POW. POW. POW.
The sound echoed in the back of Lucas' skull as his eyelids fluttered open.
His vision blurred. Blood dripped from his temple. He could barely breathe.
Lucas: "Aghh…"
He blinked. Shapes came into focus. The dim gym lights buzzed overhead. His ears rang.
Then he saw it—
Alias and Warren, both on the ground, getting brutalized by Northbridge students.
A figure stood calmly in the middle of the chaos.
Andrei, a Northbridge student clad in a green uniform with silver trim. Calm eyes. Cold smile.
He turned when he noticed Lucas waking.
Andrei: "You're up."
Lucas: (gritting his teeth) "What the hell are you doing?"
Andrei: "Teaching a lesson."
Alias spat blood. Warren cursed through gritted teeth.
Lucas: "Stop it! Please!"
Andrei raised his hand. The beatings paused.
Andrei: "Good. I'd like to propose something."
Lucas coughed and tried to stand. His legs trembled.
Lucas: "Screw your proposal."
Andrei: (smirking) "Hmm."
He nodded. The beatings resumed.
Lucas: "No! Wait—WAIT!"
Andrei: "Then listen."
Lucas looked at his friends—bruised, bleeding, barely conscious.
Andrei: "Join us. Join Northbridge College. You're strong. I've seen you fight. You're smart. You can have more than this broken school."
Lucas: (shaking) "You're insane."
Warren: (shouting through pain) "Don't do it, Lucas! Don't you fucking do it!"
Northbridge Goon: "Shut your mouth."
Andrei: "This place has no future. Come with me, and I'll secure you one. You don't belong here anymore."
Lucas looked at Alias, then at Warren… then back at Andrei.
His fists trembled. His jaw clenched.
Andrei: "Well?"
Suddenly, Warren pushed himself up, stumbling toward Andrei.
Warren: "YOU—FUCKING—BASTARD—"
WHAM!
Andrei's fist crashed into Warren's face. Warren dropped. Unmoving.
Andrei knelt down and hit him again. And again.
Lucas: (desperate) "OKAY! I'll do it! JUST STOP!"
Everything froze.
Andrei stood. Smiling.
Andrei: "Good choice."
He raised his hand again. The Northbridge students dragged Alias and Warren to the exit, tossing them out onto the street like trash.
⸻
Later That Night — Maeve's Apartment
KNOCK KNOCK
The door swung open.
Maeve: "What the hell—!?"
Alias and Warren stood there—barely. Their faces swollen, their clothes bloodied.
Alias: (weakly) "Long story. Can we come in?"
Maeve rushed them inside and began tending to their wounds, cursing under her breath.
Maeve: "Lucas joined them?"
Alias: "Yeah."
Warren: "Fucking traitor…"
Alias: (quietly) "He didn't have a choice."
Maeve: (after a pause) "We'll get him back. But for now, you two need to rest."
⸻
Days Passed — East University Dorms
East University was eerily quiet. Rumors flew. No sign of Lucas. No fights. Just tension.
Maeve: "Any news?"
Alias: (shaking his head) "Nothing. It's like he vanished."
Warren: "Then let's find him. Go to his house, talk to his mom—anything."
SLAM.
The classroom door burst open. A breathless student yelled:
Student: "LUCAS IS HERE! HE'S BACK!"
Alias and Warren shot up. Maeve followed without a word.
They ran down the hall—
And there he was.
Lucas.
Wearing a clean green Northbridge uniform. Hair slicked back. Demeanor colder. Eyes sharper.
No emotion. Just purpose.
Warren: "Lucas… What happened to you?"
Lucas looked at them.
Then he said, without hesitation:
Lucas: "From now on… East University belongs to Northbridge College."
Silence fell.
Shock turned to disbelief. Disbelief into rage.
But Lucas had already turned his back.
He walked away.
And East University would never be the same again.
⸻
End of Chapter 15