Darkson High

1.7

Kyle stormed down the hallway, his fists clenched tight, face flushed with anger. His cheek still throbbed from Nikky's slap, and the memory of Jake's cold stare sent waves of fury through him.

Maggie hurried after him, her breath quick and worried.

"Kyle, slow down!" Maggie called, grabbing his arm, trying to pull him to a stop.

Kyle jerked his arm free, turning to face her with a glare. "Don't tell me to slow down, Maggie! Did you see what he did? Thinks he can just waltz back in here and act like he owns the place!"

Shanti and Maria caught up, both of them sharing a nervous glance. Shanti, always observant, noticed the way Kyle's hands shook with barely restrained rage.

She didn't like it. Not one bit.

"Kyle, you need to calm down," Shanti said, her voice steady, though there was a hint of urgency in it. "Jake's not the same as he was before. You saw it too, right? He's... different."

Kyle scoffed, the sound bitter. "Different? He's still the same arrogant punk he always was, only now he thinks he's tougher. He's not gonna get away with this."

Maria, who usually brushed off tension with a joke, stayed silent, her usual bright expression dimmed by what they'd witnessed.

She finally spoke up, her voice quieter than usual. "Kyle, Jake wasn't just messing around. There was something seriously off about him. Did you see how he looked at Nikky? It was like... like he was ready to snap."

Maggie stepped closer to Kyle, placing a hand on his arm, trying to ground him. "Kyle, listen to them. I know you're mad, but getting into it with Jake isn't going to solve anything. He's dangerous now. Really dangerous."

Kyle's jaw tightened. He glanced at Maggie, his eyes still blazing with defiance. "What, you think I'm scared of him? I'm not letting him get away with this, Maggie. I'm not backing down."

Maggie sighed, dropping her hand from his arm, feeling a mix of frustration and worry.

"It's not about being scared, Kyle. It's about being smart. We don't know what he's been through or why he's come back like this, but we need to be careful. The last thing we need is to get involved in whatever he's planning."

Shanti leaned against a nearby locker, arms crossed, her brow furrowed in thought. "Jake's always been trouble, but today felt different. He's back with something to prove, and it's not just about picking up where he left off."

Maria nodded, fidgeting with the strap of her bag. "Yeah, and it's not just about you, Kyle. If Jake's really here to settle scores, he's not gonna stop with you. He's gonna drag everyone down with him."

Kyle looked at them, his frustration battling with the cold logic of their words.

He knew they were right, but his pride was wounded, and the thought of backing down made his blood boil.

"I'm not afraid of him," he repeated, though the words lacked the force they had before.

Maggie met his gaze, her expression softening. "I know you're not. But that doesn't mean you should walk into a fight you can't win. Let's just be smart about this, okay?"

Kyle didn't answer, his thoughts churning, but he didn't push past them either.

Instead, he glanced down the hallway, where the altercation had just taken place. His jaw tightened, but he stayed put, for now.

Maggie let out a small sigh of relief, exchanging a glance with Shanti and Maria. They weren't out of the woods yet, but at least, for the moment, Kyle wasn't rushing headlong into disaster.