I had my eyes closed, my gaze down to the floor. But then I open my eyes and raise my head up when I did not hear anything from him.

Everywhere had become too silent. I wondered if everyone had left and it is just us. I open my eyes and see that there is still a frickin audience! They are all being silent and watching like it is the most interesting thing they’ve ever seen in their lives. Some faces are looking at me in a stupid sympathetic way. Silently telling me I’m done for. It is daunting. Maverick’s face is the most daunting to look at. So I cut him out of my eyesight and focus them only on Calyx. The fact that he is so tall and impeccable looking did a part in that.

Because there is nothing else to pay attention to when you’re staring at him. He suddenly starts laughing. He then stops and stares back at me with amusement in his eyes. "You want to join him too? You should have just said so. Now, get your pathetic self out of my way before I make you." I should have did just that. But instead I said, "Is this fun to you? This sick bullying is your idea of fun? If so, then you’re pathetic." When the words finish leaving my mouth, I knew I had done "wrong" In the short moment before he replies,

I panic like crazy inside. Wondering if I should eat back my words and apologize. But then I also think, what good would that do? I have already bitten the bullet. I should do so to the end. He lets go of Maverick with a shove and walks to me. Slow moves that were testing me to step back and cower. But I don’t. I don’t know where all this boldness is coming from.

He stops a few inches away from me. Staring me down with a challenging gaze. "Repeat that." This bastard thinks I wouldn’t? Well, we are both in for a surprise because I am strangely feeling bold for the first time ever. I cross my arms and stand my neck higher than it is because I am about to make an opinion statement. "I said, if bullying is fun to you. Are you that insecure that you need someone to bully every second to make yourself feel good? I pause to let it land before continuing, "Which is it? Daddy issues? Mommy issues? Whatever it is suck it up within yourself and

don’t take it out on others. We all have our own little problems. But you don’t see us smashing heads and hurting others you jerk!" He sends me a death glare, eyes narrowing into mere slits.

"Did you just call me a jerk?" He said in a tone of disbelief pointing to himself. "A jerk is an understatement for what you really are." I nastily respond. "You—"

He was coming at me and I reacted on instinct. What I heard next was a loud smack sound and countless disbelieving gasps. My hand had come down on his face with a heavy force.

That is not even the worse part. On his cheek. My handprint. How did my hand even reach his face? I don’t remember standing on my toes! He is standing stiff. Face whipped to the side. Stuck in the iceberg of disbelief that he had just been hit. The fear of him that I have been pushing aside comes with full force and overwhelms me. I unconsciously take the only surviving option.

To run. I did not stop running even when I became out of breath and my legs hurt. When it felt like I had ran far enough, I push one of the doors and stumbled inside, engaging the lock mode behind me and leaning on it to catch my breath. I was hoping to find an empty space to ruminate over what I had done and clear my head. But there were also others.

A group of four having their lunch. They are all giving me strange looks like I seemed alien wierd. "Are you perhaps here to sign up for the music class?" One of them hopefully asks me. Now it was my cue to look at them strangely, "What?" I ended up writing down my name as fifth on a note list. That was the sign up. They didn’t even read that I stumbled into this place by accident. They were all just happy to have gained a new member. As it was music, it did not seem bad to me. I love music and singing. I mean who doesn’t? Even if it was a dissecting class I still would be thankful for the distraction at least.

I was asked to sing a song. But I told them that I am a little sick and my voice sounded hoarse. I truly was not feeling well. Adrenaline from earlier had done it’s own, fading into my system and making me very afraid. I had left my bag back at the cafeteria. I had slapped the king of trouble and made things worse for Maverick. What would happen now? Just then the bell rings that lunch break was over. Thankfully it is only extracurricular classes after recess. Meaning I could still stay here. I would not have left too even if it wasn’t. When the closing bell rang, it seemed like too early to me. Relax. It will be fine. I take in deep breaths. Reassuring myself. Constantly checking over my shoulder as I come out into the main hallway. "Maverick." I sight him ahead and call out to him. He is carrying my bag. And he still got that solemn look on his face.

"What did you do that for?" He asks as soon as he gets close to me.

"I don’t know." I honestly reply, immediately knowing what he is referring to. I mean there’s only one thing. "I lost it when I thought about Ted. It made me scared. I didn’t want you to end up like that too."

"It would have been fine. Why did you have to get involved? I kept signaling you not to meddle!" I feel hurt that I am getting scolded when I’m the one who tried to help. Didn’t he see that?

"Why are speaking to me like I did wrong?" I ask.

"You did do wrong. You shouldn’t have hit him."

"Is this part of you that likes him speaking?" I silently scoff. I want to tell him that he is pathetic right now. But this isn’t the time for that. "Yeah. perhaps I shouldn’t have. But he was being such a—"

"He said you are the new target now."

"What... does that mean?" It doesn’t sound good. "He has made you a target, Gwen."