chapter eighteen:
❛ downward spiral ❜

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Arizona walked into Cobra Kai with a sense of dread, her mind consumed by the voicemail she'd just heard. The voicemail from Dylan replayed in her head: "Hey, Arizona. Um, well... how do I start this? You're so-called friends, uh... broke Demetri's arm. I—I know you weren't there. But I think you should know before someone else tells you... Uh—Uh, yeah. See you later. Um, also, it was Hawk—who did—did it. Bye now..."

The voicemail had been a punch to the gut. As she entered the dojo, her eyes scanned the room with intense focus until they landed on Hawk. He was standing with a group of Cobra Kai students, looking particularly out of place among them. Arizona's anger bubbled to the surface as she strode directly toward him.

"Hawk!" Arizona's voice cut through the noise of the dojo, demanding attention. The room seemed to pause for a moment as she approached him. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

Hawk looked up, his eyes narrowing. "What, Arizona?" he replied, his tone defensive and cold.

"You broke Demetri's arm!" Arizona's voice was filled with both shock and fury. "He was your best friend. You just—" She struggled to find words, her anger almost making her choke on them.

Hawk's face hardened as he clenched his fists. "He got what he deserved. He and the rest of them. They're the reason Miguel is in this mess."

"Are you kidding me?" Arizona shot back, her face flushed with anger. "Demetri had nothing to do with what happened to Miguel! You're just taking your anger out on anyone who's close to him. You're so blinded by rage that you're hurting the people who were actually there for you!"

Hawk's expression grew darker. "You don't get it. You weren't there when we needed to get justice. You don't understand what it's like to be left behind while your friends are getting messed up."

Arizona's voice rose. "I'm not trying to justify what's happened, but Demetri didn't deserve this. He's been nothing but loyal."

"And you? You haven't even talked to Miguel since he got out of the hospital! How are you going to be a couple if you're not even trying to fix things?" Hawk's anger flared, and he took a step closer to her, his face inches from hers. "I don't need a lecture from you. You think you know everything about how we should handle things? Why don't you try living in our world for once?"

Arizona's fists clenched tighter, her knuckles white. "I'm not going to stand here and watch you destroy your friendships over a vendetta. You're turning into the very thing you claimed to hate. If this is the path you're on, you're going to lose everyone who ever cared about you."

"Says you. You burned bridges with everyone. Everyone is scared of you now."

Arizona froze at Hawk's words.

With that, Arizona turned and pushed through the group of new recruits who had just entered the dojo, their faces a mix of curiosity and confusion. As she made her way toward the door, she heard Kyler, Brucks, and the others mumbling among themselves, but she couldn't care less.

The door swung open, and she stormed out of the dojo, needing to escape the toxic atmosphere. As she stepped outside, her phone buzzed with an incoming call. Checking the screen, she saw it was from Diego's school. Her heart skipped a beat as she answered.

"Hello?" Arizona said, her voice tinged with worry.

"Hi, Arizona. This is Principal Thompson from Diego's school," the voice on the other end said. "I'm calling to inform you that Diego got into a fight today. He's been taken to the nurse's office."

Arizona's breath caught in her throat. "A fight? Is he okay?"

"He's a bit shaken up, but he's not seriously injured. We need you to come down to the school to discuss the situation."

Arizona's heart sank as she ended the call. Her thoughts raced as she realized the implications of Diego's involvement in a fight. With her anger at Hawk and the distress over Diego, she felt overwhelmed. Arizona took a deep breath, trying to steady herself, and made her way to the school, determined to sort out the chaos and find some semblance of control in her life.

Arizona arrived at Diego's middle school, feeling a mix of frustration and worry. She walked through the entrance, where Principal Thompson greeted her with a stern but empathetic look.

"Arizona, thank you for coming so quickly," Principal Thompson said, leading her to the office. "I'm afraid we have an issue. Diego was involved in an incident during lunch today."

Arizona's heart raced. "What happened?"

"The situation started when Diego punched another student, Anthony LaRusso," Principal Thompson explained as they sat down. "According to witnesses, Diego reacted after Anthony accused him of you being a bully and claimed that you had hurt his sister."

Arizona frowned. "What? I never bullied anyone."

"I understand your concern," Principal Thompson said. "But Diego's actions resulted in a physical altercation, and unfortunately, he's been suspended for a week. We need to address this behavior seriously."

Arizona sighed deeply. "I'll talk to him."

As she and the principal were about to leave the office, the door opened, and Daniel LaRusso, Amanda, and Anthony walked in. Arizona's eyes widened as she saw them, especially Anthony, whose arm was in a sling.

