The hallway buzzed with the usual pre-lunch buzz — locker doors slamming, conversations blending together and the occasional teacher's sharp reprimand echoing over the chaos. Harper stood across from Sam, her arms folded tightly across her chest, frustration etched across her face. She'd approached Sam, determined to fix what was left of their friendship, but she was starting to regret it.

It seemed like a hopeless task because Sam had no desire to even hear her out. Her words had fallen on deaf ears with Sam sticking to what she believed — that Harper had made a mistake.

"Look," Harper said for what felt like the hundredth time. Her voice was tense yet steady as she tried not to look away from the cold glare that was directed at her. "I'm just trying to fix this, Sam. I'm so tired of us fighting, and I get that you're mad but can you please just talk to me?"

Sam scoffed, mirroring Harper's stance in a way that made her seem more hostile. "Talk about what? There's nothing to fix, Harper. You made your choice, and it wasn't us." Her voice was cold, her words sharper than usual.

"You know that's not —" Harper started but Sam cut her off with a shake of her head, the words dying before they could be released.

"Yeah, it is!" Sam said, her voice rising as the anger slipped through her composure. "I just don't get it. I don't get how you went from hating everything Cobra Kai stood for this summer to being with him. You saw how they treated us — how they still treat us. I mean, look at what they did to Nate! And you're just… fine with it all."

"I'm not fine with it!" She ran a hand through her hair, trying to reign in her anger and frustration.

They'd had this conversation over and over again. By this point, it was nothing but a repeated loop of the same words that seemed to have lost all of their meaning. How many times could they go through this without getting anywhere?

"Well, it seems like you are. Because every time he screws up you jump in to defend him as if he doesn't know what he's doing," Sam said.

"I'm not defending everything he's done, but I'm not gonna pretend that he wasn't there for me when I needed someone. And yeah, maybe that's messed up, but when I needed you – when I needed my friends – you pushed me away," Harper said, her voice quiet as she adjusted her bag. "So, I'm sorry if I turned to the only person who didn't shut me out."

"Oh, so this is about me? Give me a break, Harper," Sam said, rolling her eyes. "You made the choice to train with him this summer. You lied to us and went behind our backs. This isn't on me. It's on you."

"Yeah, maybe it is," Harper agreed, shifting her weight from one foot to the other. "Maybe I was scared to lose the only friends I've ever had. But I stood by you all summer, even when things got messy with Tory and Miguel. I defended you every time because you were my friend. And now, the second I do something you don't like, you shut me out?"

"This isn't the same thing! I didn't betray you," Sam said, lowering her voice when curious looks were thrown their way. "You're the one who chose him, knowing what he's done – to me, to Nate, to everyone. So, yeah, I'm mad. And I'm not going to stand here and pretend that I'm okay with it."

Harper sighed, her fingers finding the bracelet around her wrist and twisting it around. She could understand her anger, but she always believed that friendships could withstand anything. That even if mistakes were made, friends always had each other's back no matter what. But maybe that was just a skewed view of what they were supposed to be since she never had the luxury of making any real friends until she came to Van Nuys.

"I never expected you to be okay with it, but I didn't think you'd cut me off completely, either," Harper said, her words coated in a vulnerability that made her wince. "I don't know, I just thought we were past this. I thought we were better than that. Better than turning our backs on one another."

"I thought so, too. But clearly, I was wrong," Sam said with a shrug that was as indifferent as her words.

"I just wanted to fix this," Harper said quietly, her voice almost pleading as she stared into Sam's mask of indifference. "I miss my friends. I miss us."

"Well, maybe you should've thought about that before you chose him. But I guess being loyal isn't really your thing, is it? I mean, when you've been passed around from family to family, it's probably hard to know what that even means," Sam said, but the moment the words were out, her eyes widened as if surprised that they had come from her.

Harper felt as if she'd been bulldozed. The words hit with such an extreme force, tearing through the walls, that the breath had been knocked from her lungs. Her grip on the bracelet tightened, and she felt the prickle of tears in the corner of her eyes, but she schooled her expression to remain neutral. Unaffected. Having Sam throw her status as a foster kid in her face hurt almost as much, if not more, as shutting her out.

A look of regret flashed across Sam's face, and she opened her mouth but no words came out. "I'm – I didn't mean that. I just…," she stammered, her voice soft but the frustration on her face was unmistakable. "Whatever. Forget it." With a shake of her head, she turned on her heel and brushed past her.

