Snap

Stop talking.

Simon kept rubbing his head, trying to get the numerous different thoughts under control. He was clammy and sweaty, his hair a mess.

Kevin wanted ****, his quest for power was finally in reach and ready to be sated.

Jessica wanted stability. She wanted him to send his friend back into the oblivion that made him in the first place.

There was going to have to be a compromise somewhere. Everything that had happened today was pushing him further and further. Simon had found himself in situations over his head before, but this one took the cake.

He continued walking on for a bit longer until reaching the end of the hallway. There he went across the entryway and propped himself up against another line of lockers. His hand wiped his brow as he tried to regain focus.

Power.

It was all about fucking power.

Nothing would've made him happier at that point than just to reset himself at the start of his day and wish for him to take Jess home.

But that wasn't how things were going to work. Instead, it was the constant daily grind and living reminder that people got upset at disrupting their natural order.

What about the disruption of the way things had been for him?

His oldest and closest friend had become so upset at the sight of him with someone else as a child, she potentially ruined the life of the other as a result. And he still didn't know what had caused them to split apart in the fucking first place!

Shit. This was all making his head hurt.

All of this stemmed from one basic fact: Everything on Saturday was still up in the air.

The auburn-haired teen took a deep breath and sighed. He stopped rubbing his head, allowing himself a moment to try and clear his head and regain his train of thought.

It only took one thing to upset everything else.

He had made a mistake in not thinking about how Kevin would remember what he had seen before the fight. Unfortunately, Simon had been so focused on Jessica being back in his life that he missed it.

At the moment between that thought and what happened next, the young man realized his mistake in not remembering to put his headphones back on.

A screech of someone whistling angrily at him sent his eardrums into overdrive. Fuck, did it hurt. He clutched a hand over his right ear with his eyes shut and felt a familiar large hand slamming his back against the locker.

He regained his vision, seeing the familiar face of Brad Myers playing his sunglasses away in his pocket, then turning his blue eyes on him with a visible disgust, and an ominous smile.

"Wow. It's still so easy for that to bother you, isn't it?" the QB said with a chuckle.

There must've been sarcasm laced in there, because a moment later he whistled directly in his face. That time, puzzlingly, it hadn't been as bad. However, it still made Simon's teeth clench down hard on themselves and his face grimace.

Brad chuckled, "Simon. Simon, Simon, Simon, I don't know what you did or how you did it, but the boys and I are a bit impressed with how you seem to make Jessica like you now."

Simon's eyes glanced up, seeing a group of people he knew from the sidelines and the party that night. A few of them chuckled. One notably didn't look comfortable being there.

Brad's voice continued to speak in the sarcastically positive tone, "But I think that's done now, hm? Time to move on."

His hazel eyes locked on Chris as he stood behind them with his arms crossed and looking at Brad to just get it over with.

"So that's how it is, huh?"

Simon frowned and locked his face back to the guy holding him up against a locker. He didn't give Brad any reaction but saw the signs of malice appearing on different parts of his face, eye muscles, and the tension in his jaw.

There were always two sides to a coin. Kevin's spatting off about expectations rang around in his head. Brad was already having the exact expectations that this would be his big moment of reset back to the way he wanted things.

"You cheated on her."

As Brad's eyes widened at the statement, Simon sent a glare in the direction of one of the only female members of the group. Tiffany's face suddenly went pale, and she tried to recompose herself as Chris shook his head.

"Wait, what?"

The black-haired cheerleader reacted by scoffing and storming around in a huff, "I don't know what he's talking about!"

Lie.

Brad's face moved so close their foreheads pressed together, his voice turning into a quiet growl.

"How the fuck do you know that?"

There would be no reset now. Instead, the obstacle had been put in the Quarterback's path, increasing his annoyance and his arrogance.

"Does it matter?" Simon asked bluntly.

The comment made the star athlete laugh and shake his head as he pulled away, "Look at you! Suddenly growing a pair of balls, huh?"

Simon grimaced his mouth as he watched Brad look around to his group, encouraging them to chuckle along with him like he could **** them into it. There were cracks in his armor now. Instead, Simon turned his glare back on the cheerleader.

"Jess is your friend."

