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Marisol sat at the lunch table a few days later, her mind still replaying the unsettling encounter from the day before. "Dude, I was walking home yesterday from the dealership because my stepmom and my dad were out of town for a conference," she began, her voice tinged with a mix of frustration and vulnerability. "And then, out of nowhere, I saw these sketchy guys hanging around, and they started catcalling me."

Eli's eyes widened in worry as he listened intently to Marisol's story. Deep down, he wished he had the confidence to stand up for anyone, especially Marisol. He wanted nothing more than to protect her from any harm. "Jeez, Mars," he responded, his voice filled with genuine concern. "That's really messed up. I can't believe those jerks had the audacity to do that to you."

Just as Eli was about to voice his frustration, Miguel, always quick with a snarky remark, interjected with a smirk on his face. "Wow, Marisol, maybe you should seriously consider joining Cobra Kai," he quipped, his tone laced with sarcasm. "You know, for some self-defense."

Marisol shot him a look, her eyes narrowing in annoyance. She couldn't believe Miguel's insensitivity in such a moment. "Wow, really?" she retorted, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Because joining a karate dojo is the solution to every problem, right?"

The lunch table fell into a momentary silence as Marisol's words hung in the air. Eli glanced at Marisol, silently assuring her that he was there for her, ready to support her in any way he could.

Her head snapped up when Sam, fueled by anger, forcefully pushed a plate off the table, causing a loud clatter that echoed through the room. All eyes turned towards Sam, who stood tall and defiant in front of Kyler. A sharp glare pierced through the air, as if Sam's eyes were daggers aimed directly at Kyler.

Without missing a beat, Kyler decided to add fuel to the fire by shouting out a tasteless comment. "Hey guys! You know that billboard with a big ass dick on it? I guess Sam takes after her dad." he jeered, trying to make a crude joke at Sam's expense. The room fell into an uneasy silence, as everyone processed the inappropriate remark.

Marisol couldn't help but roll her eyes in exasperation. "Ugh, Kyler is just so pathetic," she grumbled, her gaze fixed on her plate as she absentmindedly played with her food. Miguel, feeling a surge of protective anger, pushed his plate away and stood up, his eyes locked on Kyler. "Hey, Kyler!" he yelled, causing Marisol's panic-stricken eyes to shoot up. As Miguel confidently approached the Park boy, Marisol's gaze followed him, filled with a mix of anticipation and concern.

"Why don't you just shut the hell up and stop being such an asshole?" Miguel spat at Kyler, his anger evident in his words. Marisol furrowed her eyebrows, her leg bouncing nervously under the table. As Kyler took a step closer to Miguel, the tension in the room escalated. "Want another beatdown, Rhea?" Kyler taunted, forcefully pushing Miguel into the table. Startled, Marisol jumped slightly in fear. Acting quickly, Eli reached out and grabbed Marisol's hand, offering her comfort and support.

"Bring it on with your weak karate, if you dare," Kyler taunted the Diaz boy, shoving him once again. Miguel let out a scoff and shook his head. "It's not just some lame karate," he snapped back, his eyes shooting a fierce glare at Kyler. Kyler clenched his jaw, throwing a punch, but Miguel swiftly grabbed his arm, locking it under his own and holding it in place. "It's Cobra Kai," Miguel remarked with a smirk, delivering an uppercut to Kyler's nose. The sound of Marisol's gasp filled the air as she watched the intense exchange.

Kyler charged forward, swiftly seizing Miguel's legs and forcefully slamming him onto the table. Then, he tightly gripped Miguel's waist and hurled him into another table. As Kyler applied a chokehold on Miguel, Marisol couldn't help but gasp, her hands instinctively covering her mouth. In a desperate attempt to break free, Miguel elbowed Kyler in the side, seizing the Park boy's fist and wrenching it behind him. With a powerful strike to the side of Kyler's head and a well-aimed kick to his back, Miguel sent Kyler crashing into a nearby table, face-first.

Marisol's eyes widened in disbelief as she heard Aisha's fierce declaration. "No mercy!" Aisha's voice echoed through the air, causing Marisol to frown and furrow her eyebrows. She leaned in closer to Eli, her curiosity piqued. "Wait, Aisha is in Cobra Kai too? I thought it was just Miguel," she whispered, hoping for some clarification. Eli turned his gaze towards Marisol, his expression thoughtful. "You know, I'm not entirely sure," he admitted, shrugging his shoulders. His attention quickly shifted back to the intense fight unfolding before them, leaving Marisol to ponder the unexpected revelation.

