I woke up to Ma banging on my door, I had a wicked hangover that stung my brain. She yelled my na which didnt help out my problem. Before I knew it, Id yelled out a curse in response.
Big Mistake. My door slamd open. Her eyes filled with that characteristic, Ill make you eat soap expression. You do not use language like that, in my house! The screaming was torture. And I certainly raised you to treat guests better! I tried to cover my ears with a pillow to cease the awful stabbing in my brain. She ripped it free and flung it against the wall. Get dressed this minute, and march out this room to entertain your classmate this instant! Next ti you tell when soone is coming over before they just wander in! Immortals preserve , the house is a ss
The aning behind her words finally cut through. But they still didnt make sense, what the fuck was she talking about? I didnt have any friends in my class, didnt even know their nas, aside from Mia, the girl in front of who let cheat on exams for the past year.
She gave a deadly glare, before running off to entertain whoever she was talking about. I shoved on baggy school pants and the rest of my school uniform. Tossing my Brass Kings jacket in my backpack. Like normal, Id throw it on over my school stuff once I left the house.
Plenty of delinquents ssed around in school clothes. Though so chose to wear jumpsuits or flashy clothes to impress others, Id never had money. Even if it ant looking good, I wasnt convinced that wrecking nice clothes in a fight was the smartest choice. So the academic wear suited fine. If I got too much blood or tears in my clothes? Well, Ridna High footed the bill. I left my room, cautious of whoever decided to visit my place.
Bruno was sitting at the table. The big guy was stuffed in the sa immortals-damned school uniform as . Casually eating a bowl of cereal with Alex. Ma scrambled around in the background, trying to subtly tuck away things and make the kitchen not as much of a usual hap-hazard ss.
Good cereal, Ms. Cavicchi! I skipped breakfast, but had no clue Id get to eat so good here! Bruno said, plopping another spoonful in his mouth.
What the fuck are you doing!? I asked, unable to help myself.
Luca! I will wash your mouth out with soap if you say another word like that! I raised you better than to swear in this house, let alone with guests around!
Aw, its alright Ms. Cavicchi, were buds! I dont mind a little swearing! Heck, you should hear so of the things that co out of peoples mouths when they take a punch to the
Dont you fucking dare!
Luca! Ma stepped out from the kitchen, scowling and with a deadly wooden spoon waving in one hand. She wouldn't have hesitated to whack with that spoon if we were not entertaining my friend. But I was lucky. She was too distracted from my blatant swearing this morning to pay mind to what Bruno said. I gave him a glare, ignoring Ma and my smirking little brother.
This wasnt fine, I did not want my life in the Brass Kings mixed up in any shape, way, or form with my ho life. They were separate and needed to stay that way. I had to get him out of the house before Ma caught on to anything.
Were taking this outside, sorry Ma! Bruno! I dipped from the house before Ma could hand out a punishnt. The big guy followed behind. His chro-trimd chopper sitting right outside the front of the house. He didnt care at all. Completely at ease.
I stared at him, his big hands shoved away in the school uniform pockets. My school uniform. Smiling and happy as can be. Was he fucking with ? I continued to glare, but he didnt break.
What were ya thinking? Ya ca into my house? I thought we were gonna et later, not that Id wake up to see ya having cereal at my table!
Oh Im so sorry, Luca! Bruno bowed profusely. A rare traditional style of apology that never got used in the gang. People reserved it for highly formal situations. A thousand pardons, he added the accompanying phrase, head bowed low. I lost my words, the gesture broke further. What the fuck was going on this morning?
Iyouyknow what, theres no need to bow. I rubbed the back of my hair, it was a ss. The bright sky hurt my eyes and I wanted to find a nice corner to puke into from the hangover. I wasnt in the mood to stay angry. And Bruno made a poor target, if he wasnt so genuine, maybe Id be able to keep it up. His abashed apology said it all. Whats done is done. We go back in, you finish that cereal since we dont got food to waste. But before we do. I got a couple of rules.
Bruno tilted his head.
Rule one. No talk about fighting
Why!? Its so fun! he protested. But he saw I wasnt budging on that. Fine. Its fine. Your house, your rules.
Nothing about fighting. Dont wanna hear about who youre looking to fight. Ya and trading punches. bashing a guys face in last nightnone of that. Ma and Alex dont hear a single word of that talk. Leads to rule two. Nothing about the Brass Kings is ntioned in my house. This ti he gave a judgntal look.
You should be more honest with your family, Luca!
Dont care. Ya said it. My house, my rules. And lastly, rule three. If my Ma asks ya to do sothing for her, ya do it. She needs ya to grab sothing high on a shelf? Get your ass up and reach for it. I crossed my arms, expecting more protesting. Instead, he nodded, frowning at the suggestion that he wouldnt have. As if we werent in a gang together, and he wasnt a athead who cared mostly about throwing fists. Alright... I said after hesitating. It made nervous to introduce him into my ho, but wed already torn through that barrier. We head back in. Eat so grub, then I take my little bro to school. After that, we do your thing.
I finally looked at that stupid Ridna High uniform he was wearing up and down.
Whered ya even get that? Ya dont go to my school, Id know if ya did.
Oh! Just one of my collection! I saw you wearing one, so figured Id toss it on to fit in. I save the uniform of each school Ive been tossed out of! He laughed as if we were in so grand joke together. I didnt know what to do with that information. So I accepted it, and tucked it away.
With the rules now established, I led him back in. Of course, Ma imdiately pulled aside and yelled my ear out as loud as she dared. It was almost comical to watch her constantly glance at Bruno and have to lower her voice every few seconds. She didnt shove soap in my mouth, but the threat laced the conversation. I apologized over twenty tis before she let go.
By that ti, Alex and Bruno finished eating, so we left. Bruno trailed along with Alex and , driving his bike at a snails pace on the sidewalk like a psycho. Alex seed to get along quite well with the big guy, throwing him a thousand questions about the rising stars of the Rising Sun. Cultivators with wealth, power, and more than their share of fa. Hit a certain level on your path, and people begin to take notice. They werent Immortals, but so of them just might beco it.
There was sothing about those on the path that was almost more interesting than those with ancient powers. A relatability that Immortals didnt quite have. They also didnt have the overwhelming threat of power that prevented idle chatter about them. Making them public figures prid for gossip.
I for one didnt give two fucks if Galik Mantifold took a third wife. Or if Johnny Blackstar entered closed ditation for the year after a scandal with a sect. But those topics just provoked pure interest in Bruno and Alex, and they talked about it in circles. Celebrity culture was annoying, especially when it revolved around Sect mbers. At least the rogue cultivators were a bit better.
No matter what, Id never get it. Would I ever et soone like Johnny Blackstar? Hell no. Why waste ti thinking about him or his life? I tried to cut into their conversation to explain that, but they yelled at . So, I shut up and let them have their fun. We all need that from ti to ti. Instead, I spent the rest of the trip trying to get my hair into a semi-respectable state.
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