Mike was quiet for the rest of the day. He lay on his bed as his mind wandered, grappling with the feeling that he no longer knew his best friend. First, there was the conversation he'd overheard his dad having, and then the one with Mr. Devin.
"Hey."
Mike looked up and forced a smile. "What's up?"
"I should be asking you that," Nira said, walking over to his desk.
Mike mumbled, "Nothing." Then he asked, his voice low, "It just feels like I'm talking to a different person."
"Why'd you say that?" Nira asked, leaning against the doorframe.
"You know what I mean?" Mike sighed in frustration. "He went on a date with someone I don't even know! He didn't even tell me about it. What if he's with the wrong person? What then?"
Nira shrugged. She didn't really know what to say, and more importantly, she didn't want to say anything. She preferred listening and observing. She had come to Mike because she thought he was doing something meaningful, not lying around and obsessing over something so trivial.
"And then there's what Dad said about him… about him almost killing someone?" Mike continued, animated. "Just like you did. But the only difference is, he's not like that..."
"I wasn't trying to kill anyone!" Nira blurted out, cutting him off. "I was trying to defend myself. And maybe Kruel was trying to do the same thing."
"That's not what I heard," Mike muttered.
Nira's frown deepened. She didn't make a move toward Mike, but he could tell she was furious, he saw the tension in her stance and knew she would strike if he said one more provoking thing.
Nira stood there for a moment, looking at Mike with an unreadable expression.
Monday morning was filled with gossip here and there. Everyone in the halls had a particular place to gather, where they spread and communicated gist. Kruel seemed to be the only one out of place. Of course, he didn't care, but he couldn't help thinking that he had missed a lot during the weekend.
He had settled with the fact that Grayt had set him up to be attacked that Friday. That explained why, when he saw Grayt, all his muscles tightened. Grayt was talking to some of his friends when he saw Kruel. He looked at Kruel for shorter than a glance. Truth be told, it sent shivers down Kruel's spine.
"I SHOULD'VE KNOWN YOU WERE UP TO NO GOOD!" Kruel yelled from where he was standing. Grayt and his friends were not far from him. "YOU'RE LUCKY I WASN'T HURT!"
Everyone looked at him, wondering who he was talking to. It seemed confusing and somewhat amusing that the clumsy, timid kid was yelling at someone.
"He's talking to you?" one of Grayt's friends quipped."HE'S GONE CRAZY!" someone in the hall shouted, and they all laughed.
"Not everyone can stand up for themselves," someone said behind Kruel. It made him madder.
Grayt himself was shocked but didn't say anything. It was probably because he didn't know what Kruel was talking about. Seeing Kruel disrespecting him in the halls in front of almost everyone was something he would not tolerate.
Grayt lunged forward towards Kruel with arms raised. Kruel saw the punch coming and ducked. He tried to counter by punching Grayt in the gut, but he felt himself being dragged by the leg. Grayt's friends had joined in.
Kruel saw their punches and kicks coming, but he lacked the ability to dodge them or counter them quickly. He could only land a few punches, and only three hit someone. Those that managed to hit someone were too weak to do anything. Kruel wondered why things were suddenly different; it was obvious that what happened between him and Drey wasn't the same case here. It was probably because Kruel was trying hard not to do anything really rash.
"You've had enough?" Grayt growled at Kruel, who lay on the floor. He knelt down as everyone around chanted his name. "STILL UP ON THE OFFER? YOU AREN'T SUPPOSED TO FIGHT YOUR MEMBER." He smirked.
Kruel growled and was about to try a punch, but someone had already done it for him. Grayt fell, knocked out cold.
It was something that happened like a flash. Kruel looked up at his hero. Everyone suddenly stopped shouting. Grayt's friends moved back a few meters. Kruel looked at the knocker.
NIRA!
She proceeded to give Grayt more punches even though she had already finished the job. Kruel jumped and shoved her away from Grayt before she did any more harm.
Grayt's so-called friends were lost in the crowd. Murmurs filled the air. Knocking out Grayt with one punch was something Grayt himself did to others. His friends knew what he took, and that was what probably scared them away.
Nira looked at Kruel, breathing heavily. She had probably been holding it all in, but being near him brought that feeling back into him.
"You okay?" she asked. Then she quickly added.
"Uh..." Kruel gulped as he stood up. "Yeah." His heart was racing.
The bell rang. It was time for class. Everyone began to scatter, but the whispers were still everywhere and ever loud.
"Better go to class!" Nira asked in a low voice as she left.