A Strange Beauty Redux Chapter 1

How I hate this place, everyone looking upon me with those judgmental eyes as if they have it all put together Alex brooded, his hands pocketed into the navy blue slacks of his uniform, head hanging low with a piercing glare painted across his rigid face as he trudged through the halls. Why do I even go to this school? it's full of rich snobs who haven't known an ounce of hardship in their lives. I could just go to a public school and not have to wear a uniform...No, public schools have that retarded zero tolerance policy, assholes practically have a free pass there.

Thwap!

"Alex! Why so glum? Oh wait, you're always glum, I keep telling you to visit a doctor regarding those awful bowel movements." a slightly tanned boy a few inches shorter than Alex with tousled dirty blonde hair appeared beside him after delivering a heavy slap on Alex's back. 

"Your poop jokes get old after awhile, Lucas, especially when they imply that I am constipated." Alex grumbled in reply. Lucas was Alex's polar opposite: cheerful, goofy, energetic and worst of all, forgiving, but despite these irritating personality traits Lucas was his best friend. The two had grown up together, their parents having been close friends and thus had introduced the two to each other at a very young age. Lucas had proven his loyalty to their friendship time and again, and because of that Alex was willing to tolerate the boy's attention grabbing behavior even if it was a more than mild annoyance.

Lucas wrapped his arm around Alex's shoulder. "My dear boy, poop jokes never get old."

Alex shrugged the arm off him, "Oh they will, once you actually mature."

Lucas drew his lips into a thin line. "If growing up means finding less humor in things then count me out."

Alex shrugged, unable to think of a decent retort and instead opting to change the subject. "So, Lyra tell you where she was running off to?" 

Lucas shook his head, his hair swishing from from side to side. "She only told me that she'll meet us after school. I sure wish I could leave school whenever I want to and just say I'm on official business."

"Except we both know Lyra doesn't abuse her status like that."

"For all we know." Lucas added, raising his index finger.

"I do know Lyra is a more responsible person than you could ever hope to be, Lucas."

Lucas drew his mouth agape in false shock and drew his hand to his chest, "Alex, you wound me! I am plenty responsible...sometimes."

Alex allowed himself a small smile, "you keep telling yourself that."

Lucas brought his hand to his mouth and gasped, "Is that a smile I just saw?"

Alex resumed his usual grim countenance, "No, you're just seeing things."

Lucas grinned, "No, I know what I saw. You were smiiiling."

"You're crazy, why would I ever smile in this shithole?" 

"Come on, don't be shy now." Lucas teased.

"Well this confirms it, Lucas Cresone is a schizophrenic crazy. Everyone in this school knows Alex Scanler doesn't smile." a coarse gravelly voice spoke, one that caused Alex to immediately grimace. The person to whom the voice belonged to was a tall well-built man with spiky dark brown hair. He stood with his arms crossed in a confident and arrogant fashion with an equally arrogant smirk on his face a couple yards away from where Lucas and Alex had now stopped in their tracks.

Alex rolled his eyes. "Well, does one ever smile when their nostrils are filled with the smell of garbage?"

"Well it's not my fault you don't bathe." The man shot back.

Alex gave a small golf clap. "Nice retort, but I was talking about a certain stench...Usually associated with a certain piece of shit named, Ryan Richardson and his mindless cronies."

Ryan feigned being taken aback. "My word, do you kiss your mother with that mouth? Oh wait, I guess you can't because your mom is eating dirt like you should be."

Alex drew his eyebrows together and clenched his teeth. "You son of a bitch!" He leaped towards Ryan knocking the man off his feet onto the ground. Alex grabbed Ryan by his tie and brought his fist back in preparation to punch him.

Ding! Ding! Ding!

"Alex that's the warning bell! We gotta hurry or we'll be late." Lucas called out

Alex growled and dropped Ryan getting up off him but not before pointing down at the man. "This isn't over."

Ryan smiled defiantly, "Didn't think it was." he spat on Alex's shoe which Alex promptly returned with a kick to the shin.

"You really gotta restrain yourself Alex, Ryan isn't so proud that he won't go as low as to report you. The guy is a sleazeball after all." Lucas cautioned.

"I'd like to see him try." Alex replied, his teeth still clenched in anger.

...

Alex and Lucas, despite their efforts, did not reach their next class before the last bell, but fate smiled upon them as the teacher was still out of the classroom.

Lucas peeked into the doorway, "Oh phew, he's not here. Come on dude before he gets back."

Alex snorted in reply and followed Lucas as the eccentric boy tried to stealthily creep into the room he himself walking with apathetic nonchalance.

