A year later,
Trenton Academy,
12th grade block,
Class B.
The final-year students of this class returned to their seats after greeting the female Math teacher who had just stepped in.
"Students, as you've heard, a new kid has been transferred to this school today, and he'll be your classmate from now on," the teacher revealed.
At this, many became curious and fixed their attention on the doorway since that's where the said person would enter from.
A second later, a slim youth wearing a simple white t-shirt, black slightly loose pants and brown sandals walked in, carrying an old-looking yellow backpack. His rustic-brown hair was shoulder-length and curly, and he wore glasses, having the look of a coy nerd.
Seeing this, many became unbothered. Since he wasn't some cool dude, he was nothing but a prey to be bullied from all ends
"Introduce yourself," the teacher urged smilingly.`
The youth faced the class and started fidgeting.
"I… Good… Good morning, people. I… I'm called Lykai. I'm 17 years old and I love to read my books and play with cats. Please take care of me," he slightly bowed his head.
Hearing this, many of the students burst into laughter, some even pointing at him as they did so. The youth looked more nervous at their reaction.
"Silence!" the teacher barked, successfully shutting them up.
"Lykai, go sit with the girl at the back," she ordered, as that was the only empty seat.
Lykai nodded and hurriedly walked to the said desk to have a seat.
"Alright, now that's settled. Bring out your textbooks. Today, we are going to be solving exponential and logarithmic equations. Fix your eyes on the board, dummies," the teacher said sternly, adjusting her glasses before turning to the board.
***
The school bell rang, proclaiming that it was break period. The excited students streamed out of their various classes, most heading straight for the school's cafeteria.
Lykai and the chubby girl beside him whom he learned was named Harlie Chewston, were the only ones left in the class.
"Hey, you're not going out for lunch?" Lykai asked nervously.
The latter sighed, "I'm here on scholarship. It covers just the tuition fee. I have to buy the books and pay for the food at the cafeteria. I usually go for used books that graduated students are willing to sell me and if it's an entirely new recommended textbook, I have to work hard so as to buy it. I don't want to bother my grandma too much. She's already done so much for me,"
"So you don't buy lunch most times?" Lykai asked curiously.
The girl nodded in embarrassment.
"I'm on scholarship too. It happens that I have money for two. Let's go eat," Lykai rose from his desk and put his books into his backpack.
"Are you serious?" Harlie asked with incredulity written on her face.
"Your choice," Lykai said, before wearing his backpack and heading for the door.
"I'm coming with you," Harlie hurriedly said, picking up her backpack and wearing it before chasing after him.
…
Both were seated at a table at the extreme of the cafeteria. No one bothered to sit with them anyway since they didn't look cool.
"You mentioned you live with your grandma. What about your parents?" Lykai inquired.
"They're alive somewhere. They don't care about me, to be honest," she said with a sigh, "I've never known who my dad was and my mom had me out of wedlock. Then she dumped me at her mum's when I was three. I've never seen her since then. She doesn't even call to say hi. I'm used to it, I consider myself as having no parents,"
"I'm so sorry about that. Well, I'm an orphan. I live with my grandpa," Lykai revealed.
"I see," she nodded sagely, "Thank you once again for buying me lunch,"
"It's nothing. Besides you're still growing," Lykai mentioned, before taking a bite of his food.
He'd ordered the cheapest meals for both of them and it still cost him about ten bucks.
While he was drinking from the bottle of coke, a tall, red-haired boy with a burly build walked over with two slim boys behind him.
"Where's your protection fee?" he demanded as he stopped at the table with a frown.
"Protection fee?" Lykai asked with a bewildered look. Then he turned to his new friend for help, "What's that?" he whispered.
"It's money to save you from being beaten after school," she whispered back.
Hearing this explanation, he nodded sagely, "Oh, I get it now," he looked at the trio once again with a nervous look, "You see, I don't have any money left to spare other than my transport fare. Maybe next time," he laughed sheepishly.
"Lykai!" Harlie called softly, tugged at his shirt and shook her head.
Lykai dug into his pocket and handed $5 dollars to the frowning tall youth, "Here it is. I'm a broke person. Please this is all I have,"