unOrdinary: The Alternative

Chapter 9

"The fuck have you been doing? I wanted that paper done today."

John overhears a conversation between two girls off to the side of the hallway, a distance away from his locker as he gathered the rest of his stuff for the end of the day. Though, it'd be more fitting to label it an interrogation.

"I'm so sorry! I had so many assignments to get through, it slipped my mind!" The shorter girl with pink hair and pigtails stuttered out. 

"You think I give a shit?" The girl with maroon hair in a bob-cut style shoved the other girl against the wall. "Have you forgotten who takes priority here?" 

"N-No, I—" The girl's breath was caught in her throat as she was pushed against her locker, having no hope of breaking the hold.

"You're lucky I don't need it turned in till tomorrow, can't trust you damn low-tiers with anything." The girl smirked. "Better hurry if you don't want to get beaten. I want it handed to me tomorrow morning."

The low-tier girl shook her head rapidly, her first attempt to speak being replaced with a cough. "Y-Yes, I'll have it done, I promise!"

Before she left, the bob-cut girl smacked the girl's folders out of her hands, causing her papers to scatter on the floor. "Dumb bitch." She muttered, appearing satisfied with herself, before leaving.

John viewed the scene with...mixed emotions. 

He hated those who lorded their power over others as if they had nothing better to do. To belittle and hurt someone you know has no chance of defending themselves who hasn't even done anything to you, it made him sick. It didn't help how it made him think of all that he did back then...

He sighs. Things are different now, he's making sure of that.

With that being said, he wasn't exactly a fan of the sheep either. Those who either went along and did the same thing or just accepted the way things were and gave up. 

He could never wrap his head around it. Even when he didn't have his ability, he'd be damned before he didn't fight back against someone fucking with him. Maybe it earned him more bruises and bone fractures, but so what? If he had to deal with it in the first place, he might as well get a few licks in.

"Some people aren't strong enough to be brave on their own. Sometimes, it takes someone else to inspire them to take the first step."

Words of wisdom from his father reemerge and...

Now that he thought about it, maybe he wasn't so different. 

The low-tier pursed her lips, kneeling down to collect her papers. Please, don't cry. You're used to this, you're okay. She pleaded with herself. It would only cause more ridicule. She'd practically be begging to be mocked.

When she leaned down to pick up the rest of her papers, she found instead someone standing over her. Someone she had never seen around the school before. He was...tidying up the papers, reading them.

John hummed. "Damn, these are some smart-sounding answers." Way better than what I could ever do...  

She slowly stood back up, being too nervous to recognize the compliment. "U-Uh, could you give me those back, please?" She asked timidly. It's not like it took much for someone to be stronger than her, she always needed to be careful with how she spoke. Even then, it could end badly, she could only hope for the best.

"Oh, sorry. Here you go." He handed the papers over. "You alright?" 

She was quiet, almost stunned, before frantically shaking one of her hands. "Y-Yeah, I'm alright! Nothing I'm not used to." She said, attempting a smile. "Are you new?"