Chapter Three
What If All I Need Is You?

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The promise ring Miguel had given her that night at Cobra Kai is fitted to her finger, the red jewel in the middle staring back Izzy. She keeps it on every chance she can, sometimes even wearing it to bed to try and ward off the nightmares. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

Right now, though, it was helping her. She ran her fingers across it, fidgeting with it as she hovered over Miguel's shoulder in his family's apartment. He sat at a table with Robby and Johnny on either side of him while Izzy, his mother, and his abuela stood behind him.

He had finished his essay for Stanford, which reminded Izzy she needed to work on hers for UCLA and the other schools she impulsively added to her application list the other night just in case by some cruel fate, UCLA didn't work out.

"Not all of us have to learn how to walk twice in one lifetime. But we do all have to learn how to pick ourselves back up when we're down and stand firmly on our own two feet. In the end, I learned that first steps harder the second time around. I hope my next step brings me to Stanford University." Miguel read aloud, leaning back in his chair.

His mom let out a gasp. "I'm so proud. I'm gonna cry!"

"Es brillante," his abuela awed. "Es el mejor cuento desde Don Juan De Marco. Ay, yo ahora early llorando también!"

Miguel glanced back his mom and abuela, laughing at their reactions before he caught Izzy's eye. She placed her hand on Miguel's shoulder, feeling him reach up to place his own hand on top of her. His eyes were soft as he stared up at her and Izzy wanted him to always look at her like this.

"It's really good." Izzy reassured him.

"You think so?" Miguel furrowed his eyebrows.

She nodded, moving her hand to connect with his and give it a light squeeze. "I'm serious. It's amazing."

"Just go more for the jugular at the end. They'll be begging you to go there." Johnny chimed in.

Miguel laughed hesitantly, quietly muttering "okay" then turned to Robby. "What about you? What do you think?"

Robby let out a quiet sigh, but a smile visible on his face. "It's great. Even though I'm kind of the bad guy in it."

"Yeah, you're lucky I didn't know you guys back then." Izzy glared at Robby, she remembered hearing all about Miguel's accident and how Robby was the one who pushed him. Back then, she didn't think Miguel would be the love of her life and Robby would be like a brother to her.

"I-I'll change your name––"

"No, dude. I'm... I'm kidding." Robby cut Miguel off, grinning to show he wasn't as upset as he sounded. "It's not like I'm applying to Stanford. Or anywhere, really."

"Come on, Robby. You have great futures ahead of you, both of you. All three of you." Johnny said, eyeing Miguel and Robby then looked at Izzy too, including her. Izzy smiled as a thanks. "When we win the Sekai Taikai, doors will be flying open for all of us."

Miguel's abuela suddenly threw her arms around the other side of Miguel and Izzy took a step back to let them have their moment, his abuela sobbing at how proud she was of him.

Water dropping down onto the keyboard made Johnny lean forward, "Hey, hey, easy with the waterworks."

But when Miguel's abuela stepped back, the water kept trickling down and all of their eyes went up just to see a part of the ceiling come crashing down and dumped water all of the wooden table. They all jumped back from the table, avoiding the splash zone, and Miguel rushed Robby to get bowls to stop the water.

"It's a sewage pipe," Johnny observed. "Oh, it smells like shit."

The bowls didn't do much, though, and surely enough they had to leave the apartment while Johnny tried to get ahold of anyone who could help. In the meantime, Miguel and his family had to move their stuff to Johnny's two bedroom apartment. And despite Miguel's suggestion that Izzy just go home, she still stayed to help bring his stuff to Johnny's place, and to just be with her boyfriend.

She just didn't want to go home and be alone. She knew Kayla was out with her coworkers so it'd just be Izzy alone in that apartment. Izzy didn't know where Robby, or Miguel's abuela, ran off to, but she knew Johnny and his mom were back at Johnny's apartment.

They brought out two boxes and Izzy followed him across the apartment complex, into Johnny's barely furnished place. Closing the door behind her, Izzy took quiet steps after Miguel, but he stopped when the voices of his mom and Johnny came from a room, oblivious to the fact that someone had just entered the apartment.

"We have to look at the big picture. We're a family of five, almost six, and now we're down to two bedrooms. And Miguel wants to go to a college we don't have the money for. How are we going to make this work?" His mother spoke, questioning Johnny.

Johnny's voice replied, "It's like I've been saying, the tournament will fix this. All right? It's gonna bring in students and sponsorships."

"The tournament is still months away. What do we do in the meantime?" Carmen asked.

Izzy stared at the back of Miguel's head, a frown pulling her lips downward as he took slow steps to the opposite room. It was hard to not listen.

"I hear you. I'm gonna take care of it." Johnny reassured Carmen.

