Shadowed Scales

Chapter 7: Eyes That Rivalled the Void

_CHAPTER SEVEN_

Eyes That Rivalled the Void

"B-Baba..." Sameer began, lowering his hood as a sign of respect. "I-"

A tight slap was marked across his face, echoed the school's compounds.

Collective gasps were heard amongst the students and teachers. Because all of them had heard of how Judge Nadir never raised his voice when he was angry like other carnivores. But the sound of him slapping his son was enough to make everyone stay clear from him.

"Let's go," his quiet voice sounded like a needle piercing through thin ice. Sameer lowered his head and obeyed. He didn't want to argue with his father if he was in this mood.

Sameer felt as if he had gone too far, beating up a blind student who might have mistaken his book for something else. But it was too late to apologise now!

During the ride in the taxi, Sameer dared not to meet his father's gaze. The ride was silent except for the radio that was playing a love song. He couldn't really escape a situation such as this since he was a serpent, not a Cephalopod. All he could do now was gaze outside of the taxi window where clouds are rolling by as they passed the homes and shops.

Once they arrived home, Sameer instinctively went to hang up his father's tie and took his bag inside. There, his mother was sitting in a poised manner at the living room.

"Now you want to be nice," she remarked, hints of disappointment dripped in her sentence.

His sister was not to be seen and at the corner, the egg containing his younger sibling was nestled amongst the cushions. Sameer sat on the single ottoman stool, waiting for his father's response.

Nadir sat beside his wife, his hood flared to its extend. With his black scales and amber eyes, he reminded Sameer of a dark shadow that devoured his prey. In this case, he might as well be prey since his parents looked like they were about to strike.

"What happened in school? Tell us the truth, boy," his mother urged him. It sounded like a simple question but to Sameer, it was like two police officers interrogating a criminal.

Sameer sighed, telling his parents in detail about how he wanted to come back after finishing his homework and the fight between him and Arthur. After he was done with his explanation, his mother's gaze was cross while his father placed his tail on his snout, clearly trying to digest what he heard.

"Sameer....are you that stupid?" his father finally asked. "I'm very disappointed in you. I don't know whether to call you my son when you fought a blind student who happens to be the son of a well-known astronomer! Do you know that you are putting our family on the line?!"

"He wouldn't stop following me!" Sameer argued, his hood flared up. He knew all-too-well that arguing with his parents would make any ghost scream. "Everyone in school thinks I'm his friend but I'm not! He creeps me out with those glassy eyes and asks so many questions, I can't concentrate!"

"What reasoning is that?!"

"He also took my book I saved up to buy! Now it's gone forever!"

"And whose fault is that?"

The tension in the living room could be cut with a knife at this point. Both of his parents were whispering to each other, not a good sign. Sameer coiled himself, wishing he was a pretzel to another carnivore.

"Go to your room," his mother ordered, voice barely audible. The young Egyptian cobra didn't need to ask his mother to repeat her words. He didn't even get the chance to wish his unborn sibling goodnight by patting the egg.