Harper sat on the bed, absentmindedly flipping through a magazine that had been sitting on the nightstand. She caught a few sentences here and there but not much caught her interest. The pictures and the pretty words seemed fitting for someone with a stable, perfect life. Unlike Harper.

Sighing, Harper glanced at Sam. She wasn't surprised to find her in front of the closet with the same look of defeat on her face as before. She shook her head at her indecisiveness though a smile tugged at the corner of her lips.

"You know, the mall's going to close before you find something to wear," Harper said.

Sam shot her a glare in the mirror. "Funny."

Rolling her eyes, she closed the magazine and fixed her with a look. "I'm serious. Just pick something so we can go. You know, maybe before Demetri and Robby send out a search party. Or leave without us."

Sam tilted her head, letting out a frustrated sigh as she moved the shirts back and forth. "I'm hurrying, I'm hurrying," she mumbled as she brought a shirt to her body and looked into the mirror. Wrinkling her nose, she returned it to the closet and continued with her search.

"So, what's going on with you two anyway?" Harper asked. "You and Robby, I mean."

Sam paused and looked over her shoulder, her cheeks already flushed with a pink tint. But she shook her head before she said, "Nothing. We're just friends."

"Yeah, okay," Harper snorted with disbelief, shaking her head at the blatant lie. "You like him. Come in, just admit it."

Sam bit her lip, her search paused as she turned to face her. A slow smile spread across her face, and she nodded. "Yeah, okay. I like him." Her smile faded before she added, "But he just wants to be friends."

"Did he say that? Because I see the way he looks at you. It's obvious he likes you, too."

"He just doesn't want to ruin things," she said with a sad sigh.

"Like what? Your friendship?" Harper asked.

"No. I mean, I don't think so. But things with my dad. Robby's staying with us, and I guess it would make things a whole lot more complicated for him. For us."

Harper understood but frowned all the same, disappointed to hear that her friends were just that: friends. "You think your dad would really be that mad?"

Sam sighed. "Maybe? I don't know. But I know that he wouldn't be thrilled," She paused before shrugging. "But I get it. I don't want to ruin things for Robby. It just sucks, you know?"

A hush fell over the room as Sam returned to the closet, continuing the neverending search. The seconds ticked by in sync with the hangers moving from left to right. A perfect rhythm. While Harper wanted to push the topic further, she didn't. She wanted Sam and Robby to be happy, to be together, but it didn't sound like that would happen. At least, not right now. And not with her prying.

Harper watched as Sam's indecisiveness delayed their mall trip even further. With a sigh, she pushed herself off the bed and made her way toward the closet. Her eyes took in all the clothes that Sam owned, and she nudged her friend out of the way. Determined to find a shirt that Sam approved of as fast as possible. Feeling Sam's eyes on her, Harper went through a few shirts before taking one and presenting it to her.

Sam narrowed her eyes at the pink and blue striped shirt, a thoughtful look on her face. "Hmm… I don't know. Do you think it's maybe a bit -"

"Nope."

"But maybe it's not the right -"

"It's either this or I'm leaving without you," Harper joked, pushing the shirt into her arms.

Sam laughed and then nodded approvingly. "On second thought, this is perfect," she said before disappearing into the bathroom to change. A couple of minutes passed by before she reentered the room. Grabbing her bag off of the chair, she looked over her shoulder at Harper. "Ready to go?"

"Already?" Harper asked with a laugh, standing up to gather her stuff. She followed Sam out into the hallway where they took the stairs to the main floor, towards the sound of voices that grew louder with each step they took.

"You should have seen his face!" Demetri said, laughing.

"Seen who's face?" Sam asked as she plopped down on the couch beside the two boys.

"Mitch. Apparently, Harper told him off and called him an ass," Robby explained with a smile.

"Oh, I would've loved to see that," Sam said with a faraway look in her eyes as if trying to imagine it.

Harper rolled her eyes, not thinking much of it. He was being a jerk, so she stood up for herself. But apparently, not many people had the guts to talk back to someone in Cobra Kai. Let alone get away with it. "It was pretty satisfying," she admitted, taking the seat beside Sam.

