Chapter 12: What just happened?
1697 Words
"What the hell just happened?"
“Well, hello, beautiful.” Alex switched to his sweet tone as he sat in front of Layla.
“Hey,” she raised her head and bit her doughnut.
“Hmm.” Alex sent Ray the go signal and spoke up. “I’m Raymond and this is”
Layla interrupted. “Yeah, I know. Raymond Owen and Alexander Marshall, the two rascals of Mystic Field High School. You see, you guys are really popular for your bad deeds. It’s kind of impossible not to know you, even as the new student. So do me a favor—skip your welcome ceremony and move… on.” She ended her words by gesturing for them to go.
“Damn, Layla is on fire,” Ray spat out, and Alex backed him up.
“I tell you, I think we just broke our record of fame. Even that new girl knows our history.”
Their shocked and surprised faces were replenished by excitement. Seeing the scene, Layla rolled her eyes and gulped the rest of her drink.
“You seem to know a lot, how?” Ray asked.
“Let’s just say I do my research,” Layla replied.
Alex took a bite from his apple and chewed it slowly, forcing the juice out so his tongue could enjoy the taste before swallowing it down.
“Straightforward and smart? I like this girl already.”
“I know, right? For that, I would gladly skip the welcoming”
“And the other…” she cut Alex off from replying to Ray.
“What other?” Alex asked.
“The ‘move on,’” she spoke clearly, signaling them to go once more.
“Move on? I didn’t hear that before, did you Ray?”
“Nah, I didn’t. Then it’s either your”
A smirk formed on both their faces.
“Then it’s either your ears have lost usefulness or your brain cells are dying to understand simple words.”
Layla removed the rubber band from her wrist and packed her hair back, letting a part of her braid fall forward, partially covering her left eye.
“Ouch, that hurts. I still don’t know how you handle new friends?” Ray touched his chest and acted hurt.
Alex wore a smile, staring at her golden brown eye as if to shoot lasers. He wondered why she suddenly packed her hair.
“Friends? No. But you two? Definitely.”
“Don’t worry, girl. They’ll grow on you and you’ll learn to ignore them,” a familiar voice said as a figure sat beside Layla and grabbed the half-eaten apple in Alex’s hand.
“Oh, c’mon Daisy, I’m still eating that.”
“Well, it’s mine now. Now stop being pesky and let the girl breathe. It’s her first day.”
Layla turned to look at Daisy with a blank look, then shifted her gaze back at the boys.
“Tsk tsk. Not fair,” Ray said.
“Daisy, my apple?” Alex questioned again, leading Daisy to lick the apple, grin mischievously, and stretch it toward Alex.
“Here. You can have it.”
“Whoa, no thanks. I’m full. You can keep it.”
Daisy nodded and watched them retreat.
Layla, watching the exchange, barked out a laugh which Alex didn’t fail to notice. Compared to her hard tone, her laugh and smile were pleasant, beautifying her already pretty face.
“Fun killer!” Alex muttered as they stood and left.
“Bye, dear. See you later,” she waved after them.
After they left, Layla turned to Daisy, who was chewing the apple with a smile on her face.
“Thank you.”
“Yeah, my besties are annoying at times, but they’re really cool and nice.”
Layla raised an eyebrow. “Really?”
“Nah. They’re annoying all the time.” They both laughed.
“But once you get to know them, you’ll see they’re good people even if they won’t admit it.”
Layla nodded, mostly because Daisy was being nice to her unlike the boys.
“Alright… wait. They’re your besties?!” Layla tried to connect the dots in her mind before fully grasping it. Seeing Daisy nod, she continued, “Then you must be Daisy Quinn…”
“You do know you’re named after Harley Quinn, right?”
“Ha ha, yeah I do. And it’s cool to be named after my middle.”
They continued laughing.
“Your name’s Layla, right?” Layla nodded. “Come with me, let me grab an apple. Then I’ll clear your curiosity about Mystic Field High. Just ask.”
“That would be great.”
They stood up and left, unaware of the malicious gazes following them.
At a round table in the cafeteria, the seats were occupied by Douglas and his friends Daniel and Joshua. Beside Douglas was Jessica, the "Miss Mystic Field," who had won the title due to her stunning beauty and was also Daisy’s rival. She sat with her friends, Ann and Bella.
