them-older than Kenny, at least-standing just a little too close, his expression unreadable as he spoke.

Something about him made her sit up a little straighter.

The shift in her posture didn't go unnoticed.

Miguel followed her gaze first. "What is it?"

Tory, Sam, and Darius turned next, all of them spotting the same thing.

"Who's that?" Sam murmured, brows pulling together.

Hayden didn't answer, just set her spoon down and pushed her chair back, rising to her feet.

Because she didn't like the way he had been up in Robby's face, like he were ready to strike at any given minute.

She wasn't rushing, but the rest of the group still instinctively followed, like they could feel the tension even if they didn't know what it was for.

By the time they reached Robby, Kenny and the guy were already gone, disappearing through the exit.

Robby exhaled, rubbing a hand over his jaw before turning to see the rest of them approaching.

Miguel tucked his hands into his pockets. "You know that guy?"

Robby hesitated. "It's his brother. Met in juvie." His eyes flickered back toward the arcade entrance, his jaw tightening slightly before he looked at Hayden. "He told me to leave Kenny alone."

Hayden's expression didn't change, but Robby caught the way her fingers curled into fists at her sides.

She didn't speak right away. Just let the words settle, let the weight of them sit between them before finally saying-

"We'll try again."

Robby stared at her, resisting the urge to argue. To tell her that Shawn wasn't the kind of guy you just reasoned with.

That he was as violent as ever.

That he didn't trust her anywhere near him.

But the look in Hayden's eyes told him there was no room for debate.

She had already made up her mind.

Robby exhaled sharply.

The silence between them stretched for a moment before Sam finally spoke.

"Do whatever you need to do. We'll have your backs."

It surprised everyone, including herself.

Tory flickered her eyes toward Sam, studying her for a beat, then-with zero hesitation-nodded in agreement.

"Okay, we're there for you, man." Miguel added, voice steady.

Darius, who had been watching the exchange like he was slowly piecing things together, finally let out a small chuckle.

"Is this what being in a karate gang looks like?"

Sam laughed quietly, shaking her head. "You get used to it."

-

Hayden walked in front of Robby, determined.

Robby, still hesitant about Hayden being around Shawn, followed a step behind, watching her carefully.

He knew Hayden could hold her own-that wasn't the issue.

The issue was Shawn, and the fact that trying to reason with him was like talking to a brick wall with fists.

Still, here they were.

The batting cages were alive with noise-cracking bats, echoing cheers, laughter.

Until they walked in.

"You got room for two more?" Hayden's voice was even, steady, her expression calm.

The shift in the air was immediate.

The relaxed, easy-going atmosphere vanished the moment Shawn and Kenny spotted Robby.

Shawn's smirk faded, the bat in his hand dropping with a dull clang.

Robby exhaled slowly, stepping forward. "Look, I heard what you said. I just need one minute. Please."

Shawn took a step toward him, towering slightly, his eyes dark. "Back off, Keene."

Then his gaze flicked to Hayden.

And suddenly, that smirk was back.

Slowly, the corner of his lips quirked into a smirk. He instantly recognized her from the news, the very girl who made Robby snap.

When Robby had played the, ever so peaceful, Miyagi Do fighter, who never struck first, and never fought back, Hayden Sanders name out of Shawn's mouth seemed to send him over the edge.

Shawn's smirk widened slightly. "Well, well... Sanders, right?"

She said nothing, just arched a brow.

"Funny. I heard your name once. Seemed to set Keene off real bad." Shawn glanced at Robby, his expression taunting.

Robby's jaw tightened.

"Come on, Shawn," he said, his voice sharper now. "You know where this is gonna end. He holds onto this anger, it's gonna boil over. Do you really want him to end up like he did before?"

Shawn's smirk didn't falter, but his eyes hardened.

"Not your concern," he said, voice low, before taking another step forward. "So, I suggest you worry about your girl over here before I take her from you. You understand?"

Robby's entire body stiffened beside her.

And before she could react, Shawn shoved him.

Hard.

Robby stumbled back, almost losing his balance, but before he could hit the ground, Hayden was already there, catching his arm and steadying him.

"Dude, what the fuck's your problem?" Hayden snapped, stepping in front of Robby now, eyes burning into Shawn's. "We're not here to fight."

Kenny shifted uncomfortably, glancing between them. "Shawn, let's just go. Come on."

But Shawn wasn't listening.

"Nah," he muttered, shaking his head. "This'll only take a minute."

He cocked his arm back for a swing, but Hayden had already moved, dodging effortlessly.

Robby immediately stepped in front of her, blocking Shawn's path.

"Enough!" Robby's voice was sharp now.

Hayden turned to Kenny, hands up in surrender. "I'm not gonna fight you. It doesn't have to be like this. You don't have to deal with this anger alone. Miyagi-Do, it helps."

Kenny scoffed. "Helps? Yeah, you mean helps you. Helps Keene. It didn't help me."

Then-he swung.

Hayden blocked the first hit. And the second. And the third.

Kenny was relentless, but she was faster, dodging every strike, weaving around his attacks.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Shawn grab Robby and throw him into the fence.

Her stomach tightened and she quickly rushed over, but before she could make it there, she turned just in time to see Shawn winding up for another punch-

But before he could land it, Miguel appeared out of nowhere, sweeping his legs out from under him.

