Lost in Hollywood

Just Desserts

"So, how is Sky? Is she doing any better?"

Demetri's question dropped Hawk back into the moment and he dragged his eyes off Cody's locker which they had just passed. The janitor had removed the flowers, but the photos, cards, and letters that still covered the door, always felt like a punch in the gut, and yet, every time Hawk walked past them, he had to look.

Trying to hide the emotion that squeezed his chest he pushed his hands into the pockets of his jeans and cleared his throat.

"Sky? Yeah. I guess."

"She said anything about coming back to school?"

"That she wasn't ready yet," Hawk nodded toward Cody's locker. "Something about not wanting to see all that stuff."

"Understandable. But still— it's been a week."

They had stopped walking, and Demetri leaned on the wall dropping his backpack on the floor next to his feet. Hawk did the same and stuffed his hands into the pockets of his hoodie. History - that was their next class - the only one Hawk shared with Demetri in this period. And more than ever Hawk wished he could just skip it - not because he despised history, but because waiting for the teacher in this hallway meant he had to walk past Cody's locker.

"I know," Hawk replied, turning his eyes to his sneakers, bright red against the gray of the floor.

It wasn't that he didn't agree with Demetri on the fact that Sky should come back to school, to karate, to her friends. But Demetri hadn't seen Sky the day Cody had shot himself. He hadn't seen her covered in blood, crying her eyes out, hadn't seen how she had been the days that followed when Hawk had feared Cody's death would claim her life too. A week was a short time to recover from something like that. If walking past Cody's locker hit Hawk like a punch in the face, he didn't even want to imagine how Sky would feel seeing it.

"It would do Sky good to get something else to think about. You should ask her to come to the drive-in with us on Friday. To watch Bloodsport. I know, I know, that genre hardly is my favorite but Sensei Lawrence did encourage us all to see it, and I shall give it the benefit of the doubt for the unanimity of the team."

Hawk glared at Demetri with an annoyed frown. "Bloodsport? Are you fucking kidding me? You think Sky wants to see that kinda shit right now? She was fucking covered in Cody's blood—"

Demetri grimaced and ran a hand through his black hair. "Alright, maybe I didn't think that through— but I still think she needs an excuse to get out of the house. The longer she stays home, the harder it becomes for her to go out."

"Yeah. I agree. But come on— Bloodsport?"

"Please tell me you at least are coming," Demetri sounded almost desperate. "Yasmine already said she wouldn't do it for a million dollars, and I need some moral support to get through that film."

"I dunno," Hawk muttered, turning his attention to his sneakers. "Maybe."

He didn't need to say it out loud - they both knew where his priorities lay at the moment. If Sky needed him with her, that's where he would be.

"So— are you guys like dating now?" Demetri asked after a short silence, making Hawk roll his eyes.

"What's with all the questions? Who made you the fucking inquisitor?"

"No one. Just call me a concerned citizen who is worried about the both of you. And Yasmine is driving me crazy with all her questions - you know that Sky isn't answering her calls or mine? In fact, she's not answering anyone's calls or messages, hasn't in a week."

Hawk couldn't hide his irritation. He hoped the teacher would come already, hoped Demetri would shut up, hoped the kids in the hallway stopped looking at him, at them, in a way that made Hawk feel like they were talking about him behind his back. He felt tense, annoyed, like ants were crawling under his skin.