Gone Bad

Chapter 4

ZUO HANG

"Pass the papers to the back," announced Mr. Li. Its early in the morning and here we are with his sudden quizzes. I took a glance at Lori who was rubbing her hands together. Oh, so this is what she's been studying for all night. I wasn't even informed there will be a long quiz right now.

I scanned the questions and all of them seem alien to me. Did the teacher discuss this? I don't even remember. The boy in front of me seemed to have no idea on the questions as well. He's trying to peek on his female seatmate who's overly protective of her wrong answers.

Opposite from my seatmate who's actually generous. She's not even trying to cover her answers. She was too busy solving problems on her scratch paper to do that. Seconds later, she suddenly kept making small mumbles in frustration.

"Yeah?" I said when she shot me a look. I'm not copying her answers, if that what she wants to accuse me.

"Do you have any extra pen?"

Extra pen? I don't even have any plans of bringing school materials before.

"Mm." I handed her the pen I was about to use.

She looked down on it, not accepting yet, then back to me. "What are you going to use then?"

"I've already written my name. That's enough for the paper."

"You're going to pass a blank page?" There goes her creased forehead.

I cocked my eyebrow on her.
"Do you want the pen or not?"

"I'll use my pencil instead," she answered and returned her gaze back to her own paper.

I scoffed. If she doesn't want my pen then she could've asked the other students instead. Why ask only me? Was she shy to them? But not shy to me? So she's comfortable talking to me? That's kind of an honor.

"Just tell me if you need anything," I randomly said. She stopped writing for a second, then continued doing so. That probably means she heard me.

Influenced by her scholarly behavior, I decided to just answer my own paper instead. Doesn't matter if the answers are right, atleast they're there.

I continued with the day and Lori never mentioned about the tutor thing again. But the way she spoke to me last time shows how firm she was. If she insists on it, then I can only wish her a long patience.

I stood up from my chair and headed out the room when the bell rang to dismiss the students. I breathed the air upon reaching the hallways. They gave us numbers of quizzes lately and its starting to tire me out. I think I'm in the mood for cutting classes today. But first, I need to go to the restroom.

"Woah," I smiled the moment I saw three boys lying down the dirty floor, like they just received some good beatings. Between them is a tall boy who was taking a picture of them. I remember this kid. "Yu Junxi?"

His blank face looked at me and his expression didn't change at all. "I've accomplished your order, sir." He made a slight bow.

I looked down at the filthy boys - and by filthy, I meant those bruises on their faces. One of them are unconscious. The second one was struggling to pick himself up, and the last is trying to reach his hand out to me for help. I was raised to be a good boy, so ofcourse, I held his hand and tightened it so hard that he screamed.

"Wouldn't it be nice if Richie boy is watching this show?" I continued scrutinizing the three boys. They were tall skinny. No wonder why they seem intimidating for Richie. He's quite short and too young. But that's okay, at least he was able to escape the matrix at a small age.