Do Not Touch My Wife!

On the rooftop, the strong wind blew the boy's wolf-cut hair all over his face, strands sticking to his tear-stricken cheeks as he looked down.

Squeezing his eyes shut, he began to lean forward. He had just taken one leg off the railing when he suddenly heard someone clapping behind him.

"I just want to be clear on what you're about to do. It's suicide, yes?"

Surprised, he slowly turned around to see an unfamiliar face gazing at him with genuine curiosity.

He would've thought she was a schoolmate if she were wearing the school uniform, but seeing her in joggers, he scoffed and returned his eyes to the view in front of him.

"Get lost."

Zoey slipped both hands into her pocket and sucked in her teeth.

"Wow. You're really about to end yourself. I've heard of these, but I've never actually seen one happen in person."

"The last time it happened in my previous school, they said something about the kid's brain splattering across the ground because he fell headfirst."

"I didn't need to see pictures to know it was nasty. Do me a favor and dive headfirst so I'll know if the police were telling the truth."

Hearing such graphic detail, the boy swallowed hard but didn't back down.

Noticing his breathing quicken, she knew she was making progress and clicked her tongue, inching toward him.

"Ignore me. I just want to see how far the fall is."

She stood a meter away, crouched down, and pretended to shudder fearfully.

"That's a long drop. I think if you go headfirst, your neck might snap and detach from your body from the impact."

"Or your whole body might explode. I mean, I've heard of people splitting apart from falls like this."

Visibly shaken by the imagery, the boy gritted his teeth and leered at her. "Your stupid reverse psychology won't work on me!"

She scoffed, "I'm late for class, why would I waste time doing reverse psychology on you? Look, this is my first day at this school, and I'm already ten minutes late."

"I was dreading going in there, so imagine my surprise when I looked up and saw a savior. I mean, if you do go through with it, school will be canceled for the day and maybe even a few days."

"It'll take the police a while to rule out foul play, so we could get, what, another week off?"

"But now I'm thinking, since you're so eager to die. why waste those precious organs of yours? Come with me to the black market."

"Once we sell off your organs and I keep seventy-five percent, I'll use the rest for your funeral. Instead of dying from something as pathetic as suicide, the school will see you as a hero who saved a lot of people."

"To sweeten the deal, you'll also be helping this poor girl beside you. The money won't be enough to buy a yacht, but it'll be a start."

At the mention of a yacht, something seemed to snap in the boy's nerves.l and he slowly turned to look at her.

"A yacht?"

She nodded and stepped back from the railing.

"Mhm. Have you ever been to a yacht party? I won't say it's the best thing ever, but it's close. Thanks to you, I'll be able to enjoy one in this wretched life I've suddenly been plunged int…"

The wind howled louder, and the boy, now smiling faintly, swayed and lost his footing.

"Aargh!"

Zoey rushed forward, grabbed his collar just in time and yanked him toward her.

They fell backward, him landing on top of her, and her on her butt.

Completely unaware of the intimate pose they were in, she tilted her head to the side and grinned proudly at the panting boy whose life had just flashed past his eyes.

"So… is this a yes? You'll come with me to the black market to sell your organs so I can buy my yacht?"

The boy swallowed, "I've never been on a yacht."

Zoey was taken aback.

This was a school for the wealthy, after all.

Or was this, perhaps, a scholarship student?

"Are you poor?"

He huffed, "No. But you've got to be really rich to own one. Like that prick Dylan Berschwith. His dad has one, and he was gifted another for his nineteenth birthday just a few months ago."

Recalling that name made him break free from her grip and rush to look over the once edge again.

Earlier, he'd made up his mind to jump, but with the vivid imagery Zoey had planted in his head, he couldn't stop imagining himself on the ground with his brains splattered everywhere.

Dropping to his knees, he bent over and suddenly began sobbing, yelling at her as he did.

"You should've just let me die! Because of you, Dylan's minions are going to have me for lunch for not doing their homework!"

Zoey drew her knees to her chest, brows knitting slightly as she tried to confirm, "So what you're saying is… you won't go to the black market with me? Damn. I should've just watched the spectacle from downstairs."

"I put my trust in you, and now I'm thirty minutes late to class. Have you no conscience?"

The boy was too perplexed to continue sobbing.

This crazy little…

She seriously hadn't been trying to talk him out of suicide? She was actually looking forward to it?

What a strange person.

As she turned to leave, she noticed he was still sitting on the ground, making no attempt to move.

"Aren't you a senior?"

His eyes dimmed.

"Dylan Berschwith's minions will mop the floor with me after class. I'm going to stay here until I find the guts to jump again."

The words had barely escaped his lips when she turned back and shoved him down with her foot.

"What are you doing?!"

Zoey stood over him, seething, "You really have no conscience! Why can't you find your guts another day when I'm here to watch? This is just your way of making me stay with you, isn't it?"

He narrowed his eyes at her in confusion, "Don't be weird! I'd honestly rather die than go to class and face Dylan's guys!"

She glared hard at him. "Hey, I said find your guts another day! Aren't you a boy? Grab a rock or something and hit them when they come at you!"

The boy bit down on his lower lip before he retorted slowly, "I don't know how to fight."

"Get up."

Although hesitant, he got on his feet and she stood behind him.

"Clench your fists."

She picked up a few small rocks and slid them between his fingers.

"There. A jab to the stomach with that won't kill them, but it'll hurt enough for you to run. I'll be waiting here for you tomorrow, when you finally make up your mind."

Without another word, she turned and strutted out.

In the seniors' classroom, Kate kept glancing at the wall clock, growing more impatient as the class neared its end without any sight of Zoey.

The teacher had just finished explaining something when Kate saw the silhouette she'd been waiting for casually strolling in like she wasn't late.

Instantly, she slammed her palm on her desk and stood up, pointing an aggrieved finger at Zoey.

"Sister, what are you doing coming to class this late?! You may have been a delinquent in the countryside, but you're in the city now and ought to behave like the biological daughter of the Smith family!"