Chapter 6

SAVANNA (VERONICA)

The fall was immediate, forcing me to hiss out at the sudden intensity.

Damn these assholes!

However, it only just began...

The second I fell, I couldn't even draw breath properly, the entire classroom had broken into laughter as though they had witnessed a funny scene.

"Oh my God! Did you guys feel it? The floor just shook!" A girl gasped.

"Yeah, like a whale!" Someone else added.

"Yeah, Becky was near her, poor girl, she was so scared!"

"I wonder if the floor cracked!"

Their laughter was brutal, a tidal wave of mockery, and now their words, cruel and gleeful, echoing off the walls and searing my ears.

It was too painful and humiliating. Although I had all memories of Veronica's suffering, facing it in reality was harder.

Besides, Veronica's body. I was not yet used to it completely.

My previous body wouldn't even bother this fall, but this body was too fragile and untrained. It shivered violently at the impact, but I ignored it, letting something deeper stir within me.

My hands curled into fists. I must make this body useful for my own survival...

"Ha! Whale! Come on guys, whales are more prestigious! Don't insult it by comparing with her!" a boy shouted, pointing at my humiliation.

The laughter around him erupted again, like a pack of hyenas.

"I actually thought she died," another girl added, "but I figured her head probably didn't even touch the floor. I bet it bounced off her cheeks and her stomach cushioned it!"

Those voices— they were thick with ridicule. And honestly, I was a bit stunned. Never in my life had I experienced such things! Usually, I was always surrounded by praise.

I truly feel bad for Veronica now...

"Ugh, what is she wearing?" a girl from the back squealed, her tone filled with disgust. "Her hair... it looks like a mop someone forgot to clean! Did she ever wash at all? Ew, just ew!"

"Did you see her legs? They're like little wobbly noodles! I've seen marshmallows with more structure." Another boy snorted.

"Look at her! She's trying to get up — haha! I've never seen anything more pathetic!"

I didn't say anything the entire time, instead, letting the insults wash over me.

Each word felt like a whiplash on the face, designed to hurt, designed to shame.

One thing was clear, They wanted me to shrink, to crumble, to apologize for existing in their presence.

Basically, they entertained themselves by attacking Veronica.

Poor Veronica, no one ever thought of her. How lonely and bad she felt.

It was very easy for someone in her place to end her life, but I had started admiring Veronica more, for still holding onto it and not losing hope from life...

"Umm— I think she— she changed her hairstyle." One timid boy whispered from the side.

"Her eyes are now more visible. I think they're... actually kinda pretty without the bangs?" He spoke almost too quietly to hear.

However, others heard it anyway, and the backlash was almost immediate...

"Oh my God! Are you serious!?"

"You like fat pigs now? Admit it, admit it!" Students shrieked, dragging him into ridicule.

His face flushed red; regretting instantly. "N-no! I—I didn't mean—uh..." He sank into his chair, defeated, silenced by the pack.

I was still quiet and rose slowly, getting control of my new body. Although I was still struggling with it, I had progressed well enough these days with a strict routine.

My heart was burning inside. The fire that had lain dormant inside me for so long now coiled, purposeful and precise.

Veronica's body might have been delicate, unfit for such a mild attack, but my mind, my presence, my will— it was different.

Veronica had endured, she had survived, she had bent before cruelty countless times. That girl was gone. Now, this belonged to me, and this version was— cold, calculating, unshakable, and terrifyingly new.

Without a word, I walked toward my seat. Quietly, yet with head held high, unlike Veronica who would be so timid to even raise her eyes.

I let them see me, let them feel me. And the room fell into a strange, uneasy silence, punctuated only by whispers and the occasional gasps.

The students who had mocked Veronica for years froze. They were caught off-guard.

A satisfactory twitch touched the corner of my lips.

They hadn't expected me to return, hadn't expected me to survive, hadn't expected me to carry anything but fragility in my bones... But now, it was all different.

"Wow... she's... different," someone whispered. The shock in that voice was evident.

Good. They should know. And they will. I'll make sure of that. It's just the beginning.

"She's... scary. Look at her eyes," another added, and for the first time I sensed the uneasiness in their voice.

I wondered how Veronica would have reacted. This probably had been her dream.

