Chapter 1: Clash at the School Office

Chapter 1: Clash at the School Office

The paintings on the School Office wall were new. The madness of a summer prairie within the two men who occupied through the ample space came through.

One at a table, one sitting on a chair in front of it —that was an almost perfect setup for an interrogation.

It was serenely silent, and those two men looked like they were silently fighting. Their stares were sharp and provoking.

The man at the table leaned his back on his chair and slightly moved the pen he was holding. "So tell me," he stared blankly at the young boy.

He has an age of a dad, more mature to look at. He has the authority of those professional types who have worked hard for themselves. His skin has this dark tone, a tan that suited his aura.

"How did you start the fire?" he continued and expressed a little anger with his voice. "Who helped you?"

That elder man was Mister Vacio, the Principal of the Aspho High. He was known for his very strict rules, and no one would dare to anger him. Nobody knows.

A moment of silence echoed loudly at the almost desolated room. Mister Vacio stared in disgust after seeing that the boy remained tedious. The boy kept his calm demeanor of a mute that won't speak any words.

He just clenched his jaws and sat properly. The way the school kept him pestered made him think he was somewhat special to them. The sore sight of the principal provoked every nerve on him, but he decided to remain calm.

"I don't start any fire!" the boy on the chair shouted. His sweated pink hair fell on his forehead in a nice, yet messy way.

He was indeed angry at Mister Vacio. Talking blatantly into a Principal —that was a very brave move that not anyone can do. You can't shout like that into anyone's School Principal.

"It wasn't done by anyone," he insisted as he felt Vacio won't believe him, "and neither do I."

He rested his right elbow at the table Mister Vacio had his hands on. He stared at him as if provoking him to do the first move.

He just waited for Mister Vacio to brutally assault him first, and get away with his previous wrongdoings. If Vacio would hurt him, he would be pardoned, and Mister Vacio would be the one who will be seen as the culprit.

But none of them tried to speak a word. A deafening dead space covered the whole room. It was eerie all of a sudden. Mister Vacio looked perpendicularly straight at the boy. Again, he tapped his pen onto the table. It created an awkward noise.

"So, there's no one starting that canteen fire…?" Mister Vacio unhesitatingly broke the ghost-quiet ambiance and tapped his pen once again. For him, it was a command for the boy to answer quickly. He was the Principal and they have to follow him.

"Yes, Mister Vacio."

A quick answer that surely gave delight to the Principal's irritated face.

But no.

Mister Vacio's face became more evident in his anger towards the boy. He scorched down and leveled the boy's eyes. Right now, they can both stare at each other in level.

If one of them can't sustain eye contact, then that one probably lost this interrogation. One of them must have been lying in here.

"Then, was it a magic that burst out instantly?" Mister Vacio's arms exclaimed something mimicking an explosion. He cannot encage his anger and his eagerness to punch the boy, but he has to control his temper. Even his teeth were grinding relentlessly.

He leaned back sophisticatedly and slightly swung his chair towards the right. It was for the boy to felt intimidated with how he maintained his grim.

Initiating a fight with a punk would be the most shameful thing he could do as a Principal, so better off not express it. This boy gave him a very hard time dealing with things like this.

Also, in his lifespan as a School Principal, there was no record of such a pesky student causing a fire because he was skipped at the line count.

That gave him an overwhelming fury over the boy in front of him who he decided to study here for free, yet all that he'd given back was a hard time!

He wanted to relieve the itchiness on his hands by scratching them all over the young face of this boy in front of him. He didn't leave any honor on him at least a little.

The boy was just staring. Not an obvious tinge of cowardice can be traced on his young and manly face. Not until the door behind him opened with a creaking, loud sound of a hinge.

The two were shocked at that immediate noise, leading the boy to appear tattered by the sudden crack of eerieness. Mister Vacio appeared calm, but his eyes were pissed off. It even added to his held-back grit. 

As the door fully opened, it revealed another boy entering the room while hobbling. Standing with hesitant feet and watered face out of pressure, the boy rested his right hand on the wall and supported his almost collapsing body.

"Lucas! Have you caused trouble again?" the boy at the door said with worry, closing his eyes to regain his breath.

After heaving a sigh, he opened his eyes to felt sudden suspense. Their sights met. He was the focal point of an angry principal wanting to catch a meal, a sudden jump that gave him shivers. A cold sensation rolled from his spine up to his nape.

