1st POV:

The California sun poured through my window, waking me before my alarm had the chance. I groaned, rubbing my eyes before stretching lazily in my bed. My hand still ached from last night when I smacked it against my nightstand, a result of my half-asleep fumbling for the lamp switch.

Rolling out of bed, I padded over to my vanity, brushing my long, straight hair as I eyed my reflection. Today was a new day - no point in dragging yesterday's mess into it. I slipped into my outfit: short skirt, a cropped blue sweater, my favourite white heels, and, of course, my gold hoop earrings. A spritz of perfume later, and I was good to go.

As I made my way downstairs, the smell of bacon and the eggs filled the house. Lila was already seated at the table, swinging her legs and munching on toast, while mom stood at the stove, flipping another batch of eggs onto a plate. Dad, as always, was hidden behind his newspaper, peering over it occasionally to sip his coffee.

"Morning, superstar!" Lila chirped, grinning up at me.

I ruffled her hair as I passed by. "Morning."

Mom turned, giving me a once-over. "You're up early, again."

I grabbed a plate and started piling food onto it. "Had a feeling today would be...interesting."

Dad folded his newspaper slightly, eyeing me with curiosity. "That feeling of yours usually means trouble."

I smirked, bitting into a strip of bacon. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

He just hummed in a response, and I quickly finished eating before grabbing my bag. "Alright, I'm off, love you guys!"

"Be good and do good!" Mom called after me.

I stepped out, sliding on my sunglasses as I walked to my car. Time to face another day of high school drama.

- - - -

Walking through the school gates, I immediately spotted my girls near Ali's locker, deep in conversation.

"There you are," Ali said as I approached, flipping her blonde hair over her shoulder.

"You won't believe what happened," Barbara added, crossing her arms.

"What?" I asked, adjusting my bag strap.

Then I saw him.

Daniel stood near his locker, his face bruised, his lip busted, and his movements stiff like he was trying to hide how much he was hurting. My stomach twisted.

Ali sighed, annoyed. " I knew Johnny was bad news, but this? This is a new low."

Susan scowled. "It had to be them. Who else would do something like that?"

Barbara leaned in. "And what if they come after him again?"

I clenched my jaw, inhaling deeply. "I'll be back."

Susan grabbed my arm. "Rosie...don't do anything stupid."

I shot her a small smile before pulling away. "Me? Never."

But I was already on a mission.

- - - -

The Cobra Kai boys were exactly where I expected them to be - leaning against Johnnys motorcycle in the parking lot, laughing about something. Johnny, of course, was in the middle of it all, effortlessly confident with his sweater slung over his shoulders and the signature smirk on his face.

I didn't hesitate as I marched up to them. "Which one of you did it?"

Dutch raised an eyebrow. "Did what, sweetheart?"

I crossed my arms, glaring. "Don't play dumb. Daniel's face looks like he got into it with a freight train. And I have pretty good guess who was behind it."

Bobby shifted uncomfortably, but Tommy and jimmy just exchanged smirks.

Johnny, on the other hand, didn't even flinch. His smirk only widened as he tilted his head, locking eyes with me. "And if I said it was me?"

I exhaled sharply, already expecting that answer. "Then I'd say you need to back off."

Johnny chuckled, stepping closer. "And why would I do that?"

I held my ground. "Because it's unnecessary. He's not bothering you. You already made your point, so drop it."

Dutch scoffed. "You're cute if you think it's that simple."

I shot him a glare before turning back to Johnny. "Seriously, just let it go."

Johnny hummed, tapping his fingers against his bike. "Tell you what...I'll think about it."

I frowned. "What does that mean?"

His eyes glinted with amusement. "It means I'll stop - on one condition."

I crossed my arms. "Which is?"

A slow smirk crept across his lips. "Go on a date with me."

I blinked, caught completely off guard. "Excuse me?"

The Cobras chuckled. Amongst themselves, clearly entertained.

"You heard me," Johnny said smoothly. "One date, and I'll lay off Daniel."

I hesitated, searching his expression for any sign that he was joking. But he looked dead serious.

"You're unbelievable," I muttered.

Johnny just grinned. "I get that a lot."

I exhaled sharply. "Fine. One date."

