My day started just like any other day: preparing breakfast, scurrying around the room to find misplaced items, and of course, giving Daya a good yelling to wake her up. Today, it was her turn to wake us up, and I made sure to let her have it. But honestly, it was all routine. She glanced at the clock and shot back a retort. It didn't matter much anyway, as her school was conveniently close, just a 15-minute walk considering her leisurely pace and chitchat with friends.
I managed to catch the bus on time, letting out a sigh of relief as I settled into my seat.
'Made it' I thought to myself. However, my relief was short-lived when I noticed my phone in my hand. While most people might feel a sense of relief upon finding their phone, for me, it wasn't so straightforward. I took a seat behind two girls who were enthusiastically discussing some band, their chatter serving as background noise as I stared out the window with a mildly annoyed expression. If anyone had observed me closely, they might have mistaken me for a bulldog or some kind of bespectacled monster.
The bus seemed to be cruising at a good speed, or perhaps it was just my imagination. I barely had time to catch a fleeting glimpse of a charming house before it vanished from sight. The scenery was changing too rapidly for my liking. In a matter of minutes, boredom would likely catch up with me. I gave the window one final glance before realizing what I was wearing. Luckily, it was a crisp white shirt with a cream-colored woolen vest layered over it, smartly hiding our school tie. Today was supposed to be warm, with even a promise of sunshine. Warm weather always made me happy.
"Hey, can you settle an argument for us?" one of the girls, who had been engrossed in band talk, turned to me.
Raising an eyebrow, I thought, "What kind of joke is this?" I hadn't even heard of the bands they were discussing.
"The one on the right," I pointed at one of them.
"I told you!" exclaimed the other girl. "Thanks."
While I was still puzzling over what had just transpired, I felt content that I had contributed. With a smile on my face, I returned to observing the passing scenery. As I disembarked from the bus, I realized I was the first to do so. The electric gates were open again, ushering me into the familiar courtyard where cars were parked.
And then, a curious sight caught my eye. There were clusters of girls forming in the courtyard, surrounded by a group of students. This surprised me; I had expected the Populars to have left by now. Shaking off this oddity, I continued walking. After all, the mafia boss's son would soon be here to restore order and probably throw in a few punches for good measure.
"Hey! Greek!" I heard from behind, but I kept walking, thinking it couldn't possibly be directed at me. After all, there were plenty of people wearing glasses in the world, and not everyone would be addressing me.
"Hey! Guy in the white vest, hear me?" and still, I kept walking because people wearing white vests were a dime a dozen.
"Boy on the stairs!!! "- a voice shouted, and I stopped in my tracks, realizing I was the only one on the stairs. No one else was entering the building like I was. Slowly, I turned around to see who was calling out to me. It was one of the most popular students in the school, or rather, the "Head Kingpin," or maybe not exactly the "Head Kingpin." Grace had humbled them yesterday to the point that they now avoided us.
I grimaced. I must have shown a sour expression because the guy's face turned into a scowl. I thought this might be resolved quickly, as surely the mafia boss's son would come to teach this upstart a lesson for speaking to me.
"Yes?" - I replied.
"Are you that mafia guy's friend?" - the guy had dark golden hair that reached his shoulders and was tied in a small bun at the back of his head.
"Probably so." - I muttered. The guy's violet eyes focused on me, and he smirked.
"As you know, I'm Marlon Crimson". - he spoke with arrogance. I raised an eyebrow and pondered, not really interested. I only knew him from the gossip I heard from girls about how handsome he was and how every other girl wanted to marry him. Though I wasn't sure, as more than half of them probably wanted his boss.
"I'd like to apologize on behalf of my boss," the blond guy nudged someone next to him. I squinted and recognized Frank or whatever his name was. He winced and looked guilty, meeting my gaze. I nodded and was about to turn around and leave when Marlon called again.
"Hey, could you deliver an apology to your friend from my boss? We could have been good friends."
I turned to him with a polite smile. "I accept the apology, but unfortunately, we won't be able to become friends."
"What?! You don't want to be friends with me?! "- Crimson exclaimed. He probably just realized that not everyone would want to associate with him. - You know, you could have been closer to...
"Hey, Karner, are you leaving?"- another voice came from behind me. I spun around 360 degrees and saw Mort's sister.
"Hey, Nerd, don't hesitate. I allow you to be in my company. Know that not everyone gets such an opportunity!" - the blonde shouted. The girl continued to observe my reaction, and I didn't avert my gaze.
"No, thanks. "- I exclaimed and approached the brunette. We headed towards the entrance.
"Consider my proposal." - heard for the last time as I touched the door handle. We walked in silence for a couple of minutes, but I decided to break this silence and unease. At first, I couldn't even open my mouth.
"Where's Grace? Won't he come today?"
"Who knows." - the girl shrugged her shoulders.
Such an answer didn't calm me down. We approached the schedule board.
"Design? "- the brunette girl asked me.
"Yes. "- I said cheerfully at first, then with a hint of disappointment, I let out a dissatisfied "o-o-o." The design class was usually interesting, but the teacher who insisted on students sitting in pairs wasn't very appealing.
"I hope it's something interesting." - the mafioso murmured, glancing at me.
"It's on the fifth floor. "- I said and started climbing the stairs. Surprisingly, the school was already bustling with noise. Students walked through the corridors, constantly talking to each other. And each about something different. I caught various phrases, but soon forgot them. This noise was heavy, almost giving me a headache.
"Mary, don't give him that look, he might notice."
"Hey there, darling, you're here already?"
"Want to catch a movie today?"
"Do you think I can't afford it?"
"How about heading to the football field?"
"Did you see what's happening at the entrance?"
"Yeah, but the main person isn't there. I miss him so much."
"What do they even know about chess... uh, Julian?" and that's where the chatter ceased. I looked up to find Charles, sporting silver-framed glasses.