The Shadow Within Me

Chapter Twenty Three - Furious

Calyx Nyxerian Paraiso

After she left, it was quiet in the special training room that cobwebs might form. I’m continuously cursing mentally while pacing back and forth like a hen that doesn’t know how to stay put, that woman, she really is stupid enough to even do my job.

Why the hell did she take up on that job? I don’t freaking understand her! She’s a freaking pain in the neck!

“Man, I’m starting to question if you’re truly a man,” Peter Hughes stated, he looks oddly disappointed in me.

“How could you let that woman clean a men's bathroom?!” he exclaimed, but I averted my gaze at them.

“As I said, I have more important things to do and one of them is that I have to train that woman,” I coldly stated, so David Ronin smirked at me.

“Oh? Does she know how important it is for you for her to learn?” he hummed, so I glared at him.

“Does it matter? I just want to finish this freaking punishment so that I’ll be free on the training of my own,” I replied while fixing my things. Where are my freaking gloves?

“You could just walk away right now, you always do that, so why are you still here if you don’t want this?” I almost stopped when I heard Razer Black say those words. I hate it when they interrogate me like this.

Answers seem to be slipping off my mind like some paper on an open space that’s being blown by the winds.

“Stop it, you guys don’t know everything about me,” I firmly said while closing my fists. I hate it when someone claims that they know everything about me.

“We do know a lot about you, even if you won’t tell us, man, friends will know most especially when they pay attention to her/him,” David Ronin tapped my back and wondered for a moment.

“Oh wait, did you bring the sign off-limits Razer? Or did you put it on the outside of the toilet already?” David Ronin asked while scratching the back of his head, “I didn’t check it a while ago because I want to give Calyx an earful,” he mumbled, so I glared at him.

“Dude no, what the hell? What if someone entered there and Crystal’s in it?” they sounded worried, so I threw my bag and ran towards the toilet where I was designated to clean.

I don’t know what came over me and left, I just got worried for a moment after hearing their statements. It didn’t take me a long time to arrive there as I’m near the hallways towards the toilet.

“H-Help me! Please!” my dragon became livid after hearing her helpless voice, she sounded like she was crying.

My walks became a sprint as I harshly entered the toilet and stared at her current state. I feel like I lost my sanity after I saw her top blouse was taken off and the other filthy bastard that was not holding her was rummaging on her skirt.

I didn’t think twice about attacking that man and hit his head on the door of the stalls inside of that room, I continued slamming his head over there as he tried to fight me until he lost consciousness.

My hands easily grabbed the hem of the clothes of the man that was holding her. I was about to hit his head on the walls when David Ronin arrived to stop me.

“C-Calyx! Man! Let us handle this, we’ll be sure to report and this was partly our fault, let us handle this mess please,” I heard him try to calm me down, but I didn’t mind him. They saw a part of her skin that should be hidden and I have to get it off their filthy minds.

On my peripheral view, Rayleigh ran on that woman’s side who just continued crying until she found someone to hold on to. Rayleigh consoled her as she teared up, that woman doesn’t deserve any of this, so why? Why is this happening to her?

My dragon was so livid that I could feel the fire emitting inside of my body. I was about to kill this man that I’m holding on my neck, but Peter Hughes stepped in and grabbed my almost burning hand.

“Calyx, bring Crystal to the infirmary, she has to calm down, we’ll take care of everything from here,” he firmly stated, it was the first time I’ve seen him look so serious.

“If she found out you killed someone because of her, she will never be sane,” he sounded like he was threatening me, so I hissed before throwing that filthy body away from me.

I paced towards that woman who’s currently wearing Rayleigh’s jacket. Rayleigh looked worried about her like she didn't want to let her go, but I didn’t mind her as I scooped her legs while supporting her back and easily carried her close to my arms and chest.

Her eyes were so red, her nose almost looked the same as the ripe tomatoes that I see in Hailey's garden in the yard. She was shaking terribly like she was terrified of everyone that held her.

I gripped my hands because I can’t accept that she experienced this kind of s**t. I leaned my forehead against hers, “I’m sorry,” I sincerely apologized, she didn’t respond as she continued crying on my chest.

I left that room with anger rising against my body. I don’t know if I’ll be able to calm down if I ever see those people around our room again.

They better leave this school or change sections because the next time I see them, I will not give them any more mercy.

Crystal Raine Meadows

My mind kept on recalling what happened to me a while ago, they wanted to use me to get back at Calyx by using my body.

Of course, I didn't approve of it, I tried to fight for myself and escape but it was no use. I was still weak in the physical department. They even punched me on my stomach to shut me up because I can’t just stay put they’re touching me to places that are not theirs.

I thought I wouldn’t be saved until he came for me, he came for me when I called out for help and I couldn’t be more thankful for that.

My tears won’t stop flowing until I realized that I was placed inside of the infirmary, my body can’t stop shaking and I don’t know how to make it stop.

I was so traumatized by what was about to happen to me a while ago, “Ms. Meadows, can I assist you to get changed? I heard what happened, let me help you get into decent clothes,” the nurse appeared on my side, so I slowly nodded at her.

She helped me get changed into decent uniforms before cleaning my face, “Are you alright? Where are you hurt?” the nurse asked, but I didn’t respond to her.

I noticed her sighing on my back, “I’ll get your companions okay?” she informed me, so I lightly nodded at her before she left.

The whole student council entered my room and my eyes widened after seeing them kneel and bow at me.

