chapter twenty:
❛ twisted love ❜

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Arizona had been trying to ignore the buzzing in her pocket, but when Miguel's name flashed across her screen, curiosity got the better of her. The message was brief: *"Meet me at Miyagi-Do."* Arizona's brow furrowed. She hadn't expected to hear from Miguel, especially given how much she'd been avoiding him lately. Yet, something compelled her to go.

As she drove up to Miyagi-Do, her thoughts were a whirl of confusion and unease. She parked her car and approached the dojo, the familiar gate creaking as she pushed it open. She walked past the hut and hesitated, her steps slowing as she approached the main area. Her heart sank as she saw Miguel and Sam in an intimate embrace, their faces inches apart, as if they were about to kiss.

Arizona's breath caught in her throat. Her anger flared as she saw Robby standing beside her, his expression a mix of shock and hurt. How had he gotten here? The realization hit her like a slap across the face. This wasn't just a misunderstanding; it was a cruel joke.

"Seriously?" Arizona's voice cut through the quiet, trembling with anger. "You texted me to come and see you kiss her? She's the reason I have an ankle bracelet! I came here, risking my curfew!"

Miguel and Sam broke apart, their faces flushed with surprise. Miguel's gaze was pained, while Sam's eyes were wide with a mixture of guilt and confusion. Robby's face was a portrait of raw emotion as he stared at Sam, his hurt evident.

"And I should've known," Robby's voice was laced with betrayal. "Why am I not surprised?"

Arizona's eyes welled up with tears, her frustration reaching a boiling point. "Robby," Sam said, stepping toward him with a pleading expression. "I didn't—"

"Arizona," Miguel interjected, stepping toward her as well, his voice laden with regret. "I'm sorry. I wanted to talk to you—"

"Why did you text me?" Arizona demanded, her glare piercing through Miguel. "I came here because you asked me to. What was this all about? Just to flaunt your new relationship? You guys get together the second I'm out of the picture?"

Miguel stammered, his face filled with remorse. "I... I wanted to talk. Both of us, you and me. And Sam too. I thought..."

"To what?" Arizona interrupted, her voice rising. "Let you guys date? Yeah, real funny. I'm not here to play games. You think it's some kind of joke?"

Sam stepped forward, her hands held up in a calming gesture. "Guys, it's not what you think."

"Not what I think?" Robby retorted, his eyes blazing as he shot a furious look at Sam. "You two get together the moment I'm gone? And you, Arizona—did you expect me to just wait around and let you walk all over me?"

"It's not like that," Sam insisted, her voice wavering. "I wanted Miguel and Arizona to get back together. I want her to leave Cobra Kai. I came here to apologize."

Arizona rolled her eyes, her anger boiling over. "Yeah, well, I'm not gonna accept your apology now. You tried to steal him again! You were always trying to take what wasn't yours."

Sam flinched at the sharpness in Arizona's voice, her mind flashing back to the dream she'd had about her and Tory. She struggled for words, her resolve faltering under Arizona's relentless glare.

"I didn't know," Sam said quietly, her voice breaking. "I didn't realize—"

"Oh, you wouldn't have cared if you did," Robby snapped. "It's not like you've ever been concerned about what's actually happening."

Miguel took a step forward, trying to diffuse the situation. "It's not her fault—"

"Stay out of this!" Robby shouted, pointing a finger at Miguel. The tension between them crackled in the air. Arizona stood frozen, her mind racing, unsure of how to navigate the explosive confrontation.

"I don't think I will," Miguel challenged, his voice steady despite the mounting tension.

Robby's face hardened. "I was hoping you'd say that." With that, he swung his fist toward Miguel, who barely had time to react. Sam grabbed Robby's fist and shoved him backward, her voice rising in alarm.

"Robby, don't!" Sam exclaimed, her face flushed with anxiety. Robby stared at them both, his expression one of disbelief and resignation.

"You two deserve each other," Robby muttered, his voice filled with defeat. "I'll see you at Cobra Kai, Arizona." With that, he turned and stormed out, leaving Arizona standing there with a mix of anger and guilt.

Arizona turned to face Miguel and Sam, her eyes red and her face flushed. "So, what now?" she demanded, her voice trembling. "You guys thought it would be a good idea to show me how happy you are together? To rub it in my face? I came here for closure, and instead, I find this."

Miguel looked down, unable to meet her gaze. "Arizona, it's not like that. We didn't plan—"

"Didn't plan?" Arizona interrupted, her voice cracking with emotion. "You didn't plan for me to see this? You didn't think about how this would hurt me? I've been dodging your calls and texts, and now I see you two together, just like that?"

