don't blame me [eli "hawk" moskowitz]

EIGHT. TWENTY-SEVEN STEPS

CHAPTER EIGHT: TWENTY-SEVEN STEPS
❝ strike hard ❞

     ARRIVING at school, Molly parked her car in the student parking lot with a small sigh. She worried about Eli most of the ride to school since he had been so quiet the entire time. Her worries multiplied when he quickly let the other two, saying he had to speak with Demetri before class started. He left with a small wave, walking away with his head down.

"He's not big on talking to new people," Molly said to Miguel as they began walking towards the school together. "Let me see your schedule."

The Diaz boy complied, pulling his schedule out of the small pocket of his backpack. Molly looked it over, smiling after a few moments.

"We have first and third period together," she informed him. "I can show you to your second period. It's on my way to mine."

"Thanks, Molly," Miguel smiled down at the girl as they walked into the building. "What way do we go right now?"

Molly nodded her head to the left silently, crossing her arms in front of her chest as Miguel followed her. Several feet away on their right stood Demetri and Eli, watching the duo from Reseda intently.

"I can see why you're worried," Demetri said as he looked back to Eli. "And you said he's the kid she's doing karate with?"

"Yeah," Eli nodded as he looked at the ground. "I had a nightmare last night too."

"About what? Molly dating her pretty boy neighbor?" Demetri sarcastically questioned before noticing the look on his friend's face. "Worse than that?"

"Kyler was being a jerk but Molly was with him. Like not just dating him but joining in," Eli said with a shrug. "She called me 'shit lip.'"

Demetri sighed as he hung his head.

"You know she would never do that," he said as he set a hand on Eli's shoulder. "She's not like that."