Dam had been in a complicated mood these past few days, the kind that sat heavy in his chest no matter how much he tried to ignore it. He stood in his room staring at the packed backpack on his bed, fingers twitching slightly as if debating whether to pick it up or leave it there. Even though the guy who had bullied him before had already apologized, the knot in his stomach hadn't loosened. Something about the whole thing still didn't sit right with him, like a bruise that hadn't fully healed.
"Dam, come on! Today's your first day back at school. Pull yourself together!"
His father's voice came from the doorway, rough and impatient, carrying the weight of a man who had never tolerated weakness. The older man's heavy frame blocked part of the light, his expression darkening as he looked at his son's hesitant posture. He had always been strong-willed, someone who bulldozed through life without second-guessing, and the fact that his son shrank from confrontation clearly irritated him.
"Okay, Dad," Dam replied quickly, forcing himself to move.
He slung the backpack over his shoulder and followed his father outside, climbing into the old antique car that roared to life with a deep mechanical growl. The engine's vibration filled the silence between them as they sped off, neither saying another word for the rest of the ride.
Highland College stood tall and pristine, one of Gotham's most prestigious private institutions, a place where the children of wealthy elites mixed with talented scholarship students. From the outside, it looked like a sanctuary of art and culture, especially known for its music programs, but Dam knew better. After two years here, he understood that beneath the polished surface, the school had its own hierarchy and cruelty.
Walking through the campus, his head lowered slightly, Dam kept his eyes moving, scanning the laughing students around him. Conversations floated through the air, light and carefree, but to him they felt distant. A faint, strained smile tugged at his lips, more habit than genuine emotion, as he quickened his pace toward the classroom building.
Suddenly, his foot caught on something, and he stumbled forward awkwardly. His backpack slipped from his shoulder and hit the ground with a dull thud. His face flushed red as he bent down quickly, grabbing it and pulling it back on as if hoping no one had noticed.
"Pfft! Look at that guy!"
"Wait, isn't that Dam? Damn, how long's it been? I almost forgot he existed!"
The laughter came fast and sharp, cutting straight through him. Heat crept up his neck as he straightened and hurried forward, pretending not to hear, even though every word landed. He pushed open the classroom door and rushed to his seat, only allowing himself to breathe once he sat down.
Turning slightly, he looked at the person beside him. Kate sat there, eyes fixed on a book, posture rigid and completely absorbed in reading, as if the outside world didn't exist.
"Hey…" Dam said softly, his voice tentative.
Kate glanced at him for a brief moment, her expression neutral, then turned back to her book without a word. The dismissal was subtle but unmistakable, and Dam felt the embarrassment settle deeper into his chest.
Before he could say anything else, a heavy slap landed on his back.
"Dam, you're finally back, huh?"
His upper body jerked forward from the impact, and he turned around in shock. The blond boy behind him grinned, though there was nothing friendly in his eyes.
"Sam… I've already forgiven you. Just leave me alone," Dam said through clenched teeth, his voice low and strained.
"Yeah, yeah," Sam replied casually, his tone dripping with mockery. "I forgot—you're buddies with Bruce Wayne now, right? Too good for the rest of us."
He raised his voice deliberately, making sure the entire classroom heard him. Heads turned, and laughter followed almost immediately, the sound echoing off the walls.
Dam's hands clenched tightly under the desk, his face turning pale as he stared forward, refusing to react further. Sam gave his shoulder another hard pat before walking away with his two friends, continuing to loudly recount embarrassing moments from Dam's past. Each story drew more laughter, and each laugh felt like another weight pressing down on him.
The rest of the day dragged on endlessly. Dam barely registered the lessons, his attention drifting between the ticking clock and the people around him. Every time he tried to catch Kate's attention, hoping for even a small acknowledgment, he was met with silence. Eventually, he stopped trying altogether, the sense of isolation settling in fully.