Harper stood frozen in place as the hallway around her buzzed with life, carrying on as if Sam's words hadn't just crushed her. She let out a shaky breath, quickly swiping at her eyes because she refused to break. She reminded herself that she'd been through worse than a fight with a friend. Told herself to keep her head held high and hold onto the walls to keep herself from crumbling.

But it was easier said than done.

Perhaps before her stay with the Hudson's, if she'd been placed anywhere else, she'd still be that resilient girl who didn't take anything to heart. That wasn't who she was anymore. She'd traded in an unknown future for family and friends only to leave herself susceptible to heartbreak.

Harper didn't notice the quiet footsteps behind her, didn't register someone standing way too close until a voice said, "Miss me, foster?"

A startled yelp escaped her lips before she instinctively drove her elbow backward, connecting squarely with Hawk's ribs. He stumbled slightly with a groan.

"Shit. What the hell? Are you trying to break my ribs again?" He asked.

Wide-eyed, she turned around fully ready to apologize. Instead, that wasn't what came out as her frustration pushed its way to the forefront. "You scared me, you idiot! Maybe don't sneak up on me next time," she said, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I wasn't sneaking! I was just trying to say 'hi' to my girlfriend but, shit. You're out for blood," he said, dramatically rubbing the spot where he got hit.

Harper momentarily froze at the 'girlfriend' comment as they hadn't defined anything yet. It made everything too real, too official. And things that were too real led to very real possibilities of getting hurt even though her heart was fully invested in this… relationship.

Deflection was her best friend, and she pretended she didn't hear him use that word. Instead, Harper rolled her eyes at the comment. "Oh, shut up, Hawk. You're fine."

"Yeah, I don't know. I think you actually broke something this time," Hawk replied with that irritating smirk she'd come to love. "What am I gonna tell Kreese at practice later?"

"I don't know. That kinda seems like a you problem," she muttered dryly.

His smirk faltered at her tone. "Whoa. Okay. Someone's moody," he commented, tilting his head as he studied her. "You're not actually mad at me for scaring you, are you? Because I was just trying to be funny. And, yeah, maybe it was dumb, but you kinda love that, remember?"

Harper narrowed her eyes into a glare, wanting to hold onto her anger. Not at Hawk, but at the situation. At Sam's biting words. Because focusing on that was much easier than admitting what was bothering her. It was easier than facing everything head on. She tugged at her bracelet, the chain digging into her skin as she concentrated on twisting it around her wrist in a circle. She could feel his gaze on her, and she sighed before shaking her head.

"You're an idiot, but I'm not mad. I'm just…," she trailed off before forcing a smile onto her face. The smile felt foreign, but it was the best she could muster. If she let her real feelings show, he'd keep asking, and she wasn't ready for that. "I'm fine. It's just been a long day. And you sneaking up on me didn't exactly help."

Hawk reached out and stilled her hand when she continued to tug on the bracelet. "You're gonna snap that thing if you keep going," he said, his thumb brushing lightly over the bracelet. "Then you'll have to deal with me saying 'I told you so.' And getting it fixed. Again."

Harper huffed in irritation but dropped her arm by her side, though her fingers itched to keep spinning it around her wrist. "I wasn't gonna break it."

"Uh-huh. Sure." He rolled his eyes and took a step closer until he stood right in front of her. He tugged at her sleeve to get her attention. "You know you can tell me what's wrong, right? That's kinda what boyfriends are good for."

Again with that word.

Harper tensed. She couldn't help it.

"Boyfriend?" Harper asked, her traitorous voice was higher and tighter than normal, giving her emotions away. "Is that what you think you are?"

Hawk smirked, leaning back casually against the lockers behind him. "I don't think so, I know it. People are talking, you know. And apparently, we're, like, a thing now."

"People? Like who?" Harper asked, tilting her head. "That's slander, you know. Maybe I should sue them."

He shrugged, grinning. "Go ahead, but you'll still be stuck with me."

Harper rolled her eyes, but the ghost of a smile tugged at her lips.

"So, are you gonna tell me what's wrong or do I have to guess?" He asked, his gaze boring into her as if he could read each of her thoughts before the tabs could close. When she didn't answer, he sighed dramatically. "Guessing it is. Let's see: you failed a test, someone made fun of your terrible music taste or —" he paused, watching her carefully. "It's Sam, isn't it?"

