Before I Forget

Othello

Hawk followed the boy out of the library, barely realizing what he was doing. His ears were ringing, he felt like he couldn't breathe, these walls were collapsing on him, and the only thing he could think about was—

This can't be happening! This can't be happening! I won't fucking let it!

But he had heard the soft tone of Sky's voice, the smile in it, and those things weren't for him anymore, she was giving them to someone else, to some other boy, to that arrogant prick Cody Bishop—

Hawk knew him, of course. Hell, everyone knew him. He was the star pupil of the senior class, the golden boy who could do no wrong. Always getting straight A's, smashing in the debate club, writing articles in the school paper, the bright star of all the school plays. He was one of the rich kids but hung out with the intellectual and the bohemian ones, the artists and the actors, those who wanted to change the world, who would one day be writers, journalists, movie makers. Half of the girls in the school pined after Cody Bishop, but still, never in a million years had Hawk thought he would be the one to steal Sky from him.

It was tearing him apart, he couldn't take the pain that thought caused, it was a red hot iron burning his heart, turning everything in him wrong, twisted, bitter.

It was one thing to lose Sky. But to see her with someone else—

And what had that asshole meant with his apologies and stupid cards? What had he done to her that needed to be apologized for?

If he had laid one finger on Sky—

Hawk couldn't even finish that thought. It was like boiling lava in his chest, burning away all reason, leaving behind nothing but rage.

"Hey–!" he called after Cody, and the boy turned to look, frowned as if he recognized Hawk, and didn't like what he saw.

"What do you want?"

Hawk didn't reply. Instead, he slammed the book from the other boy's hands, grabbed the front of his shirt, and shoved him hard against the wall.

"What did you do to her?" he growled, shoving the boy again so that the backpack he'd held on one shoulder, fell to the floor.

"To whom?"

"To Sky!" Hawk was shouting now. "What the fuck did you do to her?"

Something cold flashed in Cody's eyes, and his lips turned into a sneer.

"That's actually none of your fucking business. Let me go, asshole before you come to regret this."

But Hawk had no intention of letting go. The school had ended already, the hallway was almost empty, just a couple of kids were in sight and they - wisely enough - were pretending they didn't see what was happening. His fingers were grabbing the front of Cody's shirt with an iron grip, his breathing came in sharp, fast exhales, the adrenaline making his heart slam against his ribs. That boy had hurt Sky, he was sure of it, and he wasn't going to let him get away with it - nor was he going to let that asshole take Sky out for milkshakes. He could kick Cody's ass right here and now, and no one would find out about it.

"You stay the fuck away from Sky—" he snarled on Cody's face, rage twisting his voice. "Keep your hands off her or I'll rip your spine out—"

Cody didn't fight him, didn't try to release himself from Hawk's iron grip, but the look on his face told he couldn't have cared less about the threats. Instead of the fear, Hawk was already used to seeing in people's eyes in situations like this, Cody looked at him like he was a mere annoyance, like a kid throwing a tantrum, and nothing more.

"You were spying on us in the library?" he laughed. "Dude, that's low."

Hawk could taste his rage. He shoved Cody again making the boy hit his back against the wall with force - which cut his laughter short.