Raging War

Jody wore simple ripped jeans, a printed white t-shirt, and sneakers. All of that Glendir bought for her. Today is Jody's first day of going to school. She wasn't excited. Jody prefers to stay at home. She went downstairs when she heard Zev's voice complaining to his father again. Their conversation stopped when Jody entered the dining room. Liza immediately approached Jody and took her bag. Emy sat on the left side of Glendir's seat, and Zev was on the other side, where they sat opposite each other.

"It's nice of you to bring clothes, Jody. Simple, but you look like a model when you wear it." Glendir compliments her. "Maybe you inherited that from Sola."

"Thanks, Uncle," Jody said with a smile. "Maybe you are right."

Zev glanced at Jody. Jody is beautiful, with her slender doll-like body and smooth, flawless skin. She didn't have to do makeup because he could see her naturally glowing, smooth skin. Zev was sure she would be popular in their school as he was.

"It's good that she already has her clothes," said Zev. "Later, tell Marcela, dad, to put Zera's clothes aside. Maybe someone will wear them again."

Jody frowned at Zev. "Don't worry; I won't wear her clothes anymore." Jody looked at Glendir. "Thank you, uncle, for the clothes."

Glendir smiled and did not speak. "It's not good then," said Zev, then slightly glanced at her.

Jody took a deep breath. She needed to calm down and not offend the young Zev. Liza laid the milk in front of Jody as she ate. When Zev saw it, he laughed. Jody's eyebrows rose.

"Milk? What are you, baby?" Zev laughed. He almost choked on laughter.

"Don't you know the benefits of drinking milk?" Jody said, annoyed. "Milk is packed with nutrients. It is an excellent source of quality protein, good for bone health, and helps to prevent weight gains.... "

"Milk is useless. You will be ugly when the time comes," said Zev.

"W-what?" Jody asked. "What do you mean I will be ugly?"

"Because when you...." said Zev. Glendir, Zev's father, cut him off in the middle of what he was saying.

"Zeverino, stop. It's too early to look for an argument... " said Glendir. Glendir's voice was authoritative.

Zev did not answer. Jody couldn't help but secretly laugh.

------

Zev and Jody were in the car together. Zev was driving while Jody was beside him in the passenger seat, laughing non-stop. She's been laughing since they were having breakfast. Zev was also squirming at her.

"Do you want me to stop the car and leave you here?" Zev said, annoyed.

"Why, Zeverino, are you already frustrated?" Jody said as she continued laughing.

Zev smirked. "So, that's it. You laugh because my name makes you happy. I thought you were going crazy." Zev said.

"Your name is stench. Zev? You just made it beautiful, but it is still Zeverino." Jody said, teasing Zev.

Zev's grip on the steering wheel tightened. "Nothing funny in my name," said Zev.

"Why? Do you feel your name is beautiful?" Jody asked. "Zeverino! Zeverino! Zev. Aw! What are you doing? Are you going to kill yourself?" Jody said, annoyed.

Zev halted the car, causing Jody to bump into the dashboard.

"Get out," Zev said seriously.

"What? Why would you let me down in this kind of place?" Jody asked.

"I said, get out!" Zev yelled at her.

Jody felt very nervous, so she opened the door and exited the car. When she closed the door, Zev's car quickly left. She watched the car drive away until it disappeared into the road.

"That man is foolish," Jody said, annoyed. "He left me in this kind of place?"

Emy looked around. Tall trees surround that road, and there are no houses everywhere and thick woods. Jody felt very nervous as that frightening creature returns to her memory. Jody hugged her body and sat on the road with both hands covering her ears. Everything that happened with the death of her parents came back to her at that moment. Jody was frightened that her body trembled. And because no other vehicles passed by there, her eyes became wary. She was terrified and looked around. With every crackle, she was stunned to think it was the weredragon, the beast that killed her parents.

Jody's phone rang in her pocket. That's when she remembered that thing. Jody ended up sitting on the road, her phone falling on the road several times because of her hand trembling. Her tears flowed. Jody answered the call without looking at who was calling. She needed help, and she was dead frightened.

"H-Hel- Help..." Jody stammered. "H-help me..."

"Jody, what happened?" Jody recognized the voice. It was Glendir, so she started crying.

------

Zev was eating in the cafeteria when he saw Jody with Glendir walking out of the faculty office. He watched the two of them, and they seemed to talk seriously. Zev felt very annoyed again when he saw Jody. He still remembers her teasing of his name.

