My Past Life – Part 10.
Even though I had told Sarah from the beginning that she wouldn't be the only girl I would date, something strange was happening inside me. Without realizing it, I found myself wanting only her—no one else. She was slowly becoming the only person I looked forward to seeing every single day.
I didn't understand this new feeling growing inside my heart and body. It wasn't something I hated, but I didn't exactly love it either. Still, for the first time in my life, I felt… safe. Because of her, the walls I had built around myself—my anger, my hate, my coldness—were crumbling faster than I expected. Everything was going well… until he arrived.
A new student transferred to our school. His name was Joe.
Joe was the same age as me—thirteen—but that was where our similarities ended. While I had a stocky, muscular build, like Batman, Joe had the lean, athletic frame of Aquaman. Not only was his body more impressive than mine, but he was also more handsome, more confident, and even smarter than everyone in our class.
For the first time in my life, I felt fear.
It wasn't fear of him—I wasn't scared of fighting or competing. No, this fear was different. It was the fear of losing Sarah. I had never cared about anyone enough to feel this way before, but now, this strange, gnawing jealousy was eating at me.
As a new student, Joe got attention from everyone—students, teachers, even the seniors. His looks, his charm, his confidence—it was like he was from another world. Weeks passed, and at first, my fear started to fade because Sarah didn't seem interested in him. She still spent all her time with me, still smiled at me the same way. Maybe, when she said she loved me, she really meant it.
But just as I began to relax, just as we approached the second-term exams and the big end-of-term party… my problems came back.
And this time, they were worse than before.
The first day of exams was on a Monday. The air in the school was tense as students rushed out of the exam halls, relieved that the tests were finally over. I was hungry, so I headed to the food stand near the school gate to buy something to eat. The sun was high in the sky, and the chatter of students filled the air.
As I stood in line, waiting for my turn, I suddenly heard soft sobbing behind me. I turned around and saw Sarah, her eyes red and filled with tears. My heart skipped a beat. I didn't even need to ask what was wrong—my eyes quickly scanned her body, and I noticed small bruises on both of her arms. They were dark against her skin, like shadows that shouldn't be there.
"Sarah," I said, my voice low but shaking with anger. "Who did this to you?"
The fury inside me was boiling like a volcano, ready to explode. She wiped her tears and leaned closer, whispering a single name into my ear: "Joe."
That was all I needed to hear.
I didn't wait. My body moved on its own. I turned around, my eyes searching the crowd until I spotted Joe walking toward the school's backyard. Without thinking, I followed him. My hands were clenched into fists, my nails digging into my palms.
When I reached him, I didn't hesitate. "What did you do to her, Joe?" I demanded, my voice sharp like a knife.
He turned around, surprised at first, but then he smirked. He laughed, a cold, mocking sound that made my blood burn. "Oh, you mean Sarah?" he said, shaking his head. "Can you believe it? I called her over, and that little bitch had the nerve to say, 'I have a boyfriend.'"
My fingers tightened. "So what did you do after she said that, Joe?"
He shrugged, still grinning. "Oh, that? I dragged her by her arms and gave her a little kiss—whether she wanted it or not. Then I let her go."
As those words left his mouth, something inside me snapped. It wasn't just anger anymore—it was something stronger, something deeper. It was like a fire had been lit in my chest, burning away all reason.
Before I even realized what I was doing, my right fist shot forward, aiming straight for his face.
But Joe was fast. He caught my punch in mid-air, his grip strong like iron. I wasn't surprised—I had always known he was strong. But that didn't stop me.
I yanked my hand free and threw another punch, faster and harder than the first. This time, it landed perfectly—right on his jaw. His head snapped back, and he stumbled a few steps before catching his balance.
Then, slowly, he smiled.
"I guess you're the boyfriend," he said, wiping his mouth.
And that's when I knew that this fight wasn't going to end so easily.
To be continued..