The cafeteria buzzed with chatter, laughter, and the occasional clatter of trays as students settled into their usual routines. Pennie Williams sat at the center of a small circle of curious classmates, their eyes bright with interest. She wasn't used to this level of attention, but she did her best to respond kindly, keeping her answers vague when needed.
"What's your old school like?" asked a deer with oversized glasses, leaning in eagerly.
"Um, it was fine. Not too different from here," Pennie replied, tucking a strand of fur behind her ear.
"Where'd you move from?" asked another student, a hyperactive squirrel who barely gave her time to answer.
"Just a few towns over," Pennie said, trying to deflect as politely as possible.
As the questions kept coming, she noticed a fox slipping into the group. He exuded an air of confidence, his orange fur sleek and perfectly groomed, his smile sharp and practiced.
"So, Pennie," the fox drawled, his voice smooth as silk. "Do you have a boyfriend?"
The question made the group go silent for a moment, all eyes turning to her. Pennie felt her fur bristle slightly, but she forced a polite smile. "I… I'd rather not talk about that."
Jayson, the school's notorious playboy, chuckled and leaned back lazily. "Fair enough. Just thought I'd ask."
Before Pennie could respond, a sudden burst of laughter erupted from a nearby table. Her gaze shifted, and her heart skipped a beat.
Vari was sitting there, his face squished between two slices of bread. Cole Maverick stood over him, grinning smugly as he held the bread in place.
"C'mon, nerd," Cole sneered. "What's the excuse this time? Too busy reading to do my homework?"
Vari's muffled voice came out from behind the bread. "I'm sorry, Cole. I'll finish the next one. I promise."
Cole let go, and the bread fell to the table. Vari adjusted his glasses and gave Cole a faint smile, as if apologizing again.
"You better," Cole growled. "Or maybe next time I'll hurt you for real."
Cole walked away, laughing with his cronies, leaving Vari to quietly clean up the mess.
Pennie watched the exchange, her mind racing. Why wasn't Vari fighting back? More importantly, why was a known serial killer letting himself get bullied like this?
Her confusion must have been obvious because a sharp voice interrupted her thoughts.
"First day, and you're already staring at the nerd, huh?"
Pennie turned to see Jessie, a sleek black avian crow with a confident smirk. Jessie leaned casually against the table, her wings folded neatly behind her.
"Oh, I wasn't—" Pennie started, but Jessie waved her off.
"Relax, new girl. It's not a big deal. Vari's just... well, Vari. School nerd, walking target. Cole's been bullying him since, like, forever."
Pennie frowned. "But why doesn't he… I don't know, stand up for himself?"
Jessie tilted her head, her sharp eyes glinting. "Good question. No one really knows. Vari's kind of a mystery. Keeps to himself, never talks about his past. Some people think he's just scared, others think he's hiding something."
Pennie's fur bristled at Jessie's words. If only they knew what he's hiding.
Jessie's smirk softened a little. "Look, if you need dirt on anyone, just come to me. I know everything about everyone. Well, except two things: how many girlfriends Jayson's had—it's way too many to count—and Vari's past. He's like a locked book no one can open."
Pennie's mind whirled. Jessie's words confirmed something she'd suspected—Vari wasn't just hiding his past, he was burying it. The reason he was being bullied wasn't because of who he used to be. It was because no one knew.
"Thanks, I'll keep that in mind," Pennie said, her voice steady despite her racing thoughts.
Jessie gave her a wink and sauntered off, leaving Pennie to process everything. Her eyes drifted back to Vari, who was now calmly eating the bread that had been used to humiliate him.
She couldn't understand it. How could someone so dangerous let himself be treated like this? And more importantly, why did it bother her so much?