“Get ready, guys. Once she’s out, she’s all mine. So keep watch.”
---
Meanwhile...
Hanging around the hall, Alex and Ray leaned on the lockers, silently watching students pass by. Thoughts flooded their minds before Ray finally spoke up.
“What have you got planned this year?”
Alex rested his head on the locker, completely blank on what to say. He stood there thinking, but no reasonable idea came.
“Seriously, I don’t know. I used to love playing football and fighting Taekwondo. But now I’m stuck on the sidelines watching others enjoy what I can’t do anymore.”
Alex’s voice started rising. He squeezed his hand against the locker, trying to contain his anger, but it wasn’t working.
A hand reached out and gently tapped his shoulder.
“I’m sorry. By the way, how’s your leg now?”
“It’s worse after last night’s fall. Every step I take, I feel the pain in both my ankle and knee. I can even feel the bones hitting each other, Ray. I don’t think I have any hope of joining the team again. I guess I’m stuck with archery and self-practicing Taekwondo with you.”
“Yeah, and that’s not a bad thing, right?” Ray asked, raising an eyebrow and folding his arms across his chest.
“Sure, whatever you say ouch, man!”
Alex’s reply earned him a slight jab in the stomach.
They continued their conversation. Alex returned Ray’s question, asking about his plans for the year. Ray, too, had no idea except he wanted to have fun all year, not miss any parties, and do the impossible.
“Ask Daisy out.”
“That’s not going to happen. She’ll kill you if you attempt it.”
“Ehn? Then watch how I’m going to die trying.”
Seeing the look on Alex’s face, Ray manned up and continued.
“Shall we bet?”
“Hmm hmm, what do you want?”
Ray rubbed his chin before spitting it out. “If I win, you go to the principal’s office, take the microphone, and tell the whole school whatever I tell you to say.”
“Daring but I like it. So if you lose, I dare you to dance on the field after the football match with only your underwear and singlet.”
Ray’s eyes widened. He thought about canceling the dare but reassured himself he could ask Daisy out.
“F*ck. I hate you.”
“I hate me too.”
“C’mon, let’s go to the library. I want to check out something.”
They moved away from the lockers and headed for the library.
---
“Let me go!” Layla screamed, pinned in the stairwell corner in the school by a muscular hand.
“Hey babe, quit resisting. I know you want me,” Douglas dragged her toward him, trying to press her body against his.
Layla managed to push him back and slapped his face. The slap caught him off-guard and he released her hand.
Layla dashed for an opening, but Daniel and Josh blocked her path. Before she could think of another escape, Douglas pulled her back and slammed her against the wall. Then, he raised his hand to slap her.
“That’s enough.”
Alex’s voice came out thick and cold. His face was hard and serious.
He readjusted his backpack strap and squeezed it gently, trying to contain his rising anger.
“What did you say, punk?” Douglas freed his hand from Alex’s grasp and took a step forward.
“I said, you assholes should get the hell away.”
Alex stood his ground, ready for the consequences—and they came.
Douglas and his gang laughed sinisterly. Then Douglas struck. He thrust his fist at Alex’s face but Alex leaned back, dodging the punch.
This was it. The consequence of standing up. But Alex wanted this. He had waited all summer for this moment to finally kick this douchebag and his gang’s asses.
Douglas, Daniel, and Joshua had made his last grade a living nightmare. Even though they were once teammates in city football, Douglas ignored that and led the opposing team to crush Alex’s knee and ankle.
Still, Alex was top in both football and Taekwondo earning the black belt from childhood training.
Douglas launched a follow-up attack, swinging his leg toward Alex’s neck but Alex blocked it with a hardened arm. The pain surged through Douglas’s leg, but it was nothing compared to the pain in his ego.
His eyes widened in shock.
Before he could react, Alex struck.
A brutal front kick to Douglas’s chest launched him backward crashing into his friends behind him.
It happened so fast, Douglas didn’t even know what hit him.
Alex’s right hand had slapped away the kick and, in the same motion, delivered the devastating counterattack.
"What the hell just happened?" Alex thought, stunned by his own strength.
Ray, who had just arrived, stared in disbelief.
“Holy sh*t!” In the silence that followed, Ray’s voice rang out.
“Thank God! I got it on camera,” Ray grinned.
- Writer
