WILDFIRE ► COBRA KAI

Chapter 6

It had been a while since she'd done this.

The midday sun blanketed Flynn's body as she hugged the window, allowing herself to press up against the glass and find comfort in the heat. Her headphones had almost been in her ears the entire day so far, playing the same melancholic tunes.

Flynn wasn't sure why the kids in the library didn't pummel each other everyday for this spot, but she couldn't complain. On days where she didn't feel like talking or pretending, she'd come curl up on the beanbag by the window. Sometimes she'd read. Sometimes she'd let her mind wander.

But what really mattered was that nobody ever intruded on her space when she was here. Until today.

"Hey," someone barked in her ear, the skin thrumming where her headphones had just been ripped out. Jamie shot her a dimpled grin as he plopped into the empty seat across from her.

It was a smile that just a few days ago made her drown with affection.

Now her stomach just curled with sickness.

"Hey," she responded in a clipped voice, not quite meeting his eyes.

"Dakota said I'd find you here," he explained.

The mere mention of her friend sent Flynn's eyes down to her phone screen, which had just illuminated with another text message from the groupchat. They were probably asking about her. In a sick and twisted sense, she hoped they were, even if she didn't want to answer. She wanted to know they still cared.

"And here I am."

"What's up? I haven't seen you since the party," Jamie's foot bounced with energy. "You gotta come smoke with me and Kaia after practice today."

"Oh, um," Flynn swallowed, surprised by the sharp ache of dryness. "I can't come today. Iceskating stuff."

"Heh, okay. No but seriously, is something up?" His face grew slack with abrupt sincerity. What might've been once read as concern in his eyes felt much darker now.

Flynn resisted the deep-seated urge to flee. "Nah, dude. Just worn out a little. Didn't realize how much balancing skating and school and volleyball could really take me out. I'll see you and Kaia later, though?"

Please leave.

Jamie nodded, the small mole on his cheek disappearing into his smile. "Yeah. Cool. See you soon, Skater Girl."

Flynn clasped her palms around her eyes and let out a groan of exasperation. She kept her gaze there, hidden behind clammy hands. A heavy gust of breath fell from her lips, hot shame washing over her.

There was something wrong with her. It had to be her, right? She was always the messed up one. The thought alone sent frustration and rage spiraling through her stomach, and her hands began to curl into fists.

One solution wavered in her mind.

The golden snake of the Cobra Kai karate dojo glowed in the afternoon sun. Flynn aimed an intense look at it before her eyes shifted to the rearview mirror. She spotted her iceskating bag slouched in the backseat and couldn't help but shoot the tattered object a glare.