chapter seven, can you see right through me?

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          The following morning at school, Izzy was walking through the halls with Nina, listening to her complain about the horrible movie she watched last night when she got home. Izzy had learned from Tory what happened last night at the baseball field and as much as Izzy wanted to be mad about what happened, a part of Izzy felt relieved. They did what Izzy wishes she could do.

Although Izzy was trying to focus on Nina's voice, another loud voice approaching them caught Izzy's attention. "Hey," Izzy looked over to see Hawk and Demetri walking up to the two girls. "Your Sensei's came by last night." Hawk told Izzy.

     Her eyebrows furrowed as she looked up at the boy. "What are you talking about?" She asked him.

     "They came into Miyagi-Do and they managed to piss off Sensei LaRusso." Hawk explained as the four turned a corner.

     Izzy just let out a sigh. "Really? What did they say?"

     "No clue. I don't know who seemed scarier. The one with the ponytail or the one that made my nose bleed." Demetri said it like the latter choice was obvious, but Hawk just scoffed at his words.

Nina turned to face Izzy for a moment, "I'm gonna head to the library. I'll catch you later." She told the girl, acknowledging and saying goodbye to the other two boys and walked off.

Izzy watched her walk off with the urge to go after her, because she didn't want to be left alone with Hawk and Demetri. They seemed to be going in the same direction Izzy was meant to be going as well, but Izzy catching eyes with a familiar face caused her to stop walking.

Miguel stood by his locker with Sam and Izzy had to act like the sight didn't bother her. When Miguel's eyes met with Izzy's who was walking with his friends, he quickly forgot about whatever he was talking about with Sam and headed over to the girl.

"Hey," Miguel smiled at the girl as he stood in front of her, but then the situation at hand came back to his mind and a sigh left his lips. His eyes shifted to Hawk and Demetri that stood next to Izzy.

"You guys won't believe this. Sensei got drunk and went on a Twitter rant." Miguel explained, pulling out his phone and handing it to Demetri.

Izzy glanced over at the phone, Hawk moving to see the phone in Demetri's hand. "I believe everything except for the part where he knows how to tweet." Demetri spoke as the three all looked at the phone.

The Vera girl genuinely laughed at Demetri's words, Miguel's friends didn't seem all that bad, or at least they aren't what Kreese seemed to be feeding her.

"Looks like he and Sensei LaRusso are gonna have a rematch." Miguel told them.

Izzy's eyes read the tweets as another laugh left her lips, taking the phone from Demetri to school through the rest of the few tweets Johnny had. "Wow, he seems pretty driven to have this fight." Izzy stated.

Hawk smiled, "So they're really gonna fight?"

Sam spoke while glaring at Izzy, the LaRusso girl annoyed by her presence. "Apparently. Should've seen this coming." She muttered.

"Who does he even think he's tweeting to? You're his only follower." Demetri asked rhetorically, giving the phone back to Miguel.

     Miguel shrugged. "I don't know. He seems serious about it."

     "So this is real? Sensei and Sensei are gonna throw down?" Hawk seemed enthusiastic about this fight, like he found it the most amazing thing in the world. Miguel just nodded to him.

     Izzy grinned at Hawk's reaction, "I'm sure that would be the best thing to witness." She agreed with the spike-haired boy.

     "Well, you won't know, because you can't go. You're Cobra Kai, remember?" Sam spoke, raising her eyebrows at Izzy.

     Izzy looked at her for a moment, normally the remark would piss Izzy off, but it kind of brought Izzy back to reality. She was Cobra Kai, and is. She's still the driven and badass fighter everyone said she was months ago. Kreese was wrong about her, Izzy was the best student Cobra Kai will ever have and she was going to prove it at the All Valley.

     But once that realization passed quickly, the normally pissed-off and petty Izzy surfaced. "Was I talking to you? No, and —"

     Miguel cut her off before Izzy said anything else out of anger, but he quickly said the first thing that came to his head. "Izzy's going," He blurted out and all eyes looked to him, "I–I mean, she won't do anything, it'll be fine." Miguel looked at Sam.

