___

"SAM will think the girl's division is hers. Cute, like seriously I've never felt more touched in my life," Cameron drawled, standing in a warehouse which had a painted Eagle Fang logo behind her Sensei.

"Drop the attitude James," Johnny couldn't deal with hers and his at the same time.

Scoffing, Cameron added, "It's not the worst thing that could've happened to us."

"Not the gender division, I know you got that in the bag, but the skills competition, it's bullshit." Johnny had confidence in Cameron's talent, yet he was unsure about the other additions. "Kata isn't Karate it's dancing. And you're gonna have to man up and take a punch like the rest of us, James."

"Or just block them," Cameron mumbled.

"Sensei, it sounds like we could use some female students." Miguel stated, sighing at the look Cameron gave him, "You cannot be the only one fighting Cameron."

"And why is that?" She questioned, annoyance clinging to her tone.

Miguel explained, "You'll exhaust yourself."

"Fine, Diaz is right James. Do any of you know any girls?" Johnny turned to her, after eyeing the letter once again.

Cameron shrugged, "None that wanna join karate."

"Of course," Johnny grumbled.

"There's this girl from the debate team," Bert spoke up.

"Debate team?" Johnny said in disbelief. "We need killers, not more nerds." Huffing, he instructed, "All right, go run some laps. Maybe it'll jog your memories." All but his top students did just that. "Try not to breathe too much. There's black mould in the corner."

Miguel fumbled with his words, "Look, Sensei, I-I know things got heated at Miyagi-Do, but with these new changes, I think having Sam on our team would really help."

Cameron tsked, "Of course, you would."

"All I'm saying is it'll be good to have two potential female champions, then just one, it'll increase our odds of winning." Miguel added, shooting her a glance before turning to Johnny, "Maybe if you talk to Mr. LaRu..."

Johnny cut him off, "I have nothing to say to him. We're better off without him. It's time for us to take care of our own business." His eyes trailed over to Cameron, as he said,  "We'll find another female student, don't worry. All right, now get running."

After avoiding the black mould and keeping her focus as she jogged, Cameron kept going, even though a few of the others fell behind.

Miguel did so as well, with the occasional groan.

"Is it your back?" She asked, breathily. They jogged beside each other, "You shouldn't be straining yourself."

"So you care now?" He softly scoffed.

"I never stopped, genius. I just avoided and blocked you."

"Right. You owe me a conversation," Miguel reminded her when they rounded another corner.

"And you owe me some faith. Do you honestly think I can't win?" Cameron dared to ask.

"I know you could — can, but I just don't want you to overdo it," his tone was reassuring, but the crinkle in his forehead wasn't.

"Like you right now," she put out her hand, driving them to a halt. " Stop for a second." She glimpsed behind them to see their team out of breath. "And you guys hurry up. You want to win this thing, don't you?"

"Yes CJ," they panted loudly and jogged past.

Miguel followed her gaze, then let his drop to the subtle smirk on her lips. 

"What?" she felt his stare as his arms twisted back to touch the curve of his spine. "It's called being a leader. You're one too."

"Yeah, it's just weird." He said, feeling her slight adoration, "You used to hate confrontation. And everything that came with it."

Her lips pursed, saying, "People change."

"You still hate the idea of just opening up," he pointed out, eyes playfully peering into hers.

"Yeah well, I'm trying." Or at least she thought she was. She swallowed the nerves, then asked, "What do you think about the skills division? I'm good at Kata, been practising like you suggested."

"You're taking my advice?"

He had the gall to be smug about it.

She couldn't shake the warmth spreading in her chest, "It's good advice."

"Oh really?"

"Stop flirting you two and train!" They flinched at Johnny's voice carrying through the warehouse. "And you wonder why I need another female student!"

His students had enough of the dust resting in their lungs to last a lifetime when class ended. t

As they left, Miguel followed Cameron, not-so-subtly dragging his eyes up and down her form.