Harper flinched slightly, the words Sam said earlier repeating in her head.

Hawks expression hardened, and he looked around the hallway as if expecting Sam to be hovering nearby. "What'd she say? You can tell me, you know. Because if she's got a problem with you, then she's gotta deal with me."

Harper shook her head quickly and stepped closer to him without realizing it. "Nothing I couldn't handle. It's not —" she cut herself off, her voice wavering. "Please don't do anything, okay?"

He hesitated for a moment but nodded once. "Alright, fine," he said and tugged on her hand until she leaned into him. He wrapped his arms around her, a smirk crossing his face when she didn't fight him. "You know I've got your back, right?"

Harper leaned into him, her walls lowering for just a moment. "Yeah, I know," she said, tilting her head back to look up at him. "I've got yours, too."

"Good. But if you elbow me one more time, I'm revoking your girlfriend privileges, foster," he told her seriously.

Narrowing her eyes, she poked him in the side. "Don't you dare," she said before resting her head against his chest.

Hawk smiled down down at her, his arms tightening slightly around her shoulders as if to keep her there. "You know, I'm starting to think you like this whole relationship thing. You didn't look like you were about to bolt when I mentioned it the last two times."

Harper rolled her eyes, but didn't move. "Don't read too much into that."

"Too late," he replied smugly.

Before Harper could say something, a hesitant voice interrupted them. "Uhm… e-excuse me?"

She looked over her shoulder to find a younger boy — probably a freshman based on the nerves radiating off of him — clutching the strap of his backpack as if for dear life. He shifted from foot to foot, his nervous gaze darting between them and the lockers.

"That's…. Uhm, that's my locker," the boy managed to get out, his voice faltering under Hawk's glare.

"You sure?" Hawk asked.

The boy nodded a few times, his shoulders tense as he glanced at the surrounding lockers. "Yeah. Th-that's it. Right behind you."

Hawk didn't budge, his smirk sharpening as he glanced over his shoulder at the metal door behind him. "Yeah? Weird. Doesn't have your name on it," he said, his voice taking on a mock-serious tone. "Guess you'll have to find a new one."

The boy blinked, his eyes widening. "But I — I just need to grab my math book. I have a test after lunch and…."

"That sucks for you, doesn't it?" Hawk cut him off with a shrug, leaning forward just enough to make him flinch.

The boy took a cautious step backward, his face pale. He looked torn between asking to get to his locker and fleeing, though the latter seemed like the safer bet.

"Okay, stop," Harper said, her voice sharp as she threw an apologetic glance at the boy before turning to Hawk with a glare. "Seriously? He has a test. Don't be that guy."

"What? Math will still be boring whether he passes or not." Hawk raised an eyebrow, his smirk faltering. "Oh, come on. I'm just messing with him."

"Yeah, well, he doesn't need that," she shot back before giving his arm a tug. "Move. Now."

Hawk rolled his eyes but stepped aside. "Fine, foster. Always ruining my fun," he muttered under his breath.

The boy darted forward, fumbling with his lock as fast as possible, and Harper grabbed Hawk's sleeved, pulling him away. The hallways were less packed now, but her anxiety seemed to increase as she walked beside him, her bag slung over her shoulder. She tried to ignore the flutter in her chest as they got closer to the cafeteria. Her appetite, or what there was of it, was entirely gone. Unknowingly, she tugged at her bracelet as her steps slowed considerably. Part of her wanted to find an empty corner of the school and have her lunch there, but the other part was screaming at her to stop being a coward.

Picking up on her anxiety, Hawk's hand found hers and stopped her fidgeting by threading his fingers through hers. He didn't say anything, just gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.

It didn't completely erase the chaos in her mind, but it was enough to steady her nerves.

The sound of laughter and dozens of conversations were like a slap the moment he pushed the door open to the cafeteria. It was loud and chaotic, as usual. Almost every table was occupied as everyone enjoyed the thirty minute reprieve from classes. It felt as if all eyes were on them, though in reality, only a handful of people glanced their way without a care before turning back to their conversation.

