Cold Hearted ⭒ Cobra Kai

2.8.0^

Chapter Twenty-Nine: There Are Worse Things I Could Do

"I'm the one who burned us down, but it's not what I meant. I'm sorry that I hurt you."

~Afterglow by Taylor Swift~

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Revised: July 16, 2022

Warnings: panic attacks, anxiety, depression, abuse, domestic violence, sexual harassment/assault, language, violence, and other mature themes

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Zion's POV

I drive Miguel to Cobra Kai the next day, anxiety running through my body. I don't want to see Hawk. I don't want to go anywhere, but Miguel convinced me to go. And anyway, it would look weak for me to not go. It would give Hawk the satisfaction of knowing he broke my heart; I don't want to play the victim.

I've worked so hard to not be that weak girl that I have to go in there and act like everything is okay. I've earned respect at the dojo and I've gotten close to crying there before, so I have to be really careful to not slip up today. The boys seem to finally have a good amount of respect for me and I will not let that go away.

I'll just push my feelings aside; that's probably the best option anyway, due to how embarrassing it was last night. Carmen was sweet, but I am really glad I decided to work through it on my own. I don't even know if I wanted to talk about it because if I ever think about the breakup, I feel like I might collapse and I can't let that happen. Maybe things won't be so bad today if I completely ignore him.

"Okay, what about Friday?" Miguel asks Tory, trying to schedule their date night. I only pay a little bit of attention to the conversation so I can distance myself from Hawk when he makes it here.

He isn't here yet, but I highly doubt he will miss training. It means as much to him as it does to me. I'm sure he'll be here, despite our awful breakup. I'm sure he doesn't want to see me and I don't want to see him. It still aggravates me that he didn't listen when I told him I didn't cheat on him.

"I can't. I'm working at the roller rink," Tory tells Miguel. I start working on my stretches, trying to get my body warm and focus on karate rather than boy troubles.

"Let's turn it into a date night then," Miguel suggests. I hate that I'm here, listening to them talk about romantic stuff, but I'm not close with anybody else besides Aisha and she isn't here yet. So, I'm stuck listening to these lovebirds.

"A candle light dinner at the snack bar on my break?" Tory asks with a laugh.

"There's nothing more romantic than free hot dogs and chicken nugs," Miguel says.

Don't get me wrong, I really love them together as a couple and I'm happy for Tory and Miguel, but this lovey-dovey talk is making me want to push my head through a wall.

"Free? Not for you. You got to pay up," Tory says.

Miguel frowns, "I'll splurge."

"All right, but you got to wear a costume. It's '80s night," she informs him.

"Are you kidding? I love the '80s. Dibs on Anthony Michael Hall in Weird Science," Miguel says. I look at him in question.

"I don't think you have to call dibs on that," Tory says and I let out a small laugh. My best friend is a dork, but I love him.

Suddenly, I hear the door open and I glance toward it, looking a little bit over my shoulder but not enough so anybody notices. I pray that it's Aisha, but of course it isn't.