Like A Phoenix ➳ Cobra Kai

Tough As Shit (43)

Kat sat on the park bench, her gaze fixed on the pavement as she pondered the complexities of life. Thoughts swirled in her mind, and she couldn't help but sigh as she closed her eyes, seeking a moment of solace.

Just as she began to drift away into her thoughts, her phone started ringing. She pulled it out and saw that Sam was calling. Kat scoffed and quickly turned the phone to vibrate. She blamed Sam for Miguel's current state, and she had no intention of speaking to her.

As she sat there, lost in her thoughts, she heard someone call her name. She looked up and saw Sam approaching her. The confusion in Sam's blue eyes was evident as she saw Kat on the bench.

Kat pursed her lips and asked, "Are you following me?"

Sam raised her hands in defense. "No, Kat, it's not what it looks like. I know it seems bad because you've been ignoring my calls, and now I randomly show up. But please, just let me explain."

Kat rolled her eyes in annoyance. "Fine, explain. But I doubt it'll make much of a difference."

Sam sighed, her voice strained. "I know things have been weird between us, and I'm sorry for whatever happened or upset you. I really am."

Kat furrowed her eyebrows, her tone sharp. "You should feel guilty. The perfect LaRusso daughter leading on both Robby and Miguel. How could you do that?"

Sam's voice trembled slightly as she responded, "It wasn't intentional, Kat. It just happened. I'm a normal teenage girl with hormones and confusing feelings. I never meant to hurt anyone."

Kat's frustration grew, and she gritted her teeth. "Tory is justified in being upset with you for kissing her boyfriend, Miguel. And you know what? I feel the same way because you kissed Robby, too. I thought we had something special, but that wasn't the case."

Sam's eyes teared up as she tried to explain herself. "Kat, I blame myself more than anyone for what happened. I feel guilty every single day. I never wanted any of this to happen."

Kat let out a bitter laugh. "Well, you should feel guilty. Have you even visited Miguel yet? Have you seen what your actions have done to him?"

Sam's eyes trailed to the ground. "I... I haven't. I've been scared to face him."

Kat looked at Sam with a narrowed gaze. "So, why are you really here? Are you looking for me, or was it all just a happy accident?"

Sam took a deep breath and met Kat's gaze. "I was hoping to find you here, Kat. I know how much you like parks, so I did some googling and found this one nearby."

Kat chuckled, a dry and humorless sound escaping her. "That's fucking stupid. So, are you here to make amends with me because you genuinely want to, or is it just because you can't reconcile with Miguel while he's in a coma and Robby is on the run from the police?"

Sam's shoulders slumped, and she let out a sigh. "It's both, Kat. I feel so guilty, and it's eating me up inside. Besides, I know you were trying to protect me when you got your wrist slashed by Tory."

Kat nodded, her expression softening slightly. "It's not the first time something like that has happened to me, Sam. I have been hit, shot, slashed, stabbed... it won't be the last."

Sam's eyes widened. "What do you mean? Why would anyone want to hurt you like that?"

Kat moved slightly, her eyes fluttering shut. "There's more to my life than you know. All Tory did was add another scar to my collection. It's nothing compared to Miguel being in a coma."

Sam's breath caught in her throat, and she whispered, "I had no idea, Kat. I'm so sorry."

Kat's voice turned dark, laced with bitterness. "Enough about me. Sorry won't bring back Miguel, or acquit Robby of whatever charges he'll face when he's caught. You fucked up, Sam. This all began because you stole someone's man, not once, but twice. And now, Miguel is paying the price."

Sam shook her head, tears welling up in her eyes. "I'm a good person, Kat. You know I am. I didn't mean for any of this to happen. I'm on the good side."

Kat smirked, licking her lips. "There is no good side, Sam. We are all bad people pretending to be good. We're all flawed, and we make choices that hurt others, whether we mean to or not."

Kat rose from the park bench, leaving Sam behind, and made her way to her car. She slid into the driver's seat and started the engine.

Upon arriving at the hospital, Kat made her way towards Miguel's room. As she approached, she noticed Johnny sitting beside the bed, his gaze fixed on Miguel's motionless form.

Unaware of Kat's presence, Johnny spoke softly to Miguel, his voice filled with emotion. "Your mom hasn't wanted me around, and I can't blame her. I really thought I was helping you, kid. You were learning so fast, getting strong. I don't know if you can hear me, but you need to pull through. Keep fighting. Never give up."

Kat sighed and stood outside the room, waiting as Johnny poured out his heart to Miguel, unaware of her presence.

Just then, a passing nurse noticed Kat and Johnny and spoke up. "Only family members are allowed in the room."

Johnny turned his head and saw Kat, realizing her presence. He quickly apologized to the nurse and rose from the chair, joining Kat outside Miguel's room.

Kat offered Johnny a sad smile as they walked away from the room. The weight of the situation hung heavy in the air between them.

Johnny spoke up, his voice heavy with concern. "I've been visiting Miguel for two weeks now. He hasn't moved an inch, hasn't shown any signs of improvement."

Kat frowned, her heart aching for both Miguel and Johnny. "I've been visiting too. Trying not to think about any of it, you know? It's tough."

Johnny nodded, his eyes dull. "Yeah, it's hard to see him like this. But we can't give up on him. We have to believe that he'll pull through."

As they continued walking, Johnny's curiosity got the better of him. "So, how's everything with you and Hawk now? I know you had something with Robby before he ran off from the cops. Have you heard anything from him?"

Kat shrugged her shoulders. "Whatever happened between me and Hawk is in the past now. I don't want to dig up old skeletons. And as for Robby, I haven't heard anything..." Kat lied, her eyes darted away from Johnny.

As they walked, Johnny spoke up. "I get it, Kat. Hawk became a little asshole since joining Cobra Kai. I didn't realize until now how much I've created monsters."

Kat nodded, her gaze focused. "It wasn't karate that corrupted him. It was the power. The sense of control and superiority that came with it."

Johnny's expression turned somber as he spoke up, his voice heavy with worry. "That's what I'm worried about with Robby. I don't want him to end up like me or worse. If he comes back, I'm afraid he'll get caught up in the same cycle."

Kat's eyes widened. "Wait, if Robby returns from his escape from the law, will that save him from jail time?"

Johnny shrugged, uncertainty visible on his face. "There's no guarantee, but Daniel thinks there's a good chance that the prosecutor will strike a deal to reduce his sentence if he's present in court."

Kat let out a heavy sigh. "I know where Robby is," she said quietly.

Just then, the sound of Miguel's hospital monitor beeping rapidly filled the air. A nurse's voice rang out, "Code blue!"

Kat and Johnny turned around and rushed to the room. Other nurses kept them out as they struggled to save Miguel's life.

After what felt like an eternity, the beeping finally slowed down, and Miguel gasped for air for the first time in weeks. Kat let out a sigh of relief, her eyes filling with tears as she looked at Johnny.