3| Abraham High School Nerd

Michael entered his classroom nervously. He didn't want to meet Miller. However, Michael hesitated a little when he entered the classroom because the school was quiet. There are no students at all. There is only him alone.

He walked towards his desk. Michael's wide steps suddenly stopped when he found his desk covered with red paint streaks. Michael's face turned pale. He recoiled in fright. He looked around to ensure the red paint wasn't meant for him.

"Fuck!" muttered Michael.

He immediately ran away. When he opened the door, Michael's steps were again hampered. His classmates were already blocking the front door. He couldn't escape. Even along the hallway in front of the class, students from other classes were already crowding. Word of the red paint had spread throughout the school.

"Where are you running?" quipped one of the students. "You think you can escape from here? That red paint is already targeting you."

Michael recoiled in fright. His legs and hands were trembling violently. On his study table is graffiti with red paint that reads 'THE B4'.

One slight movement from Michael, who was trying to escape, moved all the students in the hall to attack him. They all beat and kicked Michael.

Two students dragged Michael into the men's room. They locked the toilet from the inside and didn't let anyone in. Inside the bathroom, the two students continued to beat Michael even harder. Satisfied, they let Michael curl up helplessly in one of the cubicles.

"Wow, this is really crazy!"

"Yeah, it's fun, you know! It's been a long time since the red paint appeared."

Michael suddenly crawled out of the cubicle as the two students washed their bloodied hands in the sink. He refused to give up and tried to survive. Michael countered his attacker with a hard enough kick from behind.

However, even the two students who bullied him did not want to budge. They fired at Michael and beat him.

***

Jonea managed to dodge at the right second. The rotten egg almost smashed into her face. She stood alert and glanced around for the culprit.

From the front, a group of students appeared, running towards her. When Jonea was preparing to fight them, the students suddenly passed her. Jonea needed clarification. She thought they were going to attack her.

When the group of students left, Jonea turned and followed their directions. At first glance, Jonea saw the students chasing someone whose face was covered in wounds and blood.

For a moment, Jonea was stunned. "Wait, isn't that Michael? But why is his face ruined like that? And why are they after Michael? Are they thugs? Hey, it's at school!"

Out of curiosity, Jonea followed the group that was chasing Michael.

After successfully escaping from the toilet, Michael is not entirely free. A group of students was still chasing him. Michael ran into the building, which was in the process of being renovated. The front of the building is covered with a tarpaulin. He managed to sneak in there. However, a student caught him.

Holding his stomach in excruciating pain after being kicked, Michael struggled up the stairs leading to the top floor. The blood on his temples continued to flow.

"He's there!" someone shouted, pointing at Michael as he climbed the stairs to the second floor.

Jonea lost track of them. She even failed to get to the canteen. Jonea was surprised to see the appearance of the canteen.

"Crazy, is this really a school? The cafeteria is more suitable to be called a five-star restaurant. The interior, furniture, and menu are all luxurious and look expensive. My allowance can't even buy iced tea here."

Jonea looked at the students who were relaxing in the canteen individually. Even though they wore school uniforms, they dressed up and wore accessories that Jonea's brain couldn't reach a price.

A student came running, screaming. "Michael is on the roof! Let's take a look over there."

All the students engrossed in sitting in the cafeteria immediately got up out of curiosity. They scattered, following the instructions of the screaming students earlier.

"Mike?" Jonea frowned. "What is he doing there?"

A student asked out of hesitation. "Hey, are you serious?"

"Is he kidding?" whispered another student.

"Come on, let's go there and see for ourselves!"

It took Jonea quite a while to understand the situation. Jonea's focus had been distracted, returning to her memories and her goal of coming to Abraham's school.

"Shit, why did I even go to the cafeteria? I, right, want to find Mike. Is it the same Michael on the roof?" Jonea rushed to follow the other students.

The girl ran out of the canteen. Students were already standing and huddled together in the front yard of one of the renovated buildings. They took out their cell phones to record something on the roof.

Jonea walked while brushing aside the crowd. She was confused by the students' expressions, who looked excited while continuing to record something on their cell phones. Jonea kept pushing forward until she reached the front row.

