Kings of Hawkings [bxb]

Chapter 24

•••••• One Year Ago ••••••

Jonas knew he shouldn't have let himself be goaded into entering that classroom, but the constant bullshit was wearing him down. Every day felt like an endless cycle of torment, and he was exhausted from holding back. He had refrained from hitting back since sending Michael to the hospital, but six months of suppressing his rage had taken its toll.

Chuck's words echoed in his mind: if you fight angry, you get sloppy. But at this point, anger was all he had left. It simmered inside him, waiting to erupt, and today, he wanted to let it loose.

With a determined stride, Jonas walked into the classroom. The chairs were haphazardly pushed to the side, creating a makeshift arena. About ten kids stood around, their laughter and jeers blending into a cacophony of mockery. Their faces were twisted with anticipation, eager for the spectacle about to unfold.

He dropped his backpack and shrugged off his jacket. "Let's get this shit done and over with."

A larger kid, Jay, stood at the center of the group, a sinister grin on his face as he held a bottle. He chuckled darkly, his eyes gleaming with malice. "Poor little wolf has lost his pack. It's about time the fucking Golden Boy is forced off his throne."

The room seemed to hum with tension as Jay's words hung in the air. The other kids' laughter grew louder, feeding off Jay's taunt. Jonas met Jay's gaze with a cold, steely glare.

Jonas laughed coldly, a chilling sound that cut through the noise. "Do you really think being an Elite is everything in life?" His voice dripped with disdain, each word a deliberate challenge. "Fuck your games, Jay, and fuck your throne."

Jay's smile faltered for a moment, but he quickly recovered, sneering at Jonas. The kids around them sensed the shift in the atmosphere, their jeers dying down as they waited for the confrontation to escalate.

Jay's sneer deepened, his face twisted with malice. "Game? This is more than that. It's an extermination." His words were a venomous hiss intended to strike fear and assert dominance.

Jonas met his gaze with almost bored indifference. "Good thing I'm resilient," he replied, his voice flat and unyielding.

Jay's sneer turned into a mocking grin. "I'm surprised you are, considering who started this. I mean, wasn't Lukas your best friend?"

The mention of Lukas hit Jonas like a physical blow. His body visibly shook, his arms falling limply to his sides. The cold, confident façade he had maintained began to crumble. "Lukas?" he repeated, his voice barely above a whisper.

His voice cracked the sound of a breaking heart. It was as if the only support keeping him standing had been ripped away. His best friend, someone he still relied on, was the source of his misery at school.

It had to be a lie. Just another part of the game to hurt him. But why did it sound so plausible? Why did it make sense?

Jonas' mind churned, piecing together the fragments of betrayal—the subtle digs at his confidence, the suspiciously timed advice to stay at St. Vincent's despite his misery. Each memory now painted Lukas not as a friend but as a traitor. The realization was a cold, sharp dagger twisting in his gut.

Lukas was behind this all along.

The room around him blurred, and the jeers and laughter of the other kids faded into a distant hum. All he could see was Jay's smirk and triumphant gleam in his eyes.

"Lukas," Jonas whispered again. His body trembled with the weight of the betrayal, his legs threatening to give out. How could Lukas, his best friend, do this to him? The one person he thought he could trust had been orchestrating his downfall from the shadows.