Chapter Seventeen
The mall was packed with the usual weekend crowd but amidst the chaos there was something off about the group gathered by the bench.
Zed, Lotus, and Khalil moved casually through the corridors, their footsteps echoing in the distance as they soaked in the sights. They didn't really care for the mall but it was a weekend diversion and they had nothing better to do.
But as they passed the bench, Zed's sharp eyes immediately locked onto the scene. Lena, Cris, and Jay—three familiar faces—were surrounded by a group of teens. Zed didn't even need to hear the taunts to know exactly what was going on. The way they were standing, their shoulders tense and their eyes darting, was enough of a giveaway.
The bullies weren't shy, either. A tall boy with a smirk that made Zed's blood boil shoved Jay lightly, just hard enough to make him stumble. "What's the matter? You lost your way?" the boy sneered. "Looks like you guys don't even know what a decent outfit looks like"
The rest of the group laughed like they had all the power in the world. Lena flinched but she kept her chin up. Cris looked like he was about to snap but he held himself back. Jay stood frozen, clearly trying to decide if it was worth saying anything or just letting them continue.
Zed felt his blood run cold. His new poor friends weren't just some random kids off the street—they were people who had been by his side, even when he was at his worst and nobody, nobody, was going to mess with them. His fingers twitched toward the pocket knife he always kept on him but he didn't need it for this.
He stepped forward without a word, his presence dominating the space. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" Zed's voice cut through the laughter like a knife. It was low, controlled, and lethal in a way that made the entire group of bullies stop in their tracks. They turned to face him and Zed's cold fiercing glare met their eyes.
The girl who had been laughing the hardest was the first to recover. "What? You think you can just—"
"Shut the hell up, bitch" Zed interrupted, his voice steady and unyielding. "You want to mess with them? You mess with me first. But if I were you, I'd think long and hard before you do" Zed took a step closer, his gaze narrowing into something cold, calculating. The message was clear: don't mess with his new poor friends or he'd make their lives hell.
The bully boy chuckled nervously. "What's the big deal? It's just some poor kids—"
Zed's eyes flashed with a dangerous spark. "No. What's a big deal is you being a complete waste of space. You think I won't mess you up over this? You've got another thing coming, trust me" He took another step forward, closing the distance. The others in the group were growing uneasy. They might've been used to bullying others but they weren't used to this. Zed was a force of nature and they could feel it.
Khalil, ever the troublemaker womanizer, leaned in and added with a smirk, "Yeah, if you want to keep walking around with your hideous face intact, I'd suggest you back off. You're lucky we don't feel like getting our hands dirty"
Lotus, who had been quiet until now, gave a soft but threatening laugh. "You've got no idea who you're dealing with"
Zed didn't break eye contact with the leader of the group, whose earlier bravado was now completely gone. The bully's shoulders slumped, his face paling as he realized that Zed wasn't bluffing.
"You should listen to them" Zed advice, his voice dangerously calm. "Because if I see you pull any of this shit again, it won't be some cheap words. I'll make sure you regret it" He tap the bully leader on the face and said "You want to keep this hideous face, right? Heed my advice"
There was a beat of silence. No one moved, the air thick with tension. The other teens seemed to realize they were way over their heads and one by one they backed off, clearly not wanting to test Zed any further. The bully boy who had been the pushed Jay earlier shifted uneasily on his feet before glancing nervously at Zed. "I-I am sorry!" he muttered, before quickly grabbing his friends and retreating.
Zed didn't take his eyes off them as they disappeared into the crowd, making sure they wouldn't come back. Once the threat was gone, he turned to Lena, Cris, and Jay, who were still standing there in shock.
Lena let out a shaky breath, her eyes wide with disbelief. "You... you didn't have to—"
Zed cut her off with a sharp glance. "You think I'm just gonna let people like that talk to you like that?" He let out a small, humorless laugh. "If you're my friend, you don't have to put up with any of that crap"
Cris, who had been tense the whole time, slowly relaxed. "We didn't expect you to do that. You didn't even hesitate"
Jay smiled a little, though it was still tinged with nervousness. "That was... insane. T-thanks"
Khalil shrugged casually, his usual grin back on his face. "Yeah, no big deal. Those guys were nothing"
Lotus looked around at the crowd, making sure no one else was watching too closely. "Seriously, though" he said quietly, "if anyone messes with you again, just let us know and we'll handle it"
Zed's eyes softened slightly, though the intensity never really left him. "You guys are under my protection now. Nobody messes with you"
Lena, Cris, and Jay exchanged looks, their expressions a mixture of gratitude and disbelief. "Thanks" Lena said softly, her voice barely a whisper.
"You're welcome" Zed replied, his usual cocky smirk still there. But there was something different in his eyes—something real. "Now, let's go grab some food. I'm starving and I'm sure you guys are too"
The three less fortunate kids couldn't help but smile. Maybe this was the start of something unexpected. Maybe they weren't so different from the Elite Trio after all.
Zed led the way toward the food court, his posture still proud and confident. But this time, there was an unspoken understanding between them. They were no longer just the Elite Trio and the less fortunate kids. They were a team and anyone who messed with them would have to answer to Zed.