Sam wrinkled her nose. "I still can't believe you two actually hung out with them. I mean, Miguel, sure. But Mitch and Hawk?" She shook her head at the thought.

"I mean, it honestly wasn't that bad. It's not like we're all friends now, but…" Harper shrugged, sharing a look with Demetri.

Demetri smiled softly though he avoided everyone's gaze. "It was nice. Kinda like we were all friends again," he said quietly.

"You've got us now," Sam said with one of her signature smiles that showed nothing but kindness.

"Better friends, remember?" Harper said.

A blush crept into Demetri's face though he looked pleased with the statement of having friends who would stick by his side.

"So, are we still going or…" Robby spoke up, sensing Demetri's discomfort with all the attention.

The music was obnoxiously loud, and the crowd too large. The food court was packed for a weekday, but then again, it was summer break. Harper sidestepped groups of people and running kids as she held onto her tray for dear life. Hoping not to spill her drink or drop her lunch on the ground. Her eyes darted around as she tried to relocate the table she had left Sam and Robby at just a few short moments ago. It was more difficult than one would think, especially with people pushing at her from all sides.

Eventually, she spotted her friends and sighed in relief. She approached the table, noticing that one person was missing. Demetri. Frowning, Harper searched the busy dining area and spotted him at one of the food stalls waiting. He caught her eye and smiled, waving his receipt in the air to show he'd be a few more minutes. She returned the smile though she doubted he noticed. People blocked her view and shoved her from behind, nearly knocking her tray from her arms.

After successfully making it through the maze of tables and people, she lessened her grip on the tray. Robby and Sam were in the midst of a conversation, and she squinted at the picture that was passed to Sam.

"Wait. Is that you?" Harper questioned, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. She threw a curious look his way, unable to contain her amusement as she sat beside Sam.

Robby nodded, burying his face in his hands.

"Oh, sweet man bun!" Sam said with a laugh as she held Robby's license.

"I told you it was a horrible picture," Robby sighed.

Harper glanced from the license to Robby. "I have so many questions."

Sam nodded in agreement. "If we were friends back then, I could have told you it was a fad."

"Well, I'm stuck with it for five years. It's no big deal," he said, shrugging.

"Yeah, as long as no one ever sees it," Harper joked as she started on her food.

Robby glared at her. "Alright, hand it back over," he said, reaching for the license but Sam held it out of his reach.

"Wait…. Robert Swayze Keene?" Sam asked, tilting the plastic card so Harper could see.

"Yeah. My mom was a huge Patrick Swayze fan. He was an actor in the '80s," Robby said.

"No, really?" Harper asked sarcastically.

Sam threw a look at him. "Yeah, like I haven't seen Dirty Dancing like a hundred times," she laughed.

"My mom made me watch it all the time," Robby said with a chuckle.

"Made you?" Sam asked.

Harper raised an eyebrow, a smile playing on her face as she slowly chewed her food.

"Okay. Maybe I liked it," Robby admitted with a smile, rolling his eyes.

"I knew it!" Harper exclaimed, sharing a knowing look with Sam. "You like chick flicks."

Robby narrowed his eyes and snatched his license from Sam's hand. "One movie. It was one movie that I, maybe, kind of liked."

Sam laughed. "Uh-huh. Whatever you say, Swayze."

"You guys are terrible. Remind me never to tell you anything again," Robby said jokingly.

"I'm more partial to his performance in Donnie Darko," Demetri said, lowering himself into the available seat. "Interesting movie. Time travel logic left a lot to be desired."

Harper tilted her head towards Demetri. "But wasn't Donnie schizophrenic? Maybe the whole time travel aspect was just how his mind saw things."

Demetri thought over her words, nodding slowly as he took a bite of his food. "Yeah, I guess it's entirely possible," he said through a mouthful of food. "You know, I read a comic about time travel. Kinda Donnie Darko-ish level, but…," he paused, his eyes growing wide with realization. "Wait. Is today Wednesday?" At their nods, he stood up, nearly knocking his chair over.

