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"𝐒𝐎 tell us about this Johnny Lawrence," Kara said, crossing her legs under the cafeteria table and tilting her head with quiet curiosity.

"The one who helped you and August out at the mini-mart, right?" Lori added, leaning forward eagerly, her lip gloss catching the light as she picked at her turkey club.

"Yeah, but there's nothing to tell," Stella said, brushing it off with a sip of her strawberry lemonade. "He's our neighbor. Kind of grouchy at times. He's agreed to train August in karate."

"So he's a karate teacher?" Kara asked, tone calm and clipped, like she was testing the waters.

"Sensei," Stella corrected with a little smirk. "He was a karate champion back in the day. Anyway—where are y'all wanting to do your clinicals?"

Kara accepted the deflection gracefully, dipping a fry into ketchup before answering. "Probably the pediatrics unit."

"Maybe the ICU," Lori said, twirling her straw in her blueberry lemonade like it was a martini glass. "Kids are cute, but sticky fingers? Not hot. What about you, babes?"

Stella smiled. "Like Kara, the pediatrics unit. But it all depends on where the professors place us."

Kara nodded, polished and pragmatic. "True. Still... pediatrics feels right for you, Stella."

Before Stella could respond, Lori leaned in with a conspiratorial grin. "Okay, but back to Mr. Karate Champion. Is he hot? Because you're totally glowing every time you say his name."

Stella choked slightly on her lemonade, setting the cup down with a laugh. "Lori—he's just a neighbor. He's teaching August, not me."

"Uh-huh," Lori said, drawing out the syllables like she wasn't buying it. "Translation: he's hot, and you like him."

Kara arched an eyebrow, cool and skeptical. "Johnny Lawrence. That name screams leather jacket and questionable choices."

"Not wrong," Stella said with a soft laugh. "But he's been... kind. He's helping my brother, and that's what matters."

Kara let her off the hook, glancing at the clock. "Speaking of, we better get to class or else they'll have our asses."

Lori sighed, rolling her eyes dramatically. "Ugh. Class is so not hot."

The girls laughed as they stood, gathering their trays. But as Stella tossed hers into the bin, Lori gave her a sly smile. "Just saying, babe—karate sensei might be exactly what you need. Don't fight it too hard."

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August walked into the cafeteria, lunch tray wobbling slightly in his hands. The hardest part wasn't carrying the food—it was figuring out where the hell to sit. His eyes swept across the crowded room, past the cliché cliques straight out of a teen movie: the jocks pounding fists at one table, the preppy girls laughing too loud at another, the nerds swapping notes, and everything in between.

Then he spotted a corner table with only two boys, both hunched low over their trays like they were trying to disappear.

"Is it cool if I sit here?" August asked quietly.

"Sorry, table's blowing up right now. I can put you guys on the waitlist, but it's probably next semester at the earliest," one of the boys said flatly.

"Okay," August muttered, already turning to leave, shoulders sagging.

"I'm kidding—sit," the boy added, finally cracking a grin.

Relieved, August slid into the chair. "I'm August Walker."

"I'm Demetri. This is Eli." He nodded toward his friend, who offered August a quick, shy smile before looking back down at his tray.

"He's a man of few words," Demetri said with a shrug.

They'd barely started eating when August's attention snagged on movement across the cafeteria. Two girls had just walked by, and in that instant, the rest of the room seemed to blur out of focus. One was a brunette, one blonde, both striking—but it was the brunette who caught him completely off guard.

Sam.

Something about her—the easy laugh in her voice, the spark in her eyes—made August feel like he'd just been hit in the chest. He couldn't look away.

Demetri noticed and groaned. "Dude, don't torture yourself. Those are the rich girls."

"Do you ever talk to them, or...?" August asked, still staring, heart thudding harder than it should.

"Oh, yeah! All the time. We hang out after school, make out, give each other hand jobs. Eli here is homecoming king. Gets laid more than anyone. Isn't that right, bro?" Demetri deadpanned, jerking his thumb at Eli. "Talk to them? You realize what table you're sitting at, right? You've pretty much signed away all hopes of losing your virginity before college."

Before August could roll his eyes, Eli muttered, "Oh, shit, Yasmine's looking at us. Probably making fun of me," and covered his lip.

"Oh, shit, Yasmine's looking at us. Probably making fun of me." Eli said, covering his lip.

