Can't Breathe

As he ran, the girl's dark eyes narrowed, and she clicked her tongue in mockery, blocking  Kevin exist way. "I'm not leaving you alive, poor boy," she said, her voice dripping with malice. Kevin gulped, his fists raised in a fighting stance as he approached her. She launched herself at him, slamming him against the lockers with a thunderous impact. Kevin groaned, his head ringing, as she thrust a punch at his face. He dodged, the blow missing by mere inches, and he tried to hug her arm, elbow striking her head.

The girl grunted, and she lashed out with a flurry of right-hand punches. Kevin parried the blows, his palms deflecting the attacks as he swayed his body, ducking and weaving. He landed a series of quick jabs to her chest and body, but she blocked them, her face contorted in a pained grimace.

She shoulder-bashed him, and Kevin reeled back against the lockers. With lightning speed, she unleashed a barrage of liver jabs and hammer strikes, pummeling him relentlessly. Kevin tried to smooth his body, blocking and evading, but the girl's onslaught was relentless. She landed a backhanded kick to his chest, and he stumbled, his legs shaking.

The girl closed in, her dark eyes gleaming with a twisted delight. "Just go to sleep, and look into my beautiful brown eyes," she purred, her hands wrapping around his neck. Kevin gagged, struggling to breathe, his vision blurring. Suddenly, a blur of movement struck the girl, knocking her off him. Kevin coughed weakly, his body aching, as Ruby and her crew helped him to the waiting school bus, their voices filled with concern.

The pungent, sweat-laden odor permeated the air, assaulting Kevin's senses as Ruby urgently propelled him towards the waiting school bus. The screeching tires of the bus pierced the atmosphere, a high-pitched sound that mirrored the urgency in Red and Militia's voices as they hurriedly guided the injured boy inside.

Outside, the crunching of gravel underfoot reverberated through the air as the students from the Beacon Academy P.E. class emerged, clad in their workout attire - shorts, tank tops, and running shoes. They paused, their attention captured by the commotion, a blend of curiosity and apprehension etched on their faces.

Ruby's grip tightened on the worn leather hilt of her sword, emitting a faint creaking sound beneath her fingers. Across the parking lot, the dark-eyed girl let out a contemptuous scoff, her lips curling into a twisted smirk as she cracked her neck. "You really know how to push my buttons, hunter X," she drawled, her voice oozing with malicious intent.

Ruby's eyes narrowed, the muscles in her jaw tensing with determination. "What I do is none of your business," she retorted sharply. "But know this - you attempted to harm someone who is like family to me. And for that, you won't receive any mercy from me this time."

Taking a step closer, Ruby's boots pressed against the gravel, producing a distinct crunching sound. Her gaze intensified, her hold on the sword's hilt tightening.

"No one will be there to save you once I'm through with you," she declared, her voice dripping with a quiet yet potent intensity.

The air crackled with tension, the other students shifting uncomfortably, their gazes darting back and forth between the two adversaries. The anticipatory atmosphere hung heavy as they awaited the imminent clash, their collective breaths suspended in suspense.

The dark-eyed girl sneered, her voice laced with malevolence.

"I don't even know you, and I never will. In fact, we've been rivals since forever. So how about we put an end to it with a dagger between us?" she taunted.

Gripping the handle of her gleaming reaper, the sunlight reflecting off its metal surface, she readied herself for the impending showdown.

The tension in the air thickened, the surrounding students holding their breaths in anticipation. The two combatants locked eyes, the crackling energy between them almost tangible.

Ruby's grip on her sword tightened, her knuckles turning white. This was it—the final confrontation between her and her longstanding rival. Only one of them would emerge victorious from this clash.