Chapter 16 : The Weakening of Liza Garnet
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Greg's voice had a certain urgency to it, the kind that couldn't be shaken off with a shrug.
"I'm telling you, Arios, we should step in now."
Arios kept his eyes on the auditorium path, watching the blurred reflections of movement through the glass panes. "And I'm telling you—if we keep running to save her every time, she'll never stand on her own."
Greg frowned. "That's easy for you to say when she's in there dealing with that girl."
What Greg didn't realize was that Arios's reasoning was far less noble than it sounded. He didn't want Liza to overcome her problems yet—not completely. Vulnerability bred dependency, and dependency made bonds easier to deepen. The system's rewards aside, it was a matter of positioning. A weakened ally wasn't a liability if they leaned on you hard enough; they became an asset.
"Sometimes," Arios said evenly, "the best way to help someone is to let them fight their own battle."
Greg's lips tightened. "Or sometimes that's just an excuse to do nothing."
The silence awkwardly stretched.
Arios didn't argue—he'd learned long ago that too much pushback only made people dig in deeper. And sure enough, Greg's jaw firmed.
"You can stay here if you want," he said, taking a step forward. "But I'm not leaving her alone in there."
Arios didn't stop him. He simply folded his arms, watching Greg push open the door and disappear inside.
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Inside the auditorium the air was still, the muffled sound of water lapping against pool tiles echoing faintly in the distance. Near the far wall, Liza was crouched down, her hands clasped over her knees, her body trembling.
The bully stood above her, arms crossed, a smirk curling her lips. "You remember high school, don't you? How you'd flinch every time I walked past? I've missed that look. I think we should go back to the good old days."
Liza didn't respond, her eyes fixed on the floor. Her breathing became shallow. Memories of the past flooded her mind, as she tried to grasp the situation.
The girl tilted her head and crouched lower, studying Liza's face. Her gaze caught on something—just at the corner of Liza's mouth. Her eyes narrowed.
"Oh, what's this?" she murmured, wiping her thumb across it. She brought it to her eyes, and her expression shifted into disgusted delight. "Is that fucking cum," she said.
"You really are a slut, aren't you?"
SLAM
The slap was sudden, sharp enough to echo. Liza left cheek turned red, but she didn't flinched, not even her voice came out.
"You been sucking dicks instead of studying eh."
"Hey!" Greg's voice broke the tension. He strode toward them, his posture tight with anger. "Back off, or I'll take this straight to the administration."
The bully straightened, her smirk vanishing into something far more composed. She took a step toward him, voice syrupy-sweet. "Oh, Greg Tunley… I was just catching up with an old friend."
She moved closer, closing the gap until the scent of chlorine was replaced by something faintly floral. Then, without warning, she took his hand and pressed it against her boobs.
Greg's eyes went wide—he recoiled instantly, pulling back immediately. But the smirk returned to her lips. "Go ahead. Tell them. And I'll tell them you assaulted me. You know how the academy treats those cases."
Greg's glare faltered. He knew she was right—sexual misconduct carried a heavier penalty than bullying.
His voice dropped to a plea. "This isn't worth it. Just stop. You've already—"
The girl laughed, cutting him off, and turned her attention back to Liza.
SLAM! SLAM! SLAM!
The slaps came one after another, followed by her laughter. "See? No one can protect you. Not even your knight in shining armor."
"Why aren't you crying?"
"It's no fun if you don't."
Then what followed was a series of stumps— she used her legs and matched on Liza stomach and after some moments of resistance, Liza began to shed tears.
"Yes that's how I like it, cry for me bitch."
"You know how to lick balls, but can't cry."
"Glad I changed that," She Said.
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"Hey."
The voice was calm but came across the space with a feel that made both of them turn. Arios stood just inside the doorway, his hands in his pockets, his expression was unreadable.
"Who the hell are you?" the bully asked.
Arios ignored the question. He lifted a hand and pointed toward the far corner of the ceiling. "You should be a lot less worried about me… and a lot more worried about that."
Her gaze followed his finger. Nestled near the ventilation shaft was a small black dome—an academy security camera, its lens unblinking.
"You really didn't think to check for cameras before pulling this stunt?" Arios asked, his voice dry. "That's… impressively stupid."
Her confidence quickly wavered.
She knew she was cornered.
"Here's the deal," Arios continued. "You walk out now, and I won't send the administration proof of you bullying Liza and setting up a fake sexual assault. They don't take either lightly. But both together?" He tilted his head. "That's expulsion material."
The girl's teeth clenched. Her gaze flicked between Greg, Liza, and the camera, her calculations warring with defiance.
For the first time, she looked completely clueless.
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[A/N] Sorry for the late release, I haven't been feeling soo good. I have been sick since Saturday and I'm getting a little better. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed it.