It had been three days since Scarlett joined Cobra Kai, and those few days had been the best of her life. The warmth and acceptance she received from the other students had been unexpected but deeply appreciated. It felt like she had found a place where she truly belonged, a family that saw her for who she was and valued her strength and determination.
As Scarlett entered the Cobra Kai dojo, the first thing she noticed was Tory. Her hair was tied up in a ponytail, and her white gi clung to her body as she repeatedly struck the punching dummy in front of her. Tory's punches were aggressive like she had been bottling a pent-up rage for the past few days. Each hit landed with a force that echoed through the dojo.
Scarlett paused, watching her friend for a moment. She could see the frustration and anger in Tory's movements, the way her fists clenched and her muscles tensed with each blow. Scarlett knew Tory well enough to recognize when something was bothering her, but she also knew better than to interrupt her during a training session.
"Tory," Scarlett called softly as the dojo began to fill with other students. Tory paused, her chest heaving as she turned to face Scarlett, wiping sweat from her brow.
"Hey, Lottie. What's up?" Tory's voice was steady, but her eyes betrayed a flicker of something deeper— something she clearly wasn't ready to share.
"You okay?" Scarlett asked, concern evident in her tone.
Tory's forced smile didn't reach her eyes. "Yeah, I'm fine."
Scarlett could tell Tory was lying, but she chose not to press further. Instead, she moved closer and stood by her side, observing her friend's fierce training. The dojo was alive with energy as students paired up for drills and sparring, but the intensity of Tory's focus drew Scarlett's attention back.
Kyler stood in the middle of the mat, his stance casual as he addressed a group of students gathered around. "Yo, I'm telling you, man, when I get to ASU, honeys be lining up for this snack, know what I mean?"
A few of the students chuckled, nodding in agreement. Scarlett, stretching nearby, raised an eyebrow at Kyler's bold statement. She could see the mix of confidence and bravado in his posture, the kind of self-assurance that was common in Cobra Kai but often bordered on arrogance.
