𝖫𝗈𝗏౿ᑲ𝗈ოᑲ -𝖤ᥣꪱᜒ 𝖬𝗈ડƙ𝗈⍵ꪱᜒ𝗍ʑ

3.6

Finally, Miguel returned home from the hospital, beginning his rehabilitation journey after the surgery. A therapist visited in the morning for a massage session, followed by Johnny's attempt to assist him with exercises. However, Miguel struggled and felt unmotivated. Johnny was trying other ways, now he got out a grill.

Hazel sat stood beside her brother, her brow furrowed as she glanced at her phone, her thumb hovering over the screen. Miguel noticed her troubled expression. "What's wrong, Hazel?" he asked, his voice soft with concern.

She sighed, glancing up from her phone. "It's Sam. She just texted saying the Cobra Kai guys are causing trouble for Chris at the Arcade," Hazel explained, her voice tinged with worry.

Miguel nodded understandingly. "You should go," he said, gesturing towards her phone. "I'll be fine here. Besides, Chris might need your help."

Hazel hesitated, torn between staying with her brother and helping her friend. She looked to Johnny, who was nearby, his presence providing a sense of security. "What do you think, Johnny?" she asked, seeking guidance.

Johnny met her gaze, offering a reassuring smile. "You should go. We'll take care of things here," he said, his tone firm yet supportive.

Relief washed over Hazel as she nodded, a determined expression settling on her features. "Okay, I'll go," she said, standing up and slipping her phone into her pocket. "But I won't be long. And Miguel, if you need anything, just call, okay?"

Miguel smiled back at her. "I will. Now go kick some Cobra Kai butt," he joked, trying to lighten the mood.

With a small chuckle, Hazel headed for the door, feeling grateful for her brother's understanding and Johnny's support as she prepared to face the challenges with the cobras.

-

Hazel, Sam, and a few other Miyagi-Do students entered Golf-n'-Stuff, scanning the area before making their way to Chris. "Where are they?" Sam inquired as Chris approached them. "They snuck into the old laser tag place next door," Chris informed them. "How many?" Hazel asked, her eyes narrowing with determination. "Four of 'em," Chris replied.

Hazel nodded, assessing the situation. "Six of us, I like our odds," she remarked confidently. Demetri, however, voiced his concern. "Are you sure we should be doing this?" he asked apprehensively. Sam glanced at him, her expression resolute. "We're not on school property. This is our chance to fight back," she asserted, leading the group forward with determination.

As they entered the laser tag area, they found Eli and his friends causing mischief. Eli sent a stuffed cat flying with a roundhouse kick, eliciting laughter from his companions. Mitch offered warm beer from his backpack, but Eli scoffed at the idea. Suddenly, the lights dimmed, and the black lights illuminated the area, casting an eerie blue glow.

Hazel and the others emerged through the door, catching Eli's attention. He sneered at them, and Hazel's glare hardened. "Payback," she declared firmly.

The altercation began, with Sam swiftly dispatching one of Eli's friends with a powerful kick to the face. Hazel deftly dodged Eli's swing and countered with a kick to his stomach, sending him staggering backward. Meanwhile, Chris defended himself against Mitch's aggressive shove, retaliating with a swift elbow to the nose.

Sam continued her onslaught, knocking down another opponent before delivering a punishing kick to his ribs. As he lay on the ground, defenseless, she prepared to land the finishing blow.

Suddenly, Tory and two others entered, calling out Sam's name. Sam froze, her expression tense as she braced for confrontation. Tory wasted no time, engaging in a fierce fight with one of Sam's allies, her determination matching Sam's own.

Tory's voice echoed through the arcade, demanding Sam's presence. Sam, trembling with panic, retreated into a corner as Chris was assaulted. "Sam!" Chris's cry was drowned out by the sound of fists meeting flesh. Hazel was seized by two boys while Tory delivered a brutal blow to her face. Blood stained the ground as Hazel spat defiantly, "You bitch!"

