𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐋𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐧 ~ T. Nichols

The Good, The Bad, and The Badass

Theo was out for a jog around the park, blasting 'Eye of the Tiger' by Survivor in his AirPods as his feet hit the gravel. As he rounded a corner, he noticed a something up ahead—three older boys surrounding a younger boy, who looked to be around thirteen.

Theo's instincts kicked in as he slowed down. The older boys were taunting the younger one, laughing cruelly as they made hurtful comments.

"Hey! What's going on here?" Theo called out, his voice firm as he approached.

The older boys turned to face him, their smirks faltering slightly. "Oh, look, it's King Cobra," one of them sneered, trying to regain their bravado. "What's up, man? Can we get an autograph?"

Theo didn't miss a beat. He stepped closer, his expression serious. "You want to know what's up? Bullying a kid doesn't make you tough. It makes you pathetic." His tone was steady.

The older boys exchanged uncertain glances. "Whatever, man," another one muttered, clearly intimidated. "Let's bounce."

With that, they backed off, their laughter fading as they retreated. Theo turned his attention to the boy, who was visibly shaken but trying to look tough.

"Hey, you okay?" Theo asked, offering a hand to help him up.

The boy looked up, surprise flickering in his eyes. "Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks," he replied, brushing off his clothes.

"I'm Theo," he introduced himself with a reassuring smile. "What's your name?"

"Lorenzo Carter," the boy said, a hint of pride breaking through his nervousness. "People call me Enzo."

"Nice to meet you," Theo grinned. "Look, they're not worth your time. I was bullied growing up too, but if you want to learn to defend yourself, stop by Cobra Kai later."

"I'll be there," Enzo grinned, clapping hands with Theo before they went in different directions.

—————

Tory stepped out of the Probation Officer's office, sighing tiredly, the weight heavy on her shoulders. She spotted Robby sat nearby, his posture tense as he squared up to her, fists clenched at his sides.

"Yeah, go ahead. They'll send you straight back to juvie," she taunted, crossing her arms defiantly.

Robby slowly unclenched his fists, the fire in his eyes dimming slightly. "We're in the same boat."

"Thanks to you starting the fight," he shot back, frustration evident in his voice.

"And you finishing it," Tory countered, her tone sharp.

There was a brief pause. Tory's expression softened slightly as she continued, "It's not fair, you know. Everyone else got to go back to normal, but Theo's still getting pains and we're eating shit while your girlfri—"

"Don't talk about Dakota," Robby interrupted, his voice low and defensive.

"Why not? She cheated on you. If it wasn't for Theo actually being a decent human being, then who knows how far it would've gone," Tory pressed, her frustration boiling over.

"She made a mistake. Dakota's a good person," Robby insisted.

"Yeah, she sure acts like it," Tory said bitterly. "Just wait; she'll turn on you, just like she did to Theo."

"You don't know that," Robby shot back, his tone rising with anger.

Tory took a step closer, her eyes locked onto his. "Theo had a panic attack when he saw her at the party. Wanna know why?"