Chapter 37 : For friends

*Whistle!*

The whistle sliced through the air, sharp and unforgiving. "Everyone makes four lines and stands according to your heights!" PT sir, Subash, barked, his voice booming like a thunderclap across the field.

"You, stand at the front," he spat, his tone laced with venom as he pointed at Fred. Fred's jaw tightened, his eyes arouses with defiance. "Sorry, but unfortunately, it's neither my turn nor our class's turn to stand at the front," he shot back, his voice steady and unyielding.

Demi and Zeya felt a chill run down their spines, their hearts pounding as the tension thickened. They instinctively took a step back with everyone, fear creeping in. Zeya scanned the crowd, her eyes darting around in search of Amaya, Elli, and Sophia, praying they would arrive soon.

"Who do you think you're rejecting? Does it look like I'm requesting you?" Subash's grip tightened on the hickory stick he carried, his knuckles turning white like the bones of a skeleton, his face contorted with fury.

"Oh, you were requesting? Sorry, I thought you were begging!" Fred leaned in, his eyes narrowing as he glared defiantly at Subash. "And did it look like I was rejecting? I was just stating the fact, Mister."

Subash's eyes become slits, radiating pure rage that seemed to distort the very air around him. "I'm your teacher," he hissed, his voice dripping with venom. "Do you think you have the right to talk like that with me!?"

*Thwack*

"Ah-!" The hickory stick struck Fred's leg, and he cried out in pain, collapsing to the ground and clutching his leg. "Fred!" Seth shouted, rushing to kneel beside him, panic etched on his face as he gently patted Fred's cheeks while checking his leg. "Fred! Can you stand up!?" he asked, worry flooding in his voice. "Who told you to move!?" Subash shouted, raising the hickory stick again, aiming it at Seth. As the stick swung dangerously close to his face, Seth instinctively blocked it with his hands.

*Thwack*

Seth's hand trembled, pain shooting through him like fire as he struggled to keep his composure. His eyes bloodshot and wild, he surged forward, grabbing Subash's collar with a fierce grip before punching him squarely in the face, sending him stumbling backward. Seth closed his eyes, feeling the sharp pain in his hand again.

Jay forcefully snatched the hickory stick from Subash's hand before he swung it again and threw it away, delivering a swift kick to Subash's back. "Seth! Take Fred to the nurse! We'll take revenge for Fred and you!" one of their classmates shouted, circling Subash on the ground like a pack of wolves. Seth shot a fierce glare at Subash before he and his classmates hurried to lift Fred, urgency fueling their movements.

Zeya, Demi and other classmates stood frozen on the sidelines, their eyes wide with fear as they watched the scene unfold, the sight of seven or eight boys beating their teacher sending chills down their spines. One boy from Section C stepped forward, attempting to intervene, but was immediately held back by a girl from Section A. "Oh boy, you have a pretty face. Why are you looking for a way to get surgery?" she taunted, her voice dripping with mockery. His eyes widened, realizing he was outnumbered by the girls standing in front of him. "Are you guys out of your mind?!!?! He is a teacher!" he shouted in rage, his voice echoing in the tense air. The girls rolled their eyes, and another girl from Section A stepped forward, her expression fierce. "And Fred is our friend!" she declared, glaring at him with unwavering resolve.

"What the fuck is happening here?" Sophia exclaimed, her eyes widening in disbelief as the chaotic scene unfolded before her. Elli blinked rapidly, shaking off her shock, she ran toward the boys, her voice rising above the dispute. "Stop everyone! What the heck are you guys doing!?" The commotion halted abruptly, all eyes turning to Sophia and Elli, filled with a mix of confusion and rage.

As they caught sight of Subash sprawled on the ground, blood trickling from his forehead and hand, a collective gasp escaped from Sophia, Elli, and Somiya. Sophia surged forward, pushing one of the boys away, her heart racing and disbelief coursing through her veins. "Are you guys out of your mind!?" she shouted, her teeth clenched and pupils dilated with anger. "You should at first check on Fred and Seth rather than him." Jay gritted his teeth and delivered another kick to Subash's stomach, his frustration boiling over.

"What do you mean by Fred and Seth?" Elli asked, her heart pounding like a drum, anxiety flooding her senses. "He raised his hand at Fred first, then at Seth—" But before Jay could finish, he noticed the girls darting toward the nurse's room, their eyes glistening with tears and lips trembling, the weight of the moment crashing down on them like a tidal wave of emotion.

