Chapter 2: Bus Ride to the School

Chapter 2: Bus Ride to the School

Yes, it was true that Lucas Martin did start the fire at Aspho High's Canteen. He was indeed a Fire Starter, but after that, he was shocked that he was able to do so.

Only with the mere thought of finding out he can create a fire that can be utilized with his palms, Lucas can only felt that his world may change with this sudden revelation.

Throughout his orphan life, he grew up wanting to be a good and independent man that was capable of surviving this world full of challenges. He also wanted to protect his cousin Moon, who was also an orphan at a young age just like him.

If he can start a fire and use it as defenses and offenses at the time of stakes, he can protect anyone whom he treasured —Moon, at this very moment.

But that wasn't what Lucas thought in the early stages of finding out what ability he has in this world where magic can seldomly be acquired.

As he stood with noodle feet and with a swirling vision, the canteen fire was raging and everyone was running away for their safety. Any act of heroism was not present in that incident.

Lucas stared at his right palm that was smoking. His hands were trembling with worry and he became aware of his peripherals. His obvious unawareness and his nervousness gave him severe sweating.

He can felt that his lips were pulsating as he stared at how huge the fire have grown. It was devouring the surroundings. Even the lights that bounced back onto his face looked reddish.

The whole canteen place was fiery. He can't think properly, knowing that he did such a hideous act. He repetitively stared in every direction.

Some onlookers were gazing at him with their mouths into a gasp. They wore the same uniform as him. Above all of it, the screams of burning students stuck in the canteen overlap the gasping and buzzing noises that Lucas was hearing.

"Help! Help! Help!"

Everyone left inside the huge and crowded canteen was asking for rescue. The sounds of crisp and aggressive fire echoed at the conscious yet unaware Lucas. All the sounds were deafening. He can hear them all. His ears have gotten too sensitive that even the hiss of a fallen paper was loud enough for his hearing.

Piles of wood that were burnt occasionally fell out of the ceiling, as Utility officers wandered the area while rescuing everyone that was still inside the canteen.

After a sinister noise rang inside Lucas' head, he appeared blank all of a sudden. Many men dressed like firemen were bumping him, not even giving him a mere stare.

He seemed to be deaf to his surroundings. His heart was pounding, as he repeatedly stepped backward to avoid being stampeded. He ran away from the crowd.

All the alarms were buzzing with red lights and deafening sirens. But to Lucas, all he can hear were those eerie ringing inside his head like he was about to be deaf.

No one can be easily traced as everyone was panicking. Lucas ran outside the school and ended up in an alley and sat.

"How did I become able to start a fire?"

Lucas sulked at the corner of the alley. He shook his head and can't help cursing himself. His hands… it was smoking. It started to fire out of nowhere! All he can remember was he has to be the next one in the line, but someone bumped him. That man even insulted his deceased parents for being undeserving father and mother to him.

Lucas heaved a sigh as he ended up reminiscing. He shook his head and grinned comically. "And that's what happened," he smiled, sitting beside Moon, riding inside a bus.

The surroundings were quiet. Lucas rested his back at the seat. It was still a little strange to him, but this time, he can feel better than that day he figured out his skills.

The bus ride was chill, with relaxing 80's music playing along in the background. Small chit-chats were no longer recognizable. Moon just laughed after Lucas had narrated what truly happened at that canteen fire. Lucas can't help but gaze at the window beside him, as occasional buildings were competing what was the tallest among them.

"You're such a troublemaker, bro!" Moon laughed hard while tapping Lucas' pink hair. His wide smile shared his white and almost perfect teeth.

Lucas can't help but let an airy laugh out of his mouth.

Right now, the two were heading to the renowned White Day High to start their new class. Mister Vacio already expelled them yesterday. After what happened inside the Principal's Office, not a mere sight of Lucas should be left at Aspho. He was really mad at them, and he immediately wanted Lucas out of the school. It also caused havoc with everyone inside Aspho who has Martin as their surname. They were also expelled.

Inside the bus, apart from the two who were riding in, it has many vacant seats left to be occupied, and almost few of them were there, ten to fifteen to presume. The flow of the ride was relaxing, not until it stopped midway Lucas' comfort.

