A group of beautiful figures entered the cafeteria. It created a synchronic view: heels directed the tempo of musical talks and gossips. It was quite hypnotizing, like watching one wave coming after, another slightly crashing. Even though they all looked graceful and sophisticated there still was a predator inside ready to be released.

Eleanor sat at the entrance of the hall, clenching the bag like preparing for a slow marathon. Her narrow look examined passing students, and oddly enough it didn't raise any more negativity than there already was. The whole place sounded with gossips and shared stories not noticing judging look landing on each of them. Eleanor took a deep sigh suppressing expected disgust as her look shifted from one room corner to another. It was amazing and weird how all these people masked all the mud they threw on her, now pretending they are nothing but innocent happy teens.

Buzzing phone in Eleanor's pocket distracted her from the gloomy mind. Without big curiosity, she answered. There was only one person who could call while she still at school.

"I need you in the office," Phillips voice left no space for objection "now."

"Now? Really?" an exhale left Eleanor's mouth.

"Yes, now. I already called the principle, you're good to go," Phillip hung up not giving a chance for Eleanor to object.

"Perks of being principles friend," Eleanor whispered to herself, slowly packing the stuff and ignoring the table of girls mimicking her talking on the phone.

Leaving the seat empty, Eleanor stood up and made her way to the exit, silently praying for no one to cross her way. She let her body travel through the wide corridor with countless doors to small cages. Most of the students were still in the cafeteria, which gave Eleanor a free way to walk without a hundred stares stinging her back. The walls didn't seem so cold when the space in between wasn't filled with desperate students fighting for attention and attacking the weak ones.

Just as her breath got steadier from brief freedom, few girls from around the corner ran right into her. Her body completely lost the balance and hit the cold cement floor hard. The hysterical laugh filled the air as Eleanor tried to catch the breath, as the sudden slam almost paralyzed the lungs.

"Oh, poor baby. We're you dreaming about daddy's money again?" Camilla tried to make up a fast insult, yet it failed to reach the depths of Eleanor. As the laughter slowly faded into the air, only huffed deep breathing remained.

Not many people realize that school is all about survival. Like in the wild. There are predators and there are preys. Predators are led by a strong undefeated leader: they follow him, try to please, behaves alike. But they always follow one stronger ruler. Not because they're weak, but because to them it's a basic survival instinct. They need a leader, which helps to feed on others misery.

The prays, however, are doomed to fight for their life. There is no leader, no herd, no defending community. They are left on their own. Not even to fight, just to survive. Once captured by a predator, they have two choices: became a toy and suffer constantly or become food and die instantly.

Eleanor refused to be either of them. That was her first mistake: she said no to the chase, the hunt play, rejected the desperate pathetic attempt to make her weak. Once they noticed she tried to fight, hide the actual reaction to embarrassing pranks, it only increased the hunting instinct. An automatic prey was misbehaving, so the predator had to try harder. If the pray was hiding, the predator had to find it.

As Eleanor sucked in the freezing air the cement was flowing with, her fingers clenched into fists. It slowly lifted the body soaked in the cruel laughter, feeling the head still spinning. The body was struggling, feeling too embarrassed, even though there was no one around. But Eleanor trained it well enough, commanding to lock this memory until it returns in quiet moments. But until then, she can't let it betray the darkness inside that just spread a little bit more.

She continued the walk, ignoring the stinging pain on the lower back until she reached the exit. The physical pain was nothing to compare with daily daytime nightmares. As Eleanor's gathered force pushed the exit door, the slumped figure had to be punched again, this time by a disgustingly capturing view.

Just a little further where the way to the building started with a driveway, a dark sports car pulled over. When Lukas stepped out, his arms immediately tangled around Camilla's waste, lips smashing together. Eleanor swallowed the disgust, unable to look away from the stomach-turning image: Lukas' fingers traveled Camilla's back, going lower and lower and caressing it as her appreciating body pressed itself harder to him. All Eleanor had to do, was just slowly walk away, pretending she didn't see anything, but she chose not to. Anyone can run away. It takes bravery to face one's nightmares. So she inhaled deep and walked down the stairs, prepared for anything that might come.

As if he could sense her presence, Lukas gaze from behind Camila caught Eleanor. It happened faster than she expected and he, surprisingly, broke the kiss. Lukas lips patted the last kiss on Camilla's cheek and lightly pushed her towards the car, still keeping the gaze straight at Eleanor. Camila caught the attention breaker and turned around. A sad little figure on the stairs made perfect sense so she proudly placed her self into the car. Lukas didn't even bother with any explanation and made his way towards Eleanor, with each step his smile widening. Yes, he did enjoy what he saw: an attempt to steady the breathing and an already visible bruise on her arm betrayed the incident.

