"Jump in!!!" Ayo shouted, immediately springing to his feet. The world around him appeared blurry and unfamiliar—the rows of chairs, columns, and a long blackboard up front all bore a strange resemblance to his days at the academy.
"Buhahahahaha!!! Come on, man!! Have you taken so many beatings that you're now having nightmares?" one of the guys in a navy blue suit, shirt askew, and a loosely knotted tie mocked. Their clothing was disheveled, lacking proper footwear, and their toes were exposed.
"Jump in!" Another voice chimed in, as someone else jumped onto Ayo, slinging an arm around his shoulder. The individual's foul breath and noisy chewing were infuriating. Ayo had endured many things in his life, but this was a new low.
Even before entering the academy, Ayo's reputation as a genius had spread across the continent. Born with a lowly status, he commanded respect even among prestigious students. His talent was legendary, and he'd never encountered such behavior. It was utterly repulsive and annoying.
"What? What? Why are you looking at me like that? Like I repulse you... do you want a thrashing?" He raised his hand to strike, and Ayo instinctively cowered, his hands raised defensively—an uncharacteristically cowardly reaction that seemed to happen before he consciously realized it.
"Eeyyy, look at this bastard, acting all cocky just because Funmi is in class, huh?"
"Who is that?"
'...why do they think I'm acting this way because of a girl?' Ayo pushed the boy's hand away from his shoulder, assessing the situation ahead.
"This bastard!!!" The loud voice preceded a kick to Ayo's head, causing his vision to blur, and then everything went dark.
...
~wipe!~
Ayo jolted awake, a tingling and frustrating pain in his back. The man in front of him covered his nose.
"Oh my God, did you hate PE class so much that you chose to sleep in the dumpster?" He commented, pinching his nose.
The man's words barely registered with Ayo. What concerned him was the peculiar pain on his back. He noticed a cane in the man's hand.
'...was he the one?'
"What are you staring at, brat? Get back to class!" The man raised his cane, but Ayo intercepted it, holding his hand mid-swing.
"Look at this boy opposing his teacher now!"
~smack~
A kick landed in Ayo's belly, forcing him to vomit a mixture of water and saliva.
"Shit!!... I can't react... is it just me, or is my body too accustomed to these beatings, even back then..." he muttered.
"Hey, are you cursing me? I know you're cursing me. Let's go to the principal's office. I'll make sure you get suspended this time!" The man roared, dragging Ayo by the ear down the hallway.
"Hey! hey!! hey!!! Heyy!!!..." No matter how much he called out, the man didn't respond.
'...he's deliberately ignoring me!'
In frustration, Ayo grabbed the man's hand on his ear and flipped him over, slamming him onto the ground in the middle of the hallway.
The sudden sound drew heads from windows and doors. Open murmurs filled the air.
"Oh my goodness?! Mister Eniola! What have you done to your teacher?" Another man exclaimed gently, rushing forward to check on the unconscious teacher. Male teachers from nearby classrooms emerged and quickly carried the unconscious man away. The older man appeared to be in his late sixties, with a balding head and traces of white hair.
As he observed Ayo, his gentle expression transformed.
"To my office now!" He yelled and walked away toward his office. Ayo wasn't sure why, but he felt compelled to follow. The students whispered among themselves, and the atmosphere indicated he'd stirred up quite a commotion.
...
~creak~
The door slowly closed as Ayo entered the principal's office. The elderly man, hands behind his back, moved to a table adjacent to his main desk and began to work on a machine.
"Please, take a seat." He smiled.
'Did this old man suddenly change?' Ayo wondered as he settled onto the sofa, which surprisingly felt quite comfortable.
'Damn, I wouldn't mind staying here all day.'
The principal placed a cup in front of Ayo, and for a moment, he hesitated. Then, he decided to ask, "Should you be offering a troublemaker tea?"
The principal responded with a chuckle, "Ha ha, it's not tea, just coffee. Besides, you're used to it by now." Ayo lifted the cup and gulped down the so-called coffee. It hit the spot and felt like exactly what he needed at that moment.
"See, Mister Eniola, there are times when we must swallow our pride. I know Mister Jackson has been a nuisance to you, but sometimes, you must learn to control your anger. Given how public this incident is, I doubt you'll avoid suspension. However, I won't inform your parents about it. You'll have some time to–"
~snoooorrrrrrh~
~snnoorrrhh~
The principal chuckled, watching Ayo sleep.