Miguel swiftly executed a sweeping motion, causing Brucks to lose his balance and spin around. Just as another opponent approached, Miguel delivered a powerful kick to the guy's stomach, seamlessly spinning around and landing a solid kick to the face of a redheaded boy. Sensing the need to create some distance, Miguel dashed forward, his adrenaline pumping. But Brucks quickly regained his footing, prompting Miguel to think on his feet. Sliding across the table, he grabbed a cafeteria tray and deftly pushed a chair in Brucks and Kyler's path, causing them to stumble and lose their balance.

Miguel swung the cafeteria tray with precision, smacking each kid in his way as Sam watched in awe. Her eyes widened with amazement at Miguel's display of skill. With a burst of agility, Miguel leaped onto a nearby table, Kyler charging at him one last time. Without hesitation, Miguel delivered a powerful blow to Kyler's head with the tray, causing a collective "ooh" from the surrounding students, who couldn't help but cheer for his impressive moves.

As the excitement filled the air, Sam couldn't tear her gaze away from Miguel. But just as she was about to approach him, Counselor Blatt came running in, breaking the moment. Marisol's jaw clenched with frustration, and she swiftly pulled Eli close, planting a passionate kiss on his lips, determined to redirect her attention.

—

Eli and Demetri joined Cobra Kai, and Marisol wasn't exactly thrilled about it. She had some reservations due to her dad's involvement in the past. He had been part of Cobra Kai for a while, but he didn't share much about it with her. Thankfully, he left before Daniel came to town. As they walked down the hallway together, with Demetri enthusiastically sharing his experiences at Cobra Kai, Marisol couldn't help but interject. "Yeah, but once you're in, you can't just quit, huh?" she chimed in, understanding the commitment that came with being part of the dojo.

Marisol arched an eyebrow in disbelief. "So let me get this straight," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "You got yelled at, got your ass kicked, and then willingly handed over your money? That's some life lesson right there." She glanced at Miguel, who couldn't help but roll his eyes at Marisol's comment. "I mean, seriously, who lives like that? Hookers?" she added, tugging at her backpack strings playfully.

Demetri snapped his fingers in agreement. "Exactly!" he exclaimed, while Miguel let out a sigh. "Yeah, but trust me, he's not as bad as you think. You just need to give him a chance. You don't know him like I do!" Miguel passionately defended his friend, gesturing with his hands and waving them around. Demetri scoffed, pointing at Miguel. "That's just hooker talk," he retorted, dismissing Miguel's defense.

Marisol playfully nudged Demetri in the side. "You know what, Demetri? You don't even need to learn karate when you've got Miguel here to protect you," she remarked, tilting her head towards where Kyler was standing. Demetri and Miguel both turned to look in that direction. As soon as Kyler caught sight of Miguel, he quickly walked away. "See? She's right. No one's gonna mess with you," Demetri agreed, giving a small shrug.

—

Marisol hadn't heard a peep from Eli in three whole days. She was seriously freaking out about him, so she decided to give him a call. She tapped her phone on the floor, anxiously waiting for him to pick up. But, no luck. It went straight to voicemail. Marisol let out an exasperated sigh, throwing her hands up in the air and flopping onto her bed. Suddenly, there was a knock on her door, causing her to roll her eyes. "Go AWAY, MILA!" she yelled, hearing a string of muffled curse words in Spanish escape from Mila's mouth.

Marisol's heart skipped a beat when she heard a knock on her window. She cautiously glanced over, spotting a dude with a rad blue mohawk. Feeling a mix of curiosity and caution, Marisol lowered her head under the bed, retrieving her trusty bat. With the bat in hand, she approached the window, slowly opening it. "Who the heck are you?!" she shouted at the guy, her voice filled with a mix of apprehension and defiance. The guy just laughed in response.

"It's Eli, Mars," he said, causing her to furrow her eyebrows in confusion. She let go of her bat, allowing it to clatter onto the floor. "What the heck happened?" she exclaimed, a mixture of surprise and relief evident in her voice. With a grin on her face, Marisol watched as Eli smoothly slid in through the window, closing it behind him. As he climbed in, she playfully ran her fingers through his mohawk, and he stood tall, looking down at her with a mischievous smirk.

He had this cocky smirk, standing up straighter, exuding confidence in his athletic sport clothes. Marisol was taken aback. This wasn't the same Eli she knew. He was someone else entirely. "I see you've made some changes to your room since the last time I was here," he remarked, causing her cheeks to flush. She nodded, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Uh, what happened to your hair?"

