Chereads / Six Kings Academy / Chapter 5 - Posturing

Chapter 5 - Posturing

A trio of Spades wandered the halls of the school. Ditching their classes, they talked loudly as they snacked on chips and gummies. They all wore matte black letterman jackets with a shiny black spade over their heart. On their left sleeve, they each had rankings on their shoulders. The schools logo was on their backs, a six pointed star with the following sits at the each point of hte star: At the top was a spade and going clockwise from it was a diamond, a cross, a hearts, a club and a star. A crown was set inside the star, colored yellow with red and black gems depicted on it.

The boy who seemed in charge had the letters, "KoS," while the other two had "KnoS" on their sleeves.

"You boys need to be in class!" a teacher had popped her head out and was scolding the boys. 

One of hte boys, the one with KoS on his sleeve pivoted on his heels and postured the teacher. Holding out his hand, fire sprouted from his palm. 

The old lady yelped and slammed the door. The boys cackled.

"That's right, you old hag!" the King of Spades, Steve laughed. His goons, Jon and Victor snickered. 

As they continued their parade down the hall, they came across a lanky boy reading a book. He was sitting at a bench outside near the bathrooms.

"Well, well, well," Victor sneered. "If it isn't the freak from third period."

"We're all freaks, Victor," the boy muttered. "We have superpowers christsake."

"What was that?!"

"Nothing." the kid muttered. He hadnt taken his eyes off his book.

Jon approached the reading kid wth lightning speed. In a flurry of motion, he snatched the novel the boy was reading. "Whatcha reading, nerd."

"Hey!"

As Jon read the books title aloud, he zipped on to the table the lanky boy was at.

"Holy fuck, nerd. How do you even read this crap? Its all in Japanese or something!"

"Give it back!"

"Lemme see it?" Steve said. Jon tossed the book over the kid and to steve. 

Catching the book, Steve didn't waste time burning the book. His pyromancy turned the manga to ash in a matter of seconds. Like a hyena, Victor burst into laughter. Jon joined in.

"I just bought that! And it cost me forty books just to have it shipped!"

"Oh well." Steve shrugged nonchalantly. He led Victor and Jon away.

"Hey!" the lanky kid shuted. "You owe me a new book!"

Without turning around, steve siad this over his shoulder. "I dont owe you shit, Taylen."

But Taylen wasn't having it. "You owe me forty dollars, plus the twenty it cost to have it shipped and delivered!"

"I don't owe you shit. And thats way too much to spend on a shipping fee."

"Then at least give me the forty dollars!"

Now Steve turned around. "Again, Taylen, i dont owe you shit."

"Yes, you do. You ruined my book!"

Steve marched up to Taylen, jamming his finger into the scrawny kids chest.

"Do you wanna end up like your book, fucker?"

Victor and Jon exchanged glances. Taylen swallowed.

"No." Taylen croaked. His eyes fell to the floor.

Steve grunted. Shoving Taylen back, he watched the boy fall over. Vic and Jon did their normal hyena laughs in response.

As Steve and co turned to leave, a voice in the bathrooms spoke up. "Is this what you guy's are doing? Burning books and beating on kids instead of going to class?"

The boy was dressed in a similar letterman jacket, though his jacket had the letters, "QoD" on his left sleeve. 

"What do you want, Jasper?" Victor sneered.

The newcomer, Jasper shrugged. "Just leaving the bathroom, what does it look like?"

"Fuck you smart ass!"

Jasper gave Vic the bird. In a flurry of motion, the speedster Jon went to attack Jasper. 

"Stop!" steve barked. And jon did, though he kept his hand aimed at Jasper's face. It vibrated with stored kinetic energy that was ready to be released.

"Why do you even care?" Steve said to Jasper. Gesturing to Taylen, he asked, "Since when do you give a shit about weirdos like him?"

"I don't." Jasper answered. He tossed the paper towels he dried his hands on into the trash. "But I think you should all be in class."

"You're not in class!" Victor pointed out.

Jasper rolled his eyes. "No shit, sherlock. I had to use the restroom. I was on my way back when I caught you three…" he waved a hand at Taylen.

"Want me to hit him?" Jon asked impatiently. 

"No." Steve said. "You won't get any closer to him if you do." the leader turned to leave. Jon followed him. Vic glowered at Jasper, nto moving. "We're leaving, Victor."

Vic didn't disengage from his stare down with Jasper. It wasn't until a glint of red light flashed over Jasper's eye that Vic backed down. He gulped, then had to regain his balance.

Aiming his arm over Jasper's shoulder, her fired the stored energy at the wall. A crater was formed, exposing the teel stalls of the bathroom. A kid who had been hiding in the restroom managed to duck just in time. He peaked his head over the hole in the wall slowly.

Jasper didn't flinch at all, even as a backdraft blew through the hallway. 

"God, damn you, Victor!" Steve barked. "C'mon, before we get caught for this!" The three bullies raced down the hallway as victor stated he thought the energy in his punch would just "go away," when he released it.

An alarm started to blare in the hallways. As students and faculty filled the halls to evacuate the building, Jasper took the time to help Taylen up. 

"Why are you helping me?" Taylen asked.

"I'm not."

"Okay. But then you could have followed your friends when they escaped. Arent you worried that someone will blame you flor destroying the wall?"

The two of them filed in with the other studnets who evacuated in single filed lines. 

Jasper shook his head. "Not at all. I dont have the power to do damage like that. Not anymore."

"Not usually?" Taylen raised a brow. "What's that supposed to mean?"

But as soon as the two of them exited the building, Jasper turned to Taylen and siad, "Get lost."

With that he disappeared into the crowd, leaivng Taylen alone as other students shoved passed him.

"God, I hate this school!" Taylen muttered.