"Are you okay?" Harper asked with a bemused look towards him.

"Y-yeah. The new Dungeon Lord came out. Do either of you want anything from the comic store?" Demetri asked though he'd already taken a couple of steps back.

"No, I'm good," Robby answered.

"Okay, well, I'll be right back. Make sure no one throws away my chicken!" Demetri called over his shoulder and disappeared into the crowd.

"Someone should probably go with him, right?" Harper asked.

"Yeah, definitely," Robby said with a chuckle. " Demetri will get lost in that store for hours."

"So kinda like Sam with her closet this morning," Harper mused and then ducked when Sam threw a fry her way.

"What -" Robby started, but Sam cut him off by saying, "Nothing. Ignore her."

Harper took a sip of her drink, hiding the smile that played on her face.

With a sigh, Sam pushed her chair back. "I guess I'll go check on Demetri."

"Actually," Harper said quickly, standing up. "I'll go. You guys should hang out. Alone. And Talk."

Sam threw an exasperated look her way, avoiding the confused look Robby threw them. "Harper," she said slowly, giving her head a little shake.

Pretending not to have heard her, she pushed her chair in. "We'll meet back here in an hour?"

"Good luck pulling Demetri away from the comics," Robby told her, smiling up at her.

Harper briefly wondered how hard it would be to get him to leave the comic store. And if she was in over her head. But if it gave Sam the opportunity to be alone with Robby, she'd risk it. "I think I'll be okay. Have fun," she said before stepping away from the table.

It took her a moment to navigate the busy food court. Navigating the crowds wasn't easy but she managed to make it to the other side without bumping into anyone. Harper stood in the open area, out of the way of people walking from one place to the next. She let out a sigh, unable to see Demetri anywhere though she had a feeling he was already immersed in the new comic. Harper forced herself to move and walked in what she assumed was the right way toward the comic store.

Harper hoped she was still going in the right direction when she turned a corner and collided with someone. A phone clattered soundlessly to the floor, skittering across the tiled floor. The oncoming foot traffic made her tense at the likelihood that it would get stepped on or kicked further down the hall.

"Shit, sorry!" She apologized before she clumsily went after the phone. She managed to grab hold of it before it skittered away too far. "Sorry," she said again as she handed the phone to its owner.

A strangely familiar face looked down at her. An amused smile lit up his green eyes as he took the phone from her. "Don't worry about it, kid. You okay?"

Harper nodded numbly, unable to shake the feeling that she knew him. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine."

Without another word, the stranger walked away from her, disappearing into the crowd. Harper stared after him, trying to place where she knew him from but drew a blank.

Weird, she thought to herself with a frown.

Not wanting to dwell on the familiar stranger, Harper forced herself to continue walking. A couple of minutes later, she stood outside of the comic store. Quiet music played through the speakers, a nice reprieve from the too-loud shops she'd passed on her way over here. A light bell sounded, signaling her arrival as the door closed behind her. The walls were covered in shelves, each filled with neatly arranged comics. Stands and small tables stood in random places, each holding more comics that were labeled as new and exciting.

Her eyes took in the many issues. A few familiar titles stood out to her, but nothing that piqued her interest. Though she knew better than to admit that to Demetri. Harper walked further into the store, noticing aisles made up of bookshelves. She could see why Demetri would spend hours in here, getting lost in all of the issues.

She walked down one of the aisles, allowing herself a moment to browse. But the sound of voices pulled her from the comic, as did a crashing sound from the back of the store. Harper hurried toward the noise. A few comic books lay scattered on the ground, along with a metal rack. Lifting her eyes, she noticed a shocked Demetri looking toward an angry-looking Hawk.

"Unbelievable," Harper muttered as she stepped towards Demetri. "Hey, are you okay?"

Demetri blinked as he turned to her, seeming to just register that she was there. His hand went to the back of his neck, and he nodded slowly. "Y-yeah, I'm fine. What are you doing here?"

