little bird // r.keene

xxvi. later.

Everyone watched as Yasmine stalked away, still cupping her nose in her left hand. Some people cheered, other's laughed, Wren managed to muster a small victorious smile and yet, deep down she didn't feel all that victorious.

Not in the slightest.

Her heartbeat was hammering in her ears and she could feel her heart beat in her throat, practically choking her. She took a deep breath and licked her lips and when she turned, Hawk was stood right infront of her, his arm outstretched, offering her a steady hand but she didn't take it.

"Woah, hey, you okay?" He asked comfortingly and Wren just nodded, "What happened?" He asked and she spied Moon behind Hawk, as if waiting for her right moment to come over but giving the couple some space.

"Nothing, I promise... I'm fine. She was just talking shit and someone needed to put her in her place. Remember what I said about confidence Hawk? The first day we met?" She asked, smirking up at him, Hawk smiled playfully but shook his head.

"Tell me."

"Confidence can get you a lot further than being bullied." Hawk looked to his feet, as if the memory of their meeting gave him butterflies, and it did.

But still, looking down at her now, he didn't believe she was okay. Over the time he had known Wren, Hawk had come to realise when she was unhappy or offended, she made it known. It was all appart of what he loved about her. But despite this, he could see, maybe better than any of their friends, that there were somethings in her past that were untouchable.

It had been on his mind a lot... How little he knew about her life before she moved here, her parents, where she lived or who this friend was that she kept seeing outside of school and karate- like the first day they met...

"I'd like to but I'm going to visit an old friend, maybe some other time?"

That is what she had said... and yet she had never spoken about her friend to him. Hawk kept reassuring himself back then if it was something bad, Wren would confide in him and yet... He was still waiting on the day where she opened up to him. She had seen him at his lowest, a loser and a freak and because of this, it made him incredibly aware he had never seen her with her walls down.

The were always up and guarded.

That's not what Hawk wanted. Not what Eli wanted. He wanted her to feel safe and trusted. But he was sure, whatever Yasmine had said, had triggered something.

It would be a lie if he said he didn't want to know what.

Hawk looked down at her, still standing there and noticed her bloody knuckle from the fight. Well, it wasn't really a fight... from the punch, he had seen it. Hard and fast.

"Let me get you some tissue." He offered and began to turn when her felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Don't worry about it... Go enjoy the party, I'm going to look after Miguel for a little bit. I'll find you later. Okay?" She asked and Hawk reluctantly nodded, she smoothed her hand behind his neck and kissed him softly.

No longer sweet like earlier, she tasted sharp and metallic. Blood. Wren had been biting the inside of her mouth, he knew it in an instant but even as she pulled away, he didn't mention it. When she wanted to talk about whatever was going on with her, she would. Right?

"Hey, sorry about that- how are you feeling?" Wren asked Miguel, crouching in front of where he was now sat on a nearby log. He looked slightly dazed to Wren, as if he was right here and yet his mind and thoughts were a million miles away.

"Who's Rue?" He leaned his head up and she could only see half his face in the fire light, he still clutched a beer bottle in one hand. She could smell the alcohol radiating off of him and it made her stomach churn. Ever since she was little she had always hated alcohol... she pushed away the memory.

"An old friend of mine, she moved away. Yasmine was just trying to poke at me, nothing to worry about Miguel." She told him gently, knowing Miguel wasn't entirely in charge of his tongue at that current moment.

"Yasmine said she died."

"Yeah, well Yasmine can eat shit..." Wren said in a long breath, pushing herself up from her crouch, looking down at Miguel, "Okay? Now lets get you some water." Wren offered Miguel a hand and helped him up, he swayed slightly but continued to finish his drink. "Come on, Miggy, let's sober you up." She said jokingly, wrapping an arm around him with her bloody knuckles. She knew he was just trying to drink away the thought of Sam and she felt sorry for him.

He was in love.

The pair were stood by the fire when Miguel stuck his head up suddenly.

"I need help with this." They hear a girl laughing and Wren followed his eyes sight to where they spied Sam running down the grass bank a little far off with a boy, holding his hand as they went to steady each other. Wren felt her heart sink as she looked back over to Miguel, who looked shattered.

"Miguel, don't you dare."  But it didn't matter, he had already shed her arm and was walking over to the two teenagers. "Oh fuck." She followed him over to make sure he didn't stumble or do anything he might regret.