Friends go — Maggie Lindemann

  CYNTHIA HAD BEEN SPENDING HER DAYS AT the hospital right by Miguel's side. Her guilt about what had happened was immense, and she knew that no matter what happened, she was going to make it right. Part of her felt responsible for what Tory had done too, and it was eating her alive.

So much so that she hadn't gotten checked up at all for her wounds.

Cyn was watching the news, her friend Moon singing about peace making her scoff slightly. Ever since this whole karate thing had started, there was no peace, and as long as it continued, so would the pain. She looked up as someone blocked her view of the tv, her expression softening slightly.

"Miggy would appreciate you being here, but he'd also want you to go to school." Carmen spoke with a sigh, sitting next to the girl.

"I can't go back yet, Carmen. Not now." Cynthia shook her head, holding back tears. "I just need to be here for him, okay? I need it. Theo is here too, and I don't know what's going to happen to either of them—"

"You staying here and making yourself worse isn't going to help him when he wakes up." The Diaz woman sat up straighter, clearing her throat. "You're hurt, I can tell by how you are sitting, and if you aren't going to get checked out, at least go and get your education."

There was a pause in the room as tears were now clouding both of their eyes.

"Now, go. Before I have to call Bianca, or your father." Carmen insisted, the young girl beside her sighing as she pushed herself out of the chair. "If he wakes up, i'll call you."

"Okay." Cynthia's voice cracked slightly, dreading the idea to go back to school.

Especially after that terrible day two weeks ago.

  CYN STARED AT THE BIN HER ITEMS WERE IN as it went through the metal detectors. She herself had only been suspended one week, but this would be her first day back in two. She didn't want to face the people who had come out with no scratches.

Especially since Miguel and Theo were fighting for their lives.

"You're good to go." She was ushered through the detectors, and when there was no beeps, she was free to grab her things and go.

She was, however, irritated to see that not much had changed since she had left.

"After everything that happened, you guys still won't get off each others backs." Cynthia rolled her eyes as she stood between three Cobra Kai's, and three Miyagi-do's, one group consisting of Hawk, and the other containing Demetri. "Unbelievable."

"They did this, by messing with our dojo." The Moskowitz boy spoke, sending a glare in his ex best friends direction.

"It's not our dojo anymore, i'm quitting karate." Cynthia sucked in a deep breath, shaking her head. "and next time you want to defend Cobra Kai, remember you put one of your own in a hospital bed just because you were jealous of him."

The Sari girl pushed passed all the boys, walking away until she turned on her heel once again, forgetting what she had set out to say.

"You all want my advice? I say you quit too." She turned back around, leaving the group stunned by her words.

She was one of the original members of Cobra Kai, and now she was just... quitting? It was pretty hard to believe.

Cynthia kept firm that she wouldn't do karate anymore. The homeliness that she had once felt from doing the sport died, and she was sure that she would never get that back. So, her best option was to cut her losses.

The girl walked down the hall, and eventually made it to her locker. She inhaled, unlocking it before she quickly threw her things in, wanting to check her phone for any update texts from Carmen. She had hoped that maybe Miguel had woken up, or maybe the woman had heard news about Theo.

... but nothing.

After staring at her phone a few seconds, Cynthia peaked around her locker to see Sam walking down the hall, everyone watching as she did.

"Hey, Sam!" The Sari girl called out, slamming the locker shut as she caught up with the other girl. "I've—...i've been uh, meaning to talk to you."

"What about?" The Larusso girl replied, her mood obviously fidgety and nervous.

"I wanted to say thank you, for stepping in with Tory. Then, I want to say i'm sorry for not helping do the same." Cynthia frowned slightly, knowing that she had taken so long to try and find Theo, she left the girl to fend for herself.

"I knew you didn't deserve it." Sam shrugged and tugged at her sleeve harshly, making the Sari girl furrow her brows.

