Later that night, Johnny came home, his mind preoccupied despite the light buzz from the beers he'd shared with Michael. Their conversation had left him unsettled, a gnawing worry that he couldn't shake. The fact that Kreese's grandson was in his dojo—it felt like a cruel twist of fate, one that Johnny couldn't ignore. Why hadn't Zeke told him? Was he afraid? Did he not want him to know?
As Johnny paced through his small apartment, his thoughts circled around Zeke. He could still vividly recall Kreese's betrayal, the way the man had twisted him up, manipulated him, and ultimately tried to kill him.
The idea that Zeke, Kreese's blood, was training in his dojo—under his guidance—felt almost too much to bear. He thought about kicking Zeke out, ending this connection to Kreese before it festered. After all, Zeke was just a kid, but the memories of Kreese lingered, sharp and painful.
But then Johnny remembered his conversation with Michael at the bar. Michael had noticed Johnny's unease when Zeke's name came up, and with a hint of something manipulative in his tone, he had tried to reassure Johnny. Michael had asked him not to give up on Zeke, explaining that the kid had it rough—he'd been kicked off both the football and soccer teams at his last school. Zeke needed something solid, a place where he could find his footing. Michael had even hinted that Zeke's troubles might run deeper, making Johnny feel as if turning him away would only add to the boy's struggles.
Johnny sighed and rubbed his face. He decided to bring it up with Miguel and Hawk. They had spent more time with Zeke; maybe they had some insight. As they gathered in the dojo the next day, Johnny laid it out for them, watching their reactions closely.
Miguel's eyes widened in shock when Johnny revealed Zeke's lineage. "Wait, Zeke is Kreese's grandson?" he asked, clearly startled. But then he quickly defended him. "Sensei, Zeke helped me when Kyler and his friends were beating me up. He didn't have to, but he stepped in. That says a lot about him."
Hawk nodded in agreement. "Yeah, and he's helped me gain confidence. I mean, I was a loser before I started Cobra Kai, and Zeke—he's been there, man. He's a good guy."
Johnny listened, his resolve wavering. Zeke was a 16-year-old kid, with the potential for both good and bad. Maybe what he really needed was guidance, not rejection. And after all, it wasn't like Kreese was going to walk back into their lives any time soon...right?
With his mind made up, Johnny called Zeke into his office later that afternoon. Zeke entered, his expression cautious as he stood before Johnny, clearly sensing something was off.
Johnny didn't mince words. "I know who you are, kid."
Zeke's eyes widened, his posture stiffening. "You do?"
Johnny nodded, leaning back against his desk. "Your grandfather did a lot of damage, not just to me, but to a lot of people. He's the reason I almost lost everything. So, yeah, I thought about kicking you out."
Zeke's expression darkened, a bitter edge to his voice. "Are you going to?"
Johnny paused, weighing his words carefully. "I won't. But you need to understand something, kid. This dojo? It's mine. Not yours, not your grandfather's—mine. You follow my rules, and you respect what I'm trying to build here."
Zeke nodded, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly. "I understand, Sensei."
Johnny's gaze softened just a bit as he gave a curt nod. "Good. Now get your ass out to the mat. We've got work to do."
As Zeke left the office, Johnny watched him go, the old wariness still simmering but tempered by something new—hope. He would keep an eye on Zeke, make sure the past didn't repeat itself. But for now, the kid had a place in Cobra Kai. It was up to him what he did with it.
🐍
As the practice test neared its end, the room was filled with the quiet hum of pencils scratching against paper and the occasional sigh of frustration. Demetri glanced nervously at the clock, anxiety tightening his chest. "What's going on? The test is almost over," he whispered, his voice tinged with panic.
Miguel looked up from his paper, unfazed. "It's just a practice test. Relax."
"Easy for you to say," Demetri shot back. "You both have a girlfriend."
Zeke, who had been staring blankly at his paper, mumbled bitterly, "Had a girlfriend."
Miguel glanced at his friend with sympathy, but before he could say anything, Demetri continued his rant. "I gotta do well on these so I do well on the actual test, so I get into a good college, which will lead to a good internship, then a high-paying job, and then, after a couple promotions, I should have enough confidence to get a super-hot girl."
Demetri sighed, glancing at his friends. "You got the karate thing. He's got the moves. I gotta play the long game."
The bell rang, signaling the end of the period. Students shuffled their papers and began packing up, eager to escape the confines of the classroom. As they filed out, Miguel caught up with Zeke, his concern evident. "You okay, man?"
