"Isn't that ball too old? It'll stick to his head and you won't be able to kick it properly. Here, take this new one."
"Did you see that, Austin? How much we care about you? Yet, you break our heart by running out of the cafeteria."
"Oh, don't bring that up anymore. Recalling he actually did that makes me feel like bawling. Hurry up and kick so I can come relieve my sadness too."
"Did you close your eyes? Don't do that—I almost missed just now!"
"Hey, it seems he's moving. Hold him down so I can kick the ball properly."
Zoey arrived at the scene just in time and frowned.
A small group of delinquents from the cafeteria had gathered here.
About three stood with Austin—one pressing down on him, another standing behind, preparing to kick, while the last balanced the ball on his face.
Behind them, leaning against the wall, were three others on their phones.
Though they hadn't dyed their hair or worn leather jackets like she heard those in the cafeteria murmur about their leader, the makeup on the girls' faces and the accessorized zippers the boys had added to their trousers were enough to show who they were.
Students from their school, recognized them from a distance and practically ran as they passed by.
Zoey reached into her pocket, pulled out a piece of paper, and tossed it at the one preparing to kick.
She successfully grabbed his attention—and gasped, feigning surprise when he turned to look at her.
"My bad. I mistook you for a trash can. Given how I couldn't recognize you were trash too, my eyesight must be getting worse."
The boy, who was about to scare her off, immediately frowned at the backhanded insult.
"What did you just say to me?"
Austin raised his eyes from the ground, and they trembled hard at the sight of Zoey casually walking up to them.
"What are you doing? Run away!"
Hearing him, the boys exchanged amused glances and laughed, immediately lowering their guard against her.
"Eh? What's this? Austin-boy, there's no way you got a girlfriend before me, is there?"
"My, my! And she's a pretty one. Which school do you go to? I don't think I've seen you around."
The third person pulled him up, holding him in a chokehold as he huffed, "You naughty boy! Taking such a beauty for yourself when you could've shared? When you get greedy and keep such good things to yourself, your friends naturally feel bad. Don't you know that?"
"Forget about that loser." One of the other two boys gently waved him aside, flashing Zoey a playful smile, "Pretty girl, what's your name and how did you meet this loser?"
Zoey slipped both hands into her pocket, her brows perking up slightly, "Isn't this bullying?"
"What do you mean, bullying? Your boyfriend and I are good acquaintances. Don't tell me he tell you otherwise?" The boy speaking to her scoffed and narrowed his eyes at Austin.
Austin panicked, realizing how blunt Zoey was.
After all, this same girl had seen him trying to end his life and the first thing she asked for were his organs so she could enrich her pocket and buy a yacht.
He had just raised his head to signal for her not to say anything when he saw her nodding.
"You're quite shameless. You beat him up today, bruised the side of his lip and his eye, yet you ask if you're bullying him? What do you take me for?"
The boys glanced at each other again, their lips lifting in mockery.
The one with his arm around Austin's neck tightened his grip on it as he laughed, "Woah, your girlfriend's got quite a mouth on her."
The other two grimaced, look on her over.
"Look at her talk—one might think she's capable enough to teach us a lesson about you."
"But seriously, how could you go badmouthing us to her? And you didn't even teach her any manners."
The other kids at the back looked up at this moment and beamed, joining in.
"No, I think it's kind of cute. She must've come here to get beat up with you, eh?"
"I've always been a lover girl, so I'll allow it just this one time. You better be grateful and thank us real good when we're done with you, okay?"
"Sheila, boss doesn't like it when we 'befriend' women. Why don't you handle her instead? We'll be here to back you up!"
Sheila Stratton, the only girl in the group, stepped forward, grinning widely as she sized Zoey up with her eyes.
Her pink and long, braided hair twirled in the air as she spurned, throwing a back kick at Zoey.
Zoey stepped backward, barely missing it, and frowned.
What? These delinquents knew how to fight?
What happened to aimlessly throwing punches and hoping one hits her?
She was still questioning herself when another kick flew toward her. This time, she grabbed and swung it around for a few seconds before suddenly letting go.
Sheila Stratton flew out of her grip, hitting the ground a distance away with a thud.
Dizzy from being spun and from the blow to her head, she fell unconscious immediately.
The others, who hadn't taken the whole thing seriously until now, frowned, the smiles on their faces vanishing.
Austin's eyes lit up.
Yeah, that's right.
That move she taught him this morning—there was no way it came from nowhere.
She was confident and ran her mouth off. Surely, she didn't rely on her pretty face to get out of situations like this and had a few tricks up her sleeves, right?
"Damn it, I didn't know this bitch had some moves up her sleeve."
One of the boys bent toward Sheila, eyes fixed on Zoey as he felt her neck for a pulse.
Hiding the relief in his voice when he found it, he glared hard at Zoey.
"You're lucky she's still breathing. Otherwise, I would've beaten you until you become unrecognizable!"
The other boys instantly hissed.
"Would've? Boy, shut up! This bitch laid a hand on Sheila—I'll be damned if I don't send her out of here unrecognizable!"
Then, like vultures, all five boys circled her.