Betrayal. Knowing betrayal.

The girl's eyebrow cocked as she moved in and looked at him with disgust, "Yeah. And I'm doing what's best for her. I don't need you sabotaging everything I've built for her. Your little event is already causing problems for my Prom Committee, Simon."

Oh. So that's what this was.

Tiffany revealed herself as the puppeteer in his mind, the supportive friend that in reality enjoyed making things go her own way, biding her time and waiting for her moment.

These people surrounded Jessica.

"Simon, I'm wrapped up in everyone's expectations. Everyone thinks I just do what I want and dictate, but it gets hard. My ego gets inflated because I'm Jessica Edwards, the 'It Girl', every girl wants to be me, and every guy wants me! But to you, I'm just Jess. I just happen to be all these things to everyone, while to you those things are just... me."

Her voice called back to him in that moment. Kevin's more recent anger and spatting towards his genie also became relevant.

"… that's just gasoline for you, isn't it? Someone is different from how you want them to be! You're a creature of expectations! Fuck those expectations!"

Brad chuckled darkly, "Tiffany, be a dear and check the hallways."

The cheerleader smiled brightly, nodded to the Quarterback, and then walked down the hallway he had come from.

Both Simon and Brad made eye contact again as the star athlete smiled and threw a punch at him.

Nothing.

Simon was sure that was a hit, a quick left hook of some sort, and his face had moved as a result.

But he didn't feel anything. He expected a sudden onset of pain or some sort of blackout. The whiplash alone should've disoriented him or set his ears ringing.

Instead, nothing.

He returned his neck and his head to the spot they were in before. He was then looking at Brad, who took the sight of it as some fluke. One of his teammates raised an eyebrow and muttered to Chris behind.

"Dude, did he even hit him?"

Simon blinked with surprise at his sudden ability to take a punch. He couldn't believe it. Someone just decked him in the face, and there wasn't even a scratch on him! He fidgeted with his fingers and realized Jess' ring was still there right where it had been the night he put it on.

The night where he wished no one could take it from him.

The night where he wished that no harm could come to him or those he cared about as long as he controlled the ring.

That was it, wasn't it?

Brad attempted a second punch to his face, and the same result happened. Again, his head moved with the energy, but nothing happened.

If anything, it made the Quarterback even angrier than he had been before.

"You think this is funny, Harris?"

Simon did nothing, his eyes looking around the room as he continued to think. Brad could just tire himself out, and he'd be fine. The idea that he had just punched him twice and done nothing was making him more confused. Maybe they just thought his face was more demanding than it looked? He had no idea of how they could be justifying it.

The rage built in his face while the mask of the smiling and future star player crumbled off.

A knee rammed up at hit Simon in the stomach, his body keeled over, but the blow inflicted no damage or pain. Then an elbow in his back was trying to make his face plant into the floor.

His hands making contact with the floor left more feeling than any of Brad's blows. Simon stood himself up defiantly, just watching and concerned for what came next.

Brad looked like he was whistling again, but Simon couldn't hear anything like he had the first two times. Was it because of the intention being different?

"Okay Retard. Think you're tough now? Try this…."

As Simon watched his arm extending outward, a familiar voice ran up to them and grabbed his assailant from behind. His eyes immediately locked onto Jessica as she looked confused and horrified, "Brad! What're you doing! Stop!"

The sound of her voice and her actions only enraged Brad further. Simon's eyes widening as he heard the football player let out a roar and knock the blonde to the ground, who now sat on the floor looking up at them from behind the group that now flanked their leader in the hall, preventing him from sight.

"I'll be with you in a moment, babe!"

Simon looked at where Jessica had been on the ground, his eyes widening again as the sounds of everyone else's voices: Jessica, the student yelling in the hallway, the commotion growing around them, the way his teammates took a brief moment to make sure they had their backs to them to claim they didn't see anything.

He looked at the red-faced and antagonized Brad. The quarterback was panting from the effort of his punches.

"I wish you told me what you really thought, Brad."

His heart rate had spiked at the sight of Brad knocking his genie away from him. The way he dismissed her tauntingly as she tried to get him to stop. A dark and malicious smile formed on the QB's face, the mask falling clean off as his intentions became clear.

