chapter nineteen:
❛ robot kisses ❜

PLEASE DONT BE A GHOST READER!
COMMENT AND VOTE

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Sam stood inside the quiet, serene Miyagi-Do dojo, her movements fluid and precise as she practiced her karate skills. Sweat dripped down her face as she focused on the form in front of her, trying to clear her mind of the tensions that had been plaguing her recently. With a sigh, she paused, feeling the strain in her muscles, and decided to take a break. Walking outside, she took a deep breath of the fresh air and leaned over to grab her water bottle from her bag.

As she brought the bottle to her lips and took a sip, a sound from behind made her pause. The rustling of leaves caught her attention, and her senses immediately went on high alert. She turned toward the noise, her hand shaking as she accidentally dropped her water bottle. The bottle hit the ground, spilling water everywhere, but Sam's eyes were focused on the two figures now standing before her.

Tory Nichols stood there with a menacing smile, her eyes gleaming with hostility, while beside her, Arizona glared at Sam, her posture tense.

Sam's heart pounded in her chest as she faced them. "What are you both doing here?" she demanded, trying to keep her voice steady despite the anxiety creeping in.

Tory smirked, taking a step closer. "Didn't think you could hide from me and Arizona forever, did you?" she taunted, her words dripping with venom.

Sam clenched her fists, her mind flashing back to past encounters with both of them. "What are you gonna do? Break my arm too? Make Arizona slash me again?" she snapped, her voice laced with anger and hurt. The memory of that day, when Arizona had injured her under Tory's command, still haunted her.

Arizona's expression darkened, and she stepped forward, her voice sharp as she shouted, "You let that happen!"

Sam's eyes widened, shocked by Arizona's accusation. "Arizona, stop listening to Tory! She's feeding you lies, just like Cobra Kai!" Sam pleaded, her tone softening as she tried to reach the part of Arizona that was still her friend. "This isn't you."

"Stop it!" Arizona grit her teeth, her glare intensifying, but Sam could see the internal conflict within her.

Tory sneered, stepping in front of Sam. "Round two, bitch?" Without hesitation, she threw a punch at Sam. Sam quickly raised her arms, blocking the hit, but before she could retaliate, Arizona spun around and delivered a hard kick to Sam's stomach. The force of the blow sent Sam stumbling backward, her breath knocked out of her lungs.

Tory seized the opportunity, grabbing Sam by the collar and slamming her into the punching bag with a thud. Sam winced in pain, but before Tory could follow up, Sam kicked out from the ground, her foot connecting with Tory's legs. Tory stumbled back, momentarily thrown off balance.

Sam struggled to her feet, but as she rose, Arizona lunged at her, aiming a kick at Sam's face. Reacting quickly, Sam ducked and rolled to the side, barely avoiding the hit. She scrambled to her feet, her body tensed and ready for whatever came next.

Tory smirked again, standing across from Sam, with Arizona behind her. "Don't worry," Tory said coldly. "I'm not going to break your arm. But Arizona will."

At these words, Arizona hesitated, her brows furrowing with uncertainty. "What? I-I thought we were just... just gonna throw down with her for a bit. Not hurt her, Tory. I didn't think you were actually serious about this," Arizona stammered, her confidence wavering.

Sam's glare softened as she noticed Arizona's hesitation. This was just like the school fight, where Arizona had paused before doing Tory's bidding. That was when Tory had yelled at her to go through with slashing Sam's arm with the spiked bracelet. Sam knew that part of the old Arizona was still there, unsure of these cruel actions.

Tory turned to Arizona, her expression hard and commanding. "Do it."

Arizona's face hardened again, but it was clear she was conflicted. She let out a heavy sigh before stepping forward. With a swift motion, Arizona punched Sam in the face. Sam stumbled back, holding her nose as pain shot through her. Before Sam could recover, Arizona grabbed her by the hood of her hoodie, dragging her roughly toward the pond that sat in the middle of Miyagi-Do.

"Robby, Miguel... Look where they are now!" Arizona shouted, her voice filled with frustration and bitterness. She yanked Sam's ponytail, pulling her head back sharply. "And it's all your fault!"

