The Matters of Power

Chapter 6- Be Feared or Loved?

A few days later...

I managed to survive the first week of school to my astonishment. Turns out when one has supernatural powers that affect the capabilities to the mind, their intelligence and willpower is increased beyond supernatural measure. While everyone else tries to adjust to the amount of high school nonsense and procrastinating or outright anxious, I'm performing well beyond I would assume to be an average high schooler could do so. The girls seem to adore my intelligence and more often than not would ask me to help the with subjects, but the guys are clearly jealous and "fear" my capabilities that their money or fame couldn't give them here and some try to get to know me out of curiosity. It gets quite tiring to receive this attention that I never wanted to begin with.

No rumors have appeared about my swift victory over Zeke, so it means that he is trying to maintain strength and keep any lips from being loose. Only from a few nasty looks given by him over the few periods we have together, nothing else has happened. I sit with Fernando at Lunch to better acquaint myself with him even with the odd looks and thoughts I get from it, but they seem to rethink my situation to think that I'm being a good guy and trying to make the "lesser" students feel better. Not what I would paint it, but nobody presses the issue with me so I have no need to escalate the situation than what it is.

Another Monday that I have to deal with a vengeful Zeke, dull lessons, and the constant attention that I get. The school feels no different than what it was on the first day of school even though I have gotten accustomed to the layout and know the routines I take. Before I can even reach the hallway to my first class, I sense a student rushing towards me from behind. Instinctively turning around to brace for a crash, they stop directly in front me with a strong presence that means that they wanted to talk to me. They don't look like the average student to me, very muscular in the arms and quite lax in posture, sporting more loose clothing that has a strange logo on the upper front of their shirt. An athlete in this school I didn't pay attention to? "Hey there. You Marcus? Pfftt, who am I kidding, it's clearly you from what I hear. Here, take this," he pulls a piece of paper from his jacket waist and hands it to me, "Swift Cross, our group, wants to meet with you during your lunchtime. Our leader really wants to see you, so DON'T take this lightly. Don't shoot the messenger, I'm going now." He just skips off back to the other end of the hallway and goes on his merry way, leaving me to process all of this where I still stand.

The warning bell goes off that interrupts my day dreaming and I head to class, leaving me to read the piece of paper that the messenger gave me. The handwriting is somewhat neat for being written on scratch paper, so that's a nice feature. "Marcus, I hear you are the constant talk of the school that even I am curious to know why they are doing so. We sit on one of the main wall tables in the cafeteria during your Lunch time, so find us there. I will see who just you really are. Signed, Quarter." This note has me spooked. Have I already gotten so much attention that a local gang wants to bully me for their own self-esteem and popularity? I don't want to go, but that would be the worst option to take since that would enrage them to bully me more than what they intended. Through my three periods, I wait anxiously for the inevitable judging and try my best to confide in my own abilities with nervousness still shadowing my thoughts.

The time has come. Already, I can see their little hangout area when I enter the cafeteria that is more populated than other areas inside. Their thoughts are varied in topics, but a few of them think specifically of me and whatnot. I approach them, one of the members getting the attention of everyone else and just stop near the table to find their eyes on me, clearly giving a suspicious vibe. "Marcus, good on ya to join us," I hear the messenger from before wave at me, "go get some lunch first and then come sit. We have a lot to talk about." I can feel their eyes of suspicion on me even from all the way to the lunch line, and dread the open spot I have for me and my tray. Not even today's meal of fish sticks will help me at this point to cope.

Passing through the cafeteria again, I stop by the table where Fernando sits and quickly tell him that I need to sit at another table for today. I try to hide my body shaking while doing so and luckily he doesn't pay attention, acknowledging what I said and return to eat his lunch. The seat is saved next to that messenger that gave me that early in the morning and I plop down in silence waiting for what they want to say firstly. "So..." starts that messenger, "I hope you read that note I gave you, because Quarter here wants to get to know you better." He points to a man that had been looking at me the whole time, a muscular figure that has quite the looks of intense workouts with a clear haircut that resembles a movie greaser would use, but shorter and flatter. The amount of silent postures given by him I automatically assume/know that he the leader of this gang, Swift Cross. He doesn't give a certain facial expression, he just stares at me intently.

I realize I can use my Psychometry on Quarter to find out more about him without trying too much. I extend my hand towards him and try to greet him, "Quarter, nice to meet you. What is it that you want to know about me?" He doesn't budge. Awkward silence, then replies, "I only shake hands with my true friends or those I respect." So he is a strict gang leader, I've seen quite a few. All of us just sit around the tables, everyone else already ate before so that just leaves me with the eyes of them on me as I nervously clean out my tray. They are very skeptical in their thoughts and it seems they respect Quarter a lot to stay in this group rather out of fear of the strong. Suddenly these fish sticks don't seem as good as I thought they would be.

Quarter speaks up, "Marcus, I don't know much about you or what you do, but my friend Yan (pointing to the messenger) thinks highly that you would be a special member of our group. So what do you say? (He leans in) Want to join Swift Cross?" The idea that I would be offered to join a gang instead of being intimidated to do their services astonished me, so much so that I can't say anything about it. Yet I don't want to become the person that bullies people when so long ago I was one of the receiving end. The idea disgusts me, I have no intention of join them for their own gains, even if it means I become an enemy of them. I scratch the back of my neck, "Uh... thank you for the offer Quarter. But I must decline it, you know, being a part of Swift Cross." He seems slightly surprised of my response and leans back a little, looking suspicious. "Oh really? Marcus, if I may ask, why do you reject such an offer?"

Oh no, I didn't expect him to be so cool about the response. I'll have to make an equivocating reply, "Well, I have to mostly focus on school, you see. Big expectations and whatnot, and I can't spend a whole lot of time in your "organization" and activities so please forgive me." Now I have to make a quick excuse to leave the table and get a safe distance from them. "Oh. That reminds me, I have to help a friend with their assignments and were really urgent in asking for my help, (I start to get up from the table) so see ya." Phew, close call. I wasn't lying when I had a friend who needed help, but Fernando had made it clear that I could help him when I can. I make my way to the table where I sit with him, trying my best to not look back and find death stares my way.

I can't hear well what they're thinking because of the cafeteria crowd, but I sense an aura of curiosity coming from them. Luckily, Fernando is still at the table and we still have time to get half of his homework pile completed, so that was nice. I hope that it's the last encounter that I will have to deal with Swift Cross.