"Demetri, I need your help to get revenge on Hawk,"

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     Clementine bid farewell to Alison and headed towards her house, the anticipation of returning home lingering in her mind. As she approached the door, she fished her keys out from her pocket, ready to unlock it. However, what awaited her on the other side was not what she expected.

     Upon swinging the door open, Clementine was met with the unexpected sight of her brother and Sierra on the couch, engaged in a passionate make-out session—Tyler even had his shirt off. Shocked and embarrassed, Clementine couldn't help but let out a horrified shriek, quickly covering her eyes and hastily backing out of the house, slamming the door shut behind her.

     Standing outside, Clementine took a moment to compose herself, her heart racing with a mix of shock and disbelief. After gathering her thoughts, she tentatively opened the door again, only to find her brother fully clothed and Sierra awkwardly leaning against the wall.

    "Nice to see you again, Sierra... Hope you had a fun welcome to California party with my brother," Clementine forced a smile, though her tone betrayed her discomfort. Sierra laughed nervously before hastily making her exit.

     Turning her attention to Tyler, Clementine couldn't hold back her frustration any longer. "Tyler!" she exclaimed, smacking his head in admonishment. "She's dating someone!" She smacked him again, glaring at him with a mixture of annoyance and disappointment.

     Tyler groaned in response, anticipating Clementine's lecture. Before he could retort, Clementine took action, shoving him playfully onto the couch. "Hey!" he protested, but Clementine wasn't finished yet. With a mischievous grin, she launched herself onto his back, causing them both to tumble to the ground.

     "You don't shove me!" Clementine protested, but her playful demeanor softened the severity of her words. Tyler, unable to resist a good-natured sibling tussle, retaliated by tickling her armpit, causing Clementine to release her hold and burst into laughter.

Clementine pushed her brother off of her, putting an end to his tickling antics. She quickly regained her footing and shot him a stern glare. "That's not fair! You can't change the subject by fighting me! You need to learn not to mess around with girls who are already in relationships," she scolded her brother, Tyler, who rolled his eyes in response.

"She said they broke up when they left and she missed me! What was I supposed to do? She batted her eyes at me and I couldn't resist!" Tyler defended himself, his tone tinged with frustration. Clementine looked at him unamused, shaking her head in disbelief. It was a tired argument they had been through countless times before.

Just then, the doorbell rang, drawing Clementine's attention away. As she opened the door, a phone was shoved in her face. Clementine blinked, taking in the message displayed on the screen: "HAWK TOOK THE MONEY!" The words ignited a surge of anger within her, and she gritted her teeth in frustration.

"What a jerk! I told you not to put your trust in him. He's a real piece of work, Ali," she snapped at Alison, who withdrew her phone and tucked it into her jean jacket, crossing her arms defensively.

Alison frowned, her tone softening slightly. "This isn't why I'm here... I just wanted to give you a heads-up and make sure you don't do anything rash, okay? I know you, and please, promise me you won't try anything to get that money back," she urged, her eyebrows raised in concern. With that, she turned on her heels and made her way back to her house next door.

Clementine stood there, stunned into silence, the sound of her brother's laughter echoing from the living room. Frustration boiling inside her, she slammed the front door shut, grabbed a pillow from the couch, and hurled it at her brother's face before storming upstairs.

Once she reached her room, Clementine retrieved her phone and tapped on Demetri's message. With a determined expression, she composed a reply instructing Demetri to meet her at the park. She advised him to park his car a block away and locate hers upon arrival.

      Clementine was concealed in her car, thankful for the tinted windows that offered her cover. She had arranged to meet Hawk at the park, and he had confirmed his presence. As she waited, she noticed Demetri approaching her car. With a silent gesture, she signaled for him to keep quiet as he climbed into the car.

     "What's happening?" Demetri whispered, his eyes widening as he spotted a plastic bag containing pepper spray and a smoke bomb. He turned to Clementine, his expression filled with concern. "Seriously, Clementine, what's going on?"

       Clementine smirked at him, her eyes glinting with determination. "Demetri, I need your help getting revenge on Hawk," she revealed, causing Demetri's eyes to widen further in disbelief. "What?" he exclaimed.

     "He stole the money we raised! I'm getting payback, especially since he flirted with my best friend. That's criminal! You're going to be my getaway driver," she explained swiftly. Before Demetri could respond, she spotted Hawk and quickly patted his shoulder before darting out of the car, grabbing the bag of supplies on her way.

      Clementine maintained a low profile as she stealthily approached Hawk. Fortunately, he was alone, which worked to her advantage. With quiet determination, she scaled a nearby tree, ensuring her movements were silent as she reached a sturdy branch and settled onto it. Letting out a sharp whistle, she caught Hawk's attention, prompting him to turn towards the sound.

