Lee was in front of the LaRussos' house. Sam asked her to talk to Anthony, who they recently found out was bullying a kid. She stood in front of the door, hating that she let Sam talk her into this. She didn't know how to say no when she kept going on about how much Anthony looked up to her. She rang the doorbell. "Lee. Are you here for Sam?" Daniel opens the door.
"No, I'm here for Anthony." She corrected him.
"He can't see anyone because he's grounded." He was going to close the door.
"I know, Sam asked me to talk to him, because I was bullied. She was hoping hearing the other side of this will help him change his behavior." She did like the younger LaRusso. She wouldn't want him to turn into an asshole.
"I'm at a loss here, so come on in." He let her in. "His room is the…"
"I know." She walks up the stairs. She watched him shove a tablet underneath his pillow at hearing the footsteps. "Door open, that's a first." She walks into his room. He was sitting against the headboard.
He was shocked to see her there but welcomed any company that wasn't family. "I'm not allowed to have it close."
"I guess bullies don't deserve privacy, huh?" She sat at the foot of his bed.
"It wasn't that serious." He mutters.
"Hunting a boy down with your friends to beat him up isn't serious?" She raises her eyebrows. He let out a defeated sigh while looking down at the comforter. "Believe it or not I'm not here to crucifix you. I know what you're going through or at least I think I do." He looks over at her. "When you don't belong and all of a sudden you find somewhere to fit in, it's hard to let that go even when you know it's not good."
"Are you talking about Cobra Kai?" He asks.
"Yeah. You know Eli broke Demetri's arm when he was with them." She didn't have a personal violent example of her own, so she used Eli's.
"What, but they're best friends." In the few practices, he went to the two were inseparable.
She explains their whole complicated history of being at the bottom of the food chain rising to the top and now being somewhere in the middle.
"I didn't break any bones." He didn't know why she was telling him this story.
"Yeah, 'cause the kid knew how to defend himself. What would have happened if he didn't? How far would you have gone with your friends egging you on?" When he didn't answer she went on. "Do you even like these friends? When you weren't online I thought it was because you found other interests but something tells me you felt forced."
"I mean… I'm not completely miserable. They do look down on guys who play certain video games…. You know what, I don't like them, but it's better to have them as friends than enemies." He had given up a lot of the things he liked to be their friend.
"Did you hate yourself even while you were doing it?" She wonders.
"Not while I was doing it. I was so mad then." He admits.
"Why, what did this kid do?" She moved so she was sitting across from him.
"When I got taller and thin, I thought everything at school would get better. I was no longer the short fat nerdy kid. I was right. All the cool kids wanted to talk to me and the girl I liked was interested in me then this new kid came along and she was smitten at first sight." He looks defeated.
"Over a girl, huh? What's she like?" She leaned in like they were gossiping.
"She's great. She reminds me a lot of you. She's pretty, smart, and amazing at video games." He listed.
"So, you gave up video games for these guys you don't like when the girl you like plays them." She tilts her head.
He paused as he thought about her and Kenny bonding over the video game that he gave up. "I guess that doesn't make sense."
"Looks like we both had to learn the hard way that being happy is much better than being popular." She pulled a deck of cards out of her backpack. "Do you know how to play poker?"
"No," He shook his head.
"Let me be your sensei." She winked at him as she dealt the cards.
"Full house." Anthony put down his cards.
"Shit!" She cursed, throwing down her flash.
"Hey Lee, you're still here." Daniel went up to check on his son and was shocked when he saw her.
"Oh yeah, we got caught up playing cards." She explained.
"Hey dad, here." He pulled out the tablet to give to him.
"Anthony." He was torn between scolding him for breaking the rule and being confused as to why he gave it up.
"I deserve to be grounded. What I did was wrong. I made someone's life hell to impress some guys that I can't be myself around. Popularity isn't everything, happiness is." He smiled at Lee who beam with pride back at him.
Daniel stares at her, impressed that she got through to his stubborn son. "Do you want to stay for dinner?"
"Sure, why not?" She nods.
"Do you want to join us in playing poker?" He asks.
"Okay, but I gotta warn you I'm pretty good." He grabs the gaming chair to move to the edge of the bed to play with them.
Moon, Lee, and Sam were prom dress shopping. Lee was holding the phone with Yasmine facetime. "Wait, so he didn't ask you to prom?" Yasmine looked unimpressed at the screen.
"He knew I wanted to go and let me know he bought the tickets." Lee didn't see what the big deal was.
"Miguel asked if I wanted to go and I said yes." Sam clarified how they made plans to go to prom.
"Oh, I feel so bad for you guys having a boyfriend that takes you for granted. Demetri made a makeover game. On the last level, the client looks just like me and she was going to prom. After dressing her up, virtual Demetri asked me to prom." She told them. The three girls share an amused look at how head over heels she was with a guy she used to think was beneath her.
"Moon, did anyone ask you?" Sam changed the subject.
"Of course they did, the question is how many?" Lee knew she was the hottest single in school.
