Chapter 9: CHAPTER NINE

Reyna trudged to her locker, the metallic clang echoing through the empty hallway as she grabbed her bag and some scattered notes. Classes had already begun, and the silence was a stark contrast to the usual chaos.

As she walked out, a figure emerged from the shadows. It was Becky, her eyes brimming with tears like a stormy sky.

"Let me guess, you got suspended without inquiries," Becky asked, her eyes blurry as she seemed ready to let down tears. Reyna nodded to her question in affirmation.

"How many days was it?" She requested once more and then Reyna replied, "Days to last till Monday." She looked straight into Becky's eyes as she bust down in tears.

"Reyna, I'm so sorry," Becky whispered, her voice trembling as she hugged Reyna tightly. "I feel like I abandoned you. I was afraid of ruining my reputation if I interfered."

Reyna comforted her friend, stroking her hair. "It's fine, Becky. Don't cry. It's not your fault. You did what you thought was best."

Becky sniffled, wiping her nose with a tissue. "I promise I'll visit you during your suspension. Just send me your address, okay?"

Reyna nodded, and Becky left with a wave. Reyna then headed to the restroom, seeking a moment of solitude to collect her thoughts. She placed her backpack on the counter, the granite surface gleaming in the fluorescent light.

As she emerged from the stall, she washed her hands, the cool water a soothing balm for her frazzled nerves. But her tranquility was short-lived, as she encountered two girls giggling and making snide comments about her.

The two girls sauntered into the restroom, their eyes locking onto Reyna with a mixture of amusement and disdain. Looking at their badges, they seem to be in the same status with Reyna, Silvers. One of them, a blonde with a catty grin, nudged her friend, and they exchanged a knowing glance.

"Look who's here," the blonde sneered, her voice dripping with malice. "She just finished causing a scene, and now she's here, acting like nothing's wrong."

The other girl, a brunette with a smirk, chimed in, "I think people like her easily forget their status. They need to be reminded with every little scene like this."

The girls exchanged snickers. Reyna's eyes narrowed, her anger simmering like a pot about to boil over. She splashed water on the girls, who shrieked in surprise, their faces reddening like ripe tomatoes.

"What was that for?" one of them demanded, her voice shrill with indignation.

Reyna stood tall, her eyes flashing with defiance. "We're all on the same level, so just keep being your deluded selves. Never stand out," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

With that, Reyna grabbed her bag, hit one of the girls on the shoulder, and walked out of the restroom, leaving the school grounds behind like a discarded shell.

Ryder watched from a distance as Reyna left the school's ground. He didn't seem satisfy with her leaving the school, he wanted to watch her being tortured in school so bad that she would request to leave the school on her own accords. 

He recalled what had happened with River earlier and then walked over to the Art class to find River. 

Ryder stormed into the art room, his eyes blazing with fury. He marched over to River, who looked up from his canvas, a hint of surprise on his face.

Ryder didn't hesitate. With a swift motion, he swept River's canvas to the ground. He stepped on the canvas with anger, smashing it with his foot before moving over to River. River's eyes narrowed, but he didn't respond.

Ryder's eyes blazed with fury as he confronted River. "How dare you interfere with the business of this school?" he spat, his voice venomous. "You claim to be just a Bronze, so why don't you stick to your status and stop meddling in the affairs of the upper class?"

River's face twisted into a smirk. "That's my business to know, not yours," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "I don't need your permission to do what I want."

Ryder's face darkened. "You think you're so clever, don't you?" he sneered. "But you're just a fool. You're always poking your nose into other people's business, thinking you're better than everyone else."

River's eyes flashed with anger. "At least I'm not a coward like you," he shot back. "You're always hiding behind your family's name and your wealth. What have you ever done on your own?"

Ryder's anger boiled over. "How dare you!" he shouted. "You have no right to talk about family or me. And it's all your fault our mom died. If you hadn't been so reckless and selfish, she'd still be alive today."

River's face went white with rage. "Don't you dare put that blame on me!" he shouted. "You have no idea what really happened. You're just a stupid, selfish brat who can't take responsibility for his own actions."

The argument escalated, with both boys exchanging harsh words. The air was electric with tension, the silence between them punctuated only by the sound of their ragged breathing.

Finally, Ryder's anger boiled over, and he landed a solid punch on River's jaw. River's head snapped back, but he quickly recovered, a sly smile spreading across his face.

"You're such a jerk," he sneered.

Ryder's face twisted with rage, and he spun on his heel, storming out of the art room.

River picked another Canvas and tried painting but only threw it away out of anger and screamed in pains.

