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The next day, Marisol and Mila walked side by side with the other Miyagi-Do students to the creek. The morning air was crisp, filled with the sounds of nature waking up. They joined the group, and Sensei Barnes stood on a picnic table, his presence commanding everyone's attention.

"Good morning. At least for now. Gather 'round," Barnes called out. Mila and Marisol exchanged a look before stepping forward with the others. Barnes scanned the group and asked, "Is everyone here?"

Daniel nodded. "Yeah, this is everyone."

Marisol nudged Mila, giving her a meaningful look. Mila sighed deeply, understanding the nudge's significance. "Sensei Barnes, I'm sorry for being disrespectful the other day, and I thank you for letting me come back," she said, her voice steady but sincere.

Barnes nodded, a small smile playing on his lips. "It's okay, Little Cervantes. You will prove yourself today," he said, his tone encouraging. Mila's grin widened as she nodded back.

In the corner of her eye, Mila noticed Devon standing nearby. Devon's expression was a mix of regret and hope. Mila rolled her eyes, causing Devon to frown. Despite the tension, Devon stepped closer and whispered, "No hard feelings?" She held out her fist in a peace offering.

Mila sighed, her shoulders relaxing slightly. "No hard feelings. Just... just don't do that again. I'm with Anthony," she whispered back, glancing over at Anthony who stood nearby, offering her a supportive smile.

Barnes cleared his throat, drawing everyone's attention back to him. "Last night, I reviewed my notes. Made sure the remaining five got a fair shake. I've decided it's too close to call," he said, his voice authoritative. Marisol gently nudged Mila forward to stand beside Devon.

Barnes continued, "So... you're all gonna get another opportunity to prove yourselves. Two flags wait deep in the forest. Whoever brings them back... wins." The announcement sent a ripple of excitement and anxiety through the group.

Eli furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. "Wait. That's it?" he asked, his voice echoing the disbelief of several others.

Demetri raised his hand slightly. "What if two of us find a flag at the same time?"

"You fight for it," Barnes replied simply, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Daniel stepped forward, concern evident in his voice. "Are there refs out there?"

Barnes shook his head. "No, they're on their own."

"But how—" Daniel began, but Johnny cut him off.

"It can't get any more objective. Even Barnes isn't judging this one," Johnny said with a nod of approval.

Barnes nodded in agreement. "Winning is everything, plain and simple. Take ten minutes, stretch. Use the restroom. Call your mothers. When you get back, it's go time."

Mila sighed and walked over to Anthony, who wrapped his arm around her shoulders. Devon watched from a distance, jealousy evident in her clenched fists. Marisol made her way to a nearby bench, sitting down to munch on some chips. As she did, Robby approached her, his expression friendly.

"Hey," he said, taking a seat beside her.

Marisol's eyes widened in surprise. "Hi," she replied. They hadn't spoken much recently, only exchanging brief greetings in passing.

Robby smiled warmly. "How are you doing, Mari?"

Marisol laughed lightly, feeling a bit more at ease. "I'm good. Feeling like I'm in control now with my bipolar." She told him, her voice tinged with relief and pride.

"That's really great! How are you and Hawk?" Robby asked, his tone genuinely curious.

Marisol hesitated, her lips parting slightly as she gathered her thoughts. "Uh... well, we—we are okay. Things have been awkward. He's been canceling on me a lot lately. I thought we were at a good patch, but I think we're having problems again," she sighed, a mix of frustration and sadness in her eyes.

Robby frowned, offering her a supportive look. "That's tough. Relationships can be really challenging, especially with all the pressure we're under."

Robby glanced over at Eli, who was stretching on the other side of the clearing. "Have you talked to him about it?" he asked, turning his attention back to Marisol.

Marisol shook her head, her shoulders slumping slightly. "Not really. Every time I try to bring it up, he either changes the subject or tells me he's too busy to talk. I don't know what to do."

Robby nodded thoughtfully. "Communication is really important. Maybe he's just stressed about the tournament. But you deserve to know what's going on."

Marisol sighed, running a hand through her hair. "Yeah, I know. It's just... hard. I don't want to push him away, but I can't keep feeling like this."

Robby gave her a reassuring smile. "You're strong, Mari. You've been through a lot, and you've come out on top. You'll get through this too. And if you ever need to talk, I'm here."

Marisol smiled back, feeling a bit more hopeful. "Thanks, Robby. That means a lot."

Robby nodded. "Anytime. Just remember, you're not alone in this. You have friends who care about you."

Marisol looked around at the other students, many of whom were also her friends and teammates. She realized that she wasn't alone, and that she had a support system she could rely on.

"You're right," she said, her voice more determined. "I need to talk to Eli. I can't let this keep going the way it is."

Robby patted her on the shoulder. "That's the spirit. And hey, if you need backup, just let me know."

Marisol laughed softly. "I will, thanks."

Marisol got up and walked over to Eli, who was arguing with Demetri. She furrowed her eyebrows, watching Demetri storm away angrily. Turning to Eli, she asked, "What happened?" concern etched in her voice.

Eli frowned, his shoulders slumping. "I told him I'm not applying to MIT. He got mad and... now he's mad at me," Eli breathed out, looking defeated.

Marisol frowned in empathy, reaching out to touch his arm. "I'm glad you told him. I knew he would react like this, Eli. But you guys will make up eventually. You've had rough patches before." She squeezed his hand, trying to reassure him.

Eli nodded glumly, looking down at the ground. "Yeah, I hope so."

Sensing there was more to his mood, Marisol asked gently, "Is there something else bothering you?"