“We’re so sorry Crystal, I know this isn’t enough to erase what happened to you a while ago,” David Ronin sounded like he was deeply disappointed in himself.

“I deeply apologize because I forgot to bring and put the sign over there and put you in this kind of situation. I can’t even forgive myself if something even worse happened to you,” Razer Black stated this time, so I raised my hand and shook it at the sight of them.

“Y-You don’t have to kneel please, it wasn’t your fault, I wasn’t strong enough to defend myself,” they looked at me before standing up, they immediately shook their heads at me.

“That wasn’t the case Crystal, that wasn’t your fault--” were all distracted by the sound of the door slamming harshly in the front.

It revealed to us Calyx who looks furious about something, “T-Thank you for saving me a while ago, I--” 

My eyes widened when he paced towards me and slammed his fist near the bedside table, “You’re smart right? So why can’t you act like one?!” he raised his voice, so all of the people inside of the infirmary became silent.

“What happened a while ago wasn't your fault, why are you blaming yourself?!” he sounded so furious right now that I wanted to close my eyes because his red eyes were glinting with anger.

“I-I wasn’t strong enough to defend my well-being, I-I tried to fight them off, but I couldn’t,” I bit my lower lip as I tried to explain things to him.

“Bullshit!” he slammed his fist once more, I couldn’t help but jump because of fright and he immediately noticed that before moving away from me.

“You should damn know who this fault was, you should damn know!” After he said those words, he left, slamming the door harshly behind his back.

My tears flowed again this time and I couldn’t help but wipe those tears away as I started crying once more.

Rayleigh came towards me and reached out towards my hand, “I’m sorry about Calyx, he was just worried about what happened to you that’s why I think he acted that way,” she explained, so I looked at her intently.

I heard David Ronin sighed while scratching the back of his head, “We haven’t been through a week of a new school year and a lot of things happened already, don’t mind Calyx,” he mumbled.

“We’re a bunch of idiots, why are we all blaming ourselves for this when Calyx thinks that this is all entirely his fault? He must have felt really bad hearing that you’re claiming it was your fault,” Razer Black added, so I clasped my hands against each other. It was shaking and I just had to hold it.

“B-But it wasn’t his fault, it was no one except for those people who tried to harass me,” I bit my lip, so they just nodded as if they understood me.

“Well, Calyx thinks differently, he’s probably thinking that if he was the one who got there, you wouldn’t be in trouble in his place,” Peter claimed this time and I couldn’t help but admire how much they know their friend.

But they’re probably right, he’s probably thinking about that kind of thing right now. I’m slowly understanding him, I think? Shaking my head, I just sighed, we missed a training today and it’s making me feel worse.

I feel scared more than usual on entering the school grounds alone, I don’t want that scenario to happen again. I have to get stronger to defend myself.

“We called your friends, so they’ll probably be here later on,” Peter added while approaching the edge of my bed, “I will make sure those students will be punished,” he assured me, so I gave him a small smile before nodding.

“T-Thank you and please don’t stress yourselves out, I’m really fine, nothing happened thanks to Calyx,” I mumbled, so they gave me a small smile but they still looked bothered at what happened.

“I didn’t know someone like you still exists, I wonder how Calyx deals with you?” David Ronin whispered to himself, so I tilted my head at him.

“I-I’m sorry what? I didn’t hear you quite well,” I honestly said, so he just shook his head before smiling at me.

“Nothing, just give Calyx some time, he’ll need more sentences and explanations from you before he’ll move on from this,” he replied, so I wondered for a moment.

“We should get going too, we have to deal with those men that are unconscious because of fright, will you be alright here?” Peter Hughes asked together with his mate on his side, so I just nodded at them.

“I’ll be fine, so go ahead and make use of your remaining time here,” I sincerely said, a thought lingered on my mind before I called out to them again, “And may I ask a favor?” I bit my lip as I raised my hands.

“Sure, what is it?” David Ronin asked, so I heaved a deep long sigh before looking at them intently.

“Please keep this from Ate Kathy or the Woods family, they’ll be worried about me and I don’t want that,” I requested, so they stared at each other for a moment.

They look like they're not approved of it, but just went along with it, “If that’s what you want, it will be granted,” Peter reassured as they all apologized once more and thanked me sincerely as they left.

I exhaled a lungful of air as I clutched my chest. It feels so tight, making it a bit troubling for me to breathe. I don’t know if I’ll be able to breathe normally until tomorrow.

The whole room inside the infirmary was silent, the only sound that I was hearing was the slow ticking of the clock and I couldn’t help but listen to the calmness that I have right now, it’s been a while since I've been alone.

It somehow felt so peaceful, why can’t my new school year be like this? What have I done wrong to make people despise me?

I flinched when the door slammed wide open and it revealed to me Jenny with worry etched among her eyes, "Crys! Oh my God," she cried as she ran towards me.

"A-Are you alright?" she smacked her head after asking me that, so I got worried for a moment. 

"I'm sorry for asking that even if I already knew a gist of what happened, of course, you're not okay," she mumbled while burying her head on my back.

"I was so worried about you," she whimpered before hugging me so tightly, "Please tell me what happened and don't burden this alone," she pleaded, so I teared up and didn't notice that Rowen and Liam were both watching us intently.

I told them everything that has happened a while ago including Calyx saving me, but Jenny seems to be not believing my explanations.

To be continued...