Bobby and Tommy exchanged wide-eyed glances, while Dutch laughed like he couldn't believe what he was hearing.

Johnny, however, looked downright smug.

I rolled my eyes before turning on my heel and walking away, ignoring the way my heart was now racing.

What the hell did I just agree to?

- - - -

Math class was personal nightmare. No matter how hard I tried, numbers and equations just didn't stick in my head. I tapped my pencil against my notebook, staring at the board like it would magically give me the answers.

Next to me, Daniel let out a deep sigh, slumping slightly in his chair. "You look about as lost as I feel."

I smirked, turning to him. "Please tell me you understand this."

"Not even a little," he admitted with a chuckle. "But if I act like I do, maybe teacher won't call on me."

"Smart strategy," I whispered back.

He shifted in his seat, and I noticed the way he winced slightly. His face was bruised from last night. The sight of it made my stomach twist. I knew exactly who was responsible.

Lowering my voice, I asked, "How are you feeling?"

Daniel shrugged. "I'll survive."

I frowned. "Daniel..."

"It's fine, Rosie," he said, giving me a small smile. "I've had worse."

I knew he was just trying to brush it off, but I couldn't ignore what happened. My conversation with Johnny from earlier that morning replayed in my head - the way he smirked, the way he admitted what he did like it was no big deal. And then, of course, the way he had leaned in way to close and said, "I'll stop if you go out with me."

I shook the thought away. Daniel didn't need know about that.

Instead, I nudged his arm lightly. "If you ever need backup, I've got your back."

He chuckled. "You? Against Johnny and his gang?"

"Hey don't underestimate me," I teased. "I could totally take Dutch in a fight."

Daniel laughed, but there was something softer in his eyes. "Thanks, Rosie."

Before I could say anything else, the teacher's voice snapped our attention back to the front.

"Mr. LaRusso! Miss Monroe! Since you two seem to be having such an engaging conversation, why don't you come up here and solve the next equation?"

My face burned as a few students chuckled under their breath.

Daniel sighed. "Well, this is what I get for talking in class."

I groaned. "Yeah, thanks a lot, Daniel."

As we got up and made our way to the board, I couldn't shake the feeling that things were only going to get more complicated. Between my new friendships, Johnny's sudden interest in me, and Daniel getting caught in the middle of it all...I had a feeling my life in California was about to get a whole lot messier.

- - - -

The cafeteria was packed as I sat down with Ali, Barbara and Susan, ready to enjoy lunch and escape the chaos of school for a bit. Ali had barely set her tray down when she spotted someone behind me.

"Daniel! Over here!" She called, waving him over.

I turned to see Daniel approaching with his tray, looking relieved to have found us. But just as he was about to sit down, Johnny swooped in, slamming a plate of pie onto the seat.

"Whoops," Johnny smirked. "Didn't see you there, LaRusso."

Daniel didn't hesitate - he sat down right on it.

The table went silent for a beat. Then, the Cobras burst out laughing.

"Oh man, that's perfect!" Tommy howled, nudging Dutch.

"Enjoying your lunch , LaRusso?" Dutch added with a smirk.

Daniel clenched his fists, his face burning red. I could see the frustration in his eyes as he wiped at the mess on his jeans. Ali looked furious, and I...well, I wasn't sure if I wanted to roll my eyes or smack Johnny myself.

"Real mature, Johnny," I said, crossing my arms.

Johnny just grinned, leaning in slightly. "What? Thought he could use something sweet."

Daniel shot up from his seat, fists clenched. "You think this is funny?"

Johnny stood up too, his smirk never fading. "Yeah, I do."

The tension was suffocating, and I knew this was about to escalate fast.

Author Note:

Hii guys!! First of, I just want to say thank you for sticking with this story - I seriously appreciate all of you.

Also, I know I keep writing the morning parts in every chapter (oops!), so sorry if it gets repetitive. I just love setting the scene and giving Rosie her little moments before the chaos starts. I'll try to mix things up a bit in the future!

Hope you liked this chapter - things are definitely heating up between Johnny and Daniel. Let me know what you think. More drama is on the way. And don't forget to vote! Much love 🫶🏼

All words: 1501