Zeke shrugged, trying to mask the hurt with indifference. "What? Because Moon broke up with me? Sorry, it just was so sudden."
Miguel nodded in understanding. "Well, sorry anyways."
"Whatever, I don't care," Zeke muttered, though his tone betrayed him.
As they walked down the hall, Zeke's eyes caught sight of Moon laughing with her friends. His heart sank as he noticed a guy approaching her, and when Moon spotted Zeke, her laughter faded, replaced by a frown as she turned away. Zeke sighed heavily, trying to push the image out of his mind, but the sting remained.
Sensing his friend's turmoil, Miguel tried to distract him. "Well, you're not the only one dealing with relationship problems."
Zeke raised an eyebrow, interested despite himself. "Trouble in paradise with LaRusso?"
Miguel hesitated, running a hand through his hair. "I don't think so? I think she's embarrassed by me. I have never met her dad, or her mom, she always deflects when I bring it up, and yesterday, I went over to her house, and I saw a guy in there with her, having dinner with her family."
Zeke furrowed his brow. "So? She might have a brother, doesn't she?"
Miguel shook his head, frustration creeping into his voice. "Brothers don't look at sisters like that."
Zeke smirked, trying to lighten the mood. "Down south, they do."
They both chuckled, but Miguel's expression quickly grew serious again. "I'm serious, man. I don't want to think Sam would do that, but I don't know..."
Before Zeke could respond, Sam appeared, slipping her arms around Miguel and kissing him on the cheek. Miguel's worries seemed to melt away in her embrace, and Zeke, not wanting to intrude, walked off down the hall, the sight of Moon's frown still fresh in his mind.
🐍
Miguel and Zeke lounged on a bench at the park, both lost in their own thoughts, trying to make sense of their relationship problems. Zeke sat with his arms crossed, his face a mask of frustration, while Miguel kept staring at the ground, occasionally shaking his head as if trying to dismiss an unwanted thought.
Aisha approached them with a teasing grin. "Look at you two, moping around like a couple of lovesick puppies."
They both shot her a stern look, which made Aisha back off with a smirk. "Okay, okay..."
Demetri and Hawk popped up from behind them, full of energy. Demetri was holding a bag of chips, which he extended toward the two somber boys. "Come on, eat something. It'll make you feel better."
Miguel waved him off. "Told you I'm not hungry, man."
Demetri, ever the pragmatist, shrugged. "I still think you're overreacting."
Miguel looked up, his frustration evident. "I'm not overreacting, dude. I know what I saw."
Hawk chimed in with his usual bluntness. "All right, so you saw her eating dinner with some chode. Big deal."
Zeke, still bitter over his own breakup, tried to reassure his friend. "It's like I told you, it's probably just her brother or something."
Miguel shook his head, his voice laced with anxiety. "No, dude, brothers don't look at their sisters like that."
Demetri, ever the comic relief, quipped, "Depends on what part of the country you're in."
Miguel sighed, clearly not amused. "Look, I just don't want what happened to Sensei to happen to me."
Zeke glanced over at Miguel, curiosity piqued. "What happened?"
Miguel explained Johnny's old story, how he'd dated a girl named Ali back in high school, only for Daniel LaRusso to come along and steal her away, leaving Johnny with a broken heart and a grudge that had lasted decades.
Zeke's voice dripped with bitterness as he muttered, "Like father, like daughter."
Hawk, always one for action, offered his advice. "All right, so you go over to this kid and beat his ass so he doesn't have the chance."
Demetri immediately countered. "Don't listen to Eli."
"It's Hawk," Hawk snapped, his irritation clear.
"Yeah, whatever," Demetri dismissed.
Zeke nodded in agreement with Hawk. "If some kid is sticking his nose into someone else's business, then they should teach him a lesson."
Demetri looked at Zeke incredulously. "And you wonder why Moon broke up with you."
Zeke's anger flared instantly, and he stood up, glaring at Demetri with an intensity that made him flinch. "The fuck did you say?"
Demetri cowered under Zeke's gaze and quickly relented, muttering an apology.
Zeke scoffed, shaking his head in disgust. "That's what I thought. I don't have time for your shit, Demetri."
Aisha, sensing the tension, tried to steer the conversation back to Miguel's situation. "The fact is, Sam's given you no reason not to trust her."
