"She's going to be fine," said an unfamiliar voice. "The lieutenant handled her quite well." Then, I heard footsteps walking away.
I opened my eyes and saw Loki and Ace standing by the foot of my bed. I sat up. Loki grinned at me, and Ace just pursed his lips, looking a bit stern.
"What happened? Why am I here? Where's Minnie?" I asked. I was about to jump off the infirmary bed when my neck throbbed.
"She's still unconscious. She's resting in the room right next to yours," Ace answered and folded his arms. He leaned back on the wall and watched my reaction.
"How is she?" I asked.
"She's going to be fine," Loki chirped.
"What happened?" I asked and put a hand on the back of my neck. "Aw, that hurts."
"The lieutenant neck chopped you, and you passed out," Loki said, grinning. "She looked really pissed off, you know."
Loki approached me and whispered, "Ace was scolded real badly. It was hilarious." He chuckled.
"Shut up, twerp," Ace said and walked nearer. "You nearly killed that boy."
I nodded. "Yes, I remember."
"Everyone was watching," Loki told me and scratched his head. "I've never seen anything like it. It was a bit weird."
"He means you were diabolical," Ace told me and started retelling what happened. "You don't know how you looked like. Even your eyes were so calm yet dark. I knew something wasn't right when you approached me."
"When you knocked out, Ace," Loki added. "It was so weird. I really thought you were, uh... What was it? Oh! That. I thought you were going to give him a hug or something."
Ace waved him away. "What he's trying to say is, there should've been bloodlust, yet there wasn't. I lost my guard, and that's when you attacked. You head straight to the next guy, and we witnessed and heard that horrible snapping sound his bones conjured the moment you twisted his arm. And you were smiling."
"I've never seen someone enjoy such a thing until you," Loki pouted, and his eyes were sparkly.
"What horrified most of the onlookers was the sound of your laugh when you were beating down Morto," Ace shrugged. "And even the lieutenant looked horrified. It was obvious you were trying to kill him. She walked towards you as you suck the life out of the boy, and that's when she knocked you out with one hand."
"Is he still alive?" I asked. "I didn't... Well, I did want him dead."
"You damaged his jugular, but the doctors said they'll be able to fix him and he'll heal given enough time," Ace said.
I sat there, silently, as I thought things through. I know the moment I stepped out of the infirmary, I'd be receiving the same stares my family had given me after that epic night.
"You're a psycho," Loki said and clapped his hands.
"She's not," Ace said quietly. "The psychological tests deemed her normal."
I stared at him, and I frowned.
"How did you know?" I asked.
"Doesn't matter," he said flatly.
I went straight to Minnie as soon as it was okay to make a visit. I peeled Minnie an apple and handed it to her. She took a bite and then another. After three days of being poked by nurses and doctors, she just woke up. She still has faint bruises on her face. It was nice to know that she's healing fast.
"In short, you went super when I passed out," she said and nodded. "I don't care, you know."
I watched her and started peeling a banana this time. She was about to complain when she saw what I was peeling, and I took a bite to shut her up. She thought I was giving it to her. She would hate banana unless it was one of the undercover pastry chef's creations.
"Don't look at me like I'm going to disown you or something," she said and threw the remains of the apple at my face. I swat it away like a fly.
"I was hoping actually that you won't," I said and exhaled. "The thing is, I broke someone's bones and nearly choked a guy to death."
"So?" she asked. "I'm not going to be the ungrateful brat you think I'd changed to any minute."
"I enjoyed it," I said and bit my lip. At last, I spat it all out.
She just frowned, pissed. "I know you did that because you saw what they did to me. I know it was partly my fault that you went super on them. You got angry, that's all."
"I was," I said and took another bite. She looked at me like I was some sort of oddball. I stared back. "You're not going to unfriend me no matter what I say, are you?"
"You're so stupid I'm sure you'll soon die from extreme stupidity," she said and leaned back, smirking. "I've been out cold for three days, and you walked in here like you've swallowed a toad or something."
