Days Are Numbered

43. Revenge

Noah felt numb as if a void had swallowed up his emotions.

The principal rose up and asked the crowd to quiet down. He tried to explain how Noah had outperformed all the best students and attempted to apologize on his behalf before the ceremony resumed. The graduates received their degrees and took a group picture. At the end of the ceremony, a feast was organized where they could dance and have fun. Noah didn't want to stay, but Cordelia insisted he remain while she left with Julius.

Noah stayed on the rooftop throughout, clearing his thoughts. When he realized two hours had passed, he decided to leave. As he tried to unlock the door, he realized the handle was jammed, leaving him trapped on the roof with no connection and no other exit, something one of the students could have carried out. The school building was five stories tall. Noah stepped back and tried to force the door open, but it remained solid as a rock.

With no other option, he approached the edge of the roof, his survival instinct kicking in. He stared at the distance between the roof and the ground, a fatal drop. He looked around for a solution. He could try jumping to the next building, but if he didn't leap far enough, he could fall to his death. Then he noticed a large pipe descending the building. He hurried to it, holding on to the strap used to fasten the pipe and resting his feet on the next strap below. Slowly and with caution, he climbed down to the next floor, almost losing his grip as he jumped onto the balcony. Noah took off his suit, throwing it over his shoulder as he took a deep breath.

He walked to the down floor, walking through the party. Vivian was drinking alcohol while ranting about how she had tried so much for the school, raising their scores and walking hard only to receive the reward of the best president. She sobbed bitterly as she explained to the crowd that sympathized with her.

"Merridew is just death deserving." One of her friends said.

"He dumped Emery as soon as he showed up. All because she moved on with another guy during his absence. Which was a year!" Another girl stated.

"How do people like that exist? People who don't care about others. If I get a chance to see him, I'll yell to his face, just kill yourself already." A Hispanic-looking girl confessed earning a small laugh from the group.

Noah walked into the parking lot reaching in his pocket to grab his phone, when he felt a sharp pain on the back of his head that sent him meeting the paved ground face first. When he turned around he saw Kirk, one of his acquaintances. Kirk was the ex-bully of the whole school till Noah Merridew slapped him and forced him to humiliate himself in front of the whole school threatening his family to ruin. Which he did as he sent Kirk's mother to jail accusing her of false accusation for the time he had stolen in her store for fun, she stayed for 3 months not so bad. Except that Kirk was not longer feared and even younger students bullied him with the case and called him poor, he entered depression and dropped out as well, only to return like a mess but stable.

"I'll teach you a lesson, Merridew. You'll pay for all the pain you caused to us all." He said as a few boys surged from behind him, all victims of Noah. They attacked Noah with kicks and punches. Hitting him as hard as they could, Noah felt a sharp pain on his side as the assault continued leaving him bloodied.

"Go and fetch the kerosene. We'll burn him alive for justice." Kirk stated. And a few boys left.

Noah gasped for air, each breath a struggle as he felt the searing pain of cracked ribs coursing through his body. Kirk's grip tightened on his hair, forcing Noah to meet his crazed gaze head-on.

"Say hello to Satan on my behalf," Kirk sneered, his laughter ringing out like a sinister echo in the night. With adrenaline coursing through his veins, Noah's fingers fumbled for the small perfume bottle his mother had always insisted he carry. He spread it right into Kirk's eyes causing him to fall back with a loud scream. He seized the opportunity to get on his heels running through the parking lot. Behind him, the mob of boys gave chase, their shouts echoing through the night air. The majority of the students in the party had witnessed the act and no one intervened rather they watched with anticipation from the windows while taking videos.

Noah found a place to hide, the boys ran into the storeroom looking for him. He surged out slamming the door and barricading it from behind, his heart pounding with a mixture of fear and defiance. But as he turned to escape, his path was blocked by Kirk's menacing figure, his eyes ablaze with malice and fury.

"There you are, Barbie," Kirk sneered, his voice dripping with malice as he brandished a knife. "I can still gut you."

"You're insane," Noah retorted, his voice laced with defiance.

"You brought this insanity on me. How could you?" Kirk's grin was chilling, his eyes gleaming with a twisted sense of satisfaction. "I'll be glad to go to jail as long as you no longer exist. And now, you don't have your gang here. Let's see how much of a man you really are."

With a menacing advance, Kirk lunged at Noah, sending him crashing to the ground before plunging the knife straight into Noah's face but he raised his hands to prevent the disaster and the knife went through his palm. Noah clenched his jaw against the searing pain, his blood mingling with the cold pavement beneath him

"Die!" Kirk clenched his jaw as he struggled to plant the knife on Noah's face. Noah fought him off, ignoring the pain as the knife pierced his palm coming for his face. He kneeled Kirk on the back causing him to let go in pain. Noah jumped on the opportunity, throwing punches on Kirk over and over, before kicking him in the gut to wear his energy.

"Bastard!" Kirk yelled as blood oozed from his busted lips. "I hate you!" Kirk continued.

Noah carefully removed the knife from his palm, using a handkerchief to stem the bleeding before discarding the weapon. With a shaky breath, he dialed his bodyguard's number and walked away, the adrenaline still coursing through his veins as he sought safety and assistance.

"Come get me." Noah simply said as he stepped in front of the gate panting slightly. The man pulled over, surprise clouded his face when he saw Noah's state. Blood was dripping from his nose and wound, staining his expensive white shirt though he'd managed to keep his suit through the struggle.

Noah stared at the building and at the crowd of students that stared at him without a word. The car hit the road and the building faded.

"Do we pull into a hospital?" the big man asked.

Noah shook his head. "Home." He simply said as regrets filled his mind forever stepping into the school for the ceremony. It was obvious his funeral would have been better.

After a long drive, the car pulled over and they got out. Noah casually walked into the mansion planning to sneak into his room so he could clean up, but his plans were ruined when one of the maids who barely recognized him pushed a scream while letting go of the tray, bottles hit the ground smashing into million pieces echoing through the giant estate.

Cordelia and Julius descended the stairs. Looking just as surprised as the maid having been interrupted from their chatter in the garden.

"What happened!" Cordelia yelled as he approached Noah, Mark followed suit as he instructed the maids to get the first aid knit. Julius was already punching the number of the doctor.

"Nothing, just a scratch" Noah replied, hoping she'd just let go.

"SCRATCH!" Cordelia yelled, her gaze dropped to his hand wrapped in his suit, from the blood dripping through the suit she feared the worst. "What happened?! Start speaking!" She yelled.

Julius rushed to her side calming her with a gentle squeeze on the shoulder, "Let him sit, I already called the doctor." He said. Noah sat on the sofa unwrapping his hand, Julius gasped while Cordelia dropped, fortunately, Julius was there to catch her.

A/N

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