Watch Your Step

Chapter Two: One Step Back

School sucked. That was something Hawks knew since the beginning of his school career.

Of course, there were weirdos who didn't agree, mainly Enji who apparently liked school as it pushed his limits or whatever.

Hawks still thought school sucked, but now he also found it had some unintended perks.

One, Toshinori and Enji couldn't be horribly sappy during class.

Two, since it was so stupid hard, he had to focus on it forcing him to stop thinking about other things.

Three, it kept Enji from trying to drag him along everywhere like nothing had changed.

Now none of that changed that it was boring, stupid, and most of all-sucked greatly. But Hawks decided he'd take the perks while he could.

Hawks sighed and scowled at the mess of letters and numbers before his eyes. Do I actually need to know this or are they just forcing me to learn because they were forced to learn?

Hawks allowed his eyes to wander briefly. Most of the other students were intensely focusing with either a look of concentration or confusion. A few seemed to have given up and were messing around the best they could without the teacher noticing.

His eyes drifted forwards subconsciously, locking on Enji's back. Straight as a board, shoulders held back as if to show off how broad he was, his hair was spiked up today and looked beautiful in the midday sun that came through the window-

Hawks tore his eyes away quickly, looking down at his paper again as shame burned his skin. Stop that! I need to stop feeling like this, I'm just making myself miserable.

Hawks stared blankly down at the paper.  ...Nope. Still don't get it. His eyes once more drifted, this time focusing on looking anywhere but ahead.

He found himself looking over at Chizome. His shoulders were hunched over slightly, even from this distance Hawks could see the bags under his eyes and the glassy look to his gaze.

Geez, and I thought Shota looked shitty and tired. He always looks two steps away from falling asleep on his feet...but he's always in his room, never hangs out, is he really that dedicated to homework?

The sound of the bell snapped Hawks out of his train of thought.

Finally! It's over! Hawks quickly stood and started to sloppily shove his stuff into his backpack.

A soft warming in the air altered him that Enji had walked over before even looking up. "Hawks."

"Enji!" Hawks quickly slid a smile on his face as he straightened, trying to ignore Toshinori who was standing not to far behind Enji, his typical smile a contrast to Enji's half scowl. "What's up?"

"You've been distant lately." Ouch, always to the point isn't he?

"Have I?" Hawks tried to chuckle, shouldering his backpack. "I've been so busy with school, and you know you've had less free time." He focused on not looking at Toshinori while saying that.

Enji's scowl increased. "Yes you have."

Toshinori stepped forward and set a hand on Enji's shoulder and Hawks skin crawled. "Hey, Enji, remember what I said...?" Toshinori smiled softly at Enji, who sighed in that way of his that was annoyed but also resigned.

So you're listening to his advice then? Hawks swallowed the bitter thought quickly.

"Hawks. I'm sorry that I've been...preoccupied. Why don't you come eat lunch with the group today? So we can...catch up." Enji's words were stilted, but that wasn't what made Hawks chest ache.