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Chapter 2 - The first steps

Walking to the garage after my "deal" with Mary's father, I felt the warmth of the house vanish the moment we stepped inside. A cold draft greeted me, sharp and biting, sending a shiver down my spine. Mary walked ahead, flipping on the light, revealing a space cluttered with machines, tools, and oil-stained metal bars. The air smelled of grease and sawdust—a mechanic's sanctuary, not a place meant for living.

"Sorry about this... I know it's not ideal. Maybe I should've just let you go to a motel..." Mary's voice was uncertain, carrying a hint of guilt. She avoided looking at me, her expression hesitant.

I shrugged. "Don't worry. This is far better than a motel. Besides, I doubt I could stay more than a night there before burning through the little money I have." I hesitated for a second before adding, "And this isn't the worst place I've slept in." A lie, but one that didn't matter.

Mary looked up at me, reading my face for a moment before offering a small, reluctant smile. "Then I guess you're more than welcome... Also, sorry about my father earlier. I know he seems cold, but he doesn't give things for free—not even to me. Until you prove your worth, he won't recognize you."

Prove my worth.

The words dug deeper than she probably realized. After everything that had happened, I had started to wonder if my entire life had been about proving my worth—to my parents, to myself—without even realizing it.

I moved to a corner where the dust was thinner, swiping a metal piece across the ground to clear it before laying my jacket down as a makeshift mattress. "Don't worry, Mary. I'll do what I have to. I'm determined to do my job as your bodyguard, so you can count on me from now on." I forced a small smile.

She blinked, caught off guard, before nodding. "Sure. I gotta go to sleep now. If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask. Good night, mate."

"Yeah, and good night to you too, boss."

She didn't turn around—just raised her middle finger as she left. I smirked. She hated that nickname.

Once she was gone, I collapsed onto my jacket, exhaustion weighing me down. I reached into my backpack, pulling out my only real personal belonging, The 48 Laws of Power. I flipped to a random page about the art of war but stopped. Reading would only help me escape reality, and now wasn't the time for that. I had to think about tomorrow.

I was only allowed to sleep in the garage. If I wanted to eat with the Apenears—Mary's family—I had to pay. But I had no money.

Maybe I'd pass by him after school.

With that thought, sleep took over.

My phone alarm rang under my backpack, dragging me out of sleep. I groaned, my entire body feeling like ice. The cold had seeped deep into my bones. I barely had any clothes—just a tracksuit and an extra t-shirt, but exhaustion had left me too drained to change last night. I had slept in my jeans and shirt.

Forcing myself up, I scanned the garage. In the dim morning light, I spotted a small faucet sticking out from the wall. Hugging myself for warmth, I shuffled over and turned the knob. The water was freezing, shocking my skin as I splashed it on my face and rinsed my mouth. The sting helped wake me up, at least.

I returned to my bag, pulling out my clothes and placing them in the cleanest spot I had found yesterday. Inside, I kept only the essentials: my single school notebook, The 48 Laws of Power, and a black pencil.

Checking my phone: 7:25 AM. School started at 8 AM.

I threw on my jacket and stepped outside, waiting for Mary. My job as her bodyguard started now.

Five minutes later, she finally emerged, her backpack slung over one shoulder. Her long black hair swayed slightly in the morning breeze, the rising sun casting a golden hue over her. If I were being honest, it looked like something straight out of a movie.

"Good morning. Ready to go?" I greeted, raising a hand.

She turned to me and smiled. "Morning. Yeah, let's go."

As we started walking, I hesitated. Should I carry her bag? Walk behind her? After a brief internal debate, I opted for the least awkward choice—walking beside her. Without a word, I reached over and took her backpack from her hand.

She blinked at me but didn't argue, just sighed. She knew how stubborn I could be.

"Did your father write the letter yet?" I asked.

"Yeah, it's in my bag. I'll give it to you later."

Walking with Mary felt strange. This was the first time I had ever walked to school with a girl. Usually, I went alone, leaving whenever I felt like it. My return trip depended on my mood—sometimes I ditched classes, sometimes I walked with my friends if we had the same subjects at the end of the day. We usually just goofed off on the road.

