Chapter 77: What’s Up With Mia?
The group is very happy to go to the cafeteria by the time the lunch bell rings. Wednesdays are always hard because of sport science, because sometimes the professor makes them do physical activities like running or jumping jacks.
Safe to say, the group is very hungry today.
Nyra, Julian, Lena, Leah, and Naya have claimed their usual table beneath the large oak tree overlooking the academy courtyard. Around them, students chatter excitedly, the latest gossip still revolving either around Anna’s scandal or some other dating scandals.
Julian, the only guy in the group, lazily texts his boyfriend, not engaging, while Leah complains about the amount of homework the sport science professor assigned on top of all the physical work they’ve been doing the last hour.
"I swear Professor Harris wakes up every morning asking himself how he can ruin our lives."
"He doesn’t need to ask," Naya mutters. "He dreams about it, and then executes it the next day, I’m sure."
Nyra laughs quietly, shaking her head. For the first time since the Anna drama, everything feels... calm.
It’s completely peaceful. Almost, that is, until a set of footsteps break through the peaceful atmosphere.
A first-year junior girl comes sprinting toward them, completely out of breath.
"Nyra!" she gasps. "Please... you’ve got to help! I don’t know who else to meet, please."
Everyone immediately looks up. "What happened?" Nyra asks, already standing.
"It’s Mia!" the girl pants. "Anna’s old group cornered her behind the east wing! They’re dragging her around, they said they’re going to beat her for hanging out with you!"
Naya groans loudly. "Oh, come on! Does trouble literally have your address now?"
Despite complaining, she is already on her feet, throwing the empty pack of Chinese noodles into the waste bin.
"We should help!" Nyra pleads with them, and Julian also agrees, pocketing his phone.
"Yes, let’s go."
The entire group breaks into a run.
By the time they reach the back of the east building, a small crowd has already gathered as usual.
In the middle of them, a group of five other girls have Mia trapped between them. There’s tears in her eyes as one of them yanks her hair so hard she nearly falls to her knees.
"You think you’re too good for us now?" another girl sneers. "Hanging out with her now, you little snake!"
Nyra facepalms herself, watching the scene. "They are acting so childish."
Julian, on the other hand, doesn’t waste a second. "What the hell do you think you’re doing?"
His Alpha voice cuts through the fight, and the crowd instinctively makes space for them to pass through.
Before any of the girls can say a word, he grabs one by the wrist and throws her backward while ripping the other away from Mia.
She stumbles several feet before barely managing to keep her balance. "What the hell? Mind your business!"
"You’re all acting like children!" Julian steps between them and Mia, his expression dark enough to make them reluctant to attack again. "How can you fight someone because she doesn’t want to be your friend anymore?"
"Because she’s a little snake!" One of them, a brunette, tries to bypass him and hit her again, but Nyra pushes her hand away.
"I can’t believe you all turned against your friend like this."
"She betrayed us first!" The girl snaps, glaring daggers at Mia, who’s currently hiding behind Julian.
"Enough!" Julian barks, releasing his pheromones, forcing the Omega girl to take a few steps back. "If I see any of you near her again, I’ll beat you myself."
The girls stop trying to grab her again, though they still seem very angry. It is obvious that without Anna leading them, none of them seem nearly as confident as before.
Leah steps beside him, folding her arms. "Honestly, are you all brainless? Fighting over someone who’s not even here anymore is the height of stupidity."
"Shut up!" One of them snaps.
"No, you shut up." Lena cuts in, pointing angrily at the girl.
They look like they’re about to fight again, so Nyra steps between her friends. "Enough, let’s just go. We’ve already helped her. Don’t waste your time talking to them."
She helps Mia, holding her up while Leah helps from the other side. Julian and Lena keep the girls away while they take her away from the crowd.
The moment they are away from the crowd, Mia starts crying and trembling uncontrollably.
"Thank you. Thank you for saving me."
"It’s okay, Mia." Nyra coos gently. "They’re gone. They won’t come near you again."
Several minutes later, Mia sits on one of the infirmary beds while the school nurse gently cleans the scratches on her arms.
Once the nurse leaves, Mia suddenly begins crying again.
"I’m sorry," she whispers between sobs. "I keep causing problems for you."
Nyra hands her another tissue. "It’s not your fault. It’s those girls that should be blamed."
Mia wipes her eyes. "I don’t understand why after everything I did to you, you’re still helping me."
"Because she’s too nice for her own good sometimes." Naya cuts in from behind them, offering her a bottle of water. "Here, drink this and stop crying."
"Thank you. You’re also very kind, thank you for helping me." She smiles, taking the bottle.
