Holy Angel School.
Despite the holy on its name, it was everything but holy for the people targeted by bullies.
There were many complains of this, however, you can only count the times they took legal action with just your single hand. That's how bad their reputation is.
But to the students with no money, it was the only school they can afford.
Behind the school building, where almost no one goes, two students were currently fighting one another... well, if you could call one sided beat up fighting that is.
THUD*
I kicked the student square on the chest, his body flew back and slammed hard against the wall. It made such a loud thud that it might make some people nearby mistake it for a huge rock hitting a wall, but thankfully, there is no one to hear it.
I yanked him up by his hair. His face was a canvas of bruises, blood streaking across his skin. Yet, his eyes—hollow and lifeless—stared straight at me.
My right eye began to uncontrollably twitch with annoyance.
"The fuck you lookin at?" I smacked him in the face, blood spurted from his mouth. I never liked the way he looks at me, it gave me the creeps. It doesn't matter whether he is already injured or not, I will beat him whenever I want to, because I can and I wil.
"..."
He didn't say a single word— or more like he couldn't. He was busy gasping for air, clutching his chest. I felt two of his ribs crack under the force of my kick, must be the reason why.
His consciousness waned, but I couldn't let him off so easily; I haven't had my fill.
"Oi, wake up!" I slapped his cheeks hard, again and again, disregarding his condition.
Thump*
His cellphone slipped from his pocket, unnoticed by him. I picked it up and turned it on, and to my surprise, I didn't expect what was in his wallpaper.
"*Whistles* Look at what we have here, a girl, a pretty one at that. This your sister?" I taunted, holding his phone in front of him. On his wallpaper, stood a girl, with long, straight black hair, and sharp eyes that gives her of an impression of being strong willed, opposite to her brother's lifeless eyes. The way she dresses looks very old fashioned, there were little to no skin exposure, kind of a waste to beauty like her.
"D-don't you dare look at her...!" he strained, mustering his strength to grab my wrist.
At last! I can see the light in his eyes!
Yes, this is what I wanted to see, not those disgusting looks he gives of all the time.
I didn't know provoking him with his sister will work this well, but fortunately for me, I can finally have my fun with him.
*RING*
Just as I was about to enjoy myself, the school bell interrupted.
"Tsk, just my luck." I felt a wave of disappointment wash over me; we were finally getting to the good part. But teachers would notice our absence, and I couldn't risk another suspension.
I felt his grip tightened. Unexpectedly, it was a strong grip especially if you consider his current state. I was quite amused of this but we have to finish this. I tried to shake off his grip, however he wouldn't let go.
"This son of a—!"
I tried to shake it more violently but to no avail, growing increasingly annoyed, a vein popped on my forehead. Since he won't let go, I had no choice but to smash his head on the floor, a loud crack echoed... let's not hope it's his skull.
Finally, he released me. Before leaving the scene, I took another look at him. He probably won't wake up soon, maybe I went overboard...
I pulled out my wallet from my back pocket and took a good amount of money and placed it beside him. I have too much cash on me anyway, and when you think about how this will prolong our relationship together, it isn't so much of a waste.
****
After another dull school day, and as expected, he wasn't able to attend the afternoon classes. He was probably still unconscious then, who knows maybe even now he is still laying on the ground. But that's of no concern to me, I already gave him money, on the contrary he should be thankful of me.
On my way home from school, nothing much interesting happened. I did see someone trying to stop someone from bullying but failed miserably, he was ganged up and got beaten to a pulp. Pretty funny if you think about it, why play a hero if you can't back it up with strength?
They say that the true heroes are the ones who are always standing in the end of the fight. So what do you call those people who tries to save others but ends up being the one on the ground? Might as well call them villains.
And going by that logic, I am a hero myself, and my victims are the villains.
"Pfft!"
I couldn't help but laugh of myself for thinking that. I can't believe such childish thoughts even occured to me, I nearly even killed someone today.
****
As soon as I got home, I lay on the sofa and turned on the tv.
It's almost been half a year since I started to live alone, I have already adapted to my new lifestyle. Whenever I get hungry I can just order some delivery, sometimes pre-cooked meals and when I am on the mood I can also cook simple dishes I found on the internet.
