Chapter 3

When I walked into school the next morning, it was dead silent. Everyone had heard about the little showdown between Magnus and I, and they were waiting for the whip to crack down on us.

Most noticable about this, Magnus was nowhere to be found. Which is odd, because he has to be perfect at every little thing. He wouldnt skip school for anything. He'd probably melt his face off.

Also missing, Lyon never texted me, or called. Now I dont know where hes at, or how to get ahold of him. I continue to stroll down the halls, avoiding the glares of the other students.

"I'll end you"

I said those words yesterday without even meaning to. Did I mean it though? I think back to those dark thoughts I was having during gym class. Is that really what I want?

Of course it isnt. I cant want somebody dead for being better than me... At least, I dont think so.

I walk into my first period class, stopping when I see Magnus leaning against the wall, his eyes pointed downward. Something about this was off. He never avoids eye contact.

"Just so wer'e clear, I dont give a damn about you or your feelings, Got it?," He growled right off the bat. I stop, blinking rapidly. What is this?

"My mother saw you walking home and the burns I gave you. I told her about our little fight, and she beat the shit out of me and demanded I give you this," He looks up, his left eye darker than the other. I recognize that anywhere. A black eye. He throws something at me and stomps past me, putting his hands in his pockets as he leaves me in awe. What the hell was that?

I look down, seeing Anti-burn cream. I look around before stuffing it in my pocket. At least his mother's something of a decent woman.

Yeah... A decent woman.

"MOMMY! MOMMY!! LOOK WHAT GRAMMY BOUGHT ME!," I cheered, bouncing on my heels and holding up my brand new tablet. Mommy smiled, her green eyes sparkling with happiness. This is one of her good days. When she doesn't see me as a source of her pain.

"Awesome sweetheart!! Wanna watch the video again on your new special gift?," She asks with a smile. I nod, jumping happily around my living room.

"Alright, come sit in mommy's lap," She orders. I scrambled over to her, crawling up into her lap before perching myself there. I giggle, happily waiting for my favorite video in the world to play.

My mother had me reading Charles Dickens by the age of eight. Old literature I shouldn't have known till college was Already implanted in my brain. But when I wasnt reading, there was a video I always loved.

Before I met Magnus, who taught me how to play soccer, All I wanted to do was play professional volleyball. My volleyball team idol was the setter. He set the most accurate sets I've ever seen, It was like they floated to the spikes hand, and because of that the spiker never missed a shot. Unfortunately, No one would teach me. Or could teach me.

That moment, we sat and watched my idols sets up close on video, the concentration clear on his face, his eyes calculating. I've never seen anything cooler.

Then, her phone rang. I stop and look up at mommy with concern. Is it dad? She pulls it out and answers, going silent the whole time the other talks. Then, out of nowhere she cries,

"No, you are not taking him from me! He is staying here where he belongs. If need be, take me to court. Oh wait, you can't, cause they'll find your drug addictions," And with that she hung up the phone. Everything went silent, even her breathing.

"Mommy?," I murmur, looking up at her. That's when I saw it, that rage again. Shes scratching her neck violently, claw marks soon to some of the few scars covering her luminous pale skin. She staring down at me with a smile, but not the motherly smile she had earlier.

"See all the trouble you've caused me? I lost my husband, and now My life too... All because of you!," She screams, before throwing me off her. I Yelp as I'm flung to the floor, rolling on the ground. My eyes water, as my skin burns from the rug burn in several different spots on my body.

"M-mommy...," I sniffle, looking up at her. She kneels down, grabbing blonde hair and yanking it back and fourth.

"I should've never had you!! You're a mistake!! Just like your deadbeat father," She cried maniacally. That's when her fists came raining down on me.

I sand in the nurses office mirror, shirt removed, while I attempt to place the anti burn cream onto my burns. They're worse today then yesterday. Blood blisters ring all around it, and the burn itself is almost black in color. He really did a number on me didnt he.

I yell in frustration and pain, clenching my available fist as much as I can. It hurts like a bitch. The burning sensation carries almost all the way down my shoulder blades. Right after I finish, I wrap it with bandages. That's when the nurse came in, giving me a disapproving look.

"I called your foster mom, and informed her of the severe damage on your shoulders. You should not have come to school today, you should have gone to the doctor as soon as you received that burn young man!," She scolded me, her hands placed firmly on her hips. I shrug, wincing mildly at the pain of it.

"I'll be fine. I need to get to gym now.. Have her pick me up after that class," I reply. She nods then holds up a finger.

