-ＤＡＵＮＴＬＥＳＳ- 𝑗𝑜ℎ𝑛𝑛𝑦 𝑙𝑎𝑤𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒

𝟗 • 𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑 𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐒𝐔𝐑𝐄

🅤🅝🅓🅔🅡 🅟🅡🅔🅢🅢🅤🅡🅔
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I flip my pencil between my fingers repeatedly out of boredom and attempt to focus on whatever physics equation our teacher was explaining today. I noticed Bobby glancing at me occasionally, but I refused to look back at him.

We haven't spoken since Halloween night and I don't plan on doing so anytime soon. I trusted him and now he's no better than Dutch in my mind; Tommy too.

Daniel hasn't told Ali anything about yesterday and only the bare minimum details of the night before. He says he doesn't want her worrying about him, but I think he's just pushing her away to keep her out of it all.

At lunch, Daniel's eyes flicker to mine when the cobras enter the cafeteria. I shrug it off and a few minutes later, stand up to fill my bottle at the water fountain at the front of the room.

Apparently, Tommy takes this as an opportunity since he almost instantaneously shows up beside me. "Can I talk to you?" I go to speak and repeat the same thing I said to Johnny the day prior, but he cuts me off. "And before you say no and get all mad, can I please just explain everything?" He pleads with hopeful eyes.

"You get two minutes tops, talk," I reply sternly, holding my bottle under the irritatingly slow stream of water.

"Okay, I know you hate me right now, but I need you to listen."

"I don't hate you, Tommy. I just don't favor speaking to you any more than I do Lawrence, now." I clarify and his face scrunches up.

"Damn, that's a low blow." He lets out an airy laugh.

"A well-deserved one."

"You have to understand, Johnny is very good at karate and I can't even imagine being on his level sometimes. So, when he's angry and wants to do something he'll do it no matter what. Nothing would change that, not even my opposition." He explains, but it doesn't affect me like he wants it to.

"You didn't need to do anything. It's the fact you held me back from doing so myself. I could've handled it." I finally make eye contact with him and he hangs his head back in hesitation.

"I just didn't want you getting involved." He admits,

"I already was when I took out Dutch. I would've been fine if you'd just let me go-"

"I didn't want to see you get hurt, okay? I was scared and it was the only thing I could think of." He blurts and a part of me felt thankful for Tommy yet, the other fumed at the thought of not being independent.

"You were scared of me involving myself with Johnny, but not of me joining the dojo?" I question, leaning on the fountain.

"That's two completely different things." Tommy defends himself. "The dojo is contained, out there it would've been a free for all." He glances to the side for a moment. "Listen, if you really want any of this to stop, you have to accept the deal. Johnny's persistent and the only person he listens to is sensei, barely even his parents most of the time." He informs me in a serious tone. "You're making it worse for yourself. They know they're getting to you, Sam."

"Okay, I'll think about it." I nod, screwing the lid back onto my water bottle as he begins walking away.

"And I'm sorry for the other night. I know you're still mad so you don't have to accept it, but just know that I am." He apologizes, returning to the table of cobras.

Not too long after, I sit back in my seat and slide my bottle back into my backpack. "You okay, Sam?" Ali asks, turning to the group of boys that stare at our table. "Are they still giving you guys trouble?" She begins to stand up in agitation. "I'm gonna go talk to him."