*2 months earlier*
Chase Tennyson woke up on a Tuesday morning with a sharp pain in his rib. He clutched his rib in pain and let out a slight groan. He turned on his bed, took a look at the clock resting on the desk and wondered why it hadn't rang yet. To his horror, it showed 8:30 am. His eyes widened as he realised he had slept through the alarm and that his first lesson was ending soon, which gave his chemistry teacher a good reason to keep him behind after school. He pushed away the bed sheet, staggered out of bed and headed for a quick shower, still clutching his side.
He showered as quickly as he could and rushed to get dressed. But a glimpse of himself in the mirror brought him to a sudden halt. His bright blue hair had grown out, nearly covering his blue eyes. Even though he was 15, he still looked scrawny without a trace of muscle. The purple bruise along his ribs darkened, swelling painfully.
He stopped staring at himself and headed back to his room to get ready for school. He put on a pair of blue jeans, a dark blue hoodie, his favourite sneakers, then added a black belt and his digital watch to complete the outfit.
He grabbed his backpack, made sure that all his books were there, before pocketing his phone. He rushed downstairs for a quick breakfast, ignoring the intense pain in his ribs.
He glanced at the time: 8:40 am. He hurried around the kitchen, half expecting someone to yell at him, wondering why he hadn't left yet, but luckily, the house was empty. He made himself toast and speed-walked to the door, preparing to leave. He continued munching on his toast as he unlocked the front door and stepped out into the cold September weather.
Once the front door was locked and he had left the house's gates, he rushed to school. The walk to school from his house was normally 20 minutes, but the injury in his ribs slowed his pace, adding 15 minutes to his journey. By the time he arrived at school, it was already 9:15, making him late for the second period.
The school was immense and exuded wealth. The main gates were wide enough to fit two roads combined. The campus featured two full-sized basketball courts and four additional mini courts. The football pitch matched the standard dimensions but could be expanded fivefold with six movable goalposts. Nearby, a swimming pool was housed inside a gym. Adjacent to the gym was 2 tennis courts and a large shed, the size of a semi-detached house, that stored all sports equipment.
The teachers were highly qualified, hailing from top universities and holding multiple master's degrees and other advanced qualifications, earning them significant respect in society. The school was always equipped with the latest and best PCs, provided to both students and teachers. Classrooms were spacious, accommodating over 25 tables each, and were equipped with touch-screen boards and the fastest Wi-Fi in the country.
As Chase approached the main gate, a muscular guard inside a booth spotted him from afar and unlocked the pedestrian gate, allowing Chase to enter the school.
"Late again, Chase?" The guard said in his deep voice, stepping aside to let the kid pass.
"I am sorry, I overslept, " Chase said as he passed the guard, then thanked him for opening the gate. The guard tutted, ready to give him a lecture, as he usually did to all late comers, but refrained from doing so as he saw that the kid seemed to be in pain.
"You alright there, son?" He asked, closing the gate as he watched Chase slowly walk away. Chase gave a slight nod and headed towards the school's reception to register his late arrival. The guard watched him for a second, then went back inside the booth, hoping that the kid would be alright for the rest of the day.
The school's reception was the first thing that could be seen when you entered the school. A huge sign above it, in bold, read:
WELCOME TO ACER HIGH
Chase sighed and headed inside the building.