"What do you want now, " Eleanore mumbled shooting the satisfaction in Lukas' face with her look. Unfortunately, it just put more triumph to his proud walk as he would have just won something he always wished for. "I am not in the mood for this now. I just want to leave this place without any other unwanted interactions," she warned him just with a hint of a threat but it only a giggle escaped his mouth.

"Do those unwanted interactions has anything to do with you looking like shit?" he spit out noticing a glimpse of irritation and sadness in her lowered head and took it as an approval. "Did something happened in school? Somebody had fun with you without me?"

The shadow of disgust covered his face, looking her up from toes to short light hair strings. He hoped to awaken that little voice in her head that approved his actions. But Eleanor could see beyond that raw hate no one could explain: behind that there was an obsessed soul, feeding on others despair.

"Why do you feel such a need to be around me? Making sure I'm in proper condition for your little games? Or just feel nostalgic because someone else had the chance to do that before you?" Eleanor snapped back, feeling rage raising up the throat.

"Oh, you are feisty today. Someone must have pissed you off really bad, " the tongue escaped his mouth leaving saliva traces along the lips. "Despite the fact that I do enjoy seeing you get what you deserved, nevertheless it doesn't give them right to do anything to you. It's my job, little El. "

Little El. He pronounced it like his property and it always left stinging chills all over her skin. It didn't sound sweet at all. It hid terror and a desperate wish to feel superior. It was the way how he said it: obsession mixed with certainty as he claimed her every time he spoke her name. Now, feeling completely in captivity, it took a miracle for her to step aside. Unfortunately, he objected, placing himself in the way.

"Hey, hey, hey, you walk away when I'm done with you, " his fingers cupped her chin turning her fully back to himself. As Eleanor slightly flinched from such a sudden move, a tiny smile shadowed on his lips but he decided to pull away fast. Like he just has touched the fire. "On the other hand it's better to step back, it's pretty unpleasing to be near you now. "

Strong cologne smell still danced under her nose as Eleanor stumbled back from a push. A lump traveled up the throat announcing the daily victory of a figure in front full of dignity. The blood boiled in her veins, feeling the traces of domination he had left. With the last victorious shooting look Lukas turned back towards the car, where Camila was already impatiently taping both of the heels to the ground. Eleanor didn't even feel how words left her mouth.

"Still better than hanging out with a whore. "

Lukas froze immediately. He dramatically turned back to what would seem already destroyed spirit for today still trying to squeeze last battle cries. By the time of a second, he was again at Eleanor, trying his best to burn her with anger steam flowing in the air. But he failed as she didn't even flinch: no one would make her regret her words, it was only the truth she spoke. The time around froze as his fingers again reached for her. The ice-cold fingers tangled around her neck, pressing it into the skin leaving it bloodless.

"Watch your mouth," Lukas lips almost touched Eleanor's skin behind ears as he forcefully dragged her closer. "After all, it is all the closure from upfront you're ever going to get. "

The hiss traveled through Eleanor's bones leaving tingles running down the spine. He buried his face in her hair, keeping the pressure on the throat. The hot breath traveled on each millimeter of her skin, as her mind could decide what required more strength: the attempt to eliminate the tingles on her spine from his hypnotizing voice or struggle to remove the suffocating fingers turning the skin around the neck white. Lukas pulled away just a little to meet the wanted terror in her gaze and embraced it with pleasure.

"You think this is bad? Wait till you see what I'll do if you keep misbehaving. I'll make your life a living hell. "

Eleanor struggled to breathe, only his fingers holding her by the neck seconds away from falling. The shooting stare right at her was harder and harder to hold as the last drop of air in her were right about to be removed just as the spirit be sucked out. It burned bad under her skin, challenging her and she welcomed it.

"Then I'm dragging you there with me. "

As the last drops of breath left her mouth she already felt free: since her behavior collided with his, it made everything bittersweet. But she was willing to pay the price if it meant breaking attached Lukas strings. As Eleanor's fingers around his wrist lost the pressure and felt by her sides, Lukas was satisfied. The left mark was just as deep as he wanted. With pulling away, he returned the air still soaked with his presence to Eleanor and she drank it with a want she never thought she had. The legs unconsciously stepped away, restoring the distance from the witnessed nightmare that left visible red marks on the neck. She knew he wants to leave a mark. And he always did.

Eleanor was still catching the breath, helping the body to recover and already start to remove the traces of his touch when Lukas rapidly turned away and went back to the car. The smile reappeared on Camilla's face and Eleanor could tell it was reflecting in Lukas as they both placed themselves in the car and faded into the street. Eleanor couldn't decide what was worse, facing the ground or watching two predators feeling like winners. Both ideas were still suffocating Eleanor, as she gently rubbed the remaining marks on her skin which mercilessly whispered to remind the comeback in her nightmares.