Zane's POV
"5..."
"4..."
"3..."
"2..."
"1-"
"We are here!" Enzo exclaimed excitedly as he rushed to enter the car, his tie and shoes clutched in his hands.
Luna followed suit, both of them panting as they settled into the back seat.
"Put your uniform on properly," I ordered.
"Give me a minute" he said.
"Alright, Uncle Brian, we can start off," Luna said.
Enzo couldn't help but make a playful jab at me. "This should be considered illegal. I'm going to expose you to Mom and Dad one of these days. You're not just expressionless in the morning but also heartless," he remarked, feigning indignation.
At thirteen years old, Enzo had grown into a spirited teenager. Luna and the twins had already turned fourteen, while I, Zane, was already eighteen,already in my final year of high school.
"I'm not expressionless, and what's there to complain about? I'm ensuring you get to school on time. Instead of being bratty about it, be thankful I don't make you walk all the way to school again. Besides, even if you were to tell our parents, who do you think they'll believe in the end?" I replied, my tone laced with a mix of authority and amusement.
"You take forever to bathe and dress up, like you have to search for clothes to wear when all you have to do is put on the same uniform you wear every day," I commented, pointing out their tendency to procrastinate.
"That's so not fair! You made that bet knowing you'll always win, didn't you?" Luna accused, a hint of frustration evident in her voice.
My younger siblings always took their sweet time getting ready for school, resulting in us consistently arriving twenty minutes after classes had started. I had suggested to my parents that I take a separate car or allow them to drive me to school as they went to work, but that sparked a debate. They assumed I fought with my siblings, which led to my "heartless" behavior.
The idea of separate transportation quickly got dismissed, as it was seen as unnecessary. Public transportation was an option, but I didn't want to be seen riding it by anyone at school or in the media. I also didn't want to give up the comfort of a nice car just for the sake of avoiding my siblings.
To solve my dilemma, I devised a bet. For some reason, my siblings were obsessed with one-upping each other. If one of us made it to the car before the clock hit 7:30, the other two had to walk to and from school if they failed to reach the car within five minutes of the first person's arrival. Failure to fulfill the punishment, snitching, or getting a ride from the twins resulted in me taking away something they valued dearly.
I had assumed that they would be motivated to be ready for school on time, considering their competitive nature. But, alas, I was always the first one to reach the car.
It was entertaining, though, seeing them return home tired and sweaty, their clothes in disarray from being chased by dogs. There was never a dull moment with my family.
"Not at all. I just made the misjudgment of thinking you two actually had functioning brains," I retorted, a smirk crossing my face.
"Did you just imply we don't have brains?" Enzo exclaimed, faux outrage coloring his voice.
"Uncle, you're hearing him, right? He's insulting us," Luna claimed, seeking validation from our uncle, Brian.
Uncle Brian chuckled, clearly amused by our banter. "I can't hear anything, I'm sorry, princess. I'm just here to protect you, nothing more. I don't want to take sides. I learned my lesson with my kids. It's better if I just let them figure it out," he answered, his voice filled with light-heartedness.
"That's so uncool," Luna pouted, expressing her disappointment.
Uncle Brian continued to laugh, enjoying the lively atmosphere within the car.
I couldn't resist rolling down the car window, relishing in the refreshing morning breeze caressing my face. It was a small pleasure that made the start of the day a bit more enjoyable.
About fifteen minutes later, we pulled up to the school parking lot, where the twins, Aliya and Axel, were eagerly waiting for us.
"Luna!" Aliya shouted, waving her arms frantically to catch Luna's attention.
Luna hurried over to her, and they immediately launched into their daily exchange, as if they hadn't seen each other in ages, despite seeing each other practically every day.
"Aliya, oh my god, I love your hairstyle," Luna exclaimed.
To my eyes, her hairstyle looked identical to how it did every other day.
"Oh, thank you. Mom helped me with it today. What do you think, Zane? Do I look cute?" Aliya asked, purposefully avoiding making eye contact with me.
I pondered silently, wondering if her hairstyle had been any different yesterday. And why did she seek my opinion specifically?
Axel playfully tapped her head. "I told you, no matter how long you spend trying to fix yourself, you'll still end up looking ugly. Besides, you don't look any different from yesterday," he remarked, teasing his sister.
"Is this something only girls can notice?" Enzo chimed in, raising an eyebrow.
"Shut up, dumbasses. You think I care what you two think. Aren't you supposed to be in detention or something?" Aliya retorted, pushing Axel away.
"...cute," I finally responded, breaking the silence.
"Huh?" Aliya seemed taken aback by my unexpected compliment.