Lucas gazed at the window near him. A bus stop was beside them, and there were many teenagers dressed in uniformed clothing; they started entering.

This was the most disgusting part of riding a bus for Lucas —the loading part. Lots of people who smelled badly will enter and try to sit next to them. Luckily, Moon was already beside him, and there was no seat apart from those two in their row.

Lots of passengers came aboard, much to Lucas' annoyance. He rested his back to his comfort. No one was quite recognizable. Those new passengers were normal people, and none of them was exciting enou—

No.

One girl caught the attention of Lucas. He looked at Moon by his side and noticed that his cousin looked excited as well.

Before the two, a girl walked inside the bus, trying to get a vacant seat. She has her dark, leathery jacket hugging her lime shirt. Her bags were classy, as she walked elegantly towards the middle of the bus.

The girl's blue hair flowed naturally graceful, sparkling in a slow-mo version of it. Lucas was staring directly at the girl. His eyes were in awe, and there was no tinge of his irritation from the stop earlier can still be seen at him.

Knowing that his cousin also has his eyes on this upcoming girl, he tried to talk to Moon about her, but he was surprised that Moon disappeared! He tried looking back and was dismayed to saw Moon standing before a vacated seat behind him.

What was Moon doing there just now?

"There's a free seat, Miss," Moon uttered clearly in a gentle way at that girl, as he was at the back set of seats behind the lonely Lucas.

Lucas heaved a loud sigh. Moon was such a playboy punk. But who else would girls admire? There's no way that he can be. He was famous for being a war freak back at Aspho High, ever since he transferred there.

He bowed his head and moved his feet rhythmically into the music playing inside the bus. Beside his feet were the foods they have packed for the trip.

He held his head high and noticed that all the passengers were sitting. He didn't notice the girl from before. He looked back and saw that the girl was next to Moon.

"Who are you, Miss?" Moon gently asked the girl in his natural voice. No signs of uncomfortable changing or lowering of pitch can be traced.

"I'm Doll. Doll Nova," the girl beautifully smiled, as she sat at the chair near the window of the seats he offered. She glanced and took a look at the bus stop before the bus finally made its way to continue the trip.

Moon has lost his balance a little, but with his quick reflex, he held the horizontal rod placed at the ceiling of the bus and smiled at that girl who claimed her name as Doll. He wiped his hands and shook his clothes, and tried sitting beside the girl, and smiled again.

Doll smiled back and placed her bag between her and Moon. "By the way, are you transferees? Going through White Day High?" she asked cheerfully, dilating her eyes.

Lucas' attention was caught off-guard by the two's soft conversation. They're talking about the school they were about to enter soon. He has to listen.

"My cousin Lucas was expelled due to his carelessness."

Lucas heard Moon speaking. He felt a sudden throbbing. How did dare Moon to speak about his shameful acts and carelessness at the girl with blue hair?

"He even burned our canteen!" Moon added.

The girl chuckled, as she covered her mouth with sophistication, much to Lucas' dismay. He bowed his head. If he could only be invisible in front of those two, he would do that to avoid being embarrassed blatantly.

Lucas made a face of disgust. BAH! HOW ANNOYING!

After managing her chuckle, Doll opened her bag and carefully scanned it to find something. She revealed a small notebook and opened it to reveal her diary notes.

"Since you're transferees, I will tell you some basic info about our school. Uhm, let me start with… The White Day High was a nice place to study at," she informed Moon as she pointed her fingers onto the phrases she was reading. "Principal Lyns is also nice and gentle." she ended and closed the book.

Lucas was truly amazed, listening.

But according to rumors he have heard, White Day High was a unique school. It was focused on professions such as archery, martial arts, sword fights, and the likes. They seldom offer academic study, but rather produce massive Olympic-ready learners.

But that was something fishy there because they haven't won for the past few years. Or maybe it was his bad for not focusing on that survival game every senior student will go through at his early ages at Aspho.

Hence, he was now at a senior age compared to everyone in a High School. Will he be part of that survival game where every year, schools will mourn about a dead student going back inside a coffin?

No!

But unaware to Lucas, Moon and Doll continued to befriend each other, as he continued reminiscing what he have heard about that school. He just opened a bag of chips and started eating it. It was his strike back for Moon neglecting him for that girl.

