Roger came home late that night, a little drunk but not in a troublesome mood. After a brief chat with the boys about their day, he had dinner and retired to bed.
Lila wanted to bring up Dave's strange behavior but couldn't find the right moment to broach the topic.
The next morning, the household buzzed with its usual activity. Roger did some quick stretches before rushing off to work after breakfast. Lila left to open the shop, her mind preoccupied with the idea of hiring extra help to manage the growing workload.
Dave and Daniel made their way to the bus stop, where the Saint Academy bus was already waiting for them. They hurried aboard.
"The bus leaves at 7 sharp. Make sure you're here on time tomorrow," the driver reminded them.
The boys nodded and scanned the bus for seats. The last row had two vacant spots, and they quickly settled there.
"Hello, Dave!" Yasmine's voice rang out from the row just ahead of them. She turned around, flashing him a cheerful wave.
Dave blinked in surprise. He hadn't expected to see her here. "Ah... H-hello," he stammered.
Yasmine's gaze shifted to Daniel. "Is this your brother? He looks just like you—only smaller." She grinned. "Hi there! I'm Yasmine. What's your name, little guy?"
Daniel gave her a bright, innocent smile. "My name is Daniel Walker, beautiful sister."
Yasmine laughed, clearly amused. "You're a charmer, aren't you? Alright, Daniel, you can call me Sister Yasmine from now on, okay?" She reached over to ruffle his hair.
Daniel nodded enthusiastically, then turned his attention to the window, captivated by the passing scenery.
Yasmine shifted her focus back to Dave. "You live around here, right? It's pretty close to school. Why bother with the bus when you could walk there in fifteen minutes?"
Dave had regained some composure. He replied softly, "My parents are busy. I also have to bring my brother to school. The traffic around here isn't great, so they decided the bus would be safer."
Yasmine chuckled. "Oh, you finally spoke! I was starting to think you might be mute or something."
Dave offered an awkward laugh. "Sorry about yesterday."
Yasmine waved it off, shaking her head in amusement. "Relax, I'm not holding it against you. No need to be so serious!"
The conversation dwindled after that, and the bus ride continued in relative silence. Five minutes later, they arrived at school.
As they disembarked, a voice boomed from the school gate.
"Yasmine!"
Everyone turned to see a short, stout man in his mid-30s, wearing glasses, waving enthusiastically.
Yasmine froze, visibly embarrassed. "Papa! Why are you shouting? Didn't I tell you not to talk to me at school? Ugh!"
The man laughed heartily, clearly enjoying her discomfort. "What's wrong with a father greeting his daughter? Your mother asked me to pick you up early today, around 1 o'clock. I already informed your class teacher."
He beamed at her, ignoring the glares she threw his way.
Dave's heart sank. Her father's picking her up?
The man, oblivious to his daughter's growing embarrassment, added, "By the way, I'm Gaius Yate. Nice to meet you all." With that, he walked off, chuckling to himself.
Dave stood frozen, his thoughts spiraling. Gaius Yate? The name echoed in his mind. The vice-principal?! She's his daughter? This is bad. So bad. His stomach twisted with anxiety. What if I mess up again? He'll target me for sure! Damn it, why do I always attract trouble?
Daniel, noticing his brother's agitation, frowned. "What's wrong with you?"
But before Dave could respond, Daniel's friends called out to him. Forgetting his concern, Daniel dashed off to join them, leaving Dave alone with his thoughts.
Taking a deep breath, Dave resolved to avoid Yasmine entirely. If I don't talk to her, she'll lose interest and forget about me. Yeah, that's the safest plan.
With that thought, he sighed and headed to class, bracing himself for another unpredictable day.