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P1 - Chapter Four

September 22-23rd, 2020:

"Aren't you upset?" I asked. "Your mother died. It doesn't look like it bothers you too much." Deathbringer glanced up at me, meeting my eyes before quickly looking away. We were alone in the living room because Mom had gone to work. If I were to be honest, Deathbringer and I used to be really close. But that doesn't change the fact that I have never seen him cry.

"It does. A lot. She was my mother." Deathbringer leaned back onto the couch and shrugged. "Mom taught me never to get too close to anyone, so I don't get attached. She also taught me never to weep or sob, or any smushy stuff like that."

"Crying isn't smushy," I said. "I really liked Quickstrike, even if she was really strict." It actually hurt that someone important to me was gone. Sure I wasn't full-on breaking down, but it felt like a piece of me was now missing. "It feels so wrong that she's gone."

Deathbringer bit his lip and turned away, his face out of my eye range. I could tell he was trying hard not to cry, so I quickly changed the subject, picking up the remote control. "Anyway, what do you want to watch? You know, to get our minds elsewhere."

"Not really in the mood for TV," Deathbringer said, standing up and walking away. I sighed. Awesome.

"*"

My books tumbled onto the floor as a girl with long, pink-dyed hair shoved into me. I staggered backward, falling back on the lockers. I noticed she had a minion following close behind her.

"Sorry," she apologized, but not in an apologetic tone. "Didn't see you. Maybe you should walk out of the way next time." Pinky and her minion walked over to my books and the pink-haired one giggled, kicking one them against the lockers. "Whoops. My bad."

I clenched my jaw in anger but didn't make eye contact as I crouched down to pick up my books when a voice called out.

"Anemone!" Turtle called, sounding mad as he walked over to us. The pink-haired one, which I guessed was Anemone, stopped and glared over her shoulder. "Now, why would you do that?"

Anemone looked as if she was trying not to laugh as she elegantly covered her mouth and made eye contact with her minion. "What do you mean 'why'? She is obviously a geek, and from the looks of it, she's also stupid. Like, walk the other way when you see me." She said that as if it was the most obvious reason why.

"Anemone, no," Turtle said, kneeling beside me. "Just because Mom spoils you all the time, doesn't mean you get the right to be an absolute brat to other people. Learn some respect."

Anemone scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Whatever, Turtle. She's worthless anyways, like gosh. Why do you care, anyway? Do you like her or something? Is she in your level in dating?"

I snapped. "Who are you to be calling me worthless? Who do you think you are?"

"Um, who do I think I am? Anemone Seabed. You know, the richest person in the whole school, that's who," she sassed, snapping her fingers to the rhythm of which she was talking. "Don't you dare talk to me like that. You tell her, Pike." She beckoned to her minion.

"Yeah, you heard her," he snapped at me, his voice rigged and sharp. "Do not address her in that manner!"

"Sorry, princess," I muttered as Turtle helped pick up all my books and handed them back to me.

Anemone gave one last look of disapproval in my direction before sauntering off, calling, "For the record, Turtle, I'm telling Mum you called me a brat. Bye, losers!"

Turtle sighed and ran a hand through his hair before smiling at me. "You good?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, thanks," I said with a nod as we started walking again. "Am I going to have to get used to that?"