"You want to know one thing... Alexandra?" I asked, folding my arms as I walked her backwards. "I love to return favors. And I am thinking... I want to give it to you too."
Her eyes widened as a shiver ran down her spine. Her back hit the table, and leaning a bit over it too.
"Your skills really impress me..." I continued, twirling her knife between my fingers, her glasses stayed perched on my nose as well. "I wonder if there is a way I should help you recover from the trauma you will be receiving today."
"H-How do you know my name?!" She asked, finally fearing what I am about to do next.
"Do I need reasons? People talk."
"Who?"
"People."
"..."
"You have had four victims so far... There was a reason my cousin hasn't stopped me from causing this mess you know. I am injured, I get it... But at least what I do next, will be worth it."
"And what can that be?"
I smiled, tilting my head to look at her feet. She looked down too.
It wasn't her blood... It was mine. And yet, the reaction between us was so different, it was nauseating.
"You are enjoying this..." Alexandra muttered under her breath.
"No, you are. I am simply surviving once again," I replied, completely in control of the situation the way I liked it. "But one thing I am satisfied about..."
I stepped back into her space, looking down at her face now.
"I like how your body is reacting to me."
Behind me, Helio flinched. It was loud and audible. But I didn't bother it enough to care about it.
Using my good hand, I grabbed the poor girl by her hair—
Smack!
—and slammed her face first onto the ground.
She obviously flipped over immediately, and I walked right over to her. Then settled my knee into her rib, and raised my fist.
Smack!
Her face tilted to the other side. She must have bitten onto her inner cheek or something, seeing how her mouth started to bleed. I leaned down after that, grabbing a fistful of her hair and pulling her forehead near mine.
"Listen... You still have a choice to fight back," I whispered, my smile widening as I watched her suffering face.
Honestly... Nada had done the same thing in the novel. So I am not reluctant to do it again.
"Hold on... I am not trying to interrupt what you are doing," Helio begun from the table. "But honestly, I would tell you to step back."
I looked over my shoulder... Glaring at his face.
"I am just saying!" He shrugged, his face distorted into something between disgust and traumatized.
Whatever... I had enough—
Shing!
My eyes flew to the blade in Alexandra's hand... Which had gotten a second doze of fresh blood layering the previous. Besides... Her left hand was resting over her right shoulder just a second ago.
My eyes widened...
Blood dripped down from my scalp, to my forehead, then down my chin. Drops of it fell in front of me and onto Alexandra's neck.
I am not trying to make it true... But I may pass out some time sooner.
On instinct, I pried the knife off her fingers and sent it flying over my shoulder.
It zoomed past Helio's face, and collided with the cafeteria window, before crashing onto the lawn outside.
Whether someone saw it... It was my lucky day.
I raised my fist up high above my head, ready to punch her.
One, last, satisfying, time.
"Alright, that is enough," a hand clamped onto my wrist, firm but still soft.
I looked up. Sunny guy was standing there, looking unusually gloom, and his fingers were trembling.
I frowned, glaring at him as I snatched my hand back for the second time that day.
"Why do you care?" I asked, my voice laced with intense irritation.
As I did, I felt shifting below me.
Alexandra reached into her knee pocket in the blink of an eye, and held it right near my abdomen.
Fear made me stop the blade with my bare hands... I don't want to die.
I suffered injuries because I knew when I would collapse anytime and still recover.
But a stab would bleed me out in three minutes... And that would be an agonizing way to go.
My shoulders were trembling as I threw that blade away too. It slid against the floor, stopping near a wall, and I slowly stood up.
I couldn't stay up for long... So I reached the nearest bench, and sat down, gripping the edges in complete shock. The memory played again and again in my head.
Then at the same time—
Slam!
—a professor came rushing in, holding that bloody blade in a handkerchief and a few other instructors following behind him.
"Candidate fifteen and candidate thirteen are injured!" He shouted.
I raised my eyes to look at them approaching, slowly breathing in. The evidence was already settled anyways.
Alexandra wasn't dead yet... But that should teach her a lesson to stop bullying others with such violence.
If Nada were in my place, she would have run that same blade across her neck today.
Then leave her body alone to decay until three days later when that would cause bad odor to rise.
So much so that the entire building would be locked down.
Nada stood up from her seat and walked over to the professors. "It was candidate thirteen who attacked first."
I love my cousin... She understands the assignment whenever I want her to.
He nodded, his gaze travelling somewhere else. "And what is your answer?... Candidate seven? Seeing as you are unharmed... Who attacked?"
Oh... Forgot about him.
Obviously he is going to say 'candidate fifteen'. Because he is just loves to beat my back until I am on a wheelchair—
"Candidate thirteen," he said. No stutter, no hesitation, nor a lie?
I looked up at his back. Wow, he can be honest.
"Really? This will confirm their fates," the professor asked.
"I am sure. If you want to check, candidate fifteen is the one bleeding the most. She only hit candidate thirteen for defensive measures," he spoke, pointing towards me.
He looked past Helio at me, I just shrugged. "She used two different blades on me," then pulled the glasses off my eyes.
Not going to lie, these gave me some... 'Bossy' feeling.