Eventually, they all make their way back to their table after Mia is properly cleaned up.
Naya had... surprisingly invited her to join them for lunch, and no one had any objections. Especially not after what her old friends did to her.
--
The bell finally rings for Training Practice.
By the time the group of six reach the field, it is already crowded with students clad in their training gear.
Nyra stands in the center of the field, tightening the gloves around her hands. Somehow, she had ended up in combat training again.
Her friends had teased her that it was because she was mated to a combat champion.
This time around, the instructor made the pairs the same gender and secondary for the combat practice.
And by some crazy arrangement, the person across from her is Claire. Somehow Nyra isn’t even sad because of the arrangement, she really wants to beat Claire up today.
Unknown to them, after what happened with Thomas, Adrian had been teaching her a few fighting and defense tricks at home.
Now, she doesn’t need anyone to fight for her. She is going to beat Claire up fair and square.
Claire, however, is smirking, also seemingly happy with the pairing too.
And as they circle each other, she keeps insulting Nyra.
"...you keep acting so special because Adrian chose you. But the truth is, you’ll always be Anna’s replacement."
Nyra just smiles, the words don’t hurt her that much anymore. "Are we fighting or are you just here to talk?"
Claire frowns. "You want to fight? Fine, let’s fight!"
The instructor raises his hand. "Begin."
The second his hand drops, Claire lunges. She moves quickly, aiming for Nyra’s shoulder, but Nyra is faster.
She steps aside at the last second, grabbing Claire’s arm and using her momentum against her.
Claire hits the mat hard.
Lena, Naya, and Leah cheer as Nyra tries to pin her down. But unfortunately, Claire manages to stand up quickly.
Angry at the embarrassment, she tries to throw a punch toward Nyra’s face, but Nyra blocks it. Using the skills Adrian taught her, she twists her wrist and sweeps her to the ground again.
Claire’s frustration is palpable now. What’s worse is the other students all seem to be rooting for Nyra to win.
Fine, they want Nyra to win? Let her see if she really has the guts to fight instead of just ducking and tripping her.
She tries to attack her legs this time, but Nyra elbows her back, the pain forcing her to release her legs. Then punches her nose so hard blood trickles from it.
Her friends and other students all cheer from the back.
And for a moment, it looks like Nyra is going to win, but then Claire does something unexpected.
As Nyra steps forward to deliver the final punch, Claire uses the side opening and slams the heel of her leg into her so hard that Nyra stumbles back.
She has kicked her not just anywhere... but her stomach.
Nyra rolls on the sand, clutching her stomach tight, unable to stand. It hurts so damn much, and it feels like she can’t breathe.
The instructor, noticing, quickly steps between them. "That’s enough! The next pair, come up now!"
Claire smiles smugly as Nyra’s friends rush into the ring to take her to the infirmary.
She has won this time.
---
Mia rushes in to sit beside Nyra, while her friends talk to the nurse. "Are you okay? She asks"
Nyra gives a weak smile. "I’m fine, Mia."
"You don’t look fine." Mia frowns. "You sure you don’t want to go to a real hospital?"
"I’m sure, Mia." Nyra huffs. "You’re already starting to sound like all my other friends."
Mia opens her mouth to retort when the door opens again, and this time her friends come in.
"How are you feeling?" Lena asks first. "The nurse gave us painkillers."
"Where is Lena?"
"She’s watching our bags." Naya responds, collecting water from the infirmary dispenser. "Please take the drugs first. We need to leave soon."
Nyra frowns. "Why?"
"Pack Training. We’ve not gone in yet, we’ll lose marks. Lena says the instructor refused to let us pass for today."
"We are so sorry." Leah adds guiltily, watching Nyra swallow the painkillers. "Is it okay if Mia stays with you for now? Julian is on his way."
Nyra waves them off. "It’s okay. Yeah, I can just stay with her."
Mia nods quickly. "Yes, just go. I’ll take care of her, I promise."
The two girls exchange hesitant looks, another round of apologies before they quietly leave.
---
Almost forty minutes later, Julian finally arrives at the infirmary. He pushes the door open, holding a small basket of fruits.
"Nyra? I’m here, how are you-"
His smile disappears when he finds the room completely quiet and empty. What’s worse is her phone is still here.
I thought they said she was in too much pain to move? He thinks, grabbing his phone and calling Leah.
"Where is she? She’s not here."
"What do you mean where is she?" Leah sounds confused. "Julian, she’s injured, she could barely stand. Where would she go?"
"I’m telling you Nyra is not here." He runs a hand through his hair. "Her things are here. But her and Mia are completely gone."