     "She's our enemy." Sam said it like she had to remind all of them.

     "And never forget it." Izzy responded, the bell ringing just as Sam glared over at her.

     Hawk and Demetri said their bye's to the group as students began making their way to their next class. Izzy just forced a smile to her face as she moved to intertwine her fingers with Miguel's, pulling him away from Sam.

     "I'll see you tonight, Sam." Izzy grinned at the girl who watched her walk away.

     Miguel didn't seem to be bothered by the hand holding like he was the first time. He looked down at Izzy with hopeful eyes, "Are you actually coming?" Miguel asked.

     Izzy glanced at him and then back in front of her so she could watch where she was going. "Uh, yeah. I.. is that okay?" She asked genuinely, her eyebrows slightly furrowed.

     "Um, of course. I don't think either Sensei's would mind. Johnny even wants you in Eagle Fang, he wouldn't care if you're there." Miguel told the girl and his words made her look at him again.

     "He wants me in Eagle Fang?" She asked it like she was shocked.

     Miguel nodded, but then he let out an apologetic sigh. "Yeah, but I told him no. It'd be embarrassing for you to lose to me in all of the practices and fights," Miguel explained, but there was a playful smirk on his face, "I wouldn't want to witness that." He shrugged his shoulders.

     Izzy's mouth dropped open at his remark towards her, trying to hide the smile forming on her lips. "Wow, you are a charmer, you know that?" Izzy asked him as they walked up to Miguel's classroom, the halls becoming empty as everyone got to class.

     Their hands parted, but before Miguel entered his class, he turned to look at Izzy. "Only for my fake girlfriend." He said quietly, but loud enough for Izzy to hear and she just smiled at his words.

"Will I.. see you tonight?" Miguel questioned, cautiously asking as he waited for an answer.

Izzy shrugged her shoulders, "Maybe. Bye Miguel." Izzy said, the smile still on her lips as she walked past him to get to her class before the late bell rang.

Instead of saying goodbye back, Miguel turned his head to watch Izzy disappear down the hall and around a corner. That was when reality hit him in the face and reminded him that he wasn't supposed to be feeling this way towards her, but he is and he had no idea what to do.

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     After school, Izzy was in the front row of the Cobra Kai students that were lined up. Sensei Silver had them repeating a move over and over again as he walked through the dojo, explaining something that was floating around in the back of Izzy's mind as she focused on her movements. The ultimate goal was to keep your kick high and strong, which Izzy seemed to do flawlessly.

     "There are three things that make a champion," The word champion made Izzy think of Miguel, "The three D's. Desire, devotion, and discipline." Sensei Silver explained as he now stood in the front of the dojo, facing the students.

     "The first two, I can't give you. The last one, I can, but you have to be willing to receive it." Silver told them, looking at each of the students. "Are you?"

     "Yes, Sensei!"

     "All right. Junbi stance."

Izzy moved to the standing position, her arms by her side in a firm placement. Silver began talking as he did the move with the students, "Now. I understand you wanna defeat your enemies, and you will when it matters." Silver spoke, walking over to where Izzy stood and his eyes seemed to be burning through her.

"Until then, stay focused on your training. Is that understood?" Sensei Silver asked, now looking out at the rest of the class. He said it like he was talking to her specifically, like Miguel was going to distract her from the goal — winning, because that was all Izzy wanted from the beginning.

However, when the class erupted in a unison 'yes, sensei', Izzy as well as Robby and Tory stayed quiet. While Robby and Tory shared a look, Izzy stared down at the floor. Her mind had somehow gone back to Miguel and Izzy was starting to think maybe he was a distraction.

Maybe she shouldn't go to the Lawrence versus LaRusso fight.

"With conviction." Sensei Silver then said and this time, everyone said it again joined by Izzy and the other two beside her.

When Silver dismissed the class, Izzy and Tory walked over to their water bottles, only to be followed by the small group that they formed in the dojo. Kyler reached down for his water as he spoke, "Second sensei's working us today. Guy's going beast mode." The boy said.