"Daniel, Amanda," Arizona said, her tone weary. "Looks like we're all here for the same reason."

Daniel's expression was concerned but calm. "I'm sorry to hear about Diego. I hope everyone's okay."

"Anthony's arm was injured," Amanda said, glancing at Diego, who stood with a defiant look on his face. "But it looks like Diego's going through some issues."

Arizona turned to Diego. "You need to apologize to Anthony. This isn't how we handle problems."

Diego crossed his arms and scowled. "Why should I? He was the one who started it. He called you a bully and said you hurt his sister."

Arizona's frustration grew. "It doesn't matter who started it. We need to take responsibility for our actions. You've caused trouble and now you need to make it right."

Anthony, looking uncomfortable but resolute, shook his head. "I don't need an apology from him. It's not a big deal."

Daniel stepped forward, his tone firm but fair. "Anthony, you need to apologize. It's important for Diego to understand the consequences of his actions, and it's also important that we show some mutual respect here."

Anthony hesitated but nodded. "Fine, I'll apologize."

"Good," Arizona said, relieved. "Diego, go ahead and say you're sorry."

Diego shot a glare at Anthony. "Sorry."

Anthony grumbled, "Thanks."

Amanda gave Arizona a sympathetic look. "I hope things get better for Diego. It's clear he's dealing with a lot right now."

Arizona nodded, her shoulders sagging. "I appreciate that. I just need to get him home and figure out how to make things right."

As they left the office, Arizona walked beside Diego, who remained sullen. She knew this was only the beginning of dealing with the fallout from the school fight. With Daniel and Amanda's concern in the back of her mind, she hoped that this was a turning point for Diego, and that he'd start making better choices.

Arizona parked the car in the driveway, the engine's hum dying out as she took a deep breath, trying to steady herself before facing Diego. He sat slouched in the passenger seat, his mood as stormy as hers. She turned to him, her face set with determination.

"Diego," she said, her voice calm but firm. "Before I head to work, I need to understand why you punched Anthony today. What was going on in your head?"

Diego avoided her gaze, staring out the window with a sullen expression. "You wouldn't get it," he muttered. "When you're mad, you act like this. I just wanted to show him I'm not going to take crap from anyone."

Arizona's jaw tightened. "Don't use my actions as an excuse for yours. You need to learn how to control your anger, not just lash out. This isn't how you solve problems."

Diego turned to her, frustration evident in his eyes. "Why should I listen to you? You're always the one who's angry and throwing fits. Maybe if you learned to control your own anger, things wouldn't be so bad!"

Arizona's patience was wearing thin. "That's not what this is about. This is about you making better choices. I'm trying to help you, Diego. You need to think before you act. Here." She reached into her bag and pulled out a small bottle of lavender essential oil. "Use this. It's supposed to help with calming down."

Diego looked at the bottle, incredulous. "Lavender oil? Are you serious? You think that's going to fix everything?"

Arizona's frustration surged. "It's not about the oil itself. It's about taking a moment to calm down and think before you react. You need to learn how to manage your emotions better."

Diego's anger flared, and he shot back, "Maybe I wouldn't have to act out if things were different around here! Like, if Mom wasn't an alcoholic and Dad wasn't missing, maybe I wouldn't be so messed up!"

Arizona's eyes widened, and her heart sank. "Don't use our family problems as an excuse for your behavior. You're responsible for your own actions."

Diego's voice grew louder, his emotions raw. "How can you expect me to stay calm when everything's falling apart? Mom's always drunk, and Dad's nowhere to be found! It's like no one cares!"

Arizona's face flushed with a mix of anger and sadness. "I'm doing my best to take care of things. I'm trying to be here for you, even if it's hard. But you need to take responsibility for how you act. Blaming everyone else doesn't help."

Diego's face twisted with anger. "Maybe if you were around more, things would be different! You're always busy with your own problems!"

Arizona felt her own anger boiling over. "This isn't about me! This is about you managing your anger and making better choices. You're old enough to understand that!"

The argument reached a boiling point, and Diego, overwhelmed by his emotions, flung open the car door and stormed out. He slammed it shut with a resounding thud and marched up the walkway to the front door, his steps heavy with frustration.

Arizona sat in the car, her hands gripping the steering wheel tightly. Her heart ached from the harsh words and the weight of their family's struggles. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself before she headed to work, knowing that this confrontation was just another step in the long process of trying to mend their fractured family.