"They don't want me out of here," I told her. "Like they're hiding me or something."
"Well, I can only imagine what you said you did, and it's kinda gore," she said. "Maybe they're trying to find a way to siphon you out of the normal kids."
"Yeah, yeah," I told her, waving her off. "Now I'm abnormal?'
"Remember that time when I managed to outsmart Prof Nigel in our Psychology class?" she asked me.
"I remember that," I told her. "You ended up winding him enough to make him dismiss the class early."
"I told him I smell treason in him," she sneered. "I did, actually. For a second there. And the glint disappeared from his eyes."
That was a month ago. "I thought you were just bluffing."
"I was," she frowned. "And then, I was certain. He must've done something in the past, betrayed someone."
"So what about it?" I asked.
"Since then, no one wanted to be friends with me anymore," her shoulders rose as she exhaled. "They avoided me like they're scared I'd be able to fish out their deepest secrets and spill them to the world."
"I don't know," I told her. "I didn't notice."
Minnie threw the pillow at me. "You're so dense!"
I tsked. I am not famous for being smart.
"But I'm thankful you're so dense. If not, I would've lost you as well. Probably," she said.
"Naah," I said a path. "If I had been smart, I wouldn't have walked away from you anyway. It's not every day someone teaches that doctor. He's not always the boss. I'd see you as someone cool and stuck with you 'til the end of the world."
We laughed.
"I am that strong," she said, and I shook my head.
"I am stronger," I said, and she snorted.
"You just ruined the moment," she sneered at me.
We talked more until the nurse came in and kicked me out of the room. I returned to mine and sulked again. I looked at the sky and watched the clouds form shapes by the window.
---
I woke up an hour earlier than planned. I went straight to the toilet, washed my face, and brushed my teeth. I did my squats and pushups, some stretching, and ended with several sit-ups before I decided to take a shower. My gut says I needed to prep up early. I wanted to leave the room, but I sighed when the door was locked. They must've locked it when I snuck out to get to Minnie's room.
I heard footsteps and wished they were headed towards me. The door opened after a beep.
"How's your cage?"
I gaped at her and cleared my throat. The lieutenant just paid me a visit.
"White and uh," I looked around. "Plain?" I asked, and a nervous chuckle managed to leave my mouth.
"In thirty minutes, I want you packed up and ready to move," she said. "I'll see you in the great hall."
"How about the cat?"
"Bring it if you want. Just be sure to construct a litter box for it."
And just like that, she left. After a few seconds of staring at the door, I realized that that was my cue to leave. I quickly went to Minnie's room but found it empty.
----
I ran back to my bunk and ignored all the stares everyone was throwing at me. I entered my room and found Teddy and Duchess awake but still on their beds. I greeted them with a, hey and they looked surprised.
I headed straight to my things and started clearing up.
"Where are you going?" Duchess asked as she sat up. Teddy stood up and looked at me.
"They're not throwing you out, are they?!" she looked worried.
"Com'on," Duchess shook her head. "It's those punks' fault. You just put them in their right places." They're still thinking about what I did to Morto's gang two weeks ago. A lot has happened, and I have forgotten about it since now.
I looked at them and giggled. "I thought you're going to start avoiding me or giving me hate-stares then. I didn't tell you this before, but thanks for being there for me."
Duchess and Teddy laughed. "We lived with you for almost three months. You're not the freak they think you are, aside of course, from being a closet assassin, we really don't care," said Teddy.
"Oh, wow. Thanks," I said, relieved. I sat down on my bed when I felt my knees tremble. "Wait, I'm no assassin!"
"Well, it's obvious you have a knack on it," said Duchess. "And we also heard about the incident with the beast."
I smiled timidly.
"You're not leaving, are you? Teddy asked. "You're not expelled."
"I don't know," I shrugged. "I'm hoping I'm not."
We talked a bit more, and I yelled when I realized that my thirty minutes were almost up.
