20 Bonfire II

My eyes flickered as they moved around Claire, searching for any sign of the Jock. He wasn't around.

My eyes eventually settled on Claire again and I watched her closely, ignoring the nagging feeling that was telling me to go and talk to her.

Jackie, who was also wearing her cheerleading uniform with a pair of white running shoes covering her feet, her straight blonde hair set loose, walked toward Claire majestically with that annoying smirk on her face.

Claire turned to face her and they started chatting. I couldn't hear what they were talking about but judging by the light frown on Claire's face and Jackie's body language, one of her arms holding her waist, I could acutely tell whatever they were talking about wasn't necessarily pleasant, at least for Claire.

Their friendship was on rocky ground, if it wasn't already broken, just like in the show and a part of me was relieved.

Jackie was one toxic bitch of a person, despite how hard she normally tried to hide it, and Claire didn't need someone like her in her life right now. It wasn't my place to decide nor was I judging. That was the pure unadulterated truth...

"You really care for her don't you?" A small gloomy voice sounded behind me. I turned to face the owner of the voice sharply, a little spooked. I didn't even hear the person's footsteps...

The person was a girl. A fairly tall girl with straight blonde hair that rested on her shoulders, dull brown eyes lying underneath straight brown eyebrows, a round smooth face, a cute nose, and thin pink lips.

She was clothed in a cotton blue sweater that extended to her waist, dark brown skinny jeans that brought out her lithe physique, and black sneakers. She was beautiful but she had a stoic grim look on her face that made her unapproachable.

"...It depends. Who's asking?" I folded my arms on my chest and asked calmly, my eyebrows furrowed in suspicion.

"It doesn't matter who I am. What's important right now is that you need to protect Claire." She shook her head and said seriously, her face still stoic but I caught her eyes flashing with regret.

My eyes squinted at her words. Protect Claire from who? Was she an evolved human? A time traveler? Who the hell was she?

"I'm going to need a little more than that," I stated seriously, my body shifting and tensing in a way that would make me react if she decided to do something funny.

I was getting a weird vibe from her and in this universe, weird could be anything from creating miniature black holes or even infecting me with a colorless poisonous gas.

She stared into my eyes calmly for a while and then sighed helplessly, her sigh almost like a whisper.

"...How much do you know about Brody Mitchem and...what he does in his spare time." She questioned, pursing her lips and I could detect the repulsion and anger in her voice and eyes.

Noticing all this, my eyes widened slightly in surprise and immediately, I calmed down since I had an idea of what her deal was. She was one of his victims...

"Enough to make me hate his guts," I told her seriously, my tone soft as I looked at her with sympathy and she noticed.

I didn't know how to reach around a rape victim without upsetting her so I just held whatever apologies wanted to flow out of my mouth and focused on her and what she was going to say.

"That's good. Then you know she's in danger. Brody is a sick scumbag who throws his weight around and uses his influence to do whatever he wants with no repercussions because even if someone accuses him of anything, no one would believe," She paused, her voice filled with sadness as she grasped her right forearm with her left hand.

"I'm very certain Claire's his next target, I've seen the way he acts around her. As her friend, you can't let that happen. You can't let her go through what h-h-he made me go through, he'll ruin her life..." She stuttered as she finished, her body trembling a little as her fingers tightened around her arm, her brown eyes as firm even as they started watering.

Looking at how vulnerable and pitiful she was, anger started raging in my heart like a volcano and my fists shook as they bawled into fists.

I could only imagine how bright and cheerful this girl was, how happy and pure her life was before Brody tore everything down and reduced her to a shell of what she once was.

Judging by her looks alone and her figure, she must've been a cheerleader, one who was just as naive and clueless as the rest of them to the darkness of the real world.

I could feel her depression from where I was standing, and I wasn't even an empath. The guy was a menace and he had to go, one way or the other...

A series of loud popping sounds, like firecrackers setting off, reverberated all over, making those around howl in excitement.

I quickly turned back to face the bonfire where the miniature explosions were coming from and saw the head of the effigy blown off with grey smoke billowing from the hole.

My eyes darted all around the blazing bonfire for Claire but there was no sign of her, not even Jackie. I suddenly had a bad feeling...

"Fuck where did she go?" I turned and took two steps forward to look around, my teeth gritted as the negative premonition intensified.

Did Brody take her somewhere while I was distracted? Shit, this was bad.

The girl I was talking to came to my side and also turned her body to look around her, her stoic face falling into a deep frown, her droopy eyes squinted.

I clicked my teeth, my body shifting to all sides as my eyes scanned the whole place like a hawk until I saw Jackie standing with a group of cheerleading girls on my right, next to a truck.

I immediately dashed towards her, pushing away anyone in my way, ignoring their screams of protest until I arrived in front of her and her gang.

"Xander, ho——"

"Jackie, where is Claire?" I cut her off and asked hurriedly in a no-nonsense tone.

Surprised, she closed her open mouth and her face fell into a frown, looking at me like I'd offended while the girls near her flashed me weird looks.