By the time the sun moved from one side of the building to the other, casting long shadows across the campus, Dam felt completely drained. He couldn't even remember how he made it out of the school gates. His body moved on autopilot, carrying him down familiar streets until he finally reached a place that felt safe.
Pushing open the door to Emily's bar, the noise hit him immediately—laughter, shouting, glasses clinking. The lively atmosphere wrapped around him, and almost instinctively, a genuine smile appeared on his face.
His eyes quickly found Locke moving through the crowd, effortlessly weaving between tables as he worked. Without hesitation, Dam walked behind the bar, grabbed a tray, and began helping out like he always did.
"Dam, I heard you went back to school. How was it? Must've been a great day, right?" Emily teased, glancing at him with a playful smile.
"It was… good," Dam replied quickly, his words coming out a little too fast. "Everyone was really welcoming."
He didn't wait for a response, immediately turning to deliver drinks to a nearby table, avoiding her gaze. Emily watched him for a second, her expression softening slightly before she shrugged and went back to work.
"Man, I wish I could go to school too," she muttered under her breath, though the look she gave the bustling bar carried no regret.
About an hour later, Dam finally sat down at a table, a glass in hand. He stared at the lively crowd, the noise and movement easing the tightness in his chest. Compared to the suffocating atmosphere of the school, this place felt like a completely different world.
Nearby, Locke moved efficiently, collecting empty bottles and placing them into crates one by one. He navigated through the packed bar with ease, his movements smooth and unhurried despite the constant demand.
"Kid, you're the hardest-working employee I've ever seen," a bearded middle-aged man said, watching him with clear admiration. "This place is huge, and you've been going nonstop all day without even thinking about taking a break. Makes me jealous of Emily, having someone like you."
Locke chuckled lightly, unfazed by the praise. Hours of continuous work hadn't tired him in the slightest, his body operating as if fatigue simply didn't exist. He set down the last bottle, stretched casually, then made his way over to Dam's table.
"Hey."
Dam's eyes lit up as he quickly poured whiskey into a glass and handed it over. Locke took it without hesitation and downed it in one go, the burn of the alcohol barely registering as anything more than a mild sensation.
"Locke, have you ever thought about going to school?" Dam asked suddenly, leaning forward with a hint of excitement.
Locke raised an eyebrow, clearly not expecting the question.
"I heard Emily talking about it before," Dam continued. "She even asked me about our school. Since it's private, the admission process is pretty relaxed compared to public schools. And with how well the bar's doing now, you guys could easily afford to hire more staff."
He spoke casually, but there was an underlying eagerness in his voice, as if imagining what it would be like to have Locke there with him.
Locke listened but didn't show much interest. Right now, his focus was simple—grow stronger, steadily and without interruption, until nothing could threaten him. Thanks to his earlier actions, crime around Wall Street had dropped significantly, to the point where his nightly hunts often ended with nothing to find. It was already time to expand his reach.
Just as both of them were lost in their own thoughts, a graceful figure approached and sat down beside Locke.
Dam's expression froze instantly, his earlier enthusiasm vanishing as he straightened unconsciously.
"Hello," the woman said calmly.
"H-hello," Dam replied, a bit flustered as he shook her hand.
For the first time, he felt that awkward, restless energy of adolescence creeping in. The woman—Patrina—sat elegantly under her Western-style hat, her posture relaxed yet composed. She crossed her long legs smoothly, her gaze settling directly on Locke, who seemed deep in thought.
Without asking, she picked up the glass from Locke's hand and drank the remaining whiskey in a single motion. That finally drew his attention, his eyes shifting toward her with mild curiosity.
"Locke," she said, her voice even, "are you interested in taking a walk tonight?"
"Why do you ask that?"
....
Join my exclusive P@treon community for 60+ thrilling chapters!
Link: pa*treon.com/MidnightWonder (Remove the *)
If you join now you will get 2 Chapters for free as well.
Don't miss out, join now!