"You want to know what I fucking think!? I think you're NOTHING!"

His fist slammed into him again, again doing nothing. Simon only returned his head and continued to stare. This time Brad began to cackle with glee as he felt a further test of his power challenged by an unworthy and unsightly opponent.

"I think you and your retarded little brain need just to quit thinking that you'll ever be anything more than an insect! A damned gnat that won't know when to buzz the fuck off."

Insect. Gnat. Retard.

Lesser. Unworthy. Annoyance. Pest.

He was the one with the power; he was the one with the talent and the gifts, everything handed to him, even if he would barely have to work hard for them. Brad panted and got closer again, taunting him further with a belief in knowing what he indeed had and what Simon did not.

Thinking he had it all, that he owned it all.

"I think when I'm done beating you, I'll go fuck my girl in the locker room like the purebred toy she is! Remind her who the Big Dog is in this school! Make her beg my name!"

Brad believed he deserved it all.

This punch, Simon didn't even bother letting his body respond as it had before. Instead, he remained glaring at his menace, still processing the words and how he said them. The way he called the girl he loved nothing but a toy, bred for him and nothing else; to do with as he pleased.

"Then I'll give her the idea of inviting your sister over for drinks! Have some more fun! I'll give that fucking camera of yours something it can really take a photo of for your wall! How about that!"

He could take what he wanted. Do whatever he wanted. Inflict whatever he wanted on whoever he wanted. Then gloat in satisfaction over it. Brad smiled and rubbed his lip to wipe off the increase in saliva from his proclamation.

"Then I'll go fuck whoever I want! Because that's the thing you don't understand, you dumb fuck! We just humor you! I'm TOO IMPORTANT to get in trouble!"

Brad's hand hovered menacingly next to Simon's head.

"I'm up here - and you're," he pointed at the floor and stomped his foot, "you're dust to me. There are no consequences for people like me; the people at the top, and we crush people like you at the bottom. And I’ll always be on top as its always meant to be!”

Humor him. Act as if his existence was something just to be tolerated and nothing more. Something to pity, something to just let go of because why care about such things? He thought himself superior to the auburn-haired boy. He had a purpose that made him more valuable to society.

Simon's eyes remained locked on his enemy.

Power.

Expectations.

Arrogance.

These were the things Brad believed he had because he performed well at something considered to be valuable. To lose that to someone like a bug, a retard, an insect, or…

…or even a speck of dirt.

The ultimate crime. A shock too severe that Chaos itself would ripple out and send all things spiraling. Simon now understood.

'ENOUGH ALREADY!'

Jessica's voice was yelling out inside of her head at everything going on around them. Simon heard it clear as day.

He felt the same way at the same time. Simon's eyes darted as he saw Brad wind up for a punch that intended to be so hard and so malicious that it meant to destroy the "retarded brain" that the Quarterback believed was against him.

Simon cocked his head and moved his neck to the left as it came forward, playing out in slow motion, most likely from the adrenaline. First, the fist would avoid his head, then he had an opening, then go for the target, the source of Brad's strength.

Brad's fist slammed into the locker behind Simon's head, causing a noticeable dent that made the athlete begin howling out in pain.

"AGH! FUCK!"

The moment Brad moved, he let go of his shoulder with his right arm to nurse his hand. Simon pushed off the lockers and grabbed the Quarterback by the shirt collar. He thrust his head forward into the other student's face, headbutting him and causing him to stumble.

Simon's right arm pushed and clenched down on Brad's left shoulder, forcing him to his knees, and grabbing the athlete's loosened right hand and holding it up, clenching down hard. Brad had exhausted himself punching uselessly against Simon's magic defence - and now Simon took his chance.

It only took seconds, and audible gasps could be heard as the hallway fell silent. Brad's nose now bled as he looked up at the auburn-haired boy in confused fury, caught off guard and an increasing amount of a new emotion he had not displayed but that Simon wanted.

Fear.

As had happened in the nurse's office, Simon's left hand began to clench down harder and harder. Only this time, it had the throwing hand of his enemy in its grip. His eyes remained wide and frozen in a cold glare, his emotions cutting themselves off so as not to overwhelm him in this situation.

