CHAPTER 284: 284-THE BULLIES OF THE ACADEMY

Clementine:

"What?" Oriana complained. "Sir, please, I’m really sorry. I was just wearing her uniform, that’s all I did. How is that violence?"

She started to cry almost instantly. I guessed the fear of being alone was getting to her. I knew how terrified she was of being left without anyone. She always needed someone to fight for her, so the thought of going there alone was probably too much.

However, the headmaster was quick to explain the punishment in detail.

"Not you," he said. "You didn’t hit her. You didn’t raise a finger against her. If you had, you’d be facing the same punishment."

As soon as he said that, Oriana placed both hands on her chest and sighed in relief.

Then I noticed her smile, her expression bright with satisfaction.

But when realization struck her, that the punishment was only for me, her smile vanished.

"Clementine Stark, you will be going to the North alone for a task. However, it will be scheduled later," the headmaster declared.

Instead of immediately pleading and crying before the headmaster, I simply nodded and stayed seated.

It was obvious they wouldn’t change their minds just because someone cried, so what was the point?

I wasn’t going to beg them to let me stay when I knew I had committed violence. I accepted it.

Maybe I’d be better off alone in the north than staying here.

"Do you have anything to say for yourself?" the headmaster asked, and I shook my head.

"Are you crazy? Apologize to him," Oriana hissed, glaring at me. I didn’t understand what was wrong with her.

Why was she acting like she cared now, when she was the reason I was being sent to the north in the first place?

"Well then, you may return to your room now. Your punishment will begin in the coming months," the headmaster announced, gesturing toward the door. We both stood up and headed out of the office.

That was when I started to feel uneasy.

’Why in the coming months?’

The thought hit me hard. What if they planned to assign me the toughest task possible, something I might never come back from? Still, I didn’t let the worry show on my face.

The moment we stepped outside, Oriana started questioning me.

"Are you crazy? You should have apologized right away."

As soon as she said that, I turned to look at her, giving her a slow head-to-toe glance and a judgmental stare.

"What? I’m not a monster. I just don’t want you in this squad anymore. If you’re around, I’ll always fear that the others might fall into your trap again," she snapped.

Her words made me laugh at her audacity to call my actions a trap when she was the one manipulating them.

I didn’t argue. I just kept walking until we reached the dorm room. As soon as we entered, the heavy tension in the air told me something was wrong.

I could see it from the looks everyone gave me.

"Oh goodness, what have I done now?" I asked as I reached my bed and dropped onto it, lying down comfortably.

"Do you have no shame at all?" Yorick’s shout startled me.

"No, I guess not," I replied. Since they were being reckless, I decided to be disrespectful too. The moment I snapped back at them, I noticed the look on their faces.

"Why would you do all that?" Haiden yelled, standing up from his bed.

The three of them began moving toward me, stopping beside my bed and towering over me, while Oriana stood next to them with her arms folded across her chest.

Honestly, it looked like she had really replaced me. I could see her in my spot, and myself in Ian’s position. It was funny but also sad.

"What’s bothering you guys? It’s not like you were punished. I’ll be the only one sent to the north, so what’s the problem now?" I snapped, tired of how they acted like they were the ones in trouble.

The moment I mentioned the north, I saw their expressions change.

"You’re being sent to the north?" Troy asked, his voice shifting slightly.

"Yeah. The headmaster said that’s her punishment but not right away. It’ll happen in the coming months. I’m pretty sure they’ll just sweep it under the rug," Oriana chimed in, once again drawing the attention to herself.

As soon as she spoke, my squadmates’ eyes turned to the bruise on her face, the black eye.

"Oh, it’s okay. It’ll heal," Yorick said, and I noticed how he tried to hide it from me while gently touching her cheek.

The moment he realized I was watching, he pulled his hand back quickly, as if there was some space left for me to question anything.

I already knew where this was heading. They would only grow closer from here, and I had no intention of stopping them.

We’d already had our talk, they made it clear what I meant to them.

So no, it wasn’t up to them to accept or reject me anymore. I was the one choosing to walk away.

"Anyway, it doesn’t change the fact that we also got punished," Haiden added, breaking the silence with his sharp tone.

"Wait, how did we get punished?" Oriana asked, her voice almost panicking.

I was surprised to see how afraid she still was of the word punishment ever since her father’s death.

"We will be watering the top of the mountain with goddamn buckets," Troy complained, describing the punishment given to all of us for causing a commotion.

At that point, I was honestly just wishing the rest of the squads would return so we could go back to the north. I missed the north and that was the craziest thing.

"Oh no, another hard labor. What’s going to happen to my hands?" Oriana pouted, showing our squadmates her hands.

"It’s okay. We’ll help you, alright?" Haiden told her, gently placing his hand over hers.

Even though I tried my best to hide my reaction, it was hard. These were my squadmates and I had shared a bed with them.

That was the biggest mistake I’d ever made. I fought back tears, especially when she pointed to her black eye and murmured while sneaking a glance at Yorick.

"And this hurts too,"

He looked at me, then leaned in and kissed her eye.

That was it. They were long gone.