“Yeah, Leah. Look at him – he’s all skin and bones. Probably malnourished! Don’t embarrass yourself. Did you just grab some random extra off the street? If you couldn’t find anyone, I could’ve stepped up. I’m more than capable of taking this guy on.” The muscular guy in basketball shoes puffed out his chest confidently. This was Lowell Becher, the one Myra had mentioned – Leah’s most persistent suitor, chasing her relentlessly from freshman year to their current senior year.
“Hey, is he from the vocational school? He looks like he might be from across the way.”
They weren’t trying to attack Kayden, but his appearance did him no favors. He looked frail, sickly even. Forget fighting – a strong gust of wind might knock him over!
Leah, irritated by their doubt, snapped, “What’s wrong with you all? Don’t you trust me at all? I’m telling you, don’t judge a book by its cover. My friend here is seriously tough.”
“Come on! You’ll see just how amazing he is soon enough!”
Leah had barely taken two steps when Myra grabbed her arm, her face a picture of despair. “Leah! Maybe we should just forfeit. I’ll find another way to dump him. I can’t let others get hurt because of me. Do you know who Dillon brought? Dominic – the ‘Dominant King’!”
Leah scoffed, her tone dripping with disdain. “Oh, so it’s Dominic. And here I thought it might be someone worth worrying about!”
“To be honest, I’ve had it with him for a while now. A grown man, always getting mixed up in student affairs. He’s got no future. Only losers spend their days showing off to high school kids. He’s nothing but trash. Today’s the day I teach him a lesson, show him what’s what.”
“And while we’re at it, it’s high time Dillon learned his lesson too. After I’m done with Dominic, I’ll give that cheating scumbag a piece of my mind. He needs to understand there’s a price to pay for being a scumbag.”
With that, Leah let out a battle cry and marched forward, leading the way.
She walked with her head held high, every inch the tough girl she claimed to be.
Throughout all of this, Kayden remained silent, simply walking beside Leah. He wasn’t much for talking anyway, especially not with a bunch of kids. As they walked, Leah whispered to him, “Kayden, you better show them your real talents. This could really boost my status. Just look at this crowd – if we win, I might just become the queen bee of the school.”
Kayden grunted in response, then added quietly, “Just promise me this is the last time. It’s embarrassing.”
For the God of War of Seclela to be fighting high school battles – it was indeed a bit humiliating. If Leah wasn’t his sister-in-law, he wouldn’t be caught dead doing this. Leah stuck out her tongue and rolled her eyes at him.
“But this is your chance to shine! With skills like yours, isn’t it a waste to keep them hidden?” she argued.
Kayden had no response to that.
“Well, well, you finally showed up!” Dillon called out as Kayden stepped into the thick of the crowd.
Dillon was a fair-skinned, handsome young man – the kind of looks that had earned him a reputation as a player. Behind him sat a man with a full beard. In this day and age, such facial hair was sure to turn heads on the street.
He wore a tank top, showing off arms covered in dragon tattoos, and muscles bulging.
He sat there, eyes closed, leaning back in his chair as if meditating. Behind him stood a group of about a dozen tough-looking guys, some with earrings, others with tattoos, some smoking, others bragging loudly. This was Dominic’s entourage, intimidating enough to make most students think twice about crossing him.
Leah looked around, nodding with satisfaction. “Of course, I came. How could I pass up the chance to teach a scumbag like you a lesson?”
Dillon let out a cold laugh. “So where’s this fighting expert you were talking about?”
“He’s right here!” Leah clenched her fists, trying to look fierce. “When he heard we were dealing with a piece of trash like you, he couldn’t wait to come.” Her attempt at toughness came off more cute than intimidating.
At this, the bearded Dominic slowly opened his eyes. They were sharp and almond-shaped, giving him an uncanny resemblance to the legendary ancient general when he opened them. His presence was undeniable.
“So where’s this guy you brought?” Dillon looked around, his gaze finally settling on Lowell. He smirked. “Don’t tell me you brought this loser Lowell?”
Lowell’s face turned purple with rage at the insult. To be humiliated in front of the girl he liked – it was too much. He pointed at Dillon, shouting, “What if I am? Do you have a problem with that? Fight me one-on-one if you dare!”
“Oh?” Dominic’s gaze suddenly shifted to Lowell. That single look was enough to make Lowell shiver involuntarily, taking a step back.
Students often found themselves at a disadvantage in these situations, psychologically beaten before the fight even began. Dominic’s reputation in the area, especially among the vocational and high schools, was legendary. Lowell might have been able to take on Dillon, but facing Dominic was a different story. He wanted to fight for love, but the thought of ending up in the hospital like so many of Dominic’s previous opponents made him tremble.
Seeing Lowell’s fear, Dillon laughed triumphantly. “A loser like you thinks he can go after Leah? Look at yourself. Even Myra, who I’ve had my fun with, wouldn’t give you the time of day.”
This comment immediately created a rift between Leah and Myra. Both were beauties, but the key difference was that Myra had a boyfriend, while Leah didn’t. This made Leah seem more desirable, more pure in comparison.
“Dillon!” Myra cried out, fury in her voice.
Dillon looked her over, continuing, “Myra, let me tell you something. If you break up with me, you’ll never find another guy as good as me. Being with me is your ticket to the good life. My dad’s already promised me an E-Class Mercedes when I graduate. Imagine us rolling up to school in that. Wouldn’t that be something?”
Dillon came from money, and he had always used it to keep Myra on a tight leash. In the past, she’d been drawn in by the material comforts, believing Dillon was a catch. But she never imagined he would betray her, let alone with her former best friend.
How could Myra ever forgive such a betrayal?