A/N: 07.09.21

Hey loves, I'm so sorry for the delay. I've been going through some personal stuff.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy the update. Please don't forget to leave a vote :)

Q/A: Have you ever had your heartbroken?

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I went to the communal bathroom and was surprised by my new environment. There were boys with shaved heads, crazy tattoos, rolled-up sleeves, and questionable injuries. Huddled near a window was a group of guys listening to music on a small MP3 player which they probably weren't allowed to have. One of them had a long scar across his face and another had face tats. The guy holding the MP3 had split knuckles marred in red. Fresh injuries. 

As soon as I stepped in, all attention was on me. I avoided eye contact and went to an empty sink to brush my teeth. I had a week of immunity, but I needed to stay hyper-vigilant. These kids looked deadly; wild animals waiting to pounce on their prey. I could feel their mouths drooling as they stared at me with hungry eyes. In a crowd like this, it wouldn't surprise me if someone greeted me with a stab in the back. 

Literally.

I could see them staring at me through the corner of my eye. They whispered loud enough for me to hear, but not loud enough for me to listen. There had to be at least fifteen boys in here, and it felt like I was at the center of their attention. And not in a good way. I left the bathroom as quickly as I could, making a mental note to make as few visits to the bathroom as possible. 

Vadim warned me that if I wanted to hang out with him, I needed a dog tag around my neck by the time my immunity shield was down. Being with a Ranking was a sign of weakness, and he didn't want to be associated with anything that endangered his safety. It was hurtful to hear, but understandable.

As we walked down the hallways, I noticed everyone around me was wearing a dog tag. Vadim told me that Nobodies usually hid from the crowd and kept a low profile, which was probably why I couldn't see any of them here.

"Is being rankless that bad?" I asked. 

Vadim snorted. "Worse than bad. You're better off being dead. At least then, people would leave you alone." 

I thought about how I could get a dog tag, but the idea of stealing one didn't sit well with me.

Vadim hummed a strange melody, his shoulders slightly hunched as he walked. My eyes fell to his necklace. What happened to the previous owner? What did Vadim do to get his hands on such a high ranking?

As soon as we entered the cafeteria, the first thing we heard was a loud clatter. A boy—who looked more like a man—pushed another student to the floor. His tray went crashing down with him, splattering food across the floor. 

"What's going on?" I whispered to Vadim.

"That's what happens when you're a Nobody."

The tall guy with rolled-up sleeves kicked the boy in the stomach, sending him flying across the cafeteria floor until he hit the wall with a loud crack. Nobody seemed surprised or alarmed. Some of them even cheered. 

 The lack of remorse sickened me. I tried to look away, but it was impossible to ignore the sound of wincing followed by cracking bones. The guy was stronger, built like a tank. The other was as small as a fry. What shocked me was the twisted grin on the bigger guy's face. His bruised knuckles were covered in fresh blood, and his eyes looked cold and empty. These weren't students. They were monsters. 

My eyes darted towards the guards who stood there, their hands folded behind their backs, standing like statues. Why weren't they doing anything? I realized then that our safety was the least of their concern. My eyes returned to the fight, if that's what you could call it. A fight implied two people confronting each other, but this was just a weaker boy getting beaten up by a bully. Something about the smaller boy reminded me of Adam. 

"Shouldn't we help?" I whispered to Vadim who picked up a tray.

"Hm?" He rubbed an apple against his shirt and examined it with one eye closed. "The boy is a goner."

My jaw dropped. Nothing in this school was right. 

Blood sprayed across the pristine white floor, and voices blurred as the students continued to cheer. 

"Nylon, Nylon, Nylon!" They chanted his name, pumping their fists in the air as they banged the tables like madmen. I gulped, looking at my chaotic surroundings. There were no laws or rules, no authority or safety; everything was balanced on self-interest and inequality. Then again, if you lived in a lawless society like the Ranking System, you made your own rules.

 I stepped forward but Vadim caught my arm with narrowed eyes. 

"What are you doing?"

"I have to help him."

"You don't have to do anything. Keep your head low, no need to draw attention."

"Someone needs to save him," I pressed. Vadim cackled darkly, looking at me with his ghoulish eyes. 

"Heroes don't exist here."

I gulped. 

"It's every man for himself. Get used to it."

"I can't just stand here and do nothing."

Vadim stared into my eyes, then sighed. 

"If you go, no one will help you." 

I smirked coldly. "Story of my life."

Right as I was about to intervene, someone else beat me to it. His back was turned to me, so I couldn't see his face, but his entire body radiated power, starting from his broad shoulders to his muscular thighs. Not only was he strong, but he was quick. He removed Nylon from the bloodied boy. Nylon smirked and came at him, throwing a right punch. His fist extended way over, and his new opponent delivered an uppercut that hit his jaw. 

The crowd made a face at the sound of cracking bones. Nylon staggered back, but before he could catch himself, the other boy hit him twice more, knocking him to the floor. I stared in astonishment. 

Whoever he was, he knew how to fight.  

Nylon got up, letting out a frustrated growl as he charged at the boy. The boy ducked, threw a left hook, and Nylon went crashing into some of the bystanders. This wasn't even a challenge for him. His fist made contact with Nylon's bloodied face and he beat him up mercilessly, each strike stronger and deadlier. 

It wasn't until one of the guards blew a whistle that he stopped. The boy ran his hand through the chestnut locks that fell over his dark brows, his knuckles covered in blood. One of the guards grabbed the boy and shoved him roughly against the wall. I caught a glimpse of his side profile and my heart stopped. 

The boy was stunningly gorgeous. His lips were curled into an arrogant grin, not a single trace of remorse on his face. The sides of his hair were shaved shorter than the middle. He kept his hands behind his back, standing in a military stance. His height towered over the guard who was shouting in his face. It was obvious that if the guard hadn't been equipped with a Taser and baton, he wouldn't have been so confident confronting the student. The boy looked entirely unfazed. His sharp jawline tightened, then released, but his eyes looked bored. 

His eyes. 

That's when a jolt of shock snapped through me. His eyes were as blue as the ocean and as clear as the sky. My stomach curled as my chest tightened. Almost everything about him was unrecognizable: his height, his strength, his power... Everything but his eyes. 

The notorious beast with bruised knuckles and bloodied hands was no other than Adam. 

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A/N: if this chapter reaches 180 votes early, I'll post the next chapter early! This time I'll keep my promise. Again sorry for the delay 😭

See you guys soon 💕

Q/A: Thoughts on Adam?? Who's ready for some angst 🤭🤭

Btw if you'd like access to early updates, you can join my Patreon. The link is in my bio. You can read up to chapter 29 and chapter 30 will be updated this weekend :)