He thought, What kind of situation is Reyna always putting him?

In such a period of time, she has managed to wreak such havoc in school. Who is she??

After the intense argument with his brother River, Ryder arrived at the school's swimming pool, where a contest was about to begin. The atmosphere was electric, with students and coaches milling around the pool area.

The starting gun fired, and Ryder dove into the water alongside his competitors. The coach's voice echoed through the pool area, "Five meters, four meters, three meters, two meters, one meter... GO!"

Ryder's strokes were strong and steady as he propelled himself through the water. He was in the zone, his focus solely on the finish line.

As he approached the wall, Ryder touched the tile and flipped around, pushing off with his feet. He sprinted back to the starting point, his lungs burning.

When he finally reached the side of the pool, Coach Russell looked at him with concern. "Ryder, you okay? You're not coming out?"

Ryder shook his head, his voice barely above a whisper. "I need some space, Coach."

Coach Russell nodded and backed away, giving Ryder the space he needed.

As the others left, Ryder swam back to the starting point. He dove underwater, the ripples distorting his view.

Flash of a scene: A bus careening out of control, his mother's voice shouting "Stop! Stop!"

Ryder resurfaced, gasping for air. He swam a few more strokes, his mind drifting back to that fateful day.

Flash of another scene: His mother's face, pale and bloodied, her eyes locked on his as she whispered something indistinguishable.

Ryder's strokes grew more frantic, as if he could outrun the memories. He dove underwater again, the darkness enveloping him like a shroud.

His hands ached, his muscles screaming in protest, but Ryder couldn't stop. He was trapped in a nightmare, reliving the horror of his mother's death.

As he swam, the water seemed to close in around him, suffocating him. Ryder's lungs burned, his heart racing with fear.

And yet, he couldn't stop. He was driven by a desperate need to escape, to flee from the memories that haunted him.

REYNA'S HOUSE

Reyna trudged into her bedroom, exhausted from the day's events. She changed into comfortable clothes and grabbed a snack from the fridge. As she passed by the mirror, she caught a glimpse of herself and burst into tears.

The sobs racked her body, but she eventually composed herself. "Fūck this school!" she spat, her voice venomous. "Everyone there is a stupid, self-absorbed b!tch. They think they're so perfect with their fake smiles and their shallow lives. Well, screw them all!"

Reyna yanked off her glasses and fell onto her bed, her body crashing onto the mattress. She closed her eyes, letting the fatigue wash over her.

As she drifted off to sleep, memories from her childhood began to resurface.

Flash of a scene: A young Reyna, laughing and playing with her friends, carefree and joyful.

Reyna's subconscious mind stirred, conjuring up images from her past. She saw herself as a confident, fashion-conscious girl, surrounded by friends who admired her.

Flash of another scene: The same group of friends, now standing apart from Reyna, their faces filled with disgust and fear.

The memories came flooding back, and Reyna's eyes twitched in her sleep. Her mind was reliving the pain and betrayal of her past.

Reyna walked into her parents' bedroom. The sunlight shone softly. She looked at the nightstand and saw a framed picture of her mom. Next to it was another picture of the three of them when Reyna was little.

She picked up the picture of her mom. Tears fell as she whispered, "Mom, why did you leave me? Why did you leave me in this mean world?"

Reyna's voice shook. "I wish you were here, Mom. I wish you could see how they treat me at school. Everyone laughs at me. Everyone teases me. That school is a nightmare." 

Her voice trembled. "They say I'm ugly. They say I'm worthless. But you always made me feel beautiful, Mom. You always made me feel loved."

She held the picture close. Tears streamed down her face. "Mom, I miss you so much. I wish you were here to protect me." Her voice was barely a whisper. "Come back to me, Mom. Please."

Reyna looked at the second picture. A small smile came to her lips. "At least you're still here, Dad," she whispered. "I'm glad you're still here with me. Thanks for being here for me, Dad. Thanks for loving me no matter what."

Reyna wiped away her tears and sat up straight. She picked up her phone and dialed her dad's number. The automated voice kicked in, "The person you are calling is unavailable. Please leave a message."

Then, her dad's voice came on, "Hello, this is Josh, police officer. Report your emergency if you have any." He chuckled and ended the message.

Reyna smiled weakly, recognizing her dad's attempt to add some humor. She took a deep breath and spoke, "Hey, Dad. Can I join you for lunch today? I got suspended from school." She hesitated for a moment before ending the call.

Reyna got dressed, putting on a pair of pants, a simple top, and a jacket. She grabbed her cap, looked at it for a moment, then decided to leave it behind. She pocketed her phone and headed out to meet her dad at the police station.