Tony sighed, stupid little high school life.

He walked into a bar thinking how funny it was being eighteen and in the tenth grade. He was seriously considering telling his parents to just have him be homeschooled so he can go to college quicker. Yeah, college would and will be so much better.

He got a beer and drank it in complete and utter silence. He looked around. The people occupying the bar that night were the usual Saturday crowd. There were businessmen happy to finally be away from their desks and paperwork. He could see young women spending their Saturday night drinking with their friends. There were groups of friends simply just having a good time. He decided to look away after seeing that.

After one bottle had turned into three and three had turned into five, Tony staggered to his car. Well, he tried to, anyway. He groaned and fell flat onto the ground. He decided to lie there for a while. This was dangerous, actually. The bar was near the small hangout of people who went to Asernam College, people in Tony’s year. And the people who were known to be there did not exactly like him.

The past week wasn’t so great for Tony. Not only did he see through the faux warm welcome of potential friends, he also already had big rumors made up about him.

“I heard Tony’s loaded,” this boy began, “someone said he paid some poor guy’s family off so they wouldn’t press charges when he roughed the dude up so bad.”

Tony stopped what he was doing upon hearing it. Just hearing that statement about him immediately made his heart sink.

“Bleugh.” Some girl, his girlfriend probably, winced at the statement.

“What do you think he did?” asked the girl.

“Oh God, I heard it was horrible. I heard he broke some parts of the kid’s body and he ended up black and blue all over. The kid was in the hospital for a month. Then Tony’s mom and dad didn’t want their son to have a record so they paid the boy’s family not to sue him.”

“His parents are probably big drug dealers. And their kid will probably end up doing the same or worse,” the girl gossiped with a witch-like laugh.

That was it. Tony had had enough. He stood up, quickly collected his things and walked out in the middle of the lecture about whatever the computer teacher was talking about.

“Mr. Luna, where are you going? Go back to your seat,” the teacher sternly ordered.

Tony continued to walk out the room, ignoring the teacher.

“Oops,” the girl who was previously gossiping snickered.

“Alright then, time to dismiss the class, I suppose. Goodbye and thank you.”

As the class walked out of the computer lab, Aria approached the girl and tapped her shoulder.

“Why do you be such a jerk?” Aria asked with clear anger in her tone.

“Why do you have to be so nosy? Mind your own business, Miss Goody Two-Shoes.”

“At least I’m good, something you’ll never be.”

This must have hit close to home to the girl. Or perhaps it was the evil that took over their school as a whole that slipped into her mind for that very second. She sighed and punched Aria in the nose, causing it to bleed.

Aria placed two fingers on the blood, laughed and was ready to hit back. But her friends entered the scene and held her back.

“Aria, no, she’s not worth it!” Andy said.

“What the hell? Are you crazy?” Greg almost shouted.

The girl shook her head and just walked away.

“I’ll explain to the teacher,” Lee said.

“I’ll go with you,” Greg added.

Paul, Andy, and Gabby walked with Aria before Gabby took Aria to the restroom where she would help clean her bloody nose. Aria sat by the sink. They began to speak.

“Should we go to the clinic?” Gabby asked.

“Doesn’t feel broken,” Aria replied.

Gabby replied, “Doesn’t look broken.”

“What’s the school gonna do? Is she going to get expelled or something?”

Aria shook her head. “Nope, I doubt they’ll do anything. That girl’s family is loved by this school and I don’t know, Asernam’s just bad like that.”

Gabby replied, “That actually sucks.”

Aria laughed. Gabby joined her. She decided to change the subject.

“So,” Gabby said, “what’s the deal with you and Andy?”

Aria blushes slightly. “Nothing. I mean, we’re friends….”

“But?” Gabby asks.

“I’ve liked him since we were kids, y’know? I think he likes me back. I hope he does.”

“Well, he does look at you like you have rainbows in your eyes. And he does make it a point to get your attention all the time,” Gabby noted.

