Seventh Chapter

Alison and Luan were taken to the infirmary after what happened in the coliseum. They were helped by the caretaker and a teacher. The black-haired boy was sitting next to another stretcher where Luan was, who had been knocked unconscious. Suddenly he began to wake up.

-Eh..... Alison, what happened? Why are we here?" he said, a little confused.

-I was attacked by two so-called students and you intervened," he quickly responded, seeing his partner's reaction to his awakening.

-Ah, yes, I think... I remember.

Alison touched his face, trying to see the severity of his partner's injuries, while Luan began to speak.

-The incident I had was with one of the groups on the fringe of society. I lost my sensibility, I damaged some nerves, plus my slow development because of this, not that I am weak, but it is difficult to explain it to other people.

-Then you don't feel shame, sadness and.....

-If I feel them, the only thing I lost was the feeling of pain.

-I understand, but don't the doctors tell you anything?

-They told me it was impossible to rebuild the nerves I lost and there was nothing they could do for me.

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Minutes later Alison left the infirmary.

In the hallway her brother was waiting for her, who was lying on a wall

-I don't know why you got that kid into your troubles, but you should give up on that bet. Our father told me everything you did. He doesn't belong here, he shouldn't even have been accepted into this school. You made a bet with those old men that you would get rid of the lawsuit that blackmailed you into coming here. Anyway, I'm not going to do anything to get him out, but you should know that it's hard for him to improve his statistics like any other student, he's a much weaker level one than anyone else, you're wasting your time with him.

-As always you, you shouldn't be like this, you are the president of the school. He may not be the kind of student you would want, but at least he shows the willingness to improve as you did, remember you are also a disabled person, and look how far you have come.

-It's not the same, you're crazy, we'll never be the same.

-Because it affects you so much then, several students came in here for political favors and nobody says anything, but it bothers you that someone with your same condition shows up.

Snaider took Alison by the shirt.

-Everything that's happening to you is your fault, if you hadn't done that in that cafeteria you wouldn't be like this," he pointed out, "you're stupid.

In the middle of their discussion two students appeared, who were somewhat impressed by the president's loss of face.

He took a breath and tried to calm down and as he was leaving he said.

-Okay, I see that no matter how much I tell you, nothing will change. You need that boy to pass the test, but at the same time you must improve. All I ask is that you stay out of trouble.

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Perspective luan

When Alison left I was left alone in the infirmary, and I just wanted to go to my room and rest, I didn't feel any pain from what had happened, but I did feel dizzy and weak, even though he had healed me.

The minutes passed and some of my classmates showed up.

Among them Liz, Saul, and three other classmates.

-We heard what happened to them, how do you feel?

-Tired, I just hope the nurse comes and lets me go.

-Do you know who sent you to do this," Saul asked.

-I don't," I answered.

-They say Alison won't do community service because of what happened, is that true?

-I don't know, but I think it's for the best.

They stayed with me for a while until the nurse arrived.

-You can go now," I said.

I put on my shirt and got up to leave, Liz and Saul helped me get to the dorm.

Almost an hour later, Alison arrived in the room.

-I went to the nurse's office but you had already left.

-I was already feeling bored after being so long, Liz and Saul helped me, but is it true that you will leave while the two weeks pass?

-Yes, they gave me permission.

-Tell me, do you think someone in class one told you to do this?

-It wasn't anyone from this school, just me and my brother's personal problem.

-But, because he takes this so radically, sending someone to do this to you, it's so....

-Don't worry, I don't think something like this will happen again at school, they won't allow anyone in, but you should be careful on your expeditions.

-Ah, I washed your necklace, it had blood on it from that guy," he said as he pulled it out of his pocket.

And he gave it to me.

-You were very impulsive, I didn't think you were going to get up.

-I didn't want them to cut off your hand, I thought it was very cool.

I looked at him in the eyes, and I felt confused, he didn't show any emotion, I couldn't describe what he felt at that moment, in these weeks he never smiled, and I didn't see him show a positive expression, I thought he had said something that made him uncomfortable, but suddenly he got up and came towards me.

-I asked him, "What are you doing?

-Please stay still," he said.

He touched my chest and I felt uncomfortable with his approach to me, I didn't know what he was doing to me.

Until I started to see my arm begin to heal and little by little the scars and scrapes I had since I entered this school disappeared.

-I asked him, "What is this?

-Consider it a way to thank you for your effort, don't tell anyone about this.

And he left the room, with the typical silence with which he finished his sentences and leaving me with the intrigue of what he had done to me.

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The next day Alison packed her bags and left in the early morning.

And I went to class.

Everything looked normal as if nothing had happened, the only thing different was the empty chair that was left.

When the day was over, Snaider appeared in the school hallway and spoke to me.

-I see that you want to improve, but it's impossible, kid. I've been doing some research and you're developmentally disabled. Because you better leave this school and stop heating that chair.

-That's not your problem," I said.

-Okay, I see you won't stop holding Alison back. Then come and train with me.

- Why did you want to train with me?

- If you don't know. He made a bet on adding you. You weren't going to make it, and he put you in, knowing that to them you were nothing more than a worthless cockroach. He saw the opportunity and even you, but the time to train with people stronger than him. He wastes his time with you and doesn't even know how to train you, he just puts you in a fight with you, ignoring that you and he are totally different people. If you want to learn things that will help you get better, follow me, if not, you'd better leave school and let Alison get what she deserves.

Luan was a little serious.

-What happens if he loses the bet?

-He'll go to a correctional facility, or he'll have to marry the daughter of one of the corporate guys. Not everyone is level three, one or the other wants his genes better and they have certain monarchical customs.

Snaider lay on the wall waiting for the answer as a boy.