"I said you do look cute. The hairstyle suits you very much," I repeated, trying to offer a genuine compliment.
Aliya blushed and covered her cheeks. "T-thank you," she stammered.
"Geez, Zane, at least smile. You sound sarcastic," Luna whispered, nudging me playfully.
"I don't have time," I replied to my sister, maintaining a serious expression, before turning to leave.
"Behave yourselves in class today, and be here promptly after classes are over, or else," I ordered, my authoritative tone resurfacing.
"Hey, who do you think you are? Who made you the boss of us?" Axel challenged, clearly irked by my authority.
I stopped walking and turned to face them, meeting Axel's gaze directly. "I'm the oldest, so I make the rules. If you have a problem with that, go cry about it in a corner," I retorted firmly.
With that, I turned around and resumed my walk, leaving Axel cursing at me in the background.
'I can't wait to graduate so I don't have to deal with these brats all day'
----
'The test is only a week away but I still have a lot more to study'
I sat there, immersed in my studies, the noise in the classroom seemed to amplify. It was as if every conversation, every laugh, and every shuffle of papers was conspiring to distract me. But I had become adept at tuning out the unnecessary noise, honing it into a skill that allowed me to focus despite the chaos around me.
In the midst of my concentration, someone suddenly plopped down on my desk, jolting me out of my study zone. I looked up to find Cathay, a girl from my class who seemed to have made it her life's mission to be a thorn in my side until graduation.
"Hey, Zane. What are you doing? You look so serious," she said, flashing a seductive smile while holding up one of my books in what she probably thought was a flirtatious pose. Ever since junior high, she had persistently pursued me, despite my repeated rejections and attempts to discourage her advances.
"Wishing I could clean my entire desk with sanitizer right about now" I retorted, uninterested by her presence.
She maintained her smile, undeterred by my response. "Come on, I'm sure playing with me would be more fun. Since we have a free period, why don't we go 'study' each other somewhere else?" she suggested, her skirt riding up to reveal a significant portion of her thighs.
"Not interested," I replied curtly, my tone leaving no room for ambiguity.
"Oh, come on. Don't act like you don't like me," she persisted.
"I find girls who desperately throw themselves at me like that a major turn-off. You're not my type, you never have been, and you never will be. Now, please kindly remove your flat ass from my desk," I spoke quietly but firmly, making my stance clear.
Her response was swift and unexpected-a slap across my face. I didn't retaliate or defend myself physically. Instead, I maintained my composure, focusing on the task at hand while ignoring the stares from the entire class.
In the ensuing silence, whispers filled the air as concerned voices questioned Cathay's actions.
"Oh no, that girl just hit our Zane."
"Why did she do that to him?"
"Should we ask him if he's okay? What if we get him an ice pack?"
I caught snippets of their whispered conversations and noticed the stolen glances directed in my direction. The girls in the class seemed genuinely worried about my well-being.
While I appreciated their concern, I chose not to dwell on the incident. I let their words fade into the background, concentrating on the material in front of me.
I resumed my studying, grateful for the newfound quietness that enveloped the classroom.
"You really are a robot aren't you" A familiar voice came from behind me.
'What is up with all these annoyances today'
"I don't have time for you please leave" I remarked.
The guy drugged a chair, turned it and sat facing me. The idiot's name was Josh, one of my friends.
"Increased stress isn't good for memory, I know the test is coming up but your brain is going to explode if you force yourself too much" He reminded.
I put my pen down and looked at him.
"You're one to talk, you have eye bags under your eyes, you want me to lower my guard so you can get the highest score this time right" I asked.
He smiled adjusting his glasses.
Josh and I were always the best in our class, in the majority of the subjects. That's primarily how our friendship started, through competition, wanting to be better than the other but instead we found out we had more things in common than we thought.
"I don't know what you are talking about. I saw the whole drama earlier, what was that about" he asked changing the topic.
"Just her usual shit" I replied with a shrug.
He started laughing.
"I still don't understand why girls drool over you when you act so rude and nonchalant" He commented.
"Simple, I inherited my Parents' good looks and I take care of my body, work out everyday and make sure to maintain a clean and neat appearance. None of them actual want nor end up liking more than just my face and body" I answered.
"Someone is overconfident about his looks. Have you thought that maybe they don't end up liking the real you because you never actually let them see it? Smile a bit more, let those eyes sparkle with life. You'll die a virgin at this rate" he suggested.
"Who said I was a virgin?. If i start focusing on dating and girls I might start to neglect my studies. I don't want to disappoint my parents" I replied.
"Are your parents pressuring you? I thought you said they were cool" he asked.
