Cold Hearted ⭒ Cobra Kai

5.7.6

"This is who I am. You can like it or not. You can love me or leave me 'cause I'm never gonna stop - no no, you know."

~Like It or Not by Madonna~

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A/N: I swear, I did not mean to be gone this long.

Anyway, welcome back. Please comment and vote and enjoy!

Warnings: abuse, addiction, anxiety, biphobia/homophobia, depression, domestic violence, gun violence, language, panic attacks, sexual harassment/assault/abuse, violence, weapons, and other mature themes

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Robby's POV

New Girl plays as I eat some microwave popcorn. My dad is asleep already, so I'm taking advantage of TV time. It's nice that paying the cable bill is his priority because it was never Mom's.

When I finish the bag, I get up to throw it away. That's when I realize the trash can is overfilled. I sigh as I tie the bag together to take it outside. 

I reach to close the door. Then, I look up and see Zion right there. 

Yasmine drives a Jaguar out of the apartment complex; I do a double take at her presence. That's when Zion notices me. I stare in slight confusion. I try to stop staring, but she's staring back. It's an awkward exchange. We aren't awkward. I don't know what's happening.

"Hey." I try to ease the tension. I think I may have made it worse. She picks at her nails.

"Hi," she replies. She looks down and away from me.

I decide to go for the obvious topic of conversation. "I didn't realize you and Yasmine were so close."

She switches her keys back and forth between hands. "Yeah. We, um, started hanging out because of-"

"Sam." I finish with her. She goes quiet again.

I think about how this all could be worse for her at the dojo.  "Demetri got really upset when he saw you together." And, honestly, he's getting on my nerves.

"Well, he shouldn't have said and done everything he has," Zion replies curtly.

I regret what I said and try to fix it gently, "I know. He's wrong."

For the first time, she really looks at me and sees me. "He is?"

I falter when I realize that she thinks I'd side with him. "Yeah. I haven't wanted to talk to him ever since I found out what he said," I tell her honestly.

She stares at me in question, "...You haven't?"

I shake my head. Zion still looks at me in surprise.

I assure her, "I'm on your side." Always, even if she doesn't want me around anymore.

Zion picks with her nails at the keys in her grasp. She looks anxious because of me or something I said. "Thanks," she whispers. I feel like I've said too much because this isn't changing anything. 

I look away and down at the trash, wondering for a moment if I should just go to the dumpster and stop bothering her now. She made it pretty obvious that she wanted to break up because I know I was a jerk for leaving. 

"...I hate being away from you, too, you know."

The world seems to shift. What is she doing to me? What am I doing standing here?