Typically, people who have been missing for almost a week don't just stroll into school the next day acting like nothing happened. While there are multiple good reasons for this, there is one that stands above the rest - rumors. If I had waited a few days, the ruthless all-consuming entity that is the high school rumor mill would have worn itself out making my eventual return smoother and much less of a spectacle than it became.

But the Director had ordered me to return to school immediately. According to Pseudo Davos, this was because they wanted me to try to return to as normal a life as possible. But it had been a while since both of them had been in my position and clearly, they needed to brush up on their high school social dynamics.

I hadn’t even made it through the front door when already the rumors began to spread. A decent number of people had heard Heather invite me over the night she disappeared. Of course, they all had their theories on what happened which they shared in hushed whispers as I walked to my locker.

Some thought I had killed her, others thought I had sold her to a human trafficking ring. One person even threw out the possibility that she and I had been abducted by aliens and I traded her freedom in for my own. Another person had a similar theory, but they went the subterranean route. While this was all annoying to hear, I had to give them credit for their creativity. Seriously, Aliens and Mole people? Ha! Try a secret superpowered protection force.

My sidekicks were of course nowhere to be found. Sheesh - you get accused of one murder/alleged kidnapping and suddenly no one wants to be your friend anymore. But I couldn’t blame them. At that point I was radioactive, and their already tenuous social standing would not survive any further exposure to me. Hell, it seemed like I would not survive any further exposure to me.

I was retrieving my books from my locker when I noticed a crowd form around me. I turned around to see Derek and two of his friends from the football team, Braden and Noah, standing behind me. Zoe and Amanda were with them. By the glares on their faces, they didn’t look like they were here to welcome me back.

“Hey Nerd,” Derek said. “Where is Heather? What did you do to her?”

“Um my name’s not Nerd,” I said quietly. “I’m not exceptionally intelligent or anything so I think the more appropriate word is Geek.”

I’m not sure why I always feel the need to talk back in situations like this, why I can’t just shut up and take my licks? Maybe it was my way of fighting back but it’s never helped me before. Sure enough, it didn’t now. Derek marched up to me and pinned me against the lockers.

“Ok ‘Geek’, you think you’re really funny don’t you,” he said. “I want to know what the hell you did to my girlfriend?” He demanded, thrusting me into the locker again for extra emphasis.

“I didn’t do anything,” I said. “I’ve told the cops everything I know. Plus I thought you and Heather were on a break, so I’m not sure you can still call her your girlfriend.”

If Derek wasn’t already triggered, he was now. He turned to his friends and the crowd. “Wow, this kid thinks he’s Kevin Hart or something.” The crowd laughed at that but I didn’t see the humor in it. That wasn’t a joke. It was barely an observation. Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to critique Derek’s comedic chops because his fist slammed into my abdomen.

“Oof,” I groaned as I crumpled to the floor.

Derek knelt down. “I’m going to ask you this question one last time. Where is Heather and what did you do to her?”

“I already told you,” I wheezed. “I didn’t do anything to her and I don’t know. Also, that was two questions.” Again, I wished I hadn't said that.

Derek glared at me. He rose to his full height. “Braden, Noah, hold this Geek up. Let’s show him what happens to loser freaks who act like smart asses.” Braden and Noah obediently followed Derek’s orders, grabbing one of my arms and lifting me up.

This sucked. It was my first day back after a five-day coma, the first bell hadn’t even rang, my friends had ditched me and I was already about to get my butt kicked and not in the fun Smash Bros way.

I’d already been through a lot and it wasn’t like I didn’t care about what had happened to Heather. Even though I had almost been killed by her I still wanted to believe that it’d all be fine and that everything would go back to normal. But these assholes didn’t care about that. No, no one ever cares about what I had been through. Not the fact that I had almost died, or the fact that my brother was missing or evil, or the fact that there are literal shadow demons that are trying to destroy everything. No, they just wanted someone to blame, someone to beat on and I just happened to fit that description.

At that moment I could feel my anger rising. Anger at Derek and his goons for picking on me when I hadn’t done anything wrong. Anger at Zoe, Amanda, and the crowd of spectators who simply watched on in glee. Anger at Persona, the Lions, and Quincy for forcing me into this situation in the first place. The loud ringing returned, and I could feel myself well up with rage. The left side of my face grew warm until it felt like it was on fire. That feeling spread down like a wave until my entire body felt like it was burning. But none of that pain felt unpleasant. In fact, it felt good.

You see, the greatest anger I had reserved for myself. The truth was I hated myself for my weakness, both at that night and during this moment. For my powerlessness and my inability to change anything. For always remaining a loser. I remembered back to my dream of the grove. The Wolf had been right, this was all my fault.

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“Stop,” a voice said in a loud booming tone.

