"Alright, your friend is right," the boy nodded. "But you forgot to mention one little detail that I usually don't talk about. I'm from the mafia," Mort concluded. Their mouths fell open in astonishment, but Grace just smiled.
"Another mafia?" Karen asked, placing her soft, pink backpack on the desk.
"Yes, I'm your mafia sibling, and I hope we can become friends," he said, and something flickered in his gaze that made me flinch. Charlie shook his hand and winced; apparently, the handshake was quite strong.
"Nice to meet you, I'm Karen Wilson. I think you'll enjoy it here. We have all sorts of parties, clubs almost every weekend. There are also cool matches held here. If you want, I can give you a tour of the school," the girl chatted, batting her cat-like eyes.
"No thanks, Julian will show me around," he declined. The brunette shot me a disdainful look and huffed, "Fine, suit yourself."
I was pleasantly surprised by those words. Grace returned to me and started talking about movies he had been in, and there were many of them. He shared funny moments, like when he flipped off a motorcycle. Other students began to arrive, coming in and looking surprised. Sometimes I laughed so hard that my stomach started to ache, and my classmates stared at us and whispered in amazement. Of course, in their eyes, I always winced in pain. Honestly, I had almost forgotten what it felt like to laugh.
"And you know..." the brunette gasped between laughs, "He walked up to that donkey... did you see that moment?"
"Of course, I did. It's my favorite episode," I nodded. We looked at each other and burst into laughter simultaneously. Mort even pounded the table with his fist, and he was all red, as was I. I was gasping for breath and couldn't breathe, and tears were streaming down my face.
And suddenly, Luke barged into the classroom with his gang, which was one member short today. Apparently, the mafia really did it. She had proven that her words were not to be doubted. I couldn't believe she had killed him. Or maybe he was just sick or skipping classes somewhere.
Seeing me, Forrest reddened with anger, his eyes filled with blood, and he lunged at me. His rough fingers clenched around my neck, and I started to choke. He pressed me against the wall and growled.
"Because of you, you idiot! I didn't—" he couldn't finish as Mort punched Luke hard in the face. He flew back, stumbled, and leaned against a desk. Grace's gaze regained that same audacity. I touched my neck and chuckled, apparently nothing was broken.
"What an idiot," Grace sneered, looking at Forrest. The brunette smirked and turned to me, asking, "How are you? Are you okay?"
"Not dead yet, as you can see," I replied.
"Don't get involved, you idiot... because of him, my friend died!" he looked at me, and I shrugged. The guy leaned forward to get closer to me, but Mort hit him even harder. Luke was sent flying, hit a desk, and leaned on it. Grace's audacity returned to her gaze. I rubbed my neck and chuckled. Apparently, nothing was broken.
"Is he talking about my sister?" Grace inquired. I nodded. She began to untangle her neck and arms. But before Charlie could yell, "Luke Forrest, duck!" Mort swung his fist at Luke's face. He flew and crashed against a desk, staggering and leaning against it. The audacity returned to Grace's eyes. I patted my neck and chuckled. Nothing seemed to be broken.
"What an idiot," Grace snorted, glancing at Forrest. The brunette smirked and turned to me, asking, "How are you? Are you okay?"
"Not dead yet, as you can see," I replied.
"Don't get involved, you idiot... because of him, my friend died!" he looked at me, and I shrugged. The guy leaned forward to get closer to me, but Mort hit him even harder. Luke was sent flying, hit a desk, and leaned on it. Grace's audacity returned to her gaze. I rubbed my neck and chuckled. Apparently, nothing was broken.
"Is he talking about my sister?" Grace inquired. I nodded. She began to untangle her neck and arms. But before Charlie could yell, "Luke Forrest, duck!" Mort swung his fist at Luke's face. He flew and crashed against a desk, staggering and leaning against it. The audacity returned to Grace's eyes. I patted my neck and chuckled. Nothing seemed to be broken.
"Is that so," Mort drawled, whispering in my ear, "There's going to be a fight now."
And then the mafia girl put her gun on the desk, walked up to the blond guy, and slapped him. A red mark appeared on his cheek. But for Grace's sister, that wasn't enough. She tripped him and put her arm around his neck, pressing him onto the desk. Her nails dug into his skin, and she pressed with all her might. Forrest struggled and choked, but the mafia girl paid no mind.
"Enough! Enough! He gets it now!" Lizbeth hysterically screamed. Charlie paled with fear, and Karen nervously bit her nails.
"I think that's sufficient for now. Although it's up to you to decide," the brunette cautiously said, and I nodded. The girl let go of Luke, and he began gasping for air, his face turning red.
"Next time you pull something like that, I'll let you have a chat with your dead friend. My snipers are everywhere, they'll help me with that," she turned away from him.