August frowned. "I don't think she's making fun of you. Just because they're hot doesn't mean they're mean." His tone was genuine—his late mother's kindness shining through.

On cue, Yasmine's sharp voice cut across the cafeteria. "Oh my God, you guys. You see that guy over there who looks like he went down on a lawnmower? He's literally wearing the ugliest sweater I've ever seen." Moon snickered beside her.

Sam chuckled too—but softer, almost embarrassed. "That is so wrong."

Yasmine wasn't finished. "Speaking of wrong, check out Fug-lisha. She looks like she ate a picnic table." She and Moon burst into cruel laughter.

"I don't care if Yasmine is the meanest girl at school," Demetri whispered reverently. "I'd kill the two of you just for her to spit in my face." His gaze lingered on the blonde.

"If you don't make a move, you'll never have a shot with her," August said as he opened his chocolate milk carton.

"True. But I'll also never suffer a humiliating rejection. I'm at peace with my depression. The last thing I need to be is suicidal," Demetri countered, waving him off.

August looked back at Sam's table, heart pounding. She was laughing at something Moon said, sunlight spilling through the windows and catching in her hair. He didn't care about Yasmine. Didn't care about the cafeteria politics. He only knew that if he didn't try, he'd regret it.

He pushed back his chair, making Demetri and Eli snap their heads up.

"What are you doing?" Demetri hissed.

"Striking first," August said, determination in his voice as he walked toward Sam's table.

"Oh, shit. Hope we don't get hit with the shrapnel." Demetri said

Every step felt like it echoed. And then—Sam looked up at him. She smiled. Just a small, polite curve of her lips, but it lit him up inside like nothing else ever had. For a second, August forgot how to breathe.

But before he reached her, two boys dropped their trays onto the table. He recognized them instantly: Kyler and his crew—the same jerks who'd jumped him and Stella at the strip-mall. Kyler slung an arm around Sam's shoulders like she already belonged to him.

The moment shattered.

August froze, then quietly turned away, walking back to Demetri and Eli. He dropped into his seat, trying to look unaffected even as his chest ached.

"So, how did it go?" Demetri asked with a smirk.

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Stella sat through the lecture for her Human Growth and Development class, her notebook open and pen moving as she jotted down notes. Lori and Kara sat beside her, tapping their pens on their notebooks—Lori in an overly dramatic rhythm, Kara more measured and poised.

After an hour and a half, the lecture finally ended. The professor dismissed the class, scheduling their next meeting for Friday. Grabbing their book bags and notebooks, Stella, Lori, and Kara stood and walked down the hall.

"Well, that was the longest lecture ever," Kara said, calm and precise, rifling through her book bag to grab her keys.

"The longest hour and a half of my life," Lori said dramatically, tossing her purse over her shoulder. "Who wants to go get drinks? On me."

"You don't have to ask me twice," Kara said smoothly, falling into step with Stella and Lori as they exited the building. "Stell, you wanna join?"

"Thanks, but I think I'm gonna head home. I'm kind of tired this afternoon," Stella said with a small smile as they reached their cars.

"Alright, well, if you change your mind, we'll be at Paradise," Lori said, unlocking her car door and sliding in with a flourish, her energy sunny and playful as ever.

"Alright. See you girls tomorrow," Stella replied, placing her book bag in the passenger seat and climbing in.

Meanwhile, at the dojo in Reseda, Johnny was showing August how to practice with a dummy.

"You can't strike first if you don't know how to strike. The cobra strike is composed of two parts: the lunge, which requires the use of the whole body, and the bite, which is everything that happens after you make contact," Johnny explained, his tone sharp and uncompromising.

"You don't stop here, where knuckles hit the bone. You punch through the bone like the guy you really wanna hit is standing behind this asshole." He reared his hand back and slammed it into the dummy, demonstrating each precise movement. "You strike here," he said, pointing to the dummy's nose, "you bloody his nose. Strike here," he jabbed at the mouth, "you break his teeth. Strike here," he jabbed at the throat, "you severely damage his trachea."

"Obviously, that's only for extreme situations," Johnny added, stepping back. "All right, line up. Focus. I want you to practice."

August squared off in front of the dummy, fists clenched, when Johnny's phone began to ring.

"Keep practicing. Punch through the dummy," Johnny instructed, answering the call without missing a beat.

"Hello?" Johnny said.

"Is this Mr. Lawrence?" a woman's voice asked.

"Yes," Johnny replied, calm but alert.

