beloved of grace

Chapter 9 - For You, From Me

You sat upon your desk, eyes closed and arms crossed over your chest amidst the silence, and then you sighed, staring back at the many who surrounded your desk, ". . . I'm not an animal at the zoo. Well?"

"Well?!" Mary pointed at her phone that which presented your latest post, a photo you were forced to post despite your limited socials, "Logan?! The bully?! You hate bullies!"

"Even Vin could be better. . ." Mary muttered, sighing before she calmed down. She then glanced at the fighters of the high school, "Hey, let's beat him up."

Zack nodded, "Sounds like a plan."

"Good luck then. Tell me if you need help." Eli, who shouldn't be there to keep up his lie of using a pager, let out a forced laugh, placing your favourite drink on your desk before leaving to his class. Duke stared at you, lips pressed together in a scowl and eyebrows furrowed together. He started tentatively, ". . . [Name]. . ."

"Jiho is. . . Daniel might not come back. . . and this Daniel. . . no one knows when he'll wake up." Duke stared into your eyes, nodding to himself before he left to class as well, "Don't leave too."

Mary sighed, leaving after smacking your back and sending you a flying kiss paired with an attractive wink, "Listen to him. If you need help we're not that far away. Damn, I gotta go too."

Logan came in right then, smug and radiant as he stalked over to you, his chest now against your head and hands on your desk, "[Name], the photos we took came out well, didn't it?"

You had half a mind to list on all the ways the photos could be improved right there and then, "Yeah. You sure like taking photos of us."

"Hey," Zack leered at the boy behind you, "Piss off."

"Hey! You see that?!"

"Isn't that Logan?!"

"Two monsters together. They fit."

"Hey!" A familiar voice shouted, having just arrived to class. Zoe threw a shoe at Logan's head, marching right up to you, "What are you doing to her?! [Name], don't let him do that to you!"

Yet, you only jolted up when Logan's fist darted to her, expanding your staff and blocking his punch at once, "Your right hand's killing blow. . . That's a violation, Logan Lee."

"Shut the fuck up."

"Zoe, [Name]," Mira gulped, talking anyways and staring at you long and hard with fidgeting fingers, "wanna go to the bathroom? Let's go together!"

"Or how about the cafeteria?" She glanced at Logan.

"Or maybe go for a walk?" She glanced at him again, definitely incredibly wary of him. You gave them a genuine smile— due to the sparkling warmth they ignited in your chest, glancing at Zoe, Mira and Zack as you pocketed your pole, "I appreciate your concern. But there's no need to worry about me."

"Logan," you tugged on his garments, giving Jay, who kept watching anyways, a nod of reassurance behind Logan's back, "let's go somewhere else. Don't fight."

Though your countenance was as composed as could be, we hen he placed his hands on you and walked along the halls with you amidst degrading whispers, you felt utterly disgusted to your core.

"I'm unconvinced." You spoke, Logan glanced at you as he picked out a sweater for you to match with him, "You're willing to murder Daniel. What then? Prison?"

He grinned, grabbing your hair as you would a doll, once again, "How long do you think I'll stay inside? Even if you call them now, I'll get out in a few years. Then I'll kill him. And even if I kill someone, I'd get out in a few years."