Heartstrings | Johnny Lawrence x (y/n) | 1984 |

| 15 | Lunch

As the Eagles strutted confidently toward you across the crowded lunch courtyard, the air around you turned tense. They moved as a tight-knit group, their arrogance evident in every step. Stephanie led the charge, her smirk full of confidence , while Ali lingered nearby, watching with a spark of anticipation in her eyes. It was clear she had no direct part in the Eagles, but her amused look and occasional muttered insults as she glanced at you only fueled the fire.

The Cobras, sensing trouble, shifted protectively around you, but you stepped forward, meeting Stephanie's glare with your own.

Shes well known for bossing around her little group.

"Still running with the Cobras, huh?" Stephanie sneered, her gaze flicking up and down in disgust. "You think you're tough just because you hang out with a bunch of guys who pretend to be badasses?"

"Better than hanging out with people who are only good for cheap shots and bad hair," you shot back, your tone icy.

Ali snickered from the sidelines, rolling her eyes. "Yeah, Stephanie's got a point. Maybe if you stopped hiding behind the Cobras, you'd have some real friends."

Stephanie held up her hand, cutting Ali off as she stepped even closer, her lips curling into a smirk. "Ryan warned me about you, you know," she said, her voice low and patronizing. "He says you're just wasting everyone's time and getting in his way."

A surge of anger burned through you. "Ryan? That spineless jerk couldn't face me himself, so he sends you instead? Sounds about right."

Stephanie's smirk faltered, but she quickly composed herself, glancing back at her friends. "Oops," she said, feigning innocence as she tilted her drink. Icy liquid spilled down the front of your shirt, instantly soaking you. Gasps filled the courtyard, and Stephanie stood back, laughing with a self-satisfied grin as the cold seeped through your clothes.

The cold shock of the drink only fueled the fire in your chest, and you could feel the eyes of the whole courtyard on you. A mocking laugh escaped Stephanie, her smug face daring you to react.
"Guess you're all wet now," she sneered, the rest of her friends chuckling with her.
Taking a step back, you shook off some of the liquid, your glare hardening. "Last chance, Stephanie. Walk away."

Stephanie only rolled her eyes. "Oh, please. What are you going to do about it?"

With that, you decided words were pointless. You lunged forward, throwing a punch that connected squarely with her jaw, snapping her head back and cutting off her laughter. She stumbled, shock flashing in her eyes as she realized you were serious. But Stephanie wasn't about to go down easily. She snarled and swung back, her nails scratching against your arm, but you dodged her punch and retaliated with a sharp knee to her side.

The courtyard erupted with gasps, and people quickly backed up to give you space, while the Cobras watched with smirks and crossed arms, clearly entertained. "Get her, (Y/N)!" Bobby cheered, fists pumped as if he were in the ring himself.

Stephanie regained her footing, wiping a trickle of blood from her split lip, her eyes blazing with fury. She charged at you, catching you off guard and shoving you hard enough that you nearly lost your balance. But you recovered, blocking her next move and landing a swift kick to her leg, causing her to buckle slightly. She tried to grab you, but you twisted out of her grip and delivered a brutal punch to her shoulder, making her cry out in pain.

"You think Ryan cares about you?"
Stephanie taunted breathlessly, her voice edged with spite as she swayed. "He's just using you like everyone else."

Her words only fueled your anger. "That's rich, coming from someone he's using to do his dirty work."

Stephanie let out a growl of frustration and lunged at you again. This time, you sidestepped and grabbed her arm, twisting it enough to keep her restrained but not enough to cause serious harm. She struggled, and you felt her nails digging into your hand, but you held firm, not backing down.
"You've got a big mouth, Stephanie," you hissed, "but you can't back it up."

With one last shove, you sent her stumbling back, and she nearly fell, barely managing to catch herself. She looked around, clearly embarrassed, but too proud to back down. Her friends watched, a mix of fear and anger in their eyes, but they didn't dare step in. Stephanie glared at you, but this time, it was clear her bravado had faded.

"Need help, Stephanie?" Tommy called out mockingly, his arms crossed as he leaned against a table, smirking. "Doesn't look like you're handling things too well."

Stephanie shot him a glare but said nothing, clutching her shoulder with a wince. Ali, who had been snickering and egging her on moments before, now looked slightly unsettled, her smugness replaced with discomfort.

Johnny stepped forward, his gaze flicking between you and Stephanie, a proud grin spreading across his face. "Unless you're ready for round two, l'd suggest you and your little squad crawl back to wherever you came from."

Stephanie's pride was clearly hurt, but the pain she was in was enough to convince her. With one last withering glare, she muttered something under her breath and gestured for her friends to follow. They moved to help her, but she pushed them away, storming off with as much dignity as she could muster, her friends trailing behind.

Ali lingered for a moment with Daniel by her side, her expression uncertain as she glanced between Johnny, you, and the rest of the Cobras. "Good luck holding onto her, Johnny," she sneered. "She won't stick around for long."
Johnny just laughed, unbothered. "Better than sticking around with people who don't know loyalty if it slapped them in the face

With a scoff, Ali turned on her heel and followed the others. The courtyard was quiet, people watching in awe, and you could feel the adrenaline still buzzing in your veins. The Cobras crowded around you, clapping you on the shoulder and cheering.
"Nice job, (YIN)," Bobby said with a grin.
"Didn't think she'd go down so easily."

Tommy chuckled. "Taught her a lesson she won't forget."

Johnny came up beside you, looking at you with a mix of pride and admiration. "You didn't let her walk all over you. That's what I like to see." He gave you a nod, a slight grin tugging at the corner of his mouth.

You managed a smile, the adrenaline starting to ebb as the crowd slowly dispersed. It was satisfying, knowing you'd finally put Stephanie in her place, and as you looked at the Cobras, you knew you had a group who'd always have your back.

"As the last of the crowd thinned out, Johnny approached you, his smirk softening as he took in the soda-soaked mess of your shirt. Without a word, he shrugged off his Cobra Kai sweatshirt and handed it to you, his eyes gentle with a hint of mischief.

"Here," he said, holding it out. "Can't have you walking around like that, or people might think you actually care what the Eagles think."

You hesitated for a moment, feeling a small smile tugging at your lips. The sweatshirt was warm and oversized, the smell of him lingering in the fabric. Pulling it on, you felt a strange sense of comfort and relief after all the tension of the fight. The Cobras gave a few approving nods, and Johnny's grin widened as he looked you over.

"Looks better on you anyway," he teased, a glint in his eye. "Might as well keep it."

The rest of lunch was surprisingly calm, the Cobras chatting and laughing around you, and for once, it felt like the drama had settled. Even the usual chatter in the courtyard felt quieter, people still buzzing over the scene but keeping their distance. Johnny leaned back against the bench beside you, still keeping an eye out, protective but relaxed.

You glanced over at him. "Think that's the last we'll see of them?"

Johnny's smile faded slightly, a knowing look in his eyes. "Doubt it. People like Stephanie and Ryan don't just walk away." He shrugged, his expression hardening for a moment before softening again as he looked back at you. "But we'll deal with it if they try anything."

You nodded, feeling a warmth that wasn't just from his sweatshirt. No matter what happened next, you knew the Cobras had your back—and Johnny would make sure of it.