“Guess who it is, Christine!” He said maliciously, acting as if he owned the moment.
He stood behind her; his long, red-tipped bangs dangled over her, claiming her, and his short jet-black hair made him look like an obnoxious prick.
I wanted to handle the situation like Knox would have: I wanted to bash his face against the desk until he had lost consciousness.
Once he was out, I’d drag him through the hallways, daring anyone to mess with what we have. But I can’t fall back into old habits.
“Is that you, Ryo?” Christine replied with each word losing more and more force, and his name spoken like a dying breath as he stood behind her with her head pressed to his chest.
“You got me, Christine, so what are you going to do with me?” He giggled in a disgustingly flirtatious way, like they were lovers.
His voice was soft, and his giggles contagious, which made me hate him more because he was everything I wasn’t.
Ryo slid his hand from Christine’s eyes slowly, intimately.
My eyes boiled like a kettle, emitting hot air.
Brushing the same cheeks still flushed from our near connection, claimed now by his hands.
My soul quivered.
Then lower.
Curling his fingers around her neck, slowly kneading into her, drawing out forbidden emotions.
With every knead, I could feel him choking me, denying my next breath.
I gnashed my teeth, wanting to push him away from her—push him away from what’s…mine? Is she mine?
“Did you see that?” a student whispered loudly enough to be audible, bringing this nightmare into reality.
Strange voice: Do something!
I had forgotten we were in a classroom. The eyes of the spectators filled the empty spaces, casting judgment on me.
“What do you want, Ryo?” Christine said in an authoritative voice. She pushed his hands away, denying him praise or affection, but surrendering acknowledgement.
Upon his release, I could breathe again.
I glanced at an onlooker, and he turned away, as if nothing had happened. I swiftly surveyed the room, looking for Miss. Nakamura was busy with a group of students.
The boys refused to meet my eyes, while the girls looked on with curiosity.
Strange voice: Do Something!
I looked into her eyes to re-establish a connection and understand her affinity to this arrogant fool, but she never looked at me. Her eyes were shaky, her breath raspy, like those of a seasoned smoker, as she focused on the timeline, as if it would solve her current situation.
He dropped down close to her ear, getting too close for comfort. He whispered something that solidified the rosy tint in her face.
Strange voice: Do something!
“Oh, I love it when you use your big girl voice. It almost wakes me up,” he said, clasping both hands and holding them next to his head.
Strange voice: Do something!
Holding his gaze, I rose from my seat; my heart pounding its way to the surface, I said, ”Get lost, Ryo!”
He released Christine and focused on me—his grin now soured.
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
He stroked his chin as he looked around the classroom. The boys meekly acknowledged something in him, like he was the alpha of this classroom, or maybe the school.
“Tsk, why are you interrupting us, like you don’t know any better?” he said with malice.
He pressed one hand against his hip, and with the other hand, jabbed me in the chest with his finger.
Now that I was standing, he wasn’t as intimidating. But what was I going to do? I didn’t know the rules of engagement in this society. A fight may resolve this, but I don’t know if Antwon—if I can conquer him in this body.
I looked at Christine; her eyes searched mine, looking for this unfamiliar, fiery resolve.
A blunt shove, and I fell back into my seat.
Ryo leaned over me.
“Stay down, little Antwon, because it’s in your best interest.”
Strange voice: Do something!
Can it genie, or help me with getting rid of this a—
Genie: There is nothing to place in a can. Also, I have not communicated with you since you denied my influence.
“I thought so,” he said, turning back to Christine, who recoiled at his glare.
“Don’t worry, Christine, he won’t interrupt us again. So, let’s finish quickly.”
Strange voice: DO SOMETHING, PLEASE!
Shut…The sound of glass shattering—an explosion of gunshots—the empty coldness of space, and the loss of feeling. My vision tunneled—my objective—is to protect.
He pulled a rolled-up notebook out of his back pocket and waved it in the air.
“Think I didn’t hear about you, love birds, getting close? But don’t worry, loser, I’ll write the final chapter of your almost love story in your diary.”
