Eric had been careful to pull his punches when dealing with Charlie. He understood that the senior’s sudden flare of aggression was largely fueled by alcohol, which made his movements sloppy and his balance precarious. Eric’s own strikes had been a display of speed and precision rather than raw, bone-breaking weight; it was a flashy performance designed to end the confrontation quickly without causing permanent damage. To a sober observer, it was a masterclass in restraint, though Charlie’s dramatic collapse was more due to his intoxicated state than the actual power behind the hits.
’That should be enough to settle things, right?’ Eric thought as he lowered his guard and began to walk back toward the freshmen.
The surrounding students, most of whom were already feeling the festive atmosphere, erupted into cheers. For many of them, the fight was just another highlight of the night, a bit of live entertainment that some even suspected had been staged by the organizers to get the crowd going.
"Wow, you are incredibly skilled!" Steve exclaimed, his voice brimming with newfound respect. "Seeing that... man, maybe I really should join the Wushu club. I didn’t know you could move like that."
"While I would always welcome new members who want to appreciate the art of Wushu, I don’t want people using their fists like this too often," Eric replied, his expression somber. "The last thing I want is for students to get overconfident and start seeking out trouble just because they know a few forms."
As Eric spoke, Yovan’s gaze drifted past him, and her stomach did a nervous flip. She could see Donto and his entire inner circle of athletes beginning to move. They weren’t just watching anymore; they were descending on the crowd. Sono stepped forward first, reaching down to hoist the groggy Charlie off the floor. He deposited him unceremoniously into a nearby chair.
"A bit of an embarrassment, Charlie, but don’t worry about it," Sono said, his voice carrying a jagged edge. "We will make sure your honor is repaid."
With those words, Sono clapped his hands together with a deafening crack. He let out a shout from deep in his lungs that cut through the music and the chatter, demanding the attention of every soul in the building. A few students in the back continued to talk, and a senior nearby immediately stepped hard on one of their feet to silence them.
"What the heck, " the student started to yelp, but a hand instantly clamped over his mouth.
"The senior is speaking," a rugby player hissed into the freshman’s ear. "That means it’s time for you new guys to shut up and listen, or you’re going to learn how we do things the hard way."
Sono leaped onto one of the bowling alley’s tables so that he was visible to the entire room. He held up the small, black velvet pouch that every student had been handed at the door.
"Alright, everyone, listen up! It’s time for the real surprise of the night!" Sono shouted, a manic grin spreading across his face. "It’s time for all of you to have the time of your lives. Tonight, we’re going to be connected in a way you’ve never experienced before!"
Sono pulled the drawstring on his pouch, signaling the other seniors to do the same. As the freshmen followed suit, they reached inside to find three small, vibrant blue pills. The color was almost hypnotic under the neon lights of the bowling alley.
"Everyone, take one pill now to get the party started," Sono commanded. "The other two are yours to use whenever you wish. Believe me when I say, none of you are going to be disappointed by the results."
A ripple of uncertainty went through the crowd. Judging by the seniors’ blatant delivery, they weren’t even trying to hide what these were. A few of the more reckless students, already looking for the next high, didn’t hesitate to pop a pill into their mouths. Watching them, their friends succumbed to the heavy pressure of the group and followed suit.
However, many others remained hesitant, holding the blue pills in their palms with trembling hands. Sensing the resistance, the seniors began to fan out through the room, their eyes darting from student to student, silently forcing compliance through intimidation.
"We can see some of you are being a bit hesitant," Sono said, his voice dropping into a more menacing register. "But don’t worry. We’re going to make sure that every single person takes their dose, including those who were ’too busy’ to show up today."
Sono pulled out his phone and began to read a list of names and class departments aloud. Eventually, the name "Max Smith" rang out over the speakers.
"We told everyone to make sure these people came," Sono continued. "Because certain classes didn’t comply with our invitation, we’ll be paying a personal visit to those classrooms tomorrow. Your lack of participation will affect your entire department. And if there is anyone here tonight who thinks they can be a downer or refuse to join the fun, they’ll receive a private visit from us as well."
The threat was unmistakable. A few students who had tried to hide their pills were being treated roughly by the seniors, their arms twisted or their shoulders shoved as a warning. The perimeter of the room was now lined with athletes, ensuring no one could slip out the exits.
"We can’t actually take these things, right?" Yovan whispered, her face pale. "Who knows what kind of chemicals are in there or what it’ll do to our heads."
"Maybe we can just pretend to swallow them and find a way to get out of here," Talia suggested, her voice shaking as she looked at the seniors closing in.
"But if they catch us faking it, will they do the same thing to us that they did to Jono?" Steve asked, his eyes darting frantically. "Look around, Steve, everyone is taking them. They wouldn’t do something so serious that it would ruin this many students at once, right? Maybe it’s just easier to go along with it for now."
"If you don’t want to take the pill, then don’t take it," Eric said firmly, stepping in front of the three of them. He stood tall, his presence providing a small barrier against the encroaching seniors. "You shouldn’t follow anyone so blindly, especially when they’re using fear to lead you."
"Hey, you think we don’t know that?" Yovan snapped, though her eyes were filled with tears of frustration. "You weren’t there. You didn’t see what they’re capable of."
"I understand," Eric said, his gaze settling on Sono and Donto. "But I’m giving you a choice right now. If you don’t want to take that pill and you want to get out of here, I’ll use these fists to make a path. I don’t like using my skills for violence, but this is exactly why I learned martial arts in the first place, to protect those who can’t protect themselves."