"So, you're actually surviving the whole back-and-forth?" Shane asked, his voice slightly raised over the noise of the cafe as teenagers claimed the tables around them.
The conversations and laughter around them drowned out the music that played through the speakers at an unusually loud volume. The place was as packed as Harper anticipated it would be for after school, but she didn't mind. The chaos was a bit unnerving, but it helped drown out her thoughts. It helped her focus on Shane, who she hadn't seen in months.
When he'd first suggested meeting up, Harper's anxiety had been through the roof. Her thoughts swirled with panicked what-if's and worst case scenarios when, in reality, he just wanted to check-in with her. It was all routine, but not to her. Every time she'd seen Shane in the past, it had been bad news whether it was being moved to a different foster home, the whole mess with juvie and then when she found out that Ryan was trying to get his parental rights reinstated, putting her adoption with the Hudsons on pause.
A regular check-in wasn't something she was used to.
Even now, sitting across from him in an overcrowded cafe, her defenses remained up.
She was waiting for the other shoe to drop, for the world to crack under her feet and drag her down in a direction that she was unprepared for.
But that didn't happen. She was still sitting here, drinking her coffee and her world wasn't falling apart.
"Yeah. I mean, it's not really that bad," Harper replied, remembering how against living with Ryan she'd been at first.
The very idea had felt like a death sentence — another way to control her. But now… she actually looked forward to it. They'd fallen into their own rhythm where her stays no longer felt awkward or forced. It was still difficult to leave one family behind for the other, but she felt like she belonged in both worlds. Or, at least, she hoped she did.
"Really?" Shane sat back in his chair and took a long sip of his coffee, watching her with that same scrutiny she'd gotten used to over the years.
"Yeah, really," Harper said with a shrug.
Shane tilted his head, a slow grin spreading across his face. "I honestly thought you'd bolt the second the judge said you'd have to live with Ryan. But, you didn't," he commented. "I only met him a couple of times, and he seems —"
"Immature and oblivious to everything around him?" Harper cut him off with a smirk.
Shane let out a laugh, nodding. "Yeah, I kinda got that impression, too. But he's been treating you well, right? I know your whole relationship with him is really complicated but, if there's anything I need to know, tell me. I promise I'll help, and not just because it's my job. I've known you for like, what, five years already? I actually care about what happens to you."
Harper's smile faded for a second, the weight behind his words throwing her off. He was her social worker. And it was his job to make sure that she was settling in okay, but he was so different from the others who'd been assigned to her case. To the other three social workers who promised they cared, promised that the next home would be better and safer, she was nothing but a file to them. Just a "job" where they checked off their to-do list and went on with their day, not caring if she was safe or even happy.
But Shane was different. He might still wear rose-colored glasses, he might still be naive enough to believe that the system gave a shit about foster kids, but what made him different was that he actually cared. He checked in. He didn't just do his job, he did more. Shane was the adult whose job it was to make sure she was okay, but he didn't overlook the part of her life that was a dumpster fire. He saw it for what it was. When she screwed up — like taking a golf club to Ryan's car and ending up in juvie — he was frustrated. Not because it made his job harder or because he had more paperwork to do but because he actually cared.
While he messed up at times, Harper trusted him.
"Harper?" Shane pressed, catching the hesitancy as she glanced around the cafe.
"It's fine," she answered, but he was watching her. Waiting for her to continue because apparently 'fine' didn't cut it. He wouldn't let her stop at that simple answer because he wanted the details. Sighing, she sat back in her seat and mimicked his position. "You're so annoying."
"Yeah, I know," he said lightly before leaning forward and resting his arms on the table. "So, everything is fine? What does that mean?"
"It's… he's different, okay?" Harper rolled her eyes, hating how these talks always made her open up. It felt like a therapy session she never signed up for. "Like, I know I hated the idea of living with Ryan. I mean, he didn't want me, you know? So I just… I was gonna do this because the court decided it was a fantastic idea. But I don't hate it. I don't hate him like I thought I would. He's kinda clueless sometimes but it feels like he's actually trying."
Shane just smiled. A genuine smile, not like the robotic smiles everyone from CPS always wore. "That's great, Harper. I know things got complicated with Ryan coming back into your life but, I'm happy for you," he said. "I knew it would work out."
"Thanks," Harper mumbled, taking a sip of her coffee as if she could disappear into the liquid.
She didn't know why she was feeling so defensive in her answers or why admitting the truth felt like it would cost her everything. Her foster family knew her thoughts about Ryan, but this felt different. Because whether she liked it or it, this would be put into her file. It's not like the court gave a shit about her opinions and feelings but it would still be in there, filed away for later.
Her phone buzzed on the table, her screen lighting up with a text. A small smile pulled at her lips as Hawk's name appeared on the screen. He was checking in. He was always checking in but never making it obvious. Never straight up asking if everything was okay. This time, he wanted to know whether she went with an iced coffee or a hot latte that she would complain about getting hours after she burned herself.
Of course, she went with an iced drink. She'd learned her lesson multiple times.
But the subtle ways he always looked out for her brought a smile to her face. Harper knew that Hawk cared – he proved it time and time again. But it still filled her hesitant heart with fear because she wasn't used to this. Used to someone stepping in when she needed it or when she didn't even know she needed it. But she was aware that something had shifted between them over the last couple of days. It was right after that disastrous soccer game. Right after Demetri had told Hawk something that changed things, and she had no idea what it was. Because now Hawk was paying her more attention than usual – he stared just a little too long and always seemed to be touching her as if he just needed to be as close to her as possible. It confused the hell out of her, but she didn't hate it.
Harper just wasn't sure what to make of it yet.
"Is that the boyfriend?" Shane asked, nodding towards her phone. He chuckled at the look of horror that crossed her face. "It's kinda my job to know these things, you know."
"How is that even important?" Harper asked, quickly turning her phone over as it buzzed with another text.
"It's not. But, like I said, I care," he answered before lowering his voice. "And I already did my research on the kid. Hawk, right? Cobra Kai. Bad rep. So, let me just say this — if he does anything to hurt you, no matter how dumb, he'll have to deal with me. So, you can pass that message along to him."
Harper felt her face heat up, and she gripped her bracelet as if for dear life. "This is so embarrassing," she muttered, covering her hands with her face. It was bad enough that Hawk and Ryan basically bonded over thinly veiled threats, and Lucas hated everything about Hawk but now Shane was involved. And he had an opinion on them, too.
And that was just… perfect. In the most sarcastic way possible.
"Hey, I'm just looking out for you," he told her with a smile that looked far too amused. "It's kind of my job, remember?"
Harper glared at him over the rim of her cup, her cheeks still tinged pink. "Please tell me this isn't going in the file."
"Everything goes in the file," he said seriously before laughing. "I'm just messin with you."
"I hate you." Harper crossed her arms and sat back against the seat.
"You've got people that care, Harper, and that's a good thing. I'm really happy you're making a life for yourself here. You haven't exactly had the easiest path in life, but you're doing really good. It's okay to let your guard down a little bit and enjoy it," Shane said, his expression softening as he closed the folder before him. "I promise you that things will work out."
Harper nodded, glancing down at the bracelet that she spun around her wrist. He actually believed that, and it raised the stakes so much higher. Even now, after months of living with the Hudsons, she had one foot out the door. She still braced herself for the possibility that everything could be ripped away from her. She was a pro at being cautiously optimistic, but also knew that letting her guard down was the dumbest thing she could ever do. So while she was all smiles and settling into a life that she wanted, Harper was always prepared for the worst. It would make ripping off the band-aid less painful if the world wanted to play another cruel game of give and take.
"So, what happens now?" She asked, risking a glance at Shane. "With the custody thing and all that."
"The court's still working on it," Shane said with a sigh, and she could see the hint of exhaustion on his face. "It's not the easiest case they've been given. A foster kid who's getting adopted by their foster family? That's easy. But a foster kid who's getting adopted by their foster family while their biological dad wants to reinstate his parental rights? It's not exactly in the handbook. But I'm guessing that they'll make a decision soon. Probably within the next couple months or so."
A couple months.
