___

"DETENTION?!"

"We don't tolerate violence at West Valley High School. The superintendent is really coming down on how we run things here."

Cameron kept her mouth shut, not mentioning Miguel or the viral GIF of her good friend because it would always somehow be her fault. That she was the aggressor or she was at the scene of the crime. Even if there were many times where she was the victim and never received support or an apology. So she would take her punishment quietly... for now. At least.

"If detention is the price of a slap, I'll gladly pay," Lily said, slamming her locker shut.

"There's no point. I hope Aisha doesn't get in trouble for this."

They walked through the halls, angered by the stupid chant that was made up.

Cheeto Pig.

And they just happened to stumble onto one of the bystanders, making them halt.

Sam LaRusso readjusted her bag and carefully asked, "Have you guys seen Aisha?"

"Why, come to make another viral video for a joke?" Lily flashed a sarcastic smile.

Sam defended, "It wasn't me."

"But you're friends with the girl who did right? The bitch who has everything coming to her? And now Cameron has to serve detention when she gets nothing."

"Well, you did slap her," Sam excused, glancing at the girl in question.

"Figures," Cameron scoffed, not wanting to engage anymore. "Let's go Lily."

Lily made sure to bump shoulders with Sam as they walked away, "This school is going to make me take up vaping."

Cameron couldn't even crack a smile, she was so irritated. Miguel hadn't answered his phone and she was starting to think about dropping out. Dramatic right? But things weren't working in her favour.

"There she is..."Lily weakly smiled when they found Aisha sitting outside on her own. Without her phone, or a book to read, just a backpack on her lap and a pensive expression,  "Listen we won't ask how you're feeling."

"'Cause that's dumb." Cameron agreed as they sat on either side of her, uncaring of the high grass, "Instead I wanted to ask if you wanna come over to my place. Sproll rolls and noodles?"

"And her mom has tons of plantain chips. But will judge you on how you pronounce the word 'plantain'."

"As will I," Cameron said, huffing.

Aisha finally spoke up, yet kept looking down, "Guys. thanks for the offer –"

"-- no buts. And I know you'd rather be holed up in your room," Lily scolded.

"Just like me. I wanna be there right now. Holed up with only blankets to protect me from this big scary world. It's a good move," Cameron's whining gained Aisha's attention.

Even she looked weirded out.

Lily groaned, "Don't listen to her, she was left on read but a dork who gets beat up easily." she ignored the offended look she received and continued, "Come over, please. We'll even turn off our phones so we'll be completely safe."

Slowly nodding Aisha agreed, "Okay."

Lily clasped her hands together, with a triumphant expression, "We'll take that. One problem sorted another to go. I should be the president."

Aisha tilted her head as she stared at her, "That's not how it works Lily."

"Even I know that," Cameron snorted.

"Student president," Lily suggested.

Aisha stated, "You'd have to campaign and find a good Vice President, have ideas and gimmicks and –"

"Never mind," that all sounded like too much work for Lily, "Now, we need to find CJ's lover boy." she pulled out her phone to text someone she knew could help. "And wait for it..." her phone chimed. "Library."

Cameron's mouth gaped open, "Are you tracking everyone?"

"No, only the people I like," Lily answered, moving to stand up.

She dusted off her jeans as the others followed her in disbelief.

Aisha dared to ask, "Wait, are you tracking me?"

"Why bother asking Aisha? Yes, yes she is." Cameron murmured.

"Eli told me where Miguel was," Lily explained.

"Eli?!" the girls chorused.

"Let's go."

The girls took the long way through the school, so less heckling followed them.

Just as they were about to open the door, bodies collided with them.

"Ow!" Cameron groaned, pushing at her glasses that were shoved out of place.

"Sorry," Miguel hissed, rubbing at his head, glazing over the banaid he wore.

Demetri and Eli each quietly apologised to the girls who stared at Demetri's yoghurt-covered backpack, before the boys dishevelledly walked away.

"First you blank her texts and now you're coming for her frames, they're expensive you know," Lily eyed him in disdain.

Miguel felt very guilty, "I'm sorry, my mom took my phone. She was pissed I got hurt because of Karate. She didn't want me reaching out to Sensei."

