Kael walked down the hallway, his mind a million miles away as he thought about the project he had to finish with Aurora. The whispers and giggles of his classmates were distant sounds he had long gotten used to, a faint buzz in the background as he navigated the crowded halls.
Suddenly, a rough shove from behind sent him crashing into the row of lockers. His back collided with the cold metal lock with a sharp crack, and a jolt of pain shot up his spine. He winced but bit his lip, refusing to let it show on his face. The last thing he wanted was for anyone to think he was weak.
"Watch where you're going, freak," a voice sneered.
Kael's breath hitched as he recognized the voice. It was Kyle. The guy who never seemed to let up. The guy who had made his life miserable for months. Kyle stood in front of him, towering and smirking, clearly enjoying the situation.
Kael straightened up, his heart pounding, but he refused to back down. He glared at Kyle. "Don't touch me again."
Kyle chuckled, a low, mocking sound. "What's the matter? Are you gonna cry now? You've got your daddy's demon blood, but you can't even stand up to a real human."
Before Kael could react, Kyle shoved him again, harder this time. This time, Kael couldn't hold back. He pushed Kyle back, fury bubbling in his chest. The next thing he knew, Kyle swung a punch at his face. It connected with his jaw, sending a sharp pain through Kael's skull.
Kael staggered back, his vision blurring for a moment. His mind screamed at him to fight back, but his body was already too slow. Kyle, sensing his weakness, moved in, landing another hit to his stomach. The pain was excruciating, and Kael gasped for air.
But Kael wasn't going to let Kyle win. With what little strength he had left, he pushed back again, throwing a punch in retaliation. Kyle easily dodged it and slammed Kael against the lockers once more, this time knocking the air completely out of him.
Kael gasped, his hands clutching at his ribs as he struggled to stay on his feet. The sound of footsteps and shouts echoed through the hallway as students gathered around to watch the spectacle. Some cheered Kyle on, others stood there with their phones raised, recording the entire thing.
The bell rang, signaling the end of the break, but the fight didn't stop. Kyle's fists were relentless. Kael tried to block the blows, but it was no use. Kyle was faster, stronger, and too aggressive. Kael's vision started to swim, his head feeling light. The pain in his back and chest was almost too much to handle.
Just as Kael felt himself losing consciousness, a teacher finally arrived, breaking up the fight. Kyle pulled away, clearly out of breath but grinning like he'd won. Kael stood there, blood trickling down his lip, his clothes torn, and his face bruised.
"You're pathetic, Kael," Kyle spat before walking off, his laughter echoing down the hallway.
The teacher, Mrs. Smith, looked at Kael with disappointment in her eyes. "Both of you—my office, now."
Kael stumbled after Kyle, his body sore and aching. He had lost the fight, and it stung more than any of Kyle's punches. He could feel the sting of embarrassment creeping up his neck, knowing that everyone had seen him lose, that everyone had watched the son of Kikidori, the demon prince, get humiliated by some high school bully.
As he walked into the office, Mrs. Smith gave both him and Kyle stern looks. "Both of you will be suspended for one week. There's no excuse for violence in this school, no matter who you are."
Kael nodded, his mind racing with thoughts of what his parents would say. Kikidori's wrath was the least of his worries—he had just shown weakness. But more than that, he had let someone else see it.
**End of Chapter 38**