"This is Carla Jenkins, the vice principal at North Hills High. I have you listed as an emergency contact for Robby Keene," she explained.

"Uh, yeah, I'm his father, but you're supposed to call his mom," Johnny said.

"I already called her. She's not picking up." Carla said

"Right. Big surprise. All right, what'd he do this time?" Johnny asked, eyes narrowing.

"We found him with Molly." Carla said

"Who... who's Molly? Is that some chick he's hooking up with?" Johnny asked.

"It's an illegal drug Mr. Lawrence." Carla said

"All right, put my kid on the phone," Johnny said, voice hard.

"What do you want?" Robby asked bitterly

"Robby, what the hell? You're doing drugs? You wanna flush your life down the toilet?" Johnny snapped.

Robby snickered, then bitterly said, "Like you're one to talk. Don't try to play dad now. You're a pathetic loser."

"Um...I think maybe I should keep trying his mother," Carla said hesitantly

"Yeah, good luck with that," Johnny muttered, then hung up.

He turned to find August stiff as a board, barely connecting with the dummy. Johnny stormed over, voice sharp as a whip.

"All right. No, no, no. You're doing it all wrong. What, you want those kids at school to keep dumping shit on your head? You want all the girls to think you're a wang-less dork? 'Cause, you can stop your training now, walk outside and let the whole world know you're a loser," Johnny barked.

"Or you could plant your feet, look your enemy in the eyes, and punch him in the face!" he shouted.

August adjusted his stance, planting his feet firmly as he stared into the dummy's eyes.

"Picture your enemy," Johnny said.

August imagined Kyler's smug face in his mind.

"You have a picture in your mind?" Johnny asked, eyes piercing.

August nodded.

"What are you gonna do?" Johnny pressed.

August reared his fist and punched the dummy hard.

"Again!" Johnny instructed. Another hit.

"Are you a loser?" Johnny demanded.

"No, sensei!" August shouted, hitting the dummy again.

The punches came faster, harder, each strike echoing through the dojo. August's yells matched the rhythm, escalating in speed and power as Johnny's relentless energy pushed him further and further.

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Stella parked her jeep in front of the strip mall, Janis Joplin's Piece of My Heart blasting through the speakers. Turning off the ignition, she grabbed her keys and water bottle, tucking her phone into her back pocket. Locking the doors, she walked into the dojo.

"Hey, sis," August said, continuing to punch the dummy.

"Hey, little brother," Stella replied with a warm smile. "Sorry I'm late. One of the professors was long-winded. By the way, Kara and Lori said hi."

At the sound of her voice, Johnny stepped out of the office, his usual confident stride softening when he saw her. "Hey, Stella," he said, a hint of warmth in his tone.

"Hey," Stella said, returning his smile. "Hopefully you're not working him too hard. By the way, sorry I'm late. One of the professors was long-winded, but I'm here."

"It's all right. I was kind of hoping you could help me on some of this paperwork," Johnny said, his gaze lingering just a moment longer than necessary.

"You would be too, if the moron of a landlord didn't explain jack shit," Johnny replied, running a hand through his hair.

"Alright, Lawrence. First of all, just calm down and take a deep breath, and you'll be fine. Second of all, my aunt Kellie has a business degree, so I can help you," Stella said, moving over the papers on the desk. "So this is your lease. You'll need to keep it in a file somewhere. This is renewed at the beginning of every year. Do you have a folder?"

Johnny tossed her a skeptical glance, then smirked. "Hmm... I don't know. Do you trust me with your organizational skills?"

Stella raised an eyebrow, smiling despite herself. "I think I can risk it."

She labeled the folder Dojo Lease, handed it back, and watched as he placed it neatly in the filing cabinet.

"What about these other bills?" Johnny asked, taking a seat on the edge of the desk. Stella sipped her water, noticing how close he was.

"Well, this is the utility bill. It's not due for another two weeks," she said, jotting it down on a sticky note.

"Thanks, princess," Johnny said, his grin half teasing, half sincere. He leaned back slightly, eyes flicking to hers in a way that made her pulse quicken. "You know, for someone running around between school and clinicals, you've got a serious knack for focus."

Stella chuckled, trying to hide the warmth in her cheeks. "Thanks... I guess. You make it sound dangerous."

"Dangerous?" Johnny asked, tilting his head. "Trust me, working with me is the most dangerous thing you'll do today." He leaned just a little closer. "And if you mess up... well, I guess I'll just have to discipline you myself."

