As I accompanied Everett, my eyes widened as a group of boys approached us.
At first glance, their polished smiles and bowing heads seemed like the epitome of civility, but I recognized the gleam in their eyes.
They were the same boys—all too familiar—the ones who "took care of" Noah.
My stomach twisted as their leader, a burly boy with a closely trimmed head named Alric, patted Everett on the back with an exaggerated camaraderie. Everett seemed to revel in the attention, exchanging pleasantries with them while I tried to keep my growing unease at bay.
My gaze flicked to Noah, standing a little to the side. His ink-black hair and sharp suit should have made him stand out, but he blended into the background as though he'd perfected the art of being overlooked.
Noah's shoulders straightened as he noticed the group. His lips stretched into a smile, thin and tight, but his eyes betrayed him.
He was bracing himself. The polite mask of the noble boy cracked as Alric's gang shifted their attention toward him.
"Well, if it isn't little Lord Romero," Alric drawled, his voice dripping with mockery. "How gracious of you to grace us with your presence tonight."
"Alric," Noah replied evenly, the tension in his voice almost imperceptible. "A pleasure to see you again."
"Pleasure's all mine," Alric said, stepping closer until he loomed over Noah. The others closed in around them, forming a circle that cut him off from any easy escape. "You're looking sharp tonight. Dressing up for someone special?"
Noah's smile faltered but he held his own...Or at least tried to.
"Just following tradition."
I wanted to step in, to pull Noah out of their grasp, but Everett's hand rested lightly on my arm, keeping me unable to move.
He was oblivious to my discomfort, going on about some minor triumph his family had achieved, entirely ignoring the storm brewing just a few steps away.
The first push came suddenly. Alric's palm met the side of Noah's head, not hard enough to send him sprawling but enough to make him stumble. My heart fell as I watched Noah steady himself, his jaw tightening as he attempted to shrug it off with a forced laugh.
"Easy there, Alric," Noah said, trying to play it off. "Don't want to ruin the party."
But Alric wasn't interested in letting up. "Oh, come on, Noah," he said, his voice dripping with faux innocence. "We're just having a bit of fun, aren't we?"
The crowd around them began to swell, whispers and giggles turning into murmurs of anticipation.
"Fight! Fight! Fight!" someone called, and the chant quickly caught on. My stomach churned at the sound.
Noah's hands balled into fists at his sides, his knuckles whitening. For a moment, he seemed to consider fighting back. He even managed to sidestep Alric's next attempt to shove him, catching the boy off guard. For a fleeting second, I thought Noah might hold his ground.
But the odds were stacked against him. The other boys quickly joined in, their movements coordinated in a way that betrayed their intent. They weren't just bullying him; they were hunting him.
Noah ducked under a swing from one of them, his reflexes sharper than I'd expected. He landed a quick jab to another's ribs, earning a grunt of pain and a flicker of surprise in the boy's eyes.
The crowd roared its approval, but it was short-lived. One of the boys grabbed Noah from behind, pinning his arms to his sides while another drove a punch into his stomach.
I flinched as the air left Noah's lungs in a sharp gasp, his body folding under the impact. The others wasted no time, landing blow after blow as the crowd cheered them on.
It was a spectacle, a twisted form of entertainment for the onlookers who seemed all too eager to see the noble outcast brought low.
My hands clenched at my sides. I couldn't bear to watch, yet my feet felt rooted to the spot. Everett's voice droned on beside me, oblivious to the chaos unfolding mere feet away.
"Everett," I said sharply, cutting him off mid-sentence. "We need to stop this."
He blinked at me, startled by my sudden outburst. "Stop what?"
I gestured toward the scene in front of us, my voice rising. "That! They're going to hurt him!"
Everett followed my gaze, his expression unreadable. For a moment, I thought he might step in, but instead, he simply shrugged. "It's just boys being boys, Lyla. They'll sort it out."
I stared at him, disbelief and frustration boiling inside me. "Sort it out? He's outnumbered, Everett! This isn't some harmless scuffle."
But Everett was already turning back to his previous conversation, dismissing my concerns with a wave of his hand.
I wanted to scream, to shake him, to make him see what was happening, but the weight of his status loomed over me. Everett was from a far more powerful house than mine. Offending him would have consequences I couldn't afford.
A commotion from the circle drew my attention back to Noah. He was on the ground now, his suit rumpled and his face bloodied.
The boys surrounding him seemed to hesitate, glancing toward the entrance of the hall where a teacher's voice could be heard calling out. They exchanged hurried whispers before one of them grabbed Noah by the collar, hauling him to his feet.
Noah's head lolled, his legs barely supporting him as they dragged him away. The crowd began to disperse, their interest waning now that the spectacle was over. My feet finally moved, but Everett's hand tightened on my arm, pulling me back.
"Where are you going?" he asked, his tone light but filled with curiosity.
"I… I need to make sure he's okay," I said, trying to wriggle free.
Everett's grip didn't loosen. "Lyla, it's not your concern. Let it go."
His words felt like a slap, but I forced a smile and nodded, knowing that arguing with him would only draw more attention.
As he resumed what he was saying, I cast one last glance toward the doors where Noah had been taken.
Guilt clawed at my chest, but I swallowed it down. Maybe Everett was right.
Just maybe..Noah and my worlds were different. I put my focus back on Everett as I showered him with the most sensual smile I could give.
Yes, That's right.
Noah and Mine...
Our Paths were different.
***
Noah's POV
I felt my body slam into the jagged confines of a rancid yellow iron box, the stench of decay clawing at my senses. Trash. No, filth. Perfect. It suited them, didn't it? Those bastards.
No, I did not like to swim in such places-
My eyes burned, pulsing with pain as they grabbed the sight of the fading silhouettes of the boys who'd tossed me here like yesterday's scraps.
My chest heaved with something ugly. I could feel it bubbling just beneath the surface, clawing its way up my dry throat, desperate to escape.
The tremors in my shoulders betrayed me. No. Not here. Not now.
I struggled free from the disgusting pit, each movement a ping of rage rushing through me. Every jump, every scrape of metal against my skin, fueled the pressure in my throat. That sound, that godforsaken sound, clawed its way up despite my clenched teeth.
No. No. No.
My shoulders shook violently as I pressed a trembling hand to my lips.
"Kek."
The first sound slipped through. A crack in the dam.
"Kek… kek."
Another. My fingers dug into my skin, but it was useless. It was coming, and I couldn't stop it.
"Khek—"
And then it burst forth. A twisted, guttural explosion of laughter tore from my throat, wild and uncontrollable.
"Ha! Hahaha! Hahahahaha!"
It echoed around me, bouncing off the walls of this grimy cage like a madman's symphony. My ribs ached from the force of it, but I couldn't stop. I didn't want to stop.
These morons—these pitiful, spineless little insects—they thought they could humiliate me? Throw me away like garbage?
I spat onto the ground, something my previous self would have found pretty disgusting.
"Is this the best you've got?!" I screamed out loud, even though no one was there.
It did not matter, I had to let it out.
My voice rang out, again and again, as I staggered out of the trash heap. My clothes stuck to me, reeking of rot, but I didn't care. Blood pounded in my ears, drowning out everything except the surge of fury coursing through me.
I tipped my head back, staring at the black sky above. My lips twisted into a grin that felt alien, stretching too far...
"HAHAHAHAHA!"
The sound tore through the stillness, wild and unhinged.
Those cowards.
I did not know how long it took me to emerge from my madness, but when I did, it was past midnight.
Today was the 24th of December.
Today was the day my parents...Died.
***