GOOD HEART, BAD TEMPER - keene, robby

fourty-five

"What are you doing here?" Robby asks.

"We need to talk." Rory tells him.

"O-Okay." He moves to let the girl into his apartment. They walk over to the couch and sit together. "Talk about what?"

"I wasn't being honest earlier." She admits. "What you did wasn't okay. Yes, I know you wouldn't hurt me, but you put me in such an uncomfortable situation. Not only did you give me flashbacks of my father, but you gave me flashbacks of my relationship with Hawk, and that's not okay. I don't—"

"Rory, I apologized to—"

"I don't want another relationship like that!" Rory cut him off, ignoring what he was going to say. "I don't want another relationship where I feel pressured, small, intimidated, unsafe, or used. I don't want to argue, I don't want to feel misunderstood, and that's how you made me feel the other day. And instead of saying something— instead of telling you how I feel, I told you it was okay to spare your feelings, and I'm not doing that shit anymore."

The brunette paused to catch her breath. "I don't want another toxic relationship. I don't want to fear you because you are the only person I love and if I fear you, I have nothing left. So... what you did was not okay. It hurt me. And I need you to know how I feel because if you apologize without knowing then you're not really apologizing. You're telling me what you think I want to hear because you don't know how I really feel. I can't breathe anymore, Robby. I can— I can barely get out of bed in the morning all because of a tiny fetus I didn't even know, and I need you right now. I need to know you're here, because it feels like I'm all alone right now."

"Rory, you're not alone! I'm here." He grabs her hand. "I'm here, with you, right now."

The brunette sighs as she looks down at his hand gripping hers. "I know, Robby. I'm just feeling weird right now."

"I know, and I'm sorry for how I made you feel. I'm sorry for recognizing how much this miscarriage is affecting you, but I see it now. I see you." Robby pulls her into a hug.

"Thanks." She smiles, lying her head on his shoulder.

|

"So are we gonna hangout all day?" Robby asks.

"Yeah. Everyone else is out doing their own thing." Rory sighs. "Miguel's with Demetri and Eli, your dad's with Carmen, and I haven't really spoken to Tory in a while."

"Is something going on with you two?" The Keene boy looks down at the girl.

"No... she's just been a bit distant since the tournament. I mean... we talked a while ago. I told her about the miscarriage, she told me about Cobra Kai expanding, but nothing really. It seems like something is wrong with her, but she won't let me get close enough to ask."

"Well, Tory can handle it. She's strong." Robby says.

"I know." Rory sighs. "I just wish I could help so she wouldn't have to be so strong."

"Let's go get some food. We can come back here, watch a movie and eat, then come back to this subject." Robby suggests.

"Yeah." Rory smiles as she stands up to leave with him.

|

"This was perfect." Rory says with a mouthful. "Since I've been living with Miguel, it's been a lot of Spanish dishes. I haven't had a cheeseburger in forever."

"Speaking of living with Miguel... what's that, um, like?" Robby asks.

"What do you mean?" Rory looks up at him.