𝐇𝐄𝐘 𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐋 ᵃˣᵉˡ ᵏᵒᵛᵃᶜᵉᵛⁱᶜ

01

-🥋-

chapter one

MADDIE

The aquarium's blue lights and the photographer's camera flash make my head pound.

I had planned to go and tan on the beach today, but a trip to the aquarium with other groups that hate each other was a fun idea too. Robby stands beside me, equally agitated at taking a million photos while the rest of our team stand on the side. It's probably the tenth photo the photographer's taken, and it's getting tiring.

As he pulls the camera away from his I, my hopes of this being over skyrocket. Instead, he points to someone in the back of the group. "You, in the back, smile. Show some emotion."

I glance behind me to see who he's talking too. I'm nosy. I like knowing things. Just as my eyes land on the person, he flicks his blue eyes away from my direction and towards the camera. I glance back at the camera as Axel satisfies the camera man with a small smile. 

He glances back over at me, and I give him a small "hello" smile. He does the same, unlike the smile the photographer received, mine is genuine. 

I didn't tell Sam about him helping my carry our food because that was it. Him carrying our food because I couldn't.

Hours pass at the aquarium, and it's safe to say I'm bored out of my mind. I've seen all the fish, which is all there is to see. At least I got good photos though. I'm mid way through uploading them to my story when Sam trudged forward.

"I just talked to Tory," Sam says, sitting down beside me on a couch in the lobby of the aquarium. "She's not sorry for her decision."

I offer her a sip of my milkshake. "I feel bad for her because I know what she's going through. You remember when my mom died and Kreese manipulated me into joining his team for the All Valley? Kreese is a manipulator and he knows how to get into a persons head. Especially when they're vulnerable."

"I just wish she would have talked to one of us about it," Sam says as the two of us stand up, beginning the walk back to our hotel across the beach.

"Well, there's nothing we can do about it now," I tell her, kicking the sand with my feet. "We just need to focus on the first round tomorrow."

It's almost dark by the time we finish our dawdling walk back to the hotel. As soon as Sam and I get to the hotel, we meet up with the boys in Miguel and Hawk's room. I frown as I look at the scene of two extra bags filling the room. "Why is there so much stuff in here for a room with two people?"

"Someone decided to gamble off off our room to Cobra Kai," Demetri scoffs towards Robby.

"Seriously?" I ask him. 

"I didn't even want to get involved," Robby replies, throwing his bag onto the bed closest to the door. "I told you to stay away from Cobra Kai. It's so simple."

I roll my eyes, moving to sit at the table in the room. This entire trip, the four boys have been at each others throats arguing. It's the most exhausting thing ever. Sam and I don't argue, we talk it out. where as these boys insult each other and comment on their own intelligence. It's like living with a group of toddlers. 

"If it's so simple why didn't you listen to your own advice?" Hawk questions. "We all saw you talking to Tory."

I gesture towards Robby while looking at Hawk. "They're dating you dumbass. Obviously they're going to talk."