NINETEEN
love, love, love, can be so fucking painful

❪ tw: strong language, mentions of injury, mentions of coma, and mentions of violence ❫

COBRA KAI
(season 3, ep 7)

     SHE WAS IN LOVE with a boy but didn't want to believe it. He had no god to go to. He was wounded and she tried and tried to patch him up but he just bled and bled. The bleeding never stopped. So she stopped. She couldn't help him and she didn't understand why. She couldn't help him because he needed to help himself. He needed to fix himself. And she thought he never would.

     He lost her and that's his biggest regret. Because he loves her more than anything in this world but he saw this man. This man was a man he desperately wanted to be. He chose the worst version of himself over her. But as of right now he thought this was the best version of himself. Because in his eyes he was now powerful. But in reality, he was still wounded. Still bleeding.

     Miguel recovered pretty quickly. It's been four weeks since he stood for the first time in a while and he was finally walking again and free to go back to school. Scarlett and Doni came over to Johnny and Miguel's apartment complex to drive to school with him and they were currently sitting in Johnny's apartment. Scarlett and Doni were sitting in front of Johnny at the table and Scarlett's face was in her phone.

     They were trying to come up with names for the new dojo and Johnny wasn't really listening to them. "What about Johnny Lawrence Karate? Or Strike Hard Karate?" Miguel threw out multiple suggestions. Johnny just ignored his words and stared at his computer screen. "Come on, we're trying to think of names for our new dojo." Miguel took the open seat next to Scarlett. "Are you really looking up cool dojo names?" Doni leaned over, looking at Scarlett's phone screen. "Yeah. But they all suck."

     "How long do Facebook messages take to get delivered?" Johnny asked, looking up. "What?" Doni gave him a look. "Ali's in Colorado, so probably a while, right?" Johnny questioned. "It's instantaneous." Miguel answered. "It's the internet, not the stork." Scarlett joked which made Johnny scoff. "Okay, what about All American Karate?" Doni suggested. "You're only saying that because we were watching All American yesterday." Miguel sighed. "Yeah, yeah. Whatever."

     "It's not good enough. We need something that tells everyone we're the most badass dojo in the Valley." Johnny closed his laptop. "Yeah. It sucks that Cobra Kai's such a badass name." Miguel looked down. "What if we just keep that? But we spell cobra with a K. They can call us triple K." Johnny nodded. "Like the white terrorist group? The KKK." Scarlett's eyes widened. "Yeah, it's probably a bad idea." Johnny shrugged before he took another bite of the beef jerky in his hand. "Probably?" Doni raised his eyebrows.

     "All right, whatever. We'll figure it out. First, we need students." Johnny crossed his arms. "It's my first day back at school today. I could recruit." Miguel offered. "But where are we gonna train?" Doni asked. "Scarlett's garage." Johnny stated. "That's a no." Scarlett shook her head. "Why?" Johnny has a disappointed look on his face. "My mom doesn't want anything broken. She doesn't want the neighbors to complain about the screaming because they might call the cops. And she doesn't want blood on the floor." Scarlett explained. "Fine, let me worry about it."

"Alright, Mig let's go. Bye Sensei!" Scarlett picked up her bag as they stood up from their seats. "Bye adolescences." Johnny waved them off as they walked towards the door."Aw, look at you using big words." Doni chuckled. "Shut up, Doni."

SCARLETT AND DONI were waiting for the guard to finish looking through Miguel's bag. "Could he be any slower?" Scarlett groaned. "You are the most impatient person I've ever met." Doni laughed. Miguel finally got his bag back and as he walked deeper into the hallway he looked up at the "Welcome back Miguel" poster that hung from the railing. A smile grew on his face as random students clapped. "I have to get to class. Bye Miguel, bye Scar." Doni announced. "Bye." Scarlett and Miguel said in unison. Scarlett walked beside him until a familiar voice made them both look up.

     "El Serpiente!" Hawk said as he walked towards them. Scarlett froze for a second, she hasn't seen him since the party. "What's up?" Miguel smiled as they hugged each other. "I'll see you later. I'm gonna go to class." Scarlett looked over at Miguel with a fake smile. "Okay." Miguel nodded before she walked past the both of them and went up the stairs. He knew she and Hawk were in a fight but she didn't really want to talk about it much after that.

