THE WAY WE BREAK || cobra kai

Tess was still glowing from the typhoon ride, dragging Miguel by the wrist with a grin that wouldn't quit. "I can't believe I made you go on that four times!" she laughed breathlessly, water dripping down her face, strands of hair plastered to her cheeks. Her eyes sparkled like she'd just discovered a new favorite thing.

Miguel, soaked and a little winded, smiled tiredly but couldn't hide how amused he was. "Yeah, it's hard to say no to you."

She nudged him playfully. "And you loved every second. Admit it."

Miguel chuckled, shaking his head as they walked back toward their chairs, but the bright mood snapped the moment they caught sight of the tense crowd gathering poolside. Cobra Kai and Miyagi-do had started shoving and pushing, faces flushed, fists clenched, voices rising in heated argument over something nobody really seemed to understand.

Hawk suddenly appeared beside Miguel and Tess, folding his arms with a hard scowl. "Are you kidding me with this bullshit again?" His eyes flashed with frustration as he glanced toward Miguel. "And there's Keene. I thought you said he wasn't in Cobra Kai anymore."

Tess's stomach twisted when she saw her brother shove one of her teammates roughly. Her lips pressed into a thin, tight line, and her jaw tightened. She wanted to look away, to avoid the fight that she knew was coming—but deep down, she knew she couldn't dodge it forever.

"That's what sensei told me." Miguel shrugged.

Hawk's frowned and without another word, he started walking toward the chaos. "Come on,"

Miguel and Hawk hurried forward, Tess close behind, her heart hammering like a drum in her chest. But before anything could boil over, a sharp whistle blasted right into Tess's ear. "Ow!" she yelped, clutching her ear with one hand, her eyes squeezed tight against the sudden noise.

"Cut it out! All of you, right now! Or you're all getting kicked out!" The lifeguard's voice was firm, leaving the group stunned and momentarily silent.

Miguel took a slow breath and raised his voice to cut through the tension. "Okay, clearly we can't coexist in peace, so let's find a solution."

Mitch crossed his arms. "We can't fight or we'll get kicked out. So what are we supposed to do?"

Robby leaned in, whispering softly to Tory. "We need to go." Tory shot back instantly, stubborn and loud, "No."

Then Bert's eyes lit up as he grinned and threw out an idea. "How about a race?"

The tension shifted; everyone perked up, the edge of conflict turning into something competitive.

"I'll go," Hawk said, stepping forward.

"So will I," Tory said, her voice dripping with smug confidence.

Kyler clapped loudly, egging them on. "All right! Champ versus champ."

Tory's voice rang out, loud and clear. "Whoever wins gets the park!"

Tess frowned, folding her arms tightly as she watched Hawk nod in agreement. "Deal, but you won't win."

The group scattered along the poolside, ready to cheer on their teammate.

Robby stepped closer to Tessa, his hand reaching out slowly, gentle but hesitant as he grasped her arm. His voice was soft, almost nervous. "Hey, T. What are you doing later? Do you... wanna get milkshakes?"

Tess blinked, caught off guard by the question for a moment. Her brows knitted tightly, lips pressing into a hard line. With a sharp yank, she pulled her arm free, eyes flashing with frustration and hurt as they locked onto his for a brief, intense moment. "No," she snapped, before turning on her heel and storming after Miguel without so much as a glance back.