'Pathetic'
As I laid there on the ground, a knife in my chest and blood splattered everywhere - that was the only thought that ran through my head.
The street was filthy and cold to the touch, contrasting the searing hot rod of a knife piercing my lungs. My torso was stabbed in three separate places, the wounds pouring out blood at a frightening pace.
The knife in my chest seemed to lessen the bleeding to an extent, so I left it there.
I was too scared to pull it out anyway.
Maybe I was being too harsh on myself?
But as I laid there half-dead, my life flashing in front of my tired eyes.
I tried to recall. No, I really tried to remember something I was proud of accomplishing, some happy memory I made for myself in the past few years… but nothing came to mind.
No, my seventeen years of life was truly pointless.
Every moment felt like a wasted dream.
I distanced myself from my peers, always teetering between a friend and acquaintance but never did I truly try and bond with them.
I halfheartedly committed to my goals - never giving it my all and prolonging my misery.
I went along with the flow, but I didn't even manage to stay afloat…
Well, it doesn't matter anymore. Nothing does.
In a few minutes my body will bleed out and taking in my last breath, I will inevitably die.
A few passersby had noticed me, and were frantically moving about, trying to save my life. They tried to prop me up on the wall, but I screamed in agony each time they even attempted to move me.
An elderly woman kneeled on the ground beside me and started praying in her native language.
God. Huh…I never believed in something stupid like that.
A middle-aged man with a bit more sense to him, immediately pulled out his phone and called an ambulance. He then began to apply pressure on the wounds to suppress the bleeding.
"Aghhh" I moaned in pain.
The woman next to him - his wife presumably - grasped my hand in hers, comforting me. She told me to hang on, to try and stay awake for as long as possible.
They tried anything and everything they could possibly do to save my life.
Pointless. My body knew it and so did I.
I should have known better than getting into that situation with that bastard.
***
It was midday. Hot summer rays fell through the class windows, illuminating the classroom.
Rex was dozing off, but his classmate kept poking him in the side to keep him awake.
"I was paying attention, alright." Rex said, swatting away her hand.
"You were definitely NOT paying attention." Caitlin said, rolling her eyes.
"Just because the teacher told you to keep an eye on me, doesn't mean you have to actually do it."
"It's my duty as your classmate to make sure you do well on your exams" Caitlin said with her chest. She always took everything too seriously.
"Ugh... Just let me sleep." Rex whined.
Caitlin scooted closer and with a slight blush to her face started to whisper something in my ears.
"Maybe if you…"
*Ring-Ring*
The school bell rang and Rex grabbed his bag, dashing out of the classroom before Caitlin could even suggest doing homework together for lunch.
He hid behind the bottom floor staircase and decided to kill some time before he had to head out again.
Rex was scrolling through his phone, before one of his classmates called out to him.
"There you are." He said, his chest heaving as he took deep breaths.
"I was looking everywhere for you."
Was he running around the entire school?
His black beanie - with the words 'NPC' printed in bold white fonts - was loosely hanging of his head.
"It's fine. We still have a lot of time left." Rex said, glancing at his watch.
"Whatever, just hurry up!" He said annoyed.
Rex followed after him, as they headed towards the northern wing of the campus together.
After running for a bit, I convinced him to take our time walking instead. We going past the library, before he popped a question.
"Hey, I've been meaning to ask this for a while now… are you interested in Caitlin?" He asked nervously.
I never really did get around to asking his name.
"No, not really. Why?"
"Well, I mean… she practically sticks to you like glue the whole day and she did give you those chocolates on valentine's day."
"But she gave those to practically everyone". I pointed out. Even you got some.
"Yeah." He admitted. "But she gave you the special ones and they were much bigger." He pointed out, gesturing with his arms to exaggerate the size.
"Does that really matter?"
"Yes, it does!" He argued.
"Okay, fine." I said conceding. "But if you really want to know. No, we're just friends and I'm not interested in her like that."
"Really?"
"Yes, really." Rex nodded.
He seemed satisfied with my answer and continued walking beside me, putting his hands in his pockets and whistling a happy tune.