With that, Arizona forced Sam's head into the water, pushing her down with a strength fueled by her inner turmoil. Sam gasped, water flooding her lungs as she struggled against Arizona's grip. The cold water stung her skin, and her heart pounded in her ears as she fought for air.

Tory's laughter echoed behind them, her satisfaction clear as she watched Sam struggle. Arizona clenched her jaw, her expression torn, but she kept her grip on Sam, pushing her deeper into the water.

As Sam's strength began to fade, her vision blurred and her lungs screamed for air. She fought as hard as she could, but the world around her grew darker.

Suddenly, Sam shot up, gasping for air. She blinked, her surroundings coming into focus—her bedroom. She was safe. It had all been a dream.

But the dream left her shaken, and Sam couldn't shake the feeling it gave her. Even in the dream, Arizona had faltered, unsure of the path Tory was leading her down. There was still hope that the real Arizona—the one who was once Sam's friend—was still in there somewhere.

Arizona and Hawk stood in the school corridor, leaning against the lockers, catching up after what felt like forever. There was a sense of relief between them, the tension from the past finally starting to lift. Arizona had decided to forgive Hawk for breaking Demetri's arm, knowing how he had been peer pressured by Cobra Kai and realizing that, deep down, he wasn't proud of what he'd done.

Hawk shifted uncomfortably before speaking, "So, you and Miguel are broken up, and you might be getting evicted?"

Arizona nodded, sighing. "Yeah, but... I think I figured out what happened. I think my payment went through wrong, so I think everything's okay now." She tried to sound hopeful, her shoulders relaxing slightly. It had been a tough few weeks, but maybe this was one thing she could fix.

Hawk gave a small nod. "Good... Don't look now, but Miguel's on his way over."

Arizona's eyes widened in panic. She quickly glanced in Miguel's direction before darting away, her heart pounding. Miguel was walking again, but the last thing she wanted was to talk to him after their breakup, especially after what he had said to her. Her emotions were still too raw.

"Arizona, come back, please!" Miguel called out, his voice pleading. But she was already gone, weaving through the crowded hallway, her mind racing. She just couldn't face him—not yet.

In her rush to escape, Arizona rounded a corner too quickly and crashed right into Dylan. Both of them stumbled backward, losing their balance and hitting the floor. Papers scattered around them as Arizona quickly scrambled to her feet, reaching out to help him up.

"I'm so sorry, Dylan!" Arizona apologized, grabbing his hand and pulling him to his feet.

Dylan, as usual, was flustered in her presence. He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, avoiding eye contact. "N-no, uh, it's fine, really," he stammered, his cheeks flushing. "What... um... why were you running? Did something happen?" He tripped over his words, as he always did when talking to her.

Arizona sighed, still catching her breath. "Miguel's back... and walking again. But I can't face him, not after everything that happened."

Dylan blinked in confusion. "Wait—you and Miguel broke up?"

Arizona couldn't help but chuckle softly, though her heart was still heavy with the situation. "Dylan, don't act so excited," she teased. "I don't like you that way."

Dylan sighed dramatically, but there was a playful smile on his face. "Had to try," he muttered under his breath, shaking his head. "But seriously, what happened? Why'd you two break up?"

Arizona hesitated for a moment, her eyes flickering with the pain of the memory. "He showed up at my work, and we had an argument," she said quietly, not wanting to go into the specifics of what had been said. "He knows I'm still in Cobra Kai. Things just... went downhill from there."

Dylan frowned, his voice softening. "Oh... I'm really sorry, Ari. That sucks."

Arizona gave a small, appreciative nod, feeling a slight comfort in his concern. "Yeah, it does... but I'll be fine. I just need time."

Dylan wanted to say more, but he couldn't find the right words, so he settled for standing beside her in silent support. Arizona glanced down the hall, her mind still racing with thoughts of Miguel. But for now, she was grateful to have a moment to breathe, even if it was after literally running away.

Arizona sat across from Dylan at lunch, picking at her food while he rambled on about some new robot project he was working on. She was doing her best to appear interested, nodding occasionally and offering a small smile whenever he got really excited. But her mind was elsewhere, darting between his words and the chaos of the cafeteria around them.

"...so then, if I can get the sensors to align properly, the robot will be able to detect movement in a full 360-degree range, which is really awesome because—" Dylan continued, his eyes lighting up as he animatedly explained the project.