      Without hesitation, Clementine launched herself from the branch, aiming to land on top of Hawk. He let out a startled yell as she collided with him, causing him to stumble backward. "What the hell, Clementine! I was on my way to give Miguel the money!" he protested as she smirked, disentangling herself and rising to her feet.

      Facing Hawk, Clementine assumed a fighting stance, her eyes gleaming with determination. "You're here for the money, aren't you?" Hawk groaned, recognizing her intentions. She nodded affirmatively. "Whoever wins gets the money and gives it to Miguel," she declared.

      Hawk shrugged, adopting his own fighting stance. Clementine smirked confidently, spinning around and delivering a swift kick to his stomach. He stumbled backward, clutching his chest. "Damn, your boots hurt!" he remarked, to which she rolled her eyes. "What, are you a pussy?" she taunted.

      In response, Hawk threw a punch, but Clementine deftly blocked it using the wax on, wax off method. Undeterred, he launched another punch, and once again, she employed the same technique to deflect it. As he attempted another strike, she seized his wrist, swiftly delivering a kick to his leg, causing him to falter and fall to the ground, where she deftly flipped him over.

Demetri watched anxiously from the car, his thoughts racing as he debated whether to intervene. "Should I jump in? No! What are you talking about, Demetri! Hawk would murder you," he muttered to himself, torn between concern for Clementine and fear for his own safety. He turned his attention back to the scene unfolding before him.

Clementine found herself in a chokehold by Hawk, her breath caught in her throat. Remembering a video she had seen on YouTube, she swiftly elbowed him in the side, causing both of them to tumble backward. Hawk winced in pain as he realized he had fallen onto a tree stump.

Seizing the opportunity, Clementine crawled forward and reached for her pepper spray, though she hesitated, recognizing the potential danger of escalating the situation further. As Hawk grabbed her foot and dragged her across the ground, she instinctively kicked out, inadvertently catching him in the lip. He stumbled back, clutching his injured lip.

Pushing herself up, Clementine delivered a fierce punch to his face, causing him to stagger backward. Before he could retaliate, she seized the moment to pull up his shirt and retrieve the money from his waistband. "I won, pussy!" she declared triumphantly, a victorious grin spreading across her face.

With the money secured, Clementine made a quick getaway, laughing hysterically as she sprinted toward her car. Demetri was already in the driver's seat, his expression a mixture of relief and anxiety. She flung open the passenger door and jumped inside. "GO!" she screamed, urgency in her voice, as she slammed the door shut.

As Demetri sped off, Clementine glanced back to see Hawk in hot pursuit, his expression faltering as he realized Demetri was behind the wheel. With a mixture of exhilaration and relief, she watched as they left Hawk behind, putting distance between themselves and the chaotic scene.

Clementine grinned widely, feeling a rush of adrenaline coursing through her veins as she clutched the envelope containing the money. "I can't believe we pulled it off!" she exclaimed, her laughter bubbling over with excitement. As she leaned back in her seat, relief washed over her, mingling with the euphoria of their successful mission.

Demetri glanced over at her with an admiring expression, his amazement evident in his eyes. "Full disclosure, I was fully against this until I saw the look on his face. You won! I'm so happy for you, girl," he declared, his voice filled with genuine enthusiasm. He reached over and shook Clementine's shoulder, his pride in her palpable.

Clementine chuckled, grateful for Demetri's support and encouragement throughout their risky endeavor. "Thanks, Demetri. Couldn't have done it without you," she replied, a sense of camaraderie strengthening their bond as they continued their journey, the thrill of victory still lingering in the air.

       Clementine felt a mixture of nerves and determination as she approached the front desk of the hospital. She took a deep breath before speaking, her voice steady despite the flutter of anticipation in her chest. "Hey, I'm here to drop off something for my friend, Miguel Diaz. Is he awake?" she inquired, fully aware of the late hour.

      The nurse behind the desk glanced up at her, offering a reassuring smile. "He's asleep, but you can go in and be quiet and drop it off if you want," she suggested, her tone gentle. Clementine nodded gratefully, her smile widening in relief.

      Quietly, Clementine made her way to Miguel's hospital room, her footsteps soft against the tiled floor. She paused at the doorway, taking a moment to observe him as he slept peacefully. With a tender smile, she approached the table nearby, noticing the array of letters scattered across its surface.

      Carefully, Clementine picked up a pen and wrote a brief note on the envelope, her movements slow and deliberate. "From: Miyagi-Do and Clementine," she penned, her handwriting neat and precise. Satisfied, she placed the envelope among the others before turning to leave the room.

       As she tiptoed out of the room, Clementine couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction wash over her. Though Miguel was still recovering, she was glad to have been able to offer him a small gesture of support and solidarity in his time of need.