He shot a quick glance her way. "I flipped the script," he confidently declared, leaving her looking puzzled. "What the heck does 'flip the script' mean?" she asked, her confusion evident. Taking a step closer, he replied, "It's some Cobra Kai stuff. Don't worry about it." His voice lowered to a hushed tone.

Marisol's face flushed a bright shade of red, and he spoke with a raspy voice. "U- Uhm, okay," she chuckled nervously as he settled on the edge of her bed. "Wanna dye your hair?" he asked, a mischievous smirk playing on his lips. Marisol's mouth gaped open in shock. "S- Sure. What color?" she stammered, her surprise evident. He stared at her for a moment before shrugging. "I think you would look cool with blonde highlights," he suggested. Marisol cracked a grin, her cheeks still tinged with a blush. "Yeah, sure."

They heard a soft scratching sound coming from the door, interrupting their conversation. Eli furrowed his brow and turned to Marisol with a curious expression. "Yo, what's that scratching noise?" he questioned, his voice filled with intrigue. Marisol couldn't help but break into a mischievous grin, folding her arms across her chest. "Did I forget to tell you? I actually have a little toy poodle named Belly," she revealed, her eyes sparkling with amusement.

He gasped, quickly rushing to open the door and welcoming Belly inside. With a gentle click, he closed the door behind them, observing as Belly stood on her hind legs, her tiny tail wagging excitedly. Eli couldn't contain his excitement. "OMG! She's the cutest thing ever!" he squealed, causing Marisol to burst into uncontrollable laughter.

—

Eli took her to a hair salon that was decked out in festive decor, complete with twinkling fairy lights suspended from the ceiling. Marisol's eyes widened in awe as she took in the sight. "Woah, this place looks amazing!" she exclaimed. The receptionist greeted them warmly, asking, "Hey there, how can I assist you today?" Eli pulled Marisol closer, wrapping his arm around her. "My girl here wants to get her hair colored... Is Melanie working today?" he inquired with a hopeful smile.

She flashed them a warm smile. "Absolutely! You'll find her right over there," she pointed in the direction. Eli expressed his gratitude to the woman and gently tugged Marisol along. "Hey, Melanie," he greeted with a grin. Melanie enveloped Eli in a tight hug. "Aww, how's my sweet nephew? I just saw you a few days ago. What can I do for you, honey?" she asked, her eyes shifting to Marisol. Eli smirked and glanced at Marisol. "My girlfriend, Mars, wants to get her hair done today," he explained.

Melanie gasped in excitement. "Oh my goodness! You're the girl he's been raving about," she exclaimed, pulling Marisol into a quick hug while chuckling softly. Marisol waved with a friendly smile as she stepped back. "Hey there!" she greeted. Melanie gestured for them to take a seat. "Alrighty, have a seat, have a seat!" she encouraged. Marisol nervously bit her bottom lip. "I was thinking of getting some blonde highlights," she shared. Melanie grinned and nodded. "Alrighty then! We'll make it happen. Shew! Girls only club right now," she joked, looking at her nephew.

Marisol couldn't help but stifle a laugh as she noticed the intense glare Eli was shooting at his aunt. Melanie playfully waved her hands, causing Eli to groan and walk out of the salon. Melanie chuckled and then gently fluffed Marisol's hair, leaning down slightly. "All set?" she asked, meeting Marisol's gaze through the mirror.

Marisol let out a confident exhale, nodding with determination. Melanie's grin grew wider as she hurried to the back to retrieve the dye. Oh, Melanie, she was quite young, probably in her mid-30s. I've heard so much about her. She's Eli's favorite aunt, and every summer she takes him on a week-long adventure in Florida.

An hour flew by, and Melanie finally finished working her magic on Marisol's hair. "Ta-da!" Melanie exclaimed, spinning Marisol around to face the mirror, causing her jaw to drop in awe. "Oh my god! I absolutely love it. Thank you so much. How much do I owe you?" Marisol asked, her excitement shining through.

Melanie playfully nudged Marisol's shoulder. "Girl, don't even worry about it. You're off the hook. You're my nephew's girlfriend," she assured her, giving her a knowing look. Marisol raised an eyebrow, still unsure. "No, seriously, if I need to, I can pay," she insisted. Melanie grinned warmly. "Sweetie, I promise you, there's no need to pay. It's all good," she reassured, putting Marisol's mind at ease. Marisol let out a relieved exhale and nodded. "Alright, then. I'll go get Eli!" she said, ready to show off her new look to her boyfriend.

She dashed off to find Eli, leaving Marisol to admire her reflection in the mirror. As she looked at herself, a surge of confidence washed over her. She couldn't help but feel grateful to have Eli as her boyfriend. He had been there for her during her breakup, helping her see who truly cared about her and who was just pretending.