Harper scanned the room, her gaze catching on a familiar table near the center. Sam was there with Moon and Yasmine, but even from a distance, she could feel her glare like a spotlight. It was judgmental with her thoughts displayed on her face like a neon sign. She'd hoped to catch at least a faint smile, something that would show that the friendship Harper hoped for was still there, buried beneath all the anger. But the only thing she saw was anger. Sam was staring at her as if she were a stranger, and it was enough to make her chest tighten.

"Looks like LaRusso's got her eye on us," Hawk said casually, leaning closer to her. His tone was light, but there was an edge beneath it.

"Yeah, I noticed," Harper muttered, gripping his hand a little tighter.

Before she could decide what to do – stay or flee – Moon's voice rang out from across the room. "Harper! Over here!"

She froze, her wide eyes darting to Moon, who was waving her over with an enthusiastic smile.

"You should go," he said, nudging her lightly with his elbow.

She turned to him, raising an eyebrow. "You really think that's a good idea?"

"Yeah, why not," he said with a shrug. "What's the worse that'll happen? She throws a carrot at you?"

Despite herself, Harper laughed. "You're such an idiot."

"Yeah, well, this idiot will be over there," he said, nodding his head toward the table where some of his Cobra Kai friends were sitting. "Keeping an eye on things, just in case."

Harper hesitated for a moment, but then sighed. "If it gets weird, I'm bailing."

"It's always weird with them. But you've got this, foster," he said with a wink before heading to his table.

"I've got this," Harper repeated quietly, willing herself to believe it. Taking a deep breath, she crossed the cafeteria towards what felt like enemy territory.

"Hi!" Moon said cheerfully. "We saved you a spot."

"Oh. Great, thanks," Harper said with an uncertain look towards Sam who kept her focus solely on her phone. She could still make a break for it by making up some ridiculous excuse. But she wouldn't. Perhaps this was the chance for her and Sam to talk with Moon and Yasmine acting as the referees — because that was exactly what they needed. After a few uncomfortable seconds passed, Harper lowered herself into one of the available seats.

Moon looked from Harper to Sam, noting the tension that simmered between them. She sighed, rolling her eyes as she leaned forward. "Don't tell me you're still not talking."

"No, we are," Sam said, briefly looking up from her phone before adding, "just not to each other."

Harper tried to keep her expression neutral, but it was hard with Sam digging the knife into her chest inch by inch.

"This is so dumb," Moon said, shaking her head. "You two are friends. I really don't get what the problem is."

"The problem is that Harper's made her choice," Sam said, her voice steady but sharp. "Not my fault she doesn't like the consequences."

Harper's eyes narrowed. "I didn't exactly realize that our friendship came with conditions."

Moon sighed. "Guys, can we please not do this? This isn't helping anyone. You two need to talk — actually talk without you storming away," she said, giving Sam a pointed look. "I mean, we're all sitting here. Can't you just —"

"You know how I felt about him," Sam interpreted, finally looking at Harper as if she was a stranger on the street. "About all of them. And you still," she stopped herself, shaking her head. "You're not even sorry."

"Wow, dramatic much?" Yasmine spoke up, pausing mid-scroll and glancing between them with a smirk. "I mean, Sam's not exactly wrong about them but… ew, I just realized that Harper has your leftovers," she said to Moon.

"Yas." Moon shook her head, a frown tugging at her lips.

"Hey, I'm just saying. We all gotta make mistakes," Yasmine said with a shrug. "This is just Harper's mistake."

Harper's hands tightened into fists, her nails digging into her palms as she tried to keep her expression neutral. The less emotion she showed, the less their words would get to her. Or so she told herself. She glanced across the cafeteria to find Hawk watching her. Their eyes locked for a brief moment, and she could practically hear him asking if she was okay. She nodded once, letting a small smile cross her face.

"I'm not making a mistake," Harper said, her voice soft but laced with certainty.

Sam snorted. "Yeah, okay. Just don't come being to me when it all falls apart"

Harper didn't have time to form a response, and perhaps that was for the best. The last thing any of them needed was a full on war between her and Sam.

Demetri appeared beside and dropped a large tray covered with a blanket onto the table, barely giving them any warning to move their stuff. "Hey! You ready to rock our earth science presentation?" He asked, sitting down in an empty chair.

Yasmine wrinkled her nose, "I'm ready to go back to a world where we don't talk on a regular basis."