She said goodbye to the others. She felt Miguel's stare, especially when she pulled out her phone.

"Gonna go and see Hawk. He hasn't returned my calls." She felt the need to inform Miguel, turning on her heel to see his pensive expression. "Look, Miguel, he's just a friend."

"I know," he replied, despite himself.

"Besides I think he and Lily are thinking about getting back together. Or at least talking about it," She was certain.

Miguel tilted his head, "Did he tell you that?"

"No, but I have eyes. And I unblocked her, and asked her to help him last night."

"So it's only me you're keeping blocked?" He feigned hurt, drawing a smile from her.

"Yup." 

"C'mon Diaz!" Johnny called out from behind him.

"See you later," she smiled at Miguel, it wasn't fleeting, or fake.

And he missed it.

He loved it.

"Yeah, see you later."

━━━━━━━━━━━━━

"THANKS, for having me Mrs Moskowitz," Cameron greeted the woman, walking into the vast home.

"Always happy to have you, Cameron." A warm smile grazed Mrs Moskowitz's lips when she closed the front door. "Eli is downstairs, he's got company." Cameron's brow arched in wonder after her shoes slipped off. "It's good to see him have so much support."

"Always," Cameron said.

Walking downstairs, her eyes widened when she saw that Hawk wasn't alone. His hands were interlocked with Lily's whilst they sat on the large grey couch. They dropped their comforting hold when they heard her steps approach. The ex's faces were flushed with embarrassment that grew with her stunned yet knowing smirk.

"Didn't realise this was a bad time," Cameron quoted her ex-best friend as she reached the last step.

"It is," Lily answered for them, making her ex stifle a smile. "Hey, Cameron."

Cameron chuckled, "It's nice to see that my texts worked."

"It's nice being unblocked."

"And I guarantee that with Hawk back you won't be blocked but... fill—"

"Dude!" Hawk exclaimed, turning out his hands and sporting a horrified look.

Lily reeled back, "When did you get so crass?"

"When I didn't have you there to do it." Cameron retorted, then met the eyes of her friend, wincing at his bleek attire. His hood hung over his cap, highlighting his loss even more. He even seemed shy when she stared at him, so she took a gentle approach. "I know you're feeling like shit right now. So I just have one question. What do you want me to call you?"

He wanted to crawl into the shell when he realised Lily's hazel eyes were on him also. But at least she was beside him. The girl he couldn't move on from, despite constantly trying. She was there for him when it mattered, just Like Cameron.

"Eli, I guess," he settled on his actual name. It felt foreign to say, yet their encouraging smiles made it worth it.

Cameron snorted, "It suits you better."

"Fuck you," he joked, making her laugh.

Cameron then promptly said, "Now that you have some company, I'll leave you two to it."

She went to turn around, but Lily's voice stopped her, "Wait." exchanging a look with Eli, she added, "I was hoping we could talk." Cameron was clearly shocked by the suggestion, yet slowly nodded, "Denny's?"

"Sure, I have time. Fortunately, I don't have to I have a long overdue conversation with Miguel until much later," she sheepishly informed them.

Eli breathed out, "Oh shit."

"Yup, exes reunite." Cameron teased, earning a dry chuckle. He and Lily shared one last fond look before the latter rose from her seat and trailed after Cameron as she called out, "Love you, Eli."

"Love you CJ."

Being driven around by Lily felt oddly nostalgic. She didn't realise how much she missed the feeling. Perhaps Cameron just wanted to hate everyone who rejected her and so she chose it was best to forget the good times they shared.

They ordered a milkshake, banana was Lily's favourite. A flavour Cameron didn't mind. They had fries to share as they sat in a booth opposite each other.

"So you and him are very close," Lily referred to Hawk after taking a sip of their shake.

"Me and Eli... god it'll be weird saying his actual name again." Cameron realised it had been almost a year since she even uttered it. "And yeah, just friends despite what others think," she clarified, noting the ambiguous expression on her face.