     After a few moments, the bell rang and Hawk felt like he had to talk to her and apologize about the party since he never got the chance to so he tried his best to catch up with her.

"Scarlett!" She heard Hawk call out as she walked to the class they both shared. She kept walking down the hall, doing all she could to ignore him. "Scarlett, please." Hawk grabbed her arm. Scarlett stopped her movements and turned to face him, not making eye contact. "Um...I just wanted to say I'm sorry about the party I never got to apologize and I'm sorry about Rory." His voice was low. "Why did you even do it?"

"Huh? Did he say something to you?" Scarlett forced herself to look at him. "No..." Hawk trailed off. "Then what?" Scarlett bit the inside of her cheek. "You're gonna get mad if I say this." Hawk put his hands in his pockets. "Just tell me, Hawk."

"I was jealous...that you were so close to him and it reminded me of how we were." Hawk admitted. "I'm not with him. I can't be with anyone because I just can't." Scarlett raked a hand through her straightened hair. "I can't bring myself to be with anyone because I can't get over you. It's hard. But you can't just beat people up because that doesn't make me see you any differently." She continued.

"I'm sorry. I'm really sorry." Hawk took a step closer to her. "Are you going to keep saying sorry or are you going to actually do something to change?" Scarlett said getting frustrated. "Cobra Kai isn't good for you. I told you that and I care about you, you're gonna ruin your life. When Miguel talks to you later I suggest that you listen to him. People are trying to help you so accept it. Because I want you to change."

"The Hawk that I like. Didn't do shit like this." "Like?" He questioned feeling a bit of hope. "Of course, I still have feelings for you that doesn't just go away. But I have feelings for the guy I knew not the one standing in front of me." She crossed her arms. "I'm the same person." Tears lined his eyes. "It doesn't feel like you are." Scarlett looked away from him. "Tell Ms. Abbot I'm not feeling well." Scarlett turned around.

"Scarlett, wait!" Hawk went after her. "What?" Scarlett turned around again. "I um...sent you a text a few days before the party. Did you see it?" Hawk shifted nervously. If she did see it and was ignoring him he was just going to let it go even though it would be hard. "No. Why what did it say?" Scarlett asked causing Hawk to freeze. He just wanted to tell her that he was in love with her more than anything. He wanted to say those words so badly. I love you, I love you, I'm in love with you. But, the words never came out. "Nothing. Forget I brought it up." Hawk tried to end the conversation. "If you're asking it's not nothing." Scarlett argued. "I'll listen to what Miguel has to say." He took a step back. He was embarrassed even though she had no idea what he was getting at. "Hawk." "It's okay just forget about it." Scarlett watched as he turned around and walked to class.

     "SO, HOW HAVE YOU BEEN FEELING LATELY?" Nova asked Scarlett who was sitting across from her. "Doni and Hawk got into a fight at this party I went to two days ago." Scarlett mentioned. "Over you?" Nova asked. "Very likely." She nodded. "How did you feel after that?" Nova looked down at her notes. "Like...like I really have to distance myself from the drama. But I can't do that because it's been there since I started karate and it probably won't stop till I go to college in two years but even then it probably won't."

     "I get it you've never been the center of attention much and it can be-" Nova began before Scarlett cut her off. "Overwhelming." Scarlett finished the sentence. "Exactly." Nova gave her a small smile. "I feel like I don't like Doni as much as I want to. Like he's basically me if I had testosterone and a lot of girls would kill for that but my mind always wanders to Hawk. And every time it does I want to shake myself and say snap out of it but you always say you can't change how you feel."

     "Yup that's one of the many things in life you can't control. And you can't try to convince yourself that you feel differently because that won't work. You need time to get over Hawk because you really liked him and you refuse to fully go through the grief. And I think you refuse to grieve fully because you already know how it feels and you hated that feeling." Nova explained. "Yeah it felt like shit and I was only six. Then a few years later after I fully realized what death was I went through it again."

     "But now you can live with it. And you celebrate your father's life you're doing karate for him and you love that sport and you love making him proud." Nova crossed one leg over the other. "Yeah." Scarlett said, playing with her fingers. "You need to talk to Doni. You need to give yourself a second to breathe. You need to not look for something else to focus on until you grieve."