They managed to sneak past the room quietly, not catching the attention of the two adults. Neither of them said a word as Miguel set his box down and Izzy put down the one she was holding. She looked over at him, but he kept his head low. Izzy walked over to him, placing her hand on his arm.

"Let's go outside." She said as quietly as she could.

He nodded and he followed her this time, succeeding at sneaking by the room once again without letting their presence be known. Izzy opened the door quietly and Miguel shut it just as quiet, sitting down next to Izzy on the warm concrete hidden by a patch of shade just below the living room window. The only noise for a moment was the passing traffic on the street outside.

Izzy stole a glance at Miguel to see him staring down at the ground. He was so quiet and she knew this was weighing down on him. She thought for a moment, fighting a smile as she reached into the pocket of her cargo pants to find the small coin she knew she had in one of the pockets. Pulling out the penny, she gestured it to Miguel.

He looked at the penny, then at Izzy and the grin on her lips, and he laughed. Taking the penny, he said, "You're cute."

Her grin expanding, Izzy rolled her eyes playfully at the compliment. "What's on your mind?" She then asked genuinely.

Miguel shrugged. "What if it doesn't work out?"

She felt her heart drop to her stomach and her smile falter. Was he talking about Stanford or their relationship? "What do you mean?" Izzy asked for clarification.

"Stanford," Miguel answered, "I really want that early decision but..." He trailed off, unsure of how to put his thoughts into words. "It is expensive. And-and what if things go south at Sekai Taikai?" Usually, he wouldn't have this mindset, but it was still nagging at him.

"Hey," Izzy adjusted herself to face Miguel, "Miyagi-Do is going to win." But what if they don't? Miyagi-Do is good, but from what Izzy has heard and seen from past Sekai Taikai's... Izzy just can't be too sure.

Miguel nodded. "Yeah. Yeah, you're right."

Izzy inhaled through her nose, dipping her head a little bit to see his face since he kept his gaze low. "The college fair is tomorrow. You can look around at other schools."

"Yeah, I will." Miguel nodded once more, then leaned his back against the wall behind them. "I miss when all I had to worry about was fake dating you."

He glanced at Izzy with a smile on his face and she let out a laugh, nudging her leg with his. "Shut up."

✹

Izzy had stood at the UCLA table longer than she intended. She had so many questions and it wasn't until a group of other students approached the set-up that Izzy forced herself to walk away. Her and Miguel had split up at some point, their other friends were around here somewhere—Hawk, Demetri, Sam, Evan, Nina. She knew Tory wasn't going to come, and she highly doubts Robby would stop by as well.

She grabbed brochures to other schools, not bothering to stick around and chat with the people running the table. Aimlessly walking around, Izzy looked for any familiar face she could find.

"Izzy!" Before she could turn and see who shouted her name, an arm was thrown around her shoulder and she could see the colored mohawk in her peripheral vision. "Still set on UCLA, huh?" Hawk asked, pointing the brochure on top of the many others.

"Yeah." Izzy sighed, her eyes darting around the large room. "Have you seen Miguel?"

"He's around here somewhere." Hawk looked around as well and raised his hand to point at someone approaching them, but it was just Demetri and Nina.

"Hey!" Nina smiled, holding up her Yale brochure in front of Izzy's face. "I totally charmed the ancient dude at the Yale table."

Izzy laughed at her friend, feeling Hawk's arm fall away from her. That was when she glanced down to see Demetri and Nina holding hands. Well, that's new, but Izzy approved of it. She had been so sucked into her own mind and battling her past with Cobra Kai she didn't even realize two of her friends got together.

Her eyes lifted and looked past Nina to see Miguel walking away from the Stanford table on the other end of the hall.

"I'll be right back." She told the three before straying away and walking toward Miguel who didn't see Izzy coming because his head was dipped, staring at the brochure in his hands.

"Stanford is going to be so lucky to have you."

Miguel's head lifted and his eyes lit up at the sight of Izzy, a smile soon following, shrugging the compliment off. "If I get in and my mom can afford it." He caught up to Izzy who stood to wait for him, then walked by his side back to their friends.

Izzy frowned, her hand reaching for Miguel's and he was quick to lace his fingers with hers. "You didn't look anywhere else?"

He shook his head and sadness washed over his face, glancing down to try and hide it. "Everywhere else is just as expensive."

"We'll figure it out." Izzy bumped her shoulder gently with his and smiled when he looked over at her. He had taken a quick glance at her lips, opening his mouth to say something but was interrupted by Demetri's voice.

"All of our trials and tribulations of nerdom have finally come to this." He said to Miguel as they walked up to him, Hawk, and Nina, "We're the belles of the ball."

Izzy's eyebrows knitted together as Miguel asked, "Is that what we are?"

"Oh, yes, my friend. They are fumbling around our dresses trying to cop a feel of our tantalizing brains." Demetri's eyes flickered between both Miguel and Izzy.