That's how long Harper had to get used to the idea of living with one family over the other. It made her heart clench and race at the same time. She couldn't imagine leaving any of them behind – not her foster family, who had shown her that good families exist, or her dad who proved to her that one mistake didn't cancel out the fact that he loved her.
"Do I – I mean, who makes the decision about where I'll live?" Harper asked, her voice wavering as she tightened her hold on the bracelet.
Shane tilted his head in the way that he did when he was trying to read her. Could he see the apprehension on her face? The way the impending decision made her feel as if this was a life or death situation?
"The judge will. They'll review or continue reviewing Ryan's petition and do a few more controlled visits like this one to see what's best for you," he answered.
Harper snorted, rolling her eyes. Because the judge and the system care so much about what was best for her. If that had been the case, she wouldn't have lived with half of the foster families she'd been placed with over the years.
"So, it won't be up to me?" Harper asked, a quiet hesitance in her voice.
"Do you want it to be?" Shane countered.
Harper sighed, shaking her head. "No. I just – I don't think I could make that kind of decision."
The look that crossed Shane's face wasn't pity, it was understanding. And, somehow, that made it even worse. Harper looked away and tried to focus on something other than a life that she didn't own. The decision wasn't up to her, but did that even make it any easier to bear? Someone would get hurt – Lucas, Olivia, Cole, Ryan. Herself.
"No matter what happens, they'll still be in your life," Shane said, forcing her attention back on him. "I know this sucks, Harper. You don't deserve for any of this to be happening, but you have two families who love you. And that's something you never thought would happen. So just try to remember that, okay? Just because the court makes a decision, it doesn't mean you have to say goodbye to any of them. Family isn't just blood or paperwork."
Harper forced a shaky smile. The decision loomed over her, affecting her more than she was ready to admit. Doing so would only make the reality of this harder, and her heart was already cracking at the mere thought of it. She looked down to subtly blink back the tears before schooling her expression.
"So," Shane said, his voice more upbeat as he took a careful sip of his drink. "Everything else is okay? School. Friends."
"Yeah, everything's okay," Harper answered, the lie bitter on her tongue. Now wasn't the time to get into all of that, though. It would take too long to fill him in, and honestly, she didn't want to think about any of it. Didn't want to let the complexities of her friendship with Sam or those mindless rumors that continued to circulate the school overshadow the little good that she had in her life. She was choosing to focus on the positives, even if the negatives were constantly hounding her like a bad nightmare. "Maybe it's not exactly perfect but it could always be worse, right?"
Shane didn't press her for more details, and she was thankful for that. The conversation steered away from the heavy topics that constantly weighed on her mind towards mindless chatter – her recounting the second time Ryan almost set the microwave on fire making popcorn to Cole suddenly getting a keen interest in karate and, to Lucas and Olivia's dismay, copying the way Hawk talked and acted. Perhaps it wasn't deemed important for CPS to know, but it was the little things that mattered to her and made up for all the complications her life constantly faced.
The minutes passed by in a blur with her feeling more relaxed. Before she knew it, Shane was packing his bag with the promise that he would check in more often. That he would make sure that the court made the right decision, not just the easiest one.
"Do you need a ride home?" Shane asked, grabbing his empty coffee cup as he stood up and stretched.
"Ryan's picking me up later. I'm gonna work on some homework for a bit before he shows up, but thanks," Harper said.
He placed a hand on her shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. "Call if you need anything, okay? I'm only a phone call away so don't hesitate."
Harper promised she would, though they both knew that she wouldn't.
When Shane left, the cafe felt emptier despite the dozens of students and customers that filled the room. She wasn't sure if she felt reassured or not, but perhaps she was a little bit more hopeful that things would work out for the best. It didn't mean that she would let her guard down and allow herself the luxury of believing that a storm wouldn't come and knock her off balance, but she was ready to face it head on. Just like she was constantly reminded, she knew that she wasn't alone in this.
Picking up her phone, Harper read the other two messages from Hawk. One where he claimed with even more confidence (if that was at all possible) that he could kick anyone's ass after today's practice. The other message not-so-subtly reminded her to eat by suggesting she should order something for the both of them despite him not sitting across from her. Rolling her eyes, she typed out a quick message telling him to get off his high horse but promised that she'd take a snack for the road.
Shaking her head, she opened her notebook and wrinkled her nose at the homework that was yet to be started. It was due tomorrow, and she half-worried that it would take just as long to get it all finished. Even though she'd caught up after her suspension two months ago, the work continued to pile up. The teachers had a blatant disrespect towards the fact that other classes existed outside of their own when they assigned work. She wasn't one to give up so she tackled it like she did everything else in her life: by deflection.
She quietly sipped her coffee, her eyes wandering around the cafe at the familiar faces around her. The normalcy of this hit her like a punch. Because here she was – just another student spending a couple hours at the cafe afterschool, working on homework and worrying about normal things like school and replying to texts from a very annoying boyfriend.
The homework taunted her from the table, and she started to work after tying her hair up in a messy ponytail. Harper leaned over the notebook, doing her absolute best to stay focused. If she didn't get this done now, then chances are she'd be scrambling to finish it before class the next morning if the last few weeks were any indication. Now that her and Hawk were officially together, they seemed to spend even more time together than before. He would just "happen" to drive by her house and invite himself over much to Lucas's dismay or she'd find herself at his place where homework got replaced with a movie and mindless banter. Or, if it was really late, they opted for watching a movie from their respective bedrooms while talking until the middle of the night – usually until the movie ended or one of them fell asleep, whichever came first.
Her phone buzzed with another text, this time from Ryan letting her know he'd be a little late. She didn't mind as it would give her more time to finish this assignment and start on the next. As an apology, he promised to get them takeout from each of their favorite restaurants. Olivia was absolutely horrified that this was the meal plan she was surviving on for two weeks, but Harper promised that she was eating her vegetables. Because fries absolutely counted.
Harper closed her textbook with a heavy thud, a satisfied sigh escaping her lips at another assignment done. Her other classes consisted of projects that were due in a couple of weeks and a test that she managed to keep on top of studying for. She frowned at the half melted coffee that sat on the table, the drink more ice than coffee at this point but she still took a sip.
Amongst the few people that exited the cafe, two familiar faces walked in that made her pulse race.
Sam and Demetri.
They scanned the cafe before heading to the counter to order their drinks, and Harper avoided their gaze by burying her head in her book and hoping for them not to notice her. Or mainly, for Sam not to notice her.
They'd transitioned from bickering and tense comments to ignoring each other completely. It broke Harper's heart that it's what their friendship had come to, but the last thing she needed was for Sam to over analyze and criticize the one good relationship she had in her life just because she happened to disapprove.
Harper stared at the words on the page until they blurred together. She knew, deep down she knew, that avoiding them wouldn't be possible. The room barely held a handful of tables, all of them occupied, so the chances of getting spotted were high. That with the fact that there was only one exit that separated Harper from the outside also made the chances of avoidance unrealistic. But perhaps if she pretended to be engrossed in her math book, she could remain undetected.
"Where should we – Oh! There's a spot right there," Demetri's quiet voice somehow obnoxiously carried over the noise of the cafe. "Come on, Sam. Give it a break. We'll just sit there. Stop being dramatic."
Harper risked a look over the top of her notebook, her heart thudding in her chest as she watched with slow-motion horror that Demetri was physically dragging Sam across the cafe towards her table. Because of course he was. He towered over the other students, and spotting Harper hiding behind her book wasn't a difficult task for him. She straightened up, forcing a smile onto her face – not at Demetri, who continued to remain on her side despite everything, but at Sam who looked like she wanted to melt into the floor right then and there.
And, if she was being honest, so did she.
"Hey, look who it is. Harper. Our friend," Demetri said as he slid into the seat opposite her. "So what's – Same, come on. Just sit down."
Sam's glare burned a hole through Demetri's head as she let out a frustrated sigh before sitting beside him. She set her coffee down with extreme care while actively avoiding looking at Harper.
