Outcasts

[★ Lightning Shade ★]

CHAPTER ONE: YOUR AVERAGE DAY AT SCHOOL

The moon shone across the empty street, dimly lighting the row of houses. An orange slit of sunlight rose upon the horizon, marking the beginning of dawn. More light started to worm its way through the horizon as the stars gradually started to burn out. The birds started chirping and singing as morning arose.
Stoj slowly opened his eyes to see slits of sunlight entering his house through the window. “Well, good morning…” He groggily moaned as he sat up to look at the clock next to him on the oak wood nightstand. It was 7 am. Stoj got up and changed into a jet black hoodie, jet black pants, and jet black sneakers. He looked in the mirror.
Stoj stood at exactly 5’3. He had dark brown eyes, a jet black buzz cut, and scars on his hand and fingers. Stoj brushed his teeth. He grabbed his backpack. The first day of school. “Oh joy.” He muttered. He headed out, skipping breakfast. It took about 30 minutes to walk to school. Stoj looked at his schedule. It was a four block day today, with him going to periods one, two, three, and four.
Stoj went to his advisory class. The teacher was still not there. He had to go to Band, Spanish, Math, and History. Stoj just read through advisory, because nothing interesting happens there. Stoj walked over to the band room, which was on the other side of the school.
When Stoj got into the band room, he sat down in the right side of the front row, the lead clarinet seat. He plopped a small case on his lap, which he has been holding the whole morning, He opened it, and the five parts of a clarinet, some cork grease, and 2 reeds with a thickness of 3 ½. Stoj set up the clarinet and wet one of the reeds.
He was assigned to be in the beginning class, because he was a freshman and that’s how life was at this school. The students already selected their preferred instruments and already knew which one they would be playing. Stoj already knew how to play the clarinet. He’s lost count of how many years he’s been playing it.

“Good morning.” The teacher said. “I’m Mr. Thompson, the band teacher. I see you already have a clarinet, but that is a professional level instrument, and I would highly recommend a student level clarinet for first years.”
“I’ve played before. It’s fine.” Stoj replied calmly. “Listen.” Stoj started by warming up. He did the chromatic scale; each note equally played in slurred 32nd notes. He played the whole range, from low E to double high C and back down. He then started playing the first song on his mind, some random video game music.
When Stoj finished, Mr. Thompson clapped. “Very good. Your tone is solid and I heard the dynamic contrast. The articulation sounded like a lot of time and effort was put into it. Above all, all the notes fit in. I’ve never heard the song before, but all the notes just seemed to fit.”
“Thank you.” Stoj accepted the applause. “Now, the bell should be ringing in a couple minutes.” As Stoj said that, a couple kids stepped in. by the time the bell rang, 44 kids, including Stoj were all in class, with their assigned school instruments that they got on the orientation, and sat in the seats with their names on, which were written on a piece of paper and were taped to the chair.
“Okay.” Mr. Thompson cleared his throat. All eyes were on him. “My name is Mr. Thompson, and I will be your band teacher for the remainder of the year. Now, when I call out your name, come get your music folder. You will share the folder with the person next to you. Between you two is a music stand, and the music will go there so you can read it.”
That went on for a couple of hours until the bell rang. 20 minutes before the next class started. Stoj went to his locker, number 1118. He put in his combination, 30-10-24 and opened the locker. He took out his Spanish textbook and closed the locker. He walked to the Spanish classroom, which was in the same building.
Stoj didn’t understand Spanish, so he spent the next 2 hours trying to catch up. He instantly hated the class. When the bell rang, Stoj sighed in relief. Nutrition. He put his Spanish textbook into his locker and got his Algebra II textbook. He walked over to the library and started reading, one of his many hobbies.
Pretty soon, the bell rang for Math. Stoj smirked, an academic class that he was good at. He went upstairs to the Math class and sat in the back corner, like the introvert he is. More and more kids started entering. When the bell rang, the teacher stood up. “Hello. I am Mr. Clark, your math teacher. Today, I am passing out a test that will determine your skill level and how fast I will teach you. You have the remainder of the period to finish this.”
Stoj looked at the quiz. Easy. He started writing his math work. Stoj exceled at mental math and can do his work faster than an average student with a calculator. He finished his test about thirty minutes in and turned it in with 5 sheets of scratch paper for good measure.
“Do you need help?” Mr. Clark asked. “You know this is a test. I can’t help you with any of this. Now go back to your seat.”
“No, nothing like that.” Stoj showed Mr. Clark the test. “I’m done.”
“What?” Mr. Clark took the paper. “You really think you can fool me?” He looked at his answer sheet, then at the test, then back again.
“So, how did I do?” Stoj asked, curiously, honestly wondering if he aced the test, because he rushed a bit.
“I don’t believe it.” Mr. Clark’s hands were shaking. “Every answer. Correct, with all the work shown, even to the simplest extent. You shouldn’t be here. You should be in college by now with that intellect. Now you can do a silent activity for the rest of the period.”
Stoj went and read for the rest of the period. The bell rang an hour and a half later, dismissing the kids to lunch. Stoj went to his locker and put his math textbook in it. He closed his locker as 2 kids in his math class walked up to him.
“Hey, nerd.” One of them said. They were both guys, obviously trying to find a target to bully, now that they were in high school.
“You two are pitiful.” Stoj met their gaze. “You guys are one of the youngest in this school and you’re already looking for targets? You guys really are stupid. I thought you two took geometry in 8th grade.”

