"So, they are our rivals," Rhys remarked excitedly as he glanced at Silas, whose news had just reshaped our strategy. Yet, Nolan's furrowed brow suggested he harbored concerns.
"Good job, Silas! This information could save us from a lot of last-minute scrambling," Rhys continued.
"It's rare to get a compliment from you, Romeo. Have you finally fallen for me or what?" Silas jested, his tone playful as always.
"I'll show you where my heart truly belongs, charlatan!" Rhys retorted, ruffling Silas's hair in mock confrontation.
After going to the bathroom, he turned back to his original self. When everyone came to the classroom, Silas told us he had wonderful news to share and took us to the school's backyard. Freya and Rhys were happy with this surprise.
"Now, what's our next move? How should we approach this?" Freya queried, her voice tinged with a mix of enthusiasm and urgency.
"I suggest we start formulating a detailed plan first thing tomorrow morning," Rhys proposed, his casual demeanor masking the strategic importance of early preparation.
"Why not start now? Shouldn't we at least sketch out some initial tactics?" I interjected, confused by the haste in postponing the discussion.
"There's no need for that just yet," Nolan interjected, his voice steady. "Our immediate plan is set. We meet early, we train, and now, with the knowledge of who our rivals are, we avoid unnecessary surprises. Freya, could your device simulate humanoid holograms for practice?"
"Let me ask my brother. I am sure he knows," she replied.
"Good. We can continue to discuss it tomorrow, then," Nolan decided, and nods of agreement followed from around the circle.
Wait, was that it? The meeting disbanded almost as quickly as it had assembled. Freya was the first to leave, followed closely by Rhys and Silas, who left chatting among themselves. Nolan gave a brief nod before turning away. Left somewhat adrift, I turned to Naomi, searching her face for any sign of the camaraderie we were supposed to be building. "Is that it? We just... leave it there for now?" My voice barely rose above a whisper, laden with disappointment.
"Welcome to group dynamics," Naomi responded, her voice tinged with a cynicism that felt too mature for our surroundings. Her smile was thin, not reaching her eyes. "Strategy in motion, whether we're ready for it."
"But," I persisted, the word catching slightly as I tried to grasp the ephemeral threads of connection I thought we'd spun. "Shouldn't we stick together?"
"Why?" Naomi's shrug was dismissive, her face unreadable. "There's no reason for them to stay. I told you we are not friends. They act friendly because they need to, not want to."
Her words felt like a cold splash of reality, dimming the warm glow of belonging I had imagined. Was I just a piece in their strategy, useful only for my role in this event? The thought hollowed out a space inside me, quickly filled with a creeping chill of isolation.
"Hey, Naomi?" I called out, stopping her before she could disappear into the distance. She looked at me with a worry on her face.
"Are we friends?" I asked. The hope in my voice was fragile.
She paused, then turned, her expression softening for a moment as if she recognized the weight of her following words. "No, Bumble. We are not close enough to call ourselves friends," she admitted, and her straightforwardness felt like a final verdict.
She walked away, leaving me standing alone, the distance between us growing with each step. The realization settled heavily in my chest: We aren't friends. Despite the days spent together, even if it was just three days, the laughter we shared, we were just allies of convenience. I sat down slowly, letting the total weight of loneliness press down on me as the schoolyard noises faded into a dull roar.
I had believed, so naively, that friendship was forming, that we were all in this together. But the first bell of the day rang, snapping me back to reality. I wasn't ready to enter the class yet. I sighed deeply and got up. My movements were slow yet steady. I felt a pain in my chest that I was unfamiliar with. As a tear dropped from my cheeks, I closed my eyes and deeply breathed.
Pull yourself together, Bumble!
I made my hand into a fist and walked toward the school, my thoughts heavy. Learning this harsh reality on my third day might be painful, but facing the truth sooner rather than later was better. As I sniffled, wiping away a tear, I halted when I heard my name.
"Miss Hanna?" I called out, confusion evident in my tone. She looked stern.
"I need to speak with you. Follow me," she commanded with a firm voice. I gulped but obeyed, trailing behind her as my mind raced with potential reasons for this summons. What trouble could I be in already?
Once inside her office, Miss Hanna motioned for me to sit on the chair across from her desk, where she perched, donned a pink suit, and neatly pulled her hair into a bun.