Demetri looked between them with an overly optimistic, yet somehow cartoonish, smile. He nodded his head as if this was all normal – because it should be – and let out a little sigh as he took a sip of his coffee. He winced, clearly burning his tongue, and Harper couldn't help the small smirk that tugged at her lips. Because this was exactly why she always avoided hot coffee. In moments of tension and awkwardness, taking a sip of your drink could prove to be beneficial unless it was absolutely scalding.
"Shit. I think I just lost all feeling in my tongue" he said, putting his cup down with a frown. "They don't joke about the whole 'caution: it's hot' message, do they?"
Sam snorted, rolling her eyes as she sipped on a smoothie.
"Do you have that math test next week, too?" Demetri asked, blatantly ignoring Sam's huffs of annoyance as he pulled the textbook towards him with a frown. "I'm dreading it. I mean, I know I'll pass because math is easy but all those formulas? My teacher's making us know them all by heart because when will we ever need to measure the diameter of a pool in real life?"
Harper wrinkled her nose at Demetri's comment about math being easy. Maybe it was for someone who didn't have to try too hard while she literally wanted to throw her book across the room each time she picked it up.
"We're allowed to have a small formula cheat sheet with us," Harper said, her voice quieter than normal, her eyes flicking to Sam as if talking alone would set her off.
And, sure enough, Sam rolled her eyes though she pretended to be invested on the picture collage covering the wall. "Gotta love teachers who condone cheating," she muttered quietly but it sounded as if she'd yelled it for the whole cafe to hear.
Harper narrowed her eyes, looping her finger through her bracelet as she spun it around her wrist. She bit her tongue, refusing to take the bait but knowing that her comment had an underlying message. It always did these days.
Demetri sighed dramatically, about to take another sip of his coffee before remembering getting burned. "Seriously? Have you ever thought of just, I don't know, not saying everything that comes to your mind? I constantly feel like I'm walking on landmines every time I'm around you two."
"Yeah, well, casualties happen," Sam said with a shrug.
"Because that's not something Cobra Kai would say," Harper said, the words tumbling out before she could stop them.
Sam slammed her drink down, the smoothie splashing up over the rim of the domed lid. "Funny coming from the girl who's literally sleeping with a monster."
The comment hit harder than Harper wanted to admit. Not because it was directed at her relationship with Hawk but because despite everything, it was Sam rounding up all the vicious rumors spread by Kyler and Jake and then throwing them in her face. It was Sam acknowledging that everything people said about Harper was true even though they knew it wasn't. She was used to people saying shit like that, but coming from Sam? From her former best friend? It felt as if the dagger was constantly being pushed into her heart.
"Jesus, Sam. What the hell?" Demetri said as he simultaneously choked and burned himself on the coffee. He held up a finger, dramatically fighting for dear life before looking between them with what could only be described as disappointment. "I thought we were done with this shit."
"I didn't start this," Sam said defensively, crossing her arms as she sat back in her seat.
"No, you just finished it," Harper said quietly, fighting to keep her words steady.
Demetri looked at a loss for words, his mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. But there was nothing he could say that would take back the cruelty of Sam's words, even if Harper's comment had started this new round of war between them.
Harper wanted nothing more than to shove her books into her bag and walk out that door. But she couldn't because Ryan was running late, making her stranded here in this tension filled room with not even another available table that she could escape to. Instead, she was forced to sit there as the blood dripped from Sam's knife for what felt like the hundredth time in the past few weeks.
"I don't care who started or finished this!" Demetri said, raising his voice. A table next to them looked over, curious about the outburst before they returned to their conversation. He sat back with a sigh, his hand awkwardly going to the back of his neck. "You two need to get over whatever this is. No, I'm serious. Because I'm getting tired of feeling like a freaking referee whenever you guys start to argue."
It was a triangle of being stuck in the middle. Each of them were being dragged in two separate directions, and it was only a matter of time before one of them snapped. When that happened, it wouldn't be quick and painless — it would be dragged out with one, if not all of them, crying out in pain.
"Well, you didn't have a problem dragging me over here against my will," Sam replied. "You kinda knew what you were getting yourself into."
"I thought you guys would at least try to get along! I mean, come on, Sam. You forgave others for much worse," Demetri pointed out. "Harper didn't even do anything that bad. I mean, yeah, she lied to us and kinda went behind our backs in the summer, but we've known about her and Hawk since August. It's October, Sam. October. So just get over it."
Sam responded by taking a long sip of her drink. "I don't know how to get over it," she admited after a minute of tense silence. Placing her drink down, she avoided looking at Harper and turned to Demetri instead. "After everything that Hawk did to you, I don't know how you can just be okay with Harper dating him. I'm mad for you. The mall attack and everything before and after that. He's a Cobra Kai bully and Harper's just forgetting that."
Harper frowned, tired of this conversation that went round and round. The same things were said repeatedly but they weren't absorbed. "I'm not forgetting —"
"Because she fell in love, Sam," Demetri cut her off quietly, his eyes widening the moment the words left his mouth. He winced, jumping up in his seat when Harper's foot connected with his ankle, and he shot her an apologetic look. "Shit. I'm sorry. I-I wasn't supposed to… I mean, I shouldn't have said that. Why did I say that?"
"This is not happening," Harper muttered, her own expression mirroring their shocked expressions. "Are you freaking kidding me, Demetri?"
"Are you seriously that brainwashed by him?" Sam asked incredulously, a look of pity mixing in with the surprise of that statement.
Harper shook her head, ignoring Sam's words. Her vision blurred for a second, her chest tightening in the most painful way, making it impossible to get air into her lungs. Her heart raced so fast she thought it might burst out of her chest. Because not only was she under fire for dating Hawk but Demetri had just revealed something she hadn't been ready to admit aloud.
"I told you that in secret," Harper said quietly, her mind flashing to the day of the fundraiser. To when her and Hawk had made things official in the most public way ever. But then later that night Demetri had been driving her home after another fight with Sam and the words tumbled out of her mouth. "I mean, I accidentally said that but you just… what the hell?"
"I'm sorry! You know how I get when there's confrontation. And there's a lot of that right now, and I just… I don't know, Harper. I just panicked and said, well, you know. That." Demetri let out a frustrated sigh and ran a hand through his hair, looking like he wanted to bolt almost as much as she did. "I was trying to defend you and I screwed up."
Harper let out a breath, her grip on her bracelet loosening slightly. She wasn't mad at him — not really. Because she knew Demetri and knew that he didn't have a vicious bone in his body. He was just stressed, like they all were and he'd said too much in a moment of weakness.
But just as her anger deflated, panic took its place with full force. It held her in an ironclad grip, squeezing her lungs until she was grappling for air. Because her mind started to race with one thought that left her lightheaded.
If Demetri easily blurted this out in front of Sam, had he told anyone else?
She squeezed her eyes shut, not wanting to even think about it. But morbid curiosity always won, and she couldn't help but replay that day on the soccer field earlier this week. She remembered standing on the sidelines, talking to Moon about how stupid this rivalry between the two dojo's was when she noticed Demetri and Hawk. Talking.
Before they both glanced in her direction.
She hadn't understood it before. Couldn't even fathom what that was about until right now.
The lingering looks, the frequent touches that both felt right yet completely out of place. They all made sense now.
Her heart was in a chokehold, her brain unable to even process the possibility that Demetri….
But he couldn't. He wouldn't have.
Just like he didn't now.
"Do you even realize how deep you've fallen? This is just —" Sam said, but Harper wasn't paying attention to her rampage.
Taking as big of a breath as she could force into her lungs, she leaned forward and stared at Demetri. "Did you — is that what you told him during gym?"
And Demetri had the audacity to look away.
"You didn't," Harper whispered, sitting back in her seat.
But Demetri had.
And Hawk knew.
It was bad enough that he knew before she could even tell him, but was any of it even real? That subtle shift in their relationship stood out in her mind, and she couldn't help but question it now. Was Hawk acting like that because he thought he had to? He hasn't said anything to her — nothing to indicate that he knew how she felt.
And then her heart dropped even further, tumbling into an abyss that was too deep to crawl out from.
Maybe because he didn't feel the same way.
Maybe he was just saving her from embarrassment.
The poor foster kid who'd given her heart away in a moment of weakness when it was all just a game.