"To me they are the best parents in the world. They haven't pressured me once in my entire life but, it's just something I want to do"
I always aspired to be like my father, from a very young age I always wanted to be like him. My father was my favorite hero of all time.
But I wasn't as smart as him, he was quick to memorize things and interpret them, his knowledge extended literacy and business but he was also smart in practical thinking. He could manipulate people without uttering a single word. It fascinated me. He was no Einstein but he was smart non the less.
But I was nothing like my father, I had to study continuous in order to maintain the information, it was much harder as a child. My mom would always comfort me and tell me it was OK and I shouldn't try to compare myself to my father because I was my own person but I still had this deserve to achieve something great.
My father was a mystery to me, I knew him from the time I was born,but I felt like I knew nothing about him at all,only the basic things that anyone can know about him if they searched up his name nothing else, especially his past and childhood, no one knew about it and the people who did know refused to say anything. It annoyed me a lot.
I studied hard always making sure I was top of all my classes no matter how difficult the test was. I found a way around my weakness, my dad helped in this although I never really told him the reason I wanted to be the best.
"Hey, Zane, did you zone out? One of your sisters is at the door," Josh said, waving his hand in front of me.
I turned towards the door and saw Aliya standing there, her expression filled with distress.
'She's alone? She's usually always with Luna,'I thought to myself, surprised by the unusual circumstance.
Quickly getting out of my seat, I approached Aliya, concern evident in my voice. "Aliya, what's wrong?" I asked, noting the distress on her face.
She grabbed my hand, her grip tight. "Zane, you have to come. Some upperclassmen are beating up Enzo and Axel. You have to help," she pleaded frantically.
My mind raced to make sense of the situation. "What? Who's beating them up? Why?" I asked, my confusion growing.
"Some guys were picking on me and Luna. Enzo and Axel stepped in to defend us, but they were outnumbered. They dragged us away to a dark corner. I managed to slip away so I could call you," she explained, her voice trembling with fear.
" Don't worry, Aliya. Don't cry. Just show me the way," I reassured her, my voice firm and determined.
She led me through the school grounds, her hand tightly held in mine. We hurried towards the middle schoolers' block, which was a short distance from the area allocated to the high schoolers. The path felt longer than usual, my concern growing with each step.
Finally, Aliya guided me to a secluded corner behind one of the buildings. The air was heavy with the pungent scent of cigarettes and the sight of graffiti-covered walls. It was a place where trouble often brewed.
As we approached the scene, I could hear Enzo's voice filled with anger and frustration. "You can hit me all you want, but I won't kneel. You insulted my family name I won't stand for it" he shouted defiantly.
Axel's voice joined in, equally fiery. "Yeah! How dare you call our sisters ugly? Are you blind or maybe just into guys?" he yelled, his voice laced with indignation.
Enzo and Axel were both held back by a group of larger guys, their muscles tense with restraint. Luna, my younger sister, was being cruelly held by her hair by another member of the group. They formed a circle, engrossed in their own twisted power play, oblivious to Aliya and me.
"What do I do, what do I do?'I thought frantically, my heart pounding in my chest.
'I don't think I can take them all and ensure the safety of my siblings at the same time,'
'Should we call a teacher?'
"Let go of me!" Luna shouted, her voice filled with defiance.
The guy holding Luna tightened his grip, a cruel smirk forming on his face as he stared at her. "Oh, what happened to you though? Your brothers seem to be normal, but what is up with your eyes? They can't be real, right? Were you made in a Barbie factory?" he taunted, his words dripping with malice.
Another guy, holding back Enzo and Axel, joined in. "Are you sure it's not in a sex store?. She kinda looks like one of those custom made sex dolls" he jeered, accompanied by the laughter of his companions.
At that moment, a surge of anger coursed through me, and my vision blurred with red, my mind completely went blank throwing caution out the window. I took a step forward, my fists clenched,
"Shut up! Don't say such mean things! My parents made me, so I know I'm beautiful no matter what you say. I won't believe you!" Luna sobbed, her voice quivering with both pain and determination.
"Yes, Luna! Don't believe that good-for-nothing!" Axel shouted, his voice filled with righteous anger.
The guy laughed, reveling in the torment he was inflicting. "Oh, ain't this cute? Your family lied to you so many times, you started believing it. Have you actually heard it from someone outside your family?" he taunted, his voice dripping with poison.
"No, I... no, that's not true! My fam..." Luna's words trailed off as she stared at the guy with wide eyes, her voice choked with disbelief.
"Do you know why nobody told you that? It's because you're ugl..." The guy's words were cut off as I tapped his shoulder, catching his attention.
When he turned to face me, fueled by rage, I swung my fist with all my might, landing a powerful blow to his face. He stumbled backward, momentarily stunned.
