Aftermath

Ch 115: Advances

Kota

On Tuesday morning, I stood back and studied my reflection. Aside for shoes, I was ready for school. I had remembered to shave today, and I had dressed more in my usual style in a long-sleeved red button-up and dark jeans. I was wearing my glasses again, and the bruising had faded from my face; the scar just below my hairline would eventually do the same. With any luck, the immobilizer would be gone as well in a couple of weeks.

I sighed. While I looked much more like myself than I had in awhile, I didn't feel like myself. I could feel the start of the vise around my skull returning, which was disappointing; I had hoped the worst of the headaches had passed. I hoped I could make it through the day or at least until I was called to the office.

"Admiring yourself?" Dressed in his faux uniform, Victor came up behind me and tied his tie. "You look fine. More importantly, how do I look?"

Despite his quip, I didn't smile. "Like you feel horrible. Can't you cover that up?"

"Thanks for the compliment. If it helps, I feel fine," Victor said. "If I didn't, I'd say something. Not everyone's as stubborn as you are." He raised his hand to graze the fading bruises on his cheek and jaw. "If I thought I could get away with it, I'd cover all this with makeup, but I'm sure people have seen what was posted on social media. The lack of bruises would be harder to explain than the bruises themselves."

"I suppose you're right." I moved away from the mirror and dropped my loafers on the floor. "We haven't had a chance to talk since all of that happened."

"Yes, we have," Victor responded. "I've seen you everyday since then. We're even talking now."

I sat down and shoved my feet in my shoes. "You know what I mean. How are you doing with everything?"

Victor gave the mirror one last grimace before turning around to face me. "I'm okay, Kota. I swear."

I had to take his word for it; after all, Sean had said the damage to his head hadn't been anywhere near as serious as mine. "I'm sorry you had to go through that."

"I'm not," Victor answered. "I'm more relieved than anything. Before, it was like I was waiting for something bad to happen. Now I have a valid, documented reason for not living there. And it could have been so much worse; I just wish Sang hadn't been there. Fortunately, Gabriel got her out before she saw anything and got in the path of Hurricane George."

"I'm glad he did, but I admit I wish I had been there," I said. "Not only to help you, but to see North hit George. It must have been satisfying."

"Given what you were going through right then, I wish you had been too," Victor said, unusually solemn. "I was a little dazed; when North hit George, it didn't really register, but I've watched the footage since then." He gave me a wry smile. "It is amazingly satisfying; I'll show it to you later."

"You saved the footage?"

"I felt it was best. I've edited out Sang completely, but this way if my parents try to change the story, I can threaten to release that to the media." Victor shivered theatrically. "Bad publicity: their worst nightmare."

"I know." I couldn't count the number of times over the years that Victor's parents had warned him of bad publicity or forced him to do something because it looked good in the press.

Victor smirked. "I would have used the footage that night if I'd had to, but fortunately everything worked out."

For what? "What are you talking about?"

Victor looked surprised. "They didn't tell you? George tried to have North arrested; the police were there and everything."

"North neglected to mention that part," I remarked. "How did you stop it?"