Arizona arrived at the sushi restaurant, her mind still reeling from her confrontation with Diego. The drive had been silent, her thoughts a whirlwind of frustration and worry. She stepped out of the car and glanced around, hoping to find a semblance of normalcy in her work environment. Instead, she was met with a sight she hadn't expected: Miguel, sitting outside in his wheelchair, looking out at the street with a distant expression.

"Miguel?" Arizona's voice wavered with surprise and concern as she approached him.

Miguel looked up, his face illuminated by the setting sun, his eyes reflecting a mixture of melancholy and resignation. "Hey, Arizona. I'm here with Sensei. I heard from Hawk that you work here now."

Arizona's face tightened with irritation. "Ugh, don't mention Hawk. I'm really not in the mood to talk about him right now."

Miguel's brow furrowed. "Oh? What happened?"

Arizona sighed, her shoulders slumping as she tried to deflect. "Just personal stuff. You know, family and... other issues."

Miguel didn't let up. "You haven't been around much lately. What's going on?"

She hesitated, struggling to maintain her composure. "It's just personal stuff. You wouldn't understand."

Miguel leaned closer, his expression growing more intense. "Did you even leave Cobra Kai?"

Arizona's heart skipped a beat. She tried to hide her discomfort. "What are you talking about?"

Miguel's eyes narrowed with suspicion. "Bert saw you leave Cobra Kai today."

Arizona's resolve began to falter. "Well, I—"

Miguel's tone grew sharp. "I told you, you've changed since you joined Cobra Kai. And now you're lying to me?"

Arizona's anger flared, and her voice raised in frustration. "Yeah, I'm sure you've heard it all before. I'm the girl who slashed Sam's arm and now you're saying I'm a liar? That's real rich, Miguel."

Miguel's face hardened, hurt flashing in his eyes. "That's not what I meant. I'm just trying to understand what's happening with you. You're pushing everyone away."

Arizona's frustration bubbled over. "Oh, so you still have feelings for Sam, don't you? Is that what this is about?"

Miguel's eyes widened in surprise. "No, Arizona. I don't have feelings for Sam. I care about you. But you're not making it easy."

Arizona shook her head bitterly. "And what if I don't want things to be easy? What if I'm tired of everyone judging me for every little thing?"

Miguel's voice softened, but his frustration was evident. "Arizona, I really think you should reconsider leaving Cobra Kai. It's not just about the dojo; it's about you and what you're becoming."

Arizona's anger was palpable. "No, I can't. I have my reasons, Miguel. You wouldn't understand."

Miguel's gaze grew pained. "Why not? What's stopping you from making things right?"

Arizona's expression hardened. "Because it's not that simple. It's never that simple."

Miguel's voice grew desperate. "If you walk away now, we're over. Do you really want that?"

Arizona's eyes filled with tears, her composure cracking. "I... I don't know what to do."

Miguel's frustration reached its peak. "You're running away from your problems, Arizona. You're changing into someone I don't even recognize anymore."

Arizona's voice trembled as she stood up, trying to distance herself from the confrontation. "I can't do this right now. I need to go."

As she turned and walked toward the restaurant entrance, Miguel's voice called after her, filled with anguish. "If you walk away now, we're done!"

The door swung open behind her, and she stepped inside, the restaurant's dim light doing little to hide her tears. She made her way to the back, her emotions finally spilling over. The weight of the argument and her own fears seemed almost unbearable.

Tory, who was working at the restaurant, noticed Arizona's red eyes and trembling hands as she walked in. Concern etched on her face, she approached her. "Hey, Arizona. What's wrong?"

Arizona's sobs broke free as she explained, her voice choked with emotion. "Miguel was outside. He found out I'm still going to Cobra Kai. We argued. He said we're over if I walk away, but I can't leave. I don't know what to do."

Tory placed a comforting hand on Arizona's shoulder. "I'm really sorry you're going through this. I didn't know things were that rough."

Arizona wiped her tears and took a deep, shuddering breath. "Thanks, Tory. I just feel so lost right now. I don't even know how to fix this."

Tory offered a sympathetic smile. "You're not alone, Arizona. If you need to talk or if there's anything I can do, just let me know."

Arizona managed a weak smile, her voice barely above a whisper. "Thanks. I really appreciate it."

Tory gave her a reassuring pat on the back before stepping away, allowing Arizona a moment to gather herself. The day had been a whirlwind of emotions, and as she stood there, she realized how much she needed to confront her own choices and feelings.

ASH SPEAKS!

i hate writing season 3. this is my least favorite season to write for this book im so sorry !!! it will get better i promise 😭😭

go check out cinnamon girl!! its a robby keene fic i have up and i just finished writing season 5 for it and im onto season 6 now :)

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