"A few, but I didn't know any of them. To go to prom with someone just to have a date seems pointless. I don't want to spend the night getting to know someone. I want to have fun with my friends." She looks through a rack of dresses. "I did agree for Bert to be my plus one so he could have a fun night with his friends."
"Thank god, it's just that." Yasmine grimaces at the thought of them being a couple.
"What do you think of this?" Sam held up a pink dress that had bows by the straps.
"You'll look like bubblegum." Yasmine scrunches up her nose.
"If you like it then you should try it on," Moon said when she saw how her face fell.
"I will." She nods before going to the dressing room.
"Yasmine, did you have to do that?" Lee was ready to hang up on her.
"A friend would tell her, she looks like shit. A bitch would tell her, she looks good." She wasn't sorry for giving her opinion.
Lee rolled her eyes as she looked through the rack of red dresses. She pulled out a silk dress that had one spaghetti strap and another going across the chest and a high slit on the left side. She put it on the side to try on. "Lee, go back to the dress with the bow on the back." Yasmine orders. She did as she was told. She didn't know why she volunteered to be the one to call her. "I can't wait to see Demetri's face when I surprise him at prom." She convinces her dad to let her fly out. She would have to fly on a red eye to get back on time for the wedding but it would be worth it.
"So what do you think?" They turn to see Sam in the dress. Yasmine pretends to be chewing gum.
"You look good." Moon gave her a thumbs up.
"You do. It looks very retro." Lee thought it didn't match the theme of Hollywood.
"Yeah, it doesn't match the theme, but screw it I'm going to get the dress I want." Sam went back into the dressing room.
"I think she was telling me, screw you." Yasmine gasps.
Grandma Donna was over to help Lee get dressed for prom. "Just remember you don't owe him anything." She closes her eyes when she covers her hair in the spray.
"No worries, grams." She reassured her.
"I know your dad thinks he's cool giving you condoms but you're too young to be doing all that." She watched her granddaughter put red lipstick on. "You are still a virgin, right?"
"Of course." She nods.
"Lee, your date is here," Tom yelled up to her while keeping his glare on Eli. He was holding a grudge for breaking his daughter's heart.
Knowing that Lee hurried downstairs. Eli's jaw dropped at seeing her come down the stairs. The gold heels clicking as she went. "You look stunning." He collected himself.
"And you're sparkling." She giggles at his black glitter suit jacket. "Very handsome." She squeezed his face when he pouted.
"Time for pictures." Donna took out her phone. Lee leans against him while he wraps an arm around her waist. "You two look so grown up." She gushed as she took a picture. "Tom, get in there."
"You look beautiful, darling." He pulled her away from her date. Eli stood awkwardly on the side for the next picture.
"Tom." She shook her head at her son.
"We'll be going." Lee grabs Eli's hand.
"I only got two pictures." She whines.
"We're going to take professional ones at the prom." She reminds her. "We got to go. We're picking up Demetri on the way." She had to get him there before Yasmine did.
"Alright, have a good responsible time." She hugs her.
"Yeah, be responsible." Tom had a different meaning behind it. Knowing that Donna smacked his shoulder.
"Bye." The teens waved while leaving.
Eli and Lee were standing at a table with Demetri. "This sucks. I finally have a girlfriend to take to these kinds of events. But, somehow I still end up looking like a lonely loser." Demetri sighs in his Pacman suit.
"I heard Logan Wang's after the party got canceled because his little brother got into some middle school fight, so his parents aren't going to take him on that road trip." Lee drank her soda.
"Why would everyone else's night being ruined make him feel better?" Eli didn't care if the party was canceled, it meant that he could sneak into Lee's room faster.
"Well, misery does love company." Demetri shrugged.
"Demetri." Yasmine was standing behind him. Lee smiled at her friend.
"Oh my, Jessica Rabbit." He gasps at seeing his girlfriend in a red dress. "What are you doing here?"
"I just flew in." She grabbed his hands.
"What about your dad's wedding?" He knew it was some time tomorrow.
"Oh, I'll get back on time." She knew how much going to prom with a date meant to him. "You're more important. I even flew economy plus, which is total shit. The seats don't even lay flat." She played with his tie.
"They don't?" Lee tilts her head. Eli chuckled and wondered how his girlfriend didn't end up more like Yasmine. They were spoiled rotten in the same way that they didn't have a firm grasp on what the lower class goes through.
"No girl, they don't." She shook her head.
"Wow, you really do like me?" Demetri smiles.
"You have no idea." She pulled him into a kiss. "Come on, let's go dance." She pulled him towards the floor.
"We should all hit the dance floor." Demetri looks back at his friends. He knew they were only on the sideline to keep him company.
"Come on." Lee grabs Eli's hand.
"We'll be right there. I'm going to finish my drink." He held up his glass.
"Okay," Yasmine pulled her date to meet up with their friends.
"You don't want to dance?" She asked.
"I'm fine with dancing but once we go out there all our friends will surround us. I haven't had a moment alone with you since we picked up Demetri." He grabbed her hand.
"And what do you need me alone for?" She gave a teasing smile.
He grabbed her chin so he could tilt her head up to kiss her. "I know I said you look beautiful but I wanted to show you." He pulled his dazed girlfriend to the dance floor.
