The Dare

Chapter Nine • History

NINE • HISTORY

"How often do you do this?"

"Do what?"

"New student introduction...stuff?" I said, popping a fry into my mouth. Cas shrugged.

"All the time I guess. Like I said to Ryder earlier, I've got obligations to get to. Since I'm the leader of almost half of the school, it makes sense that I try my best to inform newcomers." Although his argument seemed convincing, I caught on all too quickly.

"You mean convert," I quipped before he could say much else. Cas stopped in mid-bite, his brow raising in curiosity.

"You're quick to say," he remarked. We were near the back of the cafeteria by the window, and as far as I could tell, Chloe and the rest of their little Inbetweener group hadn't even noticed I was gone. That was alright; I was with Cas.

"Well it's obvious. You're not gonna just show me around. I'm a missionary's victim, aren't I?" Cas just continued to nibble his sandwich, staring me down uncomfortably. When his stare became too much, I turned my gaze towards the window, waiting for him to speak.

"I won't say you're right," he mused, "but I also won't say you're wrong. Believe what you will, but I'm just going to treat you like a new student who needs direction. It's my job." Once I was sure I could look again, I saw his amused expression still aimed at me. With burning cheeks, I flipped my head around again, being far from conspicuous. I heard him laugh.

"Don't get around people much, do you?" he jeered. The truth of that was a bit scary, but he didn't need to know that. Or did he already know? Astrology and psychic-ness could've already worked that bit of information out.

"Anyway...this whole division thing? It's either confusing or just pointless," I added awkwardly in pursuit to change the subject.

"Well, it all started with the founders of Reietto Academy. Two, teen boys and one girl who couldn't have been more than twelve, ten even, so they say, ran away from home in search of an escape from everyday, terrible life. One of the boys and the girl were extremely bright and unaccepted and the other boy was unintelligent and unaccepted. They all came from the same background: horrific family structure, the surrounding teachers and tutors giving up, and no love from anyone.

"When the three of them, being from the same town, made plans to run away from home, they gathered others with them to help them build up their forces. They ran halfway across the country, using their knowledge and street smarts to keep them alive. However, once they reached this place, several years has gone by and their little army had grown to the size of almost one hundred, for sure.

"But they reached the future foundation of Reietto with the ulitimate plan in tow: to build a school for those like them. They'd gathered a sample of everyone on their way and within a short amount of careful planning and work, Reietto was built and established as the school for outcasts.

"However, when the smarter boy wanted to do things one way and the less smart one his way, there was a major falling out and TADA. The Minds- you're intelligent runaways- and the Bloods- you're, well, not so intelligent runaways." After he finished, he inhaled deeply because of all the talking.

"That's it? That's the entire story?" I asked. Cas looked out the window, once again deep in thought as he seemed to often be. It must be a Mind thing, I thought, amusing myself.

"Well, the general history of it, yes, but aside from that, what really matters is the current events. The effects of the past on today. And trust me, the original founders certainly left an impression for a highly competitive gang initiation as far as the present goes," he explained. Gangs? The more I thought about the word, the more I wished that it was metaphorical. And maybe it was.