It was the fourth day of the second week in Luca's life as an ordinary freshman, or should it be an ordinary freshman with a speck of weirdness?
At lunchtime, he was off to the cafeteria, as his stomach growled, signaling refilling.
Reaching the cafeteria, Luca saw Silvia with some upperclassmen, two girls, one was blond while the other had auburn hair, it seemed she was having a problem with them, not really a problem but they were giving her a hard time, Silvia's expression seemed troubled and cold as if both was fighting for spotlight on her face.
I can see that...
Luca smirked.
The upperclassmen were trying to recruit her into the student council but she showed no interest in joining. She tried to shake them off by entering into the crowd of students who seemed to be coming for lunch, but it seemed they wouldn't back down and kept following her like a pack of determined puppies chasing a bouncing ball.
Luca started thinking of a plan.
Should I help her? I could sneak up to them and pretend I'm her boyfriend, that we're going to have lunch so they can excuse her...
The thought of Silvia denying it made his stomach churn, he would be hella embarrassed especially in front of the upperclassmen.
He dismissed the thought with a wave of his head, perhaps any other girl may go with the flow but Silvia...
That girl is unpredictable
He thought.
He moved towards the counter, picking a sandwich, a bottle of water, and an apple.
Alright, lunch is set
Luca muttered.
Approaching the cashier for payment, Luca felt a huge shadow looming past him, it was Mason Jake the big guy, smug look etched on his features, with his tucked-out shirt, he pocketed his hands and passed by, his three henchmen followed, but something Luca didn't expected happen.
Just as the last henchman passed by, he picked Luca's apple from the tray Luca had selected for his lunch.
Luca was shocked by this sudden occurrence, he stopped immediately, not out of fear but shock.
Before he knew it, the guy had returned it back but he had bitten a chunk out of it, his teeth pattern looked like a row of mismatched picket fences on a windy day.
Luca was already purple with rage, but he calmed himself down, after making payment, he scanned the cafeteria and saw the Mason's group at the farthest end, he made his way there.
Luca reached the front of them, they didn't seem to be doing anything exactly, perhaps they were finding their prey.
"Hey, You, why would you do that to my lunch?" Luca asked like a gentleman pointing at the guy who had bitten a chunk out of his apple. Because he didn't want to cause a ruckus, he made up his mind to ask nicely, wanting to avoid attracting attention in the crowded place at all costs.
"What the hell?" The guy asked turning around and scowling at Luca, a couple of students were already turning their heads to them.
"My apple, you could at least ask me if you wanted it, but you didn't" Luca tried to remain rational.
"You wanna know why?" The guy asked smirkingly, now showing his crooked front teeth.
"Yeah," Luca replied.
"Meet me at the back of the technical drawing lab at closing" he replied.
"Ok," Luca replied and gazed around them.
Luca thought it was weird, the others appeared to be unconcerned with the conversation, and even Mason sat with legs crossed and seemed to be engrossed in his phone. Was it a trap? maybe he shouldn't go, is he planning to fight him?
Even if he planned to, Luca knew he wouldn't lose, in the case of body fitness and agility, Luca would easily beat him, the guy in question seemed to be the weakest of them, he looked scrawny.
There was a trashcan a few feet from where they sat, Luca took the apple and threw it into the trashcan.
We will see about that.
He thought and left to have his lunch.
At closing time, Luca was already off to the place, maybe they would talk with their fist or with their mouth, Luca was ready for both, but at the same time he didn't want to cause a ruckus and attract attention, he would just intimidate him a little, that's all.
Reaching the back of the technical drawing lab which appeared to be the last building at the farthest side of the school where a landscape of wooded area spread out, a perfect place where delinquents could meet except Luca wasn't a delinquent, just an ordinary teenage highschooler wanting to settle a score as peacefully as he could with a mate, or if necessary intimidate them a little, there wasn't anyone there, the guy had yet to come.
After a while of waiting, Luca turned to go but saw the guy, he stopped.
"Sorry for keeping you waiting" the guy apologized.
Maybe he isn't that bad, perhaps he had his reason, like he hadn't eaten since yesterday night and he happened to be passing me by and couldn't help but pick my apple.
Multiple thoughts crossed his mind.
Wait, why the hell am I making up this excuse for him? Luca pondered, sensing that he was psychologically turning paranoid.
Let's listen to him first.
He contemplated. The guy moved closer to Luca until they were only a few inches apart. He then started talking.
"So... What I want to tell you is that...
As I thought he wanted to apo—
Luca hadn't finished his thought when he felt a fist launch at his stomach.
So that's how you want to play it?
He said and grinned at the guy, his hand had already blocked the fist, and the guy showed a surprised expression and then grinned back.
What is with him?, I blocked his attack and he is grinning.
Luca mused, he then made to turn the guy's fist which he had caught around in a twist but Luca felt heavy blows hit his flank repeatedly, he groaned inwardly and struggled to grasp the situation as he turned, he released the fist of the guy.
Glancing away as he turned, the guy was smirking, but that wasn't important.
Luca saw the other two guys who were with Mason at lunchtime, the guys who seemed unconcerned during his conversation with the guy.
"Not....fair...." he muttered, his vision fading.
He could hear them laughing as they left.
He fell to the ground with a thud.