"Bumble," she began, her voice carrying a mix of authority and concern. "Do you understand why you're here?"
I shook my head, the confusion not abating.
"You were reported this morning for attempting to harm one of our students from Class B."
I stared at her, bewildered.
"No," I muttered, then raised my voice. "No, I didn't harm anyone!"
"Well, the camera footage suggests otherwise," she countered as she gestured. I looked at the air, then at her with confusion.
"Umm, what should I have been looking at?" I asked. Hanna looked at me confused, then sighed.
"Where are your glasses?" she inquired, eyeing me critically.
"In class," I replied, my voice barely above a whisper.
She sighed and retrieved a small black sphere from a shelf, putting it right before me.
"Mai, can you open sphere 0-0275 and project the image on the hologram?" Hanna instructed. Moments later, a holographic representation of the sports area materialized before us. It was like watching a scene from another life—me, Silas, and the others were there, but from a strange angle.
"How is that possible?" I asked, mesmerized. "I am right here! How is-?"
"Focus, Bumble," Hanna interrupted sternly. I nodded and continued to watch. Silas and I were in our hiding spot, watching others train, and Silas learned who our competitors were. Then I saw Darren and his friends approaching us with a smirk on their faces. After a short while, I turned toward them. Silas was standing still.
This shows the past! I realized.
A few seconds later, he approached us, and I, in the past, pushed him, causing him to fall. Then the playing stopped.
"So, you initiated physical contact with a Class B student who hadn't provoked you," Hanna observed.
"He did provoke us! He made Silas extremely uncomfortable, forcing him to engage!" I argued, feeling my frustration mount.
"That's not what the recording shows," she pointed out coldly.
I looked at the hologram again with discomfort, then remembered Alaric's warning.
"Look, Bumble, no matter what they do or say, don't attack anyone physically unless they attack you first, and make sure others witness it. If you don't, they will blame you and even banish you. Understand?"
I frowned and turned my gaze to Hanna again.
"I didn't attack him. If you continue to watch, you will see that he will try to attack us too!" I said as my voice started to get louder.
"But you escalated the situation by pushing first," Hanna replied in a cold, calm voice.
"He was making Silas uncomfortable, making him scared! He was frozen with fear as he came towards us! How is it fair that you only blame me?"
The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.
"Don't you dare raise your voice!" Hanna said sharply, her voice rising slightly in response to my outburst.
I groaned and crossed my arms. Today is the day of unfairness, I thought. Hanna took a deep breath and started talking to me calmly.
"I'm not dismissing your feelings, but we must adhere to school rules. Provocation doesn't justify physical retaliation."
"But I didn't start the provocation," I protested again, but my voice calmed down as well. I felt misunderstood, trapped in a narrative spun beyond my control. When I combined these with Naomi's words, tears started flowing from my eyes again.
"I understand you felt protective, but the footage shows you pushing first. That's problematic." She said softly as she showed me the sphere.
"I need you to understand your situation and what your actions might cause Bumble. According to the school rules, you were to be suspended for a week. But you are still new and have yet to learn about human society. So, I will let you go with a warning just this once. Your father will hear about this, though."
"My father?" I asked. She looked at me, surprised.
"My father died a long time ago with my mother," I explained; my frustration was getting higher with every passing second.
"Oh, I apologize," Hanna said sincerely. "I thought the man who did your registration was your father. But it won't change the fact that I will talk to your legal protector about this incident. You may leave now."
I nodded and got up, wishing this day to be over. Before I left, I stopped at the door and turned around.
"What about Naomi?" I asked. Hanna, who was sitting in the chair, looked at me confused.
"What's wrong about Naomi?" She asked.
"Marcus bullied her. Nothing has happened in the past two days since we were together, but this doesn't mean it won't happen again. Will you call up Marcus as well?" I asked. Hanna averted her gaze.
"Marcus's situation is different than yours, unfortunately."
"Right," I whispered as a pain cut through my heart and left Hanna's office.
So, this is what Alaric said about power. I wish the day were over. Where did things start to go wrong?
As I wondered about it, I entered the classroom after I wiped my tears away.
The following breaks until lunch felt very lonely. Freya mingled with some girls I didn't know, and Nolan was similarly engaged elsewhere. Rhys and Silas stuck together, laughing over something unknown. Naomi was at her desk, absorbed in her book. All I could do was sit there, feeling the weight of solitude pressing down on me. My sense of desperation grew, mingled with a sadness that felt thick in my throat.