"Yeah, but it's bullshit we can't fight before the tournament." Ethan scoffed, leaning his arm against the dummy body they used to practice hits and kicks on.

Robby looked over at Ethan. "Just because we can't fight doesn't mean we can't get payback." Robby told the group.

That was when Izzy's eyebrows furrowed as she swallowed the water that she had just gotten from her water bottle. "Payback? Why, what happened?" Izzy laughed breathlessly as she asked.

"Oh, yeah. When your little boyfriend told you to stay and watch the movie, his friends trapped us in the baseball field right when the sprinklers went off." Ethan explained, clearly trying to get on Izzy's nerves as he talked to her.

That was why Miguel didn't want her to go? Why did he tell her not to go when she was Cobra Kai just like the people around her? Izzy didn't get to think too much about it before Tory speaking up snapped Izzy out of her thoughts.

"What do you have in mind?" Tory questioned.

Robby grinned like he had the worst idea on the planet, but then he looked at Izzy. "I don't have all of the details yet. I can text you guys later and tell you what the plan is." Robby told them, it was almost like he didn't want to tell them while Izzy was there.

And when practice had come to an end and Izzy was making her way out to her car, she was stopped by Robby asking her to wait up. A huff left Izzy's lips as she turned to face the Keene boy, a visible look on her face that told him to make it quick.

"Hey, can I talk to you real quick?" He asked her.

"You already are." Izzy stated, furrowing her eyebrows a little bit.

A laugh came from Robby. "No, I.. I overheard what Sensei Kreese said to you the other day." He spoke, his smile fading as his laugh did.

Izzy tensed up at the mention of what had happened and what Kreese had said to her. She crossed her arms over her chest, "Do you eavesdrop on everyone's conversations?" She snapped at him.

Robby shook his head, "No, but between you and me, he was wrong. Also, if you want to come with us tonight, for the payback.. you're welcome to. Just text me and let me know." Robby told her and Izzy just stared at him as he gave her one last look before turning and walking away.

She kept her arms across her chest as she stood outside of the dojo, her mind weighing in two things: Izzy could either go with Robby and the rest of the Cobra Kai kids to prove she has what it takes, but he couldn't even tell her what they were doing.. or Izzy could go to Miyagi-Do to watch the Lawrence versus LaRusso fight.

But Izzy knew it was a distraction, that Miguel was a distraction, or at least that's what her new Sensei has her thinking.

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When Izzy pulled up to the place she finally decided to go to, she felt sick. She felt like a lump had formed in her throat and no matter how many times she tried to swallow water from the bottle she had in her car. It felt like she had officially betrayed something that actually made her happy.

Izzy got out of her car and began making her way to where she could hear familiar voices, her hands fiddling with each other as she felt her heart race quicken. She was nervous, she knew that, and she knew why she was so nervous.

But, something was quick to calm her down, or someone. "Hey! You actually came." Miguel's voice filled the air as he walked over to Izzy with a small smile on his face.

"I was starting to think you weren't going to show." He approached her, but his smile faded when he saw the look on Izzy's face, she almost looked sad. Miguel's eyebrows furrowed, "Are you okay?" He asked her.

Izzy just smiled and nodded, "I'm fine. Is the fight starting?" She then asked, moving past Miguel and over to the group of kids that were surrounding a platform where both Daniel LaRusso and Johnny Lawrence stood.

     Miguel followed after her quickly, getting in front of her to stop her from walking. "Whoa, hey, I can tell you're not fine. You can talk to me." He told her.

     The girl had to bite her tongue, because she wanted to snap at him and to tell him to just leave her alone, that she was indeed fine. But Izzy also knew she wasn't fine and that if there was anyone Izzy felt like she could talk to about this, it was Miguel. She felt like no one else would be able to understand.

     "Okay." Izzy nodded, "Can we go sit out front?" She asked and Miguel nodded, looking back at the fight that was starting without him, but he led Izzy out to the front of the dojo where it was a lot more quiet and calm.

