Battle Wounds

sixteen.

"I don't think I can eat another bite," Harper said through a mouthful of pizza.

Despite her statement, she broke off another piece of crust and dunked it in the marinara sauce before eating it. She chewed slowly, instantly regretting taking another bite of food after having polished off four slices of pizza. Piling up her used napkins and the sauce container on top of her plate, she pushed it away. Just in case she got the unwise urge to eat more.

"I know. I don't think I've ever been this full," Demetri said with a groan as he decided against finishing off the slice.

Harper took a sip of her Coke, which was more ice water than actual soda. She leaned back against the booth of the pizzeria they were sitting in and squinted as a familiar song came on. But between the sounds of the staff yelling at each other and other conversations around them, it was difficult to make out what song it actually was.

She glanced out the window where the sun was already low in the sky. The days were getting shorter and cooler with fall quickly approaching. Despite it not getting as cold as in other parts of the country, autumn was still one of her favorite seasons. All of the holidays and decorations always brought a smile to her face even if they were centered around the one thing she didn't have: family.

Or didn't have until now.

Because now she had a family even if it did take over a decade for it to happen. This would be the first fall and winter where she wouldn't dread spending the holidays alone or with people who couldn't give a shit about her.

A smile tugged at her lips from just the thought.

That smile faltered when her mind cruelly reminded her that she had yet to tell her friends about Hawk. She'd tried. She really did but Sam's comment the other day terrified her that she'd lose everything if she told the truth.

But that was bound to happen either way because if she didn't tell then Kreese would. If her friends found out from someone other than her, it would definitely be worse. So she would have to be the one to fake courage and tell.

Just... not tonight.

For now, all she wanted was a night out with Demetri.

She nodded along while Demetri talked about a comic book he'd finished reading and pretended like she knew what he was talking about. Her phone buzzing with a text interrupted the conversation, and she smiled apologetically before looking at the screen.

"Oh, wow. You have to see this!" She said once she typed up a quick reply to Sam. Holding her phone out to him, she watched for his reaction to the pictures Sam sent over.

"I still can't believe they're actually on a date. Like together," he said with a light shake of his head, looking at the pictures of Sam and Robby in 80's attire. "Please don't ever delete these. It's- " His expression turned puzzling when another buzz announced a new message. "Hey, why is Eli texting you?"

Panic alarms went off around her.

No, no, no, no.

Harper took her phone back but only Sam's message appeared on the screen. From the looks of it, he only saw the notification and not what the text said. It made the situation better but only by a fraction. Because now Demetri knew that she talked to Hawk. The longer she sat there like a deer in headlights, the more suspicious it would seem. But she had no explanation for it unless something came to her in the next two seconds.

"I... I mean, he's just- " Harper stumbled over her words while Demetri waited for a reply. Just think of something! Her mind screamed at her. "He stole my number from Miguel's phone. That's what Miguel said, so Hawks just..."