My Ninety-Nine Dads

“Hey! I haven’t talked to him yet! Why’d you hang up?!”

Ms. Jones shouted and reached for my phone.

Instinctively, I dodged to the side and quickly ended the call.

The next second, “Smack!”

Another hard slap landed across my face.

Ms. Jones’ face twisted with anger. “You caused such a huge mess and still want to hide this from your parents?!”

Daniel suddenly slammed a hand against the wall and pointed at my nose while yelling, “Don’t think you’re safe just because you’re hiding it from the adults!

“I run Hawkins! I’ve got connections at the police department, too! You dared touch my daughter? Your whole working-class family could disappear in minutes if I wanted!”

Macy limped out as well and sneered at me.

“You’re so pathetic, not even daring to call your parents. What, is your family so poor that they can’t even afford food? Then where’d you get the guts to push me? Ridiculous!”

I lowered my head, my voice so quiet that it was almost a whisper.

“My dad really can’t come… I’m sorry, Macy. I was wrong. I shouldn’t have pushed you.

“I can kneel and apologize in front of the whole school. I’ll even be your servant for a year. Or you can hit me back. Just don’t call the police, okay? I don’t want to get expelled…”

Macy let out a mocking laugh, but Daniel roared and reached for my phone again.

“You think you’re in a position to negotiate?!

“Give me your parents’ number. I’ll talk to them myself!”

Ms. Jones immediately joined in. “Ariel, give your phone to Mr. Fuller! Stop being stubborn and show some good problem-solving attitude!”

Daniel charged forward to snatch the phone, while I desperately protected it and kept backing away.

In the end, I stumbled and dropped to the floor.

My knees slammed against the cold tiles, and the pain made tears stream down my face.

However, I still kept begging.

“Please don’t contact my dad. Macy, please. I’ll do everything I said before. I’ll apologize, make up for it, let you hit me back, anything. Just don’t call my parents, okay?!”

Only after my knee was bleeding did a satisfied look finally appear on Macy’s face.

She stopped her dad and deliberately raised her voice.

“Fine. But just apologizing publicly isn’t enough. Tomorrow, you’re going to kneel and apologize to me a hundred times. You’ll keep doing it until I’m satisfied. Then I won’t call the police.”

“Okay.”

Clenching my fists tightly, I agreed to every single condition she gave me.

My chest felt like it was bleeding from humiliation, but at the same time, I felt it was worth it.

As long as my dads weren’t dragged into this.

That night, I returned exhausted to the small apartment Dad number two, Michael, rented for me.

Wearing a baseball cap pulled low over my face, I saw three men busy cooking in the kitchen.

They were Dad Number Sixty-Six, Robert, Dad Number Seventy-Nine, David, and Dad Number Ninety-Three, Thomas.

The moment they saw me come home, they immediately gathered around happily.

“Ariel’s home!”

At the dinner table, Robert grinned and pinched my cheek.

“Ariel, I heard your school’s giving you an award? Why didn’t you let me go with you? Going by turns, it should’ve been my turn already, right?”

David skillfully massaged my shoulders while arguing back, “The hell it should. It’s my turn!”

Thomas pushed a bowl of soup in front of me.

“Drink up. It’s good for your brain. Get yourself into a good college.”

My nose suddenly stung, and I nearly burst into tears.

However, I forced a smile and explained, “It’s just a small certificate. No need to trouble yourselves. Next time, if it’s a big award, I’ll call you guys.”

“Fine, fine, we’ll stop arguing. Eat first, sweetheart.”

The three of them excitedly served me food.

But while we were eating, Robert’s expression suddenly changed. He stood up and answered a phone call.

I could vaguely hear a few phrases from where I sat.

“That shipment… got targeted again… jumped into the river himself… Damn it, making money’s getting harder and harder…”