"What did you almost call my sister? You motherfucker!"
I asked panting, I was so angry it was hard to control myself. I got on top of him and punched him.
"How dare you lay your hands on my brothers and sisters!" I screamed, my voice filled with a primal ferocity, and I struck him again, my fists connecting with his face.
"What lies did you want to taint her ears with, huh?"
" Why were you even telling a 14 year old something that disgusting"
" What did you want to achieve" I continued to shout, my voice trembling with anger.
I kept on hitting.
"What did you want to do to her" I screamed.
Enzo and Axel, desperately tried to pull me away from the guy, reality started to seep back in. Luna's voice cut through the chaos.
"Zane, calm down!" she called out, her voice filled with concern.
I looked down at the guy I was hitting, blood pooling around him, and a wave of horror washed over me. My fists were covered in his blood, and the weight of my actions hit me like a sledgehammer.
"What have I done?" I whispered, my voice filled with regret and disbelief.
Luna ran up to be and hugged me. Her body was trembling.
"Calm down please"
Frantic shouting erupted behind me, and I turned to see the guys who had been holding Enzo and Axel pointing in my direction, drawing attention to the scene. Panic gripped me as I realized the consequences of my actions were unfolding before my eyes.
"The guy assaulted one of my friends! Look what he did!" one of them exclaimed, their words fueling the chaos.
The guy I had beaten was taken to the nurse's office, fortunately still alive, and both our parents were called by the principal. Meanwhile, I was told to wait for them in the guidance counselor's office as I waited for my parents, my siblings refused to leave me alone.
"Your eyes are finally starting to go back to normal," Enzo pointed out, his voice filled with a mix of awe and concern.
I blinked, The adrenaline rush from the intense confrontation was starting to fade, and I could feel the soreness in my fists and the ache in my body.
"That was pretty cool, man, and super scary," Axel chimed in, his voice filled with both admiration and worry. "I'm gonna brag to everyone that my brother is a superhero. I mean, I know you practice with your Dad, but I didn't know you packed such a punch."
A slight smile tugged at the corner of my lips at Axel's words. I had spent countless hours training with my father,I just wanted to know how to fight because It was cool seeing my dad train. I never imagined I'd one day I'd do something like that.
Aliya, her voice trembling, interjected, "What are the odds Papa Hunter didn't have his phone, and it hopefully died or something?"
Luna, wiping away her tears, responded, "Zero. They could call his office. Mom and Dad are going to be super pissed."
"This is all my fault," I admitted, my voice filled with regret. "I should have looked for a teacher instead, but I just lost it hearing them utter such words to you."
Luna's voice cracked as she added, " no It's my fault . If I had walked away instead of punching that upperclassman in the crotch when he was trying to flirt with us, none of this would have happened."
Feeling a surge of protectiveness, I reached out and held both of their hands, my grip firm yet gentle.
"Stop crying, both of you," I said, my voice steady and determined. "Luna, you were right to defend yourself. That bastard shouldn't have been trying to flirt with you. If anyone tries to do that, kick him instead and come running as fast as you can. I'll deal with them,I don't mind getting kicked out of school"
Turning to Aliya, I continued, "And Aliya, I don't blame you. You were brave enough to escape and look for help. There's no shame in that. Whatever Mom and Dad or the school decide, I'll take whatever punishment comes my way."
"But that's not fair," Axel interjected. "You only did it to save us. What if they kick you out of school or put it on your permanent record?"
Enzo quickly chimed in, his voice urgent, "Axel is right. If they do that, you won't be able to gain entrance to that college you've always wanted. You should tell them I did it. Dad and Mom are already used to getting calls about me getting in trouble because Axel and I were pulling pranks around school, so they won't be as mad."
"No," I replied firmly. "I refuse."
I continued, unyielding. "I don't regret what I did. It was a direct insult to our family, so it was personal. Listen, Axel and Aliya, we may not be related by blood, but I consider you as much my little siblings as I do Enzo and Luna. That means it's my responsibility to take care of you, and that includes looking out for your future too."
Axel's voice softened as he pleaded, "This isn't the time for a heroic big brother moment. This is about your future. You don't have to act tough or cool. I already think you're cool, and I look up to you. So, just this once, put your ego aside and accept our offer."
I took a deep breath,
"I refuse," I answered.
Enzo, frustration evident on his face, clenched his fists and exclaimed, "The stuck-up guy won't budge. Help me tie him up. With him tied up for a while, we can go tell the principal we did it."
The statement made me want to laugh.