Alison's heart raced as she heard the knock at her window, her immediate reaction one of fear. With trembling hands, she reached for her taser, her mind racing with thoughts of potential danger. But when she saw Hawk, battered and bruised, her fear gave way to concern.

Quickly setting her taser aside, Alison opened her window to let him in, her eyes wide with worry. "Oh my gosh, what happened, Eli?" she questioned, her brow furrowing with concern as she took in his injuries.

Eli winced as she touched his bruised eye, his gaze meeting hers for a moment before she broke the silence, blushing and looking away. Alison cleared her throat, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment, and led him to her bathroom, mindful of her sleeping sister in the adjacent room.

"We have to be quiet, my sister's in there," she whispered, pointing to the door leading to her sister's room. Eli nodded in understanding as he perched on the bathroom counter, his expression pained.

Alison quickly retrieved a first-aid kit from the cabinet, her hands steady as she prepared to tend to his injuries. Dabbing a towel with disinfectant alcohol, she gently applied it to his busted lip, wincing sympathetically as he groaned in pain.

"Are you okay?" Sierra's voice echoed from the other room, causing Alison to groan in frustration. She shot Hawk a pointed look before responding, her voice strained with annoyance. "Yeah, I'm fine! Period cramps!" she called back, hoping to quell her sister's suspicions.

As she continued to tend to Hawk's injuries, Alison couldn't shake the feeling of unease that lingered in the air. She couldn't help but wonder what had led to Eli's current state, and whether there was more to the story than he was letting on.

     Alison's heart fluttered as Hawk led her back to her room, settling on the edge of her bed. She nudged him playfully, sitting beside him as a gentle breeze swept through the room, tousling her hair. With a teasing grin, she pointed to his impeccably styled hair. "How does your hair not move?" she asked, amused.

    "Lots of gel," he replied with a smirk, prompting her to laugh. Hawk couldn't help but notice how her laughter lit up the room, genuine and infectious. He found himself captivated by the sound.

      As Alison turned her attention to his injuries, her expression grew serious. "So, you gonna tell me who did this? Or am I gonna have to guess?" she questioned, raising an eyebrow. Hawk hesitated, his gaze falling to his lap. He didn't want to drag Clementine into their conversation and risk damaging Alison's friendship with her.

      "Was it Clementine?" Alison pressed, her tone tinged with frustration as Hawk avoided her eyes. She sighed in exasperation, clenching her fists. "I told her not to do anything!" she grumbled under her breath, her frustration evident.

       But before she could continue, Hawk reached out and took her hand, his touch gentle and reassuring. "No, it's my fault. I was a dick. I deserved it," he insisted, his gaze sincere. Alison sighed, feeling torn between her anger towards Clementine and her empathy for Hawk.

     "No, it's not okay! I should've known that she was gonna go behind my back and do it anyways!" she ranted, her frustration boiling over. But before she could finish her sentence, Hawk silenced her with a passionate kiss.

       Alison's eyes widened in surprise, her heart pounding in her chest. This was her first kiss, and she found herself melting into the moment, her hands instinctively cupping his face as she felt his hands move to her hips.

      Alison pulled away from the kiss with a smile, her heart still racing from the unexpected moment. She and Eli exchanged a lingering gaze, the air between them filled with unspoken words and newfound emotions.

     "I... I..." Alison stuttered, searching for the right words to express herself.

      "You're cute, Ali," Hawk chuckled softly, his eyes warm as he reached out to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear. Alison blushed at the compliment, feeling a rush of warmth spread through her cheeks.

       "We just met, Eli... so I don't want to be together yet. I barely know you," she explained, her voice tinged with uncertainty. Hawk nodded understandingly, his hand rubbing her back in a comforting gesture.

      "I agree. But Clementine is gonna be pissed that we're friends," he pointed out, a hint of concern in his voice. Alison shrugged, a newfound sense of independence bubbling within her.

      "This is the first time in months where I actually hung out or talked to her. Maybe I'm more independent now. We were inseparable at the hip, but when she left... I had no friends and I had to be independent. I was so dependent on her. I don't care what she says," Alison declared with newfound determination, her gaze steady as she met Hawk's eyes.

      Hawk smiled at her, leaning in to press a gentle kiss to her forehead. "I need to go, but I'll see you at school Monday... and I'll text you in the morning," he promised with a wink, releasing her hand. And just like that, he disappeared into the night.

     Alison fell back onto her bed, staring up at the ceiling with a mix of excitement and uncertainty swirling in her mind. She kicked her feet in excitement, feeling a newfound sense of freedom and possibility coursing through her veins.

ASH SPEAKS!

AHHHH!!!

DEMETRI AND CLEM??

ALI AND ELI???