Pre-Fayz || Prequel to Gone

Coates Academy: Pt 1

"If you could solve complex problems or read people well, if you could instantly figure out how to change a situation to benefit yourself, if you could pick apart a person from the inside out and make them worship you like a god... Caine Soren would insure you did not live long."

~

SEPTEMBER 8th, 2008. COATES ACADEMY, CA

Drake would get out of here. No fence could hold him in. No security camera could catch him. No therapist could subdue him. He would escape. He would escape and travel, walk if he had to, back to his parents place and shoot them. Shoot that smug fucking look of their faces, forever frozen in terror with a hole through their h-

"Drake."

Sometimes it sounded like a command. Like a "Come here boy." As if he was a dog. He didn't like that about Caine, but it's not like there's anyone else at Coates to talk to.

He turned to face Caine. They were in the lengthy dining hall of Coates, with the rest of the senior class. Class of 2009. He wished it had a ring to it. There was something different this year, and air of excitement. Coates was very prestigious, if you had a good record here, you could get into some of the best colleges in the world. He heard some talk about Upenn. UPENN. Jesus Christ, imagine.

"Yeah?" Addressing Caine so casually was a privilege at this god forsaken school.

"Why are you sitting alone?"

"I uh- just... Felt like sitting alone."

Caine scoffed. "Why don't you come sit with me and Diana... I think Jason is over there too."

"I hate Jason."

"Jeffery's coming in a sec. He's still coming from calc."

Drake thought for a second. He had always hated Jason, who was held back a year. He was already 18, not that that was too old but he wanted to find reasons to hate him. He was a pretty chill guy but sometimes Drake just... hated someone. For no reason. The opposite was also true, but much more rare. There were times he could only think of one person, like his brain was obsessed with them. Jeffrey was one of those people. He liked how scared he was of him. He liked how he wasn't smarter than him, or stronger.

"You coming or what dude?" Caine was exasperated.

"Yeah. Sure." He picked up his tray and walked to Caine's table.

He supposed hatred was also a form of obsession.

~

2 WEEKS EARLIER

"Ah, I've heard of you," he said as Drake slowed to a stop. "You're new here. I've heard many things about you, but sadly not your name."

A fury stronger than life itself burned in Drake's chest. He had gone to Coates since freshman year, and he had had classes with Caine time and time again. He had even been his partner for several class projects.

"You've met me. Several times," he said through gritted teeth.

Caine pretended to be apologetic, shocked. "Oh my God I am so sorry!" He lied through a laugh. "I guess I just didn't recognize you... maybe a name would jog my memory."