54 Impudence - Part 3 (2/2)
With plenty of students and a teacher present—
It was impossible.
And yet…
Despite their preconceived notions—
Despite the unspoken rule that we as men were forced to follow—
His fist went soaring through the air.
”Ghhh!”
Thump.
And Jennifer Swift hit the ground.
After the impact, the room went quiet.
Like a silent film.
I don't blame them.
It took me a few moments to even process what I'd just seen.
Am I dreaming?
No.
This is reality.
And everyone slowly came to that realization as well.
And yet…
No one said a word.
No one dared to speak up after witnessing the scene before their eyes.
No one.
Except for Nicholas Albert.
”You must really think I'm one of your shitty fanboys, huh?
His words echoed through the classroom.
The words betrayed the unjust thing he had just done.
As if he were confident that he hadn't done anything wrong.
”Friend, foe, man, woman, delinquent, nerd. I don't give a shit about any of that.”
He pulls his fist back to his side.
”My fury doesn't discriminate.”
A chair drags violently in the distance.
”Nicholas Albert! Principal's office! Right this instant!”
”Tch.”
Miss Bell's voice seems to put a stop to Nick's words. He puts his hands in his pocket and walks off toward the door without saying so much as another word.
He doesn't say anything else.
It seems like even he is forced to acknowledge that staying here any longer would just make a terrible situation worse.
”Jen, are you okay?!”
Two female classmates hurry to her side to check on her as she lies out flat on the floor.
”Yeah, I'm fine.”
She rubs her cheek.
”Jennifer, if you're not feeling well then we can just postpone the…”
”No Miss Bell, I'm fine. I promise.”
After taking a moment to find her bearings, Jennifer pulls herself up to her feet.
Getting hit in the face like that definitely surprised her. No one would be able to predict something like that.
”What a dickhead… Who hits a girl like that?”
”Yeah, totally. I hope he gets expelled.”
The two girls mutter among themselves as they head back over to their assigned seats.
”Well, if that's how you feel then… will you be able to walk back to the front of the classroom?”
She nods her head and does so without any trouble.
Doesn't look like she's that shaken up about it, but it must hurt like hell.
I would know too…
Miss Bell confirms that she's walking okay, then turns to face me.
”What are you waiting for? Come on up.”
”Huh? Me?”
”What? You don't want to anymore?”
”I mean I do, but…”
Before I can finish my response, something, perhaps an elbow, pokes at my side.
”Sig?”
His face doesn't seem as excited as usual.
”Don't… let Nick's sacrifice be for nothing, man…”
”His sacrifice…?”
”Why do you think he hit her, dude? He's gonna get expelled for nothing if you don't win this!”
”I, I don't…”
Wait. Did he…
Did he hit her to prove to Miss Bell how violent he is?
…
That's stupid!
That's so stupid!
And yet, it's not unlike Nick at all.
That kind of rash, straightforward way of thinking is very much a part of him.
It might have been the only way to get past her defenses.
”Please…”
He clenches his fists.
”Go, Chase-dono. Do it for our fallen nakama…”
”Sig…”
”Believe in yourself, dude… And if you can't do that, then believe in me. Believe in the ”me” who believes in you.”
The two of them really want me to win, huh?
No, it's not just them.
Scarlet too.
All of them have done so much for me to get this far.
I can't get cold feet now.
”Yeah, you're right…”
There's nothing left to do but win.
I rise from my seat then walk to the front of the class.
There's a lot of eyes on me.
But that doesn't matter.
It might have been crazy, but Nick sacrificed himself for me in the only way he knew how.
Once I arrive, Jennifer looks over at me with a scornful gaze.
”You would have been better off just staying seated.”
”Nah, I can't let someone like you screw the school over.”
”Funny, coming from the friend of a woman-beater.”
”You can play that card if you want. But if you think you'll win because of it then we've already got you in checkmate.”
She rolls her eyes.
Okay, now it's time for us to begin.
The speech that I worked so hard on for the past few days…
Let's see how it'll do against whatever Jennifer has in store for me.