When lunchtime arrived, I silently left without saying anything to Naomi. This time, I managed to get to the lunch area early. I grabbed my food and found a secluded table, beginning to eat in silence. The clatter of trays and the buzz of conversation around me only emphasized my isolation. Someone sat across me as I was about to take another bite from my meal. I looked up with a flicker of hope.
"Hello, outsider," Darren smirked, his friends slamming their trays down with unnecessary force. A wave of discomfort washed over me, and I instinctively tried to stand, but his friends quickly pulled me back into my seat.
"Not so fast. We have a few things to discuss," Darren said, leisurely taking a bite of his food.
"I don't have anything to discuss with you!" I protested, my voice firm yet tinged with anxiety.
"I think you do," he retorted, his smile thin and menacing. "Just sit tight till we finish our lunch."
His friends tightened their grip on me as they ate, their hands unnervingly strong. I looked around the crowded lunchroom. It was like I had become invisible; no one seemed to notice or care about my predicament. The chatter and laughter continued unabated, a stark contrast to the tension at my table. The sense of isolation deepened, and I felt a chill of fear as I realized just how alone I was.
"This is horrible," Darren muttered between bites. "Let's chat. So, how do you know Freckles?"
I frowned, confusion evident on my face. "Freckles?"
Before I could react, I felt a sharp blow to my head, and Darren burst out laughing. I slowly raised my head, my eyes meeting those of the person who hit me.
Calm down, calm down...
"Answer the question," Darren's friend demanded.
"Easy, Frank," Darren intervened with a dismissive wave and a chilling smile. "We're just talking here. And you," he pointed at me with his fork, "stop looking at us like you want to kill us. Your class wouldn't allow you that privilege," he taunted and took another bite. I clenched my fists under the table, fighting the urge to lash out.
"So, answer my question."
"I don't know who 'Freckles' is," I replied coldly, maintaining my composure.
"Let me rephrase it then. How do you know Silas?" Darren continued, his tone casual as if discussing the weather.
"We're classmates," I whispered.
"Classmates," he nodded, chewing thoughtfully. "That doesn't explain why you were there, where multiple classes and students training for the flag race were present, does it?" He paused, giving me a scrutinizing look. I remained silent, refusing to give him the satisfaction of an answer.
"Well, this has been an enlightening conversation, but let's get back to business."
Suddenly, Darren's friends forced me to get up and walk with them.
"The tray— Let me go!" I protested as I struggled against their hold. Then I felt a slap across my face, strong enough to make my eyes water.
"Be quiet, outsider!" Darren hissed as he leaned in close. "I'm doing you a favor by forcing you out. Didn't I tell you I would teach you who you were messing with?"
As his friends dragged me away, I was in a daze and shocked. I glanced behind me and saw many students looking at me. Silas was among them, his face a mask of shock and fear. Nolan was holding his arm, whispering urgently to him. My gaze swept over many faces—some looked at me with fear, others with amusement, and some simply didn't care. As we approached the door, I even noticed a few teachers watching. Their expressions were unreadable, but I thought I saw a flicker of satisfaction in their eyes.
So, no one is going to help me. No one cares about someone in danger.
Everything Naomi and Alaric had said crystallized in my mind; the past two days had been nothing but an illusion. Today was the day that the true nature of human society was revealing itself to me.
Why now? I wondered. What changed?
They took me outside of the school grounds and pushed me into a very narrow place.
"Let me start by introducing ourselves. My name is Darren Hawk. I'm one of the best hunters among the 9th graders. I am currently in Class B for some unfortunate reason, but this will change after the flag race. These two are Frank and Jacob," Darren said, his tone deceptively gentle. We stood facing each other in silence for a long minute.
"Your turn," he prompted.
"Oh," I responded, startled. "I'm Bumble—"
"Okay then, Beetle," he interrupted with a smirk, his eyes narrowing as he stepped closer.
"I need you to deliver a message to Freckles for me."
"What message?" I asked, barely a whisper.
Darren suddenly punched me in the stomach, leaving me gasping for air, pain radiating through my abdomen as I doubled over. His face loomed over me, a twisted smile playing on his lips.
"You're going to tell Freckles," he began, his voice low and menacing, "whatever happens to you from now on is his fault. If he wants to finish your suffering, he should come and face me after school in our 'usual spot'. He had time till the flag race. Understand?"