"I'm sorry," Demetri said, his voice cracking as he looked towards Sam for help but she remained unsettlingly quiet. "I just wanted to mess with him, you know? He's always acting like he's better than everyone and I —"
"Just… stop," Harper interrupted, shaking her head.
Demetri blinked. "Okay, but just hear me out —"
"I don't care, Demetri," Harper said, her steady voice surprising even herself. She forgave him for saying it in front of Sam just now because he'd panicked. But that day on the soccer field? He'd used her feelings against Hawk. And that she couldn't forgive.
They were out here hurting each other while claiming the opposite. But both Demetri and Sam were so far gone that she didn't even recognize them anymore. They said things, acted out of character just to come out on top. Something Sam's dad had trained them against doing.
Harper felt that fracture in her friendship with Demetri as if it was a physical cut. It ran deep. He's been the one friend she could count on throughout this mess, the voice of reason when her and Sam fought. But now she had no idea where they stood anymore.
And then there was Hawk. How was she even able to face him after all of this?
Harper shook her head again, but the thoughts clung to her mind. It's claws dug into her subconscious, forcing her to think about everything she wanted to forget about. But she couldn't.
She closed her notebook and threw it into her bag, knowing that she had to leave. Right now. She was unraveling at the seams, and the walls she'd built around herself were starting to fall despite how hard she tried to keep them up. Everything was a shit show, making her feel as if she'd gone ten rounds in a battle that she was predestined to lose.
But, no. This was just her life.
Her unbelievably pathetic, horrible life.
But just as Harper was about to stand, the door to the cafe opened once again and a group of people entered. Her gaze briefly flickered towards the front, locking with a pair of dark eyes. She felt her veins ice over, a cold chill running down her spine as her pulse simultaneously slowed and sped up.
Because staring back at her with an easy grin that only managed to freeze her in place was Jake.
When Harper said that the whole universe was against her, this is what she meant. That no matter how much life kicked her down, it wouldn't stop until it completely broke her.
Harper shut her eyes, willing herself to believe that this wasn't happening. That Jake wasn't here right now. But he was. It was already bad enough that she had to see him around school as those calculating eyes followed her through the hallways. But to see him outside of school?
That wasn't just messed up.
It was cruel.
To make matters worse, he started to move towards their table. Carefully. Deliberately. And so freaking casually.
Like he hadn't just crossed a line with her those few weeks back. Like he hadn't tricked her into trusting him only to deliver a blow harsher than Kyler's words ever could.
But perhaps she was still overreacting. They'd been at school, in the hallway of all places. It wasn't like he'd actually done anything. And yet, watching him stroll towards them with tate carefree swagger only made her breakout in a cold sweat.
"Hey, guys," Jake said with a grin, leaning up against their table as if he belonged there.
Demetri straightened in his seat, his eyes immediately flying to Harper who kept her eyes downcast. A frown tugged at his lips but he didn't say anything, just sat there as if he were sitting on needles.
Sam, however, regarded him more coolly than Harper would've thought. "What do you want Jake?"
Jake's brows furrowed at the iciness in her voice more than the unwelcome air around them. "Woah, what's with all the hostility?"
"Like you don't know what you've done?" Sam asked, her arms crossed but her expression softened a fraction as she glanced in Harper's direction. When Jake didn't answer, she sighed. "The rumors, Jake. Or are you forgetting that?"
"Rumors?" Jake echoed with raw confusion in his voice as his eyes widened with realization. "Oh, shit. You don't think that I — Okay, look. You got this all wrong, Sammy. I was just checking in on Harper that day. I heard about Kyler's stupid rumors and went off on him for what he said. I mean, the guy's an idiot but what he told people was so messed up. So I went to check on her, and some people just got the wrong idea. Right, Harper?"
Harper's heart stuttered back to life. The moment she looked at him, she saw a flash of that familiar cruel amusement dancing in his eyes mixed with a silent warning. Play along, they managed to say. The words got stuck in her throat, but she nodded because there was no other choice. No one — other than Hawk — knew what Jake had done. And she planned on keeping it that way, even if it meant going through the motions of pretending that everything was okay.
Because that's what she was good at. She was a master at forcing a smile onto her face even if the world around her was up in flames.
"See? Harper knows it was all innocent. People are just stupid and live for the drama," Jake continued with a flash of that charming smile that only made her feel sick to her stomach. "I tried to stop people from talking about her that way, but you know how high school is."
His words were so smooth, so effortlessly said that she doubted that even a lie detector would catch the lie.
"But, for what it's worth," Jake started, lightly nudging Harper to get her to look up. "I'm sorry. It sucks you had to deal with this."
Her hands shook under the table, and twisting her bracelet did nothing to ease her nerves. But she could play along for a little bit more. Just a few more minutes until his name was called to get his drink and he went back to his friends. Harper took a deep breath as she reached for her drink so as to give her something else to focus on. But her grip was too unsteady, and the cup tilted. The watered down coffee spilled across the table as Sam jumped back, grabbing her phone to save it from the sticky mess.
"Shit," Harper muttered as she righted the cup, ignoring the curious looks thrown her way. "Sorry."
"It's fine," Jake said smoothly, throwing a handful of napkins over the spill and mopping it up. "Am I making you nervous?" He asked with a laugh, but the weight behind his words landed heavily on her chest.
Harper forced out what she hoped sounded like a laugh followed by a tight smile.
"You okay?" Demetri asked, throwing a quizzical glance at her.
"Yeah," Harper said with a nod. "Just clumsy."
"So, are we good?" Jake asked Sam, but his attention was solely on Harper. The lopsided grin he wore like a charm eased most of the tension in Sam's shoulders, but Harper knew what lay beneath it — a layer of manipulation and control that he so easily kept in control.
It was what made it so easy for her to fall for the trap in the first place. The casualness in the way he talked, his jokes that made it seem as if they'd been friends for years. She still couldn't believe that she hadn't seen him for what he was: a predator.
Jake had cornered her in the hallway that day, and she still felt the ghost of his touch on her arms and waist as it slipped just under her shirt. And the easy way he'd lied to that teacher to get her to stop asking questions was a reminder of just how good he was at pretending to be this lovable guy who could fit in with any group.
Harper watched Sam, silently hoping for her to see through his act. There was no way in hell she'd ever tell anyone what he'd done that day — how he'd broken her just by getting her to trust him and surrender her control. Not to mention how he continued to infiltrate her life in the smallest yet least noticeable ways. A quick brush of his hand when he passed in the hallway, a smirk to remind her of this game he was playing along with seemingly innocent comments that was only meant to unsettle her.
She'd done her best to move past it despite feeling as if she was about to slip into another panic attack when he got too close. But she fought to get her control back. To not let him see the effect he still had on her after all these weeks.
Harper was stronger than this. She had to be. After everything she'd been through, Jake wouldn't be the one to break her. He couldn't be.
But as she watched a smile tug at Sam's lips, she knew that Jake was still winning.
"Yeah. We're good," Sam told him.
Jake's gaze turned to Demetri, and he titled his head. "What about you? Still think I meant for Harper to go through that shit?"
"I…," Demetri trailed off with an uncertain shrug. He seemed torn between believing the guy everyone loved and his friend, who sat unnaturally quiet. "I don't know. Kinda hard to trust someone who hangs around with Kyler."
Jake laughed, leaning into her space even more as he tugged the lone notebook she had yet to put away. His fingers traced the cover, a grin easing onto his face as he looked between Harper and Demetri. "Come on, Harper. Tell him he can trust me. You do, don't you? I mean, it's not like I meant for people to start talking about us. I even lost my shot with this one girl I was seeing. She heard the rumors and actually believed them. You're not the only one whose life got ruined because people can't keep their mouths shut."
He was so smooth. So friendly.
So believable that even Harper had a brief moment of trusting his words again.
"He's fine, Demetri. People just talk too much. You know that," Harper said with a shrug and a well placed smile.
There was a flash of uncertainty in Demetri's eyes as he took a sip of his drink, almost as if he was stalling. "I mean… yeah. Okay, I guess if Harper trusts you then so do I."