Luan, closed his fists and stood in the corridor for a few seconds. Until he decided to follow the president.

Both of them looked at each other in the eyes.

-I see you've already decided.... come with me, we'll go outside the school.

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Luan's point of view.

We arrived at a place far from the city.

It was a car boning guy, it was almost 6 o'clock at night.

- What are we going to do?

-Practice your speed, you can't do better than anyone else, your development is very slow, you haven't turned fifteen so there's time for you to maybe get closer to level 2, so you should practice on what you can do best. Your height is shorter than most freshmen, and you're thin, so I think you can move faster than everyone else. I know you used to train with Alison, but you have to train according to your characteristics and your own pace.

-I don't understand, if I can't get better like other people, what's the point of doing this?

-A person's speed and reaction rather than a skill is a natural instinct of people, if it can be improved. After this you can start deciding what to do in a battle against anyone you want to help you, or you prefer to be the shadow of your friend.

I looked him in the eye and said.

-I accept your proposal.

I take a sharp part of a car and throw it to me at once.

I managed to keep it from hitting me.

- You're crazy, you almost hit me!

-That's the goal, there's no time for you to get better little by little, understand that if you go to a fight on the expedition you'll be the laughing stock of the school, don't think that because you could have hurt those two guys, you'll be able to fight someone from another school, that was because your goal was Alison.

-Try to avoid getting hit.

-I said to him, "This sick man!

He took several car parts and threw them at me.

In that place the only thing that illuminated us was a poor lamp that covered that area.

I mercilessly threw everything he saw in his way, I could not avoid everything, even though I did not feel the wounds I could see all the bruises and scratches on my body.

-Did you get tired? Now fight with me," said Snaider.

-I know I told you you couldn't get better, but that doesn't exempt you from getting in shape to fight the way you should.

Even when I was tired, I wanted to get rid of myself.

He threw a fist at me mercilessly, with my arm I tried to stop him, but with the other arm I hit him and he fell to the ground.

-Ah, please, we haven't even started," said Snaider.

-You are too strong and fast as you expected.

-If you can't, then put on this steel armor and let's do some boxing trials.

I had to do what he told me, because I couldn't keep up with his pace and I thought he would make it harder for me.

I don't know how long I lasted doing that, the only thing that came out was that I got to the bedroom late at night.

When I woke up it was almost time to go to class.

I got up as best I could, to start the day again, despite my injuries. The clothes I trained in yesterday were ruined, so I packed another one to go back to training.

I arrived at my classroom, everyone seemed to be organized for something.

-They are giving us information for the expedition," Samantha told me.

In that class was the Sahara teacher.

-The area they will probably go to is located in the south, a mining area, not very developed but, there are rivers and a good place to practice. It's possible that they'll be joined with another classroom, because there are more men than women in this one, and they can't mix them up. Another thing is that sometimes they mix them up with other schools to share experiences. Please be responsible, for everything you do the school will be involved.

After this she continued with her history class.

The day went by boring as usual.

And Snaider was waiting for me again in the hall.

-Do you give up," he said.

-You're not giving up your duties as president.

-For now, there is nothing important to do.

Again we went to that place, but this time there was one more person.

Samantha was there.

Snaider approached me.

-You'll wonder why I called her. Well, she doesn't want to be behind Alison either, she had a good score to get into this school, so I couldn't refuse, plus I needed another punching bag.

-Today both of them will attack me, but that doesn't mean I won't respond.

And he threw two daggers at us.

Let's get started.

-You don't care about your uniform," Samantha asked.

-I doubt they'll get a scratch on me.

She was very upset and without warning she attacked him.

I manage to tear the right sleeve of the uniform.

-It doesn't matter, I'll buy another one," he said.

And he tried again, but this time he did avoid them and Snaider responded with a fist in his face.

-When I'm training with Alison, he pushes me to the limit, and doesn't give me any breathing room, so you'll never be able to catch up with him. And you, you're going to stand there and watch, no wonder your mother died, no one is going to give you away, nor will they help in any way. In this world you are alone.

That word was the only one that I could not stand, I spent all this time bearing rejections and I never got angry, because I understood that I was different from the others, and I would never fit in, but this I could not let go.

Maybe I was weak and allowed that to happen. Those simple words were too much for me.

I grabbed the dagger and regardless of my injuries, I attacked Snaider and managed to hurt him in the shoulder.

He was surprised, looked at me somewhat terrified and responded with an elbow in his mouth.

-Who would have thought that a few simple words would motivate you so much, yet I neglected to think that you could even touch me, but what are we going to do to him?

-Anyway, come and see if you can hit another one, you too Samantha, or you'll be left crying because of a punch, even if you're a girl at Nationals you'll get plenty of punches.

She and I were simultaneously attacking Snaider, but he managed to dodge everything we threw at him.

After a while we changed the strategy and tried to surprise him by attacking him for a few moments both of us, until we finally found a weak point.

It seems that he was right, and the left arm that I hurt was always exposed when we both attacked him. He didn't know how to respond.

And in one attempt we almost scratched his chest.

-I see that they found an opening, I'm sorry to disappoint them I'm not really fighting, and neither will I, I don't want to send them to the hospital, let's finish for today.

- We put you on the ropes, didn't we," said Samantha, exhausted and quite beaten up.

-Yes, but I'm sure I won't use as much force on you, you still have a long way to go.

-What about Alison, if you're serious about fighting?

-He's something else, he comes from another country, his training is different and quite aggressive, he doesn't give you a break, he really fights.

-If you want to fight yourself.

-Just as you are already tired," I answered.

He got serious for a moment and answered me.

-Ah, Luan, I apologize for what I said, I didn't think it would affect you so much, it was just a comment to get you to react.

-Okay, President, no problem," I replied, so as not to cause any discomfort.