It seemed like a lot of people had a crush on Caitlin. She had chestnut brown hair and a pretty face, and that along with her petite figure made people want to pamper her.
Rex tried his best to ignore the obvious interest she had in him.
I have a girlfriend. Even if Leah's going to another girls-only school, I can't just fool around.
We even promised, we would marry each other when we grew up.
Their families already gave their silent blessing, her father and Rex's dad being good friends way back in high school.
But due to how strict their parents were, they haven't really been able to spent quality time together. They haven't done much of anything except hold hands and kiss that one time.
Leah also wanted to keep our relationship a secret from our friends.
Moving on, we passed by the school grounds where the basketball court was located.
Two teams of five were playing a mini-game, as they frantically passed the ball around trying their best to score the most amount of points for their team.
They weren't the only students in the area.
A group of boys played a game of cards on the grass area, fashionable girls with a bit too much make-up gossiped to the side and couples being romantic had lunch together.
"Tsk." Rex clicked his tongue annoyed. A group of two girls and a boy had taken up their favorite spot.
Rex always sat there during lunch hours and whenever he got a break.
It was a bench next to an old tree with a few hedge bushes lined the side. Flowers brought in a beautiful splash of color giving it a relaxing atmosphere.
"I told you we should have hurried!" He said annoyed.
"What was I supposed to do?" Rex snapped. "I didn't know the guys were gonna ditch us to have lunch with their girlfriends."
"That's cause you never check your messages, you slopper." He said.
Not bothering to respond, Rex waved his hands dismissively and started heading in the other direction.
"Let's just eat in the cafeteria." Rex gestured to the other direction.
"What about our lunch boxes?" He asked.
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"We can just throw them out."
Rex emptied the contents of his lunch box down the trash bin. He didn't bother to separate the plastics.
"But, didn't your mom make that for you!"
"Nah, my sister just packed leftovers from yesterday. I don't even like Chinese."
Rex started walking back the way they came from.
After hesitating for a moment, he placed his lunch box inside his bag and followed after him.
***
They walked around the main block, turning left and right until they finally reached the eastern wing of the campus. As they entered the cafeteria, the bustling sound of noisy teenagers and catering staff filled their ears.
Students were lined up behind the cashier to order. To the side, placed on the display counter, were rows of pastries and snacks.
I walked up to the cashier, as …umm NPC went to go grab us a seat.
Placing two orders of the Deluxe Macho Set and drinks, I took out my debit card and paid for it. Within five minutes the server handed me two trays of food and I carried it to where NPC was.
The smell of delicious food made me rush a bit. Placing the trays on the table with a metallic *clink*, he sat down to enjoy his food.
"The same thing AGAIN". NPC said. "I swear to god I haven't seen you try anything else the whole two and a half years I've known you."
I took a bite of my foot-long meat sandwich.
It was filled with beef strips, chili sauce, guacamole and mozzarella cheese to the point of almost spilling out.
"Well, it's the most delicious damn thing on this menu, and it's better than any of the food you could get outside the campus anyway." I replied.
"Sure, it's good. But I wouldn't go so far as to say it's the best food ever." He said, sipping on his strawberry milk.
"Really? But you get the chip bowl. THE CHIP BOWL." I said. The chip bowl was a bowl of chips mixed with slices of sausages, salsa and a drizzle of mayonnaise.
"It's king of soggy-"
"AND you get the most delicious ice-cream brownie sundae ever." I added.
"Well that I can agree with." He said, continuing to eat the rest of his lunch.
The cafeteria food wasn't always this good.
At first it was really bad - and I mean REALLY BAD.
So bad in fact, it caused the parents of the students to sue the school for repeatedly food poisoning the students.
This in turn led to a series of events, that made the school board go on a hunting spree for the best chefs they could find.
They set aside the budget for renovation and club facilities and offered a large budget to afford the best ingredients and a high salary for the chefs.
Which eventually lead to the creation of this masterpiece 'The Deluxe Macho Set'. The best part, it was always available since it was so damn expensive.