"Gotta go," I told them. "And, uh. Thanks a lot, girls."
They smiled at me and shooed me away, jokingly.
---
Again I was bombarded with hate glares. Some of them backed away from me. The treatment's familiar. It's the same way people did after I killed those men. I needed to see the cat first, and then I'd head straight to the Great Hall.
I decided to travel behind the buildings so that no one would see me. Just when I was about to turn and head to the next pathway, I heard the Sergeant's voice. I stopped in my tracks and hid. I don't know why, but he doesn't want to be disturbed. I deliberated for a moment whether I should live when---
"Let go, or I'll smash your head against the wall."
It was the lieutenant's voice.
I used my mirror and took a look at the reflected image.
"Are you avoiding me?' his voice was a little shaky and pissed off. He's talking to the lieutenant, and I frowned. Why use that tone to a superior? Aren't they the ones who taught us that insubordination is one of the greatest sins of being a soldier?
"Are you dumping me?" he asked, alarmed.
Dump? He's going to be thrown? What kind of idiot will ask his foe what her next attack will be?
They said the lieutenant's throws are the deadliest around. I grinned in excitement. I'm about to witness it in action.
"I said let go, soldier," the lieutenant's voice went icy. I shivered. As if he was burnt, the Sergeant let go.
"Don't do this, Kira," he said, and as the lieutenant turned around to leave, the Sergeant walked towards her and pulled her back.
He held the lieutenant in a bear hug.
I'd have used an elbow smash against the solar plexus right off the bat if it was me. I wonder what attack would the lieutenant use. She's the lieutenant. I know it's going to be something incredible.
The Sergeant had done it now. Attacking a superior is a major offense.
I steadied my mirror.
But the attack never came. I frowned. She stayed huddled against him like a pillow.
Should I help her?
I watched the Sergeant let go of the lieutenant and turn her to face him.
"Kira," he said and held her head with his hands. I watched intently. Holding the head like that, it's either the Sergeant would smash her against his knee or land a solid headbutt.
And I saw it coming. His head went closer.
A headbutt!
Just as his head was about to crush the lieutenant's, a hand clamped my mouth and pulled me back.
"ERMMM ERRMMM!" I tried to yell, but my abductor was strong.
And so, I bit him.
"Ah!" he hissed. "Selena, what the fuck?"
I stumbled down and looked at Ace. "What the hell are you doing here?"
"Stopping you from doing whatever you're currently doing?" he said and whisked his bitten hand. "It's bleeding, damn it."
I hurried over and took his hand. I looked at it and bit my lip. Quickly, I searched my bag for something to disinfect it and a bandage. My teeth dug deep.
"I'm sorry," I whispered and cleaned the wound. "If you hadn't taken me by surprise... Ah, never mind."
He was quiet. He didn't talk as I tried putting first aid on his wounded hand.
I gasped when I realized I had forgotten about the lieutenant.
"The lieutenant!" I whisper-yelled at him. "She's in trouble! The Sergeant attacked her!"
Ace looked at me, staring intently at me as if waiting for something.
I turned around. "Come, help me help her." I flexed my fingers, looked, and realized they were gone.
I heard a snort, then a chuckle, and the healthy laughter. I spun and watched Ace killing himself, refusing to stop laughing and breathe.
"Ace," I called.
"Ace," I warned.
He laughed and wiped the tears forming at the corner of his eye.
I pressed my lips together. "Clive."
He stopped laughing and stared at me. A second of confusion, and he sighed.
"Let's go," he told me and waved a hand to come over. "We're late."
"You're going to the Great Hall, too?" I asked when I noticed his backpack.
"Yes," he answered flatly.
"Does that mean you're expelled, too, or I'm not really expelled?"
"You're not expelled," he said coolly.
And that's all I want to hear. "I'm going to make a stop to the infirmary first."
"And why is that?" he asked, brows furrowed.
I smiled lopsidedly and said. "I'll show you."