Before Enzo's plan could be put into motion, the door burst open, revealing my father standing in the doorway. Instinctively, my siblings hid behind me, their bravado dissipating in an instant.
"Dad," I called, standing up straight, my heart pounding in my chest.
My father's expression remained stoic, making it difficult to gauge his emotions. He scanned the room, taking in the tense atmosphere and the sight of his children standing before him.
"If your name isn't Zane, leave this room," he commanded, his voice firm and unwavering.
I flinched at the sound of his voice, a mix of fear and anticipation welling up within me. Luna started to speak up, eager to defend me, but my father's stern gaze silenced her.
Reluctantly, my siblings left the room, casting worried glances in my direction. As the door closed behind them, leaving me alone with my father, I braced myself for the scolding I expected to receive.
"Dad, before you say anything, I just want to say that I don't regret what I did, nor do I have any justifications for my actions," I said, my voice steady but filled with a hint of nervousness.
My body trembled, and I couldn't bring myself to meet my father's eyes. The weight of disappointment hung heavy in the air, and I prepared myself for the words I feared most.
But then, unexpectedly, my father's hand gently rested on my shoulder, a touch that conveyed more than words ever could. I looked up, meeting his gaze, searching for any sign of anger or disappointment.
"I'm proud of you," he said, the words resonating deeply within me.
My eyes widened in surprise, and a mix of relief and disbelief washed over me. I couldn't fathom how my father could be proud when I had resorted to violence, even if it was to protect my siblings.
"Huh? You're proud?" I stammered, my voice filled with confusion. "Aren't you angry? I sent a kid to the infirmary."
My father's expression softened, and a small smile tugged at the corners of his lips. He took a step closer, enveloping me in a comforting embrace.
"When I received the call, I was more surprised than angry," he explained gently. "I always thought Enzo and Axel would be the reason I got called for such behavior, but the principal explained that you only acted like that because you saw your siblings being bullied."
" she told you that "I asked.
" of course what you did was wrong, you should never start a fight. Only knock them out if they come charging at you that way it would be self defense "He answered.
I couldn't hold it in, I burst out laughing, I exclaimed, unable to contain my amusement.
"Mom will get mad if she knows you gave me such advice," I reminded my father, a hint of concern in my voice.
"But it's valid life advice, and speaking of your mother, if she asks you if I scolded you, tell her I did to the point you started crying," he ordered, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
"Huh, but..." I began, unsure of how to respond.
"If you don't want to get grounded, you'll do it," he said firmly, leaving little room for negotiation.
"Dad, I'm sorry-I really wanted to keep a spotless record, but because of this, I might not enter into Aurelius Eminent Academy. I really wanted to become like you. I want to be a businessman too and maybe run H&Z one day," I blurted out, my dreams and fears pouring out all at once.
"Huh? Is that the reason you're desperate to enter that academy? I mean, if you really want to take over the company, you can run H&Z regardless of what institution you get an education from, so don't punish yourself with that burden," he replied, his voice filled with surprise and understanding.
"But, Dad..." I tried to interject, feeling the weight of my disappointment.
"Zane, I don't want you to be like me. I don't want a reflection of myself. What I want is for you to be happy. You are also more than I ever will be. You are better than me, so don't strive to be like me because I'm far from the perfect man you think I am," he assured me.
"What do you mean? You always say that. Why?" I asked, my voice tinged with curiosity and a touch of trepidation.
I wish that word 'why?' had never popped up in my mind because the answers to my question were more horrifying than I expected.
"Hopefully, you never get the answers to your questions," he said under his breath, his eyes clouded.
"Oh right almost forgot Don't worry, this won't be on your permanent record. I spoke to your principal already. Just focus on what will make you happy," he said, his voice returning to a more comforting tone.
He stared at me with a smile that said, 'Don't try to push this any further.'
"Okay, thank you, Dad," I said, feeling a mix of gratitude and confusion.
"Do you want to get some ice cream before having to confront your mother?" he asked, attempting to lighten the mood.
"Sure, and Dad, I want you to know that no matter what, you'll always be my hero," I assured him, hoping to convey the depth of my appreciation.
He just smiled but didn't reply. He walked to the door and slowly opened it, revealing my eavesdropping siblings-Axel, Luna, Enzo, and Aliya-who had fallen to the floor in their attempts to listen in on our conversation.
"Now, why don't the rest of us have a talk about eavesdropping and the drama that went down today?" he said quietly looking down at them.
Seconds later, they all scattered into thin air, their guilty expressions dissipating along with them. I couldn't help but laugh, relieved to see the tension diffused.
Being a part of my family was like being in an amusement park. There really never was a dull moment.
----
~That's the end of the bonus chapter~
It has been fun👋...