"I'll admit, I thought you and him were..." Lily trailed off.

Cameron almost choked on her saliva, "Nope. He's like a brother. Seriously, nothing going on there. I wouldn't even if I felt anything which again I wouldn't."

"Why?"

"Because he's your ex," Cameron said if it were obvious.

"But we haven't been friends for a while."

"Yeah, on your judgment call." Cameron continued, not missing Lily's tense expression. "A good judgment call. I wasn't a good friend then. Me grieving isn't an excuse, no matter how much I shamelessly used it as one."

Lily looked down briefly. She thought she would've been shocked to hear her explanation, but she had seen Cameron's apologies. She knew she had been trying in Miyagi-do, despite a major stepback, as well as taking her medication on the way here. She even felt a familiar joy when she saw Cameron slip on her glasses.

Yet, she didn't want to get used to it.

"You enjoying Art class?" she suddenly asked.

Cameron made a face, "I guess."

"I've seen some of your sketches. Drew posted the one you made him on the gram."

"Would'nt know. I muted his posts," Cameron said.

"Because of Sam?" Lily wanted to smile when she caught the disgust on Cameron's face, "still hating her I see."

"Can we not talk about her, please?"

Cameron spent enough time discussing Samantha LaRusso as well as competing with her.

"We won't." Lily agreed. "I've seen you and Anala around alot."

"Against my will," Cameron grumbled and took a sip.

"Don't lie, you like her," Lily pointed out, prompting a reluctant smile from Cameron.

"She's overbearingly comforting."

"Wow," Lily breathed out, stunned by the assessment.

"Yes. And I don't know if she doesn't have a filter –"

"She lacks social awareness," Lily assumed.

Cameron countered, "She actually doesn't. Which makes it scarier when she psychoanalyses you."

"You enjoy her company."

Cameron admitted, "I do."

There was a brief silence whilst Lily mulled over that before she cleared her throat to ask, "And Aisha? Have you heard from her recently?"

"About her dominating wrestling? You know she's the captain at her school?" there was a proud edge to Cameron's tone.

"She told me. I'm not surprised," Lily smiled at that.

"Neither am I."

"And Tory?" Lily asked the dreaded question, earning an aggravated sigh.

"I reached a dead end with her." Cameron only hoped it wasn't true. "I apologised for abandoning her. I dropped food off at her house. She accepted it the first time, but not the others. And the last time I went to talk to her in person, I ended up fighting Robby."

"Not following Miyagi-do huh?" Lily questioned, not admitting that she and Tory cut ties when she did the same to Cameron.

"Apparently not," Cameron withheld an eye roll.

Her gaze dropped to her hands as she thought it would've been better that way. Learning from Johnny and only Johnny. Maybe it was good. And that was how she would win.

"Your mom told me what happened."

Lily watched when she cringed at the abrupt statement.

Cameron's eyes dragged up to hers, "With..."

"At Christmas," Lily said softly.

"Of course she did."

"Don't be mad, she let it slip when we were on the phone."

"Literally everyone knows about Christmas," Cameron mumbled, averting her gaze and unbothered by the knowledge of her mom and ex-best friend keeping contact.

Lily kept it to herself that she also found out through Yasmine. That would not end well if she mentioned that.

"I'm sorry, it was the first Christmas without your dad."

With a grimace, Cameron replied, "You shouldn't apologise. For anything, you did nothing to apologise for." She reassured Lily, now locking eyes again. "I... I wasn't even there for you when you came out to your grandmother. And I was supposed to be your best friend and didn't know anything going on in your life at that point." The truth cut her in two. "I was just absorbed with everything Cobra Kai and being a destructive – what did you call it?"

"Queen Cobra Kai asshole," Lily recalled.

They both laughed.

"Damn," Cameron snorted.

Lily's smile reached her eyes, "That was kinda funny."

"At least I got the Queen title," Cameron quipped.