“I won’t assume just yet,” Aria said with a smile.

“How about you and Paul?” she asked.

“What? No. I don’t think I’d ever like him that way.”

Aria then asked, “Why’s that?”

“Paul’s not my type. I’m not really into…” she trailed off, a tad scared Aria wouldn’t look at her the same way.

“Into what?”

Realization.

“Oh.”

Now, there’s a silence. Gabby feels a tinge of regret telling Aria that. Aria probably sees her different now, but then, Aria smiles.

“That’s wonderful! Just so you know, Greg’s your go-to, if ever you wanna meet someone.”

Aria’s smile was so wide and kind that Gabby felt like she was going to cry.

When her nose was clean, they left the restroom and reunited with the boys. Lee and Greg spoke to the teacher, who didn’t care one bit.

“Hey, by the way, you guys want to hang out in the park on Saturday?” Andy asked.

“With the people we just fought with?” Lee said.

“Nah, Ellie invited us for some little get-together,” Andy informed them.

“Sure,” Greg answered.

The rest nodded their head. It was set.

And that brings us to Saturday night. The park was indeed the hangout beside the bar. It wasn’t a small get-together between friends, though at first it was. Ellie welcomed them and as soon as they settled in the people who they had previously fought with entered and acted as if the fight had never happened. They had brought a lot of beer, though they were only seventeen or eighteen and were shouting for the sole purpose of being loud.

“No drinking,” Ellie said firmly.

“Shut up, prude,” the boy, whose name was James, said as he and his girlfriend on his arm pushed past her.

“Hey, don’t do that,” Greg said.

“Protecting the girlfriend?” the girl, named Isla, chuckled.

“I just have common decency, if you’re familiar with that.”

Ellie went over to them, trying to break up the possible fight.

“Let’s not get into a fight. At least, not over her.”

“You’re a douchebag, you know that? A real prick,” Greg said.

“Oh, is this about that new student? I saw him walking while we were on the way here, I was gonna do his parents a favor and run him over but I didn’t want to end up like him.”

Before Greg can say anything, Andy comes.

“Alright, okay, come on. We’re leaving”

Ellie leaves as well after saying a quick goodbye and apology to the group.

They ask her why she feels the need to apologize. She nods and departs.

As Andy tells the driver to go back to home, Aria interrupts.

“Isn’t that Tony?”

She was referring to the alarmingly still figure lying on the ground. Worry shot through all six of them as all of them, except Paul, got out of the car.

They crouched down and tried to shake him awake. He slurred and groaned.

“He’s awake, okay, let’s get him in the car,” said Andy.

There was no second-guessing this. They all knew they had to help him. They were all silent until Tony quietly said, “I didn’t hurt that kid in any way.”

And to that they replied, “We know.”

And for the first time in a long time, Tony felt safe in positive feelings. He had no doubts about them. He felt at home with them. He had never been that sure about anyone.

They arrived at Andy’s house. Andy’s house was not as big and fancy as Tony’s, but Tony knew this was a happier home.

“Let him sit down,” Andy said.

As he sat down, his eyes opened as he looked at all of them.

“Hey,” Lee said quietly.

“Hi?” replied Tony

“You guys want to stay here for the night?” Andy asked all of them.

Aria, Lee, and Greg were used to staying at Andy’s. Paul and Gabby second-guessed, but agreed anyway. Tony nodded slowly.

“Alright then,” Andy said before leaving to fix a room for them to sleep in.

They called it a night after collapsing onto the bedding that was set up. It was quite late after all.

They all felt the same thing as they drifted off into slumber. They all felt complete. This was perfect. They were whole now.

This was the perfect moment but the danger hid right beneath their feet. Something was coming. Whatever it was, it was the apotheosis of evil. It crept under their attention, not being seen by all but one. This evil was destruction. This evil was death. And it was coming for our heroes. After this would be the start of it all.

And now it shall begin.