𝖫𝗈𝗏౿ᑲ𝗈ოᑲ -𝖤ᥣꪱᜒ 𝖬𝗈ડƙ𝗈⍵ꪱᜒ𝗍ʑ

4.5

Hazel stood with Robby, Kenny, and Tory, discussing their plan for revenge. "We need to get back at them," Hazel insisted, her voice tinged with frustration.

Tory nodded in agreement. "But it has to be when no one's there," she added, glancing around cautiously. "I'm still on probation, remember?"

Robby sighed, nodding his understanding. "She's right. We can't risk getting in trouble again."

Just then, Terry Silver walked in, commanding everyone to fall in line. They obeyed, standing at attention as Silver approached them.

"I know you want to fight," Silver stated, looking at each of them in turn.

Hazel opened her mouth to argue, but Silver held up a hand to stop her. "But we need to channel that energy into something productive," he continued. "We have the tournaments coming up, and that's where we'll show them what we're made of."

Hazel exchanged a glance with the others, realizing that Silver was right. "No more fights," she agreed reluctantly, knowing that their focus needed to be on the upcoming tournaments.

-

Hazel navigates the bustling school hallway, her eyes scanning the crowd for her friends. She feels a tap on her shoulder and turns to see Eli, his expression a mix of concern and urgency.

"Hazel, wait up," Eli says, stepping closer.

Hazel sighs, her irritation evident. "What do you want, Eli?"

"I need to talk to you. You made a mistake going back to Cobra Kai," Eli insists, his voice steady but worried.

Annoyance flickers across Hazel's face. "I don't have time for this right now," she snaps, trying to push past him. Eli grabs her arm, his grip firm but not painful, and pulls her into an empty classroom.

"This is important, Hazel. You need to listen," Eli says, his eyes pleading as he closes the door behind them.

Hazel yanks her arm free, glaring at him. "What the hell, Eli? You can't just drag me around like that!"

"I'm sorry, but you need to understand. Cobra Kai isn't what you think it is. Kreese is dangerous. He'll use you until you're broken," Eli explains, his tone earnest.

Hazel crosses her arms defensively, her demeanor cold. "Oh, like Miyagi-Do is any better? You switched sides when it suited you. How do I know you're not just trying to mess with my head?"

Eli's expression hardens slightly, but he keeps his voice calm. "I switched because I saw what Kreese was turning us into. This isn't about me, Hazel. It's about you. He's going to push you until there's nothing left."

Frustration bubbles up inside Hazel. "I can handle myself. I know what I'm doing."

"You think you do, but you don't see the full picture. Kreese doesn't care about you or anyone else. He just wants soldiers to fight his battles," Eli counters, desperation creeping into his voice.

Hazel's eyes narrow. "I'm staying with Robby no matter what. He cares about me like no one else ever did. So mind your own business, Eli."

Eli's eyes flash with a mix of hurt and determination. "I care because I don't want to see you get hurt. I've seen what Kreese can do to people. Please, Hazel, just think about it."

Hazel's resolve hardens further, her gaze icy. "I don't need you to protect me, Eli. I'm not some helpless kid."

"I'm not saying you are. But Cobra Kai is toxic. You deserve better than that," Eli replies, his voice gentle but firm.

Hazel takes a deep breath, her frustration giving way to a grudging acknowledgment of his concern. "If better is you, then no thanks. I hate you, Eli. I don't want to be on your side."

Eli looks down, clearly gutted by her words. Hazel could see the pain in his eyes, but she didn't care. He had said and done far worse. "Even if it means being on the same side as Kreese? You hate me that much..."

"Even if it means being on the same side as the devil. You're dead to me, Hawk," Hazel says coldly, turning to leave the classroom.

Eli releases her arm, watching her go with a worried expression. Hazel walks down the hall, Eli's words echoing in her mind. How dare he say this to her after everything he did? The nerve of him. She shakes her head, trying to push his concern out of her thoughts as she searches for her new friends.

A really dull dinner unfolded at the Diaz house. Johnny was there too, but Hazel kept mostly to herself, only talking to Yaya. She'd recently had a heated argument with her mom about "bad influences," which left a lingering tension in the air.

After practice, the Cobra Kai students - Kenny, Hazel, Kyler, Robby, and Tory - gathered to talk, expressing their frustration about not being able to fight.

"It sucks that we can't just go after them," Kyler grumbled, kicking at the ground.

Robby's eyes lit up with an idea. "But we can't fight. That doesn't mean we can't get payback," he suggested.

Hazel perked up, intrigued. "Go on," she urged him.

Robby glanced around at his friends. "Hazel, remember the favor you asked Tory?" he asked. She nodded. "Well, my idea could resolve two problems at once."

Hazel's interest was piqued. "Alright, Robby, let's hear it."

-

Eli lay on his stomach, engrossed in his phone as he scrolled through messages, his mind focused on finding Rico. Suddenly, his concentration was shattered as he caught sight of the approaching Cobra Kai students. Panicking, he attempted to slip away, but his escape was cut short as Kyler intercepted him.

"Where do you think you're going, loser?" Kyler sneered, blocking Eli's path.

Eli's heart raced as he realized he was trapped. In a desperate move, he tried to reason with Kyler, but before he could finish his sentence, Kyler stomped on Eli's phone, shattering it to pieces. Eli winced as he watched his phone disintegrate beneath Kyler's foot.

The situation quickly escalated as Kyler and three other Cobra Kai students closed in on Eli, ready to teach him a lesson. They surrounded him, delivering blows from every angle, overwhelming him with their numbers. Despite Eli's attempts to defend himself, he found himself overpowered and outnumbered.

Meanwhile, Robby observed the scene with a grin. He glanced at Hazel, who stood next to Tory, watching with a calm demeanor.

"You assholes you're just ignoring the no-fighting rule," Eli remarked, noting the blatant disregard for the Sensei instructions.

Hazel's lips curled into a mischievous smile as she surveyed the chaotic scene. "We're not here to fight," she replied confidently, her eyes twinkling with mischief.

Robby's approached Eli, shoving them what he got. It was a razor blade.

With Eli restrained by the other Cobra Kai students, Robby took a step forward, offering the thing to Hazel with a gallant gesture. "I give you the honor, milady," he said, his tone playful yet determined.

Hazel accepted the razor blade with a sense of anticipation, her eyes gleaming with excitement. She glanced at Eli, who looked on with a mixture of fear and confusion.