Jake's smile widened, his hand brushing lightly against hers as he shifted the notebook towards her. He watched her out of the corner of his eye, noticing how she immediately pulled her hand back with a gleam of satisfaction in his eyes.
"Jake!" The barista called, her voice blending into the noise of the cafe.
Jake looked over his shoulder before straightening up. "Alright, well. This was fun. We should hangout for real next time, Sammy. Like we used to with the old group, remember? Except for Kyler. No one wants him around."
Sam laughed. Actually laughed. As if what he said was hilarious.
"That would be fun! It's been a while," Sam agreed.
"Definitely. And, hey. You two are invited, too," Jake said, flashing them a smile. "You can carpool with me, Harper."
A strained smile crossed her face, her fingers tugging at her bracelet. "Sounds great," she said, though her voice didn't sound enthusiastic. The very idea of doing anything or going anywhere with Jake made her feel sick.
"Alright. Great! I'll talk to you guys later," Jake said before walking away as if he hadn't just upended her whole existence.
The anxiety clung to Harper like a second skin. It didn't matter that Jake was no longer hovering at their table. He was still in the cafe, and his presence was still here.
She told herself to stop overreacting. This had been nothing but an awkward conversation that her overactive imagination upgraded to something worse. And maybe she had him figured all wrong. Maybe he wasn't this manipulating guy who was playing some sick long term game.
It was something she tried to convince herself of even though her heart continued to race.
"Hey," Demetri's voice broke through her thoughts, a worry line appearing on his forehead as he studied her. "You sure you're okay? You're looking kinda pale."
"Fine. I'm fine," Harper said as the edges of her vision blurred. The telltale signs of her panic started to take shape, and it took all of her control to keep it at bay. "I'll be right back."
Before either of them could reply she grabbed her now empty coffee cup and sticky napkins and walked between the tables towards the bathroom. Her steps were sluggish, her heart beating erratically in her chest as she threw the trash away before stumbling towards the bathroom.
It was empty when she shut the door behind her, and she leaned against it as she ran a shaky hand through her hair. She took deep breaths, forcing her lungs into working overtime to gather more air than the fraction of what they allowed.
She was fine. She was fine. She was fine.
Her breath started to become more steady, and she walked to the sink and turned the faucet on. Working the soap into a lather, she let the steady stream wash away not just the suds but her lingering panic.
Harper dried her hands, crumbling the paper towel and throwing it into the trash can but she stayed in the room for a few more seconds.
You've dealt with worse, Harper reminded herself, refusing to let herself give in to the fear. Taking a deep breath, she pulled the door open and stepped back out into the dim hallway, the music and chatter increasing in volume as soon as she stepped out.
Harper took a step but she faltered when she spotted Jake leaning against the opposite wall, that unnerving grin of his already on his face.
The split second pause was more than enough time for Jake to take the two steps needed to reach her. Harper instinctively backed up, bumping into the wall behind her. And she knew she was trapped before Jake caged her in — one arm bracing on the wall above her head and the other uncomfortably close to her waist as he looked down at her with a grin.
"So, this feels familiar, doesn't it?" He asked with a chuckle that held no humor.
That familiar fear creeped right back in accompanied by her racing heart. Harper stared up at him, her eyes wide but she refused to let the fear that crawled over her to show up on her face. She schooled her expression into something neutral even as her nails dug into her palms. The sting kept her grounded, forcing her to focus on something other than the fact that he had her cornered. Again.
"What do you want from me, Jake?" Harper asked, keeping her voice as steady as possible. "You had your fun back there so just leave me the hell alone."
"Leave you alone? Come on, Harper. We both know that the fun's just started," Jake said softly, his tone contradicting his stance. His eyes were cold, detached save for a flicker of amusement. His hand inched closer to her waist, the ghost of a touch skimming across her shirt.
A group of laughter traveled throughout the cafe and into the hallway, echoing around them as if Jake wasn't doing everything in his power to manipulate her. She was safe. She was fine. Jake wouldn't do anything with a cafe full of people just a few feet away. Not with Sam and Demetri waiting for her to return — unless they'd already left. Their friendship was strained so nothing was keeping them waiting for her anymore.
Harper tried not to focus on that even as her thoughts spiraled. But her breath hitched when his fingers tugged at the hem of her shirt, a teasing gesture that anyone watching would've thought nothing of it.
When she looked up at him, her eyes were narrowed into a glare. Shoving his hand away, she went to move around him but his hand clamped down around her wrist. "Back off. I already told you that I'm not playing this stupid game of yours. I mean, you already lost, remember?"
Jake's expression darkened in an instant as the cruel humor in his eyes vanished. He took another step towards her, making the already nonexistent space between them even smaller. "You think I lost?" He asked with a laugh. "I don't lose, Harper. That was just a setback, but the game's still on. Kyler said you were tougher than you seemed, and I didn't believe that at the time but," he paused, brushing a loose strand of hair out of her face. "I always liked a challenge."
Harper's pulse sped up, that illogical sense of fear she told herself was just an overreaction momentarily freezing her in place. A door further down the hall opened as a barista walked out while hastily tying their apron. The barista raised his eyebrows at the way Jake was looming over Harper, a silent question on his expression before someone called his name and he rushed off without another word.
Jake smirked while Harper deflated.
Her chance at escaping had been snuffed out, and it was up to her to get herself out of this mess. She looked past him towards the cafe that was just visible around the corner. Her eyes scanned the few people she could see walking around with drinks and pastries in hand.
"He's not here," Jake said, making her heart stutter.
Harper frowned, forcing herself to keep her expression steady as she locked eyes with him. "Who?"
"Hawk," Jake said with a shrug. "I know you were looking for him, but your boyfriend's not gonna help you this time."
Harper hadn't been looking for Hawk or had she? Was some subconscious part of her hoping that he would show up and rip Jake away from her again? The thought alone sent a flutter of hope through her, but it vanished when she remembered that he was out with his friends after practice.
And she was utterly alone.
The thought was enough to make her panic, but she wouldn't let it take control. After everything she'd been through in her life — the neglect, fear and abuse that came from her past foster homes had made her stronger. Resilient. Harper was tougher than this, she knew she was. She'd survived so much worse than a bully who got a little too close and touchy. So why was she letting Jake have all the power?
This was the problem with letting herself rely on others. It had stripped away that tough exterior of hers, turning her into one of those girls who needed someone to save them.
But she'd be damned if she let Jake have the upper hand. Not this time. Not again.
"I can take care of myself," Harper said.
"Sure you can," Jake said mockingly as his hand tightened around her wrist enough to make her wince.
A flash of anger burned through her, overpowering the panic that coursed through her veins. Her fingers flexed before she dug then imto the sensitive nerves of his wrist, just below him palm – precisely where she'd been taught. Jake's grip faltered, his eyes widening in surprise as the strength drained from his hold. Harper didn't hesitate. She pivoted sharply, using the opening to seize his arm, twisting it with controlled precision. In one fluid motion, she flipped him, forcing his back against the wall with a satisfying thud. Before he could react, she pressed her forearm firmly against his chest, her grip steady, her stance unyielding.
Now he was the one trapped.
"Still think I can't handle you?" Harper asked, her voice tinged with anger and frustration.
"Shit," Jake muttered with a low laugh that sent a chill through her. "That was kinda hot. Didn't think you had that in you."
"Screw you, Jake," Harper said, her breathing labored as she fought to hold him in place. Her karate training had been brief, and she knew she couldn't overpower him for long. But that wasn't the point. She just needed to make one thing clear – she wasn't someone he could push around.
"That's what I'm trying to get you to do." Jake's eyes raked over her in an unsettling way, and he smirked when she wrinkled her nose in disgust. "I mean, I'm down for a good time if you are. People already think we did more than just talk."
Harper clenched her jaw and shoved him hard. Her nails dug into his wrist, pressing deep enough to leave marks, but he barefly flinched. "You're sick, Jake. I don't know how you're fooling anyone, but people are gonna know what a psycho you are. And you won't be able to hide behind your charm or your money or anything. You won't have anything left."