"Oh shut up," Lily playfully rolled her eyes.

"You were right in that assessment. I missed so much," Cameron admitted, sobering their amusement.

Lily wouldn't argue with that, "You did."

"I also missed our confession times."

"I missed teasing you about the vamp champ."

"Of course you did," Cameron huffed out a smile.

"I missed celebrating my birthday with you," Lily added, making Cameron wince.

"So did I."

"Thank you for the card," Lily said, pointedly.

Cameron snickered, "The card."

"I honestly thought a murderer wrote it," Lily laughed, she recalled the aggression of the handwriting.

"I was angry, but I couldn't forget your birthday."

"Gee, thanks."

"You're welcome."

Lily silenced her laughter with a sip of their shake, then asked, "So, how's training been? I've heard about the All Valley changes through Eli."

"Training has been decent. You gonna be there to watch us again?" Cameron questioned.

"Of course." Lily wouldn't miss it, especially since half of the entire town would be attending. She leaned forward, elbows on the table and eyes softening. "But Cam, are you gonna be okay?"

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"It'll be the anniversary of your dad's death." Lily regretted mentioning it when she saw her stiffen in her seat. "Sorry."

"No, you can say it." Cameron needed to hear it more. He was gone. He wasn't coming back. My dad is dead. "He wasn't even at the last one. I just... I just need this win. To, I don't know, make him proud."

"He would be proud regardless," Lily knew that to be true.

"Yeah, but..."

"You want this," Lily concluded.

Cameron nodded, "I do."

"I understand."

Cameron didn't fight the smile tugging at her lips. Lily embraced another.

And so Cameron asked, "So, how's Yasmine?"

"Don't get me started on that." Lily amusedly waved her off,  "How was Kyler's friendship?"

"It may be a surprise, but he wasn't that bad," Cameron said with an innocent shrug.

"Lies."

"Yeah, I'm lying. He's the worst."

The two girls just laughed again.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━

CAMERON was ready to meet the new female student as she rested on a box of crates with the other eagle fangs – Eli excluded. But time was ticking and Piper still hadn't arrived – the girl in question was one of the best athletes in school.

"All right, so she's a little late, no big deal. Just a few minutes," Johnny could feel the worry from his students. It was aggravating.

Mitch corrected, "Uh, 20 minutes, actually."

Cameron stifled a laugh.

Miguel suggested, pulling out his phone, "Okay, uh, look, I-I'll DM her. See where she is." he quickly typed her Instagram tag, "Okay... " but when he tapped on her story, his eyes widened. "Oh no."

"What?" Johnny asked, coming closer.

"Uh... " Miguel played the story as everyone gathered around him. It was Piper, amongst other Cobra Kai's.

"Cool! Nothing but the best for the best. Can't wait to kick ass with Cobra Kai," she said, confidently.

The Eagle Fang faces dropped.

"She joined Cobra Kai?" Johnny said in disbelief.

"Of course she did," Cameron murmured, inhaling deeply.

Miguel replied, "Uh, looks like they made designer gear for all the new students. They got a bunch of new recruits."

"Yeah, great." Johnny scoffed, taking a few steps away, "That was a big waste of time. I even learned feminism."

"About time," Cameron remarked. 

"Cameron!" Johnny yelled, making her raise her hands in defence, not like he could see them.

"We can't give up Sensei. If we want first place, we have to compete in the girls' division." Miguel spared a look to Cameron. "And we have Cameron."

"But what if that's not enough?" Mitch couldn't help but ask.

"Dude," Cameron breathed out as Miguel shot him a glare.

"No. don't doubt yourself now. But we need another recruit." Johnny's voice rose,  "We don't have Cobra Kai's money. We have no chance at finding another potential female champion."

"I wasn't a champion when you met me," Miguel said, scrunching up his face. "Okay? You made me one, saw something in me that no one else did" he stated, reminding Johnny of everything they went through. "Maybe you just have to see that in someone else. We just have to think outside of the box."