Slowly finishing our food, I looked over at NPC.
He was playing with the strawberry milk carton, blowing air into the straw and giggling like an idiot whenever it made a funny noise.
"…do you like her?" I asked.
"ME? - CAITLYN NO - definitely not. I mean… maybe, but n-not in that kind of way." He stuttered embarrassed.
He almost choked on the plastic straw and spilled his strawberry milk on the tray.
"I was talking about the cute cashier." I chuckled, lazily gesturing towards the cashier and ignoring the mess he made.
"Haha, very funny Rex." He rolled his eyes, annoyed.
He wiped his mouth with the sleeve of his jacket and threw a quick glance towards the cashier, who catching his glance, flashed a quick smile at him.
This made him pull his beanie down lower, almost completely covering his face and sank into the seat.
Then he proceeded to glare at me.
I ignored him and continued.
"So, what kind of way do you like her." I teased with a smirk on my face.
After a few moments of silence, he gave up and replied.
"I just… feel like I can't stop thinking about them nowadays, you know."
"My day just gets a tiny bit better whenever their around and I can't stop thinking about the end of the world when their gone. "
"I'm not sure if it's love… maybe I'm just attracted to them. Give it a few months and I'll probably forget about them"
"… plus I don't really want to ruin the friendship we have now." He said in a low voice, his eyes reflecting his uncertainty.
His face was flushed, and his body sunk even lower to the chair. His head only half-visible above the table.
I looked at him again, this time studying his appearance. He was Half-Japanese with above - average looks and a cute face.
His streetwear - baggy pants and trendy overcoats - gave him a distinct charm. He also had a decent height of 5 feet and 10 inches.
If he weren't so shy and basically ignored every girl except Caitlin, he would probably be decently popular.
"You should just go for it, ask her out for a movie or something". I said finally.
"Like I haven't thought of that!" He groaned. "Must be easy for you to say… you handsome bastard."
"Hey what's that supposed to mean-"
*Clang*
The door swung open with loud bang, straining the hinges and creating a metallic sound with the wall.
A few people threw annoyed glances at them but looked away soon after.
It was the same group we saw earlier at our favorite spot.
A blonde boy with an intimidating air about him and a large well-built body walked in, with two girls following right behind him.
"Shit, it's Alan." NPC straightened in his seat and paled looking at the group that was approaching.
They were headed in our direction.
"You know him?" I asked.
He was looking around anxiously, obviously startled.
He turned to grab his bag and looked me in the eyes, his face betraying his anxiety.
"Let's just leave." He said.
But as soon as he was about to get up, Alan put a thick arm around his shoulder and made him sit down with a *thump*.
"Why if it isn't Jake Hyugen?" Alan sneered, the girls behind him slightly giggled and circled around him.
They shadowed him, using their numbers to make him feel small.
It was a comical display of malice, but it was still incredibly effective.
One of the girls was an ashy blonde - the same as Alan - and the other girl had straight brown hair.
NPC - I mean Jake looked down, his face downcast. He barely looked up, choosing to instead study the floor.
"Are you ignoring me now?" Alan said, his eyebrow raised in displeasure.
"No, I was ju-"
BANG!
Alan grabbed Jake by the back of his head and smashed his head into the tray. The leftover chips and spilled strawberry milk stained his jacket, sticking to his face.
"This what you get for playing with my sister's feelings." Alan said.
A nearby student at another table gasped, shocked at the sudden show of violence.
The whole cafeteria was paying attention to our table now, but after a few moments they just went back to their own business.
They were used to these kinds of situations, even though some people still glanced here every now and then.
Jake weakly raised his head. His beanie and face were stained with strawberry milk, and pieces of leftover chips.
"I told you already! She confessed to me, and I rejec-"
A slap cut his sentence short.
"Are you calling me a liar?" The girl - presumably Alan's sister - said angrily. Her slap leaving a reddish handprint on Jake's face. She was red in the face and seemed much to angry at Jake.
The brother and sister pair kept continuing to harass Jake. Throwing numerous insults, as they degraded and toyed with him.
