One after the other they came, pulling at Luca's sideburns, their abusive voice ringing in his ears now and then, without any power to fight back, he endured, praying that closing time would come quickly so he could run home to shave it.
After some time, they stopped, maybe they had had their fun and they weren't interested in Luca anymore or they had some other important thing to do, either one Luca was grateful they retreated, after all, his cheeks were already red like a tomato, he caressed them in pain every now and then. Silvia didn't seem to give him any glance, her cold expression as obvious as ever.
Soon the morning periods were over and the lunchtime bell rang.
RRIIIIIIIINNNGGG!! RRIIIIIIIINNNGGG!!
Students made their way to the school cafeteria and snack bars to buy their lunch. Luca wasn't an exception, going to get some chips and drinks. On his way, many students glanced at him.
Too much eyes on me, tsk, embarrassing,
He covered the sideburns with his palm, scurrying off the corridor.
Reaching the cafeteria, he saw Silvia paying for her food, some upperclassmen flocked around her, showing off their elite class and extending their bank cards at her to pay for her lunch but she waved them off, the others could only gawk stupidly, their Juniors who was the same grade as Silvia left the scene and made their way to the counter, it seem they had given up, after all, they knew they had no chance at a girl who turned down an upperclassman especially one who snub the vice president of student council during when she was still a freshman.
LUCA thought for a second
Wait a minute, am I in my right mind? Silvia is by all means the most popular and beautiful in this school, yet I kept on chasing her.
Silvia was a human angel, her white and smooth skin was like a person who had never entered sunlight.
Luca Will was starting to waver, seeing upperclassmen flocking around her, he was starting to doubt his chance, although he had known Silvia for five years ago, but come on, five years ago is long enough for someone forgets about a person, especially someone of his caliber, he wasn't rich, he was even on scholarship, the vice principal had supposedly told him during registration in first-year that he was given a scholarship which Luca didn't even know about, he knew he didn't apply for a scholarship and yet he was given, he came up with a thought, perhaps the vice principal was an acquaintance of Uncle Silas, since Uncle Silas had told him to attend Golden Ridge at all cost.
Luca mustered enough courage and approached her.
"H-hi," he said in a shaky voice.
Silvia turned and looked at him for a few seconds and glanced back without saying a word.
Luca started speaking.
"I just want to thank you for the note"
Before he even finished his words, Silvia was long gone.
Eh!
Finishing the words, he shrugged, went to select some snacks and drinks, paid for it, and left.
Lunchtime was over, students scurried into classrooms for the next period.
After some time, the period came to an end, and it was closing time.
Luca checked his smartwatch, the time was 3:00 pm, he dashed out of the class, his hands clutching his schoolbag.
I'm out of cash, I should stop by the ATM, buy a shaving razor, and get these sideburns shaved, I probably attracted a lot of attention than ever at school today. He thought, his other hand in his pocket, he brought out a purple-colored rectangle-shaped card, it was his bank card, he nodded slightly and slipped it back into his pocket.
Since Luca barely talked to anyone at school, among the students, only his classmates bullied him, so he wasn't actually known by students in other classes and grades. But today was different, he became more popular with his muttonchops, and the sideburns were thickly grown on his cheeks, how they grew was still a mystery to him, but he only needed to do one thing at the moment and that was shaving it away.
Muttonchops fan my ass, I will have to come up with some excuse to give Mr. Eric tomorrow because I'm getting rid of these sideburns today. It's enough of a plaything for them, my cheeks still itch, and maybe tomorrow they will start pulling my hair.
He thought as he dashed out of the school entrance along the lane of Silverclaw Boulevard.
******
In class 2b, Luca's class, Luca's seat came into view, the class was empty, and a figure walked to his seat by the window side, they bent as if searching for something on the linoleum floor, just beside the right leg of Luca's desk, there were few strands of hair, the figure took them, only their white-gloved hands were seen as they took them and brought out a jar made of high-grade stainless steel with an airtight lid.
They brought out a white handkerchief, and the strand was now on the palm of their white-gloved left hand, then they used the white handkerchief to wipe the hair strands on the palm, and at once, the hair strands started turning grey as if there was something they had wipe off and it was keeping it from turning grey.
They opened the jar quickly which made a pop sound when the lid was opened, releasing a hissing sound thereafter, immediately, a cloud of white vapor escaped the jar mouth, swirling in the hair like a ghostly mist, perhaps the jar liquid chemical-like liquid nitrogen due to the white vapor which made the surrounding air froze into mist, the hand dropped the strands of hair which still regain their black color into the jar and screwed back the airtight lid in cryogenic preservation, they threw the one that had turned grey away.
*****
Luca had dashed out of the school entrance, Silver Claw Boulevard came into view and was busting with activities.
Let's get jogging
He thought, setting off at a brisk pace. After a while, he reached the nearby ATM at the junction where Silverclaw Boulevard connected to Crescent Moon Lane, a more quieter neighborhood where Luca lived. Glancing at his smartwatch to check the time, his face twisted in shock.
"What the f**king heck happened?!!" he exclaimed. He quickly checked the smartwatch's network; it had a full signal, adding to his confusion.
"Don't tell me my body is acting up again"