Bright rays of light pouring from the window landed just right on the eyes of formally dressed students. Yet this didn't seem to affect them in the slatest. Mood permeating the classroom was happy and restless.

"Okay every one class dismissed. This is the last time when we see each other before the holidays. I wish you all good time on your vacations."

Miss Pari looked at us wistfully. I know she will miss us and for a second I even felt bad for her, but the prospect of spending my vacation in school in her special program makes my hair stand on end.

Sorry Miss Pari I'm not ready for such sacrifices even for you. When I was zoning out she got to the end of her whole spiel about being safe on vacation. Don't drink.

Don't do drugs. Don't do anything dangerous! Bla,bla,bla…The usual talk.

"Just be smart and don't hurt yourself by playing too hard. Okay, you can go now."

Finally freedom from this awful socially constructed cage. Don't get me wrong. Some classes can be really interesting and I have my friends in anime club but social ladder and bullying is real especially in High School.

I got my bag and with great enthusiasm shot to the doors like the rest of the class. We are like a herd of sheep just running for our freedom from the big bad wolf that wants to eat us all. In this metaphor the big bad wolf is education of course.

I was so close to living this wretched clasroom but sometime universe have this funny way of fucking with you happines and expectations. For me it came in the form of tugging on my wrist. It was Miss Pari. What could she want from me right now? She just let us go.

"Yes, Miss Pari? Did I forget something?"

I look back on my desk because I've been known for forgetting my things all the time. But my desktop was spotless.

Okay, then what's the problem?

"Listen Alex I know it's not my place to talk but I watch the news and I can't help but notice that a lot of these gang fights with vigilantis are really close to your home."

She looks at me like she wants me to agree or deny. I'm not really sure what's the deal here but I give her obligatory head nod. She accepts this response and continues.

"I know your mom is doing everything to keep you safe but We both know how much you are left alone when she is at work. So I want to give you my private number for emergencies. I hope i'm not overstepping but it would take a load off my mind. Here take this. "

She sticks a piece of paper with a neatly written down phone number.

"Don't be afraid to call me at any time of a day. I will help you as best I can."

"Thank you."

I gave her my best grateful smile. I know Miss Pari has a heart of gold but I can't take her on this offer. But I can't tell her that. I don't want to make her sad.

"If there is an emergency and mom won't be there to help I make sure to call you. But I don't think there will be a need for that. I'm a huge couch potato so I don't get in a lot of trouble..he he he…"

I ended my speech somewhat awkwardly but I hope it was convincing enough to appease her worries.

She looked relieved for a second but then again a distraught look flashed on her face. What now?

Please let me go. I wanna go home and fuse my ass with a couch for the whole two moanths of vacation. This is so irritating. I could lose my temper with her but my mum taught me proper manners so I held it in and asked her with an even voice.

"Miss Pari, are you worried about something else?"

I guess when I tried to calm myself she fell into deep thoughts about something because the sound of my voice physically shook her out of stupor.

"Sorry I was just stuck in my head."

She gave me a strained smile to show me she is in fact alright.

"It's just… I know you young people are fascinated about these new vigilantes and probably you too see them like some sort of heroes from movies or comic books but they are nothing like that. If you see someone like that please just stay away. Okay?"

Her tone of voice was light but the look in her eyes was stern and imploring. I get where she's coming from but I'm as ordinary as a student can be and there is no way I will meet a hero and then to top it all off spend time with him. My life is hardly ever this exciting.

"Sure I won't be trying to befriend any vigilantis on my vacations."

She grimaced at my flippant tone of voice but It must been convincing enough because she stepped out of my way and finally let me go.

I truly get her worries but of all people in my class I'm literally the last person who would go on some weird adventures with heroes. There is no way Shadow or Champion would like to spend any time with nerd like me. What would I talk about with them? Anime? Games? Pfff...That's right. I don't think so.

If I was cool enough to hang with them I definitely wouldn't be bullied for most of my school career. Speaking of the devil. I managed to take just two steps out of the school gate and someone kicked my back with great force.

God dammit I was hoping they would get bored of waiting and leave me alone but no such luck. And of course they always go after me in the whole pack of wild looking jocks. Leading them is the biggest school jackass and football star Jackson. Sweet. Life could not be better.

"Hey, Alexa. What with this sour look on your face. Did you think we won't want to see you one last time before vacations? Don't be so cold, we are best of friends."

Jackson feigned a hurt look on his face but his true thoughts were evident by hard kicks to my stomach with every word he says like they put some emphasis on what he's saying.

"Common Alexa, be a good gal pal and spend some time with us."

Ahh yes, turning my name into a more feminine version. So creative. He should write a book with his rich vocabulary.

Usually I just lay there and take all the abuse but today I felt unusually brave. Maybe because I won't be seeing my lovely fanclub for the whole two months of vacation so I will not see the consequences of my actions for a long time.

When Jacson lifted his leg to kick me again I mustered all my strength and from my position on the ground I kicked him in the balls. His high pitched scream was music for sore ears but I didn't have time to appreciate it properly because Jackson lost his balance and fell on his butt. With in turn send goonies in some kinda shock. So I took the chance and booked from there as quickly as I could.

"Alex I fuckin murder you when I see you again in school!!"

Jackson was yelling with a wild look on his face.

Whelp he doesn't sound too happy but my future self will be dealing with him. Present me is just relieved to be as far away from them as possible.

I run some more and when I see familiar blocks of my neighbourhood I can finally relax.

I stop for a minute to catch my breath. I'm aware that most people would be nervous around Sid Cross but I grew up in this neighbourhood so I have all the knowledge on how to get around safely.

Never in my life was I ever mugged or attacked and like on cue I felt cold steel off a knife on my throat and glowed hand on my mouth. Is the universe trying to prove something to me?

"If you want to keep your throat in one piece better do everything I say. Nood your head if you understand but better be subtle about it or a knife might nick your throat."

I gulp with audible click and delicately nood my head of course keeping in mind the edge of the blade.

"Good, be obedient and you might even live to another day. Now we will walk and you better don't do anything stupid."

Mysterious assailant didn't have anything more to say and slowly startet push me in the direction of a dark alley. Of course he would take me to black alley. Everything bad happens in dark alleys. Why do they make them? Crime statistics would surely drop at least about fifty percent if they just get rid of dark alleys.

Sadly one solid push straight to back and to the white van stopped me from planning my future anti dark alley campaign. In the van were another half a dozen of people. Everyone was wearing masks and had gun in hand. One look on their masked faces and I knew I'd be lucky if I got out of this debacle alive.

For some reason the biggest gang in town is kidnapping me for whatever reason. My ferehead was quickly drenched in sweat. The Goblins are known on the streets for their brutality and affinity to killing just for fun. They especially like to torture their victims.

How could this day get any better?

Person wearing a repulsive mask of grinning goblin suddenly grabbed me in a crushing grip by the jaw. My mouth automatically opened to let out a moan of pain and the gangster took this opportunity to quickly pour some weird sticky liquid down my throat.

Then I didn't have to worry anymore about anything because I lost my consciousness.