Bang (Speed Racer: The Next Generation)

Three

In a strange state of denial, Speed came to the class the next day. Professor Winn and Aniskov had worked together all night and morning to grade the papers. Because this class was early in the morning, the papers were graded first. The papers were handed back to the students in order they presented. The moment Speed received his, he flipped through it. The title was brazenly bold, large on the front.

'Columbine High School Shooting'

Speed shook his head, looking up at the corner. His name clearly was typed in the corner. Alec! Alec wrote his name on the essay instead.

Then he noticed the red grade across the front: 'A+. Great essay, great details, little worrisome of the way you portrayed the killers. Please see counsellor.'

After the class ended, he skittishly approached Prof Winn. He showed her the paper.

"This isn't mine."

"Yes it is. You turned that in yourself, and presented it. I'm not sure what you are trying to get at. It was a fabulous essay, possibly the best in the class. I'm a little worried however. You suddenly started acting different after your accident, now you show up wearing that black coat on the day you presented this. I've been told you have been seen talking to empty rooms. Something is obviously up. Please go to the counsellor."

Speed shook is head, the information hitting a brick wall in his mind. This wasn't true at all. He certainly didn't talk to himself. He was most certainly not going to see the counsellor. It seemed like the world was trying to make him seem crazy.

Which, he wasn't.
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The date set for him to go see Ms Smith was tomorrow evening at 3:00 pm. He wasn't eager to go see her. He had no choice.
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He woke up groggily, aware something felt different. His soft hair was dry, frayed against his face and neck. He reached up and felt it, thinking about what could've happened.

Quietly, he snuck out into the bathroom to see. The moment he looked in the mirror, he couldn't suppress his gasp. In the mirror, he saw himself, except his hair now was bleached to a pale blond. The door eased open behind him to reveal a laughing Alec.

"This isn't funny! My hair is white now! Did you do this?" Speed angrily shouted.

Alec's laughter died down, "Sorta. You look great, man."

"Fix it! I have to see Ms Smith. I look like an idiot."

Alec shook his head. Speed had to let it grow out. Dyeing it again would fry his hair. His hair was bouncy, curling outwards at the tips. Alec took off his baseball cap, plopping it down on Speed's head.

"You need it more than me. Try brushing it," Alec heartlessly shrugged, leaving an exasperated Speed to stare in the mirror with defeat.

The return to the dorm was an adventure on its own. Speed carefully tried to have soft footsteps, knowing he would pass his brother's room. Though he thought he was in the clear, X cracked his door the second he walked by, watching. The door then shut, behind it a teen left to message his uncle.

The racer paused outside his own room, afraid of Conor being awake. He took a deep breath, sliding open the door and slinking inside, diving back into bed. He threw the cap to the ground, tired suddenly. He curled up, head under the covers, and went back to sleep.
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Sorry about the wait and the short chapter. I've been rushed with work and school. Plus I'm in the theatre production of Little Women. I'll be very busy. So until then, here is something of a chapter. I'm not dead and will not let this story die.
I promise.