     SCARLETT SHUT THE FRONT DOOR and placed her keys on the tray that sat on the table by the door. She didn't think she could get through the day with that conversation with Hawk being on her mind. She wanted to get away so, she went home. Her sister had a lecture and her mom was at work so the house was silent. She slid off her shoes and walked up to the closet in the hallway. She had a box of Polaroids and things that Hawk had gotten her or things that just reminded her of him in there. She hasn't even looked at this door since then.

     She grabbed onto the doorknob and opened it. She looked down seeing the box sitting on the floor,  tucked in the corner. She took a deep breath before she kneeled down and slid it out. She held it in her arms and once she was in her room she placed it in her bed.

     Scarlett took her bag off and sat on the bed. It took her a few seconds but she soon took the lid off. She reached into it and pulled out a brown teddy bear wearing a Gi. When Scarlett had her ankle sprained one of Hawk's attempts to make her feel better was bringing her this bear.

Scarlett scrolled through Instagram and she heard her mother's voice. "Scarlett, Eli's here." She shifted her gaze over to the doorway and her mom went back down the stairs. "Hey, how do you feel?" Hawk walked over to the bed and sat beside her. "My head hurts a lot more." Scarlett looked up at the ceiling.

"Why do you have a build-a-bear box?" She turned her head to him, her face slightly scrunching up in pain. "Because I built you a bear." Hawk grinned. "Why?" She questioned, sitting up. "I thought it would cheer you up a little. And hopefully, help you sleep." He handed her the box. She opened it and pulled out the bear, the corners of her lips curving upward. "That's really sweet. Thank you." "It's nothing."

Scarlett put it down next to her and reached in for the next thing. The box was a bit small and all she had left were pictures. She took out the stack and the first picture was of Miguel and Hawk. She remembered this night. Johnny let them stay in the dojo after hours and it was already dark. They were just fooling around and practicing and in the picture Hawk was on Miguel's back and they were both flexing their muscles.

She placed the picture in the back of the stack and the next one was just him. He was sitting in the passenger's seat of her car, smiling. After that, she didn't think she could continue. She stared at it for a second as tears built up in her eyes and she placed the teddy bear and the stack of pictures back in the box.

     SHE HAD STAYED in her room for hours. She just didn't feel like doing much of anything anymore. She asked Doni to come over and talk but he couldn't so she just FaceTimed him and told him the truth. He wasn't against it he did like her but as of lately, they felt more like friends.

     She didn't get up to put the box away and it was still on the bed, a few feet away from her and her eyes just fixated on it until her door swung open. "Where the hell have you been!?" Miguel barged in. "Is Armageddon coming?" Scarlett looked up. "Why did you leave school?" Miguel sat next to her. "I talked to Hawk. It was the first time I spoke to him since that day at school. After the fight." She replied.

     "You guys got into the fight over Demetri's arm, didn't you? I saw him earlier." Miguel inquired. "Kind of. That's what started it but it was mostly about who he was becoming." She leaned back into her pillows. "Did you talk to him?" She switched the topic. "Yeah." "And..." Scarlett trailed off waiting for more information.

"I don't know. Sensei came and talked to him too but it could have stuck or it couldn't." Miguel explained. "Johnny?" Scarlett chuckled. "He came to school."
"They let him in? Everywhere we go people think he's a pervert anyway."
"He broke in." Miguel laughed. "That makes more sense."

     "Are you okay?" He asked with concern. "I don't think so." She sat back up. "I just want to like shake him and yell and try to get it through his head but it's like he's brainwashed or something." She rubbed her fingers against her forehead. As tears burned her eyes. "Well, Kreese does specialize in brainwashing."
"But, you're his weakness. Not in a bad way though. If he wants to make things right with you he has to come around sometime, right?" Miguel's tried to cheer her up. "I guess." Scarlett shrugged.

"And even if he doesn't, you'll get through this. You're literally the strongest person I know. You've fought through everything life has thrown at you and you can fight through this it'll just take time. But everything will be fine, okay? Maybe he'll come tomorrow." Miguel sent her a calming smile.

"Thank you for being here." Scarlett wrapped her arms around him. "You don't have to thank me." Miguel rubbed her back. She was glad someone was there for her. It was rare for her.