Suddenly, the ringing turned into another voice that asked, “What do you wish to create, Master?”

I was taken aback. I was sure I had heard both of those voices before, but I couldn't figure out where. I quickly refocused as Derek’s fist flew toward my face. Well, whatever I thought, let’s just get this over with. I closed my eyes and braced myself for the hit as best as I could with both of my hands held by goons. The hit never came.

I opened my eyes to see Matias standing in front of me. He had caught Derek’s fist. Derek tried to pull his arm back but it was locked in place.

Lisa stood beside Matias. “Ok, show’s over,” she said.

“What do you mean?” Zoe said. “This loser still hasn’t told us what he did to Heather.”

Lisa turned to face her. “I thought I heard him say that he didn’t do anything. Twice. Or am I wrong?”

“No, I heard it too,” Matias said.

“We know he did something, just need to know what,” Zoe said, looking around for support. Everyone nodded their heads.

“Yeah, she’s right,” someone in the crowd yelled.

“Tell us what you did,” another said.

Zoe turned back to Lisa smirking with satisfaction.

Lisa snapped her fingers like she had just figured out something. “I see. So your plan was to assemble this lynch mob and beat the answers out of him? Wow, in this day and age that’s not very smart. In fact, I’d say it’s imbecilic.”

“What?” Zoe asked, stunned.

“Well, he says he’s told the cops everything he knows. They must have thought he was telling the truth, or they wouldn’t have released him so, I’m not sure why he would tell you anything different. You know if you’re really concerned about what happened, how about you go down to the station and talk to the cops yourself? Unless maybe, you know something we don’t?” Lisa said as she narrowed her piercing blue eyes at Zoe.

“I...uh…” Zoe stammered as everyone’s gaze turned to her. “No, of course I don’t. Why are you defending him anyway?” She regained her composure and stood up straighter. “Don’t tell me the two of you are friends,” she said with a smug smile.

“Oh no. Me and this loser are definitely not friends. In fact, I can’t stand him,” Lisa said plainly.

I have no more ouches left to give at this point.

Her eyes narrowed on Zoe again. “But what I can’t stand more are superficial, one-dimensional, fake ass queen bees.” She turned to Derek. “Moronic, small-dicked, alpha wanna be’s. And especially the dumbass shit for brains sheep that follow them. And in case you didn't catch that sheep, that means you guys.” She gestured around at the crowd.

Lisa, it seemed, had enough venom to cut anyone down to size. To be honest I was kinda happy to know that wasn’t something she reserved only for me.

“What the hell did you call me?” Derek said as he tried in vain to release his fist from Matias’ grip.

“You bitch,” Zoe glared at Lisa.

“Well, that may be true but at least I’m not an imbecile, am I Zoe?” Lisa smiled.

Unable to think of a good enough comeback, all Zoe could do was glare at Lisa. It was clear to everyone, even the sheep, that Lisa had won this exchange.

Of course, it was only now that an adult decided to show up. Coach Hugde burst onto the scene. “Break it up, break it up,” he said. “I don’t know what’s going on here but there’s no loitering in the halls.”

“Whatever,” Zoe fumed. “Derek, let's leave these losers before we catch something,” she stormed off with Amanda close behind her. Matias released Derek, who immediately began rubbing his wrist. No doubt the impact of his fist against Matias’ stony palm sprained it. Derek and his squad followed Zoe and Amanda. The crowd dispersed soon after.

“Ok, bye bye, Imbeciles. Have a happy life,” Lisa waved.

Matias helped me to my feet. “You ok bro?”

“I’ve been better. Thank you guys.”

“Don’t thank me,” Lisa said. “All I did was chase off some stupid people.”

I smiled at her. “Still, thank you.”

Her face immediately soured. “Why are you smiling, Little Idiot? You’re the worst one. If you weren’t such a loser you wouldn’t make such an easy target for them to pick on. Seriously, you’ve got to grow a pair,” she said as she walked away.

There was just no winning with her.

Lisa pulled out her phone and texted someone. It was not a particularly threatening action but every student cleared out of her path, splitting right down the middle as she passed. It was a scene even Regina George would have been jealous of. Lisa had just humiliated the meanest girl in school, so I guess by right of conquest that title was hers now?

“Do you think you’ll make it through the rest of the day ok?” Matias asked as he picked up his bag and his guitar case.

“I hope so because I don’t know how many more punches and lynch mobs I can take,” I said.

He gave me a sympathetic nod. He was about to say something else when the bell for the first period rang. “Well, if you need anything call me ok?”

“Through Quincy’s fake number?”

“Yeah, that one. Let me know if anything else happens,” he said as he walked off to class.

I checked where Derek had punched me. Thankfully, no permanent damage, nothing had been broken, only a small bruise. With a deep breath, I shouldered my bag and walked off to class. This was going to be a long day.