Godfire: The Split Soul-Chapter 156: First Day, First Fight

Kai turned his gaze from Tessa, locking his eyes on the lit screen of the board, then listened.

By the time the professor dismissed them, Tessa stood by Kai’s desk, her face shimmering with something unplaceable.

"Where do you stay, Kai?" she asked, leaning on the desk, the upper part of her chest catching the light, igniting sparks in Kai’s eyes.

No. I should be thinking like this right now. I just got to know her name.

Thoughts screamed in his mind as he forcefully drifted his gaze from her chest onto Tessa’s face.

"I stay with my aunt in the nurse’s estate."

"The nurse’s estate?" Tessa spoke loudly, her eyes widening.

The broad-shouldered boy sitting at the left side of the classroom stood up and walked toward Tessa.

"Hey, hoe," a boy with marks streaking across his face said in a voice that made the desk creak. "Lower your voice."

Without mentioning his name, Kai stood up from his seat, moved two steps closer to Tessa, then stretched his arm forward. "She means no harm."

"WHOOOOOA!" the other three broad-shouldered boys and four skinny ones laughed uncontrollably, pointing at Kai’s boldness.

"OOOkay," the broad-shouldered boy said, tilting his head toward his colleagues and winking at them.

In a blur, he slapped Kai on the left cheek.

SLAM.

Tessa’s eyes widened, her face turning pale. "I’m sorry." She crouched down, wrapping her arms around Hei Long’s right arm, begging.

Kai squinted at the boy, then brushed his palms over his reddened cheek. Who the hell does he think he is?

His thoughts screamed at him to retaliate, but he maintained his composure.

Hei Long threw sharp eyes at Kai, then stepped back, laughing.

"Please, I’m sorry. I caused this for you." Tessa said, taking the blame on herself and lowering herself, about to kneel.

"Don’t worry," Kai stated, grabbing her and straightening her up. "It’s not your fault. Never say it’s your fault."

After a while, another guy moved from Hei Long’s group and intercepted Kai mid-step. "Hey, new boy, what’s your name?"

Kai smiled, blinked at him, then pointed at the ID card wrapped around his neck.

"Who the hell do you think you are, ordering me to look at your name rather than saying it yourself?" The fair-skinned guy raised a hand, almost as if to deliver another slap to the same cheek.

"HEY, Tian Mo!" a loud voice cut through, followed by heavy footsteps.

From the other side of the room, a black-skinned man, his face tense, entered. "Why do you guys always want to use your strength to bully others?" he said, pushing Tian Mo backward.

"Who is Yung Chin K?" the black-skinned man asked, sweeping his gaze through the few crowded students.

Tian Mo, Hei Long, and the others on the left side pointed a finger at the boy standing next to Tessa.

The man stared at the boy as if he were dirt. "Come with me," he stated, then walked out of the room without glancing back.

"I’m sorry, Kai," Tessa said, sadness consuming her. "I’ve put you in trouble on your first day at school. I am so sorry." She clasped her palms together, pleading.

Why is she behaving this way? She didn’t do anything. Or is she always bullied by those weak boys who use their physical size to scare others?

Kai laughed in his thoughts. He placed a hand on Tessa’s shoulder. "Don’t worry. I will be back."

Kai exited the room and met the man leaning by the side of the door.

"Aha, I’m Shen Hu Black." The man said, stretching his arm forward for a handshake.

Why is he wanting to shake my hand?

Kai hesitated for a moment, then grabbed the man’s arm. At that instant, a roaring vibration ran through Kai’s bones, his eyes widening.

The fluorescent lights in the classroom and the hallways flickered violently, casting jagged shadows across the walls.

Kai’s vision blurred for a heartbeat when the air hummed as if it was resonating with an invisible force.

’Whoa! Who is he?’ Sweat traced down Kai’s cheeks as the red aura around Black pulsed like wild fire.

"I’m a friend of your sister, Jinx."

The tense emotion vanished, yet the roaring vibration lancing through Kai didn’t fade.

Kai stood silent for hours, listening to the rules and regulations the man recited. Yet in his mind, he focused on the vibration and the red aura around the man.

"It’s almost late. Your friend may be waiting for you," Black stated, tapping Kai on the shoulder, then letting go.

Kai saw Tessa sitting in her seat as if her world had ended, then walked toward her. "Hey, Tessa, I’m heading home. Care to walk with me and show me around?"

Tessa’s face shimmered with a smile as she stood up abruptly.

A short laugh cut through the air from the left side of the room. "Enjoy the little time you have, rat," Hei Long said, moving a death signal around his neck as he locked gazes with Kai.

...

On his way home, as he exited Vamus College grounds, Kai saw the black-skinned man sitting in a taxi, playing loud music.

Is he waiting for me like he promised?

He asked himself, then walked toward the car. Just as he stopped by the taxi, a white Lamborghini moved past and stopped.

From inside it, Tessa got out and ran toward Kai. "I forgot to give you my call card." She handed a gold card to Kai, then ran back to the Lamborghini.

"Tessa Lin Yu," Kai murmured the name, then lifted his gaze to the moving vehicle. So, she’s from the Yu family.

There, the news of the most famous family, holding half of the world’s wealth, lanced into his mind.

"Are you not going home now, Kai?" Black’s voice shot up and sliced through Kai’s thoughts.

"Sorry, I’m going." He slid into the seat, then exhaled sharply.

...

When Black halted at the front of Lena’s estate, Kai got out of the car and entered the estate.

Tessa Lin Yu.

The name looped in his mind as he walked into his room and threw himself onto his bed.

"I need to know how I relate to someone like her," he whispered, staring at the dark clouds forming in the sky.

"She might be pretending," he added, closing his eyes and allowing sleep to take him whole.