𝖫𝗈𝗏౿ᑲ𝗈ოᑲ -𝖤ᥣꪱᜒ 𝖬𝗈ડƙ𝗈⍵ꪱᜒ𝗍ʑ

1.4

Seated alongside Demetri and Eli, the twins listened as their teacher delivered a lecture on cyberbullying. "I'm not going to name names, but the other day a mother called me because her son was in tears over mean things kids posted online about his facial disfigurement," she disclosed. As murmurs rippled through the classroom, all eyes seemed to turn towards Eli, who instinctively covered his lip, his gaze fixed on the table. Hazel felt a surge of anger welling up inside her, resisting the urge to confront the source of the whispers head-on.

"You know, if you're sick of being bullied, my karate dojo is looking for recruits," Miguel leaned over to offer Eli a lifeline.

"Yeah, right. You hear that, Eli? Learn karate and you'll be kicking some major ass," Demetri chimed in, his sarcasm thick in the air. Hazel shot him a pointed look before delivering a swift kick to his leg, silencing his mocking tone.

"He's serious, Demetri. Sensei is the real deal. I'm sure I could get you both discounts," Hazel interjected, leaning back in her chair with a determined expression. But Demetri remained unconvinced, dismissing the idea with a wave of his hand. "As enticing as that sounds, I think we'd rather spend our day playing Crucible Control than getting punched in the face," he retorted.

Frustrated by the banter between Miguel and Demetri, Hazel turned her attention to Eli, seeking his opinion. "What about we ask Eli for his opinion?" she suggested, her irritation evident in her tone.

Turning towards Eli, she awaited his response. But instead of a confident reply, Eli merely shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. I don't think I'll be good enough," he admitted quietly, his voice tinged with uncertainty.

As the teacher shifted the discussion to the upcoming Halloween dance and acceptable costume ideas, Hazel couldn't shake the feeling of disappointment. Despite her efforts to offer support, Eli's lack of confidence served as a stark reminder of the challenges he faced.

"Are you guys coming to the Halloween dance?" Hazel inquired between bites of her hamburger. Moon had suggested she dress as a cheerleader, but when she brought it up, Yasmine's disdain for the idea was palpable, prompting Hazel to graciously decline.

Eli nodded in response, eliciting a smile from Hazel. She was relieved he would be attending, as she had hoped to spend time with him at the event. "It depends. Are you asking me out?" a grating voice interrupted Hazel's thoughts.

"I'm definitely not asking you out, Demetri, never." Hazel replied, rolling her eyes as she returned her attention to her phone.

"So you're saying you'd not ask me, but you'd ask Eli?" Demetri countered with a mischievous grin, attempting to provoke a reaction from Hazel.

Hazel immediately shook her head in exasperation at Demetri's teasing. "No, Demetri, I'm not asking Eli out either," she clarified, shooting him a pointed look, as she internally started panicking.

However, her amusement quickly faded when she noticed the hint of sadness in Eli's eyes. Sensing his discomfort, Hazel hurriedly added, "It's not that I wouldn't ask him. I was just wondering if my besties were going." She shot Eli an apologetic smile, hoping to reassure him.

Before the conversation could continue, Miguel interjected with a hint of jealousy in his voice. "Yeah, and remember, we agreed that you two are not allowed to date my sister," he reminded Demetri and Eli, shooting him a warning glare.

-

After several days of intense training at the dojo, it was finally time to unwind and enjoy the Halloween dance. Johnny had handed Miguel a stupid skeleton costume. Meanwhile, Hazel had opted for a costume inspired by Cher from "Clueless."

As they approached Demetri and Eli, Demetri offered a nod of approval at Miguel's classic skeleton costume. "Skeleton. Classic. Nice," he remarked before turning his attention to Hazel. "And what are you? A sexy student?" he quipped, eyeing her costume.

Hazel scoffed at the suggestion. "What? No. I'm Cher from Clueless. The fact that I'm naturally sexy is unintentional," she retorted with a self-assured grin. Eli admired her confidence, though Hazel paid little attention as Miguel and Demetri launched into an argument about something trivial.

Feeling a wave of panic wash over her, Hazel turned to Eli with wide eyes. "What is this guy talking about? Is it too much?" she asked anxiously, seeking reassurance.

Eli shook his head, finding the entire situation nonsensical. "I liked it. It's pretty— I mean, everything is pretty on you," he admitted quietly, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment as he hoped Miguel wouldn't overhear and start another argument.

"Thanks. I like your costume. A doctor," Hazel complimented, examining Eli more closely.

"I'm a plastic surgeon. I fix lips," Eli replied, keeping his mask in place. Hazel furrowed her brows, disliking that he seemed insecure about his lips.

"Well, I hope not yours because I really like them just the way they are," Hazel remarked, taking a step closer to Eli and offering him a warm smile.

Eli's confusion was evident as he frowned. "You do?"

Hazel smiled reassuringly and gently touched his mask, silently seeking his permission to remove it. Eli nodded, and Hazel carefully lifted the mask. "See? This is better. Now, let's go dance," she suggested, eager to move past the awkward moment.

As they made their way to the dance floor, Eli couldn't shake the feeling of contentment that washed over him. Hazel's genuine acceptance and encouragement had lifted his spirits in a way he hadn't expected, and he found himself grateful for her friendship.

Lost in the rhythm of the music and the joy of the moment, Eli let himself relax, enjoying the simple pleasure of dancing with his friends. And as he glanced over at Hazel, her laughter echoing in the air, he couldn't help but feel grateful for her presence in his life.

The boys had disappeared into the bathroom, leaving Hazel to mingle with a random girl from her class. Eventually, she gravitated towards the snack table, where she found Aisha standing alone.

"Hey there! Are you enjoying the dance?" Hazel asked, a playful laugh escaping her lips as she snagged a bite of food.

Aisha shrugged in response, her expression somewhat downtrodden as she continued to munch on her snack. "Not really," she admitted quietly.

Hazel let out a sympathetic sigh. "Well, it seems my friends have gotten lost in a maze on their way to the bathroom, so I'm flying solo too," she explained, her tone tinged with disappointment. "But hang tight. I'll grab us some punch."

Leaving Aisha at the snack table, Hazel ventured off in search of refreshments. As she made her way back, her phone buzzed with a new message. It was from Yasmine—an unsettling video of Aisha eating, accompanied by a pig emoji. Hazel's heart sank as she glanced over at Aisha, her stomach churning with anger and concern.

Determined to confront Yasmine, Hazel excused herself and followed Aisha outside the gym. But by the time she reached the empty corridor, Aisha was nowhere to be found.

Panic rising within her, Hazel scanned the area frantically, her eyes landing on Johnny, who was holding onto something—or rather, someone—tightly. Her heart leaped into her throat as she realized it was her brother, Miguel, cradled in Johnny's arms and bearing the marks of a brutal beating.