Johnny pondered his words, sighing when they made sense, "Everybody starts thinking outside the box! Whatever that means."

━━━━━━━━━━━━━

WHEN Cameron opened her front door a few hours later, her brows shot up at the sight of a slightly tired Miguel.

"Why do you look like that?" she gestured to how he was breathing deeply.

"Sensei's bright idea to get a female student," Cameron stared at him sceptically after his answer.

"Like when he pimped you out before," she wondered aloud, letting him come into her home.

"I didn't do anything if that's what you're worried about," he murmured, slipping off his shoes and closing the door behind him.

She let out a scoff, "Did I say I was?"

"You were don't lie." Miguel ignored her protests and informed,  "And we found another female student. On the debate team, Devon Lee."

"Cool," yet she didn't sound so excited.

"That's it?"

"Yes. that's it," she then started walking down the hall, he followed on instinct. The last time he was here was on Christmas day and that didn't pan out well. "Do you need a drink?"

"Yeah, thanks." he answered, looking around as she pulled open the fridge, "Your mom not here?"

"At work," she answered, then pulled out two mini bottles of water.

He quickly said thanks, "Drew?"

"Out with Sam." Cameron narrowed her eyes when he didn't react to that, "You don't seem surprised."

"Seems obvious," Miguel said indifferently, studying her – correction had been looking at what she wore. "Nice hoodie," he remarked, making her look down at the slightly big Guns N Roses hoodie. "I remember giving that to you after a date, where you spilt soda all over your white top."

"Shit," she panicked, reaching to take it off.

"You don't need to take it off." he didn't want her to. "It looks good on you."

Ignoring his coy tone, she replied, "I thought I grabbed one of my dad's."

"Like I said, it looks good on you," he hadn't looked away.

"Thanks," Cameron hated how flustered she now felt, especially when he threw back every sip of water, whilst maintaining eye contact.

"Thanks for the drink," Miguel finished it and settled it down on the counter where she shuffled against it. Rolling his broader shoulders back, he started, "You fought Robby."

"You wanna talk about that?" Cameron made a face.

"You know he could've done some serious damage," any flirtiness disappeared from his tone when he spoke.

"But he didn't," Cameron replied, trying to keep some composure.

"To you. But you remember what he did to me," Miguel rasped, "You were there."

"I know," part of her deamour cracked when she remembered.

"You don't because you wouldn't be so nonchalant about it. I don't like that guy nor do I trust him." Miguel nearly snapped, and he stepped closer to her, "You're smaller than me Cameron. And that's not a diss, so don't take it as one. He could've hurt you and I wouldn't have known what I would've done."

"To him?" Cameron dared to ask, feeling her emotions take over.

"Yes to him," he practically seethed at the thought.

Her shoulders slumped, "What do you want me to say, Miguel? That I'm sorry?"

"No, I want you to take accountability for the role you played in it all," he levelled with her.

"For being a good fighter?"

"No, for breaking us up," he snapped, wiping the hardened expression off her face, "And you hardly seemed phased."

Her lips parted in shock, then curled up in anger, "I hardly seemed phased? It broke my fucking heart."

"And it broke mine."

"Yet you broke up with me," Cameron gritted out.

"You honestly think I never wanted to break up in the first place? You were just too stubborn to see what I was doing was benefiting us. Space and time for us to realise —"

"That you wouldn't want me after you had space and time," Cameron cut him off.

Miguel's blinks quickened, as he processed her thoughts, "What? No."

"What? Yes," she mocked, "you would've. I just sped that inevitability along. Don't act like you want to get back together."

"Of course you do," he let out a frustrated sigh. "I'm waiting. I can see you're changing back to who you used to be."

"So you're waiting for me to revert back to who I was? I'm not a fucking transformer Miguel."

"Oh my fucking god." he took a step back, swiping his tongue over his teeth in irritation, "Are really so dense to think I would want anyone else but you?"

