The Ranking System (BoyxBoy)✔

⚜Chapter 9: Heroes Don't Exist

A/N: 07.09.21

Hey loves, I'm so sorry for the delay. I've been going through some personal stuff.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy the update. Please don't forget to leave a vote :)

Q/A: Have you ever had your heartbroken?

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I went to the communal bathroom and was surprised by my new environment. There were boys with shaved heads, crazy tattoos, rolled-up sleeves, and questionable injuries. Huddled near a window was a group of guys listening to music on a small MP3 player which they probably weren't allowed to have. One of them had a long scar across his face and another had face tats. The guy holding the MP3 had split knuckles marred in red. Fresh injuries. 

As soon as I stepped in, all attention was on me. I avoided eye contact and went to an empty sink to brush my teeth. I had a week of immunity, but I needed to stay hyper-vigilant. These kids looked deadly; wild animals waiting to pounce on their prey. I could feel their mouths drooling as they stared at me with hungry eyes. In a crowd like this, it wouldn't surprise me if someone greeted me with a stab in the back. 

Literally.

I could see them staring at me through the corner of my eye. They whispered loud enough for me to hear, but not loud enough for me to listen. There had to be at least fifteen boys in here, and it felt like I was at the center of their attention. And not in a good way. I left the bathroom as quickly as I could, making a mental note to make as few visits to the bathroom as possible. 

Vadim warned me that if I wanted to hang out with him, I needed a dog tag around my neck by the time my immunity shield was down. Being with a Ranking was a sign of weakness, and he didn't want to be associated with anything that endangered his safety. It was hurtful to hear, but understandable.

As we walked down the hallways, I noticed everyone around me was wearing a dog tag. Vadim told me that Nobodies usually hid from the crowd and kept a low profile, which was probably why I couldn't see any of them here.

"Is being rankless that bad?" I asked. 

Vadim snorted. "Worse than bad. You're better off being dead. At least then, people would leave you alone." 

I thought about how I could get a dog tag, but the idea of stealing one didn't sit well with me.

Vadim hummed a strange melody, his shoulders slightly hunched as he walked. My eyes fell to his necklace. What happened to the previous owner? What did Vadim do to get his hands on such a high ranking?

As soon as we entered the cafeteria, the first thing we heard was a loud clatter. A boy—who looked more like a man—pushed another student to the floor. His tray went crashing down with him, splattering food across the floor. 

"What's going on?" I whispered to Vadim.

"That's what happens when you're a Nobody."

The tall guy with rolled-up sleeves kicked the boy in the stomach, sending him flying across the cafeteria floor until he hit the wall with a loud crack. Nobody seemed surprised or alarmed. Some of them even cheered. 

 The lack of remorse sickened me. I tried to look away, but it was impossible to ignore the sound of wincing followed by cracking bones. The guy was stronger, built like a tank. The other was as small as a fry. What shocked me was the twisted grin on the bigger guy's face. His bruised knuckles were covered in fresh blood, and his eyes looked cold and empty. These weren't students. They were monsters.