Chapter Four: The Smirk
The bell rang and students of Grade 11A flooded into their class with their usual chaos, chatter bouncing off the walls, gum popping, chairs screeching, and TikTok dance moves being taught at the back. But all the noise came to a full stop the moment Patel stepped into the room.
The entire class froze.
Patel stood awkwardly at the door, his black eye swollen, and a dried, bloodied lip marked the corner of his mouth. A hush fell as jaws dropped and eyes widened in shock.
"Yooo… what happened to Patel?" someone whispered.
"Bro looks like he fought a lion!" another snorted.
Fred, Meyer, Spark, and Dave,the certified big boys of the class sat lazily in the middle row, surrounded by their girlfriends: Sasha, Linda, Amy, and Demi. The gang huddled together, whispering and giggling.
Spark leaned over, murmuring dramatically, "I bet he walked into a door… backwards."
Amy stifled a laugh. "Or maybe Mira finally beat him up for refusing to help her with homework."
Everyone chuckled under their breath, but Patel ignored them. Head down, shoulders tense, he trudged to his seat, carefully avoiding eye contact with everyone.
Thank God Jenny wasn't there yet.
Phew, he sighed inwardly. He didn't want her to see him like this. Not today. Not ever.
Just then, Mira stormed over.
"Patel!" she said, crouching beside his desk. "What the hell happened to you?!"
Patel waved it off coolly. "It's nothing. Just… an accident."
Mira narrowed her eyes. "What kind of accident gives you a black eye and busted lip?"
He shrugged again. "I fell."
Mira hissed. "You fell? What did you fall into? A moving bus?!"
Before he could answer, Mat, Nattie, and Sheldon walked in and saw Patel.
"Yo bro!" Mat said, rushing over. "What the heck happened to you?"
Sheldon sat down beside him. "You look like you were used as a punching bag."
Patel sighed. "Guys, it's nothing."
Nattie leaned in and whispered to Mira, "It was Trey. He asked Jenny out. She said no. Man got mad and... boom."
Mira's fists clenched. "That oversized, self-obsessed walking cologne bottle did this?!"
Patel raised his palms quickly. "Shhh! It's not a big deal. I'm fine."
Mira glared. "You call this fine? I swear on my physics textbook, if I…."
The classroom door creaked. Everyone immediately sat up straight.
It was Jenny.
She stepped in, her hair shining under the fluorescent lights, and her presence immediately elevated the entire room's mood. But the moment she spotted Patel, she froze.
Her eyes widened.
But before she could speak, Mr. Alfred, their goofy English teacher, waltzed into the class with his coffee mug and chaotic energy.
"Good morning my future millionaires! And potential jailbirds," he grinned. "Let's start today with….." He caught sight of Patel. "Whoa, Patel! What happened to your face? You try to kiss a mosquito and got punched by karma?"
The class erupted with laughter. Even Fred slammed his desk.
Patel forced a smile, "I walked into Mira's bad mood."
The class roared again, even Mira cracked a grin.
Jenny, however, just stared at Patel, her brows furrowed with concern.
---
Later That Day – Cafeteria
Patel, Mira, Sheldon, Nattie, and Mat scoured the noisy cafeteria for seats.
"There!" Mira pointed at a table occupied by some juniors.
She marched up to them, gave them a deadly stare and said, "Senior things. Move."
The juniors scrambled like ants under rain.
They sat down with their trays. Patel barely touched his food.
"You need to report Trey," Sheldon said, slicing his meat aggressively.
"Sheldon's right," Nattie added. "This is bullying. Plain and simple."
Patel shook his head. "It's fine. I'm good, honestly."
Mira was quiet, just watching Patel with a mix of affection, anger, and something else…
She shifted closer to him and examined his face gently. "Does it still hurt?"
"Nah… only when I smile."
"Then don't smile," she muttered.
Just then, Trey and his elite crew strutted into the cafeteria. His group of model-level seniors were surrounded by a handful of senior babes. Loud laughter, perfume trails, and rich-boy energy followed them like an entourage.
"They're here," Mat whispered.
Mira tensed up and began to rise.
"Mira, please," Patel whispered, grabbing her wrist. "Don't. Not again. I don't want you getting into trouble for me."
"But….."
"Please. I'm okay. I just… don't want you always fighting my battles."
She slowly sat back, still fuming.
"You're lucky," she muttered. "Very lucky."
She reached for her drink and took a long, suspiciously calm sip. Then a smirk slid across her face.
---
After School – Lockers
Patel was packing up his books, trying not to wince from his bruises.
Jenny appeared beside him.
"Hey," she said gently.
"Hey," he replied, startled.
Jenny looked at him closely. "You never told me what happened."
He gave her a sheepish smile. "I was… training to become Batman. Failed the audition."
Jenny giggled. "Well… I hope you heal soon. And be careful, okay?"
"I will."
"Bye, Patel."
"Bye…"
As she walked away, Patel sighed like someone had just touched his soul.
Mira appeared behind him.
Jenny saw her and smiled. "Hi, Mira!"
"Hey," Mira responded flatly, then turned to Patel. "You're walking me home. I need help with homework."
Patel blinked. "Uh… okay?"
Jenny waved goodbye as she stepped into an expensive SUV waiting outside. It purred before speeding off.
Patel waved.
Mira just smiled briefly.
Then, as they walked out of school together, Mira suddenly grabbed his hand.
Patel raised an eyebrow. "Uh… why are you holding my hand?"
"In case another senior tries something funny," she said dryly.
Patel chuckled. "Thanks, bodyguard."
As they passed the school parking lot, Patel spotted Trey and his friends standing beside his car… or what was left of it.
The side mirrors were gone. Tires slashed. The windshield had the words "FIND ME" scribbled in lipstick. Trey stared at the destruction, pale-faced.
"Daaaamn," said one of his friends. "Your dad's gonna murder you."
Patel froze. "Mira! What did you do?!"
Mira smiled sweetly. "You told me not to fight him."
"Yeah?"
"You didn't say anything about his car."
Patel's jaw dropped.
"MIRA!"
She just grinned and pulled him along.