"But don't you live super close to each other?" Cameron asked.

"We do." he frantically nodded, "Listen, I'm sorry. I would never air your texts."

Cameron cocked her head to the side, "And why is that?"

"Because they're from you."

Aisha had to turn away to prevent her awkward laughter as Cameron lost her composure for a moment.

Lily almost gagged at the interaction, it made her question why she even helped.

"Yuck. well, we have AP chemistry. Like you two have right now... get it?"

"We got it," Miguel and Cameron rushed out.

Flashing a fake smile Lily gave herself a high five, "Another problem solved."

"Let's go, Lily," Aisha said, grabbing her arm as she mouthed 'good luck' to her friend.

Silence swarmed Miguel and Cameron when they were left alone. She looked around as she scratched the nail polish off of her nails making him realise he would have to bite the bullet and speak first.

"Do you forgive me for radio silence?" he asked, scratching the back of his head.

Gulping, Cameron stammered, "Yeah. I just thought – maybe you didn't wanna talk to me."

His brows furrowed when he questioned, "Why wouldn't I?"

"Was overthinking I guess. I do that a lot," she half-shugged as her eyes found his.

"You're the only girl I talk to. Other than my mom and Yaya," Miguel clarified.

"Is it because no one else talks to you?" she blurted out.

He feigned offence, "Mean."

"Well?" she pressed.

"I only want to talk to you."

Cameron pushed up her glasses as a smile breached her face, "And when I'm not busy speaking to my dad, you're the only guy I talk to. And sometimes Zayn Malik."

"Wow okay. I see."

"Just so you know I have competition," she said, laughing slightly, "how's the battle scars?"

"Healing well," Miguel's gaze dropped to his stomach where the pain felt the worse.

"I guess it helps that your mom's an X-ray technician right? That means she can check you out."

"Yeah." he paused, feeling his stomach flutter at the details she remembered, "and yours is a data analysis."

Her smile broadened, "It's useful with taxes and budgeting... which doesn't explain why I'm bad with money. I spend it all on food."

"Not a bad decision."

"Yeah, unlike me slapping Yasmine at the dance."

"I heard. Badass."

Her eyes beamed, "You think?"

Alexis was not impressed when the school called. Blake had little to no reaction, instead focused on the fact his daughter was okay.

"Yeah, at least one of us didn't get their ass beat," Miguel, despite his injuries and his mother scolding, was elated to hear about the slap.

He was shocked at first, knowing she hated confrontation, but proud.

"True. but I got detention," she huffed.

"What that's totally unfair she's –"

"-- the type to never get in trouble, Miguel. I was expecting this. So what can you do?" she said, cutting him off as students walked by them.

"So I guess that means you can't call me after school?" he asked.

"Maybe at night. Or I might just air you," she teased.

"Cameron," Miguel playfully pushed her arm, before slowly taking off his backpack, "Wait here." he pulled out a small notepad for her.  "I wanted to give them to you now just in case of another mishap with my phone." he explained, "It's to help with your pronunciation for Spanish class. Well, that and Duolingo. The best YouTube sites for English when planning essays. And for Math, mainly geometry, but I can help you, I think it's easier in person."

Cameron's eyes widened as she took the notes, "You could say they're all easier in person right?"

Miguel slowly nodded, shifting closer to her, "Yeah I could."

"Well thank you. I'd be lost without you."

"It's a little push." he smiled, "But you're welcome."

Silence embraced them once again, as they stared at each other, comfortably this time. Their feet shuffled closer and mouths moved to speak but were cut off by the sound of the bell screeching through the school.

Shit.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━

DETENTION, was sixty minutes of hell, Cameron didn't hesitate to rush out, finding only the cars from students who stayed for extra-curricular activities, faculty members and Lily's.

"How was it?"

Lily's question caused, Aisha to lean between the two front seats as they watched Cameron jump in.

"It was detention," she answered in a bored tone.

"Hey, I just wanted you to know I'm grateful you stood up for me. And for inviting me to your house." Aisha rushed out, guilty for not saying it before. "And that you had to go to detention."

Cameron gave her a small smile, "It was worth it. Yasmine's sporting a mean bruise. Her foundation looked so clunky today."