The girl with brown hair who at first joined in the harassment, now looked uncomfortable.
Her hands fiddled with her handbag as she decided to move to side and keep to herself.
Donna told me he kissed another girl during their first date. As if! - He looks too shy and innocent to do something like that.
Samantha looked over at Rex.
Why isn't he doing anything? Doesn't he care about his friend!
She looked down on him, her eyes showing her contempt.
Rex stared at the events unfolding in front of him in silence. He wasn't really doing much so the group just left him alone, his eyes wandered until they finally landed on Samantha.
Samantha's heart skipped a bit.
Rex's bright blue eyes were piercing, and his soft honey blonde hair curled slightly - complimenting his face shape. His sharp face set with high-prominent cheekbones and thick eyebrows, was a charming yet intimidating visage.
*Sheep*
Rex in a sudden motion got up, pushing his chair back. All eyes seemed to turn to him, as he took slow and purposeful steps towards Alan.
The first thing Samantha noticed was his height, he was tall - not as tall as Alan, but still tall - 6 feet and 2 inches, he naturally dwarfed most students his age. While he wasn't too muscular his good genetics naturally gave him broad shoulders and a well-rounded physique.
Alan stared at Rex threateningly, his eyes seemed to warn Rex not to try anything.
"What do YOU want?" Donna snapped irritably.
"…" Samantha was silent. She had a slight blush to her cheeks, as she paid attention to every move Rex made.
Rex's eyes glinted with cunning intelligence; he calculated all the possible actions he could take at this moment.
A straight-hook straight to Alan's jaw would discombobulate him, leaving him stunned, he could also play dirty and kick him in the crotch - a cruel but effective technique.
There was also the option of grabbing his sister - Donna - and using her as a hostage by holding the cutlery forks over her eyes.
Threatening to stab them out, effectively neutralizing Alan.
Rex finally stopped in front of Alan.
The atmosphere was suffocating, the whole cafeteria watched in tense silence as they seemingly anticipated every moment.
Jake looked up at Rex, his eyes seemed to beg Rex to do something - anything.
Please help me. He thought, ashamed of his own weakness.
Samantha's heart started beating wildly. To her the figure of Rex fearlessly walking up to Alan, looked incredibly captivating.
Alan began to speak. "If you try anything even remotely funny pal, I'm going to -"
"Alright, I'm going to head out now." Rex said grabbing his bag.
The group stared at him, their mouths gaping.
"Bye, Bye Jake." Rex said, cheerfully waving at Jake.
Before anyone could even react, he turned his back to the table and walked to the entrance, which was a few steps from the table.
He didn't look back once as he closed the cafeteria door behind him.
…
Mocking laughter echoed throughout the cafeteria.
"Haha..." Alan laughed heartily, clutching at his stomach. "He walked up so confidently, that I was preparing to throw hands. But- then he just… Haahheeu, it's just too funny."
"What the hell was up with that guy?" Donna rolled her eyes amused.
"…" Samantha stared dumbfounded. She never excepted him to just run away immediately.
What a bastard. Samantha thought.
Hmm? Samantha looked at Jake. "Hey, are you alright?". She asked him, slightly concerned.
Jake looked as If he didn't hear her. He just stared at the cafeteria door; his face was blank and his eyes were lost. He seemed… disturbed.
*Thwack* Donna slapped the back of Jake's head. "Wake up! He's not gonna come back, you retard."
"This is what you get for excepting someone else to help you, dumb bastard." Alan said.
"I'm gonna leave if this is all you guys are going to do." Samantha said, tired of watching.
"I'll buy you something if you stay" Alan said.
"…fine." Samantha agreed.
"Hey! Buy me something too." Donna said.
Jake just kept staring at the door, as If he couldn't hear a word the siblings were saying. His eyes were clouded, as his back hunched. Like something inside him had broken.
And that was all he did till lunch break ended.
Even when the sibling's harassment continuously escalated, resorting to physical violence at the end.
He just kept staring, never looking away from that door.