Genie: Antwon gradually rises from his chair—his expression empty, yet a volcano was erupting, drowning out any pragmatic notion.
Genie: Ryo turned after hearing the sound of Antwon’s creaking chair cry out in relief from his absence.
“Why can’t you take a hint: Christine is mine—”
***
Genie: A male student screamed at the prospect of Antwon’s fist colliding with Ryo’s Mandibular Angle. “Miss. Nakamura!"
Genie: Ryo dropped the notebook.
Genie: Miss. Nakamura stood up, facing the direction of the scream, but the sound of scraping chairs and a mob of cheering students was evident enough: there was a fight.
Genie: Ryo recoils from the blow, striking Antwon with a dainty but aggressive closed fist. However, Antwon, in his fractured state, showed no sign of pain as he delivered a flourish of punches.
Genie: Some students cheered for a victor, noting Antwon’s rare form.
Genie: Antwon struck again; this time, he struck Ryo’s solar plexus, causing devastating damage, knocking the wind out of Ryo.
Genie: Christine broke free from her paralysis, grabbed the abandoned notebook, and attempted to restrain Antwon.
Genie: Antwon, as if a seasoned taekwondo expert, used Christine's weight to push her to the ground and advanced on Ryo, once again.
Genie: Christine hissed, “Shit,” picking herself up off the floor.
Genie: Out of desperation, Ryo, with tears in his eyes and blood in his mouth, grabbed a textbook and struck Antwon over the head. An effective move, Antwon was stunned for a moment.
Genie: Miss. Nakamura screamed at the top of her lungs, “GET OUT OF MY WAY! KNOCK IT OFF!” unsure of the fight's severity, pushing students out of her path.
Genie: Ryo attempted to strike with the textbook for a second time, but was disarmed by a blow to the throat. Once again, reeling back.
Genie: Antwon’s pursuit became more unstable, with him grabbing Ryo by the collar, violently introducing his face to a nearby desk.
Genie: Finally, Christine, now fully up, threw her full body onto Antwon, subjugating him to a burden he couldn’t carry. Or could he?
Genie: Christine pleaded, “Antwon, stop before I have to hurt you.” Perhaps not what she meant, but what she said.
Genie: Words so painful that tears began to boil over in Antwon, running down his rosy cheeks.
Genie: He slowly advanced to Ryo, who was now bleeding from multiple lacerations, with a clear intent to inflict more damage, but Christine grounded her feet, showcasing a fraction of the raw strength she’s been holding back. She wrapped both arms around his body and lifted Antwon off the ground, hurling his advance.
“Please stop! I don’t know how to fight,” Ryo said, his breath now fractured as well.
Genie: Christine threw Antwon to the floor, leaving him winded and pinning him before he could recover.
“Antwon, stop this right now,” Christine said, screaming into the face of a vacant vehicle.
Genie: His resistance was evident, his ire palpable, battling anyone, even her.
“Move!” Miss. Nakamura finally arrived to witness the aftermath of the skirmish.
“Who,” she said, grasping for air, “Who started this?”
Genie: She glanced between Ryo and Antwon, falling onto Christine, delivering a prejudicial judgment.
“Get off of him, Christine!” she said with damnation.
Genie: Christine took one last look into Antwon’s eyes, recognizing something she didn’t expect, perhaps growing awareness of the monster lurking inside him, or maybe more.
Genie: As Christine rose, murmurs filled the room as Antwon slowly crawled to his feet—eyes empty yet filled with emotion.
Miss. Nakamura stood between him and his prey, posing no threat to his feral state.
Genie: Their eyes locked, but she could see no malice, no spark. “Mr. Carter, stop this right now,” she said, with undue uncertainty that she was talking to anyone.
Genie: Antwon advanced; however, Miss. Nakamura pulled something that resembled chalk from her pocket and threw it at Antwon, scoring a precise hit, creating a white powder-like smoke, and rendering him unconscious. What was that?
Did you find this chapter confusing?
