Every five seconds, another wave of pain washed over me, assaulting my mind and senses, even while I tried to seem normal to the others and stood still, the pain made me want to collapse on the ground.
But I persisted, it's just pain, and I can push through it… even in my first life, the pain was something that I got used to.
I just gritted my teeth and stared at the boy in front of me with a gloating expression, which only seemed to amplify as he saw my gritted teeth.
Dumb bastard, I don't even remember you, only the pain makes my expression change.
But as I was staring at the boy with a gaze contorted from the pain, my line of vision was cut off from him as Amelia's figure stepped in front of me, her expression mirroring my own.
But while I was suffering, her expression truly showed anger.
They are so dramatic…
Overly so.
"Leave him alone Liam, before we call a teacher!"
I could see his battered face and the slight pain in my knuckles, even with my memories missing, I could piece the information together without any problem, I probably beat that weasel to a pulp.
Weasel… that's how I looked at the guy, he was a slimy person, that gloating expression, I saw a lot of people like him.
The only thing that surprised me is how early he started, most of the slimes I met in my life were in the companies I worked for, they did everything to get in front of the other on the corporate ladder, kicking down to climb up was the best way to climb.
And they did it all the time.
This guy was just like them, kicking down to climb up… that expression told me everything.
The pain that came in waves was all I needed, but it was even paired up with the subtle pinging sound of the system window flashing up… it only showed that my memory fragment process went up.
I was starting to put the pieces together…
Amelia was still in front of me as if hiding the weasel.
"You have no place here."
She was starting to get on my nerves.
I wasn't the best when it came to dealing with people like her, there was way too much drama for me to handle.
"What are you talking about?"
I decided to step closer, they were way too annoying.
"And what if I just leave, you guys are doomed without me, running around without any resemblance of being organized, hoping that everything will play out favorably for you…"
I took a deep breath, I could feel my frustration rising, but it was not only my own, it was mixed in with the original Liam, he influenced my actions… it was creepy.
"… it won't, you guys will put on a terrible performance if that's what you want, then go ahead for all I care, go and fail."
I exhaled after I voiced all of my worries and rage behind Liam, I can't say that I cared all that much, but it was clear what was happening, they were trying to get rid of Liam, even after he was so close with Amelia… I won't stand for that.
All that passion and hard work won't be pushed out just because of a weasel-like rat trying to climb while pushing others down.
I despise his kind… even if he is just a kid, even more so when compared to me, but people like this don't change.
He was ready to ruin Liam's life for whatever reason, people like that don't change, they just find new victims in new fields to drag under while climbing higher.
Disgusting.
I took a deep breath and switched my gaze away from that weasel back directly to Amelia standing in front of me, her eyes having a dark glint behind them, one that almost seemed… afraid.
That wasn't my intention.
"Sorry…"
I had to apologize, I'm not so foolish as to vent my anger on a child who is actively being manipulated by a rat like that.
My expression softened immediately, the mad look fading from my face and the tense atmosphere slowly letting me down.
Still, I could see the sneering expression of that bastard, he is bound to do the same things to others later down his life, but I won't let him.
Still, I can deal with him later, but what comes first is to get into the plan that is bound to happen soon, Liam still needs to show them what he is capable of.
It still felt strange to refer to my name as someone else, but what can I do at the moment? Being bitter won't solve me anything.
In front of me, Amelia had an absentminded expression as if the last thing she expected was my apology.
Still, she regained her composure relatively quickly and stared at me deeply, her eyes were still shaken, but no longer hostile to me… it was closer to caution and defiance.
"Why do you think that we need you here? You left once and even beat up William… you may be a good actor, but we are not going to put up with you!"
She continued to berate me with newfound vigor, her tongue dripping with venom while the only thing I focused on from the corner of my eyes was that gloating rat.
William huh…?
Don't worry, I make damn sure to remember your name.
Damn, weasel.
***
In the afternoon club activities of the theatre club, the once bustling area of the club was long gone, no longer did the students hurry left and right, decoring the stage for the upcoming performance that was medieval themed.
They were all standing at the entrance of the club, right behind them the stage opening up as if inviting the ones that entered the room, but they were not this inviting towards the one that did.
Liam, the student who was once so brilliant and friendly to all of them stood at the entrance while staring at one of their fellow members.
His expression raged, sending shivers down to most of them, his anger was vivid, his emerald eyes glimming with cold.
He looked both in pain and ready to inflict this pain on Wiliam, he did it once, there was no telling if he was here to do the same thing all over again.
Only one girl stood in front of him, someone who led all of them in the club activities, her words always carried authority.
But now, she barely said anything.
"It's no wonder that Amelia doesn't want to meet Liam again, why did he even come here in the first place?"
"You weren't here from the start?"
"No, I was placing the tower props."
Two students who were farther back started talking with each other while staring at the scene in front of them.
Neither of the two saw Liam for a while outside of him walking alone or with his brother on the hallways.
But here he was, appearing out of nowhere after a while, his back straight as he walked into the room with his eyes burning with hatred as he stared at William, some of the students influentially stepping forward, ready to defend William.
Much to the anger of Liam.
"Liam almost beat up William again."
The students continued to murmur amongst one another, the two that were talking amongst each other were farther than the others.
Some of them were close to Liam before he beat Liam up, some of them looked up to it, some felt jealous, and some even outright hated him.
He was what you called a rising star in acting.
His heart was in the right place, he was passionate, diligent, and kind to everyone, never shying away to help others, making him a star that shined brighter then everyone…
But his flame was put out.