𝐂𝐋𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐘 ― e. moskowitz / hawk ✓

ii

╔.𖥸. .════════════════╗

𝗖𝗟𝗔𝗥𝗜𝗧𝗬

chapter two
happy halloween

╚════════════════. .❀.╝

ALYSSA SAT AT the usual table in the cafeteria. She was chewing a piece of gum, absentmindedly blowing a bubble once in a while. One of her knees was tucked into her chest as she stared down at her science homework on the table, trying to figure out what the hell it all meant. She often did homework at lunch instead of waiting to do it at home because Eli and Demetri could help her with the things she would get stuck on.

Currently, Counselor Blatt was giving some speech about cyberbullying. Alyssa wasn't really paying attention — clearly. She was chewing gum and balancing equations. Other people weren't paying attention either. They were whispering with their friends or scrolling through their phone in boredom.

"Sending a cruel message to someone online can be just as hurtful as saying it to their face," Counselor Blatt said. "I'm not gonna name names, but the other day a mother called me because her son was crying after some kids online made fun of his facial deformity."

Alyssa's gum bubble suddenly popped and she stopped writing on her worksheet. She slowly looked up, a frown appearing on her face. Eli was looking around the cafeteria nervously, lifting up a hand to cover his scar like he usually did. Alyssa looked around the cafeteria to see that people had started to stare. Flashbacks of holding Eli on his bed as he cried flew through her mind.

He didn't deserve this. He didn't deserve any of it. And Counselor Blatt might've thought she was trying to help, but in reality, she was just making everything worse.

Alyssa reached forwards and took the hand covering his scar. She gave him a soft, sad smile and lowered it under the table. Usually, she would squeeze his hand and let it go, reassuring him that it would be okay. But not today. Instead, she interlocked their fingers together and held onto him tight. Eli didn't let go, and neither did Alyssa.

"But today, our goal here is to make this school a safe space for all students," Counselor Blatt continued.

Miguel looked over at Eli. "You know, if you're sick of getting bullied, my karate dojo's looking for recruits."

"I didn't know you did karate," Alyssa said.

Miguel shrugged. "It's new."

"Yeah, right," Demetri replied sarcastically. "You hear that, Eli? A little karate training, and you're gonna kick some major ass."

Alyssa rolled her eyes in annoyance. "Shut up, Demetri."

"I'm serious, Demetri," Miguel insisted. "All right, my Sensei's the real deal. I'm sure I could get you three discounts."

"As enticing as that sounds, I think we'd rather spend our afternoons playing Crucible Control than getting hit in the face," Demetri responded.

Alyssa scoffed. "Speak for yourself."

"You want to do karate?"

"No, dumbass. I don't want to play Crucible Control."

"Oh, and one last thing," Counselor Blatt stated. "While we're all looking forward to the Halloween dance, let's make sure our costumes are culturally sensitive. For example, instead of sexy nurse, maybe try gender-neutral hospital employee."

That statement made the cafeteria erupt in laughter. Alyssa slightly laughed to herself before looking back down at her biology homework. Counselor Blatt was starting to give ideas of more costumes, but Alyssa paid no mind. Nobody was going to follow that, anyways.

Alyssa suddenly felt her hand get squeezed. She looked back up to see Eli staring at her, his blue eyes slightly wide. Alyssa gave him a questioning look for a moment.

"You still haven't told us your costume," Eli voiced.

"It's a surprise," Alyssa told him. "You'll see it at the dance."

"You're not going to tell me?"

"That's the whole point of a surprise, sweetheart." Alyssa was too busy from looking back at her worksheet and grabbing her pencil to see the light blush that coated Eli's cheeks. "It's cool, though. At least cooler than Demetri's costume."

"You don't even know what my costume is," Demetri protested.

Alyssa gave him a knowing smile. "But I already know it's lame."

"You're lame."

"Ooh, you really got me there." Alyssa rolled her eyes. "Anyways, do any of you know how to balance this God damn equation?"

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

ALYSSA WALKED INTO the high school the night of the Halloween dance, following the sound of loud music. No matter how much Eli begged or how many times Demetri insisted her costume was the lame one, she still hadn't told either of them what exactly she was dressing up as.

For her costume, she decided to dress up as Fire Nation Katara from Avatar: The Last Airbender. She had been forced into watching the show by Demetri, and to be honest, she had really liked it. It was actually her little brother's idea to dress up as Fire Nation Katara because he claimed that Katara reminded him of Alyssa. Or maybe it was because he liked the color red. Nevertheless, it had been a genius idea.

She had on a pair of red flowy pants, paired with a red crop top that only had one shoulder. There was a gold cuff bangle on each of her wrists and gold arm bands on the upper part of her arms. To go along with those were a pair of gold hoop earrings and a red choker. Half of her hair was tied up in a half bun, and to really get the point across, she put three red dots in the shape of a triangle underneath her right eye to have a fire emblem. Just for some shoes, she had on a pair of red Converse.