"Mel... get up ... You are innocent. They are only bullies who use their parents' power to oppress others. You cannot let them bully you..."
Aleksis hurriedly knelt to get Mel on her feet, but Anjali immediately slapped her cheek very hard. Aleksis who did not expect the assault did not manage to defend herself on time. Her body stumbled to the side.
She almost hit the hard table when in a split second someone jumped out and caught her body.
Aleksis did not get slammed on the table but on a rather broad chest of a tall young man dressed in a gray shirt with sleeves rolled up to his elbows. The young man quickly protected her. Because he was hugging Aleksis' it was his back that received the impact.
"Ugh ..." The young man grunted. He quickly balanced himself and made sure the girl was unharmed. "Are you okay?"
He released Aleksis from his arms and touched her cheeks which had turned red from Anjali's slap.
Dear lovely readers, since now I cannot divide my chapters easily (because of the wordcount limitation) the chapters now becomes longer. I hope you don't mind fewer longer chapters than many short chapters...