[26] Softened
Bianca knew something wasn't right when Alexander begged her to accompany him. And not only for breakfast like before, but for every meal. If it wasn't for this desperate look on his face, she would've rejected him right away; but in an emergency she didn't have the heart to, so she reluctantly accepted.
When they came into the Home Economics' classroom, the emergency presented herself as a witch. She merely glanced at Bianca, but the hatred was easily perceived.
"Is this the friend you were talking about?" The witch asked him.
'What friend? I don't see Travis nor Taylor around here', Bianca thought.
"Y-yes" Alexander replied nervously.
What a liar.
"I didn't know you were associating yourself with this kind of person".
Bianca wasn't stupid. Well, not too much. From the short time she had been hanging out with Alexander and his friends, she learned none of them would ever befriend a magic user voluntarily; in fact, they avoided them like the plague.
This witch was probably imposing herself over Alexander.
Bianca didn't frown at her remark, not wanting to provoke the witch. She seemed older, maybe by a couple of years.
"Bianca is a good person" Alexander added in her defense.
"Uh-Hum. So I guess you both have reconciled?"
"Yes, we did".
"Well, as long as she doesn't come to bother me I won't do her any harm".
Wow, how reassuring!
Seeing that the witch didn't even bother to introduce herself, Alexander did it for her.
"Eh... Bianca, this is Ida. She's in 10th grade".
Why did he have to involve her in this awkward and potentially dangerous situation? Did he expect her to protect him? Seems like it, because the whole time he kept his distance from 'Ida' and kept leaning towards Bianca, making her even more uncomfortable. He tried to make some small talk, but the witch abruptly interrupted him:
"This rice is a little bland, you'd better do it fine next time".
Yeah, confirmed. She was imposing herself.
Ida ordered him what to do for lunch next time, and made a silent threat with her eyes. Alexander just nodded submissively. Bianca ate faster than usual, thanked the boy for the food and was about to head out until he stopped her, panicked:
"You're going right now? Don't tell me you only came for the food!"
Well, if she was being honest yeah, part of the reason was the food. But the biggest part was because he had looked desperate when inviting her, and now that she knew why, she didn't want to involve herself with a witch as scary as heck.
Bianca turned around reluctantly, avoiding the suspecting look from Ida, and forcing a smile towards Alexander.
"Of course not! I'm sorry you thought that".
She would kill him if she could. They both made a forced small talk, waiting until Ida finished eating her meal and went away, and checked twice if she really was gone before letting out a relieved sigh.
"What mess did you get me into!?" Bianca complained.
"W-wha-what mess?" Alexander replied, playing the idiot.
"She's threatening you to make her meals, isn't it?"
Alexander opened his mouth, perplexed at being discovered. How humiliating it was being bullied, and a girl at that!
"Why's she doing that?"
"I... she found out I was cooking here every day and made me give her some food. Now she's making me prepare her lunch".
He was already resigned to his luck, but still feared her threats would escalate, so he didn't have any more option than inviting Bianca to eat with them. Better suffer in company than alone. Meanwhile, Bianca groaned in frustration at being thrown at a problem that wasn't even hers!
"I won't come again, ever".
"What! No, please don't do this to me!"
Alexander started begging her again, grabbing her by the shoulders and shaking her. She slapped his arm in return so he would release her, which he did.
"Why would I want to eat here every day fearing that freaky witch will smash my face or something? No, thanks".
"But you are my... my... you're my childhood friend!"
Bianca repressed the urge to roll her eyes, and let out a forced laugh.
"You ignored me for months, let your brother insult me and threaten me, you made some gross, perverted comments in front of me, believed that stupid rumor about me dying and even dared to wish me condolences publicly... you're such a sh*tty guy, really".
She knew she hasn't any right to criticize him as she wasn't any better than him, but telling him the truth in his face was so liberating. Alexander cringed in shame, wanting to retort but nothing came to his mind apart from all of his memories of him treating her badly.
He let his brother hurt her and did nothing, why would she help him now?
"Why don't you tell your amazing brother to help you?" Bianca spat hatefully "I bet he can do much more than me".
"I can't! She's a girl!"
"So what?"
"She can turn things in her favor, just for being a girl. Besides, I don't want to seem like a p*ssy scared of a girl".
"Then put up with this and leave me alone. Not my problem".
She didn't understand him. If she had some demon beast like Maximilian Hamington, protecting her from bullies, she wouldn't doubt about using it; but no, Alexander had to be some idiot more worried about his reputation and his caveman-image of 'men strong, women weak'.
Screw him.
But as a couple of days passed, her conscience didn't stop nagging at her. She sneaked a look into the Home Economics' classroom at lunchtime, and found a very terrifying-looking witch spilling her glass of juice over Alexander's meal, who hurriedly stood up in order to avoid said liquid falling onto him.
Bianca felt sorry for him. Seeing him so submissive and quiet made her remember of how he used to be when they were friends, a sweet giant who didn't care he was a laughing stock for being caught jumping the rope with a girl. She also remembered the undeserving kindness she received from Dereck, and how she hurt him many times without any consideration.
Ugh, she was going to regret involving herself.
Bianca first tried to find a teacher who didn't hate her (which was more difficult than she thought), and when she did, said teacher had the nerve to say something like 'you know how teenage boys are, they would do anything for the girl they like' and 'maybe you're misinterpreting the situation: if something really was going on, the boy would say so'.
No, she was pretty sure Alexander didn't like Ida at all. The fear for his life was too obvious, but there wasn't any power big enough to convince the teacher of the opposite.
Then Bianca tried her last resort: calling Mr. Zachary, Alexander's dad. He had to care for his son, unlike the teachers, right? So she went to the secretary's office to request making a call, despite her not wanting to talk with that mischievous man.