Sam stepped forward, her expression filled with regret. "I'm really sorry, Arizona. I didn't mean to hurt you. I thought... I thought if we talked, we could work things out."

Arizona shook her head, her anger turning to tears. "You can't just waltz back into my life and expect everything to be okay. You've hurt me too much. I need to figure out what's best for me now."

With that, Arizona turned and walked away, her heart heavy with a mixture of sadness and frustration. The path ahead was uncertain, but she knew she couldn't stay in this place where she felt so betrayed. As she left Miyagi-Do behind, the night air felt cooler against her flushed cheeks, offering a small sense of relief amid the turmoil.

Arizona's hands trembled as she dialed Dylan's number. She'd spent the last few hours trying to process the chaos of the evening, but the sting of betrayal and heartbreak was too raw. When Dylan answered, his voice was a gentle anchor in her storm of emotions.

"Hey, Arizona. Is everything okay?" Dylan asked, his tone laced with concern.

"I—I need to see you," she choked out. "Can I come over? I just... I need to talk."

There was a brief pause, filled with Dylan's silent hesitation. "Sure, yeah. Come over. I'll be here."

Arizona drove to Dylan's house with tears streaming down her face. Her vision blurred, making it hard to navigate, but she managed to pull up to his driveway. She took a shaky breath, trying to gather herself before knocking on the door. Dylan opened it with a look of apprehension mixed with concern.

"Hey," he said softly, stepping aside to let her in. "Come in."

Arizona walked past him and into his room, feeling the weight of her emotions pressing down on her. She sank onto his bed, her body trembling with sobs. Dylan followed, his nervousness palpable. He sat down beside her, unsure of how to help but clearly wanting to comfort her.

She didn't meet his gaze, instead burying her face in her hands as the tears flowed freely. Dylan hesitated for a moment before placing a tentative hand on her shoulder, attempting to offer some semblance of comfort.

"Shh," he whispered softly, unsure of what else to say. "It's okay. I'm here."

The door creaked open, and Demetri walked in, his eyes widening as he took in the scene. Arizona was crying on Dylan's bed, and Dylan had his arm around her, looking both awkward and earnest.

"What's going on here?" Demetri asked, confusion evident in his voice.

Dylan, his face a mix of embarrassment and determination, quickly responded, "Demetri, get out. This... this is my moment with the girl of my dreams."

Demetri's eyebrows raised in surprise, but he saw the sincerity in Dylan's eyes and nodded. "Oh, uh, okay. Sorry, man. Didn't mean to intrude." He turned and closed the door behind him, leaving Dylan and Arizona alone.

Arizona, consumed by her grief, didn't notice Demetri's exit. She continued to cry, her sobs interspersed with ragged breaths. Dylan remained by her side, his arm still around her as he awkwardly patted her back. His own discomfort was evident, but he focused solely on being there for her.

After a few moments, Arizona's sobs began to subside, though her eyes remained red and puffy. She slowly raised her head, her voice breaking as she spoke. "Dylan... I don't even know where to start. I just... I went to Miyagi-Do because Miguel texted me. I thought he wanted to talk, maybe even apologize, but..."

Her voice faltered, and she wiped her tears with the back of her hand. "When I got there, I saw Miguel and Sam... They were together, about to kiss. It felt like everything I've been trying to avoid was right there in front of me. And Robby was there too. It was like... like everything was falling apart."

Dylan listened intently, his arm still around her, his eyes filled with empathy. "I'm so sorry, Arizona," he said softly. "That sounds really hard."

Arizona nodded, her eyes welling up again. "It was. And then Robby... he was hurt. He thought I was coming there for them, and it just made everything worse. I tried to tell them that I'm done with all of this, but it's like they don't even care. And now..."

She took a shaky breath, trying to calm herself. "I don't know how to fix this. I feel like I'm losing everyone, and I don't even know how to handle it."

Dylan looked at her with a mix of sympathy and awkwardness. "I- It's okay to feel this way. You don't have to go through this alone."

The room was quiet except for Arizona's occasional sniffles and the gentle hum of Dylan's comforting presence. Despite his nervousness and the tension between them, Dylan's support provided a small measure of relief amidst her turmoil.

Arizona leaned into Dylan's shoulder, allowing herself to be vulnerable in the safe space he provided. Dylan continued to hold her, his own anxiety fading as he focused solely on offering comfort and understanding.

ASH SPEAKS!

poor arizona :(

i hate this chapter so much im so sorry

please check out my new books "bed chem" and "paper rings" also you should check out my robby keene book "cinnamon girl" and "crazy for you"!