They were able to dance to a song together before their friends joined them. "Hey Bert, getting any older woman's attention?"
"No, but a tall blonde has been eyeing me." He motioned with his eyes to the left.
Sure enough, a pretty blonde was checking him out. "Then what are you doing over here, go to her." Eli pushed him towards her.
"Oh, look at you helping out Bert." She rubs his buzzcut.
"I feel like you're taking advantage of being able to touch my hair." He put his hands on her hips as a low song came on.
"I got to, you're going to grow it back." She rubs the back of his head before pulling him into a kiss.
As they were making out, they weren't paying attention to where they were going and bumped into someone. "Sorry, I got caught up." She turned her head to apologize. She was surprised to see Tory in a gold leopard dress with Robby.
It was Tory's first instinct to think bullshit, but when she saw Eli's lips smeared in red makeup she knew it was true. "Shit, did you use that spicy lipstick again?" He uses the back of his hand to wipe it off.
"I did use my plumper. I wanted my lips to look extra juicy tonight." She explains.
"I hate that shit." He grumbles.
"But, your lips look so good after." She whines following him as he went to wash it off.
Robby and Tory were surprised that Eli didn't try to start something. The couple made an agreement that for the night they would pretend that Cobra Kai didn't exist.
"So this is Stinger-ray's sister's house? Does she know we're here?" Lee pulled up to the after-party house.
"Who cares, let's go party?" Mitch jumps out of the car, hoping to get lucky.
"He did not just slam my door," Lee muttered as she got out of the car.
"You'll get to kick his ass in practice later." He put an arm around her as they went into the house that was blaring music. It was crowded as they moved around people.
"Get a room." Lee laughs as she taps Demetri's head. He had Yasmine on his lap, they were making out.
"Gladly." She got off him to pull him up and away.
Eli took a seat on the couch while Lee went into the kitchen to grab a few beers. She waited behind Kyler who was grabbing two cans from the fridge. "Hey." He greets.
"Hi." She reached around him to grab two bottles.
"You're looking good tonight." He raises his hand to try and rub her exposed thigh but she grabs his hand.
She resisted the urge to dig her acrylic nails in. "Let's not ruin a good night, Kyler. You seem to be having a good time with not just your date but Piper. Who knows maybe you'll get a threesome in the future." With that distracting thought in his head, she was able to slip past him and go into the living room.
She sat down on the couch and handed Eli a beer. He felt a little uncomfortable in the setting. He couldn't help but feel vulnerable without his mohawk armor. "We can go mingle if you want."
"My feet are sore from dancing in these heels, please don't make me stand up." She cuddles into his side.
"Alright, I suppose I can show you some mercy." He teases.
The music stops making everyone look around. "Woah! The day the music died. What's going on? Guys, turn it back on." Stinger-Ray didn't want the party to be over.
A middle-aged man wearing pajamas and a robe came barging in. "There are families on this street trying to get some sleep. If you all don't go home right now, you're going to get arrested for underage drinking."
"Fuck that!" Eli grabs Lee's hand to get out of there.
"Hey! Hey, guys, you don't have to leave! It's fine. He's my neighbor." He yelled before turning to the man. "What are you doing here? You weren't invited. You should leave right now"
"Okay, no one listens to this speed bump of a human. This is a loser, everyone. That's why he's partying with you because he has no friends his own age." He didn't want any of the teens to think this was someone to look up to. Lee tilts her head at the stranger. He didn't need to worry about that. They were using him for free drinks and a party space.
"I warn you, but you had to push it and make it personal." He stepped to him.
"Yes, I did Stink-ray. I'm going to push this button and call the cops." He grabbed his phone.
He grabbed his wrist and bent it back. "It's not stink-ray." He took his phone from him. "This is going to sting." He kicked him in the balls. When he bent over in pain, he kicked him in the face knocking him out. The teens chanted his name making him feel on top of the world.
Lee and Eli walk outside wanting to get some air. "Can't take them anywhere." Lee let out an unimpressed sigh at seeing Robby fighting with Miguel and Sam with Tory. It ends with them falling into the pool.
"It looks like fun." He smirks at Lee.
"Don't even think about it. This is real silk, I can't even sweat too much in it. Chlorine would ruin it." She shook her head.
"Lee, baby, you're never going to wear that again." He knew she wouldn't recycle this dress. She would want a new one for the next fancy event they went to. She screams when he grabs her and throws her in the pool before jumping in after her.
"Eli," She hissed at him when he resurfaced.
"It is the perfect ending to a peaceful night." He guides her to the wall. He grabbed onto it so he wouldn't have to tread water. She grabbed onto his bicep for the same reason. He initiated an open mouth kiss. Lee moaned into his mouth as he pushed her against the wall of the pool to have an easier time keeping them up.
A wave of ice-cold water washed over them making Lee scream and Eli curse. They look up at Bert and Mitch laughing. "We thought we'd calm you guys down like the dogs in heat you are." Bert giggles.
"You're dead." Eli swam to the ladder to get out. They ran away throwing teasing digs over their shoulders.
"This is the perfect ending." Lee watches them with a smile on.
