Thread: Brawl in the Hall WHO: Starts with Liam and Van but grows in number, open to reactions WHEN: Friday, afterschool WHERE: Academy Hallways
Van would say things to Liam in passing that were meant to goad the other boy into a fight. Liam ignored them because to him, Van was inconsequential. A kid like him wasn't worth losing his space on the city's football team. But the football season was over and while Liam thought about joining the city's baseball team, he wasn't all that hellbent on getting on the team. Mr. Kaden was still out of town too, so if there was every a time to get into a fight with another student, now might as well be it. The animosity between the two boys was always there, but since the parent-teacher conferences, it had become more potent. Liam didn't feel all that bad about how his dad treated Van because he acted like enough of an ass that he had it coming.
But Van wasn't the problem. Van was like a gnat that liked to stomp around like he was tough shit, but any guy who spent that much time preening in front of a mirror over his hair wasn't as tough as they liked to think they were. Van was a nuisance but not worth the fight even out of season. But what was worth the fight?
Liam's conversation with Adri started it. Her words made it clear to him that Pavel had robbed her of her ability to say no. She was hesitant but then he touched her and used what he was to keep her from saying it. To put it simply, whether Adri realized it or not, she gave Liam the impression that Pavel raped her. Adri was a werewolf and part of the school's pack. The pack protected their own and nobody fucked with the pack. Liam's protectiveness over Adri was shared by the other werewolves. She being his friend only added to that.
And then came the school paper's announcement of Felicity's pregnancy. Even with what he learned about elven culture in Supernatural Studies, anybody and everybody could tell that pregnancy wasn't planned. Rumor has it she was going to keep it too. He thought of Emma. He thought of everything that could've been different. He remembered the helplessness he felt when she told him she was getting the abortion. Her choice, not his.
Then there was parent-teacher conference. The icing on a shit cake that Liam had shoved down his throat. It was a nightmare of a day. His father acting like a self-righteous asshole to everyone. He knew better. He knew his son. His son wasn't going to go to college. His son was going to get a real job and work with his hands. Liam had argued back only to have his father make a promise as to what would happen during spring break if he talked back anymore.
So Liam was angry. Angry at Pavel for hurting his friend. Angry at the feelings of helplessness he felt when it came to the child he would never know. Angry at his father for so many reasons. Van was an excuse. An excuse that this time, Liam would use.
The two walked down the hallway and Liam was a step or two behind him. Van had said something only a moment before as he passed him. Frankly, Liam didn't pay attention to what he said so much as he knew it was probably something he could cite later as a reason to act out. So he seized Van by his backpack, jerking it hard enough to shove Van into one of the lockers.