Seeing Mister Vacio directly staring at him in contempt, a moment of holding back appeared on the boy's face. He was the honored Mister Vacio who allowed him to study at an academy. Being discovered by him, he has to remain polite.

"Moon." Lucas, the boy sitting before Mister Vacio, murmured a slight noise.

Lucas regained his calm demeanor and whimsically turned his gaze at the Principal, whose brows were meeting with an arch. Now, his cousin was involved.

"Mister Moon Martin, please do leave the room while the Principal is counseling." Mister Vacio emphasized an abstract of his speech. His demanding and scary tone has this rich vocal fries that can be heard occasionally. His voice was crisp and more mature than the boys with him.

Moon looked at his foot that barely supported his body. His brown hair left a shadow on his pale face. He was still battling yes or no with his mind if he has to leave the room or not.

"I'm sorry, Sir," he said gloomy and sorry. His voice was of a typical teenager: not too low, not as high as a female's. But with his type of speaking, he sounded as if asking what did Lucas do. Was it huge trouble this time, or not?

But to Lucas, his gaze can be traced as silent advice. He pitied how Moon would be associated with this mess. If he could only say, "Moon, get out of this mess while you can," then he would.

On the other hand, Mister Vacio's redundant uninviting, and grim look made an impression on him. Lucas can't identify that kind of facial feature. It was mixed emotion that looked like he has no emotions at all. He narrowed his eyes trying to read those expressions.

"Moon, your cousin was such a trouble maker as always." Mister Vacio started talking, playing with his pen in his hands again. That certainty with his words —he never minced any of them and managed to talk straight as if he memorized what he has to say. "I've decided that he will be transferred into White Day High. It's near the city's vicinity. He was now expelled within all of Aspho High!"

What the—

"Why? Why did you do such a high punishment?" Lucas rapidly stood straight in front of Mister Vacio's face. His calm aura gradually turned into a hot-headed, edgy man.

What Vacio has said… It was a pitch-black among the harmony of a scattered rainbow. It was emphasized unabashedly wrong.

In retort, Mister Vacio also stood and supported his body with both of his hands resting on both the table's edges. He kept himself lowered, to level Lucas' height. No young student can degrade his years of being a renowned, strict Principal.

An intense gaze marked the two's immense anger. Lucas was trying very hard not to punch the Principal's face with his previously itching fists first. His presence alone triggered Lucas' anger issues. He wanted to eradicate him thoroughly until his sight can never be seen anymore.

Moon seemed to be furious as well, but he has to control his temper. If Lucas did something that wicked him, he has to be nice and don't do such a thing, too, especially to Mister Vacio.

But who else within this room was even trying to control their tempers? If not Lucas, it was Mister Vacio! The Principal guarded his ground. His stares were of a tiger that was cornering his prey. At any time, he can devour Lucas as a whole, without even mincing or chewing him.

With the staring contest halted midway already, Lucas' face looked more of a nice guy turned terror version, because it seemed new. His narrowed eyes were powerful. Mister Vacio's grim aura was normal and cliché. It didn't create an intimidating attack because it was his everyday look.

Moon was at obvious apprehensiveness as well, and can't help himself but to interfere. "Sir, I will go with him!" Moon gravely uttered. His face was cold and full of certainty.

With their faces still on grit, the two turn their gazes at the standing Moon from behind. Mister Vacio's face was like a bursting bomb, just like he did while staring at Lucas.

However, Lucas' previous tediousness has turned into enragement. It was like he was cursing Moon on his mind. If he wasn't required to be formal, he would have crippled his cousin right away, more of killed Mister Vacio, and ran away with it.

Mister Vacio felt that he had reached his limits! He banged his pen onto the wall, and with a loud voice full of anger, "Then go away! No one needs the two of you, neither the gods!" he inaugurated.

Lucas gave a cold laugh. He interpreted what Vacio said as hilarious. There's no God in this world.

"Doesn't need us?" His voice was domineering. It was a smoke slowly letting itself be blown away by the wind yet it can suffocate you. "The school kept us pestered in the past just to get the two of us back," he ended with a little laugh he intended to disgust Vacio.

He awkwardly looked back and turned his eyes at Mister Vacio's right shoulders. A fire started at his sleeves immediately! The smirk widened at his face. That was what he deserved: to be burnt as well just like their canteen!

Lucas' smirk declared his clear victor over the Aspho Principal. If they don't need the two of them, then, there's no sage reason for him to need them, too. He never had the need for everyone's sympathy and he has no time to settle things kindly with Mister Vacio. He has to commence things out for an end.