"Discipline me, huh?" Stella teased, meeting his gaze with a sly smile. "And what kind of discipline are we talking about here, sensei?"

Johnny's grin widened, his usual bravado mixing with something softer, more magnetic. "Oh, you'll find out soon enough," he said, letting the words hang in the air as he watched her laugh.

The flirtation crackled between them, unspoken tension in every glance and movement. Stella's cheeks flushed, and Johnny felt it too—the pull, the spark he hadn't expected. Normally he was all Cobra Kai edge, all toughness, but Stella... Stella made him want to drop the act, even if only for a second.

"Seriously though," Johnny said, voice softening. "Thank you."

"No problem," Stella said, setting her water down. "Just... don't stress too much, okay?"

Johnny smirked, brushing a finger along the folder she had just filed. "Don't worry, princess. I've got this... mostly."

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"Hey, Sensei, is there any particular way you want me to wash these windows?" August asked as he worked on the glass while Stella organized files in Johnny's cabinet.

"No, I don't give a shit. Whatever's easiest," Johnny replied, scribbling on a paper at his desk. "You know what, just go clean the toilet, and we'll call it a night. And do that one on your hands and knees," he added with a laugh.

"That's cruel and unusual punishment, Johnny." Stella chuckled, sipping her beer.

"How do you guys do things down in Oklahoma then?" Johnny asked, leaning back in his chair.

Stella rolled her eyes and took another swig. "We're from Texas, not Oklahoma—and we most certainly do not clean toilets on our hands and knees."

The two laughed, but before anything else could be said, the dojo bell rang. A beautiful brunette stepped inside.

"Thought the dojo was closed?" she asked.

"Forgot to lock up." Johnny pushed himself out of his chair and into the main dojo. "Welcome to Cobra Kai."

"Some things never change," Daniel spat, glaring as he stepped forward.

From the office window, Stella watched. She didn't know the history between them, but she could tell there was one.

"Yeah? What are you talking about?" Johnny asked.

"I heard you beat up a bunch of teenagers in that parking lot," Daniel said, jerking his thumb outside.

"Oh, that. No, I didn't beat up any teenagers. I kicked the shit out of a bunch of assholes who deserved it," Johnny replied with a smug grin.

"Wow. Johnny Lawrence calling someone else an asshole. That's rich, man." Daniel scoffed.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Johnny snapped, glaring.

"Nothing. Look, I'm not here to rehash the past. Just stay away from my daughter's friends," Daniel said.

"Your daughter's friends? Yeah, that makes sense. Nice company she keeps."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Daniel demanded.

"It means those friends of hers were wailing on a girl and a kid half their size. Maybe you don't know your daughter as well as you think you do. Get your house in order, LaRusso."

"Who the hell do you think you're talking to?" Daniel shot back, stepping forward. The two stood no more than ten feet apart, fists clenched, eyes locked.

"Bathroom's clean!" August's voice rang out, breaking the tension. He stepped out of the bathroom, removing his headphones and glancing between the men, confused.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Sensei..." August started, but Daniel cut him off.

"Sensei? Really? Oh my God, kid. I don't know what he's told you, but you shouldn't believe a word this guy says—or you're gonna end up exactly like him." Daniel turned to Johnny, his voice low and pointed. "You and I... this... we aren't done." With that, he spun on his heel and stormed out.

"I'm right here, man," Johnny called after him, spreading his arms wide.

"I'm sorry if I interrupted anything, Sensei. Should I do twenty push-ups on my knuckles?" August asked sheepishly.

"Right. Like you could." Johnny chuckled.

"Alright, who the hell was that guy?" Stella asked, emerging from the office to stand beside her brother.

"Daniel LaRusso. A real pain in my ass since high school." Johnny muttered.

"Well, it's obvious there's a lot of history between you two." Stella laughed. "So is my brother free to go?"

"Yeah, he can call it a night," Johnny said. "I'll see you both tomorrow."

"Night, Sensei," August said as he headed for the door.

"You sure you're gonna be okay?" Stella asked, pausing in front of Johnny.

"Oh yeah. One thing you'll learn about me—I'm a fighter, and a survivor."

"Alright, well, see you tomorrow, Lawrence." Stella flashed him a radiant smile before turning on her heel and walking out.

"Night, Stella," Johnny said softly, a fond smile tugging at his lips as he watched her leave.