"Wow, this is really interesting!" shouted one of the students. "We have to get the entire record. It will definitely trend on v-tube."

"Look, over there!" said one of the girls. "I told you, right? He won't last more than a week."

"The slave trying to level the playing field with us? It is impossible. This school is not for people like them," said another.

"Once born slaves, they will forever be slaves!"

"At least... he survived for three days in this school."

"Not exactly three days either, right? Because today he is already standing there and about to end his session!"

Jonea looked around and followed the gazes of the clustered students. On the roof of the renovated building, a male student was standing on the guardrail with a bloody face.

'Mike? What is he doing there? Oh, shit!' thought Jonea. "Why are you guys silent? Call for help for him!" shouted Jonea.

"Help? What for?" said one student. "You should also stand there and accompany him! Aren't you a couple? hahaha..."

***

Michael stood on the roof guardrail of the building. Behind him were many other students looking at him and crowding around him. They were waiting for Michael to jump off the roof. When Michael looked down, many other students were also waiting for him in the courtyard, with their cellphones continuously recording.

Michael was perplexed. No one tried to stop him. Instead, the students waited for Michael to jump from the roof of the lime-floored building.

Michael looks angry and desperate when he sees that he looks like a loser at that school.

"Is this what you guys want?" Michael shouted desperately. "Okay, I'll give it."

Not a single student prevented him. All the students fell silent, and some even smirked as they continued to record the incident.

Michael looked down. He stood on the guardrail with his body trembling. He closed his eyes and was ready to jump from there.

"Hey, Mike!" shouted Jonea when she reached the roof. She pushed aside the crowd of students there.

Michael, who almost jumped, suddenly shut himself up. He was secretly relieved that someone had tried to restrain him from doing such a scary thing. Michael glanced back hesitantly.

Michael and all the students gathered on the roof were caught by Jonea, who suddenly appeared and ruined the atmosphere. Jonea stood panting from the guardrail where Michael stood and was ready to jump.

Michael was surprised because the figure holding him was Miller.

"What do you want?" he said.

"You can't jump, Mike. You still have business with me. We better finish this now before I get really angry!" said Jonea, imitating Miller's speech. But, the effort was in vain. She looked nothing like the Miller his friends at school knew him to be.

Michael grinned and looked disgusted. While the other students who surrounded them laughed heartily at Jonea's efforts.

"Guys, it's getting more exciting now! The loser couple has gathered again."

"Yeah, this will be some interesting entertainment. Miller, do you also want to accompany him from here?" quipped one of the students.

Jonea looked confused. "Why should I accompany him to jump off the roof?"

"This is all your fault!" Michael shouted.

Jonea immediately turned to Michael.

"This wouldn't have happened if you didn't have an accident that day."

Jonea was surprised. She didn't mistake Michael for knowing something.

"Apparently, the last accident hasn't deterred you?" A student came forward while glaring at Jonea. "Accident... that's what they call it in the news! Ha ha...."

Jonea clenched her fists silently. She was furious. On the other hand, she must also find a way to prevent Michael from jumping.

Jonea smiled bitterly. "Come on, Mike. Do not be like that. I know you're just kidding by scaring us. Why jump and hurt yourself when you can get into this prestigious school?"

Michael looked confused for a moment. He also didn't want to be in a complicated situation like now. But he also knew what happened to him was not Miller's fault.

"Don't play dumb, Miller. You know very well that this is not a school but hell!" Michael replied.

Jonea's gaze suddenly became cold and sharp. Her cheerful demeanour suddenly became serious.

"You know nothing. The real hell is outside the school. When you have to study hard for university entrance exams or when you have to work part-time jobs until you break a bone to support your limited allowance."

Michael suddenly gasped in surprise. He noticed something different from the look in Miller's eyes and demeanour. It was as if he was facing another figure from the one he had always known. Without saying anything else, Michael reached into his trouser pocket and threw a wad of red paper at the feet of Jonea, who was disguised as Miller.

Jonea bent down and picked up the wad of paper. She opened it and read the writing inside.