"Hey, hey, hey! My popularity's on the rise while yours is steadily declining," Demetri said with a grin that looked almost confident. "But maybe we can meet in the middle, like a sexual venn diagram."

Harper laughed, glancing between him and Yasmine. It wasn't everyday she saw Demetri be this confident, and she couldn't keep the smile off her face. He'd come a long way from the awkward, self-deprecating kid she'd met this summer.

Yasmine rolled her eyes. "Ew."

"So, what's under the sheet?" Moon asked, her smile wide as her eyes lit up with interest.

Harper pulled up one side of the sheet, and tilted her head in the hopes of getting a glimpse of whatever it was. Before she could take a look, Demetri lightly smacked her hand. "I wasn't peaking," she said with an innocent grin, sitting back in her seat.

Demetri shot her a look before reaching for the sheet and pulling it off in a flourish, revealing a detailed mountain with some dinosaurs made out of legos. "Behold. What the scientists believe to be the Valley where the dinosaurs roamed the earth. Go ahead, press the hadrosaur egg," he said, nodding towards Yasmine.

A slightly amused look crossed her face as she reached over and pressed the egg. The sounds of bird screeching and the rumbling of a volcano filled the space. "Not bad," she said as she leaned back. "Maybe my parents won't have to pay for my A again."

"You're parents will never have to pay for an A again," Demetri told her seriously.

From across the table, Harper caught Sam's eye as they shared a friendly eye roll. For a second, it felt as if their differences were put to the side. For a second, she had hope that maybe their friendship wasn't as doomed as she thought it was. But then Sam's smile disappeared, replaced by a cold indifference as she looked anywhere but at Harper. It stung more than she cared to admit, but she reminded herself that she'd lived her life without friends and could continue to do so now.

Demetri continued to show off his project, his banter with Yasmine bringing a smile to her face. She tugged at her bracelet, choosing to focus on the conversations around her. A sense of normalcy surrounded the table as they talked, and she found herself relaxing.

An air of hostility radiated off of Sam everytime Harper glanced her way, but she knew there was nothing in that moment that she could say or do. Time would tell if their friendship was over, or if there was still a sliver of hope for them. But, for now, she'd take this.

"This model shows exactly the minute before the asteroid hit –" Demetri's explanation was cut off as a soccer ball ironically hit the model, destroying hours of work in the span of seconds. He blinked slowly, as if he could will the project to its unwrecked stage, but it lay scattered around them in pieces.

"What the hell was that?" Harper asked, picking up a few leggo pieces in a futile attempt to help.

"I'm sorry," Hawk said, approaching their table with a hint of a smirk on his face. "Looks like my ball just got away from me."

"That took me three weeks to build," Demetri said.

"Eh, took my ball three seconds to destroy," Hawk said with a shrug, his smirk faltering as he caught her glare. "What? It was an accident. Shit happens."

"Yeah, I doubt that," Harper said, her emotions jumping from anger to sadness every few seconds. It was hard to reconcile this version of Hawk — the one who smirked while her friend's hard work lay shattered on the floor — with the one who'd held her hand just moments ago.

"Sorry," Hawk said, but there was no trace of him meaning it in his voice as he walked back to his table.

"Great boyfriend you got there," Sam commented.

"Do you have another one?" Yasmine asked hopefully.

Demetri shook his head, the shock on his face morphing into anger. "Another week, another pissing contest," he said as he walked towards Hawk.

"This has to stop. I'm so sick of their shit," Sam said as she stood up and followed after Demetri.

Harper sighed heavily, running a hand through her hair as she knew this was just another week of the same old Cobra Kai versus Miyagi-Do drama. She was tired of it – tired of being in the middle of this war that she never had any intention of joining. But her loyalties were split between her friends and Hawk, and her choices would be judged no matter what she did. She stood up and followed her friends just as they faced off against Hawk and his friends.

"You landed one kick," Hawk told Demetri, the glare in his eyes filled with hatred as he stared him down. "You got lucky."

"Back off, or you won't be lucky," Sam said, her voice like steel as crossed her arms.

Hawk scoffed, looking from his friends to them. "Yeah, like you'll start anything, princess."

"But I might," Harper said as she stopped beside Sam.

Hawk's eyes flicked to Harper, his smirk faltering for just a second. "Over what?" He asked her. "I told you it was an accident. It's not like I meant to destroy Demetri's toy but, you know, it kinda looks better in pieces anyway."