Offended, she retorted, "Don't call me dense Miguel."

"Why not? That's what you are. What you were being. I was thinking about you every second of every day. Hoping that you were alright. That you were okay," he stressed by counting on his fingers.

"Well, I was alone Miguel," she deadpanned.

"Cameron that was on you."

His words forced her to admit, "I know."

"But it didn't hurt me any less," he quickly added, "I wanted to come to your home every day. I wanted to message you and check to see that you were at the very least taking your meds. I was scared. I was so scared that something would happen to you that you..." he swallowed the dread creeping up his throat, "that you would do something to hurt yourself. Even more than what you did before with Cobra Kai."

"I wouldn't do that," she uttered.

"Really? You didn't take your meds. You weren't taking them," Miguel couldn't help but feel mad at himself for not noticing.

Cameron huffed, "I am now."

"But you weren't. And knowing that really messed with my head."

They were so absorbed in their own shit they didn't hear the front door open.

"Well, the feelings mutual," Cameron couldn't help himself.

"Take this shit seriously Cameron!"

Cameron's face fell, seeing how it truly affected him, yet she jumped when he was pushed aside.

"Don't yell at her," Drew warned Miguel, standing in front of his cousin protectively.

Miguel didn't back down, "Stay out of this."

"Nah, I'm in it, Miguel," Drew said pointedly. "Talk without yelling and speak to her with respect. No matter if she's in the wrong or not."

"It's okay Drew. He's right," all eyes were on Cameron now, and her voice was quieter than before prompting her cousin to take a step back. "He's right. Everyone is fucking right." she craned her neck to the side, seeing her ex's wounded expression. "Miguel..."

"I'll go," Miguel said, but she didn't want that.

"Wait," she reached out to stop him, but he pulled away.

"We'll speak another day when I'm a lot less riled up," Miguel stated, running a hand through his hair. He nodded to her cousin, "Drew's right I shouldn't shout at you." he backed away, "Bye Cameron."

Her heart felt as if it were plummeting when he picked up his shoes and shut the door behind him.

"Shit," Cameron breathed out.

"I'm sorry, I thought I was doing the right thing. I just heard you guys shouting and –"

"You were just being there for me Drew," she ceased her cousin's rambling, then glanced down at her hoodie – Miguel's hoodie. "Thanks." she mumbled, "I'm serious. Thanks for being there."

Drew was stumped by her honesty, and more importantly what it meant.

And then he smiled.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━

UNSPOKEN words no more. Despite the door being left open on their last conversation, Cameron could breathe easier. She wasn't in limbo, yet she knew she and Miguel needed to speak again.

Privately, though, Miguel believed it should be more intimate.

So the next day at school, they greeted each other masking their yearnings with simple greetings.

They were so obvious, that middle schoolers in the other building would know what was happening.

Lily called it out the moment they left their homeroom.

She and Cameron being at hanging out at school felt natural as it was new. Yet they still hung out with their other friends, neither wanted to leap so quickly.

"What did Drew used to call us?" Cameron asked as they manoeuvre through the hallways.

"The terror squad. Even though now, it's only just two," Lily commented, deeply missing their old friendship ground.

But she needn't miss it for long.

"Holy shit," Cameron's face dropped when she looked past Lily, hearing the hushed whispers and gasps. 

"What?" Lily followed her gaze to see Tory. She stood there after a tense exchange with Sam, until she looked to the side, feeling their startled gaze on her. Tory caught their closeness through her squinted eyes. "Holy shit."

"You spoke too soon," Cameron remarked. "Too fucking soon."

▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃

a/n:

progress or not so much? cameron both talking to both lily and miguel? even though only one ended well, but there is still hope. drew doesn't care if his cousin is annoyed at him, he's still gonna be protective over her.

thoughts of how cameron will view devon? i always forget devon is older than anthony and kenny but a year.