"Alex, you're not being stealthy enough!" Lucas criticized in a rasping whisper

Alex stared at Lucas through half-lidded eyes. "Lucas, you have the subtlety of a rhino in a china shop. You draw much more attention than I ever could even when trying to be 'sneaky'." he used air quotes on that last word.

"And what, pray tell, would you two have cause to be sneaky for?" a stern voice sounded from behind them.

Alex and Lucas turned around to see a balding middle-aged man with silvering black hair standing behind them with his arms folded across his chest. Lucas stammered as he tried to find a decent explanation. "W-Well, y-y-you see Mr. Onbon, there were these bird and the bees!" Alex immediately brought his palm to his face.

Mr. Onbon drew his brows together in irritation, "Well if you think it appropriate to be smart with me then-"

"I'm sorry sir, I had asked Alex and Lucas to look at something for me since it was on the way, their tardiness was on my behalf." A girl with slightly wavy platinum blonde hair and voluptuous build interrupted before Mr. Onbon could finish his sentence.

Mr. Onbon closed his eyes and exhaled, "Very well, if that is the case then I will let it slide but it better not happen again. Clear?"

Lucas nodded rapidly, "Yes sir, won't happen again sir!"

Mr. Onbon shifted his gaze over to Alex who was staring out the window, "What about you, Mr. Scanler?"

Alex flicked his eyes to the teacher then back at the window, "Sure, not gonna happen again" he answered with little emotion

Mr. Onbon glared at the apathetic student but exhaled through his nostrils and waved a hand at the two, "Get to your seats so we can begin class, and be thankful that Ms. Fletcher was here to save your hides"

Alex and Lucas nodded then turned around and walked over to the two empty seats next to the girl who had advocated on their behalf. Once the two sat down the girl turned to Lucas and pointed at him, "You owe me one, Cresone." she whispered

Lucas frowned, "Why only me and not Alex?"

The girl glanced at Alex with a smile, "Because I consider it proper to be more forgiving to my boyfriend as opposed to his obnoxious best friend."

Lucas looked at Alex with his mouth agape, "Alex! Convince yo' woman to cease this injustice!"

Alex stared forward, more intent on the lecture. "It is not my job to question how Maria metes out justice." he replied, not even glancing at the two.

Lucas stared at Alex then at Maria then at Alex again before finally leaning back in his seat and mumbling discontentedly.


Hours later...


Lucas shot out the school door and did a mock ballet spin, "Ah, weekend, you grace me with your luxurious presence at last!"

"Don't be so quick to celebrate, Lucas, if you remember we have that project due on Monday and somebody decided to procrastinate." Maria reminded, following Lucas out the doors to the parking lot hand in hand with Alex

Lucas slumped in dismay, starting to laugh maniacally before descending into weeping. "Oh what a cruel cruel world! Why must fate curse us so?"

"You should go to Hollywood with that act." Alex commented sarcastically.

"You really think so?" Lucas' expression brightened with excitement.

"No." Alex replied bluntly tearing Lucas' excitement into smithereens.

"Well you don't have to crush my hopes like that." Lucas pouted folded his arms across his chest.

"And you should learn to comprehend sarcasm, old friend," Alex retorted.

Lucas stuck his tongue out, "you're a bully!" he whined

Alex shot a glare at Lucas who immediately threw his arms up in surrender, "Sorry sorry, I take it back." he paused, squinting his eyes ahead of them, "Hey look, it's Lyra." He pointed in the direction of the person of whom he was speaking.

leaning against a white Ferrari California T was a lean pale raven haired girl with cloudy gray eyes dressed in an equally white robe imprinted with various black runes. Lyra Magix, one of the most powerful white sorceresses in the nation. Lyra looked up from the pavement and spotted the three friends giving a small smile. "Hey guys," she greeted softly.

"Hey Lyra!" Maria greeted cheerfully in return, "is all well in the magical world?"

Lyra sighed, her arms folded across her chest, "unfortunately not, I was tasked to work with my sister in investigating the recent epidemic. The disease doesn't follow normal behaviors so the government asked for us sorcerers to look into it to see if it is possibly magic in origin, but I can't seem to find her. I called her, texted her, checked her house, checked the National Council chambers, I even tried to detect her aura. It's just like her to avoid her responsibilities."

"Think she's still salty about losing to you in the competition for gaining the spot as representative of the US for the sorcerers?" Alex asked

Lyra placed her hands on her hips, "Laura lost the chance at that position because she played unfairly and didn't respect the rules of the competition not to mention she's completely whimsical and irresponsible."

