The Lord of the Library

Chapter Thirty

Gradient went to the library. PJ and Fresh were, of course, making out in a chair in the very corner, though he didn't see them. He sat down, holding his breath for who he needed to "tutor". He signed up and by the time he was assigned to someone, it was too late to back out. Now, he didn't mind who he was tutoring at first. But by the second session, he began to bully him.

He kept beating Gradient and he just gave up. He said he could be on his phone and he'll just do the work for him and the worst he'll get would be a couple of hits for each problem he got wrong from the last homework sheet,

Gradient rubbed his eye, taking off his glasses in case he got in trouble with who he tutored. He couldn't get these broken, or Ink would know what was going on with his student.

"Gradient!" The kid slammed his hands down on the table Gradient was at.

The smaller flinched, snapping his head up at the bully with fear.

"Y-yes...?" He coward in the shadow of the more intimidating male. The leather-wearing teen held up his homework from the day before, growling as he pointed at the marking. He got one question wrong.

"You stupid thing!" He didn't yell. He slammed Gradient's face down, causing it to bounce back up in recoil. Now that he got his punishment-attack, Gradint put his round glasses back on with shaky hands, trying not to cry.

"I'm sorry..." Gradient whimpered, holding his now bleeding nose. He just looked up at the darker skinned male. His black hair was slick besides on the tuff which made up his bangs and was rather fluffy. He had green edging the tuff to add color to the otherwise jet black hair. His eyes were a sharp and stunning green. Sure, it could be thought of as beautiful and enchanting, but for Gradient, these sharp green eyes would strike fear into his soul.

"Damn right. Now, you better not get anything wrong on my homework this time," the taller growled, slamming a few sheets of paper on the table. The nerd began to do it, writing the math and problems in a handwriting that copycat his bully's.

The other got bored and left, going outside for a smoke. He sat on the ledge, legs crossed and breathing in his smoke and huffing it out.

After a few minutes, he returned. "I'm going to get something from my locker, you better keep fucking working."

Gradient took his glasses off, covering his eyes as he cried. His lips quivered as his shoulders bounced with each sob. He tried to keep quiet, but his childhood best friend saw him.

A girl with light brown skin and a slightly rosy, chocolate brown bob looked over. Her pink colored lips turned to a frown as she saw the state her friend was in. Her heels made soft noises when she walked, alerting Gradient she was coming over.

"Gigi? Are you okay?" The female walked over with her books, though she lost one of them. She was in the library to see if anyone had found it yet. Gradient nodded, moving back. She could see the homework, which was obviously not of the higher-math class. "What's that? That's not your homework! Why are you doing it?"

Gradient let go of his puffy eyes, hiccuping. "He told me to! Ani, he hits me whenever I get it wrong!" He sobbed harder, rubbing his nose and eyes.

"'He'?! Who's 'he'?!" Anita started to raise her voice, growling. Her showing pink eye flared a scarlet with rage.

"I'm supposed to tutor him, but he keeps making me do his work! I don't know what to do!" He hugged Anita, sobbing into her chest.

"It's okay, Gigi. It'll all be okay..." Anita cooed, petting his black and green hair.

Gradient hiccuped and cried for a while, clinging to his best friend. She gave him support, not minding it. If her bestie needed support, she would give him all of what he needed. The short girl always knew he was pretty emotional, so she was prepared to be the shoulder to lean on.