A Fight Broke Out

Norvin is a high school student at Willage High School.

Norvin is a smart student, but he doesn't like being around people. He prefers to keep to himself. Some might call him shy, but Norvin hates when people say that. It's not because he feels anxious or awkward around others he simply dislikes interactions.

Norvin has a rare condition that causes all his body hair to turn white. His hair is messy and of medium length. He stands at about 172 cm tall and has a slim body, as he doesn't eat the healthiest food.

At school, people only talk to him because of his intelligence. He hates being smart, as it's the sole reason he has "friends" or, rather, people pretending to be his friends.

Other students only use him, and those who aren't as smart tend to dislike him. They view him as an arrogant know-it-all, even though he tries his best to befriend them.

Today is like any other day for Norvin. He's surrounded by students asking him for quiz answers or complimenting his intelligence, calling him "awesome" and "brilliant."

Norvin knows they're all just pretending, and he despises being surrounded by hypocrites.

The School Bell Rings, 11 a.m. Lunch begins. Norvin gets up from his desk and walks away from the crowd circling him. His destination: the cafeteria.

Norvin's classroom is on the second floor. As he walks, he notices someone Ned, his childhood friend.

Norvin and Ned don't have the best history. The two had an argument in the past, and Norvin hates remembering it.

From a distance, Norvin notices something off about Ned. He looks anxious, staring out the window.

"Did he notice something outside?" Norvin wonders, observing quietly.

Suddenly, Ned yells something, but then he stops. For a brief moment, Norvin catches the word "kidnapping."

"Did he just say kidnapping?" Norvin thinks.

He wants to approach Ned and ask what's going on, but before he can, he sees Ned fall to his knees. Moments later, Ned gets up and runs off.

Curious, Norvin takes a quick peek out the window to see what Ned was looking at. There, he sees three men and a white van.

One man is sitting in the driver's seat, while the other two seem to be on a phone call. One of them hangs up and gets into the van.

Norvin is speechless. He notices the van shaking violently. "Did someone really get kidnapped?" he thinks, though he isn't sure. He didn't see what Ned saw, but there's no way Ned would react that way without a reason.

Norvin begins to think. "If Ned just saw a kidnapping, where would he go to report it?" The answer is obvious, the principal's office. Norvin starts running there.

When Norvin arrives at the principal's office, he hears a loud slam from inside. Shocked and confused, but curious, he presses his ear to the door.

Inside, he hears a heated conversation between Ned and the principal. The principal doesn't believe Ned's story and accuses him of being a troublemaker.

Norvin knows all too well how much of a troublemaker Ned is. If anyone understands, it's him. But even so, Norvin thinks, "Just because he's caused trouble before doesn't mean he's lying now. That's the consequence of his actions people stop believing him."

After a moment, Norvin pulls away from the door and decides to leave. He heads back to his classroom. It's almost noon, and classes are about to resume. He'll think about all of this later. There's already too much on his mind.

Once classes end, Norvin packs up his things and heads out. On his way past Ned's classroom, he notices Ned asleep at his desk.

"He needs to get rid of that bad habit," Norvin thinks to himself.

He continues walking. The hallways are filled with students getting ready to go home. They exit the school building, walking across the field toward the gate.

The sky is beautifully orange, with the sun beginning to set. The air is filled with the chatter and laughter of students.

But then, Norvin notices something strange. Brad is standing by the school gate.

Normally, Brad would be greeting people or bothering his usual victims, but today he's just standing there, smiling.

Brad is always smiling, but this smile feels... off. It's as if he's suppressing a flood of emotions, trying not to explode.

Norvin can feel the tension radiating from Brad.

To everyone else, it seems like a normal day. They walk past Brad without a second thought. But Norvin feels like he's staring into the face of impending doom.

For a moment, he's frozen, unable to move.

After what feels like an eternity, he finally manages to lift his legs and walk past Brad, pretending nothing is wrong.

"Thank goodness," he sighs in relief, grateful to escape the encounter. Norvin heads home safely.

The Next Day, 11 a.m., Lunchtime

The cafeteria is packed with students taking their break. Norvin sits alone, as usual.

Nobody needs his help today, so he's left to eat in peace a sandwich and a box of grape juice.

Just as he takes a bite, a massive boom echoes through the room, leaving everyone speechless.

The sound came from Brad, who smashed a metal cafeteria table with his metal baseball bat.

The table, made of solid metal, is destroyed beyond recognition.

The students who were sitting there seven popular kids, including Brad are stunned.

One of them, Jason, finally snaps out of it and yells at Brad, demanding to know what's going on.

A heated argument ensues. Brad suddenly yells, "So what? Wanna fight?! I can bash your skull right here and now if you really want!"

Jason, an 18-year-old football player standing at 188 cm, with a muscular build, accepts the challenge.

Jason charges at Brad, using his full body like a tackle a move perfected from his time on the football field.

Brad narrowly dodges, stepping to the side with surprising speed. Before Jason can recover, Brad swings his metal bat at Jason's left arm, the impact creating a sickening sound.

Jason doesn't flinch. With his right arm, he throws a punch at Brad. Brad blocks with his bat, but the force sends him sliding backward.

Brad grits his teeth, steadies himself, and launches forward. Jason raises his guard, expecting an overhead attack. But Brad stops short, dropping low to slide beneath Jason's defenses.

With a wicked grin, Brad smashes the bat into Jason's chin, forcing his head back.

"Not so proud of that big body now, are you?" Brad taunts. "Bigger body means bigger hit spots."

Brad leaps into the air, gripping his bat tightly. With a shout of "HOMERUN!" he slams the bat into the side of Jason's face. The impact sends Jason crashing into the wall, leaving a dent.

Jason collapses, defeated.

The cafeteria falls silent.

The school intercom crackles to life: "We would like to inform all students in the cafeteria to please exit the room. We apologize for the disturbance and will provide compensation for the inconvenience."

Norvin, having watched the entire scene unfold, quietly finishes his lunch and leaves, headed back to his classroom, fights like this are common in this school, so it's nothing surprising

After School, 4 p.m. As Norvin is leaving, he feels the urge to use the restroom. Annoyed, he heads to the school bathroom.

On his way there, he notices Brad and three other popular kids arguing in a classroom.

Norvin can't hear what they're saying, but the argument reminds him of the earlier fight. His instincts tell him to stay away.

Without hesitation, Norvin decides to leave. The urge to use the restroom is gone. He exits the school and heads home safely.