THE WAY WE BREAK || cobra kai

Carmen, Johnny, and Tessa made their way back toward the apartment complex, the late afternoon sun casting a warm glow over the sidewalk. They'd just wrapped up what felt like a thousand photos of Miguel and Sam all dressed up for prom—Miguel in his tux, Sam glowing in a pretty pink dress.

But Tessa had barely smiled once.

She trailed behind, arms crossed tight over her chest, her foot sending every loose pebble skittering out of her way. Her eyes never left the ground, and her lips were set in a quiet, stubborn pout. She hadn't said a word since they left the LaRussos'.

She'd just found out Anthony wasn't just suspended—he was grounded now, too. Two weeks. No phone, no games, nothing.

And all because of her.

If she hadn't snapped at Kenny—if she'd just taken a breath, walked away, ignored him—Anthony wouldn't have jumped in. Wouldn't have pushed Kenny. Wouldn't have been pulled into her mess.

Her chest ached in that quiet, guilty way that made her feel small. Like the kind of sadness that sits behind your ribs.

She kicked another pebble across the sidewalk.

"Maybe we missed our shot at a soccer star." Shannon teased, appearing ahead of them with a playful smile.

Tessa's head snapped up, and the second she saw her mom standing there with that familiar smile, a huge grin spread across her face. "Mom!" she beamed, all her sulking forgotten as she ran straight into Shannon's open arms.

Shannon laughed, hugging her tight. "Hey, baby."

Johnny crossed his arms with a scoff, watching them. "Soccer? Please. She's got a black belt in kicking ass, not chasing a ball."

They all ignored him, Tessa pulling back from the hug to look at her mom with a small, hopeful smile. "Can we hangout tonight?" she asked, her voice soft but filled with excitement.

This wasn't just a one-time thing. For months now, Shannon had been committed to making up for the lost time—taking Tessa on weekly hangouts, just the two of them. No excuses. No distractions. It was their time, and it helped to heal the cracks in their relationship. Tessa hadn't realized how much she'd needed this until Shannon had shown up, week after week, proving that she was there for her.

Shannon glanced down at her daughter, brushing a loose strand of hair out of her face. "That sounds great, sweetheart. I'd love that." She looked up then, catching Johnny's eye. Her expression was cautious, almost questioning. Johnny gave a small, silent nod—one that said yeah, it's fine. Whatever their history, they'd found a rhythm when it came to parenting Tessa, and she was what mattered most.

Shannon looked back to her daughter with a smile. "Okay, babe, go inside and grab your stuff, alright? Just give your dad and I a minute to talk."

"Okay!" Tessa's nodded, the excitement flooding her. She didn't waste a second before she turned and sprinted toward the door, her feet barely touching the ground as she bolted inside, eager to get their night started.

Meanwhile, the LaRusso house had settled into a rare, uneasy quiet. The chaos of prom preparations had faded—dresses had been zipped, photos snapped, and the last of the guests had trickled out into the night. Now, the only sound in the house was the faint hum of the refrigerator and the soft creak of the floorboards as Amanda and Daniel lingered in the kitchen, their voices hushed.

"Carmen said that?" Daniel asked, looking at his wife, his brows furrowed in confusion.

Amanda nodded, folding her arms across her chest. "Yeah, she said Tessa was really upset about it."