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If you were to rank the most popular girls at Midtown Tech, Gwen might not have the most rabid fanbase, but she would absolutely be number one.
In fact, she'd probably be in a league of her own.
The silent majority of the student body would cast their vote for Gwen.
That included Hawk.
He still remembered when he first started at Midtown. He was quiet, a bit of a loner, and Gwen had mistaken his solitude for him being ostracized by other students. She had even tried to help him fit in.
But that was just Gwen being kind.
Hawk never misinterpreted her concern as anything more.
She would have done the same for any other student. She was just a genuinely good person.
Besides, what was that famous saying?
Right.
Life's three biggest delusions.
And chief among them, the undisputed champion, is the delusion: "She's into me."
So—
Hawk was under no such illusions.
...
Soon.
They arrived at the Queens County Courthouse.
Hawk looked at the building, then turned to Gwen and thanked her again for the ride before getting out of the car.
And then.
He heard footsteps behind him. He turned to see Gwen getting out of the car and following him. A question mark appeared over his head once again.
"?"
"How are you planning on getting back?" Gwen asked. "You're not going to walk, are you? The airport is miles from here."
"The sub—"
"The transit union is on strike. Subway operators are still transit workers."
"..."
Hawk fell silent.
Gwen just smiled and started walking toward the courthouse. "Come on, it's almost three. You don't want Judge Burroughs to cancel your hearing, do you?"
Hawk watched her walk ahead of him, opened his mouth to say something, then thought better of it. He shook his head and followed.
...
Family Court, Courtroom 3.
Judge Burroughs, presiding from the bench, tapped his gavel lightly.
"Next, the emancipation petition of Hawk."
"Your Honor."
Hawk rose from his seat and gave a respectful nod to the judge.
"Your Honor."
The social worker from the Administration for Children's Services assigned to Hawk's case also stood.
Judge Burroughs reviewed the documents Hawk had submitted with his petition. After a moment, he looked up at the social worker. "I see here he's never been adopted, nor placed with a foster family?"
The social worker gave a weary smile.
"That's correct, Your Honor."
"May I ask why?"
"Hawk was different from the other children. Even when he was young, he was quiet and didn't socialize much. As a result, prospective parents never considered him. That's why he's remained in the system for so long."
"Hawk."
Judge Burroughs nodded after hearing the social worker's explanation. He then looked at Hawk, who, despite his quiet nature, didn't seem aloof or withdrawn. "I see in your petition that you're seeking emancipation in order to rent an apartment?"
Hawk nodded.
"Yes, Your Honor."
"May I ask how you plan to pay for this rent, should you be granted independence?"
"I have thirty thousand dollars saved in my bank account. If I'm just renting a cheap apartment, that's more than enough to cover my expenses until I can find a job."
"THIRTY THOUSAND??"
"..." Judge Burroughs's eyes widened slightly. He flipped through the file until he found the bank statement Hawk had submitted, then cross-referenced it with the other documents. A look of disbelief crossed his face.
No phone.
No computer.
No car, not even a driver's license.
Judge Burroughs was genuinely surprised.
It wasn't unheard of for minors in the system to petition for early emancipation. But he had never seen a case like Hawk's, where a kid had cut out every single non-essential expense.
More than that, he had never seen an un-adopted, un-fostered orphan with a savings account containing a sum as substantial as thirty thousand dollars.
Judge Burroughs looked at Hawk, his tone shifting.
"You have a remarkable amount of self-control, Mr. Hawk."
"Thank you, Your Honor."
Hawk's heart skipped a beat when he heard the judge use the honorific.
"Mister" was a title reserved for independent, adult men.
Just as he thought.
Judge Burroughs smiled, then brought a stamp down on Hawk's petition with a satisfying thump. He handed the document to the bailiff next to him. "Normally, I'm hesitant to grant early emancipation. The adult world can be a cruel place. But you, Mr. Hawk, I believe you are more than prepared. So, congratulations."
Hawk took the stamped document from the bailiff, his eyes meeting the judge's.
"Thank you."
"You've earned it."
Judge Burroughs gave him a final nod, then tapped his gavel again. "Next case..."
Hawk and Gwen left the courtroom.
...
Outside the courthouse.
Hawk looked down at the document in his hand, now bearing the official seal of the court, and smiled.
With this, he was legally an independent adult. Even though he wasn't yet eighteen, he could now legally sign a lease.
He could finally move out of that powder keg of a hangar.
And that was a very good thing.
Feeling a sense of accomplishment, Hawk started walking toward the subway station.
The next second.
A hand grabbed his arm.
Hawk looked up to see Gwen giving him an exasperated look. He blinked, and then it hit him.
Right. The subway isn't running either.
"Sorry."
"Come on..."
Gwen shook her head, then a playful smile touched her lips. She looked at Hawk and added, "...Mr. Hawk."
Hawk raised an eyebrow at her teasing tone as she turned and walked toward where she had parked her car.
A traffic cop was standing in front of her yellow Corolla.
"Just a second, Officer!"
Gwen, seeing the cop was already writing a ticket, rushed over. She quickly dug through her bag and pulled out a small card.
The officer looked up, a bit surprised, as Gwen handed it to him.
It wasn't a business card, but a family courtesy card—the kind issued to the families of NYPD officers.
The officer looked at the card, noted the name and number—'19th Precinct: George Stacy'—then looked back at Gwen. He holstered his ticket machine and handed the card back.
"Have a nice day."
"Thank you, Officer."
Gwen said with a relieved sigh.
The officer got back on his police motorcycle and rode off with a roar.
Gwen watched him go, then let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. She looked at Hawk, her voice laced with relief.
"That was close!"
"..."
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