Mister Vacio displayed an obvious panic. How could he stop a starting fire that was set on his sleeves? He tried to shoo the fire but it doesn't wear off of him.

Luckily, it doesn't burn his skin, for it was just a little fire. It also didn't scatter, as per Lucas' consent. Moon, on the sidelines, now has gotten petrified.

"A fire?" Moon gasped, as his nervousness revved up, and began walking out of the room before he banged the door.

Trying to insult Vacio more, Lucas stepped slowly towards the Principal while maintaining the grin he used to wear after he has set his fire on him.

The Principal kept shooing the fire on his sleeves, thinking it will stop, while Lucas now rested his arms at the same position where the Principal's hands rested on earlier. He posed dominantly and scorched lower, looking up insultingly at the principal.

Now, it was him who have upper handed the cold war they were in. This delight of getting payback was a must to be felt.

"I can start a fire with great rage," Lucas tried scaring Mister Vacio and tried blowing wind at the fire on the Principal's sleeves. To his intention, it doesn't die as he stared at the Principal with a malicious smile.

Looking at Mister Vacio's helpless face, and low-key admitting to himself that he has the highest chance to win this talk, Lucas fed himself with this fuzzy feeling of being a winner. It was gratifying.

"Don't you dare make me angry again," he added as he raised his right brow, and tapped Mister Vacio's sleeves, causing the fire to burn out. That was the best irritation he thought he can cause Vacio with exerting the least effort.

Lucas moved back with his shoulders lifted and hands raised in a boastful shrug, declaring his triumph over the Principal, making his face more furious than before.

Mister Vacio looked at Lucas that wanted a payback as well, as the smoke started to appear on his shoulder after the fire on his sleeves had burned out.

While Lucas started walking away, Mister Vacio was about to explode. "I won't forget this, Blaze!" he shouted mildly, but it was held back intentionally.

Lucas stopped and turned his back. His face was blank and clueless. He doesn't want the Principal to read what he was feeling. "Blaze?" he asked rhetorically while trying his very hard to hush his laugh. He raised a brow as he talked nonchalantly, "My name is Lucas Martin." 

"Don't underestimate me, Blaze Harper. I knew everything that has to be known. Either this life or the past's."

Lucas laughed about this joke as he faced back the Principal with narrowed eyes, brows arched. "Blaze Harper, huh? What a disgusting name of yours!" He added and turned his gaze at the vase on the table, and it was suddenly being set on fire!

A sudden shock resurfaced on Mister Vacio's face, but he quickly regained his dark aura. He tried to remain looking like it, not until he saw smokes near Lucas.

"But true to that name…" Lucas stared at his smoking right palm, intentionally scaring Mister Vacio, "Blaze really suited me…"

But that doesn't scare Mister Vacio anymore. It was like he was smiling with an ace on his sleeves by now. "It's you… The past you!"

Lucas stepped on tiptoe and started walking out of the room. This old man spouted nonsense already, and it was none of his business. He just grinned, and was about to open the room's door, until—

"Leave our school as soon as possible, Fire Monster!" Mister Vacio shouted as he can't help how Lucas provoked him to retaliate, instantly popping out in front of him, and held his neck by his right hand above head, lifting him to the floor.

Lucas was at evident perplexity and shock, trying to release his choke. It can't be, he has to end up the victor of this. Vacio has to admit his loss!

"How? How can you—" Lucas repeatedly tried to be freed from Mister Vacio's choke. It caused a whimper on his neck, resulting in him having a hard time breathing. "You teleported?"

He didn't want to die! He has to leave him!

Mister Vacio, not sympathizing with him at all, dropped him off instantly from his choking! Lucas fell onto the floor. With his knees bent and not being able to stand for a while, he looked up at the standing Mister Vacio.

"I'll leave this hell from now!" Lucas was up to prove that he can still win over Vacio. He felt his lips hurt after saying that, and a taste of blood reached his tongue.

Mister Vacio stared at him as he tried to stand up. This little boy had no chance with him. His years of being a Principal had practiced himself into dealing with edgy people like Lucas. He just kept his neutral face for a while.

Lucas did finally stand up and cleaned his slightly bleeding lip. He glared sharply at Mister Vacio. He opened the door, and before leaving the room and closing it back into a loud shot, he furiously retorted, "We will settle this soon…"