8| To prove a point

Zaid

I hear the sound of my alarm ringing. I reach over to my pedestal and turn off the alarm. I lay there just trying to open my eyes and get out of bed. Eventually I rub my eyes open and get ready. Shit, shower and shave I go. The three horsemen of any man's morning routine. I got some drive for today. Adam will feel the effects of his actions. I'll make sure of it. I open my wardrobe. There I see my uniform. The uniform of Cedar Academy. When I put on that uniform it's like I become someone different. It's a strange effect that I can't explain.

When I wear that uniform I become over ambitious, I take big risks and get a fuel for revenge. That's something I have to thank Adam for. He gave me a purpose. My purpose is to make him miserable. Just like what he did to Hannah. I walk out of my room and into the dojo. Nobody's here yet. I head over to the kiosk and grab a glass of water. I don't need breakfast because I have vengeance.

As I'm walking to school, I think about the day. How I expect it to play out. How I'm going to respond to whatever comes at me. If Adam wants to fight I'm not going to entertain that bullshit. Hannah wouldn't want me to do it so I won't.

I need to meet new people and make some friends. Friends are valuable in a place like this. Your friends define you, but you also define them. It's a massive circle. Everyone is affected by everyone. That's society. That's life. It's a test which we don't know the questions to. We don't even know the right answer or format. We learn as we experience. The more you learn, the more ignorant you feel.

Life is a bitch. It wants to fight and I never walk away from a fight. Finally, after twenty minutes of walking, I find myself in-front of this glorious school once again. It's eight on the dot. I've got ten minutes before registration. Just before I enter the doors, I see two people I'd like to punch in the face. It's Alessandra and Adam. Oh would you look at that, they're holding hands. How cute. I wonder how long that act will last. If that's how they want to play it, then game on. I'll play by the rules, as long as I'm winning.

I plug in my earphones back in and walk into the school. I leave my bag in Mrs Vivan's class and there I see Hannah. I wave at with a smug look. She smiles back and rolls her eyes. I walk over to her and sit down. "Hey Hannah," I say to her. I don't want to say anything. Maybe she has something more important to say to me. "Zaid, about the cafeteria incident yesterday..." she pauses and looks down. I gently lift her chin. "Hannah, there's no need to worry about it. It was an accident," I say to her reassuringly.

"No Zaid, it's not. The entire school got you on video. You and your caffeinated pants," she says in a rather concerned tone. "Well then I got to do something else. They need to remember me by something else," I tell her. There's no way I'm going to let people view me as something I'm not. And what I'm not is a fucking pussy. That's just how they view me. It's not true, but I have a feeling they're going to have a brand new perspective very soon.

"All students please report to the back of the school for a special announcement"

A voice over the intercom says. I thought assemblies were only on Mondays. I wonder what's going on. They could have just announced what they wanted to yesterday. Hold on just one fucking moment! This is about the fight isn't it? What are they going to do? Give a lecture about how violence is bad? How violence never solves anything? Bullshit. The only reason we have peace now is because of the violence of years prior. Ironically, war is sometimes the only solution to peace. I hear fingers snapping.

"ZAID!"

Hannah took me out of daydream. I look at her concerningly. "What do you think that could be about?" - I ask her. "I really don't know. There's so many things that happened yesterday it's hard to tell," she says to me looking at the intercom. She's in daze, as if she's having a flashback.

"Hannah," she snaps out of it. What was she thinking so heavily about? I don't worry too much about it and we walk to assembly together. Everyone gets into their lines. Further up the line, I see them again. Adam and Alessandra. She isn't even in our class. He looks back and puts his head on her shoulder. I can tell what everyone else is thinking. 'Aww such a cute couple' I know it's an act. An act that's going to break soon.

The principle walks up to the podium. "Dear students! I hope your first day back at school was memorable," he says. Memorable is an understatement. He continues babbling until..."Now for the important announcement I called you all here for. The International Student games! That's right, the ultimate quinquennial competition is back! It's better than ever this year! The details will be issued later today. Qualifications are in two days! Good luck!" is that it? Nothing about the fight?

Someone walks up to the principle and whispers in his ear. What is this about now? "Ah yes. I've been informed that indemnity forms will be issued later today," for the qualifications right? "to enter the school. We will not take responsibility for any crimes committed on our premises, and we will not get between student affairs," this is perfect. It's an open field now. I know he won't press charges. Adam better watch out it's all out war now.

"Dismissed"

We all return to our form classes to complete registration. Hannah and I sit down, and oh. I almost forgot Adam was assigned with us. Well that's unfortunate for him. He's not going to find peace as long as he's around me. He sits down and stares down at me. I look over Hannah and stare back at him. If this is his way of being intimidating, it's going to be easy to scare this fucker.

"Class! I don't have enough time to call out all of your names, so I'm going to assume all of you are here," Mrs Vivan says as she walks into the class with her cup of coffee in her hand. She adjusts her glasses and sits down. Adam and I both look over and stop our stare down. We can't even say anything, practically being right in-front of Mrs Vivan. Registration period ends and we both walk out of the class.