"I came to check on you. What's going on?" Harper asked, throwing a curious look from one to the other. She hoped that they'd put their differences aside but apparently, that wasn't the case.

"We're just talking," Hawk said.

Harper narrowed her eyes as she nodded. "Right. Why are you acting like an ass?"

Hawk smirked though looked to Demetri to fill her in on the why.

Demetri cleared his throat, absentmindedly kicking at the carpet. "I may have written a detailed review about how dangerous and unprofessional Cobra Kai is," he explained, avoiding any and all eye contact with them.

Harper blinked at his explanation "That's it?" When Demetri nodded, she threw a bemused look toward Hawk. "You're being a jerk over a review? Are you serious?"

"It's making Cobra Kai look bad," Hawk answered with a shrug as if that was a valid enough reason.

"And you guys coming in here acting like complete assholes doesn't?" She asked, ignoring the exasperated look Hawk threw her. "What? Not used to people standing up to you?"

Mitch pushed his way to the front just then, a scowl on his face. "Stay out of this, stray."

Demetri frowned at his words and took a step forward, but Harper pulled him back. "It's fine," she muttered, sighing. "Look, it's one review. I doubt it'll stop any of the bullies from joining your club. Just let it go."

"You know I can't do that," Hawk said.

"Can't or won't?" Harper asked, refusing to back down.

Ignoring her, Hawk turned his attention to Demetri. "I said take it down," he said, his voice taking on a low and deadly tone.

Demetri looked at him, shaking his head at his request. "You think I'm afraid of you? I know who you really are, Eli. So why don't you, Rocksteady and Bebop," he said, gesturing to Mitch and his friend, "just leave us alone, okay?"

Sadly, Harper knew that the chances of Cobra Kai leaving them alone were slim. Nonexistent. She didn't want to fight, didn't want Demetri to get hurt. Grabbing hold of Demetri's arm, she pulled him back. "Forget it. Let's get out of here," she said quietly, to which he quickly agreed.

But as they turned to leave, they came face to face with two guys blocking their path. There was no way around them, at least none that Harper could see. So much for getting out of this unscathed. Letting out a frustrated sigh, she mumbled, "You've got to be kidding me."

"Wow. So this is what it's come to? Gang assault," Demetri scoffed, looking absolutely crushed at his friend's behavior toward him.

Digging her nails into her palms, she glared from one Cobra Kai to the next. "Tell your bodyguards to back off," she told Hawk.

Hawk regarded her with curiosity, his own expression difficult to read. With a look between her and his friends, he nodded. "Fine. You can go."

Harper froze at his words, surprise coating her face.

"You're not really going to let them leave, are you?" Mitch asked incredulously.

Hawk shrugged. "Go before I change my mind."

Grabbing hold of Demetri's arm, Harper pulled him towards the exit that had been blocked just a moment ago.

"Just you, foster," Hawk said, stopping them in their tracks. "Demetri stays."

Harper whirled around, not just at his words but at the nickname. She narrowed her eyes, fixing him with a glare as her nails painfully dug into her palms.

"It's okay, Harper. You should go. I-I'll be fine." Demetri's resigned voice said from her left.

"I'm not leaving without you," Harper said with a shake of her head, surprised that he would even suggest it. That he would think she'd leave him.

"Your funeral," Mitch said with a dry laugh while Hawk shook his head at her decision to stay.

"Last chance to leave," Hawk told her.

"I'm not going anywhere," she answered.

"Fine," Hawk said, turning his attention back toward Demetri. "Take it down, or we take you down," he threatened.

"You, too," Mitch said to her, cracking his knuckles.

Harper rolled her eyes at Mitch's threat though she had no doubt he would hurt her. While she had no intention of fighting and knew that she would lose almost instantaneously, she wouldn't back down. Not if it meant helping her friend.

Demetri frowned with a look of disbelief as he took in his best friend. "You'd actually hurt me?" He asked quietly though he already knew the answer. Clearing his throat, he tried to appear unafraid. "Well, it happens that you're not the only one who knows karate. I just joined Miyagi-Do." He got into an awkward fighting stance that screamed just how inexperienced he really was.

