Black Stub

I WAS staring at the ceiling in my room. A day passed but the words of Viper Berus were still etched in my mind.

"We NEED your cooperation. Marnelie will be gone for a few months and we need a new member in the group." Roselle explained.

"There are benefits you can get if you agree," added their leader Marnelie.

"First, you will be famous in the university everyone will pay attention to you and everything you order they will follow." Thina seemed convincing.

"Being a scholar can be upgraded if you used to be free of tuition, but when you become a Viper, it's all free for you and every month you will receive fifty thousand pesos." Desirie further explained.

"You agreed that it couldn't have happened that we weren't complete if only somehow there had to be a standing group leader." Thania revealed.

"What? Group leader? wait I hope you'll take the interim leader is one of us?" Shocked Leah said to Marnelie.

"I already know you." Marnelie said with a smile.

"Isn't it nice that you know us better than her. You naturally know how to handle this kind of organization." Thine's defense.

"Okay, I'll think about it but for now all I need is Miss Reign's cooperation."

I have no answer.

Will I be a member of Viper Berus and at the same time be a leader?

Just someone like me who has a simple content life even though there aren’t many friends. Am I really the one they chose to operate on something I can't face? I can't be a gangster, I don't want my personality to be dirty just to give in to what they want to happen.

I don’t want to be a gangster because it’s hard.

I don't want to be a gangster because there are many taboos.

I don’t want to be a gangster because I won’t be free and I don’t want to be a gangster because I won’t be happy in life.

Many things can change in my life when I enter this life. The former quiet suddenly became a mess so I don't want to be a gangster as much as possible. I really do not want. Don't force me either because that won't happen.

I stopped thinking when Mama called me. She came into my room in a panic and had just started crying.

"Mom? Why?"

"Your dad Annie! Your dad!"

"Why what happened to papa?" I turned to approach Mama.

AT THE HOSPITAL, according to the doctor, papa's stroke was probably due to fatigue after the heat of the weather. I feel sorry for mama because she hasn't stopped crying since we came here to the hospital. Dad couldn't talk properly because half of his body had a stroke. He was pitiful, and I knew he also had a hard time seeing that we were so worried. Dad and I were so close that it was so painful for me that I couldn't hear his voice, especially the laughter.

"Pa, get well soon huh? Mama and I are here to take care of you until you get well, papa loves you very much."

I whispered while just looking at me.

It's hard to see that your parents are like this and I thought it was that easy to accept when you see something different in the situation but when you have experienced it, the pain is so much that you don't expect the pain to be twice as much as you didn't expect.

I ENTERED the university even though I was forced to, my dad would surely be as upset if I dropped out of school just because of this, I might also think that he would be a burden if many situations in our lives were changed.

As soon as I entered the gate, it seemed like something strange, they didn't avoid me much and I was just amazed. I remember the last time Cedric and I answered in the hallway and I was nervous about what might happen. Very quiet place deliberately refreshing this is not what I expected to happen.

When I opened the locker, a green liquid splashed on my face, it was sticky and it didn't smell good. I took the handkerchief from my pocket which was immediately wiped on the face. Maybe the L-kingdom that did it again got me to clench my fist in anger.

Inside the locker I found a stub.

"B-black Stub."

I immediately closed the locker when someone shouted from my side.

"She's fine!" A man pointed with another man as he hurriedly ran as if he wanted to hurt me.

I backed away.

"She'll run away from us!" Some even sighed.

I ran so fast I didn’t know where my feet would take me but I had to escape them.

I was hiding in a dark corner, holding my breath and really only a heartbeat I could hear. I wish no one would see. When I thought no one was there I peeked but I wasn't ready because someone was looking at where I was hiding.

"She agrees! I've seen it!" Shout of the seer.

I ran again. Run after run someone jerked me into the storage of school cleaners dark here and also slightly congested.

I would have kept my distance from him but my ear could hear the beating of his heart. Little did I know that he was an L-kingdom.

It was only when we came out of the dark place that I learned that Joseph had saved me.

"Thank you." why did he save me?

"You've already entered your class, maybe they're far away."

"Thanks again." He smiled and finally turned away.

I look like a ninja when I walk. Be very careful of the people I meet. I was able to safely attend our class. They are still silent and even our prof and I are ignored. Maybe they already know I have a Black Stub and at any moment someone will beat me up.

The door of our room opened, men who were at ten, I knew some of those who chased me earlier after a man pointed out where I was, the two of them forcibly pulled my arm, causing me to struggle.

"Let me go! Sir help me!" I pleaded with our teacher but it was afraid to look at people.

"We'll just take this one to get old." Bossy voice of the man holding me.

"Y-yes ..." useless teacher!

"What kind of teacher are you? Why do you allow your students to get hurt!" my hysterical stopper.

I felt the pain in my stomach because of a blow my whole body weakened from what happened until I lost consciousness.

IN THE OVAL they helped beat me. I almost don't have the strength to retaliate at least once like a scene in an action movie and then other people just watch how to torture the actress.

With each kick, blow I get from them I can barely feel because of my numb body.

They are animals.

I struggled to get up but my knees were too weak to stand up straight.

"You heartless ones!" I even screamed. All I heard was laughter.

"You're just like the L-kingdom! Especially that Cedric!" I kept screaming.

"Really?" I seemed to escape courage when I heard Cedric's voice. Was it because my shout was so loud that he probably heard it.

One of its knees knelt down so we could line up.

"You don't know how to be afraid. Your friend warned you that you haven't listened. What do you think? You're strong? And you're the only one who can beat me?"

"You have no heart. You are an animal and you are a monster!" I was shocked when he slapped me. This person is different why I didn't immediately think he was killing people and because of my clumsy it would be my end.

"You also don't really have respect what? You get me shouting like that don't you know who's really in front of you?" He flashed threats.

I grinned, "There's only one arrogant and animalistic character in front of me."

"Because really ----" he would have attacked me when Peps shouted.

"That's right Cedric you're so much that you're not happy that she's almost bloody and wounded?" It slowly approached me.

"Apologies." He whispered and quickly lifted me up like a newlywed. "What are you waiting for?" The men who beat me ran away. "I'll take her to the clinic." He said goodbye to Cedric.

"Why would you do that? What are our rules that forbid me to interfere with my law."

"I know you prepare me the punishment after I take her to the clinic." Peps' bold language only made Cedric look at us seriously.

"I'll deliver you." Peps is already walking.

I couldn't help but look at his face, he was also handsome, even though he had a scar on his face, he was obviously a handsome man.