"You entering the Games?" Adam asks me with a smirk. What is this assmouth playing at here? "Of course I am. Why wouldn't I? I know I'll make it through," I say to him looking at him from head to toe in disgust. "There's only five places for the entire phase. Let's make a bet," he tells me. Where is this going? What shit is about to come out of his mouth? "Alright what's the bet?" - I nod my head up and ask. He doesn't know me. I get through any shit that's thrown at me.

"If I get through, you go the admin and change your classes. I don't want any of your classes with Alessandra or me, and you show me the secret entrance into that dojo," how the hell does he know I live in the dojo? Well I have better terms. He's got no chance. "Okay, but if I get through, I want a rematch. We didn't properly finish that fight, so we settle it once and for all. At the fountain immediately after the winners are announced," I know I'm getting through. Just like I know I'm beating the shit out of him.

He reaches out his hand to me. "Deal. But we leave each other alone until then. I wouldn't want to distract you," he says with a smug look as if he already won the thing. I look him in the eye and shake his hand and we head our separate ways. I just realised I committed myself to a tournament I have no clue about. Wait... that bastard knew what he was doing!

The reward for him isn't the terms... He just wanted to throw me off. He wanted peace! Ain't no way anyone would do this just for a secret entrance. Unless there's something he wants there. Maybe. Just maybe. If the dojo has secret entrances and multiple confined basements, what are the chances there's something there that I haven't discovered?

"Zaid, what was that about?"- Hannah asks me as she walks from behind and puts her hand on my shoulder. "Hannah, I just made a bet with Adam," I tell her as I continue to look at him. I look at the way he's walking. He's surprisingly calm considering the bet he just made.

"If it was about the games, you have your hands full. It's been his dream for so long now. He'll do anything to qualify," Hannah tries to warn me. "What are the games about anyway?" - I ask her. I still don't know what I've got to do. "Don't worry about the qualifications. You'll do fine. It's the actual tournament that's the big deal," she says to me. I can hear the excitement in her voice.

"What about the ACTUAL tournament?" - I ask her. "It's different every time. But the core stays the same. You're tested on your overall abilities. Physical and mental. The qualifications are to make up the school's team," she says to me. "Sounds like a big deal," I say to her unimpressed. It just sounds like any other competition. "Oh and rumour has it, they're hosting the games in Brussels," she says. Now I understand the excitement in her voice.

"Wait it's an international tournament?" - I ask her. "Holy Cow YES Zaid! That's why it's such a big deal. If you're part of the team that wins that competition, you're basically guaranteed to get into any university you want!" - she exclaims excitedly. "Hannah! You should definitely try to qualify! Think about how many opportunities this opens for you," I tell her. She's a really intelligent. She'll be such a great fit for this team.

"I'll think about it. It's a big commitment," she tells me. "Not for me," I reply.

"Wait, Zaid... Are you trying to qualify just because of that 'bet' with Adam?" - She asks me. I can't reply to that. "Fucking hell Zaid!"

"Hannah..." I try to reply but she interrupts. "No! Zaid NO! You've known him for less than two days and already managed to spark a rivalry!" she's scolding me like she's my mother. At least that's what it feels like. "Hannah, do you not want me to get back at him?" - I patiently tell her. I can't help but let a little bit of anger seep into my voice. "No Zaid! Why even let this continue! Especially if the two of you are going to hurt each other!"

Does she not know I'm doing this for her? All the pain he caused her? I saw it with my own eyes. The tears running through her cheeks and the unspoken words in her lips. "Hannah, I'm doing this for you! For all the pain he caused. Seeing you hurt like that hurts me more than you could ever imagine!" I let it all out. I shouldn't have.

"This is your problem! You haven't changed! After all this time, violence and manipulation is the only thing you know!" - I don't know what to say. Is that what she really thinks of me?

"Hannah, I started something. I'm going to finish it. If not for you, then for me," I tell her. Again more anger seeping through into my voice. "Zaid... You need to learn to let go of things. Until you learn that, don't expect to hear from me," I can't believe it. Just like that. She got rid of me. "Fine then. Now I understand why Adam resents you. It's never enough, is it?" - She continues to look at me with a straight face.

"I never asked you to do ANY of that! I didn't ask you to start a fight, I didn't ask you to pull him into a closet," how did she know about that? "Yes Zaid, I saw you do that. And I especially didn't ask you to make some dumb bet with him!" she's genuinely angry. I can see it in her eyes. Well so am I.

"Hannah, I tried doing you a favour. Now it's no longer about you. This is now about me. Just know that from this moment on, any harm inflicted on Adam is because of you. You're the one to blame if he gets hurt, not me," I tell her and walk away. Adam better watch his back. Because of him I lost the only true friend I ever had.

No mercy.

He better watch his back and sleep with one eye open. I'm getting through qualifications, no-matter what it takes.