"Alright. Let's see what you've got." Hawk wasted no time before he kicked Demetri in the stomach and swept his legs out from under him.

Harper watched in shock as Demetri fell to the ground with a groan, holding his stomach. "Are you insane?!" She yelled, bending down to help him.

The smirk on Hawk's face faltered as she helped Demetri to his feet.

"I'm okay," Demetri said weakly, wincing as he stood up. He looked fearfully at his best friend, the shock and betrayal apparent on his face.

Harper's eyes flashed in anger. "What the hell is wrong with you?" She moved towards Hawk, but Demetri grabbed her arm, holding her back.

"He asked for it," Hawk said simply, looking away from her.

Harper stared at him in disbelief, at the callousness of his words and actions.

"Hey! What's going on back there?" An employee shouted just then, momentarily breaking up the fight.

With everyone distracted, Demetri tugged at Harper's hand and pulled her backward. "Run," he said quietly before bolting towards the exit with her right behind.

As soon as they made it out of the comic book store, the sound of footsteps immediately sounded behind them. Harper faintly heard Hawk telling his friends to get them. She willed a look over her shoulder, watching with panic as they started to close the distance between them. She cursed under her breath, forcing her legs to move faster though her lungs burned with every step that she took. They raced through the mall, around corners and past people who stared after them curiously.

Without a plan of where to go, Harper follows Demetri's lead back toward the food court. She was happy to see that it was nowhere near as packed as before but her happiness died when they stopped at their table to find it empty. Harper turned in a circle, searching for Sam and Robby. But they were nowhere in sight.

"What the… They left?" She asked, all the while trying to catch her breath.

"Of course, they left," Demetri groaned.

Harper ran a hand through her hair to sort out her panicked thoughts. "Okay. Okay. Uh, we just - We just have to go somewhere else."

It wasn't much of a plan but it was their only one. Though it was short-lived as they were already surrounded from both sides.

Her heart hammered in her chest as she watched Hawk and his friends close in.

"It didn't have to be this way. You could've joined Cobra Kai if you weren't such a pussy," Hawk taunted.

"Well, at least I'm not an asshole," Demetri countered as he backed up right into Mitch, who grabbed hold of him. His struggle was futile as Mitch was stronger and easily held him in place.

Harper hoped that Demetri would at least try to fight back. Do something. Anything. But thinking back to his last attempt to fight at the comic store, it wasn't likely. If anything, he'd only get himself hurt more.

"You're dead meat," Hawk threatened, taking a menacing step forward.

"Hey, let him go!" Harper quickly stepped towards Demetri, but one of the guys grabbed her from behind. "Get off!" She struggled against him and managed to elbow him in the stomach, forcing him to release his hold on her.

Hawk stood before Demetri, his fist raised and ready to strike. But with an irritated sigh, he lowered his arm when Harper walked between them. "What are you doing, foster? Get out of the way."

Harper shook her head. "You're crazy if you think I'll let you hurt him," she said, standing her ground once more. Though the only thing she knew how to do was take a punch, she wasn't about to abandon her friend. Let him get beaten up for something as trivial as a review by someone who was supposed to be his friend.

"We don't have a problem hitting you," Mitch said.

Harper ignored him, instead focusing her anger on Hawk. "Is this what you guys do now? Beat up anyone who leaves a bad review or stands up for themselves? Because that's not badass. It's actually kind of pathetic."

"Just punch her or something," Mitch taunted.

Hawk clenched his jaw as he looked from Mitch and then down at her, contemplating his next move. "Just get out of here before you get hurt," he said, throwing a quick look at his friends.

To his surprise, Harper rolled her eyes. "I'm not scared of you or your friends," she told him, tightening her hands into fists to stop them from shaking. Harper looked around her, at the five Cobra Kai's who surrounded them. Taking a deep breath, she let it out quietly as she thought. If there was a way out of this, she didn't know but she would try anything to make sure Demetri didn't get hurt. "Demetri's your best friend and treating him like shit is low. Even for you."

