Chapter 16
Raven
Nancy's jaw dropped, her eyes widening as if I'd just spoken in tongues. For a full three seconds, she stood frozen, processing my command to kneel.
Then her face contorted with rage. "You little bitch!"
The slap came exactly as I'd anticipated—a wide, emotional swing telegraphed by her shifting weight and flaring nostrils. These playground bullies were so predictable. In my former life, I could read a trained operative's next three moves. Nancy might as well have sent me her attack plan by certified mail.
I lifted my hand slightly, deflecting her wrist with minimal effort. The momentum carried her palm directly into her own face with a satisfying crack.
The classroom fell silent.
Nancy's hand flew to her reddening cheek, disbelief etched across her features. "You fucking hit me?" Her voice rose to a shriek. "You're actually fighting back? For real?"
I rolled my eyes. "Please. You hit yourself. How sad."
Her chest heaved with indignation. "You—"
"You wanted money, right?" I cut in, my voice silky smooth. "I'm happy to give it to you." I leaned forward, dropping my voice to a dangerous purr. "But money has rules, Nancy. And the rule is, you need to ask for it properly."
Nancy's eyes narrowed, a flicker of disbelief in them. "What are you talking about? This has never been a negotiation. It's always been simple: I ask, you give. That's how this works. That's how it's always worked."
"Things change." I shrugged. "I don't lend money anymore."
"You're serious?" Her confidence visibly wavered. "You can't just... you've never refused me before."
"I'm not refusing." My smile widened. "I'm willing to give you money directly. But..." I placed one foot on the chair beside me, elevating myself slightly to look down at her. The power stance was deliberate—a psychological tool I'd employed countless times during interrogations. "But you have to kneel. Beg me for it. A parasite should look like a parasite."
My voice hardened. "Kneel and beg like someone who bullies her classmates, who's taken thousands of dollars without repaying a penny."
The color drained from Nancy's face. Her mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water, anger battling with a dawning fear. She wasn't stupid enough to miss the shift in dynamics between us.
"Raven," she stammered, her voice suddenly small, "it wasn't... I didn't mean to borrow so much. We were friends, remember? When I couldn't afford lunch, you said I could pay you back whenever. You offered."
My laugh was cold enough to frost the windows. "Of course! That's what friends do. So come on, friend." I gestured to the floor. "Kneel down and collect your money."
The classroom had transformed into a theater, with Nancy and me center stage. The audience was getting restless, whispering among themselves.
"Don't you think that's too far?" someone muttered.
Another voice countered, "Nancy deserves it. Did you know she made Raven work at her uncle's store and kept all the wages?"
"She borrowed Raven's jacket once and sold it!"
"I've always thought Nancy was disgusting—pretending to be friends while calculating how to use people."
I watched the tide turning, satisfaction warming my chest. Social dynamics were just another weapon in my arsenal. In my former life, I'd toppled governments by understanding the power of public opinion.
Leo caught my eye, his expression a mixture of awe and vindication. I tilted my head. "Got any cash, Leo?"
His face broke into a wide grin before he bounded over, pulling a thick wad of bills from his pocket and placing it in my hand. Rich kids and their casual relationship with money—something I could use.
"Leo," I drawled, "I almost forgot you were loaded."
I dangled the money in front of Nancy's face, watching her eyes track it like a starving animal. "Want it?"
Her lips trembled with fury and humiliation. Finally, she shook her head. "Fuck you. I won't be asking for your money again."
I flicked my wrist, sending the bills scattering across her face and onto the floor. The sound of paper hitting skin was soft, but in the silent classroom, it might as well have been a gunshot.
Nancy stared at the money at her feet, her breathing coming in shallow gasps. Her face contorted with rage and mortification.
"You... you..." she sputtered, backing away. "You'll regret this. We're not friends anymore."
"If I ever considered you a friend," I replied calmly, "I must have been blind. Friends like you are worse than enemies."
Nancy turned and fled, leaving the cash scattered across the floor. The classroom erupted into excited chatter, the students moving to their seats as the bell rang for the next period.
Charlotte walked in moments later, her gaze immediately falling on the money littering the classroom floor. Her brow furrowed in confusion.
"Why is Nancy skipping class? She's usually such a model student." Charlotte's eyes never left the cash. "And what's with all this money?"
I stretched in my seat, crossing one leg over the other. "That's money I lent Nancy, Mrs. Johnson. She was so overcome with emotion that she ran out. Would you mind giving it to her?"
Charlotte nodded absently, directing a student to collect the bills and place them on her desk. "Of course, I'll make sure she gets it."
I didn't miss the gleam in her eyes as she looked at the pile of money, her fingers twitching slightly. The original Raven might not have noticed, but I'd spent years reading the micro-expressions of people contemplating theft. Charlotte was already calculating how much she could skim off the top without raising suspicion.
As the lesson began, my mind drifted to more important matters. Building a power base required allies, not just enemies. I turned to Leo.
"You mentioned before that I don't have many friends," I whispered. "Do I have any at all?"
Leo grinned, apparently delighted that I was asking him for information. "Of course you do! You have one ride-or-die best friend." He paused dramatically. "She's pretty low-key though. And unlike us slackers, she's actually smart."
I suppressed an eye roll at being called a slacker. The academic content in this high school was laughably simple—I could ace any test without opening a book.
Leo pointed toward the front right of the classroom. "That's her—Maya. The one with the braids."
Following his finger, I spotted a girl with neat dark braids cascading down her back, hunched over her notebook. She hadn't participated in the confrontation with Nancy, but as if sensing my attention, she half-turned, offering a small, secretive smile before quickly facing forward again.
"She didn't join the crowd," Leo explained, "but I saw her watching from behind everyone. She looked proud of you for standing up for yourself."