Rodrick's Perspective

You know, in movies they always show how much it hurts to get punched, but they never show how much it hurts to punch somebody yourself. Which is why I wasn't expecting my hand to feel as shitty as it does right now. My knuckles are bloody but I can't tell if it's from my hand or this asshole's swollen lip. I don't have much time to figure it out before he shoves me into a locker, jolting me back to reality. My head hits the metal —hard—and I narrowly dodge his next swing, which lands against the locker door to my left. People are starting to swarm around at the sound of the commotion, already getting their phones out to film it. Well, I guess I've just gotten myself into another fight. Deciding not to lose twice this week, I hit him again-this time definitely bruising my knuckles-and knock him on his ass.

He just laughs, spitting blood out between wheezes. "You punch like a bitch, Heffley." I hit him again, and this time he doesn't find it nearly as funny. The crowd grows restless, chattering in excitement with each swing thrown.

"You know, you try so hard with your stupid little band and your fucking eyeliner, but you're never gonna be anything more than you were when you got here." Well now he's done it. I'm on him in an instant. I couldn't stop myself even if I wanted to.

Y/N's Perspective

School hasn't even started yet and there's already something stirring up in the halls. I swear to god, if I'm late to Chemistry one more time because of another fight, I'm gonna snap. I can't afford to keep pissing off Mr. Montgomery and score myself detention again. Last time, I was almost late picking up my brother from school, he kept me there so late. I slam my locker door shut and head towards the science classroom.

People are lining the hallway, talking excitedly amongst themselves. It gets harder and harder to make my way through them and soon I have to start shoving kids out of my way. I'm met with a wall of people near the end of the hallway and I find the source of all the chaos: a lanky boy with messy black hair wailing on this jock who looks like he's gonna pass out. Everyone either seems to be cheering or filming the fight, as if they had nothing better to do with their time. I frown in irritation. All I want is to be able to get to my damn class without an obstacle course; is that so much to ask for?

I attempt to make my way around the crowd to avoid the fight, but through all the commotion, I'm shoved directly into the circle and against the black haired boy. Oh, fuck. He whirls around, stunned and racing with adrenaline, prepared for another aggressor. He hesitates for a moment once he sees me, as if I've distracted him, and just as he's turning his attention back to the jock, he's suddenly sprawled across the floor. The jock finally gains the upper hand, ruthlessly beating the boy until his lip busts open and blood runs down his temple and chin. The crowd is in hysterics.

My feet start moving before my mind can fully catch up and I'm reaching to rip the jock off him. But before I can intervene, he rises and stands triumphantly over the boy, holding a pair of wooden drumsticks. The boy's eyes widen in horror as he snaps them in half, throwing them at his feet.

In one last moment of malice, the jock spits on him and sneers. The crowd of students roar with laughter, but I don't join them in their cruelty. The boy attempts to pull himself up off the floor.

"Don't get up." The jock tells him, pushing past me as the crowd starts to dissipate.

The bell for first period rings, and Mr. Montgomery emerges from his classroom to penalize any students coming in late, which just so happens to now include me. My eyes flicker from the bleeding boy to the classroom door in hesitation, debating on what I should do. He looks me up and down with an emotion I can't quite place before picking himself up, along with the broken drum sticks. I don't say anything to him. Instead I just hurry to Mr. Montgomery's door and begrudgingly accept my detention slip, pushing the boy with the messy hair to the back of my mind.

After all, ionic bonds are calling.