"You think so?" Jake asked with another laugh, his eyes boring into hers. "Because I think you've got it all wrong. You're nothing, Harper. No one gives a shit about you. I mean, you saw how easy it was to convince Sam and Demetri. You're not winning anything here. I've got you exactly where I want you, and you will break sooner or later," he continued, his voice low and smooth as if they were just two friends catching up.
Not a predator and a prey entangled in a dangerous dance.
Harper's breath caught in her throat, the sick realization that he was partially right. Her friends had bought his every word, his every lie. It didn't matter that she'd been sitting right there, seconds away from falling apart. All they heard and saw was Jake Mitchell — the golden boy with wealth, charm, and an easy smile, masking the twisted heart beneath.
She hadn't corrected their thinking, not that it would have mattered. He won them over with a wide grin and a sorry explanation for the lies he'd spread.
Harper's grip wavered for just a second, but it was enough. Jake felt the shift and seized the opening, yanking her toward him with alarming strength. His fingers dug into her skin, his grip unrelenting, and suddenly, he was too close – so close the she could see the flecks of green buried in the depths of his brown eyes.
His eyes were hollow, devoid of anything but twisted amusement. There was a cruel kind of satisfaction in them, a silent promise that he was in control. Harper tried to wrench herself free, but his grip only tightened with a bruising force. Then, with unsettling unease, his other hand slid to her back, pulling her even closer.
"You're not winning," Jake repeated, his voice soft but laced with a cruel confidence. "You act tough, like nothing ever gets to you." He tilted his head, studying her with unsettling ease. "Don't get me wrong, Harper. You're smart – smarter than I expected. You caught onto my little plan way faster than I would've liked." His words trailed off as his fingers ghosted beneath the hem of her shirt, pressing against her skin just enough to make her breath hitch. His smirk deepened, the sick amusement in his eyes never wavering. "But you'll break soon enough… because you're already broken."
Her heart thundered in her chest, her breath catching and she hated that he was aware of the effect he had on her. It didn't matter that she'd fought back or kept a mask on herself to keep the fear from showing because he already knew. He knew she was scared, and it only spurred him on.
"That's what you think," Harper said, her voice wavering slightly. "If this is how you want to play it, then fine."
Jake's smirk widened, a cruel look of amusement crossing his face.
"Game on, Jake." Harper twisted sharply, driving her elboy into his ribs with precise force. The impact landed clean, drawing a flicker of pain across his face, but it vanished almost as quickly as it had appeared.
Instead of recoiling, he let out a low, amused laugh, his expression untouched by the momentary sting. Slowly, deliberately, he lifted his hand, brushing his fingers against her cheed with an unsettling gentleness – a touch that stood in stark contrast to the darkness in his eyes.
Jake dropped his arms, and stepped around her with an infuriatingly casual ease, as if their entire encounter had been mothing more than a game to him. He cast a glance over his shoulder, a smirk tugging at his lips.
"I'll see you around, Harper," he said smoothly, his voice laced with quiet amusement. "Hope you're ready."
It wasn't a promise.
It was a warning.
But just as Harper exhaled, trying to steady the tremor in her hands, Jake took one step back into her space — so close she could feel his breath against her ear.
"You know, you're looking at me the way you look at him," Jake mused, tilting his head with faux curiosity. "Should I be flattered… or worried?"
He pulled away before she could react, his smirk widening as he shoved his hands into his pockets and walked off like nothing had happened.
Harper clenched her jaw, fighting back the sting of tears even as her hands shook uncontrollably. The rapid beating of her heart felt like it would eventually flatline from over exerting itself.
This was bad, and Harper knew it.
She was in this fight alone.
But she wouldn't let him win. She'd play his stupid game if that's what he wanted, but she wouldn't allow herself to lose. He wanted to humiliate her, push her until she broke, but she was so much stronger than that.
Or, at least, the old version of her was.
The girl prior to The Valley before she let herself get comfortable and attached.
Harper twisted the bracelet around furiously, willing her breathing to get under control. She looked in the direction Jake walked off in, and told herself that she'd survived this, too. That it was over — until next time.
Her hand flew to her back pocket, retrieving the phone she'd tucked away before. She tapped at the screen, and the cheerful glow illuminated the fear and unease that she felt. There were a handful of unanswered messages, but the only name she focused on was Hawk's, which was nothing but a series of srupid emojis that made her snort with laughter despite everything. She swiped up, opening the message as her thumb hovered over the keyboard before she started to type.
The message was halfway written, a brief recap of her encounter with Jake before Harper came to her senses.
Her finger hovered over the send button. One push, and Hawk would know. One push, and it wouldn't just be her burden anymore.
But then… he'd do something reckless.
She could already picture it — Hawk finding Jake, fists flying before anyone could stop him. Before she could stop him. Hawk wasn't wired to back down, not when it came to her. And that scared her more than Jake ever could.
Because if Hawk snapped, there would be no undoing it.
Harper exhaled sharply, the weight of that realization made her chest feel too tight.
She couldn't do that to him.
The backspace button blurred in her vision before she erased the entire sentence, leaving the screen empty.
Instead, she typed out a stupid emoji — a smiley face that didn't match an ounce of hope she felt. She sent it before she could second guess herself, before the temptation to ask for help became too strong.
She wasn't doing this to protect herself. She was doing this to protect Hawk.
"Get a grip," she muttered under her breath, slipping her phone back into her pocket.
The first steps Harper took were shaky, her hands shaking from the encounter. But as she started down the hallway towards where the noise grew and the world continued on oblivious to the hell she'd just been put through, she felt steadier. Not by much but enough to walk back to her table without wanting to have a total breakdown.
She blinked in surprise to find Sam and Demetri sitting where she'd left them. Her steps faltered for a moment before she reached her chair.
"Told you she's okay," Sam muttered under her breath.
"Where were you?" Demetri asked once she sat across from him once again. "You were gone for a while. Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," Harper answered. "I was talking with Olivia. She was just checking in, and we talked for a bit. You really don't have to freak out, you know."
Before Demetri could answer, a fresh iced latte slid onto the table in front of her. Harper's stomach twisted as Jake stood there, grinning like he hadn't just shattered her sense of security. His presence loomed, heavier than before, an unspoken reminder that he was in control – at least, that's what he wanted her to believe.
"Figured you could use a new one since you spilled the last," Jake said, his voice effortlessly smooth – too smooth. The kind of practiced charm that made it easy for people to believe him. Sam, oblivious to the weight behind his words, actually smiled, as if the gesture had been meant for her.
Harper shot him a glare, the distrust in her eyes nearly eclipsed by the raw hatred boiling beneath the surface. After everything, he was still performing, still playing the role of the effortlessly charming guy who had everyone fooled.
He leaned in just enough to invade her space, his voice dropping to a quiet murmur as he smirked. "That's one for me," he whispered, his wink laced with arrogance before he straightened up. "Keep an eye on that, Harper."
And just like that, he was gone, slipping back into the crowd as if nothing had happened. The door swung shut behind him, but his presence still lingered, poisoning the air around her. It felt like someone hit unpause on the world, the noise of the cafe rushing back in all at once.
Harper exhaled sharply, shoving the drink away as if merely touching it might infect her.
"You're not gonna drink that?" Sam asked, the question almost as surprising as the realization that it was directed at her.
"You can have it if you want." Harper sat back in her seat as if trying to put as much distance between her and Jake's toxicity as possible.
Sam watched her. No, she scrutinized her under her piercing glare. A quiet sigh escaped her lips followed by a slight shake of her head. "I don't get it, Harper. What Jake did was sweet. He got you another drink, he apologized and you're acting as if —"
He didn't just have me pinned against the wall?
Harper shrugged and crossed her arms as if to shield herself from their judgment. Because even Demetri was watching her with the quiet questioning look he got when he was trying to figure something out.
"Why are you so mad at him? He's been nothing but nice to you. I mean, I get that the rumors were terrible but Kyler spread them, not Jake. He just told us what happened and how bad he feels about it all," Sam said.
Her defense of Jake felt like she was twisting the knife in her back all over again — her blind faith in one of her former friends over the friend she'd made in Harper was crushing.
"I just don't want the coffee, Sam," Harper said quietly.
She wasn't gonna get into the why of it right now. Or ever. This was her cross to bear and hers alone — something she had to deal with.