"Her slap had the loudest connection. The bitch got what was coming. I hope it's only the beginning," Lily voiced.

Aisha hummed in agreement, "Me too."

"So everyone's on a revenge kick? Is it in the air or is that the rust coming to infect us all?" Cameron asked the two.

They answered, with matching grins, "Both."

━━━━━━━━━━━━━

"HEY, Mom. Hey Dad."

Cameron's voice carried through her home after the door slammed shut, shoes were placed on the rack and keys were tossed aside.

Her friends followed her through the hallway and into the interconnecting rooms to find that Alexis was nowhere to be found, but Blake stood in her place, putting Tupperware onto the surface counter.

"Your mom is out, staying late at work," he informed, mustering up a smile, "hey, girls."

"Mr Blake," Lily's greeting earned an eye roll.

"Mr James, thank you for having me," Aisha timidly waved at the man as held her school bag.

He replied, "It's fine. Just don't make any loud noises."

"Is it your migraines?" Cameron asked quietly as her friends occupied themselves, in the kitchen.

"You could say that." Blake murmured and pressed a kiss to her head, "Snacks are in the cupboard. Spring rolls are fried, don't reheat them or do, depending on your preferences."

"Thanks, Dad."

The girls practically sprinted to take anything they could get their hands on before running down the hall to Cameron's room.

"I haven't been to your home since your fifth-grade Winx Club-themed party," Aisha said, panting slightly as she shut the door.

"Ugh, where Yasmine tried cheating at musical chairs," Cameron added, wiping the steam off her glasses, then took them off to clean.

"And Sam cried when she didn't win pass the parcel and got Mr Larusso to ask your mom for another round." Lily recalled, settling against the foot of the bed, on the blanket-covered floor,  "Unbelievable, and you wonder why I can't stand her."

Aisha couldn't help but defend, "She's actually really nice once you hang out with her."

"I wouldn't want to."

"Wait, let's not mention anything that will stress us out," Cameron proposed, knowing it would take a dark turn.

Lily blurted, "Miguel."

"He texted me a heart today," Cameron immediately swooned, "it was the only thing to get me through that detention." 

"And here she goes."

Aisha snickered.

Cameron couldn't shake her smile, as she stood by the door, "Apologising for his mom taking his phone last night. Romantic right?"

"If he gave you his heart it would be," Lily remarked.

Aisha sceptically faced her as she sat down on the desk chair, "And then he would be dead."

"Yes."

Cameron rolled her eyes, "Psycho."

"No boy talk. Just movie talk, the new Spiderman is out. Wanna go see?" Lily suggested.

Cameron and Aisha exchanged a look.

The former said, "We could bring our food. And instead of noodles, we could get fries. My mom leaves emergency money on her dresser."

"For Spiderman? I don't she will see that as an emergency," Aisha argued.

"She will when she realises Zendaya is in the movie."

"She's hot," Lily pointed out.

Cameron added, "And Laura Harrier."

"And Tom Holland," Aisha thought he was dreamy.

Cameron reeled back in slight disgust, "I question your taste, Aisha."

"What? he's cute," Aisha defended, raising her hands. "And British."

Lily eagerly sprung up on her feet, "So are we watching it?"

Aisha joined her, "Yes, let's go."

"We have nothing better to do," Cameron laughed, pulling open her door, "don't forget anything."

Back down the hall, it was for the trio. Stuffing their bags with the Tupperware.

"Bye Mr James," Aisha exclaimed, running passed to get her sneakers.

Lily was next, "Have a nice time watching the game or whatever that is."

"Dad we're..." Cameron ran into the living room, only to see her dad passed out in his chair as she rounded it. He snored ever so slightly with the remote on his lap as his head trailed off to the side. She quietly whispered, "Have a good rest, Daddy," a kiss met his forehead before the television was switched off. "I love you."

▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃

a/n:

i'm really loving this trio. i'm still not over the fact that aisha just left the show after season 2. they could've done so much with her character. she was literally the first girl of the new cobra kai gen. she was the first paying student as well and her dad gave johnny a lot of money.

i love how awkward miguel and cameron are as a pairing. they know to communicate already but there is still unsurity and insecurity there.