Mirror Soul

Chapter Three: Blue Release

"You can go back to class, you know." Bruce said while standing at the bathroom sink, for the second time today, desperately scrubbing at the spaghetti stain on his shirt that seemed to refuse to be removed. He frowned at the blemish causing his cheek to sting.

"And let you have all the fun? I'm good." Kai said, leaning on the wall with his arms crossed. "That is a really cool shirt if it helps." He said, noticing Bruce's frustration.

With a final sigh he threw the paper towel he was using into the trash. "It 'was' a cool shirt and expensive too." He took the hoodie off and threw it in his backpack. Kai chuckled. "Karma is a cruel mistress." He winced as he pushed off the wall.

"You're right, she is. That's probably why the bruise on your arm is almost as bad as your driving"

"And is that why it looks like a hive of bees had a battle royale in your mouth?" Kai said back smoothly, mocking his friend's swollen cheek.

Bruce smiled back. "And that is why we are friends! I'm still spending the night at your place, right?"

Kai nodded. "Yeah, I'm going to finally get my driver's license today!" He said with excitement creeping into his voice. Bruce had completely forgotten. Kai had taken his driver's test over the summer and had failed miserably...twice. In truth, Kai was a great driver but had been unfortunate with the three tests he had already taken. He was sicker than a dog the first time he took it, he should have been in bed but decided to take it anyway, resulting in him passing out during the exam.

The second time he got food poisoning and was stuck in the bathroom for an hour, missing his chance. And his most recent attempt over the summer had ended with Kai in the hospital with a groin related injury. =

He had refused to tell Bruce the cause for this, despite his begging. He broke into a fit of laughing at the memory and felt his cheek blaze.

"Hey, Kai... when that girl hit me did you see her eyes?" He asked as they walked out of the bathroom to the gym.

"No, I was too busy watching you get knocked on your ass."

"I'm serious! I swear her eyes-" Bruce paused, feeling foolish. "Turned...red." He continued.

Kai stared at him over his shoulder as they opened the gymnasium doors. "Maybe you should visit the nurse. I think you got hit harder than we thought." He said, amusement creeping into his voice. Bruce rolled his eyes and walked ahead of his obnoxious companion to the bleachers.

"Kai, Bruce."

Bruce looked up to see Autumn, his neighbor, at the top of the bleachers waving them over. "Hey Autumn. Where were you at lunch? I haven't seen you since third period." Kai asked as he plopped down on the cold steel seat.

"The nurse's office," she said dismissively before turning to Bruce. Autumn had always had bad asthma since Bruce could remember, and she made frequent visits to the nurse.

"I heard you got into a fight with a new girl at lunch and lost. What happened? Why did you fight a girl and how did you lose? And the ninth graders are saying a girl ruined your breakfast what's up with tha-"

"Whoa whoa whoa! Take a breath." Bruce said, calming the expressive girl down. "One thing at a time." She nodded vigorously while catching her breath.

Bruce studied her. She hadn't changed much over the summer. She still had her shoulder-length, unmanageable, frizzy and dirty blonde hair with strands pointing in every which way. The freckles, that occupied seemingly every inch of her body, were ever present. She was still petite and skinny as a rake.