Chapter 3

Before evening study hall, I went to the cafeteria for dinner.

I'd just gotten my food and sat down when someone took the seat across from me. It was Garrett.

Several basketball team members followed behind him, forming a semicircle around me.

The cafeteria immediately quieted down considerably, with everyone's attention focused here.

"New kid, heard you're pretty tough, huh?"

Garrett slammed his tray down heavily on the table, splattering food everywhere.

I didn't respond, just picked up some vegetables with my fork and ate slowly.

My disregard completely enraged him.

"I'm talking to you! Are you deaf or mute?"

He slapped the table and stood up.

"Can I help you?" I finally raised my eyes to look at him.

"Can I help you?" He laughed, the laugh full of arrogance. "Of course! You made Valerie suffer so much today, and you got her called in by the teacher. Tell me, how should we settle this account?"

I put down my fork, finding it somewhat amusing.

"She slandered me, and it somehow became me making her suffer?"

"Stop twisting things!" A guy with bleached hair behind Garrett pointed at me and cursed. "If you hadn't been so aggressive, would Valerie have fainted? You're a grown man with a heart smaller than a needle point—disgusting!"

"Exactly! Pervert! Voyeur!"

Echoing voices rose all around.

Garrett was satisfied with this effect, looking down at me condescendingly.

"I'll give you two choices." He held up two fingers. "First, right now, immediately, go apologize to Valerie. Kneel down, beg for her forgiveness."

He paused, his smile turning vicious.

"Second, I'll make it impossible for you to stay at this school. Don't think I don't know—you also applied for some bullshit financial aid. Believe me or not, with one word from me, your application becomes waste paper?"

This was a threat. A blatant threat.

I looked at him and suddenly asked, "What if I choose neither?"

"Neither?" Garrett looked like he'd heard the funniest joke.

"Then don't blame us for using our own methods to teach you a lesson."

As soon as he finished speaking, the guys behind him simultaneously closed in on me.

Students in the cafeteria let out gasps, but no one stepped forward to stop it. Instead, they all excitedly pulled out their phones to watch the show.

I slowly stood up, my body somewhat stiff from sitting.

Just when they thought I would submit or panic, I did something no one expected.

I picked up my tray and, with an extremely precise angle, firmly planted the remaining half portion of braised eggplant, along with rice and sauce, right on top of Garrett's head.

The sticky sauce ran down his hair, hanging from his eyebrows and nose tip, with several grains of rice stuck to his cheeks.

The entire cafeteria fell instantly silent. Everyone was stunned.

Garrett froze too, seemingly unable to believe what had happened.

One second, two seconds.

"Ahh!"

He let out a beast-like roar, wiping the grease from his face.

"FUCK! You dare touch me!"

He swung his fist at my face.

The guys behind him also reacted and rushed forward together.

I didn't take it head-on, dodging Garrett's punch with a sidestep and kicking the chair beside him.

The chair toppled over, tripping the two guys coming up behind him.

The scene instantly descended into chaos.

Though I looked thin, years of helping with farm work at home had given me considerable strength and quick reflexes.

But two fists can't fight four hands.

In the chaos, someone kicked me hard in the back, and I fell forward, knocking over a table.

The sound of breaking dishes mixed with the dull thuds of fists and feet landing on my body.

I tasted blood at the corner of my mouth.

I don't know how long it lasted before the cafeteria security and teachers finally arrived and pulled apart the brawling group.

I was helped up from the ground, completely disheveled, with cuts on my face and my uniform torn.

Garrett, aside from a few eggplant skins still hanging from his head, had barely any injuries.

The Dean of Students arrived to this scene.

His face was as black as the bottom of a pot.

"Rubio!" He pointed at me, trembling with anger. "You again! Are you trying to turn the school upside down before you're satisfied! First you made a female classmate faint, now you're openly brawling in the cafeteria! Our school can't have students like you!"