It was Moon who bought all of their foods throughout the trip, and the chips were almost empty. Half of them were already consumed.

"You're happy there, huh..." Lucas became so childish and let a wide smile painted his face. He ate almost all the foods in just an instant, getting payback by being ignored.

"I AM AN EXORCIST!"

Doll's voice woke Lucas' consciousness, thus returning his focus on the two. He has tightened his grip on the seat with that sentence he heard behind him.

Exorcist? Should White Day include those at their studies? Wasn't that beyond what school should offer?

But why Lucas was thinking about that? He can't even focus himself on overhearing the conversation of the two. He sneakingly glanced at them with the use of the rearview mirror of the bus. He tried spotting the best angle to view how Moon and that girl talk to each other.

"Lucas!" Moon shouted.

He panicked evidently and shook his head. He has to appear calm. He looked behind and smiled at Doll in shame. He stared at Moon with brows raised. What was he even doing?

Moon cleared his throat. "Where do you think we should enroll? This school is completely different back at Aspho High's offerings…"

Lucas looked at Moon as if he was the only person inside the bus to stare at. "Is there anything related to fire…?" he said with confidence, not even hesitating.

Moon stared comically straight at Lucas. Fire? Does he want to improve his Fire skills? For what? For burning schools again? Academies? What was he thinking…?

Lucas' face became embarrassed. His smile's genuineness gradually faded. He slowly sank into his seat and drowned shy.

"We have Fire Dancers…" Doll chuckled, as she bowed her head to hide her laugh. She closed her eyes and started imagining Lucas performing Fire Dances.

The laughing revved up as Moon started laughing as well, leaving Lucas in complete dismay for the second time.

It was futile to comprehend! Lucas started ignoring the two and placed his travel pillow onto his nape and rested comfortably. Putting his comical blindfold that looked like an open eye, he prepared to sleep.

This was his comfort —getting rid of people at some time. He yawned loudly and didn't mind if the people will notice him. As long as he can sleep, it was fine with him.

Knowing his cousin's attitude, Moon neglected him as well and just stared at Doll. They continued to chat about something as the passengers inside the bus were waiting for each of their destinations.

Some were sleeping like Lucas, and some were using their mobile phones. The 80's songs that were playing were humming chants that deceived the passengers' minds. It lulled them back to slumber and let them sleep soundly throughout the trip.

The conductor walked past through Lucas and signal something to the driver. Noticing it, the driver looked into the rearview mirror and smile at the bus conductor.

The bus stopped, stopping everyone from what they were doing. They checked the surroundings.

Lucas irritatingly removed his blindfold and his travel pillow. He gazed at the driver who's hands were waving towards the right. What was the commotion this time?

"Learners of White Day High, you can all go down, the school is right in front of us!"

The school? Lucas gazed at the transparent window beside him, seeing a huge city-like academy filled with people. It was like a picture of a mansion he has on his mind. Such castle-like academies that only rich people can attend.

The gate of the school was not small, but it was not that big to hide all of the buildings in there. It's amazingly populated, but not crowded.

"Such size…" Lucas wandered his vision to fed himself with the utmost novelty, as he stared at Moon and Doll who were behind him.

"Shall we go?" Doll asked and stood from her seat. The two boys also smiled and stood to leave the bus.

"I'm already excited!" Lucas whispered as they run towards the bus door. Many students accompanied them exiting the bus, and the wind blew just right when Lucas had stepped onto the solid ground.

The feeling of a new start… Lucas can't help but stare at every building. They have varying sizes. Moon tapped Lucas' shoulder but he didn't even look back.

Moon sighed as he removed his hand from his cousin's shoulder and instead held Doll's hand to help her go down the bus. They stared at the huge gate in front of them.

The gate was painted with bluish-white, as the guard present there opened it with joy. Lucas ecstatically walked and stared at the surroundings, entering the school Mister Vacio decided for him to transfer to.

He can't help but reminisce his new days at Aspho, but that was all in the past. It was the new chapter of his life, now right in front of his eyes. Lucas stepped inside and ran ecstatically, entering White Day High where he can start over.

Right now, he was not an Aspho.