The Promise

Lysander's POV:

“I can't breathe!”

“Somebody help! Please help me, please! I'm begging you, I will do whatever you wish, so please save me.”

A breathless trembling girl's voice thundered behind the boys damaged washroom. The place where the bullies and the “owners” of the school hangout, picking on the innocent ones.

Mostly, the screams that used to come out were only Male’s but now even female’s are not safe anymore.

I didn't want to interfere, not because I'm a coward but because nobody wishes to. And I couldn't afford to be their next target, and so I decided to do what I normally do—covered my ears with my palms and pretended to not hear the screams.

I told myself this was just another victim and another day of school, even though I wish dearly to help.

As I walk towards the main gate, guilt spreads all over me. What if this person dies? What if something happened to her and I could've helped? I'm a monster too for not helping?

Every step I took felt heavier than before, but what stopped me was what I heard after the girl’s pleading voice stopped.

“Grab her and follow me.”

“Wait, what? Is the girl dead already? Nope, this is not the time to think about others lysan..focus.” I muttered under my breath. But still couldn't leave, and so I decided to intervene.

I tiptoed slowly to the area and hid myself behind one of the broken desks in the Shadows. That's when I saw him, the most popular boy in this school, the head boys prefect and the leader of the hockey team; Maddox.

A blonde hair, blue eyed boy with the sharpest jawline I've ever seen. The teachers favorite and the most adored student on campus.

He was seated on one of the teachers chairs, surrounded by 4 other useless boys who were poking the girl with a hockey stick. She was trembling and weak, gasping for air each time they poke her with the stick and laugh.

I tried to look at the girl's face but her messy hair prevented me.I never knew Maddox was such a bully, he appeared as one of the most innocent students on campus. Beside his rich family life, he's mostly popular for being handsome and the girl's heartbreaker.

Who would have believed he was such a tyrant. I wanted to know why he was bullying this girl, this was totally abnormal for a boy who was surrounded by girls every time.

And so I stepped out after seeing how pitiful the girl looked.” What do you think you're doing Maddox.” I uttered, voice trembling as I clench my fist.

He immediately stood up, as if he had seen a ghost. Then the boys came forward, each one of them giving me a death stare.

“This is none of your business, leave!” One of the boys barked.

“Sorry but I can't, since none of you are merciful…I choose to be the one.” I replied him, even though my voice was mixed with panic. I said so with the hope that this might pursue them a bit to leave the poor girl alone.

But instead, they all bursted out laughing as if I just told them the funniest joke.

“You fool, does she look like she needs help?...” Maddox muttered, then walked slowly towards me with a grin.

“I would crawl out of here if I were you.” One of the boys chipped in, trying to make a fool out of me.

“No I won't, not until you tell me the reason behind this bullying.” I hissed.

“And why would I? Are you her brother? Or perhaps her best friend…she belongs to me, and so I choose what to do with her.” Maddox replied, still holding unto his smile.

“Please leave, please.” The girl whispered under shaky breath as she struggled to get on her toes, but was pushed back to the ground by one of Maddox's boys.

And they all began laughing again. As if torturing her made them feel better.

“Why! Huh?...why do this to her. What did she do to be treated like this…answer me! What the hell did this girl do!” I roared, tears running down my cheeks. I couldn't hold onto it anymore, this felt horrible to watch.

“Well, who do you think you're? A saviour? A hero? Or my parents, to be questioning me on an issue which does not involve you…” He uttered playfully, his raspy but husky voice echoing inside the walls.

Then he lifted my chin with two fingers and forced me to look at him. “You want to know the reason so bad huh? Too bad, I do not answer to cry babies.” he whispered then busted out laughing again.

His boys also joined in, but the girl remained still whilst staring at me quietly. Her eyes looked hollow, as if begging me to leave already.

But I couldn't afford to, not when I've already gotten myself involved. “You're so pathetic Maddox, so pathetic for treating a girl like that.” I uttered,as my body began to shiver.

