Prey

My fist clenched tightly as I swung a punch from my right hand, aiming to land it on the left side of Kiên's face. To my surprise, he dodged it with ease. His body tilted back, his right foot stepping away just enough to avoid my blow. My eyes instinctively locked onto his legs. His left foot was positioned in front, his right foot slightly behind, and his stance was wide, shoulders aligned, perfectly balanced. It was a flawless defensive stance.

I could feel a wave of confidence radiating from him. This was someone who had likely been in hundreds of fights and clearly didn't take me seriously. Meanwhile, his friends cheered him on from the sidelines, practically mocking my weakness. But I refused to back down. I wouldn't let their jeering dictate my actions.

The world seemed to slow around me. Every movement of his body was clear and deliberate in my mind. I saw his right leg slowly begin to lift, but in that slow-motion vision, his foot moved with blinding speed, faster than my reaction could catch. Was this the so-called "moment before death" people often speak of?

CRACK!

"Awesome, Kiên! That left sidekick was amazing!" one of his friends yelled.

In one swift motion, Kiên lifted his right foot and stepped forward with his left. He spun, positioning himself at a 40-degree angle, using his body's momentum and speed to deliver a powerful kick to my left side. Pain shot through my body as my breath caught in my chest. I couldn't breathe properly. Each slight movement felt like my ribs were creaking. I collapsed to the floor, completely helpless.

I had lost. There was no denying it. Kiên moved toward me, his confidence unwavering. He grabbed a fistful of my hair and yanked my head up, pulling me closer. Every strand of hair felt as if it was being ripped out from my scalp. My grip on his hand was weak, but I clung to it, my body aching from the brutal assault. Our eyes locked. I felt small and powerless, like prey before a predator.

Kiên let out a loud, mocking laugh, savoring his dominance.

"You think a weakling like you can take me down? Hell, even a dog could beat you!"

His gang erupted in laughter.

"Ha ha ha!"

"Ha ha ha ha!"

"Ha ha ha!"

One of his friends laughed loudly, "I thought this guy was tough. Turns out he can't even handle a simple hit!"

Another added, "No need for Muay Thai. Just a little push, and he'll pass out!"

A third joked, "The wind could blow him away!"

Through clenched teeth, I tried to shout, "You bastards... I'll fight...!"

But before I could finish, Kiên's knee shot up, slamming into my chin with brutal force. The combination of the knee strike and the continued pull on my hair sent shockwaves through my head. My vision blurred as everything around me spun. Before I could lose consciousness, I heard his voice, smug and triumphant:

"My straight knee strike was perfect, wasn't it? Ke ke!"

When I opened my eyes again, I found myself lying in the school infirmary. The ceiling fan was spinning slowly above me. Everything around me was stark white. Footsteps echoed as the school nurse entered.

"Are you feeling better?" she asked, her tone soft but concerned.

"Yes, ma'am," I replied weakly, still disoriented.

Her expression shifted to one of seriousness.

"If you're fine, then get to the principal's office immediately. I don't know what happened, but fighting like this is not acceptable. Go now!"

Every step I took was painful, my body aching from the earlier beating. It took me a while to find the principal's office, but eventually, I made it. When I opened the door, the whispers and murmurs of the teachers ceased immediately. All eyes turned toward me. Seated at the head of a long table was the principal. Kiên had already arrived, looking smug and satisfied with himself.

"Sit here," the principal instructed, pointing to the chair next to Kiên.

I hesitated before walking over to sit down. Just as I was about to take my seat, Kiên deliberately kicked my chair away. He smirked, clearly enjoying his power over me.

"Behave yourself!" the principal barked at him, trying to maintain some control.

I recounted everything that had happened, trying to explain my side. After listening to my account, the principal looked at me with cold eyes and said a sentence that made my heart sink:

"This incident was caused by you. Kiên was simply defending himself."

The room fell into an oppressive silence. I felt like the world was turning against me. The principal continued to chastise me, and the teachers shook their heads in disappointment. My eyes wandered to Kiên, who still wore that smug grin on his face.

Why? Why was I being blamed? Why was the victim turned into the one at fault? Was this what justice looked like? Was this really the end for someone who had tried to stand up for others?