"True that," Lucas agreed, "she plays hookie even more than you do, Lyra"

Lyra's eyes shifted to Lucas, their cloudy gaze striking him like a lightning bolt, "I dearly hope you're joking again, Cresone, you wouldn't be so foolish as to accuse me of shirking my responsibilities would you?."

Alex and Maria looked in Lucas' direction where the boy seemed to have the color erased from his face. "O-Of course not, ma'am. Just a l-l-little j-joke." He stammered meekly. "You know me, Lyra, always the court jester heheh," he smiled nervously.

"I always found it amazing how easily Lyra is able to make Lucas fall in line," Maria whispered.

Alex nodded in agreement. "I believe he also goads her because he wants attention in a sort of masochistic way," he added.

Maria snickered to herself 

Lyra turned towards the couple."So none of y'all saw Laura today, huh?"

Alex shook his head. "No, can't say we have. You drive back to campus just to ask that?"

Lyra sighed. "No, I have to give Lucas a ride back to his house because he's an utter klutz when it comes to driving."

Lucas stuck out his chest. "Guilty as charged!" he announced proudly. 

"Actually, Lyra," Maria started. "Drive to Alex's house. If you recall we have that project we have to work on due to Lucas procrastinating."

Lyra facepalmed. "Lucas..."

"Yes, my sweet?"

Lyra let out a heavy sigh and pointed at her Ferrari. "Just get in the car before I hit you."

Lucas stood at attention and saluted. "Roger that, captain!" he then dashed around the side of the vehicle and hopped into the passenger seat.

Alex fished into his blazer pocket and pulled out his keys before tossing them to Maria who gave him a confused look. "Why are you giving me these?"

Alex wiped at his forehead, "I'm not feeling so hot right now, I need you to drive for me."

Maria gave Alex a worried look then nodded, "Okay, you look to be standing just fine right now though."

"I've been toughing it out. Don't give me that look, I'm fine. I just have the premonition that I oughtta leave the driving to you just in case I suddenly feel worse."

Maria sighed wearily, "alright then, it's just weird since you've always been pretty stubborn regarding me driving your truck." She walked around the car in the spot next to Lyra's, a GMC Sierra 1500, unlocking it and getting into the driver's seat, placing her backpack in the seat behind her before placing the keys in the ignition switch and turning the car on.

Lyra looked at Alex. "I'll meet y'all at your house then."

Alex nodded, opening the door to his truck and slinging his backpack apathetically into the bed before getting inside and closing the door which he then turned to Maria to address her, "I trust you will be careful with Janice?"

Maria gave Alex a bewildered look. "You named your truck!?" she exclaimed. "When did this happen?"

Alex grunted, "If you recall I gave her a name when I bought her."

Maria grew suspicious. "I call bullshit, I would remember if you named your truck."

Alex rolled his eyes, "Well apparently you forgot then because it has always been named Janice and to prove it." He rolled down the window and motioned to Lyra who hadn't pulled out yet to do so as well.

"What's up?" Lyra asked.

"Lyra, ask Lucas what the name of my truck is," Alex requested.

"is that a trick question or something? It's Janice!" Lucas hollered before Lyra had a chance to pass the question along.

Alex turned back to face Maria with a smug grin who responded in turn with a groan. "Forget it, I admit defeat. Now, let's get back to your place." She put the car into the reverse and eased the pick-up out of the parking place.

Alex leaned back into the seat and took a labored breath.

Maria glanced at him with concern. "You sure you alright, hon?"

Alex slowly nodded; massaging the bridge of his nose. "Yeah, I'll be fine. I'll take a Peptobismol and Tylenol when we get to my place and if worst comes to worst I'll take a sick day tomorrow."

They reached a red light; Maria quickly put the car in park and placed her hand on Alex's forehead. "Alex, you're burning up! That's it, we're going to the doctor. Call Lyra and let her know we won't be meeting her at your house."

Alex slammed his fist on the armrest. "I told you I'm fine, it's probably just the flu or-" he paused as he felt a burning in his chest and then suddenly began to cough violently. He had a brief break in the hacking fit to feel an iron-like taste in his mouth only to see blood all over his uniform slacks and chair...a lot of blood. There was a growing ringing in his ears and he couldn't think, he felt another coughing fit on the rise and his vision getting blurred. "Maria... Help..." he managed to croak out before he lost all feeling in his body and heard the impact of his head hitting the dashboard. Darkness began to envelop his vision and all he could hear as it completely overtook him was Maria screaming his name.