IVY
"What is going on here?"
Lucian's firm voice shook the classroom so much that time stopped. Within the twinkle of an eye, everyone in the classroom returned to their seats, still as if nothing had happened.
Maria and the girls also scampered to their feet, leaving me on the floor, weak and gasping for breath.
"I believe I just asked a question." Lucien's voice sounded again. He was the most mysterious of the four guys; slow to speak and observant, with eyes so piercing you'd feel they could see through you, and the stealth, eerie demeanour of a lurking ghost.
"If nobody gives us an answer, we will be forced to turn this school upside down, and no one here will escape it." That was Cassian, the nonchalant and morally gray one.
After a few more seconds, is shook his head and began to count.
"One! Two! Thr—!"
"It was Marie and the crushers." Brenda hurriedly answered, her voice quivering, her lips shaking. The guys turned to her and she continued.
"Ivy was heading to the library when Maria and the crushers showed up. She moved towards Ivy and started her and stuff saying all sorts of stuff. Soon, Maria said something about Ivy being a cum bucket and Ivy got angry and retaliated physically. The crushers pushed her to the floor and restrained her, while Maria dealt numerous punches to her face and the rest of her body."
Brenda blurted all these in one breath and added.
"Please, don't turn this school upside down, we haven't recovered from the last time. Please."
"Last time?" My eyebrows curled up in confusion. "What was that?"
"What gave you the guts Maria? What in the fuck were you thinking?"
"Oh, chill, Ronan. I just wanted to know if she's truly your sister, Ronan."
Maria tried to sound unaffected and relaxed, but there were too many cracks in the facade. Beads of sweat had formed on her forehead, her eyes were dilating restlessly in their sockets, and her breathing had become laboured. She was afraid, oh really?
"My sister?" Ronan pursued. "But you said cum bucket, how did that phrase get into the context?"
Maria shifted her gaze to the floor, her lips pressed shut.
"And who invited your goons to the party?" He pointed at the girls known as the crushers. "Not only that, how dare you lay hands on our lady?"
"Princess? Isn't she some play..."
"Finish that statement and spend the night in the grave Marie." Cassian's voice was dripping with venom. "I dare you!"
"You don't need to do that Cassian," Ezra stepped forward. "There's an even deeper grave for her to lie in."
In a flash, he peeled off the black beaded bracelet around his wrist, dropped it to the floor and smashed it under his foot.
"From this day on, you, Maria Decker, are no longer part of the Serpente Circle. Your position as princess has been revoked, so are the advantages conferred on you by the fraternity."
The class gasped so hard that I felt everyone's throat ripping. I opened my mouth, but I couldn't get any words out.
Next, Lucian stepped forward and after ripping off his bracelet and squashing it he said,
"You are no longer to wear your hair black and green, or any other colour representing the sigil of the serpent circle. The crushers group has been disbanded. You and your girls shall no longer be seen parading the halls or demanding respect from anyone. You have been relegated to the status of the lowest student in the school."
"And lastly," those words were said by Cassian.
"You are to vacate the East Wing before nightfall. Yes, you go into the dormitories, head to our quarters and pack everyone of your belongings. You are no longer one of us, and you never again will be."
"But!"
"If you fail to comply with any of these rules, your life will flash before your eyes, Maria, and you will be too weak to catch it. Don't toy with fire."
The chill that fell onto the atmosphere afterwards was more haunting than that of a cursed graveyard. As Ronan stormed towards Maria to rip off her bracelet, Lucien and Cassian pulled me to my feet while Ezra gathered my books.
"Are you okay?" Lucien questioned his voice laced with gentle concern. "Did you break any bones, do you think you're bleeding internally?"
"I'm not sure, I think my side bones are fractured." I closed my eyes and gritted my teeth against the piercing pain. "I don't think I can move my legs either my ankles are..."
"Don't worry about it, we'll get you to safety, and we're very sorry."
"It's okay Lucian." I managed a smile at him. "Thank you. But what about you, Cassian?" I turned to face him. "Aren't you sorry?"
The expression in my stepbrother's eyes was of the devil tickling the legs of a dying man. He didn't say a word; instead, he bent down and, with one giant swoop, gathered me into his arms.
"You have been saved today guys," Ronan announced to the class as we prepared to leave. "I hope this serves as a lesson to you. Know where to draw the line."
Cassian headed for the door, but Maria's loud cry stopped us all in our tracks.
"All of this is wrong, madness! You can't keep me out of the circle, you can't do this to me. I am the princess, my father..."
"We don't care how much money your father has," Ezra snapped. "We don't want you anymore."
"And who is it you want," she pointed a finger at me. "Her? I am the princess of the circle, the only lady among you, you cannot remove me. Not when you haven't found the Queen, technically it is going to be me, but what are you doing? What the f*** is this? The East Wing has been my home since I came to the school."
"Well not anymore," Cassian growled at her. "You are a bitch, and we don't fuck with bitches!"