"You heard what she said," Miguel said, standing protectively over Hayden now. "We don't wanna fight!"

Kenny grunted, bringing his leg up for a kick, but Miguel dodged, blocking every hit Kenny threw at him.

Hayden's breath caught when she saw Kenny's eyes flicker toward the bat on the ground.

He reached for it-

But before he could, a foot came down on it.

"Really?" Tory's voice cut through.

Kenny's head snapped up, glaring at her. "Out of my way, Nichols. This is between me and Sanders now."

Sam stepped forward beside Tory, arms crossed.

"That's sweet," Sam said, unimpressed. "But not anymore."

Kenny launched himself at them, but Sam moved first, grabbing his arm and flipping him effortlessly onto the ground.

He scrambled up, frustration in his eyes, but Hayden stepped in again.

"Kenny, you have a place at our dojo." Her voice was firm but not unkind. "Everyone has a home at Miyagi-Do."

"It doesn't matter what happened in the past," Sam added.

Tory's gaze flickered briefly to Sam, something unspoken passing between them.

"It matters to me," Kenny muttered bitterly.

He took a step forward-

And both Tory and Hayden grabbed his wrists, stopping him.

"Kenny, we wanna help you," Hayden tried again, but before she could finish, he shoved her off.

He tried pushing through Tory, but Sam stepped in, striking him hard enough to send him flying back.

Kenny scrambled up, breathing heavy, rage still simmering-

But Shawn put a hand on his chest.

"That's it, little bro. Let's go."

Kenny's expression twisted. "What? No, I'm not going anywhere."

"Yes, you are," Shawn said, stern now. He gestured behind them. "Security's coming. We're done."

Kenny hesitated-just for a second-but eventually, he turned and followed.

The group stood there watching them go, the tension finally fading.

Miguel let out a breath, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Well," Robby muttered, rolling his shoulder, "that could've gone better."

"Could've gone worse," Miguel countered, shooting a glance at Hayden. "You good?"

She nodded, flexing her hand once more at her side.

Sam looked at Tory. "You picked up Miyagi-Do pretty fast."

Tory raised a brow at her, before shrugging. "Yeah, well, I fought you enough. Guess some of it must've rubbed off."

Sam actually smiled at that.

Then-

"Okay, but seriously," Darius finally spoke, looking between all of them. "Is this what being in a karate gang is like? Because that was the most dramatic shit I've ever seen."

Silence.

Then-laughter.

Because, honestly?

He wasn't wrong.

-

The night was winding down.

After everything-the awkward group hangout, the arcade, making amends with Sam and Tory-Hayden finally had a moment to breathe.

Most of the group had already started heading out, lingering near the parking lot, saying their goodbyes.

But Tory was still there.

Leaning against a nearby wall, arms crossed, gaze flickering between Hayden and the pavement, like she was debating whether to say something or just let the silence stretch on.

Hayden exhaled, rolling her shoulders slightly. "You don't have to keep staring, Nichols. If you've got something to say, say it."

Tory let out a quiet scoff. "That obvious?"

"Little bit."

A beat of silence.

Then-

"Look, I know things have been weird," Tory started, shifting her weight against the wall. "And I know it's my fault for dropping that on you and then just... pretending it never happened."

Hayden knew exactly what she was talking about.

The confession.

The moment Tory had let it slip-that she liked her, that it wasn't just some passing thing.

It had been hanging in the air ever since, unspoken but never forgotten.

Hayden crossed her arms, exhaling through her nose. "Yeah, well... I didn't exactly bring it up either."

Tory nodded slowly, glancing away. "I didn't want to make shit harder for you."

"Why do you think it would?" Hayden asked, tilting her head slightly.

Tory hesitated. She actually hesitated.

Which wasn't like her at all.

"Because you've got enough to deal with. Because you don't do... this," she gestured vaguely between them. "Because maybe I was scared you'd shut me down completely."

Hayden's brows lifted slightly. "You? Scared?"

Tory huffed, shaking her head. "Yeah, yeah. Laugh it up."

"I'm not laughing." Hayden's voice was quiet now.

Tory finally looked at her then, really looked at her.

"I meant it, you know."

Hayden held her gaze.

And for once, she wasn't sure what to say.

Because for the first time in a long time, she wasn't thinking about what she was supposed to do, supposed to say, supposed to feel.

She was just... here.

Standing in front of someone who cared about her, someone who wasn't asking her to be more or less than what she already was.

That was a rare thing.

Hayden swallowed, her voice low when she finally spoke.

"I know. Can I just- can you promise me something?"

Tory seemed a little caught off guard, but eventually she nodded.

"Promise me things won't change, no matter what happens?"

Tory swallowed, because she was sure she knew the true meaning behind the question.

Promise me our friendship won't change even after the inevitable.

Tory held her gaze, searching for something-hope, hesitation, doubt-but Hayden's face was carefully unreadable.

Finally, Tory exhaled, nodding.

"Yeah. I promise."

"Okay, thank you." She murmured, almost whispered.

She didn't say anything else.

Didn't need to.

And Tory seemed to understand that was enough.

For now.

authors note.
this chapter was hard to write ngl and i still hate it it's like choppy to me? like not good??
not to much on the gif guys IT TOOK FOREVER AND STILL CAME OUT SHITTY so don't stare too long fr LMAO