Miguel sighed, nodding slowly. "Yeah, I guess you're right."
But Zeke could tell that Miguel was still pissed. Whoever that kid was with Sam, if there even was someone involved, was definitely barking up the wrong tree. And if so? He'd have to be taught a lesson.
Just then, Aisha pulled out her phone, her expression quickly turning from mild amusement to anger. "Oh, that little bitch."
Everyone turned to her, confused.
"What?" they asked in unison.
Aisha held up her phone, showing them a comment on one of her posts. "You know that video I posted of me breaking that board?"
Zeke nodded. "Yeah."
Aisha's voice seethed with anger. "Look what Yasmine commented."
The comment was a cruel dig, fat-shaming Aisha and making a snide remark about how she was shocked the belt fit around Aisha's waist.
Zeke rolled his eyes, dismissing it. "Whatever, she's a bitch anyway."
Miguel's eyes widened in concern. "Oh, shit."
Aisha wasn't done. "I gotta do something."
Hawk immediately jumped in, his tone mischievous. "All right, how about we kidnap her and have my boy Rico tattoo 'bitch' on her face?"
Demetri, always the voice of reason, interjected. "Calm down, Hawk."
Hawk turned on him, his voice rising. "All right, I hear how you're saying it, and I don't like it."
Aisha, however, seemed to have a plan. Her anger turned to a sly grin as she pulled up an Instagram story on her phone. "Wait, wait, wait. I've got a better idea. Look."
They all crowded around her, peering at the screen.
Miguel read it out loud. "Yasmine's throwing a birthday party at the canyon later?"
Zeke's mind raced, a plan already forming. "Not if we strike first."
Hawk grinned. "Hell yeah."
As they planned their next move, Zeke couldn't help but think of Moon. If Yasmine was going to be there, Moon certainly would be too. Maybe he could actually talk to her, maybe even try to make things right. It was a long shot, but it was better than doing nothing. And if it didn't work out, well, there was always someone else who could use a lesson in humility.
🐍
Zeke stood outside the liquor store, hands jammed in his pockets, trying to push away the flood of thoughts that kept creeping up on him. Hawk and Aisha were inside, working their magic to get what they needed for the party, while Miguel paced a few feet away, phone pressed to his ear. Zeke couldn't help but overhear Miguel's strained conversation with Sam.
"Hey, Sam, it's me... Um..." Miguel hesitated, his voice unsure. "I wanted to call and say that I apologize for earlier today. I was feeling off. But I really would love to see you today. Cobra Kai's throwing a party at the canyon. We're heading out there right now. Just... let me know when you can come. Bye."
Zeke watched as Miguel ended the call, the frustration clear on his friend's face. He pulled out his own phone, staring at the screen. Moon's contact was still there, untouched. He hadn't blocked her, though he couldn't quite explain why. His thumb hovered over the call button, but he hesitated. Calling her now would just be... weird. Too desperate. Instead, he sent a quick text: "Heading to the canyon with the crew tonight. Be there if you want." He doubted she'd see it, or care, but it was better than nothing.
As he slipped his phone back into his pocket, Kreese's words echoed in his mind, their intensity gripping him again.
"He thought he was in love. It distracted him. He lost his focus. Just like you're doing now with this Moon girl."
"If you want to tap into your full potential, you need to forget everything else. And strike."
Zeke shook his head, trying to shake off the nagging doubts that were starting to weigh him down. He couldn't afford to lose focus, not now. Just as he was starting to feel the anger building up again, Hawk strutted out of the store with a triumphant grin, his arms full of clinking bottles.
"Holy shit, how did you pull that off?" Zeke asked, genuinely impressed.
Hawk flashed him a cocky grin. "You underestimated the power of the Hawk."
Miguel, now off the phone, walked over, his mood lightening just a bit at the sight of their success. "I will never doubt you again."
Zeke managed a small chuckle, the tension in his chest easing slightly. As they started walking back to the car, he pushed away the thoughts of Moon, Sam, and everything else that had been eating at him. Tonight was about his friends, about showing everyone who they were. The rest of it? He'd deal with that later. Right now, he needed to stay focused. Kreese's words played on repeat in his mind:
"Forget everything else. And strike."
🐍
Zeke slipped through the back door of his house, moving as quietly as possible. The house was dimly lit, with only the faint glow from the living room TV spilling into the hallway. He headed straight for his room, his mind focused on grabbing the cash he had stashed away. He needed it to buy a keg for the party—a move that would solidify his status at the canyon tonight. But just as he was about to make his way back out, his mother's voice stopped him in his tracks.