But this? This was different. And oddly... nice.

We arrived at school ten minutes early, a rare occurrence for me. Normally, I walked in at 8 AM on the dot or a few minutes late.

After dropping Mary off at her class and taking the letter, I headed to mine. We were in the same building but different branches—she was in biological sciences, while I was in mechanics. Our classes were mixed with electronics students, but we studied separately most of the time.

Stepping into my classroom, I barely had time to sit before my seatmate, Amir, stared at me like I had grown a second head.

"Felix? You're here early? And... in French class? You usually skip this since you're good at it without trying," he said, shaking his head.

I shrugged. "I just woke up early today. Besides, it's not like I only attend math, physics, and mechanics."

He rolled his eyes. We both rested our heads on our desks, trying to steal a few more minutes of sleep before class started.

The lesson began, but I barely paid attention. My friends whispered among themselves, showing memes under the table, while I stared blankly at the board, lost in thought.

"Vendor, pouvez-vous s'il vous plaît répondre à six questions et les écrire au tableau ?" The teacher's voice snapped me back.

"Ah, oui, bien sûr, madame," I replied, taking the marker she handed me. The task was easy—sorting words into the right sections of a table. One side listed the benefits of working alone, the other, the benefits of working in a group.

I was so focused I didn't realize I was supposed to write only one word and sit down. The teacher placed a hand on my shoulder, laughing softly. Embarrassed, I returned to my seat.

"Flexing, huh?" Alan, my friend from middle school, smirked. "You know you're not getting extra points or impressing any girls like that, right?"

"Oh, shut it. Don't act like you never did the same trying to impress a girl, but your fat ass is still repulsive as hell," I shot back.

"At least I don't look like a girl from the back with that long hair of yours," he fired.

"At least I look like a human and not a walking round-container."

Laughter erupted around us, while Alan turned red. Our teacher just shook her head with a small chuckle before moving on.

By 9 AM, French class ended. Our math teacher walked in next. Normally, I'd be engaged, but today, I barely participated. Amir noticed.

"You good?" he asked.

I just shrugged and kept solving exercises.

At break, I got up, stretching. Then I remembered—I had forgotten to take the letter from Mary.

"Guess I'll go get it now."

Amir smirked. "Oho? Visiting a girl, huh?"

I rolled my eyes. "Shut up."

Ignoring his grin, I headed to Mary's class. She saw me coming and immediately guessed.

"You forgot the letter, didn't you?"

I sighed. "Yeah."

She reached into her bag, but then stopped and looked at me. "Actually, since this involves both of us, why don't we just go together to the administration? It'll be easier that way."

I thought about it for a second before nodding. "Yeah, makes sense."

She smirked. "I knew you'd see reason. Come on."

With that, we left her classroom and headed toward the administration office. The halls were still packed with students enjoying their break, and I noticed a few people glancing our way. It was a little strange—I wasn't used to walking side by side with a girl like this. Usually, I just hung out with Amir and Jhon, goofing off or talking nonsense.

But with Mary, it was different. The way she walked, confident and unbothered, contrasted with how people whispered and glanced at us. I wondered if she noticed or just didn't care. Either way, I found myself strangely aware of the distance between us. Not too close, not too far—just enough to make it feel... different.

Shaking off the thought, I focused ahead. We had business to take care of, and that was the only thing that mattered right now.

As soon as the break started, Me and Mary made our way to the administration. The hallway was bustling with students, some rushing to grab a snack, others just standing around chatting. I walked slightly ahead, weaving through the crowd with ease, while Mary followed at her own pace, completely unbothered.

Arriving at the administration office there was only the secretary.I cleared my throat. "Excuse me, we need to submit this letter."

The woman gave me a brief, uninterested look before extending her hand. i placed the neatly folded letter in her palm, and she unfolded it, skimming through the content.

"From Miss Apenear's father, huh?" she muttered before reading further. The silence stretched for a few seconds as her eyes moved across the page.

I waited, hands in his pockets, while Mary stood beside him, arms crossed.

