MASTER

Friday, the last weekday of the second week of July, and just as expected of this time of year, the afternoon sun was the hottest it had been all year long.

The scorching heat that penetrated the scanty canopy of clouds made outside an unbearable place to be. However, behind the prestigious Coker Wake High School building was the perfect shade against the harsh weather.

Four students could be found in the embrace of this cool shade. To be exact, three students could be found standing while the fourth was on the ground, uniform ruffled and dirty, body battered and bruised, and back up against a dumpster.

He also appeared to be panting and clearing his throat like someone who had just successfully finished running a marathon.

“I don’t think he learned his lesson, Fredrick. Why don’t you teach him again and this time make sure it sticks” said Paul, one of the students who was privileged to be among the standing group.

On Paul’s uniform blazer was a gold colored badge that declared the words “Student President”

“I guess I was too lenient the previous times but I won’t make the same mistake again” Fredrick replied with a hint of malice in his tone.

What was he about to do?

Well, after tapping the tip of his left shoe on the concrete three consecutive times, he stepped forward and then mercilessly placed his entire sole on the chest of the student who was on the ground.

“Let’s see if this forces some sense into that stupid brain of yours,” Fredrick said, wearing a mean frown on his face as he stared down his prey.

He kept increasing the force behind his foot to the point that if he wasn’t careful it could cause the diaphragm of the other student to cave in, but then again, from the looks of things, he didn’t care.

“If you dare lay those filthy and disgusting hands on my expensive shoes then I swear on your whore mother's dead body that I’m going to do way worse things to you after this. Better suck it up like the good little worm you are or else—“ Fredrick warned when he saw the other student trying to tap his feet and beg him to let go but he wasn’t going to allow that.

He wasn’t going to stop for anything. Not until he was satisfied with the punishment he was dishing out but then he heard…

*Cough* *Cough*

The other student started coughing severely. He couldn’t breathe because of what Fredrick was doing and now he couldn’t even touch his abuser to beg him to stop.

Instead, he had to slap the ground and claw his fingers along the concrete multiple times, trying to cope with the pain as much as possible which sadly ended up bruising his palms, wrists, and fingertips.

“Hey, Fredrick, if you go any further then you’re going to kill the fool but what do I care” Paul commented, shrugging and chuckling as he watched from behind.

Seeing the other student’s misery, Fredrick chuckled, finally releasing his foot from his chest and stepping back.

“Seems like he’s finally learned his lesson. Like always, no one knows how the teach the bastard the lesson he deserves more than you, Fredrick” said Cherry, the second friend.

On her blazer was a decorated silver-colored badge with the title “Student Vice President” boldly occupying the middle.

Fredrick scoffed and then spat on the floor next to the student he just punished.

“I guess you can call it one of my many talents. I mean, why wouldn’t I know how to deal with this worm after all these years?” Fredrick said, placing his hands in his pocket and smiling wickedly as he stared down at the student who held his chest in pain.

Fredrick crouched and stared straight at the student’s pained face.

“You see that, Alex? That’s what you get for thinking you can outsmart me. What did you think was going to happen after I warned you not to do exactly what you tried to?” Fredrick asked and suddenly, the school bell rang.

All four students looked up at the top floor of the school building which is where the bell normally rings from and minus Fredrick and his friends who all smirked wickedly, Alexander’s face was filled with dread.

Fredrick flicked his eyes to Alexander beside him, seeing the face of defeat on the young student and he chuckled.

“Looks like the bell just rang and you know what that means, don’t you, worm?” Fredrick spoke in a taunting tone.

He waited for Alexander to answer his question but got nothing in response. Instead, he saw the anger that was starting to rise and loom on the beaten student’s face.

Fredrick looked down at Alexander’s hands and saw the fists that the defeated student was forming.

“Oh?” Fredrick said and then without any warning slapped Alexander across the face.

“..” Shocked and speechless about receiving the slap, Alexander wasn’t able to do anything when suddenly Fredrick stepped on his right hand before the fist could fully form.

“Hey bastard, have you forgotten who you’re messing with?” Fredrick asked, menacingly staring at Alexander’s eyes and the defeated student not being able to maintain eye contact.

All he could do was grimace from the excruciating pain of being stepped on by Fredrick’s solid and expensive sole. He hadn’t even recovered from all that had been done to him and now he was being dealt more.

Fredrick ruthlessly applied more pressure, also twisting his foot which caused his sole to tear into Alexander’s skin. He had no sympathy in his heart for the student who could only sniffle in pain.

“Answer me when I ask you a question, you stupid bastard” Fredrick grabbed Alexander’s collar and said before slapping him across the face a second time.

Using the collar, Fredrick pulled Alexander’s mouth closer to his ear and with a wicked smirk, asked “Did you understand me?”

With a mouth that trembled because of the pain, Alexander answered “Y-yes”

Not satisfied with the answer, Fredrick leaned his ear even closer to Alexander’s mouth and asked “Yes, what?”

Alexander swallowed saliva and replied “Yes, sir”

Fredrick wasn’t satisfied. Instead, he got more pissed.

He applied even more pressure and twisted his foot some more, causing more pain to Alexander.

“Yes, sir? Did you just call me sir, you bastard? I’ll forgive you only once so correct yourself before I make you regret the day you were born. Now, yes what, you bastard?”

With the face of someone about to break down into tears, Alexander looked at Fredrick who frowned and was waiting for his reply.

Alexander said defeatedly “Yes, Master Fredrick Dove. The future heir to the Dove family fortune”

Now satisfied and with his grip still firmly on Alexander’s collar, Fredrick pushed him away, causing the beaten-up student to slam his back against the dumpster which let out a loud THUD that resounded throughout the entire area.

He condescendingly looked at Alexander’s defeated posture then he, Fredrick, removed his foot from Alexander’s hand before he crushed it under his weight.

“If only you could become a good dog like that stupid father of yours then it’ll be good for everyone. Don’t worry though. Just like how father has groomed him to be the perfect servant for the family, I too will do the same with you. After all, the saying goes “like father like son” so I’ll make sure you follow in his footsteps” Fredrick said then stood up.

Meanwhile, Alexander who was angry to the point of insanity that he felt like vomiting everything he had eaten for breakfast only inhaled and exhaled to control his anger.

He had his head lowered, looking at how pitiful he seemed and he couldn’t even show any signs of anger like clenching his fist or risk incurring more wrath from his abusers.

‘If only things were different. In another world, you would have been in my place and I would have been in yours but no matter how much I wish for it, reality never changes. If only you and that entire family of yours just di—‘ Alexander thought as tears rolled down his eyes but then was interrupted by a kick from Cherry.

“Hey, bastard!” Cherry yelled, pulling Alexander from his wild thoughts.

“Huh?” Alexander answered after looking up at all three of them.

“Fredrick asked you a question, didn’t he? Are you going to make him repeat himself or do you want another punishment—?“ Cherry rambled

“Sorry. I was catching my breath for a moment but I’ll answer Master Fredrick’s question” Alexander said but saw the look of rage on Cherry’s face instead.

“Huh? What’s wrong Vice President?” Alexander asked.

Fuming from the nose, Cherry asked “Did you just interrupt me while I was speaking, you bottom of the barrel life form? How dare you?!”

With her hand out, Cherry stepped forward and slapped Alexander too. By the look of the face she made while assaulting him, it was obvious that she was jealous while watching Fredrick do the same thing less than a minute ago.

Now was her turn and she reveled in it.