“Shut up!” One on the bullies yelled in annoyance. “Now. Where do you want your first bruise?”
“Uh… left eye. Try me.” Stoj challenged.
“Cocky idiot.” The bully muttered as he went for Stoj’s left eye with a punch. Stoj blocked it with ease, holding the bully’s fist. The bully struggled, but he could not escape Stoj’s grip.
“Heh. Nice try.” Stoj let go of the bully’s fist and watched him stagger back. “You just can’t beat me in a fistfight.”
“Heh. You really shouldn’t have messed with us.” Fire started surrounding the two bullies. “Because we’re not human.”
“Yeah. You have fire surrounding you. That’s a totally human power. Tell me something new or just leave me alone.” Stoj sighed, completely dismissing the fact his life was on the line, but you really don’t need that nowadays, right?
“Try being a smart butt after a few minutes, when you’re turned to ash.” The bullies started growing horns and wings. Demons, or that’s how it looked. Don’t ask me, I’m not one to judge.
“Oh, demons. I’m so scared.” Stoj said sarcastically, probably in denial, but this was the real thing. “Now cut the props.”
“Well, you lived an unbeliever, you will die an unbeliever.” Fire started flying towards Stoj. He let out an anguished cry as the flames engulfed him. “Got him.”
“Nice try. I was just kidding. That doesn’t work on me.” When the flames vanished, it showed that Stoj was completely unharmed. “You guys need to try harder.”
“W-what-” The demons started hurling giant tridents that were made of fire at Stoj. “This is impossible!”
“Your use of that cliché is awfully impossible.” Stoj dodged all of them effortlessly with a mere sidestep. “Now that you’ve warmed up, it’s now my turn.” Stoj snapped his fingers, and a crimson blade appeared in his right hand. He suddenly vanished.
“Where did he go...?” The demons cautiously looked around, looking for Stoj.
Stoj appeared behind the demons, his back tuned to them. “Looking for me?” giant cuts appeared through the demon’s chests. They roared in pain, and fell over. Soon after they died, they turned to ash.
Stoj sighed. “Dimwits. Lunch is about to end, so I guess I’ll go to history next.” The sword in Stoj’s hand vanished, and Stoj rubbed the dirt from his hoodie. “I hope we don’t half to do a project on our lifespan or whatever. I’ve done enough of those, if it’s digitally, or physically.” Stoj walked away from the lockers, and down the stairs.

[🎄Vegan the Festive Goat🎄]

I like it! ^=^