Laughter echoed from the rear of the campus, where the sun streamed through the trees, mingling with the thick haze of cigarette smoke in the air. Birds flitted about, their songs contributing to the ambiance.
Suddenly, a kick struck my face, eliciting a groan from me. I could feel blood trickling from my nose, so I wiped it away. Lying on the ground, I shivered slightly from the pain.
I gradually lifted my gaze to see a trio of bullies standing over me, one of whom was the leader of the group. I had long been their target, subjected to constant bullying because of a supposed curse that haunted my existence. Anyone who dared to befriend me faced tragedy, often dying the very next day. Even my parents had perished in a car accident when I was just five weeks old, leaving me the sole survivor of that night. A stranger took me in after that, but they also met an untimely fate. This cycle of misfortune had continued, perpetually leaving me without anyone to care for me. And now, here I was, once again at the mercy of these bullies.
"What are you staring at?" Shein sneered, taking a drag from her cigarette and blowing smoke in my direction. I turned away in disgust, coughing due to the noxious air.
Shein glanced at the curly-haired girl beside her and commanded, "Ruin her, Ruby."
Ruby's expression was filled with malicious delight. "Of course~," she chirped sweetly, her gaze turning to me, dark intentions simmering in her eyes. Slowly, I forced myself to get back on my feet, feeling disheveled.
"Stay down, dog," Ruby said, her words laced with venom. I was taken aback, pain shooting through me as she landed a hard kick to my stomach.
Gasping, I collapsed back to the ground, cradling my midsection in an effort to shield it, fearful of another blow. The bullies erupted into laughter at my misery.
"Oh, does it hurt?" Ruby taunted, her eyes sparkling with amusement as she tugged at my hair, forcing me to look her in the eyes. "I like that fire in your gaze," she remarked as Shein leaned closer to observe.
"You're right," Shein replied, casually smoking as she watched the scene unfold.
"I'm bored-entertain us," Ruby demanded, still fixated on me.
In that moment, I contemplated how I hoped they would suffer for their cruelty. For three long years, they had made my life unbearable, and I could no longer endure the torment.
"I wish all of you would rot in hell!" I yelled, and rather than deterring them, my words only seemed to fuel their desire to torment me further.
"Don't say that," Ruby said brightly, before pushing me backward with force, slamming my back against the hard ground.
A kick landed on my side, causing me to arch in pain. I tried to crawl away, but someone seized my legs, and I recognized the silent one among them.
"Nice one, Kate!" Shein cheered, clapping her hands in delight.
Without a word, Kate picked up a small rock and struck my head, sending a wave of dizziness over me. My vision blurred, and as they gasped in shock, they quickly burst into laughter.
"Fantastic!" Ruby exclaimed joyfully as she landed a punch on my face. My body grew weaker, and my heart raced; the figures of my tormentors loomed over me, their expressions twisted with delight. I felt blood trickle from my forehead, washing down my cheek.
"What are you doing to that girl?!" A familiar voice shouted, abruptly halting their torment. I heard them click their tongues in annoyance, muttering discontent about the interruption.
A sense of relief washed over me as I perceived their footsteps retreating. I was grateful for the arrival of the school nurse, the only person who treated me with kindness and respect.
The footsteps approached with purpose, and I felt him kneel beside me.
"Percy, are you alright? Oh no, you're bleeding. Let me help," Hans said gently, cradling my head with care. He assessed my condition and, without hesitation, scooped me up and hurried towards the clinic within the school.
My sight remained hazy as I gradually closed my eyes to ease my body against his, and he sensed it. "That's it, just relax on me," he said gently, a slight smile on his face.
Everyone was watching, and I could hear the murmurs around us. They weren't shocked by what had just occurred; it was a common situation for me, and Hans was the only one who consistently came to my rescue.
The door swung open with a forceful kick, and he carefully placed me on the bed before closing the door and returning to my side.
"Wow, you're bleeding quite a bit," he remarked, quickly grabbing some pills and a medkit. He took great care in cleaning my minor cuts and bruises, causing me to wince from the sting. "It's all right, it's all right," he reassured me as he applied ointment to my injuries and wrapped bandages around them, particularly on my forehead.
Hans carefully helped me drink a glass of water with the pills, supporting my head with one hand while holding the glass with the other. I followed his instructions, swallowing the pills and then sipping the water.
"That's good," he said softly, gently laying my head back onto the plush pillow before putting everything back in order and seating himself in the chair next to me. His hand brushed lightly against my hair, bringing a sense of calm and comfort.
As I slowly opened my eyes, I met his green gaze. His expression was tender, reminiscent of a father's love for his daughter. "Thank you, Hans. I'm not sure how I can ever repay you," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.
Hans shook his head, his hand resting gently on mine. "You don't need to repay me, Percy. I chose to help you because I recognized that you needed someone, and I wanted to be that person. I will always be here for you," he replied in a warm tone, his thumb soothingly rubbing the back of my hand.
My heart raced at his words. I felt valued and understood, able to be my true self with him.