Eli hesitated before grabbing her arm and pulling her to the side. Marisol's heart began to race, a knot forming in her stomach. "I think we should take a break..." he revealed, his voice heavy with regret.

Marisol's heart dropped. "W— What? Why?" she asked, her voice shaking as she tried to hold back tears.

Eli sighed deeply, his eyes filled with pain. "I need to focus on finding a college I want to get into. That party reminded me I need to look at other options... and if you're going to Juilliard, you'll be all the way in New York."

Marisol's lip quivered. "But—" she began, but Eli interrupted gently.

"I really love you, Marisol. We can stay friends, but I think we should just take a little break, okay? I just need some time alone," Eli said, his eyes pleading for understanding.

Marisol's tears began to fall. She turned away, watching Eli walk off into the distance. She let out a sob, her body trembling. Sam, who had been watching the entire exchange, quickly walked over and wrapped her arms around Marisol.

"Marisol?" Sam said softly.

Marisol clung to her friend, crying into her shoulder. Mila, overhearing the sobs, looked over and saw her sister's heartbreak. Rage filled her, and she marched over to Eli, her expression hardened with determination.

Mila knelt down beside Eli, who was still lost in thought, and swiftly kicked his foot, sweeping his leg out from under him. He fell to the ground with a thud, looking up at her in shock and confusion.

"What is it with you hurting my sister?" she spat, her voice dripping with venom. Without waiting for a response, she stormed off, her anger palpable.

Eli lay on the ground, stunned and hurt, as Marisol continued to cry in Sam's comforting embrace. The world around them seemed to blur, each of them grappling with their own emotional turmoil. He lost both of his best friends today. Again.

The sun hung low, casting long shadows as the remaining competitors gathered for the final challenge to determine who would join Marisol, Sam, Tory, Miguel, and Robby in Barcelona. Marisol sat on a bench, her eyes scanning the crowd. She watched as Devon, Mila, Kenny, Demetri, and Eli lined up at the starting point. Tension filled the air as the spectators gathered to cheer them on.

Mila glared at Eli, who stood a few feet away, his expression nervous. She raised her middle finger at him, her eyes burning with anger. "You fuck with my sister, you fuck with me," she mouthed. Eli's face paled, his eyebrows shooting up in fear.

Barnes stepped forward, raising his hand. "Go!" he shouted, dropping his hand to signal the start.

Mila, a natural runner, burst from the starting line, quickly outpacing the others. Her legs pumped furiously as she felt the cold autumn breeze against her cheeks. She followed the winding path through the forest, her eyes darting left and right, searching for the flag.

She skidded to a halt when she spotted a rock with a flag perched atop it. Just as she reached for it, she heard a leaf crackle. She looked up to see Devon approaching with a smirk. "A worthy opponent," Devon remarked.

Mila shook her head in disbelief. "I saw what you did earlier," she retorted, her voice steady and accusatory. Devon's confident expression faltered. "You put laxatives in Kenny's water bottle. I don't see him around, so I guess he ran back to go shit," Mila sassed, her tone dripping with disdain.

Devon rolled her eyes. "This is messed up, Devon," Mila said, her disappointment evident.

"Don't you get it? We're in their shadows! You agreed with me the other night," Devon shouted, desperation creeping into her voice.

"I agree. But cheating? I'm shocked you did that, Dev," Mila replied, her tone firm and resolute.

Devon clenched her fists and lunged for the flag, but Mila was quicker. She kicked Devon in the side. "No, I'm going to Barcelona. You're not. You cheated," Mila declared, her voice hard.

Devon grabbed Mila's wrist and flipped her, sending her crashing to the ground. Gasping in pain, Mila watched as Devon grabbed the flag and sprinted away. Pushing herself up, Mila chased after her, determination fueling her steps. She caught up, shoving Devon to the ground. Devon dropped the flag, and Mila grabbed it. But Devon was up quickly, delivering a spinning kick that sent Mila crashing into a tree. Devon snatched the flag and sprinted back, reaching the finish line first. Mila huffed in disbelief.

Marisol, eyes puffy from crying, walked over to her sister, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Sorry, Mils. I guess it's just me. Not both of us going," she said softly.

Mila nodded, glancing over at Devon, who was being congratulated by the others. She almost wanted to tell everyone about Devon's cheating but held back, knowing it would seem like bad sportsmanship. Anthony walked over and kissed her cheek. "Hey, while everyone is in Barcelona, we can have a date and go to Golf N' Stuff," he suggested.

Mila cracked a grin. "I like that," she replied, taking his hand and walking around with him.

Meanwhile, Demetri came running up with the other flag, and Marisol's jaw dropped. Everyone gasped and cheered for Demetri. He walked toward Marisol and hugged her. "I'm sorry that Eli broke up with you," he said, his voice sincere.

Marisol pulled away from the hug and frowned. "I knew he wasn't going to MIT and I tried to get him to tell you sooner. But I'm sorry too," she said, her voice heavy with regret.

Demetri waved her off. "Don't worry about it. I'm just glad I could make it." They shared a moment of understanding, both feeling the weight of their personal struggles but finding comfort in each other's company.

Marisol glanced back at Eli, who stood at a distance, watching her with a mixture of regret and sadness. She took a deep breath, knowing that their relationship had reached a turning point. As she turned back to Demetri, she felt a renewed sense of determination. This was her chance to prove herself, to rise above the challenges and find her own path forward.

ASH SPEAKS!

okay this was super unexpected and this idea came to me. this might change the endgame again so... im not sure if sam or eli is endgame. we'll see when part 2 comes...

i know i said i wasn't gonna hurt marisol this season... but if one cervantes sister is hurting, so is the other...