A Tutor For My Bully

Chapter 19: What The Camera Saw

Akira's POV

The principal's words echoed in my ears. "We've reviewed the security footage." I instinctively held my breath. Beside me, Kael straightened from where he had been leaning against the wall. His expression remained unreadable, but I noticed the way his jaw tightened. "Come in," the principal said. The two of us stepped back into her office.

She closed the door behind us before walking to her desk. "I've watched the footage several times, "she began. "The camera outside your locker captured most of what happened." Hope flickered inside me. So... they really knew who did it. The principal sighed.

"The person responsible has already been identified." Kael crossed his arms.

"Who?"

The principal looked at us for a moment before answering. "It wasn't Linda." My eyes widened.

"What?" Kael's brows knitted together.

"Then who?"

The principal turned her computer monitor toward us. On the screen, the security footage began to play. I watched myself walk away from my locker after putting away my books before first period.

A few minutes later, another student appeared.

She looked around nervously. She pulled a can of red spray paint from her backpack. Within seconds, she scribbled across my locker.

NERDS DON'T BELONG.

Then she emptied my bag onto the floor, she kicked my books across the hallway, one notebook after another. She even stepped on them. My chest tightened, I recognized her immediately. "Claire..." I whispered.

Claire was one of Linda's closest friends. She rarely spoke to me herself, but she always followed Linda around like a shadow. The principal paused the footage. "We've already called Claire's parents." Kael's eyes remained fixed on the screen.

And Linda? There is no evidence that she instructed Claire to do it.

"I don't care about evidence."

The principal frowned. Mr. Blackwood.

Kael didn't look away. People don't suddenly wake up wanting to destroy someone's locker.

Silence filled the office.

The principal adjusted her glasses. "I understand your frustration, but we can only punish the student who committed the act." Kael let out a slow breath, he wasn't satisfied…neither was I.

Claire might have been the one holding the spray can...

But Linda's words from earlier echoed inside my head. "I warned you to stay away from Kael." She had known.

Maybe she didn't tell Claire to do it directly...

But she definitely wasn't innocent.

"I'm sorry this happened to you, Miss Owens," the principal said kindly. We'll replace the damaged locker. I forced a smile.

"Thank you, ma"

As for your books… She opened a drawer and handed me a small envelope, the school will reimburse you. I stared at it.

"I... I can't accept this."

"You can." They weren't that expensive.

Kael suddenly spoke. "Take it."

I looked at him.

"You'll need new notebooks."

"...Okay."

I accepted the envelope with both hands.

"Thank you." The principal nodded. "You may return to class." We quietly left the office.

Neither of us spoke as we walked through the hallway, students continued staring some quickly looked away the moment Kael glanced in their direction. The silence between us wasn't awkward.

It felt… Comfortable. After a while, Kael finally spoke. "You're too forgiving."

I blinked.

"What?"

You keep saying 'it's okay.

"I..."

"It isn't okay." His words caught me off guard.

"You shouldn't pretend everything is fine." I lowered my eyes. "I just don't like causing trouble." You didn't cause this.

"I know..."

"No." He stopped walking.

"You don't."

I looked up at him.

"If you believed that, you wouldn't blame yourself." I couldn't respond.

Because… He was right. A small sigh escaped my lips. "I just wish everyone would stop hating me." For the first time since I'd met him...

Kael looked almost... helpless. As if he wanted to say something but didn't know how. Instead, he shoved both hands into his pockets. "They're idiots." I couldn't help smiling a little.

"That's your way of comforting people?" He shrugged.

"It's working." A tiny laugh escaped me before I could stop it.

His lips curved upward for a brief second.

"There."

What? "You laughed." I quickly looked away, embarrassed. It wasn't that funny. "It was enough." Before I could answer, someone called from behind us.

"Kael!" Adrienne jogged toward us with his hockey bag slung over one shoulder.

"There you are."

He stopped in front of us.

"I've been looking everywhere." Kael's expression instantly changed. The softness disappeared.

His face became cold again. "What?"

"Coach has been asking for you."

"I'll be there." Adrienne finally noticed me standing beside Kael.

"Oh... hey." I smiled politely.

"Hi."

He looked between us curiously. "You two together again?" My heart skipped.

Before I could answer, Kael clicked his tongue.

"She's just the annoying nerd that keeps getting herself into trouble." The words stung.

Even though...

I somehow knew he was only saying them because Adrienne was here. "Oh."

Adrienne laughed.

"I almost thought you were worried about her."

"Worried?" Kael scoffed.

"I'd worry more about a broken hockey stick."

He started walking away, after taking a few steps, he stopped without turning around.

"Milky."

"Yes?"

"Replace your books."

His voice was back to its usual careless tone.

"Don't come tutoring me with torn notebooks." I stared at his back.

"...Okay." He continued walking beside Adrienne as if nothing had happened, Adrienne nudged him playfully. "You really enjoy picking on that girl."

Kael shoved him lightly.

"Mind your business."

The two of them disappeared around the corner.

I remained standing there for a few more seconds.

Camila suddenly appeared beside me. She smiled knowingly. "You know..."

"What?" "I don't think Kael is as mean to you as he pretends to be." I laughed awkwardly.

"You've definitely got the wrong idea."

"...Do I?"

Before I could answer, my phone-less pocket felt strangely light. Wait… My envelope.

The envelope the principal had given me, I gasped. "My money..." Camila frowned.

"What about it?"

"I don't have it anymore." The smile disappeared from both our faces. Had I...

Dropped it? Or...

Had someone taken it?