I sat down slowly, with a composed manner, letting the silence stretch, letting the shock sink in their bones.

My gaze swept the classroom, icy and precise. Indifference was what I had grown up with and they'd realize it without hesitation...

This would have continued, but the bell finally rang. Although I had received scornful glances the entire time, I didn't bother.

Actually, I was more curious about the teaching system, which to me, was quite funny.

In the Abyss, we had been taught deeply, with no filters, but here, teachers taught students as though they feared them.

And the portions were too small. Probably that was the reason students were so free to fool around...

During lunch hour, I eventually rose from my seat and walked to the restroom. I was too bored in the class actually. The topics were too easy and yet the students' faces looked as though they had been asked to rip their hearts off! I mean, how stupid were these people!

I cleaned myself, and relaxed. However, just as I was about to walk out of the toilet, giggles rippled through the Quietness, breaking it.

"You sure, it's her in the toilet?" One girl whispered.

"100%! Just wait. God, I can't wait to see her face!"

"Yeah, it'll be too funny." Again giggles.

A frown furrowed my brows. What are they talking about?

"I have made sure the water is dirty. She'll regret coming back to school, after daring to confess to Damon!"

Ah, now I know. So they're waiting to throw water on me? How foolish, eh?

The first time, the blow was sudden and I took my time to get used to it. But now? Well, it's time for some action.

I didn't hesitate. I kicked the door open, making them jump all of a sudden. And before they could even realize what happened, I kicked on the bucket on one girl's hand, it tilted and all water fell on her.

Chaos erupted. The girls toppled, shrieking at the sudden backlash.

Without hesitation, I stepped over one girl's hand, pressing painfully on her fingers that made her scream in a twisted ache.

I didn't bother though, inflicting anguish was my specialty and they'd have it back with interest.

"Take this as your last warning." I hissed, lowering my face to her scared one "because next time, You'll have no fingers to carry around."

"H-hey, yo-ou..." One girl tried to protest with a shivering tone, but the moment our gazes met, her eyes widened and she immediately swallowed her words.

Good. She had recognized the murderous look in my gaze. And believe it or not, I would and I could do it. This was what I had been trained for, and no one would ever know what happened to them.

Their tears and pale faces felt satisfactory, and before I really disfigured her fingers permanently, I removed my foot from her hand, and instantly, she pushed herself back towards her friends, as if trying to vanish from my wrath.

With a last warning look, I decided to leave. However, the moment I turned to the door of the restroom, I met a gaze. Wide, fearful and shocked.

I recognized her immediately from the memory of Veronica. Becky, the cheerleader.

She stood frozen in the doorway, in a state of disbelief. Clearly, unable to believe the transformation she was witnessing.

I was not surprised, though. Through Veronica's memories, I knew that for three years, she had seen me endure, seen me take cruelty silently, and now she was seeing me fight back, seeing Veronica as something she had never imagined: standing up for herself, cruelly even.

"Ww-what are you...!?" She gasped out. Her tone shook with disbelief.

I stepped toward her, calm and patient, my gaze locking on her with lethal precision.

She tried to step back, yet cornered by the walls and me.

"S-stop!" Her voice barely a whisper.

I didn't though, instead, I stepped forward and before she could understand, my fingers found her hair, yanking her head back with a force, making her cry out in pain.

"Stop trying to piss me off," I whispered against her ear. "Or next time, you'll feel these girls' punishments were easier."

"Got it?"

A gasp tore through her. Her face paled, breath coming in short, shallow gasps. Her legs trembled.

I pulled her hair more painfully, making her tears drop. "Answer, bitch!" I hissed on her face.

"Ye— ye-es." She breathed out.

The mockery, the sneers, the entire hierarchy of her world had crumbled in the span of a few seconds.

The realization finally set within her that I was no longer Veronica, the meek, fragile girl they could hurt and taunt without consequence.

My lips twitched slowly. "Good girl." I patted her cheek, and released her, letting her stumble back, shaken and utterly frightened.

The rules had changed now.

The predator in me had awakened, and the prey? Everyone who had mocked Veronica, laughed at her, hurt her.

They were all now under my gaze.

The revenge had just begun...