Izzy cringed the same way Miguel did while Nina just let out a happy sigh. "Doesn't he have a way with words?" She awed.

Demetri grinned at Nina who leaned against the boy, then his attention went back to Miguel and Hawk. "These vultures are wasting their time, though. Eli and I have had our sights set on MIT for years."

Hawk nodded to his best friend's words, then noticed the Stanford brochure in Miguel's hands. "Are you applying early decision at Stanford?"

"Yeah, definitely. But I should look into some safety schools too. Stanford's pretty expensive." Miguel opened the brochure to the inside, holding it up to show the tuition to his two friends.

"Damn, dude." Nina whispered at the amount on the brochure. "You should see Yale's–"

"Hey, fam," A voice spoke from their right and they looked over to see the table they were lingering in front of her. College of the Valley. "You kids looking to post up at a college a little closer to home, or what's the word?"

Demetri eyed the sticker name tag on the guy's sweatshirt. "Well, Gary, the word is we'll be taking our brodeo on the roadeo. Along with my girlfriend and his," he gestured his head to Miguel and Izzy, "But, um, thank you for all of your bro-vertures."

Miguel looked at the man apologetically while Hawk laughed. Gary tilted his head at the group. "All right, bet. But safety schools get a bad rap. They keep you closer to home, set you up for a big school later, and they take that weight off Mom and Pop's wallets." He had a way of words as well, because it caused Miguel to reach hesitantly for one of the College of the Valley brochures.

Smiling at Gary, Miguel thanked him and turned away from the table, and the others followed his movements. Izzy looked over his shoulder at the brochure. "It seems promising."

"We'd both be here." Miguel glanced at Izzy, UCLA only being twenty minutes outside of the Valley.

Izzy's lips twitched into a smile when their eyes met, and then she looked down at the brochure, pointing out something on the back. "They offer walk-in tours. We should go."

"Don't you have that job interview soon?" Miguel asked.

"Oh shit." Izzy forgot all about that. Kayla had been nagging her the past few days about finding a job to get her out of the house, and her head, since Izzy refused therapy, and Izzy applied to every job she could find just to please her sister and managed to score an interview at some fancy private restaurant in the heart of LA as a waitress. It paid more than Kayla's bartending job and it was something Izzy needed. "I totally forgot about that."

She quickly pulled out her phone, checking the time and realizing she had exactly an hour to get home and change and make it to the interview time. "I have to go now. I'm sorry–"

"Hey. Hey, it's okay," Miguel shook his head, neither of them realizing they had stopped walking to face each other while the others kept going, "Don't apologize, Iz. You go to the interview and I'll go to this tour with Demetri and Hawk, okay?"

Izzy nodded, forcing a smile to her lips. "Okay."

He leaned down to press his lips against hers and Izzy's hand reached up to hold the side of Miguel's face as they kissed. Izzy pulled away first and her eyes met with his, "Don't fall in love with any college girls while you're there." She joked, but her tone still came out a little threatening.

Miguel couldn't help but smile. "Why would I when I'm already in love with you?"

Her cheeks grew pink immediately and flashed a bright smile, playfully pushing Miguel away from her but he only laughed and took her hand into his own. "You're such a cliché."

"Yeah, yeah, you like it." Miguel said through his smile. "Hey, good luck, okay?" He said once Izzy looked up at him.

Her smile lingered, losing herself in Miguel's eyes, everything seeming to disappear around them. She cherished moments like this, when it's just her and Miguel and nothing else. No college, no Seikai Taikai, no Cobra Kai ghosts. It made her realize how far they have come in just the span of almost nine months. From Izzy showing up to Miyagi-Do and pulling Miguel into a fake dating scheme, to breaking up with him because she was foolish enough to let her Cobra Kai fear overpower her love for him, to right here, right now.

"You too." She pushed up on her toes to give him one more kiss, yearning for more as soon as she pulled away. Izzy let go of his hand and smiled at him, a way to let him know she'll call him later.

And he smiled back, telling her he'll answer.

✹

Izzy was running late.

As soon as she stepped foot into her apartment, everything came crashing down. The gates to the chaos of her mind had broke and flooded the apartment, leaving Izzy a disorientated mess as she tore her closet apart for an outfit that told people she had her life together and she wasn't a seventeen-year-old with trauma no teenage girl should carry.

Everything she pulled out had a memory sewn into it, even the good memories reminded her of the bad. The shirt she had worn when she first went to meet Miguel at Miyagi-Do was the same shirt she wore the night Riley broke in her apartment. She threw it over her shoulder and dropped to her knees, rummaging through the piles of clothes on her closet floor. She really needed to clean.