Just then, Melanie returned with Eli in tow. "Ta-da!" Melanie exclaimed, doing jazz hands to showcase Marisol's stunning new look. Eli's face turned red as he took in the sight of her. "Oh my god, bug! You look absolutely amazing," he complimented, causing Marisol to blush and gush with delight. "Thanks," she giggled, and Eli walked over, planting a sweet kiss on the side of her head.

Marisol always cherished the moments when Eli showered her with affection. It made her feel truly loved and appreciated. In contrast, when she was with Sam, displays of affection were few and far between. Sam struggled to express his feelings in that way. Unfortunately, their relationship was marked by frequent arguments from the beginning to the end.

—

The next day, Marisol and Eli found themselves in History class, sitting next to Demetri. Demetri was going on and on about Doctor Who, but Eli seemed uninterested. Suddenly, he interrupted Demetri and said, "Hey, can we switch topics for a bit? Let's talk about how amazing Marisol looks with her new hair color!" Eli's words caught Demetri off guard, and he quickly closed his mouth, stealing a glance at Marisol.

Eli's intense glares were impossible to ignore. Marisol raised an eyebrow at his behavior and tried to reassure him, saying, "Eli, it's alright..." Her words trailed off as Demetri chimed in, nodding in agreement. "No, really, Marisol, you look fantastic," Demetri frowned, sensing the tension. Marisol pursed her lips and responded with a soft, "Thanks, Metri..." She glanced over at Eli, who had a mischievous smile on his face, directed towards Demetri.

Marisol's body physically tensed up, a wave of unease washing over her as she slouched in her chair. She couldn't comprehend why Eli was acting this way, and it was starting to scare her. The initial excitement she felt had faded, leaving her unsure and unsettled. As if on cue, the bell rang, jolting Marisol into action. She swiftly rose to her feet, hastily slinging her backpack over her shoulders. Determined to avoid any further confrontation, she made a beeline for the classroom door, hoping to slip away before Eli could catch up to her. The urgency in her steps matched the racing of her heart, a mix of anxiety and relief fueling her escape.

Eli chased after her, forcefully gripping her arm, causing fear to surge through her. With wide eyes, she stared at him, her fear palpable. "Let me go!" she whispered-yelled, her breath quickening, as he released his grip. "Oh my god, I'm so sorry, Marisol," he exclaimed, his eyebrows raised in realization. "I didn't mean to hurt you! I just wanted to talk to you," he quickly apologized, his words filled with genuine regret.

Marisol's mouth gaped open, her words stumbling out in a shaky voice. "I... I... Please just leave me alone. I need some time to think," she stuttered, struggling to find her words. As Eli's expression softened, his face dropped into a frown. "I swear, Marisol, I am truly sorry," he pleaded earnestly.

Marisol brushed him off, briskly striding away. Sam witnessed the encounter and decided to follow her into the girls' locker room. Stepping inside, Sam could hear the sound of quiet sobbing. "Mars?" Sam called out softly, concerned.

Marisol's tears abruptly ceased, her expression shifting to one of surprise. "I just wanted to check if you're okay... I saw you rush out of History," Sam said hesitantly, partially fibbing. Marisol let out a disgruntled grumble, hastily wiping away her tears with her sleeve. "Yeah, I'm fine," she muttered, her voice tinged with frustration.

Sam inched closer to the stall door, nervously playing with the sleeve of her jacket. "I... I saw everything," she admitted sincerely, bracing herself for Marisol's potential anger. Marisol responded with a simple "Oh." Trying to offer some reassurance, Sam quickly added, "He didn't mean to."

"He shouldn't treat you like that, Marisol... he grabbed you so forcefully," Sam advised, concern evident in her voice. Marisol bit her bottom lip, standing up and opening the stall door. "He's acting so differently, and it's really scaring me, Sam," she sobbed.

Sam gazed at Marisol, noticing the tears brimming in her eyes. "Marisol," she started, observing how Marisol fought back her emotions. "I believe Eli might have been going through a tough time." Marisol reassured, nodding resolutely as Sam furrowed her eyebrows in concern.

  "Marisol-"

Marisol's voice quivered as she swallowed the lump in her throat. "I-I'll catch you later, Sam..." she mumbled, making her way out of the locker room.

—

ash speaks!

i will get more into marisols older sister sophie within the next few chapters. ive been more focused on introducing marisol and the others!!

anyways im proud of how im writing this book so far and thank you so so much for 3k! and thanks for 400 views on this book.

please comment and vote :)