"We all understand that this might be a really solemn time in Silvic High— following the passing of our dear student, Rowan Hale."
Mr Ross was a multiple subject in one. The school principal was the final boss who called the shots behind my graduation. And today— in the school's assembly hall— he was everyone's consoler— although that job title didn't pretty much fit him.
"Rowan...was a great student. Reserved. Calm. Quiet. I personally watched him long enough to know he preferred staying out of trouble." Mr Ross's head dropped down to the mic on the podium. "He was the true definition of peace. An inspiration for the world and for Silvic High. And it only comes off as a bitter that we lost him before he could truly evolve his potential."
True definition of peace? An inspiration for the world and this shitty school. They were far-fetched words, but then again, that was the norm. I'd been to enough mourning ceremonies to know that people were appreciated more when they were dead.
It was true that Rowan had always walked in the path of supposed peace. But ironically, no one had ever seen the struggles behind his neutral, timid expression. At one point in his life, Rowan had probably tried to protect himself— but then stopped because he'd always gotten beaten up at every attempt.
He wasn't lucky like I was. He hadn't died for a few minutes. He hadn't gotten a system. He'd been killed at the exact moment he reached the resolve to actually fight back.
He'd died because the 'peace' they thought he had was just a mirage. A fake.
Mr Ross continued. "We send him forth with our prayers and well-wishes. And the hopes that wherever he may be right now— that he finds peace."
"Pft. All this crap for a loser?" Someone scoffed behind me. A high-tier named Asher. "Seriously, I wish the old man would just stop talking. What, are we supposed to bawl our eyes out now for the death of a speck?"
"Hey, Asher. Shut the fuck up." His friend Leo hit his shoulder hard. "For once in your goddamn life, be sensitive."
"Pfft, you say it like sensitivity changes anything." Asher was pointing fingers at the stage now. "It's not my fault that these weaklings put themselves into big trouble. I mean, if you're gonna die, then do just that. But why have you involved me in your little mourning ceremony?"
He grunted at that last part, and so did my fists. Something in me wanted to stand right up and rip out his running tongue, but after the incident at East High— I was pretty much trying to regain my points so I was still eligible to graduate.
"I intend to round up early today, so I'll make the announcements as brief as possible." Mr Ross twitched the mic a little before he continued. "Umm.. curricula continue today as programmed. And also, I would like to inform the students whose BHA examination application was approved..." He looked up at the crowd. "Congratulations, but you're also expected to be at training camp by Monday."
A few students groaned. Which was pretty much all the 12th graders in the hall. Apparently, most of them hadn't checked their sites for that information, or maybe they had and just didn't want to hear someone say it.
"I know, you guys are nervous. The BHA is by rumour, the most difficult examination you could ever sit down for. But I need you to understand that you haven't come all the way here for nothing. Silvic High nurtures and trains potential." Mr Ross's gaze was intently on us. "And not once did I ever think you guys as the opposite."
A few girls made heartfelt sounds to his last statement, but to me, his supposed motivation only felt like a roundup script. Eventually, he called the end of the morning assembly and dismissed us.
Asher and Leo were already leaving the hall when I suddenly remembered why my fists had been clenched all day. I slipped out of my seat and called him back.
"Hey, Asher." He turned to me. "Take it back."
His neck pressed forward. "Huh?"
"What you said about Rowan." Especially the part where he'd called him a speck. "Take it all back. Now."
Leo snickered from behind. Asher's confused expression just exploded into a short laugh. He shoved his hands into his pockets.
"Hey, are you his friend or something?" He asked. "Why do you even care about that loser. He's dead anyway."
"I won't ask again."
For a second there, our eyes locked fiercely, in such a way that I could predict the outcome of whatever I was demanding. He was going to refuse. I was going to hit his jaw. And honestly, the wait for his defiance didn't really matter.
I moved.
Or at least I was about to when Mr Ross's voice stopped me.
"What do you think you're doing right now?" His voice was hoarse— a different note from what I'd heard when he was speaking into the mic. "I dismissed you guys, didn't I?"
I didn't say anything. And neither did Asher or Leo. We all just stood there, stagnant, as we'd just been blown with a petrification spell.
"And why are you still standing here?" Mr Ross's tongue clicked. "Return to your classes this instance!"
I turned towards the hallway exit door.
"Ren Mora." His voice stopped me again, forcing me to turn back to him. "See me in my office."
***
"So..." Mr Ross settled into his desk, and with the kind of force he used to heave, you would think he'd just done a two-lap sprint around the school field track.
I looked at him hopefully. "So?"
"I was able to come to an agreement with Mr Redgrave, and he's agreed to let this go."
He gave me a reassuring smile, the kind of smile I just replicated because I was sure he'd done more than just agree. I'd seen it myself at the very least, Redgrave's nervous expression at the principal's inciting statement.
If anything, Mr Ross had practically threatened a parent just to keep me in school until graduation. Now that was the kind of help I appreciated.
"But, but..." His finger came up on condition. "You have lost too many credit points after that chaos you pulled off in East High. You have too few points to graduate now."
"How many?"
"40 out of 100." He said it casually. "You had 30 points penalty, and unfortunately for you, 70 was the required minimum for a graduation."
I sighed, then asked. "There is a way to get those points back, right?"
"Of course there is. Good grades. Clean records. And the quickest?" He leaned forward. "Volunteering." He seemed to have enjoyed the way my expression folded at that last option.
Volunteering was a hassle, literally. No one really needed help with something important. You could either get away with picking trash around the school environment or acting as the cheer doll for the school's cheerleading team.
Both were hellish options.
"Although, I recommend you settle in fully first." Mr Ross added. "You can start to work on your points right after you return from your BHA examination."
He was right. There was still time. Graduation wasn't until August, which meant that I still had the whole of June and July to work something out.
"By the way, I got a call from your aunt." He stated. "Did you two perhaps, get into a fight or something?"
"A fight? No. Why do you ask?"
"Well, she said she'd approve of your permission to participate in the exams." Mr Ross's eyes drifted upwards in thought. "My first assumption was that you guys got into an argument, because she seemed quite heavy-weighted about her approval."
I was no longer listening to him. My mind centred back and forth around the word 'permission', forcing an exaggerated snicker out of me.
Permission, huh? I honestly hadn't thought that she was going to grant me any of that. So I'd just decided right there and then to write the exams, whether or not she approved of it.
"Ah, I see." I nodded subconsciously, but Mr Ross was still staring at me with questions on his face. "Actually, something came up. Nothing serious, it's just...personal."
"I understand Ren, really." He nodded alongside. "I'm just hoping that whatever it is, it doesn't break the bridge between you and your studies. If need be, try making up to your aunt. At the end of the day, she's still responsible for you."
"It's nothing like that, Mr Ross." I gave him a reassuring look. "Seriously."