The principal's office was a theater of tension, each participant playing a role in a drama thick with unspoken betrayals. Bellatrix sat stiffly behind her polished desk, her gaze flickering between guilt and defiance. The hum of the air conditioning was the only sound, a faint undercurrent to the storm brewing in the room.
Krist stood tall, his expression a mask of cold composure. There was no desperation in his eyes, only an unsettling calm that suggested he had long anticipated this moment. Beside him, Maya bristled with barely contained fury, her fists clenched so tightly her knuckles were white.
Finally, Bellatrix broke the silence, her voice slicing through the room like a blade. "Krist, you will be suspended for one week and required to assist the school cleaner for a month. That is your punishment for disrupting the school environment with violence."
Maya's indignation flared immediately. "That's not fair!" she snapped, her voice trembling with anger.
Bellatrix's eyes turned icy as she fixed Maya with a piercing glare. "Are you questioning my decision?"
Maya hesitated, her head bowing slightly, but she didn't back down. "I'm not questioning your authority, but Krist was defending himself. Billy and his gang have been tormenting him for weeks. If fairness matters, why is it your word against theirs?"
Bellatrix's face darkened. "Unless you can provide two witnesses to corroborate your claim, I will not entertain baseless accusations. Do you have any witnesses?"
Maya faltered, her resolve flickering. She knew the truth: no one would dare speak against Billy. Fear of retaliation ensured his power went unchecked. Still, she pressed on, her voice wavering but determined. "Billy and his friends are involved. Their testimonies shouldn't count."
Bellatrix's lips curled into a smirk. "If they are involved, so are you. You're his accomplice, aren't you?"
Krist's voice broke through the rising tension, calm and cutting. "We all know the truth. There's a camera in the hallway. Its footage could settle this, but you won't use it, will you, Bellatrix?"
The room froze. Bellatrix's composure faltered, if only for a heartbeat. "The cameras in that area aren't functional," she said, her tone brittle.
Krist's lips curved into a cold smile. "How convenient. You've seen me being bullied on those cameras before, yet you did nothing. Now you claim they're broken?"
Bellatrix's control slipped entirely. "Without evidence, the matter is settled. You will serve your punishment, and so will Maya for enabling this nonsense."
The smug smiles of Billy and his cronies filled the room, igniting a fire in Krist's eyes. The oppressive silence was shattered by his sudden laughter, cold and bitter. Everyone turned to him, their unease palpable.
"It's fascinating how greed blinds people," Krist said, his voice like ice. He fixed Bellatrix with a glare. "Do you remember who gave you this job? My father. You were homeless, desperate, and he showed you kindness. Now you repay him by siding with bullies?"
Bellatrix's face reddened, guilt flickering briefly in her eyes.
"And you," Krist said, turning to Mr. Adams. His words were a dagger aimed straight at the man's pride. "You were a washed-up lawyer living off scraps from your family. My father gave you a life. Yet you teach your son to torment me, the last piece of the man who saved you?"
Adams slammed the table, his face contorted with rage. "You will hold your tongue, boy!"
Krist stepped forward, his voice low and menacing. "I may be a boy now, but I won't stay one forever. Remember that."
Without another word, Krist grabbed his bag and strode out of the office. The air he left behind was charged, heavy with a promise of reckoning.
Outside, Krist paused at the school gate, glancing back at the building that had been a battleground for his dignity. Maya trailed behind him, her face streaked with tears. He gently took her hand and led her away.
At home, Krist left Maya in the living room and headed upstairs. After a quick shower, he changed into fresh clothes and handed Maya a set for herself. While she freshened up, he entered his father's study.
For three hours, Krist combed through every file and drawer, hunting for the will and ownership documents his father had once mentioned. But the search yielded nothing. Frustrated but undeterred, he shifted to plan B.
In his own study, he powered up his laptop and began researching how to retrieve CCTV footage. His fingers flew across the keyboard, determination etched into every line of his face.
Krist was no longer a victim. He was a strategist, crafting the blueprint of his retaliation. A storm was coming, and he intended to be its eye.