"Bullshit," Sam said with a scoff. "You barely even looked at him because you're so pissed off at god knows what."
"Just drop it," Harper said, a slight warning to her voice.
"No, I'm not gonna drop it! Yeah, I know that he's kind of a flirt but he's harmless. And you're just so quick to dismiss him," Sam continued, oblivious to the storm raging inside of Harper. She let out a laugh, the humor entirely missing from it. "You know what's great? But like, really great? That you won't forgive Jake for something he didn't do, but every time Hawk screws up and actually hurts us, you run to him. That's all kinds of messed up, Harper."
Harper took a deep breath, her walls wavering as Sam continued to throw words in her face — words that she had no idea about. She wanted to retaliate but doing so would open up the floodgates and reveal everything.
"You're seriously not gonna say anything? Just talk to me! Tell me why you're so quick to forgive Hawk but —"
"Sam, shut up for a second," Demetri cut in, his posture rigid as he silently watched her like he was figuring out a complex puzzle.
Harper's breath hitched for a second, and she looked away from his inquisitive gaze. She kept her attention trained on the front of the cafe, pretending to be invested in everyone who came and went but she could feel him watching her.
"She's scared," Demetri stated, his voice just above a whisper.
Sam snorted. "Scared? Of Jake?"
"Look at her!" Demetri said, gesturing wildly to Harper, who sat as if she were made of stone. "She talks back. She always has something to say, even if we don't want to hear it. When has Harper ever been this quiet? You know that she doesn't back down from shit, but now she looks like she's seen a ghost. I mean, I wouldn't exactly put it past this place to be haunted because I read something about how in the early 1900s there was this…," he trailed off with a sheepish smile, his expression growing more serious by the second. "Sorry. But, seriously, Sam. Something's wrong."
Sam looked at her, tilting her head as if trying to understand what was happening. And whether Demetri was right.
Harper fidgeted and felt like she was under a microscope. She wanted her friends to pay attention, to talk to her but not like this. Not because of this. And she couldn't even say anything because it would reveal too much.
"Why do you have a bruise on your arm?" Sam asked, her eyes flicking to the unmistakable blue and purple shape taking place on her arm.
"I walked into the wall," Harper stated flatly. "Remember? I'm kinda clumsy."
"That's not from…. Walls don't leave handprints!" Demetri stated.
The short sleeves she opted for suddenly felt like a mistake because there was nothing Harper could do to hide the bruise from them. It stared them in the face like a giant neon sign that pointed toward something sinister that she didn't want to acknowledge. But once Demetri latched onto something — whether it was his excited panic over a newly released comic or worry over a homework assignment he turned in too early —he wouldn't let it go. No matter what.
"It's nothing. Can we just not do this right now?" Harper asked, hoping that they'd listen. That Sam would go back to ignoring her and Demetri would go back to being oblivious to everything around him.
But of course that wouldn't happen.
Life decided to do the exact opposite of what she wanted just like it always did
"Harper, come on. We know you've got this whole 'I can take on the world' shield, but something's going on," Demetri said with a glance at Sam, whose own expression softened into something resembling curiosity with a mix of worry.
"Maybe it's nothing," Sam said, though the way her eyes cut to the bruise told a different story.
Demetri threw a look at Sam, rolling his eyes at her remark. "She left without a bruise and then came back with one. You seriously think it's nothing?"
Harper shifted uncomfortably. She was still trapped in the cafe until Ryan texted her with a goofy emoji letting her know he was here. There was nowhere she could go to escape their scrutiny, their lingering gazes or questions. If she kept telling herself it was nothing, maybe she'd believe it enough herself to fool them into believing the same. Maybe.
"I had this before. I got hurt in gym class earlier, and now the bruise is showing up," Harper lied, not believing a single word she was saying. She kept her eyes downcast, shrugging as if this wasn't out of the ordinary. "I mean, what exactly do you think happened? That I went to the bathroom and Jake…" Her words died on her tongue, cracking slightly as she mentioned his name. Forcing her expression into something that she hoped looked normal, unbothered, she forced herself to look at them. "You guys are just overreacting. Nothing happened while I was gone."
She glanced at her phone while Sam and Demetri exchanged looks, willing for Ryan to let her know he was waiting outside so she could bolt. Because by the time they asked her again, she could come up with another lie that they'd believe over whatever nonsense had just come out of her mouth.
For a couple of tense minutes, nothing was said. But the silence spoke volumes as the pieces of her story fell into place.
"You didn't panic because of Kyler's dumb rumors that day, did you?" Demetri asked, unwilling to let this go. He was more intuitive than she gave him credit for, and it absolutely destroyed her that he was seeing through the cracks. "It was because of Jake, wasn't it?"
"Jake didn't do anything," Sam muttered with a frustrated sigh. "Look, I know Jake. We used to hang out all the time, and there's no way he could've done something. Maybe Harper just overreacted."
There was that word.
Overreacted.
Because Harper just imagined Jake getting closer, his breath against her face as he caged her in against the lockers that day. Because his hand hadn't slipped beneath her shirt to prove that he had the upper hand on this sick game he was playing. She wanted to believe that. She desperately wanted to believe that it hadn't happened the way she remembered, that she was just too sensitive for his dumb joke.
But Harper knew that wasn't the case – Jake was dangerous, and she was playing with fire.
"I didn't overreact," Harper said, the words slipping out so quietly that it took them a minute to process.
Demetri blinked, shifting so quickly in his seat that he almost toppled off of it. He watched her for a moment longer while his expression shifted from surprise to something painfully close to pity, and it was gutwrenching to be looked at that way. As someone who was broken. The poor foster kid with a messed up past who continued to have shit happen to her.
But it wasn't Demetri who said the first words, it was Sam.
"Harper, Jake didn't –"
But Harper cut her off, the frustration and exhaustion rolling off of her in waves. As much as she wanted to keep this nightmare to herself, the feeling of Sam constantly believing Jake was enough to make her want to scream. It was bad enough that Sam constantly commented on her relationship with Hawk. But now Sam trusted a guy she used to hang out with over her best friend. Refused to even fathom that something had happened just because she was still holding onto some grudge. And Sam's constant denial was enough to push her over the edge.
"Didn't what, Sam? Try to make Kyler's rumors true by cornering me in the hallway a few weeks ago? Didn't get too aggressive and touchy outside the bathroom just now just to make a point that he could break me?" Harper held onto her bracelet, feeling a slight relief when the chain dug into her skin and grounded her in the moment. She blinked back the wall of tears that blurred her vision, refusing to break because doing so would mean that Jake had won.
But the game wasn't over, and she wouldn't allow herself to be defeated.
"Harper…." Demetri paused, his expression too painful to look at.
It made everything too real.
"But I handled it. I'm fine," Harper told them, sitting up straighter as if that would somehow give her control over everything.
Sam's expression shifted in an instant, her face paling as the weight of Harper's words swelled over her like a crushing force. Her mouth opened, but no words came out at first — just a sharp inhale, like she was trying to steady herself against the sudden rush of reality. When she finally spoke, her voice was barely above a whisper, laced with something between shock and guilt.
"Why didn't you say something?" Sam's voice cracked, her eyes searching Harper's face as if looking for an explanation that would somehow make this less horrible. But there wasn't one. There never would be.
"Would you have believed me?" Harper looked at Sam, who's lack of response was in and of itself an answer.
Because, honestly, who would believe it? That Jake – the charming, well-liked jock who could fit in with any crowd — was nothing more than a predator in disguise? That every easygoing laugh, every perfectly timed apology, was just another layer of his manipulation? No one wanted to believe that. It was easier to trust the illusion he created than to see the truth lurking beneath it.
And, at the end of the day, it was Harper's words against Jake's. That was the cruelest part of it all. She was just the foster kid with a past — a girl whose trauma clung to her like a shadow, shaping how people saw her before she even opened her mouth. Jake, on the other hand, was untouchable. He was the golden boy, effortlessly slipping through life with charm and privilege on his side. Everyone knew him. Everyone loved him. And that meant, no matter what the truth was, Harper was already at a disadvantage.
