V. A fair deal

As I was minding my own business, a sharp tug on my hair yanked me to my feet. A jolt of pain shot through my scalp, and I instinctively clutched my head. Before I could process what had happened, I heard Alex's loud voice behind me.

Without hesitation, Alex sprang into action, grabbing the perpetrator's hair in retaliation.

I saw Lara rushing toward us, looking flustered. Even in the middle of the chaos, I couldn't help but smirk—she still looked cute.

I groaned as the pain lingered. The sudden exchange of hair-pulling turned the scene into complete mayhem. Students around us gasped in shock, whispering among themselves. The girl who had attacked me yelped, struggling against Alex's grip, only adding to the commotion.

As the tussle continued, I tried to regain my composure and understand why this random girl had attacked me in the first place.

When I was finally free from her grasp, I scoffed, placing my hands on my waist. Alex, however, was still holding onto the girl's hair.

"How childish," I muttered, stepping closer. Her eyes gleamed with fury, but I could tell there was something else behind them—desperation.

"Since you started this, mind telling me the reason?" I asked coolly. "Or did your childishness override your common sense and cause this little tantrum?"

The girl sneered. "I don't like sharing. I don't like you sticking to what's mine."

My forehead creased.

Did I hear that right?

"Come again?"

Frustration simmered beneath my skin. The whole situation was absurd, and yet, here I was, caught in the middle of it.

Alex finally let her go, and I barely had time to react before she raised her hand, aiming to slap me.

But before she could, another hand intercepted her.

"Enough!"

I laughed in disbelief, then laughed even harder. Everyone around me—including the two troublemakers—stared at me like I had lost my mind.

"So this is what you refuse to share with anyone?" I asked, my tone dripping with mockery. I pointed at the man I had bumped into earlier—the same man who had been with me on that rainy day, the one who had booked me a cab.

"Pathetic," I whispered.

Alex and Lara clung to my arms, but they didn't stop me. That only made it better.

"I heard that," the man finally spoke, a short, amused smile playing on his lips. He was enjoying this. How rude. But honestly? So was I.

"Canim is mine and mine alone. Remember that!" the girl snapped.

I simply nodded. "Okay."

She smirked, thinking she had won, then walked away.

Do you think this is over? I scoffed internally. *No, darling. You messed with the wrong person. No one—*not even my stepmother—has ever laid a finger on me successfully. Consider this the beginning.

I turned to my friends. "Shall we go?"

Alex nodded, but Lara lingered, watching the pair disappear from sight.

"Everything okay?" I asked. "Something on your mind?"

"N-no, I just—" she hesitated. "Never mind."

—––

Back in my room, I sat at my desk, organizing the new information I had gathered today. Every small clue was a piece of the puzzle, bringing me one step closer to uncovering the truth.

A low growl from my stomach interrupted my thoughts. Realizing I hadn't eaten yet, I decided to go for a stroll and find something for dinner.

Oddly enough, there were no restaurants nearby—only a secluded plaza in the middle of nowhere. Who builds a plaza without any buildings around it?

Still, the peaceful atmosphere was oddly comforting.

I wandered over to a swing, sat down, and gazed at the stars. Wow, I'm really having a main-character moment right now, I thought with a chuckle.

"There aren't many stars in the sky tonight… no food places nearby… and I have no idea how to deal with that psycho at school," I muttered, looking down at my shoes.

I sighed. "Grandpa, can you believe this mess? Ever since you left, my life has been nothing but chaos."

As I swayed gently on the swing, my quiet tears mixed with the evening breeze.

Then, a familiar voice broke through the silence.

Startled, I turned to see Canim standing there, holding out a sandwich. His expression was as cold and distant as ever.

"I'll give you this if you promise to help me… and provoke Nadia," he said flatly. "I don't want you around me."

I blinked, both confused and amused. "What?"

Canim's gaze darkened. "I hate seeing your face," he admitted, his voice laced with bitterness. "And yet, here I am, offering you a deal."

I stared at him, trying to make sense of his bizarre request.

"Why are you acting like this?" I whispered.

He remained silent, his patience clearly wearing thin.

Shaking my head, I muttered, "I don't understand," and pushed myself off the swing, walking away.

But before I could reach my place, a firm grip on my wrist stopped me.

"Then let's make a fair deal," Canim said, his voice low and steady. "I want Nadia out of my life. As you saw earlier, she's unbearable."

I turned to him with an unimpressed look. "And? You feel the same way about me. Have you lost your mind? Is your brain malfunctioning?"

He didn't reply. Instead, he simply handed me the sandwich and walked away.

I watched him leave, shaking my head in disbelief.

Once inside my room, I headed straight to the kitchen to inspect his so-called peace offering.

It was just a sandwich. But… it looked kind of cute.

With a small smile, I took a bite, savoring the taste as if I hadn't eaten in days.