Date : Friday, 5 September 2072, 13:09
State : Droveil
City : Nighthaven
Area : Red Hollows
Location : Government Improvised Senior High, Skvy District
Time dragged slowly away creating sprouts of anxiety in the minds of every graduating student of the GISH Skvy District.
All except a singular student who stood hands in pockets nonchalantly looking out the window at the back of the announcement hall.
" Grateful Peterson, Come up ", a loud voice blared from the podium, a girl quickly shouldered her self through the crowd of graduands.
In her dark red academic regalia which was in uniform to most of the occupants of the hall, she reached the podium and shook the hands of a few teachers with smiles on their faces.
She then reached the announcer and principal who stood side by side smiling at her, the principal handed her a rolled up sheet of paper held with a red ribbon and a badge was given to her.
" Now a graduate of G.I.S.H. Skvy district, the school is proud to honor one of its best graduating student, Grateful Peterson a badge of intellect for her outstanding performances in the school, we hope you find favour in the eyes of the higher-ups. "
The crowd gave her a loud applause as she descended the podium, * Tsk *, the boy at the window hissed in annoyance by the noises created from his mates.
" Julius Peppers, step up " the announcer called out and a nerdy boy rose from the crowd and walking up to receive his results, again he was praised similarly to Grateful.
And one by one students received their results, until, " Lucia Alexis William, rise for you appreciation ", like a queen in her ball room, she walked, with elegance and pride, all well deserved.
Her name sparked a reaction, the window watching loner flinched a little, veins popped out of his neck as if he was restraining himself from doing something he instinctively did.
Others were given handshakes, she was hugged, even by the principal, " With a round of applause we welcome the fifth best graduating student of our institution " the announcer cheered.
" The fool would be first if she used her brains and follow my advice ' the window loner said inaudibly to himself as he threw a fugitive glance at a group of girls across the hall.
He turned away and continued looking at what ever he had been looking at, " Kalen Obiora Vale, step up " the announcer said, immediately eyes turned towards the loner.
' It's my turn already ' he mumbled as he walked slowly to the podium with his hands in his pockets and earrings casting the sun's reflected light into the eyes of the unfortunate.
People had to shove themselves through the crowd as they moved, instead people instinctively cleared a wide path for him, avoiding his touch like a plague.
Only one stood out of place, a quiet handsome boy looking at him with a nearly goofy expression, he returned the gaze with a sly smirk and ascended the podium.
He shook no one, smile with no one nor show an euphoric expression on his face, today wasn't a time to be happy, he moved away allowing the next name to be called.
Returning to his spot he needless wait like the rest and ripped the ribbon off before scanning through it's contents, his results were quite impressive for someone with a reputation as his.
When he saw his aim of the letter, his face distorted in a frown, " Federal University Of Technology Droveil, Damn " he said aloud, ' Great, I just had to be thrown into the biggest, most corrupt university in the state. '
* Tsk * He clicked his tongue in annoyance, " That's the last graduate, you may now proceed to the assembly ground where you would meet your parents, guardians and the rest of the school for the farewell party " the announcer instructed.
The principal and teachers were the first to leave, followed by students who anxiously wanted to know the universities they were assigned to.
Kalen took off his academic regalia and was folding it when someone walked up to him, " Put that shit back on, let's go take a picture " the boy said.
" Which university did you get assigned to, Michael " Kalen asked stealing a side glance at some girls who were jumping in celebration of their pass.
" How am I supposed to know, I didn't rip the ribbon open as soon as it was given to me " Michael said waving his scroll around, " When you do, send me an email on which one you're going to " he said walking away.
" Send you an email? Which one did you get assigned to " Michael screamed running after him, but he was long gone.
For apparent reasons he didn't want to be in the school, his graduation made him feel nothing but nostalgia and he despised that feeling.
The mid afternoon sun hurt his eyes, children danced to the music of loud speakers, parents rejoiced or regretted the performances of their children.
Kalen's eyes searched through the crowd but could find what he sought, all he could see were pain and false happiness coupled with the celebration into the mid stage of a monotonous life devoid of purpose.
It felt like a recurrent conveyor belt, you're born, you grow up, get educated, fight for a job, get married, have kids, train them to repeat the same cycle then die.
Every single human following the same single pattern shown to them by their predecessors.
Only the rich who become Genetically Enhanced had the purpose Kalen sought, but he was a poor delivery boy with a single mother, an elder brother who joined the police force as a detective and a little sister.
His supposed father was a rising kickboxer in his prime with loads of potential, he was even almost the world's heavyweight champion but when a single match held him from that position, he vanished.
Alan Vale, who fought on 24 July 2060 on another continent, never returned, on moment he was called on to enter the ring; the next he was declared missing.
He was searched for but never found, people speculated on him ditching the match because his opponent was said to be an enhanced posing as a mundane human.
But his family knew different, it broke them, they knew he was their head, their pillar, Kalen's family suffered, everything they had was taken away in the space of a night.
Helen Vale, Kalen's mother was seriously hospitalized as she suffered a cardiac arrest when the news was broken to her, however she recovered merely days later and took up the mantle of her family.
Although she still needed time to recover and knew that as a nurse however she had left a her 4-year-old daughter and 6-year-old son in the hands of her elder child, a 10-year-old boy.
They had to relocate from the city to the slums, a place they could afford and started a whole new life there, but ever since that period Kalen and his older brother Jason had vowed to bring to light the cause of their father's disappearance.
Jason going as far as to join the police academy and graduate as a detective.
However his kid brother, had other plans than joining the police force, plans that would land the boys into a bigger web than they were able to escape while questioning their will in finding more about their father's disappearance.
Kalen's gaze swept over the dancing children and joyful parents, for them, today was the great end of an era in their children's lives, but for Kalen, it felt like the beginning.
The beginning of something dark and dangerous, his fists tightened as he remembered the thought of Droveil and the world's corrupted state.
And his assigned university was said to be the center recruitment hub for corruption.
The loud cacophony of laughter, chatting and music swelled around him, but he had already turned away, disappearing into the restless streets of Nighthaven, the weight of his family's past pressing against every step.