"Thank you, Hans..." I offered a gentle smile, which he returned. My gaze shifted to the beads of his bracelet on his left wrist. I had noticed that he wore it consistently since I began attending this school, never having seen him without it.
"You always wear that," I remarked, curious. He raised an eyebrow, momentarily unsure of what I meant, but upon following my gaze, he chuckled softly. "You mean this?" He lifted his left hand to display the bracelet adorning his wrist, and I nodded in affirmation.
"I really adore this bracelet. It holds a unique significance to me and shields me from any harm." He playfully placed a finger to his lips, urging me to keep it a secret, which made me think he was a bit odd. What did he really mean by that?
"Sure..." I said, rolling my eyes but smiling slightly. Clearly, he was trying to lighten the mood, and it worked to some extent. Hans chuckled and then pouted. "Seriously, I'm not lying!" He insisted that the bracelet possessed some magic that kept him safe from danger.
"Yeah, right." I joked that I believed him, and he seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, convinced I bought his story about the bracelet. Honestly, this guy can be a bit foolish at times.
The bell rang, signaling that recess was over. I let out a tired sigh as I slowly sat up in bed. I still felt weak, but I was determined to cope. I didn't want to miss any lessons.
Hans attempted to dissuade me from leaving, even offering to inform the teachers that I was excused due to my health. However, I gently declined, stating that I didn't want to skip classes just because I was unwell. I could handle it.
Ultimately, he had no choice but to comply with my wishes. He supported my back as we walked back to class. When we arrived, we exchanged goodbyes. As I turned to look at the bullies, I noticed they were already seated, smirking sinisterly at my bandaged appearance.
Ignoring them, I took my seat. As soon as I settled down, they started whispering and chuckling.
"How's Percy doing, huh?" Shein called out loudly enough for everyone to hear. They acted concerned, but it was clear they were just belittling me, branding me as a vulnerable target.
"Hey, respond!" Shein shouted again, tossing a crumpled piece of paper that struck the back of my head. I chose to remain unresponsive and continued to ignore them.
Frustrated, Shein seemed ready to get up, but froze when the teacher walked in to begin class. "We'll settle this after class, you brat," she said in a calm but menacing voice.
The class proceeded without incident. Everyone paid attention to the teacher's lecture while I took notes. Eventually, classes were dismissed.
I grabbed my bag and exited the classroom. Though I could hear the bullies calling my name, I opted to ignore them. I walked down the hallway with a composed expression, seeking some peace of mind. I just wanted to get home and unwind.
Suddenly, I felt someone tugging at my shoulder, whirling me around in surprise. My expression turned blank upon realizing it was them.
They wore wicked smirks, and Shein didn't look pleased. She gripped my shoulder tightly, her nails pressing into my skin, but I forced myself not to react.
"We're not finished from earlier. You really annoyed me by ignoring me," Shein sneered, her voice laced with malice. She lifted her hand to slap me, so I shut my eyes, bracing for the impact, but it never came.
"What the hell?! Let go of me, you jerk!" Shein screamed in pain, prompting me to open my eyes and see what was happening.
I spotted someone ahead of me. Their back looked familiar, so I looked up to realize it was Hans. He was gripping the wrist of a girl tightly, and I noticed tears starting to well up in her eyes.
"It hurts, you jerk!" she yelled in agony, trying to free her wrist from his grasp, but he was too strong.
This was my first time seeing Hans in such an intense and intimidating way. He shot an ominous look at them, particularly at Shein.
"Do anything to her, and you'll regret it," he warned before releasing her hand. Shein clutched her sore wrist with her other hand, trying to soothe the pain.
She glared at Hans, and then her eyes turned to me, burning with anger. I had a sinking feeling that something bad was about to happen to me.
"You'll regret this," she hissed before instructing her followers to follow her. Kate waved goodbye as she trailed behind her leader, while Ruby gave us both the middle finger.
Once they were gone, Hans let out a sigh of frustration. "Those kids are incredibly disrespectful," he remarked before turning to me, gently rubbing my shoulder where Shein had gripped me earlier. "Are you okay?" he asked, concern evident in his voice.
"I'm fine," I replied softly as we walked out of the school together. "Let me give you a ride home," he offered. I hesitated for a moment, but his reassurances made me accept his invitation.
As he drove me home, we chatted about our lives and routines. I learned that Hans had an ex-girlfriend whom he dated for five years. They split up when he discovered she had cheated on his best friend. I felt sympathy for what he had gone through, but he assured me that he moved on long ago and felt no lingering sadness or love for her. In fact, he was grateful for the experience because it led to a more peaceful life than he had previously known.
"So, does that mean you're not open to relationships now?" I asked curiously. He smiled thoughtfully before responding.
"Yes," he said cautiously as he pulled up to my house. "I see," I responded simply before stepping out of the car. I walked to the gate but turned back to him.
Hans opened the car window, looking at me earnestly. "Stay safe," he said as a parting remark, and I nodded in response, watching him drive away.
Once inside, I locked the gates and doors and began cleaning up to prepare my meal.