"Is there a violent plan cooking in your head?" Demetri asked Bryce curiously, seeing Bryce sat on the deck while Sam beat the crap out of the punching bag. "I feel like there is."

"Theoretically speaking, how likely is it for me to go to jail for slicing a throat?" Bryce spoke up honestly. Thing was, he had a plan, a plan that didn't necessarily end with murder. But, it wasn't Miyagi-Do approved, nor would it be logical or appropriate to act before the All Valley. But, he was never one to have mush patience, the days just feeling longer. Nights worse.

"Like, 100%, likely." Demetri spoke honestly.

"It's not like we're actually allowed to stand up to them." Sam spoke bitterly, twisting around and kicking the punching bag.

"Hey, everyone, gather around. I have news." Daniel walked from the dojo, holding a paper. "The All Valley committee just announced big changes for the tournament."

"What kind of changes?" Sam gave an odd look.

"Well, see for yourself." he handed her the paper, Bryce leaned in to looked down at it. "It's a whole new ball game."

"They're introducing skill competition?" Demetri read as Bryce patted his back. "Kata, board breaking, weapons display?"

Bryce gave an excited laugh. "Thank you All Valley Committee babies."

"And there's gonna be a separate girls division. So that means..." Sam trialed off.

"There'll be two All Valley champs." Daniel smiled, holding his head up.

"But wait. What does that mean for the bet with Cobra Kai?" Chris voiced his concern.

"There's a Grand Champion trophy for whichever dojo owns the most points." Daniel pointed out, clearly they haven't gotten that far on the paper yet.

"All I know is the girls division is mine." Sam said confidently as she passed the paper back.

"Well, that just leaves the skills and the boys. I'm counting on you guys." Daniel looked around at the remaining boys.

"Who, us?" Chris questioned, Bryce gave a snort.

"Yeah, we're a bunch of Rudy's with one JD." Demetri spoke, slapping Bryce in the chest slightly. "I mean, sure, we're good for the occasional inspiration moment, and the whole burning down the school thing, but we're not exactly center mat material."

"We were much better with Miguel and Hawk." Chris pointed out.

"Or he who shall not be named." Demetri added in.

"Voldemort will never be in our team, he's clearly a Cobra Kai." Bryce rolled his eyes.

"Exactly!" Demetri agreed.

Sam looked back at Bryce with a grin. "Did you just catch onto a Harry Potter joke?"

The boy blinked, reddening slightly. "N-No."

"Look, I know you're missing some of your friends." Daniel exhaled with a nod. "And of course I wish Robby was here. But, it's time to put the past behind us, all right? Don't worry. By the time the tournament comes around, you're gonna realize that this was the best thing that could've happened to us."

As Daniel headed off, Bryce elbowed Demetri. "You need to win that boys trophy."

"What about you?" he gave a questionable look.

"There's not gonna let me stay in the competition when I get on the mat." Bryce gave a knowing look. "If they wanna hurt my brother, they're gonna get what's coming for them."

"All right, you two get up." Bryce jogged down the steps of the little basement Eli had been camped out in, Demetri coming to visit. "We're leaving."

"Where are we going?" Demetri gave an odd look.

"Lolly and Pops." Bryce said back with a shrug. "Sams pissed, Eli's sad, Picasso is bored, and Demetri and I are stuck in the middle."

"What's Sam mad about?" Demetri gave an odd look.

"Amanda let Tory into the house and something about her wanting to go back of school. So, we're leaving a day early." Bryce nodded his head, reaching down and pulling the pair of them up. "Good food, Karter, the water, drinking, and wine making. Let's get out of this place."

"I'm ready." Demetri pulled his hoodie off to show a tropical shirt. "I've been ready."

"Let's go baby brother." Bryce rubbed his little head. "It'll be fun to get away from The Valley. Get you some vitamin D with me, your boy, your nephew, Sam, our cousin, and the lake. Sound good?"

Eli sighed. "Yeah. I guess so."

"Fantastic!" Bryce clapped. "I've gotta go pick up my angry plus one, but the two of you head up there and we'll be close behind?"

"We'll meet you there." Demetri nodded, dangling his keys.

Bryce pulled up at the LaRusso house just as Sam opened the door, hurrying out. Daniel was behind her, shouting and protesting to get her to stay. Bryce rolled the window down, a grin across his face. "You ready to get out of here?"

"God, please." Sam opened the door. Bryce pushed his sunglasses down in his nose to make eye contact with Daniel, getting a disappointing look, which he matched with a smirk before driving off. Sam reached back to pet Picasso. "I've gotta get out of here."

"Don't worry." Bryce placed his hand on her thigh. "Tory Nicholes and your parents will be the last thing on your mind this weekend."

Seven hours had gone by quick for Sam when she fell asleep, only waking up when they hit a bump. Bryce looked over. "Sorry, we're almost there."

"It's been seven hours?" she asked, her voice scratchy. "Sorry I didn't keep you company."

"It's okay." he cracked a grin, rubbing her head slightly. "I drive better when i'm not talking anyways."

Sam looked back to a sleeping Picasso in the back. "I can't believe I slept through all this."

"Yeah, you drooled a little. It was kinda cute." he joked, Sam have an annoyed look, earning a chuckle. "Wanna pick the song?"

She grabbed her phone, having it already connected from before. "Remember when I still hated you?"

"How can I forget?" he rose his eyebrows, Sam played the song as he smiled. "Your running song."

Sam leaned her head back with a hum.  "She always belong to someone else."

Bryce held back a grin as Sams faint hum. "I drove for miles and m- are you laughing at me!"

"No!" he defended himself with a laugh. "I'm definitely not."

"Then sing with me." she encouraged. "I don't mind spending every day-"

"Out on your corner in the pouring rain." Bryce sung with her as he drove down the next back road. "Look for the girl with the broken smile. Asking if she wants to stay a while and she willlllll be loved. And she willll be lo-"

They came to a stop when the car halted, Picasso waking up with a sneeze. Bryce looked back. "Bless you, dude."

"Did we get stuck on something?" Sam asked.

"I don't-" Bryce started, opening his door and seeing mud had nearly been up to the doors. "Why is my luck so bad?"

"Holy shit." Sam looked out. "Why did we take your car back here? We could have drove one of my dads cars."

"Yeah, while you were in the process of running away?" Bryce asked with an eye roll. "It looks like we're on a hill so maybe we can push."

"Okay, yeah." Sam nodded, the two getting out as they sunk in the mud. "Ugh, gross."

"You did ask if there was a spa up here." Bryce said, Sam held back a laugh. "I see that smile."

A bark echoed, Picasso jumping out. "Oh, no, no, buddy."

"Jesus, get him. Poor thing." Sam encounter as Bryce pulled Picasso out of the mud, holding him as he tried to climb higher, getting his muddy paws all over Bryce in the process. Sam gave a snort. "Looks like you have a better spa day then me."

"Haha." Bryce said un amused, his hand coming up and splattering mud all over Sams face. "That'll be sixty bucks, LaRusso. I take cash only."

"Did you seriously just do that?" she asked in disbelief, chunking mud at him.

"Aye! Baby on board." Bryce defended himself, still holding Picasso. A honk was heard, making them look back to see a pick up truck at the end of the mud puddle. "Oh god."

"Who's that?" Sam have a curios look.

"Pulling a houdini?" a girl leaned out the window. "You need a ride?"

"That's my cousin." Bryce looked at Sam with a bracing look.

•

kylie speaks

been so ready for this trip
ever since i started writing
the prologue