𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐄𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐊𝐄𝐒 || miguel diaz

05. high school

It was Bobby's first day back, and while she'd dreaded it, the thought of sticking around with Robby and his lousy friends all day was worse. She hadn't had time to grab more clothes from Johnny's place, so she made do with old jeans and one of her mom's faded, early-2000s shirts. She knew her friends would probably tease her for it, but she didn't have much of a choice.

As Bobby sat on the bus, she replayed her last encounter with Daniel LaRusso. He'd spoken to her a couple of days ago, looking at her like she was some twisted version of her father as if she'd inherited his demons, and it was all somehow her fault. A chill crept up her spine at the thought, but she pushed it away. She'd never fit in any way—too lame for the cool kids, too cool for the lame ones. She was a ghost, wandering through a world that, deep down, she knew would never feel like home.

Here's a more polished, detailed version that adds emotional depth and descriptive flow to Bobby's interactions with Robby and the situation at school:

Bobby drifted through the day with her earbuds in, head down, doing her best to fade into the background. She knew she'd eventually run into Sam, Moon, and Yasmine, but the thought filled her with dread. The memory of Sam witnessing her dad's angry outburst lingered in her mind, making her stomach churn.

And then there was Miguel. She hadn't spoken to him since she ended up at Robby's, and she didn't want to. Her dad's latest obsession with Miguel, the way he seemed to hold him up as some kind of ideal, only deepened her resentment. She didn't need another reminder of where she fell short in her father's eyes.

The cafeteria buzzed with excited chatter as Bobby walked in, scanning the room and quickly spotting Yasmin, Sam, Moon, and a few other girls waving her over. She forced a tight smile and slid into an empty spot without saying a word.

"Liking the outfit," Yasmin began, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "It's giving...homeless bitch," she snickered, eyeing Bobby's outdated jeans and faded shirt. Bobby shot her a glare as Moon slapped Yasmin's arm, but the jab had already landed. She sat quietly as the girls launched into gossip, the occasional eye-roll-worthy comment slipping from Yasmin's lips.

"Oh my God, guys, look at that freak over there," Yasmin sneered, nodding toward a table where Demetri, Eli, and Miguel sat. "He looks like he lost a fight with a lawnmower. And that sweater... hideous." Bobby's gaze reluctantly followed, landing on Miguel, who noticed her almost instantly. She looked away quickly, her face heating up as she tried to ignore the smirk on Yasmin's face.

"That's so wrong," Sam laughed, though her tone didn't match the words. The girls barely noticed Bobby's silence, too engrossed in their mocking commentary.

Bobby's heart sank when she saw Miguel start to make his way over, his steps awkward but determined. She muttered to herself, Shit feeling her face flush. But before he could reach her, Kyler and his jock friends swooped in, blocking his path. She watched, a knot forming in her stomach, as Miguel turned and walked off, shoulders hunched with embarrassment.

When the school day finally ended, Bobby was heading to the bus stop when her phone buzzed. She opened it to see a single text from Robby: Help me. Her heart stopped. She didn't know what kind of trouble he was in, but she wasn't surprised—it wouldn't be the first time. She tried calling him back, but it went straight to voicemail. Panic creeping in, she raced to catch the bus, desperate to get home.

Meanwhile, Robby sat in the principal's office, slouched back with a bored expression as Carla Jenkins, the vice principal, shot him a steely glare. The phone pressed to her ear. She addressed the voice on the other end firmly. "Is this Mr. Lawrence?"

"Yeah, this is Johnny," he muttered, sounding wary.

"I'm calling from North Hills High. You're listed as the emergency contact for Robby Keene," she continued, her voice heavy with disapproval. Robby rolled his eyes, looking anywhere but at her.

"Uh... right. I'm his father," Johnny answered awkwardly. "But you're supposed to call his mom. I don't usually deal with this stuff."

"She didn't pick up," Ms. Jenkins replied sharply.

"Figures," Johnny sighed, clearly exasperated. "All right, what's he done this time?"

She folded her arms, voice taut with frustration. "We found him with Molly."

There was a beat of silence before Johnny replied, confused. "Who...who's Molly? Some girl he's hooking up with?"

"It's a drug, Mr. Lawrence," the vice principal replied, her patience thinning.

"Oh..." The shift in Johnny's tone was immediate, a mix of anger and disappointment filtering through. "Let me talk to him."

Ms. Jenkins handed the phone over, and Robby took it reluctantly, bracing himself. "What do you want?" he said with an edge in his voice.

"What do I want? Robby, are you seriously doing drugs? You want to throw your life away?" Johnny's voice was tense, frustrated.

Robby's eyes narrowed, his words laced with bitterness. "You don't get to play dad now. Not after what you did to me. Or Bobby. You're a pathetic loser."

Johnny's voice dropped, laced with anger. "Leave Bobby out of this."

With a huff, Robby thrust the phone back to the vice principal, who sighed and hung up, muttering to herself, "I'll keep trying, his mother..."

When Bobby got off the bus, she immediately spotted Robby leaning against the side of a nearby building, hands jammed in his pockets and a defiant look on his face. She could tell by his posture that something serious had gone down.

"What happened?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Robby looked down for a moment, kicking a loose piece of gravel. "They called Johnny," he said, anger flashing in his eyes. "They found me with...well, drugs. They dragged me into the principal's office and called him because Mom didn't pick up."

Bobby's stomach twisted, imagining the awkward, heated exchange. "What'd he say?"

Robby let out a short, humourless laugh. "Same thing as always. Told me I was throwing my life away, like he had any right to judge. I told him he's pathetic, and I brought up what he did to you—how he basically ditched us both."

Before she could respond, her phone vibrated. She looked down to see a text from Johnny: What happened with the LaRussos? Why the hell are they coming to my dojo?

Bobby frowned, unsure why he'd be asking now, especially after what had just happened with Robby. But she felt her cheeks flush, remembering how LaRusso had looked at her with despise the other day. But why the hell would he go and talk to Johnny about it?

Robby noticed her expression. "Is that Johnny?" he asked, his tone darkening.

"Yeah," she muttered. "He's asking about the LaRussos...about me. Like he suddenly cares."

Robby clenched his fists. "Forget him, Bobby. He just wants to feel like a dad now that it's convenient for him. Don't let him mess with your head. I learned that the hard way today."

Bobby took a deep breath, feeling torn between frustration and the old desire for her dad's approval. "Maybe you're right. But...part of me still wants to believe he could change, you know?"

Robby shook his head, his voice bitter. "Don't waste your time. He had his chance. We just have to look out for ourselves now."

Bobby hesitated, looking down at the text, torn between ignoring it and the faint hope that maybe, just maybe, things could be different.