Helen got me back with a good slap across the face. The sting was sharp, a hot slap of pain that brought a fresh wave of rage. I was just about to punch her back, my fist clenched, the lock in my hand ready to add another dent to her thick skull, when a voice shattered the tense atmosphere.
"HEY!!! WHAT ARE YOU GUYS DOING?!!!" A teacher's voice snapped me out of whatever state I was in and I stopped mid-punch, seeing that Helen was flinching badly, her eyes squeezed shut as if bracing for impact.
Of course the teacher would come now. The first damn time I've retaliated. And in the classroom there's a beaten and bloodied student which ISN'T a good look on the school.
Someone's going to have to go down for this.
Could this be another chance presented? After all, the last teacher of the day, Mr. Arnolds, isn't someone that was very trustworthy.
***
After I was done getting checked out by the school nurse, who clucked her tongue at my split lip but otherwise did nothing, Mr. Arnolds was waiting to lecture me in the teacher's office. The room smelled of stale coffee and paper, a scent that always made me feel trapped.
"Melody have you gone mad? To beat up a star student athlete this bad! Even if you are all girls there are limits to the craziness!" He lectured, his face a blotchy red. "Delaney was sent to the hospital with a bloody face. This problem won't only be handled by the school. I've been working as a teacher for over twenty years and I've never seen such conduct as bad as yours. You'd better be prepared because her parents won't let this go easily. You should pay for what-"
"Sir, why are you overreacting to some teasing?" I raised a brow at him. This was the same question he asked me when I tried to get his help at the beginning of this year. He basically told me to fuck off with a smile. "It's not like this is the first incident of school violence in the school."
"What?" Mr. Arnolds went pink.
"The thing you're good at doing, burying the case without escalating things," I said. Stay brave Melody! "Do that so I don't get in trouble."
He grabbed a ruler and smacked my hand. Other teachers turned to watch but did nothing as usual. "THERE'S A LIMIT TO EVERYTHING!!! HOW SHAMELESS CAN YOU BE?!"
Has he forgotten he often dumps his work on students as extra credit that didn't exist but your grade would "mysteriously" fall if you declined. Most might not catch things but I always did.
Fuck this.
"You'd better stop and lower your voice," I hissed. "If you won't I won't be able to lower my voice when I tell others that you've been accepting bribes from parents. Especially Fauna and Delaney's parents. As far as I know, you're in regular contact with them. Should I shout all of that out here now?"
"You'd better stop-"
"Even if it's not that, there's other things you did. Like your affair with the married Spanish teacher. Or the way you choose to grade," I said. "So you'd better stop it."
I understood why he never spoke up. These bribes were probably paying off something important. He never had any intentions of helping me solve my problem in the first place.
Mr. Arnolds looked around nervously, his eyes darting from my face to the door. "What kind of nonsense-"
"Sir, from now on when speaking to me you should be very careful. You got introduced to this job through Fauna's uncle and in return you make sure that she gets special treatment around here. You receive a reward from that. It's from several other problem students' parents as well. You've been having a two year affair with the Spanish teacher who has a doting husband and three very young children. I've seen you two go into the hotel down the street on my way home multiple times. You live such a dirty life, I bet this isn't the tip of the iceberg. If all of it was revealed it wouldn't be nonsense," I shook my head.
"It's not true," he tried.
"Hilton Inn after school two days ago?" I raised a brow.
"Nothing happened."
"But a nightcap."
He stared and leaned back in his chair and was quiet for a solid minute. "What do you want from me?"
"I'm going to trample your life, sir. If you don't give me what I'm asking for." I threatened.
Mr. Arnolds looked pale now, the color drained from his face.
"W-what should I do?" He asked, his voice a weak whisper.
"Nothing." I said.
"What?"
"Keep living like trash and don't interfere with anything with me involved. If you see anything just turn a blind eye to it as you always have but from now on you'll only be doing that for me," I said.
"Prevent this from exploding any means necessary. If you follow my instructions until I graduate, your secrets stay hidden. Understand?"
Mr. Arnolds nodded, his head bobbing like a cheap dashboard ornament. "I'll try my best."
That actually worked? I knew keeping shit to myself would eventually pay off!
Is this how Fauna felt everyday? Powerful?
"Great then I'll get back to class and be back bright and early tomorrow," I said with a smile. I can't dirty my perfect record with a suspension on my first day back in school.
If there was one thing I was going to keep pure it was that.
***
I got into the car that dropped me off absolutely shocked at the person in the car. It was Darius of course... but he was wearing the same uniform as me but with pants. And he looked younger.
"What the hell?" I asked.
"What? Surprised we attend the same school?" Darius asked. Did we? I've never seen him or heard of him before and I'm sure that with how good looking he was that was impossible to not have heard about it.
"We never went to the same school," I said.
"Listen little one, your father gave me your dna. I've been with you a long time," he rolled his eyes. How long though?
"How old are you?" I asked.
"I've been around mortals again for a good 300 years now," Darius said. "But that's not important . Today i realized that I've underestimated how naive you are."
"What?"
"I told you to start tormenting and think like a devil. I even tried guiding you a few times myself, but what did you do? Resist," Darius looked annoyed.
The car felt like ice suddenly.
Dammit. So that voice in the wind telling me to step it up really was him. "It wasn't like I was planning on killing anyone today."
"Looks like you don't plan on doing much of anything," he glared.
Fuck my life. "It takes time! You want the most tortured souls? Then give it time!"
"My time is very valuable, you'd better not disappoint me."
I gulped. "I won't."
"Good. Then tonight we confirm our marriage," He suddenly said. Confirm? I felt my palms get sweaty at the implication. Confirming a marriage could only mean one thing. "You'll eat with me as usual. And tonight... Well, we'll see how just well you behave."
I wanted to avoid that. "Is that really necessary?" I asked.
"Yes."
Fuck my life!