The Bewitched Knights

VERONICA

The sunlight falling on my face had me groaning as I opened my eyes to see the time—half past one in the afternoon.

Somehow, while reading my book, I had managed to slip into a deep sleep, the result of being sleepless the night before.

I sighed as I sat up on the bench and looked above me to find a bird building its nest in the tree.

The shadow of the tree fell on me, but through those leaves, the sunlight filtered through and fell directly on my face.

Picking up the half-read book, I put the bookmark leaf inside and closed it before putting it back in my bag and getting up, ready to leave for the next class.

As I walked through the school, I could feel some of the students’ eyes on me and hear their whispering as I passed.

Perhaps my being transferred to this damn school in the middle of the semester grabbed their attention, and they wanted to know who I was.

I minded my own business, and as I touched my hair, I felt something on the back of my head and pulled it out to find a twig with leaves that had possibly fallen on me when I was sleeping.

I tossed it aside and walked through the busy corridor toward my locker. I had chemistry for my next period, so I would need the notebook, textbook, and lab coat, which I had put there on my first day.

I read the time to be five minutes to one forty-five and picked up the pace to my locker.

As I was gathering the needed items, a hand slammed next to me, and I looked to my right to find none other than the same guy from the previous day smirking at me.

“What’s up, newbie?” he said as his height towered above mine, and I glanced at his few companions behind him. A blonde was standing right behind him with three other tall guys.

“Nothing much, redhead.” I smirked when I saw his fading away.

“Look!” he began, but I slammed my locker shut, ignoring his existence as I walked past him, not even bothering to listen but not before replying, “Later! I have classes…”

I thought they would get it, but then the blonde appeared right before me, stopping me with an annoying smiling face.

I tilted my head to the side, wanting to know why she’d done that, and noted she had braided her blonde hair in a peculiar urban style.

She had eyeliner around her eyes and was wearing ripped jeans with a white shirt underneath and a jean jacket over it.

Pretty much against school dress code.

Ripped jeans were strictly not allowed in the London School of Science. At least, that was what they’d told me on my first day. Whatever!

“Now, now! I have heard a lot about you already,” she said as she looked over my head toward the redhead.

“Really? Great!” I said and tried to sidestep her, but she blocked me again, and it was now annoying me even further.

“Step aside…,” I said as calmly as I could.

She raised her eyebrows and gave me a mocking smile, nodding. Sure, she was also taller than me by a few inches, but that didn’t mean she could make me feel inferior in any way.

“Or?” She mimicked my voice, and before I knew it, she’d snatched my chemistry book out of my hand.

“Hey!” To say that I was beyond irritated would be an understatement.

She took it and raised her hand above her head, stopping me from getting it.

“Oh my god!” I said as I rubbed the bridge of my nose in aggravation. “Are you guys trying to bully me?” I asked, and they looked at each other before laughing like hyenas, which made me roll my eyes.

The girl was so busy holding the side of her waist and laughing her ass off that she didn’t even notice when I snatched my book back from her in a single swift motion.

Huh! She let her guard down!

“Hey!” And she was right before me, and this time that annoying smile was long gone from her face, replaced by a scowl. “Do you think you’re smart?” In the next moment, she pushed my shoulder.

“Don’t do that!” I warned her as I looked at the hand on my shoulder.

“Or?” she mocked.

It was enough for me. In one fluid motion, I grabbed the hand that was continuously hitting my shoulder and applied pressure on it, making her wince in pain. A satisfactory smirk was plastered on my face as I studied her.

She tried to free her hand from me but couldn’t. “Let go!” she whimpered and used her other hand to push me away, but when she failed to remove my grip, she pinched me hard.

Even though I felt the pain, I refused to let go.

“Hey! What do you think you’re doing? Let go!” The same redhead came forward and put his hand on mine, wanting to free the blonde’s hand.

“Let me tell you the second thing”—I used my thumb to put pressure on her wrist, causing her to cry in pain—“that I do not like. People blocking my way and annoying me when I’m in a hurry.

“So? Should I break your hand for wasting my time and blocking my way several times?” I asked sweetly, and the redheaded guy used his strength to remove my grip from the blonde’s wrist.

She winced and looked at the spot I had gripped; surely, it had my hand prints all over it and was bruised.

“And you, redhead,” I said as I turned toward the redheaded guy who was checking the blonde’s condition.

“It seems you cause a lot of trouble to the people around you,” I said, and as I did, his head turned my way, and he furrowed his brow.

“But let me tell you something. You don’t wanna get into trouble with me.”

As I said that, his face contorted with rage, and he took a few steps forward.

I was sure he wanted to hit me, so I raised my hand, ready to defend myself, but then the bell rang, indicating the next period had started.

Shoot!

“Get out of my way,” I said as I pushed the redhead aside and sprinted across the hallway toward my class.

I can’t be late for my first class. Damn it! Thanks to those annoying bunch of brats, I already am. Wow.