On the tv, a series about a cop is currently airing. It's about how he has to live the life of a twin he never thought he had after he died, it keeps repeating the same old formula that it became garbage, can't believe this reached over one thousand episodes. As I browse through the channels, I couldn't find a single show worth watching, so I turned it off.
Everyday has been so predictable lately that it has gotten so boring. I need something to fire things up in my life. This is the reason why I started bullying, to escape the dull monotony. The feeling of having control over something, anything, gave me a sense fulfillment I never had before. But even that was starting to lose its edge. I needed more. I needed something... or someone... that would actually fight back, challenge me in a way that made the make things interesting again.
But that kid earlier, even when I tried to break him, all I got was a flicker of resistance when I mentioned his sister. It wasn't enough. Maybe it wasn't fear I needed to instill in him—maybe it was something worse.
I stretched out on the couch, the silence of my empty apartment pressing in.
Ring*
My phone buzzed, and I lazily glanced over at it. A call. From a number I don't recognize. I reluctantly answered it.
"Neil, where are you? It's already 9:00 pm and you haven't come home yet." From the other side of the phone, is a young girl's voice, concerned and worried.
Neil? Where have I heard that name... oh right, the lifeless kid. Then this must be his sister.
Anyways, how did she get my number? I don't just give it to anyone. You can even count the people on my contacts with just your fingers.
I inspected the phone on my hand and realized it wasn't my phone, it was Neil's. Forgot that I took it with me.
"Hello, can you hear me?" The worried voice repeated on the other end.
I stayed silent for a moment, a wicked grin slowly spreading across my face as I stare at Neil's phone on my hand. So, this is his sister. The one whose picture he kept so close. The one that made him react, even if just for a brief moment. A spark of life in his otherwise dead eyes.
"Neil, are you there?" Her voice cracked with desperation, she must really love her brother. "Please, just say something. I'm getting worried."
I leaned back on the couch, contemplating. Should I answer? Should I let her know who she was really talking to? Or should I just hang up, let the tension build, let her stew in fear and uncertainty?
I turned to the window and noticed the expression on my face, it was like 'his'. Looking at my own face made me remember unpleasant memories that I locked up deep inside me, I shook my head and covered my mouth.
Even after leaving that place, the memories still keeps haunting me back. I couldn't escape them no matter how much I ran.
Am I really going to stoop as low as them? I may be a bastard, that much I know is true, however, I am not one who will involve their family. If I am going to target someone, I am not gonna drag others with them, I will at least draw that line.
I took a glance on the unknown number, she must be anxious waiting for the reply that won't probably come.
"Neil's not here," I decided to finally answer "you will have to wait until tomorrow."
"W-What? Who are you? Where's Neil?" Her voice trembled, tinged with panic.
"No need to worry, he's actually sleeping soundly. Didn't want to disturb." I replied, trying to reassure her. Technically, I wasn't lying when I told her this, it's not like I said where exactly he was sleeping.
"I-if you say so, please tell him not to worry me next time," she sighed in relief "and not to forget to inform me too."
"Yes, yes, I will surely lecture him greatly about this." I said with a mix of sarcasm.
"And al— beep" before she could continue, I bluntly ended the call. If it lasted any longer, she might notice something suspicious and call the cops on me, that's the last thing I wanted to happen.
I looked at the clock hanging on the wall, it was already 9:18 pm.
It was still too early for me to sleep, usually I go to bed by 11, so I still have time to surf the net till the drowsiness catch me.
As I watch those never ending brainrot videos on my feed, I found a short video of a middle aged man attacking a senior. It was one of those videos taken with a camera in low quality like they were taken in the early 2000s.
At first I thought it was one of those drunkard outburst, however, something was weird happening in the video, everyone was running, with fear in their eyes, even the one who took the video was running in panic, so the video was all over the place. I repeated the video multiple times to find what were they escaping from, then in the last part of the video in the upper right corner, I found it.
I felt goosebumps all over my body of what I just watched, I couldn't believe of what I saw. Despite the video being shaky and blurry, the end of the video was very clear.
The senior's face was bitten off by the man.
"... What the fuck...?"