"That wasn't an accident, and you know it," Harper snapped.

"Just stay out of this, Harper," Sam said before he could reply. "We don't need or want your help. You really don't have to pretend you're on our side, you know. It's kinda clear where your loyalties lie."

"I'm just trying to stop this from getting worse," Harper said, frustration coating her words as she felt stuck between her friends and Hawk. She knew who was in the wrong, but both groups were antagonizing each other for nothing. "Because all of you are acting like idiots. I mean, this whole back-and-forth, trying to prove who's better? It's really getting kinda old."

"What's the matter, stray? Worried your friends will lose?" Mitch asked.

"No. Maybe I'm just trying to save you the embarrassment from getting your asses kicked. Again," Harper said.

"Yeah, like that'll happen," Hawk muttered, laughing with his friends.

"You're bored, I get it," Trey said, stepping forward with a cold glint in his eyes. "Why don't you go find someone new to sleep with? Isn't it about time you moved on to the next victim?"

"True," Mitch said. "It's kind of your job as the school slut."

The moment those words left their mouths, Harper threw up her walls even higher than before. If she did that, they wouldn't hurt as much. She was used to people making backhanded comments like that — ever since Kyler and Jake started those rumors, people said things they otherwise wouldn't. Did they hurt? Absolutely. But she had her walls that acted as a fortress against cruel words that painted her in the worst light possible.

"Did you two come up with that on your own or did someone have to help you with the big words?" Harper asked, rolling her eyes to feign indifference, but the way her fingers tightened around her bracelet highlighted just how much they hurt.

"Say it again, and I'll make sure you regret it," Sam said, stepping forward and shoving Trey back with all her strength.

Harper's eyes widened, and she threw a grateful look her way. She didn't want anyone fighting her battles for her, but seeing Sam step in made her wonder if their friendship wasn't as over as she thought it was.

"Woah, chill, LaRusso," Trey said. "Mad that Harper took your place this semester? Maybe you two could compare notes, but Harper seems to have a bigger track record than you, though."

Harper stepped forward, her hands tightening into fists. As much as she wanted to de-escalate this, to stop a fight that neither side would win, her defiance flared to life. But she didn't get far because Hawk stepped in front of her, that glare that made others flinch locked on his friends.

"You two have a death wish or something?" Hawk asked, his voice low and threatening. "Say something like that again, and you'll be in pieces just like those legos."

"We're just having a little fun," Trey said, holding his hands up as if surrendering, but the mocking grin on his face told a different story.

The tension between both groups was electric, as if one wrong move would bring everything crashing down. A few students looked their way, their curious expressions shifting to ones of worry for what was to come.

"What's going on here?" Mrs. Blatt asked, her voice breaking through the tension. Her sharp eyes looked between Harper and her friends to Cobra Kai as if it would answer her question. "I saw you push him, Miss. LaRusso. You know our new guidelines against physical contact."

"We didn't start this," Harper spoke up, regret flaming across her face as she realized it meant putting Hawk in the crossfire. He was to blame for this, but it felt wrong since he'd just defended her.

"I have eyes, Miss. Cain. I know what I saw." Mrs. Blatt shot her a disapproving look before softening her tone as she turned to Hawk. "Did she enter your personal bubble without your consent?"

"Yeah, she definitely triggered me in my safe space," Hawk answered, his voice mockingly soft as he threw Sam a smirk the moment Mrs. Blatt wasn't looking.

Harper rolled her eyes, barely resisting the urge to smack him.

"What are you talking about? He started this by destroying my science project," Demetri interjected, gesturing towards the wreckage on the floor.

"That was an accident!" Hawk said, his tone casual as he shrugged. "You probably shouldn't bring your toys to school anyway."

"Well, you probably shouldn't be kicking a soccer ball in the cafeteria either, but hey, that's probably not your fault either, right?" Harper asked, crossing her arms.

Hawk glared at her, but the heat behind it wasn't the same as when he looked at her friends. "It wasn't mine. I took it from some kid, so it's not my fault, foster."

"You're unbelievable," Harper said, exasperated.

"And you're still stubborn as hell," he shot back, his grin sharp enough to disarm her.

"Enough!" Mrs. Blatt cut in, her tone firm. "I don't want excuses. I just want you all to respect each other."

