Chapter Text
“Where do you think you’re going, Moskowitz?”
Hawk spun around just to look into Kyler’s face. He sighed.
“Don’t you ever get tired of messing with people?” Eli asked, holding on to the strap of his backpack . Kyler approached him and smirked. Before Hawk could even react, one of Kyler’s goons grabbed his arms from behind so he couldn’t move. Kyler’s fist landed in Eli’s face, bruising the skin of his cheekbone. “Let me go, you freak!” He yelled.
Hawk felt another painful punch in his gut, causing his body to jerk forward. The person let go of Eli while Kyler shoved him with so much force that he fell to the ground. “That’s what happens to traitors!” Kyler shouted and spat on his face. “Come on, let’s go Brucks.”
“Hey, Miguel…do you have a minute?”
“Sure Sam, what’s up?” Miguel put his water bottle aside and looked over at Sam who was walking towards him. She put her bag on the grass and leaned against the fence. “It’s about Hawk, I’ve noticed he’s gotten a lot more quiet over the last few weeks. He also keeps coming to school with bruises. Do you know anything about that?”
“I thought he got them during Karate practice. Didn’t he?” Miguel glanced across the dojo, looking for his friend.
“No, I don’t think so…I mean, I never saw him leave with any injuries,” Sam looked in the same direction as Miguel, where he had spotted Hawk.
“Besides, he is probably one of our best fighters right now. I don’t think he’d get a hit to the face from any of us.”
“Well now I’m not sure anymore,” Miguel muttered.
They watched Eli for a bit, noticing more and more how visibly uncomfortable he was. They hadn’t seen him like that since Miguel had moved to Reseda.
“I’m going to say something,” Sam confidently made her way over to the boy, completely ignoring Miguel telling her that she shouldn’t.
“Hey, Hawk, what happened to your face?” Sam stopped beside Hawk. He was staring into the distance, not even acknowledging Sam’s presence. “Earth to Hawk?”
“Sam, stop,” Miguel whispered when he caught up with Sam and pulled her back lightly. She shared a look with Miguel, raising her eyebrows.
“Hawk?” Sam shook him lightly.
“Sorry, what?” Eli turned his head confused.
“I asked you what happened to your cheek,” Sam continued.
They didn’t get a response from him. Instead, Miguel noticed how his hands started to shake. When Eli noticed as well, he quickly shoved them into his pockets and shrugged. “I fell.”
“Really? I figured- Hawk?” Sam got interrupted by Eli walking towards the house. “He just completely blew me off!”
“Sam, stop it,” Miguel followed Hawk, feeling Sam right behind him.
Hawk was standing with his face to the wall, fixating on a specific spot. His breathing started to take up in pace and his heart seemed to be pounding out of his chest. He hated it. It wasn’t his first panic attack but that certainly doesn’t mean that it gets easier.
“Hey, are you okay?” he turned on his heel, facing Miguel and Sam once again. He couldn’t get a word out of his mouth.
Sam immediately knew what was going on. After everything she’d been through with Tory, she’d occasionally have her freak-outs too. She froze. Sam didn’t even know how to handle her own panic attacks let alone someone else’s.
“Hawk, what’s wrong?” Miguel approached his friend, making him back up against the wall of the dojo. He slid down the wall, now sitting on the ground, trying to catch his breath. Miguel knelt down only inches away from Eli. “Hey, talk to me,” he looked over to Sam, looking for support he didn’t end up receiving.
Their attention was quickly shifted by Demetri entering the dojo house. “Eli!” he immediately made his way over to his best friend, dropping to the floor beside him.
“What’s wrong with him?” Miguel asked Demetri. His voice was shaking in sheer horror.
“He’s having a panic attack, dimwit!” Demetri softly shoved Miguel to his left and took his place. He cupped Eli’s face with his hands, forcing him to make direct eye contact. Hawk couldn’t keep his tears in any longer.
“Hey, it’s okay. I’m here,” Demetri proceeded to carefully wipe his tears away.
Miguel felt stupid. How had he never noticed that his best friend might be something other than “okay”? So here he was, unable to help one of the most important people in his life through something as upsetting as a panic attack. He’d never had one himself, but he knew Sam had them occasionally. Not often, but often enough. He turned to face Sam who was still frozen in place. He looked back to Hawk and Demetri and noticed how well Demetri was handling the situation which made him question if Eli had a genuine problem with anxiety. When Hawk’s breathing had slowed down, Demetri let go of him. He scooted a few inches backwards, leaving Hawk with his personal space.
“What’s going on in here?” The sudden voice of Johnny made the kids jump. No one said a word. “Shit, what did I just walk into?” He chuckled a little. His face fell again when he noticed that no one returned a laugh or even a smile. “Seriously, what’s going on?” To his surprise he didn’t even receive an answer before Hawk got on his feet and sprinted past him, through the door.
“Eli, wait!” Demetri yelled after him. He was ready to go after him but Johnny held him back. “What did you jackasses do to Hawk?”
“ We ?” Sam raised an eyebrow. “We are just as confused as you are, Sensei.”
“I’m going to check up on him later,” Demetri said with a worried look on his face.
“Demetri, how did you know exactly what to do?” Miguel glanced to his right where his friend now stood. Demetri crossed his arms in front of his chest and sighed, avoiding any eye contact. He shrugged, staying silent.
“Do about what? What did he do?” Johnny asked, looking around the room. “I’ll fill you in later,” Miguel said.
Demetri scoffed before he walked outside.
—
“How did you get into my house?” Hawk jumped up from his living room sofa. Demetri started to walk towards Eli. He took his wrist and sat down on the couch, pulling his friend down with him. “Does that really matter right now? I’m here because you’re telling me what’s wrong right this instant!” Demetri raised his voice in worry. Hawk rolled his eyes and pulled his wrist away from his friend. “Are you being serious right now? Just leave me alone, that’s literally why I left.”
“Stop hiding behind this tough-guy-mask, it’s okay not to be okay, Eli!” Demetri attempted to grab Hawk’s wrist again, but without success. Hawk scooted to the side along the sofa, leaving a bigger gap between the two of them. “You’re being ridiculous right now.”
“ Me ? Eli–”
“Just leave.” Hawk wasn’t looking at him. And that was enough for Demetri to make him stay.