     Miguel took a spot sitting on the low, board porch of Miyagi-Do and he tapped the spot next to him for Izzy to sit down. She hesitantly did, mostly because she had Sensei Silver's voice in the back of her head telling her she needed to focus on the tournament.

She sat down next to him, letting out a sigh. "My Sensei basically told me that if I lose to you in the fight, I won't be in Cobra Kai anymore." Izzy explained slowly, but truthfully.

Miguel just looked at her. At first, his facial expression was soft, but then it looked like he had gotten angry. "Kreese said that to you?" He asked, mostly out of curiosity, and Izzy nodded.

"It sucks, because like.." Izzy huffed, staring out at the ground, the moonlight being the only light shining down on them. "I've spent months trying to be the best, trying to make Kreese proud of me, because I felt like I had to. I'm scared of.. not being enough. Good enough." Izzy explained softly.

If you told Izzy just a few days ago that she would be sitting here, opening up to Miguel Diaz of all people about how she felt, Izzy would have punched you in the face.

    Miguel, on the other hand, couldn't believe Izzy was opening up to him. He would have never thought he would be sitting here, learning about her and her fears and her thoughts, and it just made him like her even more.

     "But.. you are," Miguel whispered to her, his quiet words causing Izzy to look over at him, "I mean it. You're the most badass karate fighter, after me of course." He complimented with a hint of banter, smiling once he heard a laugh come from Izzy.

"I'll take it," Izzy sighed, accepting the compliment. "But, yeah, it's been bothering me and you're the only person I've told and probably the only person I will tell, so.."

     Miguel looked surprised, "Really?" He watched Izzy nod and he smiled softly.

     "Really." Izzy confirmed, but then she watched Miguel's face light up like a brilliant idea came to his head.

The girl watched as Miguel stood up and reached his hand out for Izzy to take to get her up as well. Izzy made a confused face at him as she cautiously took his hand into hers. "Are we going to go watch them fight?" She asked out of curiosity.

Miguel held onto her hand, leading her into the open part of the area just in front of Miyagi-Do. He shrugged as he turned to look at her, "I was thinking we would fight," He suggested.

Izzy raised her eyebrows, but then let out a sigh like she couldn't resist the idea. "I like the way you think," Izzy told him as they faced each other, "The loser should have to do something." Izzy suggested as well.

"Yeah? Like what?" Miguel asked.

Izzy tried to hide the smirk on her lips as she shrugged, "I don't know, the loser has to admit that the winner is better in every way." She said lightheartedly with a smile on her lips, watching Miguel grin like he thought her words were funny, adorable even.

"And if you lose? You'll say that to me?" Miguel asked as they took their starting positions.

"It's simple, I won't lose." Izzy said to him, immediately going to kick Miguel.

The boy blocked her kick and used that as his chance to turn and try to catch her off guard with a kick, but Izzy managed to block it. Her next few punches were blocked by Miguel, except for one that she got right in his abdomen, and Izzy smiled when she realized that would give her point.

"That's a point," Izzy stated, backing away with a smile on her face.

     Miguel let out a huff, "Yeah, yeah. Don't get used to it." He brushed it off, the two of them getting back into their starting positions.

     He initiated the next fight, going to throw his arm out at her, but Izzy grabbed it and managed to pull it down, sending Miguel to the ground. He grabbed her other arm, pulling her down with him, but before Izzy could land on top of him, Miguel used his strength to roll her over so that he was now hovering over her.

     Both of his hands pressed down on her shoulders, pinning her down as he hovered over the girl. They were both breathing heavy, visible smiles on their faces. Miguel slightly tilted his head like he was proud.

     "I think that counts as a point." His voice was low, mostly because he didn't need to talk loud for Izzy to hear him.

     "Whatever," Izzy huffed, feeling Miguel loosen his hold on her.

     Miguel stood up, reaching his hand out for her to take and she did again, the boy pulling her up. When she stood up, she was closer to Miguel's face than she realized once she looked up at him. If they had moved their faces any closer, their lips would more than likely touch.