IT WAS NOW Saturday afternoon and it was the first day of Eagle Fang training. A few people including Mitch and Bert that were recently kicked out of Cobra Kai came.

"This is day one. We've been here before. But things are different now. They tried to tear us down. It didn't work! They said we needed a roof and four walls. Screw that! This park...will be our new dojo. 'Cause, you don't need a dojo to be a dojo! Is that understood?" Johnny looked at the group. "Yes, Sensei!" They replied.

     "I started Cobra Kai with one nerd." Johnny pointed at Miguel which made him smile. "This is a step up. And if we're gonna be taken seriously, we need a name that commands respect. A name that elicits power and dominance. Cobras are strong. They may be king of the jungle, but the world's more than just a jungle. And there's only one animal...that can kill a snake."
"A mongoose?" Bert questioned. "A real animal, Bert." Johnny scoffed. "That is a real animal..." Scarlett said lowly.

     "Welcome...to Eagle Fang Karate." Johnny picked up one of the shirts, showing off the logo. "Uh, eagles don't have fang—" Mitch began to speak but Johnny shut him up by throwing the shirt at him. He pulled more shirts out of the box and threw them at everyone. "Put 'em on!" Scarlett grabbed caught one of them and took a look at the size. "Could you not get any women's sizes?" Scarlett looked at him as she put the shirt over her white long sleeve. "Anyone else feeling a little snug?" Mitch asked. Everyone looked over at him and his shirt had stopped above his belly button. "Um...I think we're good, Mitch." Doni tried not to laugh. "Do some more sit-ups," Johnny recommended. "All right, everybody, fall in!"

     They followed his orders and Scarlett soon felt an arm jabbing into hers. She looked up at Miguel who was on her right and followed his gaze. Her eyes landed on Hawk and hope filled her heart. "Sensei, look." Miguel announced. "Still got it. All right. Looks like our class just got bigger. Make room." Johnny smiled. "Told you he'd come around." Miguel looked down at Scarlett. Now Kyler and Tory were walking in and Scarlett grew suspicious. She was happy to see Tory but the last thing she wanted was the guy that terrorized her to join the dojo.

     Now, she knew that it wasn't what she thought it was when Kreese walked up next. "Well...I guess we got our hopes up." Scarlett sighed.

     "I told you, I'm Cobra Kai for life." Hawk said with a smirk as Kreese walked up next to him. "Don't worry, Johnny. I'm not here for a fight." Kreese stepped in front of him. "Yeah? Then why the hell are you here?" Johnny got in his face. "I'd like to make you an offer to come back to Cobra Kai where you belong." Kreese explained. "You're crazy if you think I'm ever teaming up with you again. The garbage you're feeding them, the shit they're pulling, it's messed up. You're to blame for that."

     "I have to disagree with you there. I care about my students. They're strong and they're true fighters. And they wouldn't make the mistake
of showing mercy and ending up in a coma!" Kreese raised his voice which made Scarlett's temper go off and she walked behind Johnny, staring right into Kreese's cold eyes. "You better watch your mouth, you old shit!" She tried to lunge at him but Johnny held his arm out and pushed her back.

     "She's feisty one huh? I always liked that about her." Kreese chuckled. "Fuck you. All of you." Scarlett's eye switched from Kreese to Hawk as he walked up next to Kreese. "Wow, Hawk. Rolling up on me now? Take one step closer, see what happens." Scarlett stared right into his eyes with pure fury. Hawk's face softened as he looked back at her. He was defending Kreese he didn't mean to come off as harsh to her but it was honestly a reflex now. Miguel came up behind her and grabbed her arm because it was obvious that she wouldn't hesitate to throw a few punches. She was turning her pain into anger. "Calm down, I got this." Johnny whispered to her.

     "This is it, Johnny. There's not gonna be another chance." Kreese warned. "Good."
"You made your choice. And you are gonna regret it." Kreese pointed at him. "I hope you know that our biggest regret ever was trusting you. That goes for everyone." Scarlett took one final look at the man before she looked back at Hawk and Tory. Kreese put his sunglasses back on before they all walked away.

a/n: when my fc's know the cast personally

and i screamed when i saw these

plus they're in a short film together currently: crying. idk why this chapter took soo long but I might write the next one today and give y'all a double update so we can finish this season bc i really want to get to season 4 i have so much planned for it