novelxo Chapter 20
20. Klang!
When I wake up the next day, I just want to dive back under the covers and sulk like a petulant teenager. The memories of last
night ring in my head, causing something like a headache. But today is a day full of lectures, and if I want to make it to the King’s
College university on time all the way from Clandestine city, I have to be quick.
After taking care of all my needs, I sneak out of the house through one of the back doors. Technically, I could call my own
personal driver and have him drop me off at the campus.
But where’s the fun in that?
So, I take the train straight to Empire city and then use the tram to drop right at the entrance to the university.
For some time, the day went on peacefully. I attended the lectures, took notes, talked with the professors about any doubts I had,
got them cleared out, and moved around the campus.
But then the lunch break came.
The cafeteria is crowded, as is the norm, and I make my way to the food court as discreetly as possible so as not to derive any
attention from myself. By now, I’m aware that there is danger lurking on campus grounds, danger directed at me. And I have to
do my damndest best to dodge it.
But I am only one person, and there isn’t a Gerald around to save my ass. And my luck is the shittiest on the planet.
So of course, the sharks start to smell blood in the water.
“Greyson!” Stone’s voice comes from behind me as soon as I stand in the lunch line, and I feel a shuddering breath leave me.
I turn towards my nemesis, “Hello to you too, Stone.”
My eyes widen as I take the man in. Usually, Stone is pretty polished, perfectly dressed, and perfectly groomed, wearing
designer threads and having a swagger to his whole being. But the guy who stands in front of me looks extremely haggard. His
cheeks are gaunt, and there are dark circles under his bloodshot, skittering eyes. His hair is a right mess, devoid of its usual
array of styling. His clothes are in a similar state, his shirt is buttoned wrong, his pants lined with dirt, and his shoelaces are
untied. His whole body looks like it’s shivering. There’s a five o’clock shadow on his face, and it’s still noon.
“Hello?” he demands, “Look what you’ve done to me. To my family, and my future. You destroyed us, and all you got to say is
fucking ‘hello’?!”
I feel guilty for what I made Gerald do, but then I remember the very reason why it happened.
“You brought it on yourself, Stone,” I notify him, my voice hard, “I gave you plenty of chances to leave me alone, but you kept
pushing and pushing until you broke past the limits.”
“It was a harmless prank,” he insists, and I feel the rush of anger.
“After a full year of harassment,” I point out, “of beating me up in the streets with your goons, calling me every name in the book,
and fucking up my own life too many times than I could count. That harmless prank of yours was not all that much harmless to
me! You played with my trust and dignity. That’s unforgivable
“What you did to me is unforgivable too.” Stone takes a step towards me, his eyes wild, “you could’ve taken it out on me, you
didn’t have to go after my family
“Actions have consequences,” I remind him, “you should’ve remembered that.”
Apparently, that is the wrong thing to say, because as soon as the words leave my mouth, on me, hands clenched into fists.
Stone pounces
The weight of his body paired with the force behind his offense strikes me down to the ground, and Stone firmly plants himself on
my chest, his weight making it hard for me to breathe. His fists rain down on my face, and the pain is so excruciating that for a
second I forget to defend myself. He’s like a wild animal, his blows unfocused but strong, and through the blinding pain of getting
my head pommeled, I manage to shove him off me and scramble to my feet. But Stone does not give up. He charges towards
me, murder in his eyes, and I grab the object nearest to me, which is a lunch tray.
There’s blood flowing down my face from a cut on my forehead and my nose is broken given the excruciating pain shooting from
the area with every ragged breath I take. My head pounds with the rushing blood, and the pulse in my ear drowns all other noise.
The occupiers of the cafeteria look from the sidelines shock evident on their faces. Behind us, I can faintly make out someone
calling for security. I notice all of this within the split second it takes for Stone to attack me again.
“I’ll kill you, you fucking bastard!” Stone cries as he leaps towards me, and with all the force I can muster, I swing the metallic
lunch tray at him.
Klang!
Stone staggers away from the blow, nearly falling on his ass before he rights himself, leaning on a wall clutching his head. He
lets out a low groan.
And that’s all it takes for his goons, who are hidden in the crowd, to come down on me.
Within seconds, I am down on the ground again, and this time I can’t even think about fighting back. I
hands think there are four people beating me up, but I can’t say for sure. I tuck into myself and put my around my head to protect
my most vital organs from their attack, but it’s not enough. Pain is never- ending, and I can’t tell from where one punch ends and
another kick begins. They’re screaming some things at me, but it’s too garbled for me to differentiate. Because oh, sweet god, it
hurts too much. Suddenly, whistles start to blow from all around me, and my assailants are dragged off my limp, bloodied, and
bruised body by the security officers of the campus. Through the bloody haze in my eyes, I see one of the officers approaches
me, his mouth moving in what seems like a scream. I can’t tell for sure, because I can’t seem to hear anything. Labored breaths
fall from between my lips, along with blood and saliva.
“Hospital, hospital!” I hear someone urge faintly. Perhaps they are screaming, I’m too tired to care.
And then, everything goes black.