The Evolution

13

For someone who's usually clean of injuries, looking at Rebecca all roughed up was a little bit hard to adjust for Ben. Multiple scrapes on her legs, a red mark on her chin, her clothes were dirty and a bit torn, as well as her knuckles that were bruised and cut as well. Some were still even a bit fresh.

Alex sat on the last available chair. Rebecca leaned on a wobbly rusty coffee table without complaint.

As any good friend would feel, Ben was extremely worried and concerned, but not as worry and concerned as he was upset.

He crossed his one leg over the other and looked down at his three friends relaxing every bit of their sore body. "While you guys are catching your breaths-'cuz I know it must've been hard helping Gerard walk up those flight of stairs-, why don't you tell me what. The hell. Happened."

Alex looked at Gerard. Gerard looked at Alex. Then they both looked at Rebecca. She looked back at them. 

"What?"

They pleaded with their eyes. 'Please tell Ben, please tell Ben. Add a lie if necessary!'

She sighed, "My, you guys are terrible friends." She clapped her hands together and took a deep breath one more time. "Okay, so from my side of the story, I cancelled ballet for today, which gives me a lot of free time to shack up some groceries. But then, I saw some tall buff people picking on some kid who happened to have the same uniform as I do."

"Hey, buy us some milkbread and chips, okay?" Jimmy slung his muscular arm around a short, quivering Eunjang student.

"Make sure to get the spicy kind of shrimp chips, got it punk?"

"And I want a banana milk."

"Sprite."

"Same here."

All kinds of requests were thrown in, too much for the little Eunjang to remember. Rebecca never developed the habit of getting used to situations like these, and she didn't plan to either. 

She bravely walked over to the small group and pulled the petrified student out from Jimmy's grasp. Jimmy drew one small glance at Rebecca and smirked.

"Well if it isn't Little Na?"

"If I'm Little Na, then who's Big Na-Oh my god," Rebecca slapped her forehead. "Okay, umm, I'm gonna take this little fellow with me, and then I'm going to deal with my brother later."

She and her new friend walked across the street, away from the group. She saw the boy pat his pockets, and then stuff his hands in them, twisting all around.

"Did you forget something?" she whispered.

He hesitantly shook his head. It was very clear his fists were balling up in his pockets. Rebecca looked back at Jimmy and his group, chuckling and flipping through a black leather wallet. It contained a few thousand won, along with his ID. Rebecca groaned, walked back to the group, and snatched the wallet out of Jimmy's hands. 

"Hey! We need to buy our snacks!" someone snapped.

"Well buy it yourselves. You guys have the money. Don't you dare deny it!"

Jimmy felt more and more egotistical by the minute. "What makes you so certain, bitch?"

Rebecca pointed at the used cigars on the ground. "I recognize those cigarettes. They're expensive right? And I bet you guys didn't steal them since you don't have the balls to. So you prey on weaker people to do your dirty work and waste their own precious money. If you want snacks, buy them yourselves!"

Just as Rebecca turned away, a knack of her platinum blonde hair was pulled back. She grabbed the person's wrist, and turned her body along with it until she felt it release. More people tried latching onto her. Rebecca knew herself she wasn't much of a good fighter. In fact, a small ball of uneasiness started to form in the pit of her stomach.

A quick punch was thrown in her direction, but she was able to dodge it. That was only dumb luck though. The ball of  uneasines started to grow more and more. Her breathing started to become unstable, but she couldn't show a hint of weakness. Just at that moment, she remembered the moment when she met Gray and Eugene for the first time in the school cafeteria. When Gray took down Philip, he looked so calm. Plus, he could've used his lunchtray at some point, but it all happened so fast.

'Okay, I think I get it now.'

Rebecca braced herself for the next movement. Her top priority was to get out of the situation as fast as possible and return the wallet. More and more punches were thrown, even a few kicks. Unfortunately, her energy started to dissolve bit by bit. 

"Hm, look at you avoid anything that moves. Like a lost puppy," Jimmy teased.

Suddenly, Rebecca felt the back of her skirt lift. She slapped away someone's hand and held her skirt down. Then, a sharp kick impaled her back. She fell on her hands and knees, trying to minimize her cries. She was getting enclosed. Looking back and forth, she noticed a small opening and pushed through with all the strength in her thin body. 

"Catch!"

The boy across the street did as told and ran away, clutching his wallet to his heart. "Thanks!"

"Wow, looks like your new friend is leaving you in the dirt. Some repayment, right?" Jimmy sneered. He slowly pressed his shiny new shoes on Rebecca's delicate pale fingers and twisted back and forth. Pulling away didn't do much for her except increasing the pain. Jimmy lifted his heels, appyling more pressure

Rebecca seethed through her teeth. "Gah! Get off."

"Don't worry, we'll go easy on you just because you're the little sister of the head of the Union." He stepped off Rebecca's fingers. "Alright guys, don't overstep your boundaries."

Rebecca shifted to her feet, holding her red scratched fingers before wrapping them into fists.

'I still don't regret choosing ballet over boxing.'

She threw her first blow at Forrest Lee. Then all hell broke loose. She was back to facing the ground again. Every part of her body writhed in pain. 

Out of the blue, the looming shadows above disappeared one by one. A strong pair of arms helped her to her feet.

"Alex? Gerard? What are you guys doing here?"

"This fella happened to recognize us and brought us here." Alex pointed behind him to the same boy she threw the wallet to. 

"So Alex, you hungry for another beating?"

"Oh shut your trap, Jimmy!"