Psychotic Kids '-' Eli Moskowitz

Don't Hate Yourself

We got to the comic store, and of course Demetri was there being his nerdy self. Hawk wouldn’t let go of me, even if I tried to pull away a few times. Demetri has been excited about this issue for months, but it could wait.

“Still can’t wait to read that new issue huh?” Hawk spoke up, getting his attention

“Nice hair” Demetri nodded “What is this, your Red Hulk phase?”

“We saw your yelp review” I sighed, walking closer to him with Hawk “Demetri why couldn’t you just let us be-”

“Take it down” Hawk demanded, cutting me off

“And ruin my journalistic integrity? Look, I'm sorry, but someone had to say something. And besides, taking it down could hurt my Yelp Elite status” Demetri sassed

“You didn’t have to say something” I corrected “Just because you don’t agree with the way my dad does things doesn’t mean you have to spout shit about it”

“Once again, since when have you started caring about your dad?”

“Since everyone deserves a second chance... Look- Dem- just take it down” I sighed “Please”

“Hell no! And you can’t make me!”

At that, Hawk lunged forwards, shoving Demetri back into a spinning comic shelf.

“Hawk no” I tried to stop him

“I said take it down” he glared at Dem

“You think I’m afraid of you? I know who you really are, Eli” that had definitely hit a nerve “So why don't you, Rocksteady, Bebop, and Psycho Snake just leave me alone okay?”

I faltered, he knew I hated that name. He knew who had called me it, what it meant. What’s wrong with him?

“Don’t you fucking call her that!” Hawk punched Demetri straight in the face

“Hawk no- stop!” I grabbed onto him before he could do anything else.

As much as I was angry as Demetri, I didn’t want to start a fight. No more fighting between friends. We had been the best trio in the whole fucking world, what happened? Demetri stumbled back away from us, turning to leave but there were more of us behind him.

“Great. So this is what it’s come to. Gang assault” Demetri scoffed 

“Take it down, or we take you down” Hawk theatended

“You’d actually hurt me?” Demetri’s voice shook, looking between me and Hawk. My fists were clenched so tight I thought I might’ve pierced skin “Jesus, looks like you’re both going through a red phase, oh wait! That’s every day for you isn’t it Harley?” Demetri took another jab at me “Well guess what, you’re not the only one that knows karate. I just joined Miyagi-Do” he took a very messy stance 

“Alright” Hawk scoffed “Let's see what you got”

Hawk took a high kick at Demetri’s stomach, and when he was hunched over, ducked down to spin his leg out and knock Demetri onto his back. I was past the point of rationality. Demetri had made comments at me like he was trying to piss me off. He knew what would do it, and he did it.

“Hey! What’s going on back there?” the store owner called back

Demetri took the opportunity to get up and run away. We all followed after him, running through the mall until we lost him.

“Where’d he go?”

“Come on man” Chris sighed “We don’t have to do this. I think he learned his lesson”