Arizona kept nodding, but her attention wavered when her eyes drifted over to a table across the room. Hawk and Miguel were standing, and it looked like they were arguing. Hawk's face was tight with frustration, and Miguel's hands were gesturing sharply. A feeling of unease settled in her stomach.

Dylan, noticing her distraction, stopped mid-sentence. "Uh, Arizona? You still with me?" He followed her gaze and spotted Hawk and Miguel. "Just ignore them," he muttered, trying to get her focus back.

But Arizona shook her head, sitting up straighter. "No... I think Miguel found out about Hawk breaking Demetri's arm."

She stood up quickly, not waiting for Dylan's response, and made her way over to where Hawk and Miguel were. As she approached, Miguel's voice was raised, frustration clear in his tone.

"Why didn't you tell me, Arizona?" Miguel slightly yelled, his eyes flicking between her and Hawk. "Now I get why you were mad at him, and you didn't think to mention that he broke Demetri's arm?!"

Arizona winced, glancing at Hawk, then back to Miguel. "I'm not mad at him anymore," she explained, trying to keep her voice calm. "Hawk's my friend."

Miguel's eyes widened in disbelief. "You're friends with Hawk? After what he did? And Kyler, too? You're friends with Kyler now? After everything he did to you guys—and me?"

Arizona, Miguel, and Hawk all turned to look across the cafeteria, where Kyler and his goons were surrounding Demetri. Arizona's heart sank as she watched Kyler hold up Demetri's arm, which was still in a cast, and they all started laughing. Someone had drawn a crude drawing on the cast—a dick. Demetri, looking humiliated but determined not to show it, pulled his arm away and sprinted out of the cafeteria, not crying but clearly disappointed that he was still being picked on.

Hawk's frown deepened, and Arizona's stomach churned at the sight.

Miguel shook his head, his expression hardening. "So... those are your friends now?" he asked coldly before turning on his heel and walking away without waiting for an answer.

Arizona stood there for a moment, her chest tight with guilt. She and Hawk exchanged a look, both of them feeling the weight of the situation. But neither of them said anything. Hawk just nodded at her, a silent acknowledgment that there was nothing more to say, and Arizona turned and walked back to where Dylan was sitting.

Without a word, Arizona plopped down into her seat and slammed her forehead onto the table with a loud thud.

"I hate my life," she groaned, her voice muffled by the table.

Dylan frowned, clearly unsure of what to do. He reached out awkwardly, patting her shoulder with an overly cautious hand. "Uh... it's okay, Arizona," he said, his voice a little too loud as if he didn't know what the right volume for comforting someone was. "I mean, it's not... ideal... but, um, things could be worse?"

Arizona let out a frustrated sigh but didn't lift her head. "Thanks, Dylan. Really helpful," she muttered sarcastically, though her tone was more tired than mean.

Dylan, still awkward, gave her shoulder a more confident pat this time. "You know, if you ever want to talk... or maybe, like, help with a robot? I'm here." He smiled sheepishly, trying to lighten the mood. "I'm good at making stuff less terrible. I think."

Arizona let out a weak laugh, finally lifting her head to look at him. Despite everything, she appreciated his effort, even if he was incredibly awkward. "Thanks, Dylan."

Dylan grinned nervously. "No problem. Anytime, Ari."

The classroom was filled with the quiet hum of the small, half-built robot on the table. Arizona sat across from Dylan, both leaning over the project, fiddling with wires and circuitry. Dylan's eyes were laser-focused, his hands moving expertly, while Arizona, though less experienced, helped where she could. She found herself getting into it, enjoying the break from all the tension outside of school.

"Okay, now if we connect this wire here..." Dylan muttered under his breath, his brow furrowed in concentration.

Arizona leaned in closer to get a better look. "Like this?" she asked, her fingers brushing against his as she tried to help.

"Yeah, exactly," Dylan replied, his voice barely above a whisper. The air between them seemed to shift slightly as their hands lingered just a little too long, and when Arizona looked up, Dylan's face was closer than she'd realized.

