SAVANNA (VERONICA)
When the next day I saw Becky at school, I wasn’t surprised at all.
I had already expected the outcome.
People like her never truly fell.
They perhaps stumbled and remained low for a few days— but eventually they got over it with the power backing them up.
In Becky’s case, that power comes from her father.
Through money he made it show as a “mistake”.
Besides, he was one of the trustees so the school would always lick his foot at every chance.
If the rumour was only alive, that was due to the curiosity of teenagers.
Their voices buzzed like restless birds.
At the lunch hour, I was going to the canteen with Ethan when Becky and I came face to face.
For a moment she stiffened.
I gazed at her.
Honestly, she looked ridiculous.
Her face had turned pale, dark circles under her eyes as though she hadn’t slept for days.
The high and mighty aura was completely gone, and she looked so timid.
She was alone, her minions and so-called boyfriend probably ditched her already.
I even noticed the red marks on her cheeks that she tried to cover with her “cheap” makeup.
Ah!
So she got slapped and already broken?
What a weak pathetic creature eh?
I couldn’t help but smirk.
They were right, Veronica wasn’t a match for her, Veronica was far stronger than these “daddies girls”.
She watched me.
Hatred flashed across her eyes.
My brow arched, is she going to say anything?
Well, then she’ll have it again.
However, she said nothing and only stomped past me.
I watched her retreating figure with mild amusement, with a sneer tugged at the corner of my lips.
People like Becky never stood a chance against me.
Not when I was Savanna.
Back then, there had been people far more powerful than Becky’s father who had crossed me.
All those who ran huge counties or countries.
Those we call “men with influence”, believing they were untouchable people and can do anything?
And yet when they offended me— they disappeared.
It was as if they had never existed at all, except in the memories of their loved ones.
Compared to that world, Becky was barely a nuisance.
A tiny insect buzzing loudly but incapable of real harm…
“V-Vero?” Ethan’s voice broke my attention.
I turned to him only to find his confused and somewhat worried gaze on me.
“You ok-kay?”
“D-did she hu-urt you ag-gain?” He frowned, and gazed at Becky’s disappearing back.
I only chuckled, ruffling his hair.
She can’t hurt me anymore.”
He looked surprised, perhaps wanted to say something more, but I held his hand.
“Come on, let’s go for lunch.”
He stopped, and after a few seconds, he nodded slowly.
__________
Later that afternoon, after school ended, I walked down the familiar street that led to Veronica’s home.
I had no rush today.
Since helping one of the Abrahams recently, I had stopped worrying about finding another job.
People like them didn’t forget favours.
When payment would come, it would likely be generous enough that I wouldn’t need to stress about money for a while.
I had just turned the corner near the convenience store when I noticed someone ahead of me.
Ethan.
My brows furrowed.
The junior high usually ended an hour before the high school.
He should have been home by now since once out of school he didn’t go anywhere due to his body defects.
Suspicion rose within me when I noticed his rigid posture, he was as though trying to be unseen.
My frown deepened.
“Where is he going?”
Curiosity stirred, and without thinking too much about it, I followed him.
And of course, he didn’t notice.
No one would.
Ethan eventually stopped in front of a small video store, tucked between two older buildings.
It was an unpopular one, only favoured by the elderly or some rare teens who liked collections of old time cassettes or games.
Ethan hesitated for a moment before pushing the door open and stepped inside.
That stirred my curiosity more.
Ethan was more interested in mathematics, riddles and computer programs.
When did he build a hobby of old music?
Besides, I was worried about him, and as he was Veronica’s brother, I must protect him.
Therefore, I decided to follow him quietly.
Hiding in the shadows, I kept my eyes on him.
And what I discovered shattered my heart with a foreign feeling…
He was working there.
Perhaps as a part timer.
Cleaning the cassettes and tapes.
For a moment I simply stared.
My usually unbothered heart was now fully bothered.
He stayed there for an hour until another boy took over.
The shop owner handed him his money and he slowly walked out.
I thought, probably he would go home now, but instead, he went to another street and this time he went to a small café.
My gaze followed him quietly and this time I witnessed him working as a dishwasher, carefully placing cups back into their spots after washing them.
It was difficult for him due to his limp, but despite the difficulty, he kept trying patiently.
He didn’t give up.
At the sight of him something strange stirred within my chest.
And when after almost two hours he got his day’s payment, he smiled.
Small, but it was there.
Something inside me cracked slightly at the sight.
And for the first time, Savanna’s cold heart was swelled with pride…
By the time Ethan finished his shift and stepped outside, it was almost evening.
He didn’t go to any more shops, and took the way home as I followed him again from a distance.
He walked carefully down the quiet street.
But halfway home, suddenly, a group of voices echoed from the corner ahead.
Three, seemingly college-age dropouts lounged near the sidewalk, smoking and laughing loudly.
The moment they spotted Ethan, their attention shifted instantly.
“Well look who we got here,” one of them sneered.
Ethan froze and tried to walk fast from there, but those guys didn’t let him.
They approached and one of them aggressively pulled away his stretcher, causing him to fall.
“Wow, what a useless shit name of a boy!” They laughed harder.
“Gg-give bb-ack!” He tried to protest.
“Damn!
He even stutters dude!”
“Let’s see what we’ve got here.” They aggressively checked his pocket only to find his hard earnings.
“H-hey!” Ethan protested weakly.
“Wow” the guy grinned, whistling.
“Kid’s got himself a little paycheck.”
Ethan tried to grab it but he only fell back, as they laughed at him.
Anger flushed through my chest and I stepped forward.
“Put that down.” My voice cut through the air like ice, freezing those three.
At first, they frowned at the disturbance and turned, but the moment they saw me, fear crossed their faces.
“Oh, hell!” one of them muttered under his breath.
And I knew why.
Words traveled quicker than wind in their circles.
Once a group of thugs got beaten badly enough, the story spread.
“Return his things.” My cold voice rolled out and as though they were whipped, they obeyed immediately and dropping Ethan’s things, they ran.
I quickly went to his side and helped him stand up.
Ethan blinked in confusion.
“V-Vero?” he said quietly.
“Y-you’re here?”
I shrugged slightly.
“Yeah, just passing by.” I lied, of course.
He nodded, then— “wh-y dd-id they r-run l-like that?”
We started walking together already.
“Maybe I just look like someone who scares them, maybe?”
He blinked again, but turned quiet with a nod.
“Are you okay?” I asked.
“Yes.” He nodded, “o-only it bb-broke.” He raised his phone and the screen of it was cracked.
I felt sad for him.
Just wait for a little young man, the paycheck was about to roll soon.
As we were walking slowly, suddenly, “V-vero?” He called.
“Yes?”
“Well…” He hesitated for a second, “W-were you t-the one who t-taught the gangsters a l-lesson…
in the B-Becky incident?” He blurted out.
Well, it seemed like I got caught?