I nodded weakly, struggling to regain my breath. Darren stepped back, his expression satisfied.
"Good bug," he said briskly. "We will see you tomorrow," he said, pushing me down. After I fell, I heard their laughter as they left me alone. Tears were coming down from my cheeks. I was furious, angry, in rage. I wanted to get up and punch them, kick them, show them how weak they were compared to me, but doing that might cause problems for Alaric, and I might get 'banished', even though I forget what that meant. So I got up slowly and exited the narrow alley, each breath a sharp sting. I thought of going to Hanna's office but stopped when Naomi appeared seemingly out of nowhere. Her expression was a mix of concern and resolve.
"What, why are you here?" I managed to whisper, struggling to keep my voice steady amidst the pain.
"I had a feeling this might happen," Naomi replied softly, stepping closer. "Sit down, please." She gently guided me to a nearby bench.
"How did you know?" I asked while hissing with the pain.
"I saw everything this morning from the class window. When I saw you that you pushed the boy, I had the hunch."
"You knew this might happen," I whispered while Naomi helped me to sat the bench. She nodded.
"And you saw everything?" I whispered again.
"Yes, I saw it all."
"And you just stood there? Why didn't you help?" Tears started to blur my vision, the feeling of betrayal thickening in my throat.
Naomi sighed, her voice carrying a weight of resignation. "I needed you to see, Bumble—to really understand."
"Understand what?" Confusion meshed with my pain, twisting my expression.
"The reality here. I've warned you, but seeing is different. You needed to see how deep this goes."
As she spoke, Naomi carefully lifted the edge of my shirt to inspect the bruise forming. I flinched, not from her touch but from the cold truth she lay bare.
"It's going to bruise badly," she murmured, her fingers deft but gentle.
Naomi's gaze met mine, solemn and unflinching. "From now on, forget any illusions of fairness or camaraderie here," she began, her voice steady despite the chaos swirling around us. "Did you see their faces during the incident? Rhys, Freya—they didn't even glance your way. Nolan was preoccupied with Silas and Silas... he looked shocked, sure, but he did nothing to help."
I absorbed her words, each a hammer blow to my dwindling hope. "How could they..." I started, my voice a broken whisper. I thought they would care since we were together in the flag race.
"They live in their world, bound by their ranks and reputations," Naomi interrupted softly, her eyes dark with memories. "And you're an outsider, Bumble. The rules for us are different."
A bitter laugh escaped me, more a sob than anything mirthful.
The word 'outsider' again. I thought it was insignificant in the school, but I was wrong.
"And what about the teachers? Miss Hanna?" I asked with a little bit of hope.
Naomi's expression turned grim. "Don't expect salvation from them. I've asked for help many times before. They turn a blind eye, especially to 'good' students, those who are supposed to be the pride of the academy."
I felt a chill, realizing the depth of my naivety. "And... what about you?" I asked, noticing for the first time the faint discoloration on her cheek and the subtle swelling.
"This?" Naomi touched her cheek lightly, a shadow crossing her features. "Courtesy of Marcus and his friends, about a few minutes ago. They don't spare me, either. And now, you're likely on that list, too."
The reality of her words settled heavily between us. "So, what am I supposed to do?" The helplessness in my voice was palpable.
"You survive," Naomi said bluntly. "You learn to navigate this place, to avoid the traps set by those who see you as less than them. And you fight back in ways that don't lead you straight into a trap."
"But how?" The enormity of the task seemed impossible. "I can't attack them or fight them physically."
Naomi stood, offering me a hand up. "Start by protecting yourself. We can't stop them from targeting us, but we can make it harder for them to hurt us." Her voice softened. "Come on, let's get you to the infirmary. You need to be seen by a medic, and I'll help you figure out the rest."
As we walked towards the school building, her arm offered a surprising strength. Naomi wasn't just a fellow victim of this harsh society; she was a reluctant guide in a world where the usual rules didn't apply. Perhaps we could find a way to endure and navigate this treacherous new landscape. But this thought disappeared when I remembered Naomi said that she wasn't my friend.
"But remember," Naomi added as we entered the cool shadows of the infirmary, "from now on, be cautious and watchful."
Her words resonated in my mind, becoming a mantra for survival in a more dangerous place than I had ever imagined.