Aether's black pick up swooned into the Makenzie Prep parking lot. Parking it, he almost hated himself. Why couldn't he have gotten stuck in traffic? Why couldn't he have just two more minutes to relish this last song, "Funny How Time Slips Away" by Willie Nelson? Ah fuck it, might as well just light up and listen. Grabbing an unfinished cigar from the ashtray, he lit up and began puffing. Nobody gave a damn if he smoked. Even when it was reefer, nobody gave a damn. Not the cops, not the teachers, not the parents. Story of his life. Out in the middle of daylight and he was still in the shadows.
"I've got history and writing today?" He asked himself, pulling down his visor and checking his schedule.
"Dammit, math and science!" Aether had an almost good enough mind to high tail it out of Dodge, but he wasn't gonna. He went to school and stayed to school to get out someday.
"Least I got art at the end of the day..."
Just then, Aether's phone buzzed in his black jean pocket. Another gift from his uncle. Pulling it out, he took one last drag on the cigar and put it out for later.
Hiii ;) Enjoying our second week back, are we? Well, that won't last long. Some of you already know me, but for those who don't:
I know every single little detail about each and every one of you. And that includes your dirty little secret.
Or should I say secrets?
What's going to stop me from telling the whole school? Well, you are. I will set you a few... challenges to keep your secrets safe, and if you don't go along... there goes a secret. xxx - A
Followed by a myriad of other texts, probably from different people.
The last one was interesting...
Who the hell are you? You don't scare me.
Must be a girl. Only girls proclaim they aren't scared. Men just punch you or go home crying to their moms.
Aether took a long, warm sip of coffee before adding his two-cents in.
Just shut up and tell us what the hell you want.
He slid his phone down his right front pocket, grabbed his coffee, shut the truck door and kep' walking towards the school entrance. With each step, a loud clang of his spurs announced his arrival, yet still no one cared.
Aether had special privilege to use the janitor entrance (on account of his father being a fallen comrade of the chief janitor, Mr. Peabody). He snuck through the dumpsters and in through the unlocked door into the janitor "closet".
He waved a good morning to Peabody, and surged his way through to the hallway, picking up one of the doughnuts on the janitors' desk on his way.
As he walked out into the hallway, he heard Peabody yell, "You're late by at least an hour."
"Really?!" Aether yelled back.
"Yeah, bucko!"
"Sweet! Missed math."
"You never grow up, do you?" Peabody asked, laughing thunderously.