"He's not my friend," Hawk said icily.

Harper frowned at the harsh words, only imagining how deeply they cut through Demetri. Their friendship ended in four words. It took less than a second. "You're such a jerk," she whispered incredulously.

"Harper, it's okay. You should… just go," Demetri said with resignation.

Harper turned around. "I'm not going anywhere. I promised you that I wouldn't leave so I'm -."

Mitch sighed heavily before his fist connected with Harper's face, and she stumbled backward from the force of the hit.

Hawk steadied her but she shrugged him off.

Pain shot out from her left cheek, and her eyes teared up though she refused to cry. It was one punch, and she reminded herself she's had worse. But it hurt. A lot. Harper winced as she gingerly touched her face where a bruise was surely forming. Her hand came away sticky with blood as the punch had broken through the skin.

Fantastic, she thought bitterly.

A stillness was in the air as everyone processed what just happened.

The initial shock wore off and was replaced with anger. If Mitch wanted a fight, then he would get one. Regardless of whether she would win or not. Her hands tightened into fists, and Harper stepped forward but was pulled right back.

Hawk gripped her arm, holding her back from doing something stupid. "Don't. You won't win that fight," he warned her.

Harper glared up at him though knew that he was right. With a frustrated sigh, she freed her arm from his grasp but stood still.

"What the hell was that?" Hawk asked, his eyes flashing in anger at Mitch.

Mitch returned the glare, surprise flickering in his eyes though a smug smile tugged at his lips. "Why are you always defending her?"

"I'm not. But I told you that we're not here for her," Hawk said.

"She was in the way so I just did what you didn't have the balls to do," Mitch replied.

Hawk stepped towards him, but Sam and Robby pushed their way into the middle before any more punches could be thrown.

"You need to back off," Sam told Hawk and his friends, stepping in front of Harper and Demetri.

Hawk looked at Sam and then Demetri, suddenly remembering why they were there. "Come on, I don't want to hit a girl."

"You wouldn't stand a chance," Robby told him.

Hawk scoffed and looked around the area. "Five against four?" He threw a look at Demetri and smirked before adding, "More like three and a half." Sharing a look with his friends, he nodded at them to resume the fight.

Chaos broke out around them as the fight started. Harper and Demetri stood in the middle, out of harm's way. There wasn't anything either of them could do though Harper wanted nothing more than to help. But given her nonexistent knowledge of karate, she would only get in the way. Make matters worse for her friends. Frustrated at not being able to do anything, she watched the fight around her.

Sam and Robby were adept at fighting. The intricate moves they'd practiced were more threatening now that they were used to defend them. It was both beautiful and terrifying at once. The entire fight lasted only a couple of minutes, and the silence was deafening once Cobra Kai had been defeated.

The silence broke as everyone who'd witnessed the fight started to talk, their animated chatter growing louder as everyone recounted what happened. Everyone's accounts seemed to contradict each other but it didn't stop the excited chatter that swarmed around them.

"We saved your chicken." Sam smiled and held the takeout box to Demetri.

A stunned smile appeared as he took the box from her. "Thanks," he said quietly.

"We told you to check up on Demetri, not look for a fight. We can't leave you alone for five minutes, huh?" Robby asked jokingly.

Harper laughed softly, tucking her hair behind her ear. Her smile turned to a wince as her hand brushed against the cut. Another wonderful reminder of a fight that she couldn't have won.

"You okay?" Robby's eyes traveled to the cut, a frown working its way onto his face.

"It's just a scratch," Harper reassured him. "Thanks for showing up when you did." The fight would have ended badly had her friends not come to their defense. While she liked to believe that she could hold her own, she knew this would have ended with more than just a punch to the face.

"Yeah, no problem," Sam said, smiling though her eyes remained troubled. The fight had taken a toll on all of them. "We're just glad we got here in time. What did they want, anyway?"

