The bully's redemption

Xavier's expression was unreadable, his gaze fixed on her with an intensity that made her blood run cold. It wasn't anger, but it wasn't pity either—it was something she couldn't quite pin down, and that unsettled her more than anything. Beside him, Damon's usual carefree smirk faltered as he stole a glance between Kamsi and Xavier.

The noise around her swelled, pressing against her ears like a wave about to crash. They know. They've seen it. Everyone has.

She couldn't take it.

Kamsi spun on her heel and bolted. Voices blurred behind her, faces streaking past in flashes of color and movement. Her breath came in shallow bursts as she darted into the first empty classroom she found. The door thudded shut behind her, sealing her in silence.

She leaned against it, her back sliding down the wood until she crumpled onto the cold floor. Her chest heaved as she buried her face against her knees. The video replayed behind her closed eyes, looping like a cruel, inescapable joke.

How could she face anyone now?

Her phone buzzed again in her pocket, but she couldn't bring herself to look. The laughter outside the door seemed to echo in her ears, distant yet haunting.

But beneath the flood of shame and panic, a spark flickered. Small. Barely there.

Who did this?

Kamsi lifted her head, her breaths uneven but quieter now. Her trembling fingers clenched into fists as a single thought pulsed through her mind—cold and clear, cutting through the noise.

I'll find out.

She paced the empty classroom, her mind a whirlwind of thoughts. What am I going to do? How will I face him? Should I transfer? Her hands wrung together, the anxiety bubbling up in her chest. Maybe I'll change my name... Valerie...,Val... I've always liked the sound of that.

A deep baritone voice broke into her spiraling thoughts. "I doubt that suits you."

Kamsi spun around, her heart leaping into her throat. Alexander sat with his head resting on the desk.

Raising his head to look at her he said,"Kali," he teased, a smirk playing at the corners of his lips. "That would suit you much better."

"What the...?" Kamsi's breath caught in her throat, her hand instinctively clutching her chest. Why is he here?

"What are you doing here?" Her voice was shaky, betraying her nerves.

Alexander's lips quirked upward in that infuriatingly enigmatic smile. "Enjoying the peace... until you arrived," he said, getting up room where he once sat.

Kamsi's gaze dropped to the chair beside the desk, a shadow now looming from the backseat where Alexander had been hidden from view. Her mind started to piece things together. You heard me... Saw the video.

She felt heat rush to her face. Her embarrassment was suffocating. "I'm sorry," she mumbled, her voice barely a whisper.

Alexander let out a soft hum, acknowledging her apology without judgment. He approached the door, his fingers brushing the frame as he paused to glance back at her.

"Should you strike a flint and spark a flame that burns so fiercely, do you fan it... or let it die?" He paused, letting the words hang in the air. "Absence feeds the fire, Kamsi. It either smothers the small, or it ignites something greater."

Kamsi's brows furrowed in confusion, her head spinning. What is he talking about? The intensity in his eyes unsettled her even more.

She took a step forward, her voice small but full of curiosity. "Xavier?"

Alexander's lips curled into a cryptic smile, one that sent a chill down her spine. "You've stirred something. A spark, yes. But sparks can grow into something... more."

Without waiting for her to respond, he turned toward the door. Kamsi's heart thudded painfully in her chest as she watched him leave, her thoughts a jumble of confusion and panic.

Once he was gone, she leaned against the door, breathing heavily, trying to make sense of it all. What did he mean?

Her gaze drifted to the window, but all she could see were fragments of her own scattered thoughts. A falme... Xavier... Could it beHer hands trembled as she pressed them to her face. Can I face this ? Cab I handle whatever I have started?

The sound of her own heartbeat seemed louder than ever, each thud matching the relentless rhythm of her inner turmoil.

---

Kamsi pushed through the crowd, her heart slamming against her ribs. The scene before her made her stomach churn—Jimmy, slumped and bloodied, Xavier hovering above him like a shadow of death. It wasn't just anger. It was something darker. Primal.

Her feet moved before her mind caught up.

"Xavier!"

He didn't hear her. His fists kept coming. Jimmy's face was barely recognizable now, blood smeared across his skin, pooling on the floor.

"Xavier, stop!" Kamsi's voice cracked, louder this time, ringing through the hallway.

The fist Xavier had drawn back froze mid-air. He blinked as if surfacing from deep water, his breath ragged, shoulders rising and falling. Slowly, he turned his head toward her.

Kamsi stood there, her face pale but resolute. Her wide eyes searched his, and for a fleeting moment, something shifted in Xavier's expression—recognition. Shame, maybe.

"Please," she whispered.

Xavier's fingers loosened. Jimmy crumpled to the floor, unmoving. Xavier rose to his full height, his fists still trembling at his sides. His knuckles were raw, blood streaking down his skin.

The crowd held its breath as Xavier turned to Kamsi. Without a word, he grabbed her wrist—gently, but firm enough to pull her away. The hallway parted like a sea, murmurs rising in his wake.

"Xavier—stop pulling me!" Kamsi snapped, trying to tug free.

He didn't let go until they were outside, away from prying eyes. The cool air hit Kamsi's face like a slap, but it did little to calm her pounding heart.

She yanked her wrist free, her voice trembling with anger. "What the hell was that, Xavier? You almost killed him!"

Xavier's expression was unreadable, a mask of indifference slipping back into place. "He deserved it."

"Deserved it?" Kamsi's voice rose. "You think that justifies—" She stopped herself, her throat tight. "You're exactly what they say."

Xavier's jaw ticked, but his face remained impassive. "What do they say?"

Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears. "That you're a monster."

For a split second, something flickered in his gaze—pain, maybe. Then it was gone, replaced by cold detachment. He stepped closer, his voice low, almost a growl.

"You don't know a damn thing about me."

The words sliced through her like ice. Before she could respond, Xavier turned and walked away, his figure disappearing into the distance.

Kamsi watched him go, her shoulders slumping as the adrenaline faded. The tears she'd fought so hard to hold back slipped free, one trailing down her cheek.

The crowd was gone now. The silence left in its wake was almost deafening.