While the idea that Sam – that no one – wouldn't believe her was a hard pill to swallow, Harper forced herself to accept it. She understood why. People trusted what they wanted to see, and Jake spent years perfecting the kind of charm that made doubting him feel ridiculous. It didn't make her angry, not anymore. It just made her tired.
"That sick son of a bitch!" Demetri said, raising his voice just enough for a few people to look over at them. "He can't get away with this, Sam. I know you're still stuck on being mad at Harper, but she's our friend. We have to do something or tell someone or –"
"Don't." Harper shook her head, the fear of people finding out overpowering the fear of Jake himself. "I'm handling it."
"How? How are you handling it?" Sam asked, her voice tinged with anger at the situation. "Because if Jake actually crossed a line –"
"If? Are you kidding me, Sam? You're still not believing this?" Demetri asked.
"No, of course, I believe it," Sam answered with a shaky breath, tilting her head as she glanced at Harper. Her eyes lingered on the hand shaped bruise, the fearful look that Harper tried to keep hidden before her expression softened and a slow realization crossed her face. "I'm sorry, it's just a lot to take in. But I believe you."
A wave of relief washed over her at those three words. I believe you. Sam was on her side despite everything that happened between them, and it made everything just a bit more bearable even if it did complicate things.
But what if she was just making this whole thing bigger than it actually was? What if her panic made the situation with Jake go from some flirty joke to something that she'd misconstrued at the moment? What if this was exactly what Jake wanted? For her to overreact and make something out of nothing just so he and his friends could laugh behind her back and get everyone to think that she was crazy?
"Where was Hawk in all this?" Sam asked, her voice taking on a defensive tone as if saying his name put her on edge.
Harper tugged at her bracelet absentmindedly, a heavy sigh escaping her lips. "He knows. Knew. He was there the first time Jake cornered me," she explained quietly, her mind replaying that day over in her mind as a shiver passed through her. "Hawk pulled him off of me. He hit him and threatened him until he backed off."
"Good," Demetri muttered with a satisfied smile.
"And the other times? I mean, if Jake's been bothering you this whole time, why hasn't he done anything?" Sam asked.
Harper bit her lip, tightening her hold on her bracelet as she let the silence explain for her. The truth was, Hawk didn't know Jake was still playing the game. He didn't know that every time she passed him in the hallway, Jake went out of his way to remind her that they weren't done. Harper didn't want Hawk involved because she knew exactly how he would react, and that thought terrified her more than Jake did.
"He doesn't know," Demetri stated flatly with a frustrated shake of his head.
"He doesn't know? Are you serious? Why wouldn't you tell him about this?" Sam leaned forward, resting her arms on the table. "You know he can help you. We're talking about Hawk here. The guy who literally doesn't back down from shit. So, if anyone can get Jake to leave you alone it's him."
Harper narrowed her eyes at the words coming out of Sam's mouth. A humorless laugh escaped her lips as she sat back in her seat, raising an eyebrow at her. "Oh, so now you're suddenly okay with us?"
"No. Yes," Sam stumbled over her words, letting out a sigh as she ran a hand through her hair. "Does it really matter if he can help you? I'm serious, you have to tell him what's going on. You can't do this by yourself, Harper. You shouldn't have to."
"I've dealt with worse. I can handle this," Harper argued, though her words didn't hold the same conviction that she forced into her voice. But perhaps if she believed it enough, she would will it would be true. She'd handled her fair share of nightmares in the past, so how was this psychological warfare any different?
"No, you can't! Stop acting like you've got everything under control, Harper. You're tough, I get it, but you're also human," Demetri said. "There's only so much you can handle on your own. You have to let Eli help you."
"No, I don't. I don't want him to know about this so just drop it, okay?" Harper crossed her arms, willing for them to move on and forget everything they thought they knew.
"Why not?" Sam asked, her voice rising in frustration.
"Because I know how he'd react!" Harper said, the very thought of what that would look like sent a chill through her. "I'm not telling him. I can't. Because Hawk already threatened to break every bone in Jake's body if he went near me again. You guys know how he is when he gets pissed. This wouldn't stop with just one punch this time. It would be bad. Like really, really bad. And I don't need him doing something crazy just to help me. I can't let him do something like that. Not for me."
Her friends didn't understand. Their mirrored looks of exasperation, bewilderment and annoyance said as much. Harper wasn't trying to be stoic about this. The truth was, she was terrified of how Hawk would react. How much it would cost him to stand up for her, because she knew that he would — no questions asked. He'd go into a full rage and there was no telling if he'd come back from that.
So Harper couldn't risk it, even if a part of her wanted nothing more than to ask for help.
"You're being so dumb right now. He's freaking Cobra Kai, Harper. This is the one time he should strike first and hard and show no mercy," Demetri said.
Sam nodded in agreement. "Demetri's right. You know how much I hate Hawk, but I think he should do whatever he needs to help you. You have to tell him."
"No, I don't," Harper said, shaking her head.
Sam blew out a frustrated breath, muttering something under her breath. "You can't keep letting Jake do this to you. It's not right. I'm serious, Harper. If you don't tell him, then I will."
Harper's blood ran cold, the color draining out of her face. She clenched her hands into fists, feeling that familiar prick of pain when her nails dug into her skin. Sam wasn't joking, that much was clear. And she knew that she needed to get control over this as fast as possible.
"This is my problem, not yours," Harper said slowly, her heart rate spiking. "So back the hell off."
Sam blinked in surprise, sharing a look with Demetri who shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "We're just trying to help. We're your friends —"
"But you're not. I mean, not really. Not anymore," Harper cut in, trying to keep her voice under control. "You decided that you were done the moment you found out about me and Hawk. You pushed me away every chance you got when all I did was try to apologize for lying in the first place. So, no, Sam. We're not friends."
"But we are," Demetri reminded her quietly, offering her a small smile that was almost pleading.
"Except I don't know if we are," Harper admitted, the admission breaking through her calm facade. "You told Hawk something that wasn't any of your business to tell. I told you that in confidence, Demetri. Before I even told him. I mean, I still haven't told him. But then you went behind my back and used it against him. And I can't forgive that. I'm sorry, but I can't."
Demetri looked like he'd been slapped, his expression crumpling from her words. "I'm sorry. I know I messed up, and I shouldn't have done that. But this isn't about what I told him. So you can hate me all you want but after Hawk deals with Jake. Because Sam's right. We can't just keep this to ourselves."
"If you guys tell him or anyone, then we're done," Harper said as she stood up, pushing her chair in. "Because I'll never forgive you for that."
For a moment, no one said anything.
Demetri looked stunned, like he'd lost something he hadn't realized he was even holding onto. Sam, in the other hand, shifted in her seat, her fingers twitching against her cup like she wanted to reach for Harper. But she didn't.
Harper noticed. She felt it. That brief hesitation, the split-second of uncertainty, like Sam was fighting the urge to stop her, to fix this before it was too late.
But Sam didn't move. She didn't say a word.
And that was all Harper needed to know.
Without another word, she slung her bag over her shoulder, and walked away. She headed towards the exit because she'd rather be anywhere else. Her ears rang, muffling the sounds of laughter and conversations as she struggled to breathe and keep her composure. She was so close to slipping, to letting everything that happened overwhelm her but she kept her grip tight on the walls — tried to reinforce them with everything she had to keep them from falling apart.
It barely held up, but it was enough for now.
And as she pushed the doors to the cafe open, she didn't just leave behind Sam and Demetri — she met behind the last pieces of who she used to be.
≫ ──── ≪•◦ ❈ ◦•≫ ──── ≪
So, first of all, I don't know if I should apologize for this chapter or not. I'm not even talking about the length (even though I did get carried away so if this was too long, I'm so sorry!) but about everything that happened. It was a lot, I know. Like so much happened in such a short amount of time for Harper, and she's going through it. Like really bad.
But, I'm so excited to hear what you guys think of this! I had so much fun writing this even though it was super intense.
Again, if this chapter was too long, please let me know! I honestly didn't even realize how long it was until I started editing it and... wow.
Anyway, thanks so much for reading! Can't wait to hear your thoughts, opinions, etc.