His voice spoke coldly down to his once-attacker.

"All I have to do is break it." And I end your life as you know it.

He clenched down harder and harder as Brad yelled out in pain again, his face grimacing and eyes closing.

It was easy to assume that Simon would be capable of violent intentions in this state, some spread rumors about him being such a person that could snap.

But, no. The young man had no intention of ending Brad's life mortally.

Brad Myers' power came from being the star athlete of the school. The Kingmaker. The one who brought attention to the school and the faculty, his talent being recruited for colleges, the one person being told that if he chose their school, he could attain wealth and influence in the entertainment and media circles that society let their children dream of achieving. He was a natural. He needed little coaxing to do what he did best.

But, some expectations had to be met.

Fracture a finger, and Brad misses the next game, which overlooks the next scouting team, the next recruiting station. Reduce your chances of being selected for a higher-tier program.

Bruise a hand, can't throw for a couple of weeks, more lost chances, less time on the field—another opportunity. Professional leagues don't work as hard to scout if you aren't at a significant school.

Break your hand. Miss the season. Schools don't take chances on someone with an injury history. Eventually, make it. Transfer later. Professional career in doubt.

Break your hand in a fight with the "fucking retard” in front of your class that just heard you say you'd fuck the most popular girl as your personal toy and **** his sister after trying to beat the crap out of him-and then losing to said "fucking retard"?

That took away the source of your power.

That took away your power itself.

That rips away all expectations.

That was life-ending.

Brad let out louder screaming as eventually the staff finally responded. Finally, Simon tilting his head down at him and letting him go. He eventually looked up and around the rest of the hallway at the crowd that had gathered, holding up their phones and the security and administrative staff blocking off the hall exits.

Two familiar voices began speaking out to him.

"Master!"

"Simon!"

He looked up, still stoic and emotionless, as his sister cupped his face and looked at him worried to ****, "Simon?"

The blonde genie next to her scrunched her face and held him tightly, "Master, please…."

He remained silent. Not saying a word as he watched one of the coaches and players help Brad up and lead him down the hallway. His sister and friend watching the staff approach. Simon looked at their faces, one of the vice-principals, school social workers, and the security guard.

He said nothing and followed them, but he stopped to note one person.

The football coach looked at him with his arms crossed as if he was arrested recently for robbing his family estate. Instead, this middle-aged bald and bearded man in a sweater and gym shorts looked at him like Brad had. Simon's eyes locked on with his, not caring what he was thinking. He watched them narrow, but the man took a single step backward.

They took him to the nurse's office first; Jessica and Sam refused to go back to class and stayed with him.

He remained quiet, still thinking to himself.

His gaze turned first to his sister, who looked at him with emotions he had not seen from her before. Perhaps awe, worry, something conflicting.

"I ran into the hall long enough to hear what that asshole said," she told him, "I want to kill him, but…."

She started laughing partially to cope, partially out of amazement, "You actually broke the bastard's nose!"

Simon glanced up as the corners of his mouth turned slightly upward, feeling his emotions beginning to return to him slowly.

What the fuck did he just do?

He turned to the blonde on the other side of him, looking at him worriedly, scrunching her lip. He blinked and then smiled slightly a bit more.

"I'm okay."

"I can't believe he would do that to you."

He shrugged as if it was no big deal. After all, this day had already been full of enough fuck ups, what was once more.

"Wish yourself out of this."

His eyes widened, and he saw her emerald eyes staring at him in resolution, "You're not going down for this, you hear me? I'm tired of all this bullshit."

Simon sighed.

He was tired of it too.

"You know they'll probably let him off easy," his sister sighed in disappointment, "School probably wants to protect their image."

The auburn-haired young man leaned back against the wall along with his sibling and sighed, "Yeah…."

Jessica looked at him, but not at where his hand was snaking until she felt his fingers entering the dampening fabric of her underwear. She gasped.

"I wish we didn't have to get in trouble for this, though."

The blonde let out a coo and a shudder as he stroked a finger over her pussy, feeling her tremble, her hand clasped his wrist to steady herself.

"Thanks, Jess."