For a moment, they froze. Dylan's breath hitched, his cheeks flushing slightly. Arizona didn't move either, her own heart beating faster as she saw how close they were—so close that it felt like they might—

The door to the classroom burst open with a loud bang, and both Arizona and Dylan jerked away from each other. Miguel and Johnny stormed in, Johnny's voice booming before he was even fully through the door.

"Bubblegum! You need to stop whatever the hell you're doing!" Johnny shouted, his eyes landing directly on Arizona.

Arizona blinked, still a bit rattled from the almost-kiss, and she couldn't help but chuckle at his timing. "Well, you interrupted me and Dylan making a robot," she said, trying to deflect.

Johnny gave her a hard stare before glancing at the table, then back at her. "Really? 'Cause from where I'm standing, it looked like you two were about to kiss, not build some nerdy contraption."

Dylan, flustered and unsure of what to do, took a nervous step forward. "Uh, hi, I'm Dylan," he said, offering a hand.

Johnny didn't even look at it. "I don't care that your name is Lynn," Johnny grumbled, completely butchering his name. Dylan, looking awkward as ever, nodded quickly and stepped back, deciding it was best to stay out of the way.

Arizona's eyes widened as she locked eyes with Miguel, who stood behind Johnny, arms crossed and a frown etched on his face. There was something in his expression—hurt, maybe—that made her heart sink a little. She couldn't tell if it was from what almost happened with Dylan or the bigger mess she was in with Cobra Kai, but either way, it wasn't good.

Johnny turned his focus back to her, his face serious. "Listen, Bubblegum, this needs to stop. You need to get out of Cobra Kai. It's changing you."

Arizona opened her mouth to retort but hesitated. She knew Johnny was right. Ever since joining Cobra Kai, things had shifted. She wasn't herself anymore—she wasn't doing the things she used to love, and worse, she was using violence when she had always hated it.

Johnny sighed when she didn't respond. "You're not you anymore. You're using your fists when you used to know better. This isn't who you are. Cobra Kai's twisting you, and I can't just sit here and watch it happen."

Arizona swallowed hard, staring at the floor because looking at Johnny's face made the guilt hit even harder.

"I'm opening a new dojo," Johnny continued. "Havenhurst and Magnolia. Tomorrow at 4:00. I expect you to be there." He gave her one last stern look before turning and heading toward the door. Miguel lingered for a moment longer, his eyes meeting Arizona's again. She could see the disappointment written all over his face before he followed Johnny out the door without another word.

As soon as they were gone, Arizona groaned loudly and kicked one of the nearby chairs, sending it skidding across the room. "I hate this!" she snapped, running a hand through her hair in frustration.

Dylan, still standing awkwardly nearby, cautiously stepped forward. "Are... are you gonna go to his dojo?" he asked softly, though he already knew the answer.

Arizona clenched her jaw, pacing for a second before finally answering. "I can't," she muttered. "I can't betray Cobra Kai like that."

Dylan frowned, his voice gentle. "But... maybe it's a better idea to leave. You know Johnny's right."

That was all it took to push Arizona over the edge. She turned to him, her voice sharper than she intended. "Dylan, just stop, okay? I don't want to talk about this anymore!"

Dylan recoiled a bit, clearly taken aback by her outburst, but before the silence between them could get more awkward, Arizona sighed, rubbing her temples. "I'm sorry," she said softly. "I didn't mean to snap at you."

"It's okay," Dylan said quickly, offering her a small smile. "I get it... it's a lot."

Arizona nodded, taking a deep breath. "Let's just get back to the robot. I don't want to think about this right now."

Dylan nodded, moving to sit back down, but then, with a sheepish grin, he said, "So... about what almost happened back there—"

Arizona groaned, cutting him off with a hand to her face. "Dylan, don't make this more awkward than it already is."

Dylan's grin widened as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Right, right... just had to try, you know?"

Arizona shook her head, fighting back a small smile as she sat down beside him again. "Let's just finish this robot, okay?"

"Deal," Dylan agreed, happy to let the subject drop as they both leaned back over their project, trying to ignore the weight of everything that had just happened.

ASH SPEAKS!

poor arizona :(

debating now if i should just have arizona leave cobra kai...but i had this idea for her to stay in it for one more season and have a fling with robby but i dont know now ughhhhh