"She's right, guys," Hawk said, a mockingly solemn tone lacing his words. "We should stop the aggression. Micro and macro."

Sam let out a humorless laugh, her glare burning holes into him. "Oh, give me a break."

"Hey, consider this a warning, Miss. LaRusso," Mrs. Blatt said, her patience clearly thinning and gestured to the mess on the floor. "And get these legos off the floor, someone could get hurt." With that, she strode away, her heels clicking sharply against the tile as the tension lingered in the air like a storm cloud ready to burst.

Harper turned on Hawk, her voice sharp and cutting. "Do you ever think before you do anything? You start shit, destroy things, and then act like the victim when you get caught. What the hell is your deal?"

"I don't act like the victim," Hawk told her. "I just play the game better than your friends do."

"You're not playing a game, Hawk," Harper shot back. "You're just making everything worse. For everyone. And for what? So you can look cool and badass in front of Mitch and Trey?"

Hawk's smirk wavered for a fraction of a second, but he recovered quickly and crossed his arms. "You don't get it, foster."

"No, you're right. I don't get it," Harper said, stepping closer. Her voice was quieter now but no less intense. "Because the guy I thought I knew isn't this guy – the one who's acting like a total ass just to impress people who don't even care about him."

Hawk flinched, the words hitting a nerve, but before he could respond, Sam's voice cut through the tension.

"She's finally starting to figure it out," Sam said, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "Took you long enough."

Harper's grip on her bracelet tightened as she spun around to glare at Sam. "You're not helping."

"Oh, I'm not helping?" Sam asked, her voice rising. "You're the one standing here defending him after everything he's done to us. Maybe it's time you open your eyes and stop pretending like he's not the problem."

"Careful, princess," Hawk said, his tone low and dangerous as his glare shifted to Sam. "You don't want to make this worse for yourself."

"Worse? What are you gonna do, Hawk? Destroy more projects or trip someone in the hallway? Terrifying," Sam said.

Hawk stepped forward. "You really wanna push me, LaRusso? Cause I can show you exactly how terrifying I can be."

"Can you just stop?" Harper snapped, stepping between them. "Seriously, just back off. Both of you"

For a moment, it looked like he might listen, but then his eyes flickered past her to Demetri. "For you pansies, no place is safe."

"This isn't over," Mitch added, his grin as cruel as ever as he trailed after Trey, their laughter echoing across the cafeteria.

But Hawk hesitated, the hard edge in his expression softening. And, for a moment, it was like the chaos of the cafeteria didn't exist. "Hey, foster," he said, his voice quieter and tinged with something that was only meant for her.

Harper crossed her arms instinctively, her frustration still simmering beneath the surface. "What?" She asked, her tone sharper than she intended.

His grin softened into something that made her chest tighten no matter how hard she tried to ignore it. "Don't let them get to you, okay? They don't know anything about you. Not like I do."

Her gaze wavered, and for a split second, she almost believed him. "Yeah? Well you've got a funny way of showing it sometimes."

"Maybe," Hawk said and stepped closer, his voice dropping low enough that only she could hear. "But I've got your back. Always." His hand brushed against hers, the touch fleeting but enough to send a jolt through her.

"You're still an idiot," she muttered, her voice softer now.

"And you're still stuck with me," he said, leaning in just enough for his smirk to sharpen again. "And don't think this gets you out of hanging out later. You still owe me for breaking my ribs earlier." Taking her silence as a win, his grin turned playful. "See you later, foster," he added before the Cobra Kai mask slid back into place and he walked away to join his friends.

Sam watched them with narrowed eyes, a scoff escaping her lips but she kept her thoughts to herself this time.

Harper stood frozen, her chest tight as she watched them leave. The tension that lingered between her and her friends was almost suffocating, but there was nothing she could say or do to fix it. She was caught in the middle – trying to balance the life she thought she wanted with the one she never expected. And the worst part was, she wasn't sure which one she'd lose first.

≫ ──── ≪•◦ ❈ ◦•≫ ──── ≪

Thanks so much for reading. I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Let me know what you think :)

I just realized how long this book will be lol. Hopefully it's not dragging on for you guys, but I low-key love focusing on original scenes, not just the ones that happened in the show. But... I do have plenty of ideas for what's going to happen in the future.

And I may or may not already have the third book kinda planned out... It'll be something alright.