Sam watched in horror as Eli and his cohorts mercilessly attacked their friends. Chris and Demetri bore the brunt of their violence, their pleas for mercy falling on deaf ears.
"Eli, what the hell are you doing?" Hazel cried out, attempting to stand, but two boys held her back. "Leave me alone! Eli, stop, please!"

"Do it, finish him," Tory encouraged, her voice joining the chorus of others. Eli glanced down at his old friend, then locked eyes with Hazel, who pleaded with him to stop. "Hawk, finish him!" Tory commanded, and Dimitri's arm was violently snapped forward, eliciting a sharp cry of pain.

Hazel's heart sank as she heard Dimitri's agonized yell. Tears streamed down her face as she felt powerless to intervene. "No!" she sobbed uncontrollably.

Meanwhile, Dimitri lay writhing in pain on the ground, while Eli stood tall, his attention fixed on his injured former friend. "Nice," Tory said with approval, the others echoing her sentiments with cheers of encouragement.

Fueled by rage and desperation, Hazel found her strength and rose to her feet, defying the boys holding her back. "Fuck you! You're a worthless bitch," she spat at Tory, her defiance palpable.

Tory's fury ignited at the insult. "Hold her down!" she commanded, her voice sharp with anger. Despite their efforts, the boys struggled to restrain Hazel, who proved to be too strong for them. "What are you waiting for? Help them!" Tory ordered Mitch, her tone commanding obedience.

Despite her agony, Hazel summoned the last shreds of her defiance, refusing to yield to Tory's intimidation.
"Try me, bitch," she challenged, her voice laced with defiance even as Tory's grip tightened on her arm. Eli, now known as Hawk, stood by, a witness to the chaos he had helped
create.

"Remember when you used to love me," Hazel laughed hysterically. "How strange it is that after all that, we're strangers again. I hate you," Hazel said, glaring at Eli or Hawk, the one who had just broken his best friend's arm and now stood idly by as Tory attempted to break hers.
As Tory twisted Hazel's arm, a sickening crack reverberated through the arcade, signaling the breaking point of their resistance. Although tears welled in her eyes, Hazel remained stoic, her resolve unbroken even as her body screamed in agony.

She didn't scream though. Maybe because she didn't want to give Tory the satisfaction, or perhaps because she was too weak. However, when the boys' grip loosened, her body fell, drained and defeated. She stared ahead, lost in her thoughts.

As Tory and her cronies departed,
Hawk lingered behind, his once-smiling face now etched with guilt and regret.
"This isn't over, Larusso, you too, Diaz," Tory's voice echoed in the distance, a chilling promise of further torment to
come.

Hazel recounted the fight with Cobra Kai to her mom over the phone, her voice trembling with emotion. "Mom, it was awful," she said, tears threatening to spill. "They were relentless, and Eli... he just stood there while they hurt us."

Her mom's voice crackled with concern through the phone. "Oh, sweetheart, are you okay? Where are you? I'm coming to get you."

When they walked outside the hospital after they put chalk on Hazel, she pulled Hazel into a tight embrace, her worry evident in her eyes. "I told you to stop karate for a reason," she scolded gently, but Hazel was too distraught to respond. Finally, she broke down, her tears flowing freely. "They broke my arm, Mom," she sobbed. "And Eli... he just watched. He didn't even try to stop them."

Hazel's mom held her daughter close, her own heart breaking at the sight of Hazel's pain. "Oh, honey, I'm so sorry," she whispered, stroking Hazel's hair soothingly. "We'll get through this together, okay? You're not alone."

Hazel nodded weakly, her tears still flowing. "I just don't understand why they did it," she murmured, her voice choked with emotion. "We were just defending ourselves."

Her mom hugged her tighter, offering what comfort she could. "I know, sweetheart. It's not fair, but we'll make sure they face the consequences for what they've done," she assured her, determination ringing in her voice.

As they drove home, Hazel leaned against her mom, finding solace in her presence despite the pain she felt. And though the road ahead seemed uncertain, she knew she had her mom by her side, ready to support her through whatever challenges lay ahead.