THE DRUG IN ME IS YOU

Fifteen.

Wren didn't know where she was going, her feet carried her through the school and she finally found herself out on the football field, collapsing down onto the field in a heap of tears.

"Whoa, hey, hey, Wrennie," Torys voice came from behind her and she fell into the girl, sobbing as her friend held her. Tory stroked her hair, hushing her softly until Wren had calmed down. "The football field used to be my place to come cry last year too...well under the bleachers," Tory murmured as Wren sniffled.

"I can't believe he said such awful things to me, and comparing me to Moon!" Wren could feel the pit in her stomach. "All because of some stupid rivalry he has with Demetri."

"Hawk's a dick. I've always said it, but he's got a lot of pent up hate and anger inside of him. Miguel said Hawk used to get bullied a lot, and this is who he is now to prevent that...what he said was way over line though. He can't expect you to understand if he's never shared that side of himself with you," Tori insisted and Wren pulled away, wiping her face to look at her best friend.

"He's never talked about it at all, always shuts me down when I've tried to bring it up... I'm surprised he even lets me call him Eli on occasion," she murmured sadly, looking down at her hands. Wren reached up and rubbed her the back of her neck, sore from where she tore the chain off to chuck at Hawk.

"Look, we've got two options here...we clean you up, you go back inside and we finish the day, or I go grab your shit and we skip out and go to the mall for some retail therapy, cause dudes suck." Tori offered the two options and Wren laughed a bit, "But you and Miguel are doing great..."

"I said what I said. So what will it be?"

"I'll meet you by the cars, we can come back for mine," Wren decided with a sniffle.

"Atta girl, I'll meet you there," Tory stood up, pulling her friend with her.

—-

Tory walked back into the school, but she didn't get very far, Miguel and Hawk stood in the hallway, Hawk looking extremely guilty, running his thumb against the Hawk charm in his hand, the broken necklace wrapped around his fingers. "You're a real piece of work, you know that?" Tory poked the boy in the chest.

"Where's Wren? I have to apologize, I didn't mean it..."

"Yeah but you said it, maybe all that hair dye is going to your brain, cause your judgement sucks." Tory glared at him. "This is your fault."

"How is this my fault? Demetri was the one with that stupid video on his phone, I'm still gonna kick his ass..."

"Because, you didn't open yourself up to her. Wren loves you, and you ruined it, cause you're so afraid of being Eli you let Hawk take over and ruin good shit you got going on in your life. Our rivalry with the miyagidos goes way past any of this, but you're the only one out of the group who hasn't accepted the fact that Wrens gonna be in the middle. She grew up with Robby, they're all friends with her, she's never going to just pick sides, idiot."

Hawk stared at his feet, "I fucked up...she's never gonna talk to me again," he muttered.

"Well Moscowitz, we have karate in about four hours, so I guess you better figure out an amazing plan to fix it before that."

Tory walked over to her locker, pulling out her keys and her wallet and slamming it shut. "I'll be back for my crap later, " she informed Miguel, kissing him briefly.

"Where are you going?" Miguel asked as Tory started to walk back toward the doors she had come from.

"Wren and I are taking a mental health half day," she announced over her shoulder and disappeared through the double doors once more.