"Very well... We will have candidate thirteen interrogated," he let out a sigh, dragging Alexandra away. She was still conscious.
She even glared at me from over her shoulder.
I pointed my index finger at myself, stuck out my tongue out and smirked. She grew even more annoyed.
As the cafeteria door shut, Nada grabbed my good hand.
"What was that Fia?!" She yelled, completely enraged.
"What was what?"
"Why are you still provoking her?"
"Because I want to..." I answered back.
From the side, Helio cleared his throat into his fist. The other rested inside his pocket because it was stained with my blood.
"Tsk," I clicked my tongue in annoyance.
Nada tightened her grip on my hand, grabbing my attention back to her. Then turned to Helio.
"Heal her. No words."
"Nada! I don't—"
"You won't say anything either," she held her index finger in front of her lips.
I rolled my eyes at her.
Whatever...
At least it was the right timing as well.
My headache worsened, and I felt my centre of gravity topple, and then, tilted dangerously towards the floor.
If they were going to come here to inspect what was happening... Why not provide me medical attention as well?
My eyes shut before I could see who caught me. But obviously, I saw two faces. Both of them concerned.
That was how my day was on the third day...
I had successfully sent away one of the minor villains... But I still suffered at the end of the day.
My lungs burned.
Ah... What a day... And it was still normal.
***
I sat still. My plate of food completely untouched. Nada sat with Helio across from me.
This sunny guy... Why does he—
Slid...
A tray settled beside mine, gently. I glanced up.
The entire table froze. Nada glared at me, but what did I do wrong?
"You look... Exhausted," Alexandra said, her eyes gleaming with joy. Her nose was bandaged. I didn't care.
"Yes... Of you," I replied. Then looked across the table. "And him," I pointed at Helio.
"What did I do?" He asked, squinting his eyes at me.
"Your face and presence pissed me out."
He rolled his eyes, going back to stabbing his vegetables, annoyingly. He wasn't doing that earlier.
"We have a common enemy I see," Alex added.
"Yeah, we do."
She settled onto the bench beside me.
Thinking back, wasn't this the same cafeteria we fought in? Just five days earlier?
Slowly, she placed a cup of tea on my tray. I looked at it curiously.
"What? I am just doing you a favor," she smil d. "Relax... We are mutual now."
Smirking awkwardly, I looked at the brown surface. The colour and pattern looked quite... Intriguing.
What does it mean if there is a rainbow sheen on your drink?
Across from me, I looked at sunny guy's plate. There sat a donut with a lot of icing.
I reached over, and grabbed it without thinking twice.
"What are you doing?!" He yelled, watching me place it down on my tray. "What do you want?!"
"Chill out. I will return it in a while," I picked up my spoon—using soft motions, lifting the icing off the pastry, letting it drop onto the drink.
"No... Seriously... What are you doing?" Alexandra asked, amused.
I waited for a while, letting her marinate in the silence. A bully never got close out of sheer "forgiveness" to the victim.
"I love my drinks extra sweet," I answered after a while. Then waited, just three seconds.
Slowly, I glanced towards her, suspiciously squinting my eyes as a smile surfaced on my face.
"What?" She asked, anxiously.
"Sugar is a chemical. It can react with poison to form lumps," I replied, watching her eyes widen.
In front of everyone, I stood up—took the cup—and dumped it all onto the floor.
Three black lumps fell to the ground along with the tea...
"Candidate thirteen... What are you honestly thinking?" I asked, throwing her cup back at her tray. Then folded my arms, leaning against the table.
Her face had visibly gone pale.
My, my... How her confidence flew by...
"I did not poison that!" She shouted, pointing a finger at the vendor instead. "She did! She handed it to me!"
The poor elderly lady held up her hands in defense.
Hm... Well this is quite the twist, isn't it?
"Fine. I believe you," I spoke. "But that doesn't mean I am not suspecting you."
"What is that supposed to mean?!" She shouted, her voice threatheningly loud.
"Alright, I got my answer," I pushed off the table. Oh—before that!
Thump!
"Here. Your donut back," I looked over my shoulder at his now pleased face. Then turned my attention back to Sasha.
Like you all must have known—Sasha is the Russian name for Alexandra.
"Now. How about we step outside?"
"Why?"
"..."
Right... I knew she would say that.
I remembered a phrase she used to tell to her victims before she cornered them... So maybe if by saying that, I could corner her too?
So after clearing my throat...
"How about a candy for a stolen pencil and an apology in private for a bitter argument? Does that sound promising?" I asked, tilting my head to the side by a bit, watching for her reaction.
Helio flinched, choking on his food. So now I know... I need to rip off his ears.
Sasha looked with widened eyes at me. "What...?"
"The dormitory would do you know."
"...So you meant it?" A drop of sweat rolled down the side of her forehead.
"I don't say what I don't mean, candidate thirteen. If we are to find out who tried to poison me, we need to talk private... Don't we?"
I paused, getting her to drown in her own thoughts. "Besides... If you were suspicious, you won't have replied to what I said earlier... So you are not trying to kill me."
**************
First Draft: 28.10.2025
Rewritten: 16.08.2026