"First of all, that was rude. Try learning your manners," She said arrogantly, almost rolling her eyes. "Secondly, your little girlfriend just took off with Brody to who knows where. If you wanted a shot at something tonight, I'm afraid you've missed your chance." She smirked.

Fuck, Brody was with her? I had to find her fast...

"You know, you're cute and all that but I guess Claire just likes them b——"

"Shut the fuck up, Jackie," I growled and without waiting to see her reaction or reply, I turned around and quickly ran to a spot around me.

As I ran, I caught sight of the girl following me but I didn't slow down and the moment I reached the place, behind one of the old bleachers, I called upon my power and flew upwards the second everything became colorless.

Still flying up, I stopped and hovered at a height that made the whole place, from the woods outside to even the main building come into view.

My eyes caught sight of Claire and Brody. They were standing behind the fence, right in front of a moss-covered grey bleacher.

Squinting my eyes, I vaguely saw Brody punching Claire to the ground and then proceeding to kneel on top of her as she struggled and squirmed underneath him.

I couldn't hear anything from where I was but I knew she was screaming, shouting for help.

"Fucking bastard!" I cursed angrily, my jaw shaking, and I shot through the air toward them like a speeding bullet, calling on every ounce of my power.

"Somebody help! Anybody!" Claire shrieked in terror, her eyes watering, her legs spread in an 'M' shape thrashing across the grassy ground as I arrived near them.

"Shssh, Claire no one's gonna hear you out here. Just shut your trap and let's both enjoy this." Brody whispered with a menacing smile, as he continued forcing his weight on her, his hands snaking across her exposed thighs to her skirt.

Canceling my power, I swiftly grabbed his shoulder and pulled him back, my left hand clenched tightly into a fist as Claire's piercing scream echoed through the eerily quiet surroundings.

"What the—" His head turned towards me, eyes widening in shock, but before he could react, I delivered a forceful blow to the side of his face with all my might.

He toppled to the side, falling off Claire with a muffled thud. Ignoring the lightning-like pain shooting through my knuckles, I positioned myself on top of him, raising my fists again as a surge of rage coursed through my body, filling me with strength.

"Wait—" He reached out a hand to push me away, while the other atte mpted to block or stop me, but his words faded into the background as my mind blocked them out, and my fist descended upon his nose like a boulder.

A loud bang reverberated as his nose broke under the impact, sending his head jerking backward, blood spraying from his nostrils, some staining my fist.

The sight of blood triggered a familiar, ominous chill that enveloped my body. As my rage multiplied, an unsettling calm washed over me, fueling my assault.

I continued pummeling his face, using my right hand to pin down his other hand while my left hand unleashed unrestrained punches upon his battered visage.

Blows landed on his nose, his mouth, and his forehead, each strike accompanied by a sickening crunch, causing more blood to spill from his nose, staining my knuckles, his lips dripping with crimson, his eyes growing hazy.

Summoning whatever strength he had left, he attempted to push me away, almost succeeding, but I locked my legs around him, preventing his escape.

Joining my fingers together, I formed a solid grip, raising my hands high before bringing them down forcefully on his forehead.

His resistance ceased immediately, his head resting on the ground, the lower half of his face drenched in blood. Undeterred by the searing pain coursing through my body, I continued to hammer him with the same ferocity.

Sounds ceased to exist around me—the crashing of my fists against his face, and moans he may have uttered, all fading into oblivion, drowned out by my relentless assault and overwhelming fury.

My entire focus was fixated on inflicting suffering upon him, exacting revenge for his attempt to rape Claire, for the potential trauma he could have inflicted upon her.

I had spiraled into a state of complete loss of control, aware that if I didn't stop, I would beat him to death. But I simply couldn't... No, I didn't want to stop...

As I raised my bloodied fist, a soft, warm body pressed against my back, arms wrapping around my waist. A familiar scent wafted into my nostrils...

"...Xander, please stop. You're going to kill him," Claire sobbed, her trembling arms encircling me.

Her pitiful, powerless voice resonated within me, jolting me back to reality, draining every ounce of strength from my body.

I gazed down at Brody and saw a grotesque mess where his once handsome face had been, blood saturating the lower half, trickling down his cheeks, painting the grass crimson.

He weakly moaned, his eyes alternating between open and closed. Utterly feeble and defenseless, unlike when he was assaulting Claire.

"Oh my God, Claire, are you alright!?" My eyes widened, and I swiftly turned my body to face her.

Her beautiful face bore bruises, but they were already beginning to heal. Tear tracks streaked her reddened grey eyes as she gazed back at me, overcome by sorrow.

"...No, no..." Her voice choked with tears, and she shifted her body to rest her chin on my shoulder, her grip around me tightening. "...I'm sorry, Xander. I'm so sorry."

Her cries grew louder, tears streaming down her face, soaking parts of my hoodie. I sighed, wrapping my arms around her as well, soothingly patting her back.

"...It's okay, Claire. It's okay. Let it all out..."