The Fallen Princess

The Tenth Fall

Edmund's grip on Eve's right hand was tight. At the same time, the temperature around them had dropped as all eyes were on them, putting them as a spectacle after recuperating from the shock they received early on because of Edmund's peculiar action.

When Edmund initiated the skin contact, Eve immediately halted her steps before gazing at him. During their staring contest, she could not discern what he tried to transmit through his eyes. Nonetheless, Eve was sure this was an unusual stare. While the two were in their own world, the table was quiet while Bianca calmly sipped her favorite tea, and the others were watching, stupefied. At where Eve stood, she tried to figure out how Edmund's mind works by blinking in confusion.

"What are you doing, Ed?" As the group's representative, Vince, broke the silence with his bright expression, Edmund's unusual behavior wholly entertained Vince.

"I must join you all as well. The teacher assigned me the task of delivering some papers to our class," he calmly explained with an inscrutable expression, prompting chuckles from Reiley, giggles from Diane, and an indifferent sip of tea from Bianca.

"Alright, let's move before the bell rings," Vince responded to his explanation. In response, Edmund released his grip, strolled past Eve, and departed silently, leaving the others in utter confusion.

***

The two pairs of young men waited patiently in front of the teacher's office for Eve to catch up. Once she arrived, the two knocked on the door and entered the teacher's office.

Mr. Gordon initially greeted Edmund and Vince pleasantly, but his expression quickly transformed from welcoming to a mix of bafflement and disgust as his attention shifted to Eve. The title of 'The Fallen' and her nickname as the "Flirty Princess" didn't please him much. However, considering the presence of the other two, who have a powerful background, his façade changes swiftly. As Vince nudged Eve to speak up, she, still confused, straightforwardly reported the news, "Good afternoon, Mr. Gordon. I need to bring to your attention incidents of bullying by Carla and her friends."

"Alright, Eve. I'll speak to Carla. In the meantime, I'd like you to try to adapt to the rest of the class. If it's just Carla, it's her fault. But if the rest of the class is involved, you should consider it mirroring. It might be your fault," he coldly presented this twisted logic, leaving Eve stunned. Edmund, though containing his dislike for Mr. Gordon's response, felt a surge of disappointment.

Edmund believed Mr. Gordon should have checked the CCTV footage instead of unfairly blaming Eve, who had lost her status. Frozen in place, Eve understood Mr. Gordon's insinuation that it was her fault for being a "Fallen."

Vince defended Eve, highlighting her lack of control over her parents' situation and her previous status change. Mr. Gordon, unmoved, deflected responsibility, stating it's Eve's problem if the majority thinks it's her fault.

Challenging Mr. Gordon, Edmund questioned the school's role in protecting students, leaving Mr. Gordon briefly silenced. Though cornered, Mr. Gordon felt compelled to stick to his stance, fearing the consequences of revealing more to Edmund.

"Well, Ed, you have to understand. This is out of my power." Edmund's face reddened with anger.

"Out of your power? How about the three bullied students until they resigned since I joined? I wonder if there were others before this?!" He screamed, realizing the severity of the issue. Mr. Gordon, speechless and conflicted, couldn't respond.

Sensing Mr. Gordon's helplessness, Edmund knew he was aware of the problem but lacked the authority to address it. Eve subtly urged him to stop, and Edmund followed her request.

"They chose to resign; the school didn't force them out. It's not our school's fault. The incident outside the school's premises involving the girl being assaulted is beyond our jurisdiction. Excuse me, I need to prepare for the next class exam," he said, excusing himself from the teacher's room.

Hearing Mr. Gordon's dismissive response, Edmund couldn't hold back a muttered curse. "This is ridiculous," he grumbled. Eve immediately questioned him, and Vince joined in, expressing frustration at the lack of power even the principal's right hand seemed to have over the problem. Edmund, exasperated, wondered why no one was taking decisive action to help the assaulted girl. Vince suggested Eve be cautious and not go home alone. Edmund proposed reporting to the principal, but Vince pointed out that gathering evidence might be more effective, given the current severity of the bullying issue.

As they contemplated the situation, Vince highlighted the short tenure of previous students who faced bullying, emphasizing the school's questionable commitment to student welfare despite collecting hefty fees. Realizing the potential length of her stay, Eve acknowledged the importance of a strategic approach. Before the conversation could continue, Edmund, ever mindful of time, redirected their focus to the impending next class.

Anticipating a challenging next class in the presence of Carla's gang and without the support of Evan, Edmund, and Kelly, Eve unconsciously muttered, "My next class is... P.E.," feeling a sense of apprehension.

In my next class. I'm dead, aren't I?

Vince brought up the curiosity about Eve's presence in his previous classes, wondering why he never noticed her during P.E. Eve revealed that she used to skip classes frequently. Still, it acknowledged they now shared the same class due to her changed status as a Fallen. Edmund, abruptly ending the conversation, excused himself for the next class, leaving Vince and Eve to continue their walk together.

As they headed to their next class, Vince couldn't resist questioning Eve's newfound closeness with Edmund. Eve was uncertain, suggesting it might be because Edmund was genuinely nice. Vince disagreed, pointing out that Edmund had never been such a hero before, especially showing outrage and inviting Eve to join them. Vince then shared Edmund's dislike for a specific type of girl, describing it as the "flirty kind." This revelation surprised Eve, who denied any intentional flirting. Vince, candidly expressing his own attraction, explained that Eve's gestures, stare, and way of speaking gave off a flirty vibe, leaving her speechless at his confession.

The one I was trying to catch, is Edmund... Not his friend!

"I don't understand. Anyway, let me be close to you in P.E. class. So, no one would bully me," Vince said with a small smile, "Sure. See you later."

After changing into her P.E. clothes, Eve carefully hid her uniform, mindful of potential bullying that could force her to replace it. With financial difficulties, buying a new uniform was a burden she couldn't bear. As Eve entered the field, she remained inconspicuous until her eyes found Vince, glistening with sweat in his P.E. shirt.

However, a fleeting thought of shifting her attention crossed her mind, but she quickly dismissed it, reaffirming her commitment to Edmund. As she approached Vince, a sudden stumble caused her to fall, and, unsurprisingly, Carla's gang loomed nearby with sinister smirks, like incarnations of the devil.

How wonderful.

***