"¿Zeke? ¿Qué estás haciendo?"
He turned to see Diana, standing in the doorway of the living room. She looked at him with a mixture of concern and suspicion, her brow furrowed.
"Uh, just grabbing some cash," Zeke said, trying to sound casual. "I'm meeting up with some friends."
Diana didn't look convinced. She stepped closer, crossing her arms as she examined her son.
"Zeke, no me mientas. Yo sé que no es sólo por dinero. Te veo... estás diferente desde que terminaste con Moon. Más callado, más... enojado. No quiero que pierdas el rumbo, hijo. Sé que es difícil, que duele. Pero la rabia no es la manera de lidiar con esto."
Zeke looked away, his jaw tightening. "I'm fine, Mom. Really."
Diana wasn't finished. She stepped closer, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Mira, Zeke. El enojo no te va a llevar a nada bueno. Lo sé porque he visto lo que hace. Te consume, te transforma en alguien que no eres. No quiero verte perderte a ti mismo por una relación que terminó. Moon era importante para ti, lo sé, pero eso no significa que debas perderte en esta oscuridad. Tienes un gran corazón, hijo. No dejes que el enojo lo endurezca."
Zeke shifted uncomfortably under his mother's gaze. She was always able to see right through him, and that made it hard to hide how he was really feeling. But he wasn't ready to let her in on everything.
"I get it, Mom. But I'm fine. Really."
Diana sighed, her expression softening as she continued, "No te estoy diciendo que no te sientas mal, pero sí que encuentres una manera de lidiar con ello que no te destruya. Estoy aquí para ti, Zeke. Siempre. Si necesitas hablar, si necesitas desahogarte... no lo hagas solo. Estoy contigo, hijo, en lo que sea."
Zeke nodded, though his expression remained guarded. He appreciated her words, even if he couldn't fully embrace them at the moment. "I'll be fine. I just need to clear my head, that's all."
Diana studied him for a moment longer before speaking softly, "Te quiero, Zeke. No te olvides de eso."
"I love you too, Mom," Zeke replied, his voice a little softer. He then quickly excused himself, feeling a bit guilty as he left the house.
Once outside, Zeke met up with a trusted contact who had always come through for him in the past. The exchange was quick—cash for a keg, no questions asked. With the keg secured, he headed out to the canyon.
When he arrived, the party preparations were already in full swing. Hawk, Aisha, and a few others were setting up lights and arranging tables. Zeke hauled the keg out of his car, setting it up with a determined expression. As more people began to arrive, the energy of the gathering began to shift, building up the kind of night Zeke hoped would take his mind off everything. The loud music, the laughter, the flow of alcohol—everything seemed like it was going to make him forget, at least for a little while.
But in the back of his mind, his mother's words still lingered, even as he tried to drown them out with the noise around him.
🐍
The sun had just set over the canyon, casting long shadows as the first wave of people arrived for the party. Zeke stood near the keg he'd brought, watching as the crowd slowly grew, filling the air with excited chatter and music. He was trying to keep his mind off everything—Moon, his mom's lecture, Kreese's words—when he noticed a familiar group approaching.
Kyler's car screeched to a halt, kicking up dust as it parked haphazardly at the edge of the canyon. The doors swung open, and Yasmine was the first to step out, her expression a mix of disdain and irritation.
"Finally," Yasmine groaned, flipping her hair as she surveyed the scene. She turned to Kyler with a sneer. "Your driving sucks, by the way."
Kyler shrugged, clearly unbothered. "Whatever, dog."
As they approached the party, Yasmine's eyes narrowed at the sight of the crowd. There were way more people than she expected, and most of them were definitely not on her guest list.
"No effing way," Yasmine muttered, her voice dripping with disbelief.
Moon, stepping out behind her, seemed more intrigued than upset. "Cool, how did all these people get here so early?"
Yasmine rolled her eyes, exasperated. "Seriously, Moon? Do these look like people I'd invite?"
Kyler, sensing Yasmine's irritation, tried to play the role of the tough guy. "Fo' sho," he said, puffing out his chest as he started toward the crowd. "I'll tell these losers to bounce."
But as he got closer, Kyler's bravado quickly faded. He spotted Miguel and Zeke among the partygoers, both of whom had left quite an impression on him. The memory of the beatdown they had given him and his friends
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