'She's got my father's attention,' Zev thought.

"Whoa! Who is that chic? Nice!" said Kody—one of Zev's best friends.

"Looks like a transferee," said Tim—one of Zev's best friends.

They've known each other since they were young. The three men watch Jody walk into the cafeteria. Zev noticed everyone was looking at Jody, whether male or female. Because that school is small, everyone knows when there is a transfer student.

"Shit, she's beautiful," said Kody. Jody passed next to their table, so they stared at her face closely. Jody overlooked Zev because even before she could get close to their table, Zev immediately turned around and pretended to be busy eating.

"She's the transferee in our class," said Tim.

Zev frowned. "In our class?"

"Okay, it looks like my destined girlfriend has arrived," said Kody.

"Don't expect too much. I might be Miss Beautiful's destiny," said Tim.

Zev was silent and secretly glanced at the woman at the nearby table.

Meanwhile, Jody took a deep breath. She was very disappointed in that school. It was different from the university Jody was attending before. The simple clothes she wore have become an issue for women studying there. Jody could hear their whispers for reasons he could not explain. She thought that was one change that would happen to her before her 18th birthday. Jody stared at the food. She only ordered a burger and soda because she noticed the food was not delicious other than that, Jody was also unfamiliar with the foods she had just seen for the first time. Jody knew she would look stagy, but she was just herself.

Jody was eating when suddenly someone sat on the other side of the table where Jody was eating. She looked at the three men. Two handsome men sat on the other side of the table. The third was the most stunning, but when Jody recognized him, she couldn't help but frown.

"Looks who's here. Aren't you late?" Zev asked. "What did you do to get here? Run, walk, or ask my dad again?"

"You know her, bro?" Kody asked Zev.

"Who is she? How did you know each other?" Tim asked Zev.

"She's my father's adopted daughter," Zev said, staring at Jody.

"So, you have a sister now?" Kody and Tim said at the same time.

"What? No! I only have one sister, and she's dead. No one can replace her." Zev said.

Jody heard the three men's conversation. Jody couldn't help but get annoyed with Zev. She doesn't mind if he doesn't accept her. She sought retaliation for leaving her in the middle of the street. Jody opened the soda bottle, stood up, and threw the contents at Zev. Zev and his friends were shocked. It spilled on Zev's face, so his entire face and t-shirt were wet. The man makes her annoyed. Jody did not know how she had felt when he left her in that secluded place. She thought she was going to die. Glendir went to her and took her to school. Glendir also talked to her Prof on two subjects because she did not attend them.

"What the....." Zev said, shocked and annoyed. "What's your problem?"

Jody didn't speak. Instead, she took the bag from the chair and started walking away from them. They heard the laughter of the students there. Zev's jaw clenched, then he quickly stood up and chased Jody.

------

It surprised Jody when someone grabbed her wrist, pulled her, and leaned against the wall on the cafeteria's side. Jody slammed her back into the wall, and it hurt her, Zev pushing hard on her. She winced in pain.

"What is your problem?" Jody said, annoyed. She struggled to loosen Zev's grip on her two hands.

"Why did you pour soda on me?" Zev asked.

"I just retaliated. You were the first." Jody said, annoyed.

"Why? Are you angry because I left you on the road? Who was the one who pissed me off? Aren't you?" Zev said, annoyed. "You're laughing at my name like crazy."

Zev held Jody's two hands, raised them, and pressed them against the wall above Jody's head. Their faces are close together, almost three inches apart. Zev freely examined Jody's face. He stared at her and confirmed Jody had no makeup on her lips. Jody studied the man's face. He has no pores, and his skin is smooth, like a man in a magazine or an actor on television. She was sure Zev was the most handsome in that entire school. But he needs a better attitude.

"Do you realize what you did?" Zev asked. "You are waging war on both of us .."

"W-what?" Jody asked. She was suddenly nervous.

"I will make your life at school a nightmare, so keep an eye on your back .." Zev said seriously.

"Are you scaring me?" Jody said, annoyed.

"Why?" Zev asked, bringing his face even closer to Jody's. He was so close, and he could kiss her lips. "Are you scared already?"

Jody closed her eyes, then averted her face from the man. He let go of Jody's hand, then turned and walked away. Jody bit her lower lip so hard that she was annoyed and nervous. She felt it was not a joke.

"Damn ..." Jody whispered. "What will I do?"