The secretary finally sighed and placed the letter on the desk. "I see... This request needs approval from the principal. You'll have to come back later so we can confirm whether or not it's accepted."

I suppressed a sigh. Of course, nothing could be done in one step in this school.

Mary, however, remained unfazed. "Alright, we'll be back later."

The secretary nodded, already moving on to another task. Taking that as our cue to leave, we turned around and headed back.

The break had nearly run out, and by the time we reached our respective classrooms, the bell had already started ringing. I barely had time to drop into my seat before the teacher walked in, leaving no room for any more distractions.

The hour of math passed quickly, with me barely participating in any problem that was asked, though my mind wasn't fully engaged. Then came Arabic class, and without hesitation, I rested my head on my desk and dozed off. If it weren't for Mary and the whole letter situation, I wouldn't have even been in class.

I wasn't sure how long I slept, but at some point, I felt a sharp jab to my side. I groggily opened my eyes to see Amir trying to suppress his laughter. "Wake up, bro. Teacher's looking straight at you."

I sighed, sitting up and rubbing my eyes. Our Arabic teacher, an older man with thick glasses, was indeed staring at me with a look of mild disappointment. I gave him an apologetic nod and grabbed my pen, pretending I was about to take notes. He shook his head but didn't call me out.

Arabic wasn't a problem for me. I wasn't naturally good at it like French, but it wasn't important enough. Still though... with everything going on, maybe I should've at least pretended to care.

By the time the class ended, I was already thinking about lunch. My stomach had been empty since last evening, and the hunger was starting to settle in. But I had no money.

That meant I had to find another way.

After morning classes ended, Mary and I made our way back to the administration office. The hallway was less crowded now, but a few students still loitered around, either waiting for their turn or just trying to avoid going to class.

The secretary glanced up as we entered, her eyes briefly narrowing at me before shifting to Mary. "You again?"

Mary nodded. "We're here for his pass." She motioned toward me.

The woman sighed, rifling through a stack of papers before pulling out a small slip. She gave me a look that was a mix of skepticism and exhaustion. "So, you're really her bodyguard now?"

"Unfortunately," I said with a dramatic sigh, snatching the paper from her hand.

She gave a dry chuckle and shook her head. "Just don't cause trouble."

"No promises," I muttered, but Mary jabbed me with her elbow.

"Thanks," Mary told the secretary before turning to leave. I followed behind, stuffing the pass into my pocket.

As soon as we stepped outside, I stretched my arms. "Alright, I'm officially free to roam the school like a ghost."

Mary gave me a sideways glance. "More like a stray dog."

"Harsh."

She smirked. "Let's go eat before I fire you."

I chuckled and followed her to the cafeteria, where our theater group was already gathering for lunch.

She stopped in her tracks and looked at me then sighed. "You ate yet?"

I was about to lie, but she cut me off. "Don't bother answering. I already know."

I exhaled through my nose. "I was gonna ask if you wanted to eat together anyway."

She raised an eyebrow. "That so?"

"Yeah, the theater group is eating together today, right? We don't do that often, so might as well join."

She smirked slightly. "Fine. Let's go find the others."

Together, we walked toward the usual hangout spot. The cafeteria was packed, as expected, but we weren't planning to eat there anyway. Instead, we found the group gathered in the courtyard, some sitting on the steps, others standing around chatting.

Sarah spotted us first. "Hey there, look who finally decided to show up!"

"Vendor and the boss lady," Seki added with a grin, nudging Mary's shoulder. "You two having a secret date before meeting us?"

Mary rolled her eyes. "Shut up, Seki."

He just laughed, while Alan patted the ground next to him. "Come sit, bro."

I dropped down beside him, stretching my legs out. My stomach growled a little, but I ignored it, glancing at what everyone had brought. Some had homemade sandwiches, others had bought food from the canteen.

Aya noticed. "Felix, you didn't bring anything?"

I shrugged. "Didn't have time."

Sarah hummed before taking half of her sandwich and handing it to me. "Here."

I looked at her. "You sure?"

She waved a hand. "Yeah, yeah. Besides, I know you'll pay me back somehow."

