Always ~Cobra Kai~

17 | Rumors

Maria sat at lunch with her brother, her boyfriend, Aisha, and Demetri like she did everyday.

Except today was somewhat awkward, because Hawk had denied his girlfriend last night, though he had a good reason. Aisha had also denied her, and was grounded. Demetri believed that Maria wanted to get in his pants last night. And Miguel had no idea what was going on with his mother and sister.

Maria had had enough of the awkwardness, but before she could speak up her phone went off. Followed by the rest of the cafeterias.

She pulled out her device in confusion and her stomach dropped when she saw Yasmine's new post.

It was a picture of her in Connors bed, Connor laying on the floor of his bedroom. The worst part? Maria was in his shirt. The caption was even unbelievable: The school whore is now screwing three guys! And counting!

Everyone began laughing, and Maria felt tears prick her eyes. She tried not to let it out, but Maria couldn't hold it in. Despite the fact that everyone besides the people at her table were laughing she jumped from her table.

The legs of her chair scraped against the ground, and Maria wanted to do nothing more than punch Yasmine in that moment. But she didn't. She ran from the cafeteria, crying.

"You think this is funny?" Hawk yelled, showing the photo around to the cafeteria as he jumped to his feet. No one would do that to Maria and get away with it.

"It is!" Kyler said through laughter, making the rest of the high school laugh as well.

"No, it's not!" Miguel yelled, starting over to Kyler and Brucks' table Hawk and Demetri right on his tail.

"I'll go check on her," Aisha informed Demetri as she jogged from the cafeteria.

Demetri got in between Miguel, Hawk, Kyler and Brucks before there was an all out brawl.

"Your sister is a sleazy whore," Kyler snarled over Demetri's shoulder. "I'm surprised she didn't get with all this when she had the chance." Kyler waved his hands all along his body.

"That's it!" Miguel shouted, jumping for the boys. Hawk was right beside him.

"Maria?" Aisha knocked softly on the only stall door with sobs coming from behind it.

"Go away," Maria begged, wiping her eyes. "Please, Aisha, go away."

"It's just a rumor," The African American girl whispers to her. "No one actually believes it."

"Really?" Maria snarled, losing control. "Just a rumor? The whole school seemed to believe it pretty damn well!"

"They just need something to laugh at." Aisha assured. "They'll get over it."

A group of younger girls entered the bathroom, giggling wildly. They stopped short when they saw Aisha and heard Maria.

"Lesbos," One of the girls whispers, and they all burst out laughing again.

"Get the hell out of here!" Aisha snarls. "Pussy asses!"

The girls leave the bathroom looking terrified.

Hawk, Demetri, and Miguel stormed the halls, looking for Maria and Aisha. They didn't even care that they left a bloody and bruised Kyler and Brucks behind in a shocked cafeteria. Even Demetri was angry. How could someone do that to Maria? All she was to anybody was nice.

The three boys watched a group of younger girls leave a bathroom, looking around wildly. "She's crazy!" One claimed as they walked away, shoes clicking on the tiled floors.

The boys immediately knew that that was the bathroom Maria and Aisha were in, and despite the fact that it was the ladies room, they entered without hesitation.

"She won't come out," Aisha explained as the boys rushed over.

"M -" Hawk cut Miguel off, stepping forward with a sort of gentleness that the Ecuadorian boy didn't know he possesed.

"Can I?" He inquired, and Miguel along with Demetri and Aisha stepped back. Hawk leaned against the door of the stall, listening to the sobs rack his girlfriends body. "Maria? Baby, please talk to us. You don't have to come out, just explain to us what's going on. Please, sweetheart."

The four waited for Maria to reply, and for a moment she didn't. "He's the one that drove me home from the dance. He's Yasmine's step brother, that's how she got the picture. I'm in a huge fight with my mom right now, and I slept at his place last night. I promise you all he's just a friend." Maria let out a strangled sob so she could finish her explanation.

Hawk felt an eminence amount of worry lift off his shoulders. He doesn't know why he ever thought she would cheat on him. It slapped him across the face hard, the fact that he almost didn't trust her.

"Maria, come out." Miguel says gently, appearing at Hawks side.

"That's not all," She cuts them off. "Kyler and Brucks . . . they keep trying to corner me. They keep trying to get to me, and I don't know why." Maria's only speaking to her brother as she continues. "I hate it here, Miggy. The people in this bathroom are the only people that really care about me."

"Maria, you're not a whore." Demetri speaks up. "No matter what they say, you'll always be Maria to us. Nothing else."

"And, Hawk," Though Maria was in the stall, they all know she's addressing her boyfriend. "I'm so sorry about what happened before Miguel got into that fight with Kyler last month. I shouldn't have said those things."

"It's okay, babe," He whispers, pressing his head against the plastic of the door. "Please come out, Maria."

"I can't," She sobbed. "They're all waiting for me out there. It'll never stop. They'll never forget."

Hawk couldn't do it anymore. He couldn't listen to his girlfriend - the girl he loved with his entire being - cry her eyes out in the bathroom stall. Kyler wouldn't get away with this with just a black eye and a bloody nose. He would pay.

Hawk kicked the stalls, making all four rattle. "I'm going to kill him!" He shouted, storming towards the door. Someone caught his arm and he whipped around.

"Hawk, you can't just -" Miguel started.

"I'll kill him!" His voice was so furious, it was all you could hear. Miguel dropped his hand. "I'll kill him! I'll kill him! I'll kill him!"

Hawk punched the bathroom wall, leaving blood there. Despite the injury it caused, he punched the wall several more times, tears flooding in his eyes. How could someone do this? How could any sane person do this to another human being?

When Hawk finally stopped hitting the wall as if it were Kyler, his knuckles were bloody and raw, bleeding all over the floor. "Shit," He muttered, cradling his injured hands. Tears dampened his cheeks.

A lock clicked and his head whipped around to see Maria exit her stall slowly.

★★★

I don't know how I'd react if I were Maria. Would I flip out on Hawk? Would I be afraid of him? Would I run over and comfort him? I just don't know.
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Question: How would you react if you were Maria in this situation?