Wielding Fire

Stick

"Look at me!" I tilted my head to glare at the tall lanky girl standing beside me.
- "Are you scared Herslecht? Or are your Gods inavailable right now to defend you?" mocking, Melissa grabed hold of my hair and threw me down in a swift motion, making me land face-first on the ground. Ouch that hurt ! The contact sent a jolt of pain through my jaw, and I could swear I heard a tooth or two crack within it.
- "You better find better Lords to obbey, looser, ones who could afford you real protection over your tiny little head when you decide to cross my way, you welt! " she shrugged.

    Melissa then turned to admire the audience that her scene congregated, the crowd looked at her in both alarm and awe, unable to help the poor me on the floor.  

     Satisfied, she slowly gnawed her tongue and gathered her saliva in the front of her mouth, lowering down, she spat right on top of my glaring face.

     Smiling a little, Melissa readied to add another round of insults when something twitched in her eyes. A look I couldn't quite place, an emotion I have never seen my bully display before ; was that fear?

     With no further attempt at inflicting any more harm, Melissa, or Stick, as I ususally call her because of her slender bony frame, steadied herself and called out her ally, Nolla, who stood helplessly among the throng, to join her. The latter adjusted her oddly voluminous bag and followed her 'friend', stumbling a little before gaining her balance.

     
      Meanwhile, trying my best to ignore the pityfull looks my comrades gave me, I hardly but willingly made my way to my next period.

      Don't get me wrong, it isn't because I can't that I don't stand for myself, but I just don't bear arguing with an attention-seeker who would break in halves if I ever touched her.

      Stick is the town's provisor daughter, if I happen to hurt her, her dad's affairs with my grandpa would undoubtely get a tragic turn. Without mentioning that we're already on the lame, unable to pay our rent bills, Mr Shelbey had been of great service to us since my mother's death, which accorded us his sympathy as well.

      We can then consider the fact of me turning a blind-eye on his daughter's deeds only for his sake and my grandpa's and I's well-being.    

     But what happened not long before never left my mind ; what made Stick back off ? If anything, she would never have given up on the attention she happily received on the several occasions she gets to oppress others. Why did it happen this time? What had she seen in my expression? Even if deep down, I know that my control faded the second her disgusting venomous drool landed on my skin. So the real question is : did she see it ?

She totally did, don't you think? But would that make her less harmful or would it trigger Melissa's curiosity further. Let's find out in the upcoming chapters !!!