Weeks passed by and now, Ray sat in the cafeteria again, looking at nothing in particular.
His face occasionally twitched, breaking the false neutrality written on it. Onyx materialized, "Why so deep in thought? Is it because of your birthday tomorrow?"
Ray frowned. Onyx was right about his birthday but it didn't make it any less disturbing that he had that information with him.
'No, you idiot. Well, yes. I'm worried about after my birthday, not the day in particular.' He retorted in his head, trying to avoid speaking aloud.
Over the past few weeks, he had successfully landed himself the nickname 'Psycho'. "Though, can I blame them? I always seem to talk to myself."
Some students glanced at him briefly, giggling and turning away from him the moment he locked eyes with them.
Ray's eyes twitched, and he wanted to scream at them that he was normal, but after his first few attempts, he learned that it somehow achieved the opposite.
"Hehehe. Psychopath." Onyx laughed but Ray ignored him.
Marcus walked in with his group of friends. 'He hasn't spoken to anyone about it.' The thought was the only logical conclusion.
Otherwise, he'd have been arrested, killed, and tested upon… probably not in that order though.
Marcus, like usual, avoided looking at Ray. In fact, everyone seemed to have stopped bothering him.
Not that he minded being left alone but the sudden and sharp contrast was jarring.
Ray pulled on his sleeve slightly. Recently, it seemed to be getting tighter; "Or am I becoming more fit?" He smiled to himself.
Onyx coughed, "No, the clothes have definitely become smaller."
Ray ignored him and stood up, leaving the cafeteria. Onyx followed behind him, "No meal? This is your last day as a child. 18 years is no small deal… or is it what I think it is?"
Ray increased his speed, trying to outpace Onyx but the latter just glided against the floor, keeping up with his speed.
"You don't think about anything. Your opinion doesn't matter." He scoffed and Onyx tilted his head.
Onyx leaned in closer to Ray, "Do you really believe that? Or what were their words ten years ago? Ah yes, 'We will be back real soon, okay?'."
Ray's heart dropped and he stopped walking. Onyx paused, watching Ray's clenched fists through his reflective black eyes. Then he continued, "'And don't forget, we love you, son.' Well, aren't they liars?"
Ray swung a fist at Onyx and it just went through him, setting off Ray's center of gravity and causing him to crash into a bunch of lockers with a loud, metallic thud.
He stood immediately, ready to try again yet Onyx didn't stop, "It's fine that you're alone, you know? If everyone had their parents, orphans wouldn't exist."
Onyx's smile fell, "I'm not telling you this because I enjoy your suffering. Not totally, at least."
Ray stared at Onyx but said nothing. Even his mind was blank.
"You need to get a grip. If you can't handle the truth about your parents, you have no hope of surviving what's to come." Onyx's words grabbed Ray's attention.
"Wait, what?" Ray asked and Onyx vanished, not even acknowledging the question.
Left alone, Ray started to ponder. 'What had he been talking about? What's to come?'
A few students walked by, whispering loudly as they passed by him. He'd definitely be at the center of new rumors tomorrow.
Ray pushed the thought of them into the back of his mind. He had far more important things to occupy his head with, 'Like Onyx's cryptic warning. Does it have to do with S.L. or the ones who killed him?'
'Or possibly the others he talked about and what does that have to do with my parents?' Excessive contemplation would answer none of his questions, so he moved on.
Ray turned to the exit and walked out of school.
'I probably shouldn't be skipping school so much but then again, it won't matter.'
He walked past the field where they had ganged up on him not too long ago. As he once again vaulted over the sign, a voice called out to him.
"Ray!!!" Ray turned around and saw Marcus' group of friends approaching him.
'You have got to be kidding me!' He wanted to yell at them but naturally, he swallowed it. If it were a few weeks ago, maybe even days ago, he'd have avoided conflict but times had changed… and so had he.
Ray weaved the lines of the spell from his core in a single breath. Beads of sweat ran down his face but he suppressed the grimace that threatened to show.
"What is it?" He asked tentatively before locking eyes with Marcus at the back of the group.
Unlike the rest of his squad, he actually didn't seem like he wanted to be there. His eyes kept darting around, hoping for someone to interrupt.
'Is that how scared he is?' Ray was almost amused.
He opened his palm slowly as he let energy from his core fuse with the spell. The lines collapsed on themselves, sending energy outward.
A small sphere of flames ignited within Ray's palm, casting a warmth over it.
Marcus's friends took a step back and glanced at each other in evident shock. Marcus, amongst them, seemed to be the most shocked.
Ray grinned widely, "Oh? Why the sudden drop in morale? You thought I'd go down easy, huh? Maybe beg?"
His eyes darkened slightly and Marcus froze in fear of what was to come.
"What's going on there?!" Another voice called out to them. They all turned to see a teacher staring at them with a scowl on her face.
Ray tutted, 'Of course, they only show the moment I can fight back.'
He ignored the teacher and continued walking away. He only stopped walking when he arrived in front of his door.
After a whole day of avoiding beating up everyone who pissed him off, the only thing Ray wanted was to rest.
"No rest for the kind… or was it wicked? What am I saying, it's obviously 'No rest for the kind.'. I mean I get no rest and I'm the kindest person in the world." He smiled contentedly.
The smile on his face was short-lived. As soon as he opened the door, he saw a tall man waiting for him on the other side.