"Just one second kid. You shouldn't be putting any pressure on those burns.. I'm afraid you'll have to go semi shirtless for the day.," She digs through her little drawer and pulls out a sleeveless button up vest that's almost twice my size.

"Huh?," I murmured, staring at it. She shrugs and tosses it to me.

"Its designed especially for shoulder injuries. Now put it on and get going."

Surprisingly, it didnt look to bad on me, all it really did was accent the blue in my eyes. Plus its light weight and kinda comfortable. Thankfully, I wear a muscle top for gym anyways, so It wasnt too much of a problem changing for gym.

As soon as I entered the gym from the locker room, all eyes were on my shoulders, and the bandages clearly visible through my black muscle top. Everyone was whispering about it except Magnus, who just looked away. Is he feeling remorse?

"Ok students, Good Morning!," The gym teacher called.

"Goodmorning Mr.. Jones!," We all replied. He smiles, waving his hands at us.

"Anyways, as you all know, the competition starts today. The first round in our competition is, Simply, a game of medic. Those in the competitors will be medic the whole time. However, here's the catch. The medic can also throw the balls too as long as they can hit the other medic." he finished, looking through all of us. He glances down at her clipboard.

"First Medics up, Will be Sarah and Lio!," Mr. Jones Finished, his eyes flocking to me and my shoulders. I frowned and stormed over to my side of the gym, waiting for my team. I started scratching my neck anxiously. Why does everyone keep looking at me with those damn eyes!! With pity! I dont want their damn pity. I slowly wrap my fingers with whatever bandages I have left to help with more stability when I throw.

They're dead.

I will win this. And then... I glare at Magnus, matching his angry gaze.

I'll destroy you, Magnus Branwell.

Five minutes into the game, and already, I'm the last one standing. In between dodging balls and struggling to get my other teams back up, I've managed to hit a few people, but not my targets.

Magnus and Sarah. My enemies in this tournament. I kneel behind my wall of safety. What kind of test is this? I close my eyes, trying to focus while the balls rain down around me.

"I'll get one if I have to risk losing the game to do it," I grab two balls and sprint out from behind the wall at tops speed, throwing each ball with the most precision I possibly could, leaping off to my left and touching three people as I violently slide past them.

I leaped to my feet, leaping the other way into a roll as a volley of balls shot at me. I looked up with a smirk, seeing Magnus's angry scowl as he plops to the floor, the ball rolling away from him silently. I crouched, waiting. Come on Sarah... Hes your best man. You'd be a fool to ignore that. Then, I have a little present for you...

I watch as she sprints out wildly. I stand up, aiming as precisely as I can.. Then I threw it.

Time stood still as the ball sailed through the air. There was a thud, and silence fell over the gym. Sarah and Magnus stared at me in awe, there eyes wide with surprise. A similar look matched everyone elses face in the gym. That's when it hit me. The pain... I was rolling around on my burns... I bite my lip and look at my shoulders, and the stream of blood rolling down them, splashing onto the gym floor.

"Dammit...," I mutter, clenching my eyes shut.

"The winner is... Lio!!!," Mr. Jones announced. Everyone stayed quiet though, their eyes stuck on my arms. Before I could think I stomp over to Magnus, lifting him up by the shirt.

"I dont care if you're stronger. Or faster or smarter... But I will break every bone in my body to win... Because I will NEVER lose to you again," I shoved him back, watching him fall on the floor, his eyes wide with an unfamiliar emotion in them.

"Let this be an example..," I made a show of my bleeding and pussing burns before storming out the gym and into my locker room. I over did it.

My words to Magnus would be the talk of the school, and rumors started popping up about our rivalry. Nobody understands it like me. Hes everything I'm not. Hes smart, hes fast, hes strong. Hes good at everything he does. While I have to work my ass off on almost every single level of that besides the smarts. Yet he still strives to remind me of that every damn day. Im fed up with it.

I clench my fist. Im tired of being the mistake that everyone thinks is gonna snap eventually. I'm sick of being the second glance in this world. I'm sick of being the shadow behind Magnus's back. Which is why....

I look at Michelle, who's driving me to school.

"Hey Michelle.. Can I take you up on that earlier offer about the new vaccine?," I asked, clenching my fists. I turn to her, seeing her eyes sparkling happily.

"Yes of course!, Let's go get it now!!!," She swerves into the other lane. I look down at my palms. I will be stronger than him. I wont lose to him, ever again.

"Thank you Michelle..., " I look up at her, seeing his grinning face.

"No... Thanks mom.," I corrected myself. In that second, the best foster mom in the world seemed to sparkle.