Chapter 5 Mateo

The following day, Kristal was strong enough to go to school which came as quite a shocker to herself and her father.

After preparing for school, she went downstairs for breakfast. Slowly she dragged her legs to the kitchen expecting her "mom" to yell at her for dragging her legs but she got nothing.

Knowing what his daughter was thinking about, Lucas spoke up "she had an emergency meeting with her family the day you passed out"

"Oh I see, was she aware of what happened to.....me?" Kristal asked.

"Nah...in don't think so. She left before your principal called."

Kristal scoffed before going to make herself some sandwiches "so she's been away for two weeks...how nice" she added with an eye roll.

After making the sandwiches for she and her father, they both ate in silence. Afterwards they both exited the house. However, her father stopped in his tracks as he called out to his daughter.

"hey firefly...?"

"Hmm?" she replied as she turned to answer him.

"Is it me or your hair seems to be weirdly long today?" he asked.

"Oh I thought I was hallucinating" Kristal answered as she fiddled with her hair. "originally it was shoulder length and very dark but a I woke up this morning I realised that it had grown by three inches and the colour is a bit brighter" Kristal analysed as she sat in the car.

"it's a good thing anyway" her father stated as he joined her in the car before driving off to drop her in school.

Forty-five minutes later

"thanks for the ride dad" Kristal said as she unbundled her seat belt while expecting her father's usual reply. Turning to face her dad, she caught him gaping at her. To be specific, at her hair.

"Dad, what's wrong?" she asked with a half smile on her face.

Ignoring his daughter's question, he asked instead.

" are you sure you didn't add anything to your shampoo?" his question scared Kristal who hurriedly brought out a mirror from the storage compartment of the car.

"What the......" before she could complete her statement her father interrupted her.

"....mind your language"

".....Heck!? Dad my hair is turning red! You're bothered about what I say!?!?" Kristal exclaimed as she held her hair like she was holding an egg.

"Well, I like it!" She breathed before leaving the car abruptly.

Her father sat in the car in a daze before he hurriedly brought out his phone to make a phone call.

***

Kristal walked to her class as she avoided the meaningful gaze of the students while she bent her head.

"wow is that Kristal??"

"her hair looks pretty!!"

"what'd you expect, she's been in coma for two weeks, thanks to Beatrice and her minions"

The students kept murmuring among themselves as they made their way to their various classes. Soon class begin. The teacher was about to proceed before sighting Kristal seated in her position.

"Miss Kristal, how do you do?" he greeted politely to which she replied to with courtesy.

"How do you do too?"

The class proceeded for an hour before the next teacher walked in. All through the morning class, Kristal didn't see Beatrice and she was not bothered. She headed for the cafeteria to have her lunch.

"oi...I'd make a detour first" she thought as she walked to the place where she saw something moving in the bushes. On getting there, she bumped into a group of guys who were ganging up against another guy.

She scoffed with disdain as she thought angrily.

"Bullies....I shouldn't have made the detour"

She tried to mind her business, but hearing the guy whimpering like a scared kid, she was moved. On a normal day, she's always seen as a weakling that avoids being social but on this very day, she was filled with vigour.

Kristal marched to the scene with a frown marring her small face as she called out.

"hey! You guys seem to be less busy today huh?" she succeeded in grabbing their attention. The guys looked at Kristal small body and then at themselves before laughing.

The leader walked up to her as he looked down at her. "you should know when to talk little one. Let the big guys do their business" he said as he touched her hair.

Angrily, Kristal shooed his hand off her head making him chuckle.

"quite the feisty one eh? How about I show you how it's done" the leader said as he place his arm over her shoulder and turned her to face the guy that was still writhing in pain. He signalled his minions and immediately they used their clubs to attack the boy.

This act pissed Kristal off. In pure anger, she grabbed the hand of the leader and twisted it till it was beyond repair. She faced the minions who witnessed the scene. With a smile on her face she spat at him.

"I hate bullies the most! You should be killed!" her voice was laced with venom as she tossed the leaders disfigured arm before facing the minions who still had their clubs in their hands.

"why are you still gawking! Get her!!" the leader yelled in anguish prompting the minions to attack Kristal at once. After few minutes, they were all on the floor while holding one part of their body. One of the minions recognised Kristal and shouted.

"she was the girl that Beatrice placed in coma!!!"

On hearing this, the leader became more pissed at himself because a girl who was smaller than him had defeated him. He stood up while holding his arm "an ex coward huh? I'll get you for this!" he limped away as his minions tagged along.

Ignoring them, she walked up to the boy who was still seated on the floor.

"sorry, are you okay?" she asked as she bent down to help the boy clean his wound. The boy replied inaudibly with his head lowered making her groan inwardly "what's up with keeping head low!" she though angrily.

"fine suit yourself, am pretty hungry anyway" She said and dusted the dirty off her skirts while murmuring.

"So much for not minding my business" Just as she was about to leave, she heard the most thickest voice she had ever heard in her life which made her pause in her track.

"I'm fine...thank you"

Kristal turned to face the boy. Thinking it would be her junior, it turned out that he was actually a young man.

Her jaws dropped to the ground. "you...you....you....." she stuttered before getting herself.

"Ummm you're welcome" she said and turned to leave.

"Please, can you help me up, I think my ankle has been dislocated " he pleaded as his fair face turned pink. Seeing his cuteness, she couldn't bare to turn him down.

She walked up to him thinking she can lift him. Turns out she was wrong.

"You....how come.....what'd you....how'd you?? Your legs are long!!!" Kristal pointed out

The guy; huh?

"You were small when they were beating you, now you're.....you're...Big!?!?" she tried to understand how it was possible.

"Kristal, I think you need more rest" the guy said as he patted her head gently. He rested on her shoulder lazily "can we go to the infirmary now?" he drawled.

"Huh? Oh....uh yes" Kristal bobbed her head before limping away with him.

"How'd you know my name? I don't know yours!" Kristal pointed out as the walked to the infirmary. Unknowingly to them, they drew the attention of the students.

"you're quite popular even with you being an introvert" He said instead.

"yeah....and I don't know your naaaaame..." She dragged the last word to show how serious she was. But the guy still ignored her.

"you know, you're more of a talkative than an introvert or should I say extrointrovert...?"

"Dude, nice try in changing the topic....." she was interrupted by him.

"Mateo"

"Huh? Mateo?"

"Yes, Kristal?"

"is that your name?" Kristal asked earning a weird look from him.

"no it's my rabbit's name" He answered with mockery.

"huh!? It's yours!?" Kristal exclaimed as she punched him while they were walking to the doctors office.