Harper cast a glance at Demetri, who remained quiet. Lost in his thoughts. "They were mad about a review Demetri made. About Cobra Kai." She noticed their surprised looks and nodded. "It's so dumb but they were ready to beat Demetri up over it."

Robby threw a frustrated look toward the defeated members of Cobra Kai. A confused look crossed his face as he glanced around. "What? They're gone," he commented with surprise.

"Good," Harper said, relieved at the news.

While Robby and Sam spoke quietly, Demetri stood off to the side with a faraway look in his eyes. She walked towards him, nudging him with her arm. "You okay?" She asked, knowing that it was a stupid question to ask. A filler question.

Demetri nodded though he looked broken and defeated. "Yeah, yeah." He paused with a frown as he glanced at her. "I guess I'm just…. I'm sorry I couldn't protect you better," he sighed.

"You did what you could," she told him truthfully.

Demetri laughed humorously, all the while avoiding her eyes. "I did nothing, Harper. Literally nothing. I don't know, maybe if I was better at karate, I could've stopped them. You know, stopped Mitch from punching you."

Harper tilted her head. "Stop being so hard on yourself. We were outnumbered. There wasn't anything we could've done. Okay?" She didn't blame him for what happened; she hoped he knew that.

Demetri nodded to her words though he continued to look unconvinced.

There wasn't much left to say on the topic. Harper was just glad it ended how and when it did. Now that the adrenaline was dissipating, exhaustion took over. More than anything, Harper wanted to go home and forget about that day. She felt bruised and angry at all that had happened. As she made a move to suggest they leave, her eyes caught sight of the mall security that entered the food court. Her heartbeat quickened, the anxiety intensifying as they approached them.

"You guys." Her voice was laced with worry as she nodded towards the security.

Robby followed her line of sight and frowned. "Shit."

"It'll be okay," Sam reassured them though she looked unsure.

Thirty agonizing minutes of security questioning them passed before Mrs. LaRusso arrived to help. The same questions were repeated in different ways as they tried to trip them up on their answers. But they stuck to their stories. To the truth.

Harper blew out a nervous breath as she stood off to the side with her friends. Another hangout that was supposed to be fun had quickly turned into a disaster. She wondered if they would ever be able to have a good time without Cobra Kai messing things up. The only answer that popped into her head was a 'no'. Since she was now in the middle of the war between both dojos, Harper had a feeling this would keep happening. Over and over. While she wouldn't abandon her friends, she also wasn't looking forward to more fights. More trouble that could jeopardize her life. Her stable and safe life.

Harper watched with a frown as the security spoke with Sam's mom, permanent scowls on their faces. The conversation looked heated, and she nervously chewed her bottom lip. Her nails painfully dug into her palm as she tried to control the anxiety that had its claws in her. She knew that Sam would get out of this scot-free, as would Demetri. But she and Robby were kids with a troubled past. If she knew anything, it was that security would target them both. Blame them for everything despite the fact that it was all self-defense.

Several more minutes passed before Mrs. LaRusso broke away and stepped toward them. A smile graced her face though she looked anything but happy with the situation. She didn't necessarily look mad, just worried.

"What happened? What did they say?" Sam asked quickly, throwing a worried glance at her mom.

"Well, you guys won't be allowed at the mall anytime soon but I was able to convince them not to call the police," Mrs. LaRusso said.

Harper sighed in relief as she ran a hand through her hair. With the way the last couple of weeks had gone, the last thing Harper needed was for the police to be called. While she hadn't done anything wrong, she knew how the law viewed her and how badly it could've ended for her.

"That's it? We're free to go?" Robby asked cautiously, voicing the question she'd been afraid to ask. It seemed too good to be true.

Mrs. LaRusso nodded. "I just have to pay for the damages but, yeah, we're good to go."

"I'll pay you back," Harper decided with a nod. They'd done their share of damage running from Cobra Kai, and she didn't want the LaRussos to pay for her. How she would manage that, she didn't know. But she was determined to give back every penny even though Mrs. LaRusso told her not to worry about it.