     "Next one is the winner." Izzy muttered.

     "You mean me?" Miguel responded in a whisper.

     Her eyes rolled as she realized she had yet to let go of Miguel's hand, and when she did, she pushed him away by his chest. "I was actually talking about me." She admitted.

     "Mm, I'm sure you were." Miguel bantered as the two faced each other again, going back to the starting positions.

     They fell into silence as Izzy went first again, this time going throw her fist toward Miguel and he blocked it effortlessly. Izzy turned, going to send her leg up to try and kick him, to which Miguel blocked as well.

     Miguel pushed her leg back to the ground and went to strike, but each of his attempted hits was blocked by Izzy. They were both being stubborn, not allowing the other to get a hit and be crowned as the winner, they both had the urge to claim the victory for themself.

     Izzy went to throw her arm out to strike him, but Miguel blocked it and used his other arm to reach and wrap around her waist, sending her to the ground but he followed shortly after. She was holding onto his shoulder for support by the sudden action and Miguel was now hovering above her again. He moved his hands to press against the ground to hold him up.

     His face stayed close to Izzy's though as he smirked down at her, but Izzy spoke up before he could. "That doesn't count," her chest was heaving up and down, controlling her breathing as she stared up at Miguel.

     "I think it does," Miguel said to her, "which makes me the winner." He sounded confident, like he was basking in the victory. "Now you have to say I'm better than you, in every way." Miguel reminded her.

     "Mm," Izzy hummed, "Do I have to?" She furrowed her eyebrows, using her elbows to prop herself up, but it just made their faces come closer.

     Miguel smiled, nodding his head. "You do," he told her. "Just admit it." He whispered to her.

     "Fine, you are better than me, in every way." Izzy muttered to him and the words made a smirk form on his face.

     "I like how that sounds," Miguel said in a hushed tone.

     Izzy didn't realize she had taken a glance at his lips until she found her eyes shifting back to his, only to see him looking at her lips as well. She had got caught too deep into the moment to realize they weren't supposed to be doing this, but she was unsure of how something that should've felt fake and meaningless, was feeling real?

     And Izzy didn't realize how close she had absentmindedly shifted her lips closer to Miguel's until a voice called out to them — "Seriously? Right in front of the dojo?" The familiar voice of Demetri snapped both Miguel and Izzy out of their own little world and into reality where they were fake dating.

     Miguel quickly got up from his spot hovering over Izzy as Izzy pushed herself to a standing position. "What? No, no. That.. that was not what was happening." Izzy nervously explained, her tone quick and panicked. She sounded like she was caught breaking a rule or something.

     "We've been wondering where you two ran off to. They just finished fighting! Come on," Demetri rushed them, the boy watching them both get up from the ground.

     Izzy felt awkward, because she didn't know how to act after that moment with Miguel, she doesn't even know how she was feeling. She's not supposed to feel anything, so why the hell is she feeling.. something with Miguel?

     As Izzy approached Demetri, the two began walking as Miguel didn't trail too far behind them. Demetri began rambling about the fight as they made their way back into the dojo and Izzy took this as her chance to really take in what the Miyagi-Do dojo seemed to be.

     Everyone was crowded around a phone, watching the fight (Izzy assumed), and could hear Johnny and Daniel bickering. When Izzy, Miguel, and Demetri came up to everyone else, Sam was quick to notice Izzy's presence.

"You seriously let her come?" The LaRusso girl asked, walking over to where Miguel stood with Izzy and Demetri.

"Yeah, I did." Miguel responded with.

Izzy ignored Sam's attempt at getting on Izzy's nerves, so the girl just turned to look at the video everyone seemed to be watching. "So, who won?" Izzy asked, looking at the two Sensei's.

"I did, we just gotta see it from another angle." Johnny told the girl, both of the Sensei's too bothered about the fight to register a Cobra Kai was standing in the middle of Miyagi-Do.

The kid who Izzy knew as Chris looked at Johnny as Chris held the phone, "There is no other angle." He said blankly to the older man.