Tearing through the clothes, Izzy felt her heart drop at the sight of something tucked away in the corner. Her throat swelled and she reached deep into her closet to pull out the Cobra Kai gi she could've sworn she got rid of. But when she looked back at the night of the All Valley, rushing home after winning to change and pack a bag as fast as she could to make it to Miguel's bus to Mexico, she didn't throw the gi into the trash like she remembered. She stuffed it away in her closet and threw clothes on top of it to drown it out.

Izzy stared down at the gi, running her hand across the black fabric with gold stitching. She wasn't going to let it get to her, not when she needed to leave right now to make it to her interview in time. So, Izzy pushed herself to stand up, but threw the gi on her bed.

She ripped a simple red dress off of its hanger and changed into it, hoping it looked like it was in perfect condition. She grabbed her cleanest pair of white shoes she could find, then opened her bag and stuffed the Cobra Kai gi inside.

On her way out, she stopped in the kitchen to grab a lighter and looked for some sort of chemical that could help burn the fabric of the gi. In the cabinet underneath the sink, she found a small can of gasoline hidden far in the back and Izzy grabbed it.

After she nails this interview, Izzy is going to burn the hell out of that Cobra Kai gi. Grabbing her phone and car keys, Izzy practically ran out to her car when a glance at the microwave showed her the time and how close she was cutting it. She'll be a few minutes late, but maybe they won't care.

Leaving her apartment complex to parking at the restaurant was a blur. Izzy didn't remember how she got here. The turns she took or the lights she stopped at, and she let out breathe she didn't know she was holding. She looked at herself in the mirror once before hurrying inside, her phone glued to her hand.

The inside of the restaurant was quiet yet so loud from the vaulted ceilings with dangling chandeliers. Everyone was dressed in elegant white or black suits and dresses. Her red dress definitely made her stick out. The echoing laughter sounded rich, like these were old money golf dad's that had too much money in their wallets. Izzy had never even heard of this place until she looked it up before applying. One check here would probably cost half of what her tuition would be for UCLA.

"Just one?" A polite voice asked and Izzy stopped her gawking to look at the red-haired hostess, she looked the same age as Izzy.

"Um, no. I'm here for an interview." Izzy looked down at the girls name tag. Layla.

"Oh. What's your name?" Layla asked.

"Isobel Vera."

Layla smiled and turned on her heels, but then she turned right back around with her mouth agape. "Wait, you're Isobel? Holy shit—sorry for my language—I went to the All Valley to watch you. My brother and I went actually. Carson? He told me he has a class with you."

Izzy raised her eyebrows and her mouth opened, but she had no idea what to say. But then she remembered the Cobra Kai patch on Carson's backpack, the one that was his dad's. "Yeah. Yeah, we have first period together." Izzy's eyebrows dipped, "You went to the All Valley?"

"Just us two. Our dad was in Cobra Kai when he was our age but it ruined his life and now he's some peace-loving hippie who wears flip flops and tunics." Layla laughed, seeming to forget that Izzy was here for an interview and not to chat. "We went to watch you fight Miguel. And you kicked his ass, it was amazing."

"Thanks, I guess." Izzy let out a breathless laugh, tucking a few pieces of hair behind her ear. "Uh, the interview?"

"Right. Sorry, I have a bad habit of talking too much." She laughed it off and went to disappear behind a black wall with a waterfall running down it into a shallow pond, but then Layla turned back around again. "You know, it's a shame Cobra Kai isn't a thing anymore. You were such a badass there." And then she disappeared.

It felt weird, to be perceived like that when Layla had no idea what Izzy actually went through. It just opened the gates in her mind once again and all she could think about was Cobra Kai. She felt her throat grow tight as she looked back at the door, imagining Kreese or even Silver to waltz in.

No, they wouldn't, because Kreese was dead and Silver was locked up.

But it still made Izzy's stomach churn and her hands shake. It wasn't until her vision grew blurry and the conversations behind the waterfall wall were booming in her ears that she knew what was happening. The panic won and the room was closing in on her and if she didn't get out now, the building was going to collapse.

Izzy hurried out of the restaurant and back to her car where, for the first time in a while, she found safety and comfort by herself. She unlocked her phone and called Miguel, desperate to let him know what happened and that she was going to go to the college. She needed to be with someone. Him.

It rang, and rang, and rang, and it went to voicemail. She called again and it did the same thing again. An annoyed huff left her mouth and she tried calling Hawk and he didn't answer either. What could they possibly be doing? If they had to turn their phones on do not disturb for whatever reason, Izzy knew Hawk would be the one to not do it.

Izzy inhaled then exhaled, then muttered out a curse word as she stuck her key into the ignition.

She'll just find them when she gets there.

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Authors note.
I lowkey got carried away at the end 🫣 I hope you guys are liking it though. Writing Izzy's ptsd and anxiety because of Cobra Kai phewwww.. I have smth crazy planned for the later half of part one too 🤞

Izzy and Miguel being so Troy and Gabriella HSM3 coded in this season 🙂‍↕️