Chapter 3

Richard watched the whole scene as it unfolded almost close to the gates of the small school.

He noticed her alright, but he can’t say a word, he always can’t say a word.

He was out here waiting for his bestie, a zoology major, and part time cleaner. He sights her purple pixie and small size frame when he is about to make a move, he runs toward her small frame, his big body feeling light. He snorts, when he thinks of the very bad turn of events, he was supposed to be supernatural for God’s sake, but he couldn’t even heal, his ribs still ached, and he could feel liquid seeping out of whatever hole that was created during the blows each time he breathes.

And he definitely wasn’t ready to get home to his so-called white parents, they detested him, it was a wonder why they even took him home in the first place.

“maybe they needed some help around the house” he hissed when he felt the liquid drop lower than it should, it felt like it was staining the rubber of his jeans.

When he eventually did get to where his best friend was, he was already panting like a dog, his chin kept vibrating even his voice became so hoarse he could barely let a word out.

“Malila” he called her. Malila with concern etched in her face barreled towards him, when she reached where he stood, she looked down at him with honest pity, her facial features scrunched in pain, her beautiful face always got him talking, and now was no different.

“bully?” he nods and his breathe hitches. He’d never get used to pain alright.

“come on let’s get you home, my home” she says, his dad never had to hide the fact that he was a racist, so neighbors know of their family matters, and neighbors includes his best friend. She opens her small car, and is about to push him in, when she remembers it’s a more than a pound of muscle she was moving.

“it’s a wonder how you’re not the bully you know” she says and winces in the end when his head finally rests on the chair.

“I know” Richard says and begins looking at her, that has been his hobby, he’s always been in love with his best friend, but she always seems to put him in a box, and claim she didn’t want to complicate things.

“I’ve told you more than once, Rich... you have to put your muscle to good use, you have to, else you’ll die of lack of human blood, and your parents will pick up another black child and harass them like they do you” her breaths are coming in fast, and it makes the swell of her breasts seem even more beautiful from where he lay.

“stop looking at my boobs, North”

“I’m a man alright, and I love the swell of your breasts,” he responds making his best friend laugh bitterly.

“only if you had the same guts you have now then” she takes a turn and finally drives out of the school building. 

“oh yeah can you stop opposite that small bush we used to make fun of” Malila looks at his frame from the mirror.

“why is that?” she asks suspiciously.

“I need to help a friend” Malila’s brows take a journey toward her foreheads as the car screeches and comes to a halt.

“what do you mean friend, I thought you had no one else but me” and there was it, Malila has always been insecure, despite she having a boyfriend, and breaking Richards heart after he confessed to her.

“what do you mean?” he asks her.

“I thought you had only me” tears were already resting on her cheeks.

“come on Mal, you don’t actually mean that, you have a couple of friends” her lips are already quivering before he finishes talking.

Malila looks at her best friend, still wandering why he has not been ranked as the most popular person on the whole campus, he was muscular, has abs, and he was beautiful, that is why she wants him to herself, only herself.

“come on, you know I love you for who you are, despite whatever might have happened in the past” she turns ahead and focuses on the road ahead.

“yeah it’s true, you’ve fallen in love with me” she looks at him and smiles, he smiles back, although he doesn’t see any happiness in being denied twice.

She drives a little and then stops.

“we are here, pretty boy” 

“thanks Mal, I promise I will be quick, let me just get her”

“her!” she screeched, and it went into his brain. 

He could hear her; it went in so deep he was scared.

“later Mal” he closes the car door, and winces when he steps out, looking around and wanting to hear anything, he slows his movement as he walks forward. Malila had other plans as she bangs the car door.

The banging sound distracts Richard; he turns around only to come in contact with her purple hair.

“seriously Mal” he walks further and further until he hears actual sound. He stops listening to Malila’s voice when he stumbles upon the sight in front of him.

Red hair as long as he’d never seen tumbles down her back as his oppressor lets loose the band holding the bun. 

Sam was about hitting her when the red haired girl’s hand springs up and takes hold of his hand, with strength he had only heard of he watched her as she brought him to his knees.

“make sure to pick the right victim next time” she says as she twists his hand, his partner comes closer to her, but she’s so fast it’s like you can’t even see her, she kicks him with so much power, he falls on his butt few meters away from her.

She leaves Sam’s hand and is about picking up her bag, when he launches himself toward her. She immediately drops her bag and begins punching him on his belly making him vomit blood, she isn’t even moved by the sight as she kicks him one more time and lets him fly across her, he hits a tree and falls to the ground with a thud.

“you sure that’s your friend?” asks Malila.

The other guy, wisely gets up and walks away with whatever pride he has left, leaving his friend on the ground to suffer a little.

“you really should be doing more of that” says the red-haired. “that way, they won’t hit you again”, she’s still dusting her bag, but Richard knows it’s him she is talking too.

When she turns back at him, fierce blue irises are staring back at him, the impact of the color of her irises is so great he momentarily forgets his pain.

“I will be doing more of that”

“and I am his girlfriend Malila” Malila says as she steps forward to stake a claim, on what wasn’t hers.

Charlie smiles at her, her smile making her look even more breath taking.

“I don’t think I have the license to such information just yet”.

“I will be taking my leave now; I don’t think they will come back just yet…”

“North. Richard North” provides Richard.

“North” Charlie tastes the name on her tongue, concluding she loved the way the name sounds, even though it is common.

“bye red-haired” spoke Malila.

“how did you meet a girl like her, stay away she smells like trouble” Malila advised Richard.