"Yeah." Cyn nodded her head slightly. "I'm pretty sure you didn't either."

"I—.. I have to go, okay?" The Larusso girl stormed off, making Cynthia furrow her brows.

Making amends? Didn't seem to currently be in the cards.

CYNTHIA HELD ONTO MIGUEL'S HAND LIGHTLY, her eyes closed shut as she hoped and prayed he'd be alright. Never had she cared so much about someone else's health, especially someone outside of her family. She couldn't tell anyone that though, because Carmen had told the nurses and doctors he was family.

"I know you're in there somewhere... and I just wanted you to know that i'm here." Tears clouded the Sari gurls eyes. "I'm always here."

There was no response, just the beeping of his heart monitor sounding off every few moments.

"Hey, mouth." A voice sounded off, making the Sari girls heart drop.

"Johnny?" Cynthia spun around hugged the man tightly, until she smelled the scent of beer and pee and backed away. "How'd you get in here?"

"Broke my nose." The blonde man smiled proudly, until he caught a glimpse of Miguel behind her. "How did you?"

"Carmen told them we were cousins." The Sari girl cleared her throat. "He's gonna be okay, y'know? I feel it."

"Yeah." Johnny's voice cracked as he walked to the Diaz boy, wanting to say a few words before he got caught in the room. "Hey, Buddy. I'm sorry I haven't been here, your mom hasn't wanted me here. I don't blame her. You were learning so fast, getting so strong. But I failed you, all of you, and i'm sorry."

As the Lawrence man grabbed Miguel's hand, Cynthia let a tear fall that she quickly wiped away, taking in a deep breath. She made her way to the bed and took the other boys hand, making sure not to cry in front of her Sensei. He always would be, even if she was quitting karate.

"You just have to keep fighting, you got this. I know you can." Johnny continued.

"Excuse me, sir. Only family is allowed here." A nurse commented dryly, obviously annoyed.

"I was just leaving." The Lawrence man nodded his head in his students direction before walking off.

The nurse did the same, leaving the two teens alone again.

"He's right, Miggy. You can do this." Cynthia whispered, letting a few tears fall down once again.

She could have sworn he tightened his hand around hers.

  WHEN CYN GOT BACK HOME SHE THREW her bag onto the ground with a sigh. Just as her life was slowly starting to get better, everything had crashed and tumbled down. She assumed the few weeks before the party was just the calm before the storm, and if she was honest, she wasn't sure she could recover for the storm.

Not until she knew the people she cared about were okay.

"He hasn't woken up yet?" Simon asked as he walked into the room, his delivery practically punching his daughter in the chest. "Bianca went to go take food to the Diaz's, I was going to go too but she said I should wait here for you."

"No—... I uh.. I don't know if he'll ever wake up." Cynthia had a case of the sniffles as she walked over to the kitchen, pouring herself a fresh cup of coffee.

One of the things she missed about her father being around.

"What happened to that version of my daughter that never gave up? Remember when you were little? You always used to say Goonies Never Say Die." Simon laughed at the simple memory, smiling lightly. "The minute people stop believing in Miguel, will be the minute he stops believing in himself."

"How do you believe in anything when nobody believes in you?" Cynthia's question was simple, yet gut wrenching to her father who's eyes faced the ground.

"I've always believed in you." The Sari man cleared his throat. "It was just that somewhere along the line? I started to believe in myself more than anyone. Which ended up backfiring, obviously."

"Do you ever regret leaving?" The Sari girl kept her eyes narrowed into the cup of black coffee in her hands, avoiding looking anywhere but there.

"Every single day." Simon sighed, turning on his heel. "Goonies never say die, Cyn."

He walked off into the hall, his daughter leaning forward against the counter.

"No, they don't."

AUTHORS NOTE—
I sincerely love this book sm and I thank everyone who has been showing support to it; especially lately!

Thoughts on Cyn quitting karate?

Hope you enjoyed!