"Why do I have to stay here looking at your boring, crappy work!" Amaya whined, slumping beside Mina, who was completely absorbed in her School Captain duties. Jen sat in front of them, furiously scribbling away at an essay, her brow furrowed in concentration. "Ama, at least help me write the teacher's name on the bottom of the A4 paper," Jen pleaded, glancing up with hopeful eyes. Amaya, twirling a toothpick in her mouth, merely stared at Jen, boredom etched across her face.

*Bang*

"Ama!" The door to the sports room burst open, two girls from Amaya's class rushing in, their faces flushed and eyes wide with urgency. Amaya, Mina, and Jen turned in confusion. "Selli? Yami?" Amaya called, her voice laced with concern. Seeing them panting, Jen jumped up, quickly offering her water bottle. "Is everything alright, Selli sister?" she asked, worrying creeping into her tone. "A-Ama! Our class boys are suspended for two months! Hailey ma'am said they can only come and give the final board exam," Yami gasped, her voice shaky and raw. Amaya's brows knitted together in confusion as she shifted in her seat. "All the boys? What did everyone do?" she asked, her heart racing. Selli and Yami exchanged anxious glances, swallowing hard. "Subash Sir beat Fred—"

*Creak–*

Amaya shot up from her seat, cutting Selli off mid-sentence. Fear surged through her as she pushed Selli and Yami aside, running toward the nursing room. She flung open the door and froze at the sight: Elli and Sophia hovered beside the bed, where Fred lay, a nurse gently pressing an ice pack to his leg, the atmosphere heavy with worry and unspoken fears.

"Ama." Elli and Sophia called, their voices laced with urgency. "It was a soft tissue damage. Please, no more trouble." Sophia whispered, her grip tightening around Amaya's wrist, trying to control her amidst the storm of emotions. Amaya's jaw clenched so tightly that it felt like it might shatter, her hands trembling with barely contained fury, yet she fought to maintain her composure for Sophia's sake. "Everyone beat the shit out of him already. There is no point in going there," Elli murmured, her own fist clenched so hard that her knuckles turned white.

"Where is Seth? What was he doing when Fred was hit!" Amaya spat, her voice low and dangerous, teeth grinding together as if they might spark from the friction. "Ama, we didn't know he would really hit me, and Seth is also—" Before Fred could finish, Amaya's furious growl erupted, vibrating off the walls, "Where is he?!" The nurse, startled, stood from the bed, handing the ice pack to Amaya. "Sometimes it's better when you listen to someone before—" Amaya yanked her hand back, her eyes blazing as she shot a piercing glare at the nurse, "Care to remind me when I asked for your damn advice!"

"He is still in the office with Hailey ma'am," Elli replied, her voice barely above a whisper. Amaya's fists tightened, and without another word, she stormed out, each step echoing her boiling rage, the air thick with tension as she left the room behind.

*Slam*

"Hailey ma'am, my patience is wearing thin. I've told you repeatedly it was his fault! He raised his hand first!" Seth's voice echoed through the room as he slammed his palm against Hailey ma'am's desk, the impact sending a ripple through the air and forcing her to pause her typing. "Your friend and Mr. Subash have had a feud for ages. Do you really expect me to take your word over someone who ended up in the hospital?" Hailey ma'am replied, her tone calm yet unwavering. Seth felt his frustration boiling over; he clenched his fists so tightly that his nails dug into his palms, and he squeezed his eyes shut, trying to suppress the storm brewing inside him. "Hailey ma'am, you know the history behind their feud. Aren't you a woman too? Why does the school's reputation matter more than the safety of your students?" His words spilled out, thick with emotion, each word dripping with urgency.

"I'm not trying to save the school's reputation, Seth. You're claiming that Mr. Subash has been harassing students, but I need evidence to take action against him, and neither you nor your friends are providing any." Hailey ma'am stood up, closing her laptop with a harsh snap, her posture radiating authority that felt like a wall against Seth's anger. "Seth, you should learn to control your anger; otherwise, you'll take Amaya down with it." She walked towards the door and halted on her step as she spoke, staring at Seth's back, "Let me tell you something, Seth; you're a bad influence on Amaya." The weight of her words hung in the air, lighting a fire in Seth's chest, his blood boiling with indignation.

Suddenly, the door flew open, and in a flash, Amaya kicked Hailey ma'am on the leg, making her stumble back before pinning her to the floor with a thud. With wild eyes, bloodshot and fierce, Amaya hissed, "Take back what you just said." Seth turned around in a split second, eyes widened in shock at Amaya's reckless behavior.