“Look at you all scared but still acting brave, for your record.. She's not being bullied, she's being punished. Secondly, the pathetic one here is nobody but you. So do yourself a favor and get lost.” Maddox declared, then walked around me slowly like a predator circling his prey.

I tried to speak up but my words wouldn't come out. And so I stared at him silently. Then he leaned in beside me and whispered into my ear.”Nobody needs your mercy here, so leave…this is your last chance.”

That did it, I couldn't control myself anymore and so I threw a punch first.

“You bastard!”

It landed straight at his jawline, leaving a red mark over there.His boys immediately stepped in and began beating me with the hockey stick. I couldn't defend myself because they outnumbered me.

Maddox and his boys rained down blow after blow until my body screamed in pain. For a moment, I thought this was the end—until her voice cut through the chaos.

“Stop! Please, Maddox… enough already. Leave him out of this. He doesn’t know anything!” she cried, desperation lacing every word. “He only wanted to help me, thinking I was in danger. So please—I’m begging you.”

Sobbing, she dropped to her knees and clutched at his leg, trembling. Maddox’s sharp gaze lingered on her, weighing her plea, his expression unreadable. Then, with a slow exhale, he finally lifted a hand—ordering his boys to stand down.

“Grab her and let’s get out of here,” Maddox ordered coldly.

His boys obeyed without hesitation, yanking the girl off the floor. They pinned her by both arms and dragged her along behind him.

The ache in my body was nothing compared to the pain clawing at my chest as I watched her limp between them. She wasn’t just broken—she looked destroyed.

And the worst part? The way Maddox carried on made it feel like this was routine, like this kind of cruelty wasn’t new to her. That thought cut deeper than any bruise.

For a fleeting moment, her eyes met mine. There was no plea, no words—just a hollow stare that lingered before she turned her face away, letting them drag her into the shadows.

I didn’t even know her name. But I knew I’d recognize her anywhere.

When silence finally fell, I slumped onto the cold floor, forcing air into my lungs. That’s when I noticed something glinting faintly under the dim light.

A delicate butterfly necklace lay abandoned on the ground. I picked it up carefully, the charm warm from where her skin had touched it. Somehow, I knew it belonged to her.

Clutching it tightly, I sat there for a moment longer, my chest heavy with questions and unspoken vows—before finally rising and heading back to my dorm.

Throughout the night, all that I could think of was the girl. Her screams, how she stared at me, the way she was shivering and the last glare she gave me before leaving.

I've never been so invested in somebody's life like how I am right now in her. Whatever the issue might be, Maddox had no right to treat her like that.

What happened today didn't just bruise my ego, it reminded me of my worst nightmare..the most terrible nostalgia I have been struggling to let go of.

The day my everything came to an end, the day my best friend–Lucas, jumped from the school rooftop because of bullying.

I was there, watching everything unfold and I couldn't do anything about it. I was such a pathetic fool who sacrificed his friend in exchange for my freedom. All that I did was to watch and cry.

It was a wild Thursday afternoon after lunch break.When the devil in this school Aldrich maltreated my friend for being the crush of a girl he was interested in.

His pleas when he was being beaten, how he called my name for help, the laughter as they stamped on him with their boots in front of the whole class to make fun of him.And the very moment he rushed to the rooftop and stood at the edge.

How I begged him to rethink and stop but he didn't listen. His last words for me was,

“You watched me get beaten and you couldn't help me, you saw them laugh off my pain and you watched me burn ... .and so you don't deserve to be the reason for my survival.”

These words haunted me my whole life. Because indeed he was right, I was a coward, I was scared to be included. I allowed fear and panic to take over me to the extent I couldn't even save my own friend.

If I stood up for him, begged on his behalf or even showed a sense of support—he wouldn't have died.

This was my first mistake, and I'm not allowing it to repeat twice.I don't care who Maddox is, but if he wants to bully…then he'll have to go through me first.

I spent the whole night thinking about the scene and so I decided to find out who she was, and why Maddox was bullying her.