His sister heard his wish aloud as well but mostly took a deep sigh and a frown, "Yeah, good luck. You'll need a fucking miracle."

Simon frowned again, removed his hand from Jess, and stood up, "I want to go lay down."

Sam scoffed and smiled, "I don't blame you for that. See if you can use one of the nurse beds."

"I want to talk to Jess, too," he added.

The redhead rolled her eyes, "That's fine, too. I'll just wait here by myself and guard the door then!"

He turned and smiled back at her, still feeling the edge of the past few hours remaining.

"Thanks, Lil' Sis."

Sam's face suddenly turned a bright shade of pink as she found herself stuttering in a most un-Sam-like way.

"W-Wh-What did you j-just call me!"

Jessica laughed at her reaction and the huff that Sam then made as she crossed her legs and arms in embarrassment. The blonde's face turned back to worry for him as he stopped smiling again once they were away from view.

He kicked his feet up and placed his arms behind his head as he plopped down to lay on the bed.

"Are you hurt?"

He held up his hand to show her the ring and sighed, "That no harm wish saved my ass today."

Simon retook a deep breath and shut his eyes for a moment, feeling Jess hovering.

"On the bed, Jess."

The blonde genie promptly sat herself down and then remained at his side. Jessica let out a huff and allowed herself to fall over next to him.

"So…today sucked."

"No shit," she scoffed with a pout.

He sighed and felt his mouth move off to the right side of his face, his eyes looking upward.

"You mind doing me a favor and texting your boyfriend that you're dumping him? Kind of an a-hole."

Jessica leaned up and grabbed her cellphone with a cynical laugh, "Gladly."

She then texted and scrolled a bit on her phone and let herself fall back on the bed. Her voice sighing that the deed was done,

"Sent. And Blocked."

"Any **** porn I should be on the lookout for?" he deadpanned.

She scoffed again, "He'd be so lucky."

The two of them laid together in silence as he thought about the following steps to take. Even though he wished he wouldn't be in trouble, there was still everything else that happened.

"So we went from half the school seeing you beating the shit out of Kevin, to half the school seeing me headbutt Brad and attempt to crush his hand. Bit of a turnaround on that one."

He sighed as the genie rolled over onto her stomach and then crawled back on top of him to move closer up to his face. Her eyes were looking at him nervously with concern.

"What will you do about Kevin?"

Simon sighed at the question coming up again.

He wasn't content on letting his friend continue to suffer if he were to have his memory wiped, but the auburn-haired teen also knew that Kevin could be a danger to Jess with the way he felt about her. Simon frowned but being ganged up on by Brad and seeing the reactions of the school and staff members made it an easier one for him.

"I'm going to give him what he wants."

Jessica's eyes panicked and her face began to look betrayed at the very idea. She shook her head and ready herself to both cry and scream at her Master.

Simon however, grabbed her hand.

"I can't believe you would actually…"

"You didn't let me finish."

The blonde genie stopped and looked at her Master as Simon leaned himself up and propped up one of his legs, holding up a finger as if he was talking aloud.

"Listen, I'm going to give Kevin what he wants, but not the way he thinks. I have to give him something that will satisfy him, but not at the cost of you, Jess. He can't have you. He never will."

There was no way in hell he would let Kevin ever touch Jessica. Not in the slightest. However, Kevin had a point when he brought up everything.

Simon had seen enough of the dark underbelly of Eastlake, Good and Evil took on different forms, but the institution and social acceptance of certain aspects by teachers, coaches, and others had shown the corruption inherent in it.

There were a few, compared to the system itself.

The system that made both Kevin and Brad. It needed a jolt or a wrecking ball, but more than that, it required some Chaos.

And even more than that, for a few of them, payback.

Who better to enact it?

He looked at Jessica again, watching her frown and shake her head. Finally, she stood up and paced the small room.

"You say that, but you heard what he said! I'm just…I…I can't do anything to stop you!"

She looked like she was ready to pull her hair out, "I just. I know he wants me to suffer! I'm just a **** to him! And I'm… I'll be…I don't know if I can trust you!"

Simon frowned at her reaction. Jessica needed to know she was less **** than the genie thought she was.

"Jess."

She looked up at him right as he snapped his fingers.