Miguel had moved up to where Izzy stood as Johnny spoke up, "Don't you guys have another phone?" Johnny asked confused.

The sight of someone approaching the group caught Miguel's eye and his eyebrows furrowed. "Hawk?" He spoke out loud, leaving the spot next to Izzy.

Hawk walked up to them with a hood over his head and even Izzy could see the hurt facial expression on his face from under it. "Shit. Eli, what happened?" Demetri asked.

Izzy pushed her way after Miguel, standing next to Miguel just as Hawk took the hood off, revealing the purple mohawk had been cut off. Izzy's hand came up to cover her mouth as everyone else gasped, knowing that Hawk wouldn't do such a thing to his hair.

Johnny made his way to the boy, "Who did this?" The Lawrence man questioned.

Hawk was hesitant on admitting who and his eyes glanced back at the crowd behind him, looking at Izzy who was among the crowd of Miyagi-Do and Eagle Fang students. A sigh left his lips, then confirming the answer everyone speculated.

"Cobra Kai."

     And all eyes seemed to fall on Izzy, like they were all blaming her in their minds, or at least that's how Izzy felt. Johnny looked back at the girl, the realization that she was there finally hitting him. He looked disappointed and Izzy knew that look all too well.

     "You knew about this?" Johnny asked

     Izzy shook her head. "No. No. I mean.. they told me they were going to get payback, I didn't know they were going to do that." Izzy explained quietly, the feeling of everyone's eyes on her making her more nervous than she thought.

     "Told you," Sam quietly spoke up, "Enemy." She muttered, her eyes looking over at Miguel and Demetri, then at Hawk like she hadn't warned them at school earlier.

      "Kreese and Silver need to pay," was all Johnny said after Sam spoke.

     "Jesus, Johnny. Please. Kreese tried to kill you. You wanna fight them both?" Daniel asked.

     Johnny turned to face the other man. "Damn right I do. Look what they did." He told him, gesturing to Hawk who stood behind him.

     After witnessing both Johnny and Daniel go through some sort of Sensei break-up, officially declaring they wouldn't practice in the same dojo anymore, Izzy watched as Johnny asked for the Eagle Fang kids to leave.

     Izzy awkwardly stood there and her eyes glanced up at Miguel who gave her an apologetic look. He didn't want to leave her here, he wanted to walk her to her car and say goodbye, but Johnny seemed like he wanted them to go now.

     Miguel just let out a sigh, giving Izzy a look like he had apologized for asking her to come, and then he went over to where Johnny was waiting for all of the Eagle Fang kids to start leaving.

     As Miguel walked over there, Johnny pointed to Izzy. "You too, come on." He told Izzy and she furrowed her eyebrows, but she didn't waste any time standing around with the rest of Miyagi-Do.

     Miguel seemed to be surprised too at the fact Johnny was letting Izzy leave with them, but hey, he wasn't complaining. As Izzy began to walk with them, she walked in between Miguel and Hawk, and she glanced up at Hawk.

     "For the record, I think you still look cool." Izzy tried to comfort Hawk and make him feel better, but she was worried he wouldn't take it kindly after what her dojo had done to him.

Hawk looked at her and although he didn't smile, he still had a look of appreciation on his face. "Thanks." He responded as the group made their way out front.

Izzy somehow found herself stuck between these dojos and she wasn't sure what was going to happen if she continues it any longer. She was going to lose something in the end — Cobra Kai, the dojo she has worked so hard to stay on top in.. or Miguel, the boy that somehow showed Izzy it was okay to let her guards down.

Either way, Izzy was going to be hurt, she knew that much and was willing to admit it to herself.

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authors note.
this chapter was almost 5k i am so sorry for the people who hated long chapters </3 i got very carried away writing this chapter so i hope you guys enjoyed it! also ignore any typos/errors i always miss so much while editing after i write long chapters

izzy's development with everyone means so much to me 🫶 hawk and izzy's friendship is also one of my fav things about this fic, they are gonna become besties fr