I smirked. "True. Thanks."

Taking the sandwich, I bit into it, trying not to make it obvious how much I needed it. The group continued their usual banter, laughing and joking about everything and nothing. It was a moment of normalcy—one that, for once, I could actually enjoy.

For now, that was enough.

As I ate, the conversation drifted from random internet memes to school drama. Sarah and Aya were arguing over some new trend, while Seki kept throwing in dumb jokes that only made them more annoyed. Alan, as usual, became the target of half the jokes, and he just sighed in defeat.

"Why am I even friends with you guys?" he muttered.

"Because no one else would take you," Karim said without missing a beat.

Everyone burst into laughter, and even Jhon had to chuckle. The atmosphere was light, easy—just the kind of thing I needed after everything that had happened in the past few days.

Mary nudged me with her foot. "You good?"

I swallowed my last bite and glanced at her. "Yeah, I'm good."

She raised an eyebrow, clearly not convinced. "You're thinking about something."

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "Just... it's not how I imagined my first day to be like this."

She smirked. "Yeah, you were probably thinking you'll be busy playing survival mode in real life."

I let out a dry chuckle. "Something like that."

Seki overheard and grinned. "Don't worry, Vendor. If you ever go full street rat, I'll buy you a leash."

"Wow, how generous," I shot back.

"That's what friends are for," he said with a dramatic sigh.

Before I could respond, the bell rang, signaling the end of lunch break. One by one, everyone started standing up, stretching and gathering their things.

Sarah clapped her hands together. "Alright, back to suffering. See y'all after class."

We all exchanged our usual goodbyes before splitting up. Mary and I walked together for a while before reaching a point where we had to go separate ways.

"Don't sleep through the next class," she said, crossing her arms.

"No promises," I replied with a smirk.

She rolled her eyes but didn't push it. "See you later, Felix."

"Later, boss."

And with that, I headed off, mentally preparing myself for another long afternoon of pretending to care about school.

The second half of the day passed without much excitement. I had two full hours of physics—one of the few subjects that I enjoyed quite a bit—while Mary had her own classes elsewhere. By the time I was done, I was supposed to have English, but since Mary was finished for the day, that meant I was free to leave too.

We walked together toward the school's exit, weaving through the clusters of students lingering around. The large metal portal stood ahead, guarded by a supervisor lounging on a plastic chair, occasionally stopping students trying to leave without permission.

As we approached, the man barely looked up. "You two done for the day?"

Mary nodded and handed over her schedule. I pulled out my pass and held it up wordlessly.

The supervisor squinted at it, then glanced at me. "You're seriously her bodyguard?"

Mary sighed, clearly already tired of explaining. "Yes. It's official."

The man shook his head, muttering something under his breath before waving us through. "Fine, get going."

As we stepped outside, the air felt different—freer, maybe. I stuffed my hands in my pockets and glanced at Mary. "So, since I'm your bodyguard, do I get paid extra for escorting you home too?"

She rolled her eyes. "You already get paid in food."

"Right. I knew there was a catch."

She smiled but didn't say anything as we continued walking.

First day of the deal, and I was already skipping class legally.

Not bad. If you look at it in the most optimistic way that is.

We walked in silence for a bit, the school shrinking behind us with every step. The streets were busy, as always—students heading home, shopkeepers shouting deals, cars honking for no reason at all.

After a while, I glanced at Mary. "Hey, mind if we take a detour?"

She raised an eyebrow. "Where?"

"You'll see."

She sighed but didn't object. "Fine, as long as it's not somewhere weird."

I smirked. "Define weird."

She shot me a warning look.

We took a turn, cutting through a few narrow streets before reaching our destination—a familiar storefront with bright LED signs and a window full of gaming peripherals, PC towers, and neatly stacked laptop boxes. The place had been here for years, a little paradise for tech geeks.

Mary gave me a side glance. "An informatics store?"

I nodded, eyes already scanning the displays. "Figured I'd check something out."

She crossed her arms but didn't complain. "Well, go ahead."

I stepped forward, pushing open the glass door as the cool, conditioned air washed over us.

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