Devon Lee, the most direct, sarcastic, and somewhat impulsive girl with her words. Even though she was the same age as Jackson, she wouldn't lose an argument with older people who were idiots like Brucks. That was why she was considered someone you wouldn't want to pick a fight with.
That was also the reason why she didn't have many friends, and although Devon knew this, she didn't care to have friends like them.
Jackson, of course, didn't care about this either; he wasn't someone too normal to demand friends with certain standards. He already had disastrous friends like Ryan, who wasn't the saintliest, but he was loyal to his friendship with him.
That was worth more than anything else.
"I just want to look out for my classmates, that's all." When Brucks saw Jackson sitting next to Devon, he thought that since he hadn't reacted earlier, he would be easy prey, another guy to mock and use, so he could later brag to his friends.
After all, he needed a certain degree of approval to continue being considered for the parties his friend threw.
"He's an idiot who will surely waste all the opportunities he has now as a young man; don't pay attention to him. Be sure that he'll get tired later, and he's not brave enough to take things farther." Devon advised Jackson not to pay too much attention to Brucks' threats, although this certainly didn't worry him.
Right now, Jackson feared more for the safety of those who wanted to hurt him than for himself; it wasn't surprising, since he tended to go a bit overboard in fights.
That kind of defensive state was almost instinctive, since many considered him their imaginary enemy, and he had had to deal with many things.
Being in a new city, he assumed he would have to deal with it again.
In general, when he fought in physical confrontations, he didn't usually measure his strength, and everything could end very badly in little time.
As class went on, Jackson kept looking from side to side, wanting to adapt. From what he could observe, there were all kinds of students, and the teacher didn't care.
That was why he asked Devon some things to adapt to what they were studying.
"Well, I guess class is over." Jackson began using his cell phone as soon as the class ended.
Devon, on the other hand, sighed in relief and now just wanted to leave the classroom in search of something to eat. Thank goodness, we don't have to work with others to do assignments.
"How do you know we won't run into that guy a lot in class?" Jackson asked Devon as she put her things away to head to the next class.
"It's normal. Even though we share classes, we usually don't spend much time together when we need to move from one classroom to another. And from what I know, that guy is a grade above us, so there are only a few classes where we'll meet."
"That's what clubs are for, where we can make friends. By the way, since you'll be in the debate club, you should at least have some idea about it, right?" Devon asked Jackson, who until now didn't seem interested in his future as a student.
Jackson nodded slightly and said, "I know about it; I also like the idea."
Jackson, of course, didn't care whether he was in a soccer club or a debate club, as long as he could find the answer he was looking for. If he could find whatever he wanted to be in the future—if for some reason it was something other than martial arts—he would take that path.
"That's good."
A group of students led by a girl named Alicia was about to leave as well. But when they saw Devon walk by, they unconsciously stopped to let her pass.
"Wow, that was exhausting, huh, new guy?" Alicia stood in front of Jackson.
"Do you need something?"
Although Devon was already outside the classroom, since she was waiting for Jackson, she frowned.
"Are you going to the cafeteria? Want to come with me?"
Alicia was the only one interested in the new guy, who seemed to have a dominant air about him.
"Umm… I'm not interested. I think your friends are waiting for you." Jackson pointed at the two girls outside watching Alicia.
"Ah, ha, ha, ha, but you can still come anyway." Alicia continued, thinking she could make Jackson her lapdog with a little effort.
"Thanks, but I'll pass."
"Hm… All right." Alicia nodded before running to her friends. Stupid dog, not even flies will go near you…
After Alicia left, Jackson walked toward the exit and was about to head to the cafeteria himself when an arm wrapped around his shoulders.
"I'm hungry; let's eat something. I'll invite you, and you'll pay." Brucks laughed in a friendly manner.
Devon was about to intervene until Jackson lifted his hand and stopped her from a distance.
"Wait here, I'll buy something."
"Ha, ha, ha, good, good!" Brucks laughed, expecting Jackson to buy him something just as he had ordered.
Devon walked alongside Jackson and asked, "When will you let that idiot stop bothering you?"
"I'll deal with that problem later." Jackson waited in line while playing on his phone, bought snacks, and also took his lunch.
"I don't doubt it." Devon was beginning to understand Jackson and knew that he seemed like someone who couldn't even punch a punching bag, but who ended up being a good fighter.
Although she was against fights inside the school, she wasn't against giving idiots who bothered others what they deserved—simply for fun.
A part of Jackson, on the other hand, didn't want conflicts, though the other part was wishing for classes to end so he could deal with that guy who was bothering him.
"I try to be good, and the guys aren't making it easy for me…"