INTERTWINED FATES: THE RED STRING

CHAPTER 2

In the school infirmary, Zade sat with an ice pack on his swollen face. His friends were around him, mixing concern with teasing.

"Hey, are you okay? You look shocked," Samuel asked, looking at Zade's bruised face.

Theo smirked, "He's probably dreaming about the girl who hit him."

Abel, curious, asked, "What's her name again, the one who punched him?"

"Kim Nabi," Aaron replied, sounding interested. "She's a 10th grader."

"And she's the top student in her grade," Bryan added, emphasizing her achievement.

Zade kept repeating her name in his mind, still trying to process the punch from the small but strong girl. The room buzzed with a mix of admiration and disbelief.

Kyzer entered the infirmary, looking nervous. "Senior Zade, are you okay?" he asked, his voice shaking a little.

Zade looked at him, confused. "Who are you?"

"I'm Kim Nabi's younger brother," Kyzer said, looking down.

"I'm sorry. My sister thought you were me," Kyzer explained.

"It's okay," Zade said, tired of the drama.

Nabi walked into the infirmary, shocked by Zade's swollen face. She stood next to Kyzer, feeling guilty and embarrassed.

"Are you okay, senior?" Nabi asked softly.

"He was in shock until Kyzer came here," Theo teased, trying to lighten the mood.

"Yes, I'm okay," Zade said, ignoring Theo and focusing on Nabi.

Nabi took out a juice carton from her bag. "Can you please take this as my apology?" she asked, looking sorry.

Before Zade could take it, Theo grabbed it with a grin. "Thanks, Nabi," he said, taking a playful sip before Zade could stop him.

Nabi and Kyzer quickly said goodbye and went back to class. As Theo was about to drink the juice, Zade snatched it and drank it with a satisfied look, leaving Theo to mock protest.Later, Nabi met Isa and Helena. "Did the senior scold you?" Isa asked, curious.

"No, he didn't," Nabi replied, feeling relieved and embarrassed.

"How's your crush?" Helena teased, revealing that Nabi had a crush on Zade.

Nabi laughed and said, "He's fine, just has a swollen face."

Isa giggled, "You've taken crushing to a new level by punching your crush."

The girls laughed, and the tension from earlier faded. The rest of the school day felt easier. When school ended, Nabi went home, feeling tired but relieved. Kyzer, full of energy, was already asking their mother for snacks.

"How was school today?" Mrs Kim asked warmly.

"Not bad," Nabi said, sinking into a chair, showing her exhaustion.

"Fun," Kyzer said excitedly.

"Fun?" Mrs. Kim asked, curious.

"Yeah, Nabi punched a senior," Kyzer said with a mischievous grin.

"What?" Mrs. Kim said, surprised.

"Well, I accidentally spilt juice on her notes. She got mad and chased me. She mistook the senior for me and punched him before she realized. His face was all swollen," Kyzer explained, laughing.

Nabi groaned, feeling embarrassed as her mother and Kyzer laughed.

"Don't laugh, Mom," Nabi said, feeling a mix of embarrassment and amusement.

Mrs. Kim chuckled. "I didn't know my girl was so strong. You made his face swell like a light bulb!"

The family laughed together, easing the day's tension. Despite the chaos, their home was filled with warmth and humour, showing that even after a hectic day, there was always room for laughter and understanding.