"The B4?"

Jonea frowned slightly and didn't understand the message's meaning on the red paper.

"It's all your fault!" Michael shouted. "If you kept coming to school every day no matter what, they wouldn't have bullied me into making up for your absence. It's all your fault that I'm in such a terrible situation right now."

Jonea crumpled the paper again and held it very tightly in her palm.

"The B4," she hissed.

Suddenly Jonea smirked. "Why did you let them do that to you? They're just a bunch of losers trying to look cool! Why do you think I still have the guts to return to this hell? I will make them pay for their deeds!"

Jonea's words shocked everyone.

Whispers echoed behind her. Even Michael didn't think that courage would emerge from the lips of Miller, who was usually very quiet, weak, and cowardly.

Suddenly Michael smiled. "Thanks for comforting me."

Jonea felt relieved. She thought Michael was going to climb down the roof guardrail. However, Jonea was wrong. Michael looked down and jumped from there.

'Damn it!" shouted Jonea.

She immediately ran and grabbed Michael just in time. Jonea held and pulled Michael's hand.

'Ah, you bastard!' Jonea cursed to herself. 'His body is very heavy. He is heavier than me. My hand feels like it's going to break.'

Jonea kept trying to pull Michael's hand and keep it from falling.

All the students on the roof and below screamed hysterically. They didn't think that Michael would actually jump from there. Their momentary pleasure suddenly turned to panic.

***

Social media was shocked by the viral suicide attempt of one of the Abraham High School students due to bullying. They also started highlighting Miller, who, besides being handsome, also had a big heart and saved his friend from a suicide attempt. In just a few days, Miller suddenly became famous and admired by many students outside Abraham High School.

As a result of the commotion, the school decided to cancel the students until an unspecified time. They prevented a bigger commotion. Residents and journalists visit the gate of Abraham High School daily.

The school's website also had many protests and petitions to close Abraham's school. Parents worry that their children will be bullied. They demanded to form of an anti-violence committee in schools.

Waves of protests from the public continued to emerge. They highlight the exclusivity of Abraham's school, which only accepts students from the werewolf race and very few from the human race from wealthy and prominent families. They continued to stage demonstrations on the streets, demanding the dissolution of the Abraham school.

The interim managing director of the Abraham Group turned off the television screen in her study. She slams the remote on the floor until it shatters. The woman also threw several newspapers on the table. She pushed all the things on the table while screaming loudly.

A male secretary came when he heard the commotion.

"I'm sorry," said the man. "The public relations department has the situation under control."

The woman took a deep breath, always screaming. "In control? Do you call this under control? How can you let reporters mention Hunter Abraham's name in the newspapers and television? My son had nothing to do with the suicide attempt."

"I'm sorry, ma'am," said the secretary.

"You know why public opinion is so terrible? Because they are stupid! They are like fuel ignited by fire. Once lit, it can't be extinguished. They won't want to listen to any excuses. The only way is to get the person who started the fire to put it out."

A female secretary entered the room while. "Ma'am, the Minister of Education is calling."

The director's face looked even more frustrated. She took the call from her desk and tried to sound tough.

***

Three men in black suits stood in front of the Fallons' house. One of the men knocked loudly on the door.

Jonea opened the door lazily because her parents had yet to return from the restaurant. "Who's there?"

"You're an Abraham High student named Miller Fallon?" asked the man.

Jonea was surprised. She doesn't wear makeup, but the three men don't even recognize her as a girl.

"Yes," answered Jonea. "Do I know you?"

"I'm sorry if I disturbed your rest time. There's something I need to tell you. Can you come with us for a moment?"

Jonea suddenly became alert. It was already 11:00 pm, and she was home alone. She glanced right and left. She was faced with three grown men who had above-average strength. Jonea realized the situation. She wouldn't be able to survive if those three men attacked her.

"Sorry, I have to rest because tomorrow I have to get up early for school." Jonea backed away quickly and closed the door.

One of the men swung a leg and caught the door, so it failed to close. Jonea's face paled, and her body stiffened instantly.

"What do you want?"