The jarring metallic bell rang, echoing through the air. Dave sprang up from his bed, hitting the electric alarm clock to stop it.
"Grrraaahh…"
He groaned, stretching his body to the fullest. He sat for a while, observing his room like he always did for no reason at all. Staring into empty air or space had now become part of him.
"How is today going to be? Wait… where the hell…..?"
He panicked when he noticed his precious necklace wasn't on his neck. The only thing his father had left for him.
"I found it!" he shouted happily.
Though he had never seen his father, he had heard about him from his mom. The stories painted him as a hero, the kind of man Dave had always imagined. He slipped the necklace back around his neck with confidence. He cherished it so much that he had vowed to protect it.
Dave got up quickly, hurriedly took his bath, and dressed for school. He was ready to head straight out the door when his mom called from the kitchen.
"Not so fast, Dave. You're not skipping breakfast this time. I made pancakes with butter. Eat up now. Look at your body, it needs some meat."
Rita's Mexican accent was clear, and she was always caring, but Dave never wanted to stress her, knowing how hard she worked. He looked at the time, only ten minutes until school started. But his mom's firm gaze told him he wasn't going anywhere without eating first.
"Okay, Mom."
Dave dropped into his seat and began devouring the meal.
"Te preparé algo rico de comer ( I prepared something tasty for you) eat up," she said warmly in Mexican, smiling at him as he ate.
Moments later, Dave's worst fear became reality: he was ten minutes late to school. And with a stomach full of five huge pancakes, running wasn't even an option.
The streets of Melin in Washington, D.C. were busy and cold, and thankfully Dave remembered his coat. But that wasn't the real problem. The real problem was that he was the only Izigan at his school.
Even though humans and Izigan now coexisted, not everyone had accepted them. To many, they were still aliens.
That Izigan had been the core contributors to ending the forty-five-year war meant nothing to some people. And Dave bore the brunt of it daily, being in a school where he couldn't find a single one of his kind.
He always made sure to wear long sleeves to cover the Izigan tattoos on his arms and neck. Tattoos were how people easily recognized them, and many tried to hide theirs to avoid attention. Dave was no different, even though most people already knew.
Meanwhile, at Graham School, the 11th-grade students sat in class while Miss Edith taught.
It was Monday, and Dave was already thirty-six minutes late. Miss Edith had been staring at his empty seat and could no longer resist. It was time to make a joke out of him.
"Oh, look at the time! It's nine thirty-seven. Where is our alien boy?"
Everyone burst into laughter. Some had been waiting for the perfect chance for Miss Edith to bring Dave up.
"Oh, let me guess…..his mommy made him a heavy breakfast again."
The class erupted even louder. Derek's laugh stood out the most. He was always the one to give Dave a hard time, and this was his favorite chance to shine.
Hina was the only one not laughing. She didn't find it funny and she didn't know the history behind Dave.
She looked at Derek with disgust. He laughed with his mouth wide open, hand clutching his chest, his chair slightly tilting as if he was on the brink of falling. He steadied it with his legs against the table. Hina dropped her eyes and mumbled,
"So much for a first day."
Miss Edith noticed her, the new girl. She suddenly remembered she hadn't introduced her yet.
"Alright, quiet everyone. We have a new member in our midst."
Her words drew everyone's curiosity. They looked around, trying to figure out who it was.
"Hina, can you please stand up so we can know you?" Miss Edith asked.
What Hina had been avoiding finally happened. She stood up reluctantly, and everyone was stunned.
Her beauty was striking, an Asian-American blend with a unique body shape. A bright pink-and-brown jacket and slim black jeans made her stand out even more. The boys wondered how on earth they hadn't noticed her before. It was only when she stood that everyone realized she'd been there all along.
"She's a new transfer student from Atlantis High," Miss Edith continued.
The name caught attention immediately. Atlantis High was one of the most popular schools in the world, known for teaching both humans and Izigan. Its reputation for academics and infrastructure was unmatched.
"Would you like to tell us more about yourself, Hina?"
"No, please."
Hina responded quickly and sat down. She couldn't bear the stares any longer. Not long after she sat, Dave finally walked into class.
The room exploded with laughter again.
Dave stood at the door, humiliated, keeping his head down as the laughing stock of the class.
"What did your mom make you this time? I guess that's what slowed you down," Miss Edith added loudly, keeping the fun alive.
Dave regretted ever telling her that story. What had once been an excuse had turned into a daily mockery.
He Ignored her and went straight to his seat. Everyone was surprised. Usually, he cried or protested. But today, he was just tired — tired of the humiliation and disgrace.
He noticed people staring, especially the boys. He assumed it was still about him being late, not realizing he was sitting close to Hina.
Derek's gaze never left him. Seeing Dave sit near her was enough to annoy him. All the boys were already plotting their moves toward Hina, but Derek didn't think much of Dave. To him, Dave was a loser. There was no way she'd ever notice him.
The class went on for a while. Dave still hadn't realized who was beside him until a book near him slipped to the floor.
He leaned down to pick it up, but a hand was already there.
"Oh, thanks. I appreciate your help."
His words came out calm and slow, but he wasn't ready for the unfamiliar voice that replied.
"No problem at all. Anytime."
Soft, calm, and gentle, that's how he would describe it. Her voice was angelic and warm, and it stuck with him. Turning his head, he finally saw her.
"Hi."
She greeted him with a smile, holding out her hand. Dave quickly shook it, but he didn't realize his own hand was trembling.
"Hi… hi. Nice to meet you. I'm Dave. I don't think I've seen you around before… are you new here?" he asked, scratching his head and avoiding eye contact. She was gorgeous, he could barely believe it.
"I'm Hina, and yes, I'm new here. Nice to meet you, Dave."
Her smile grew, and Dave felt his chest tighten. The boys in class were already noticing the exchange, murmuring to themselves. How did a loser like Dave manage to strike up a conversation with her?
"I've had this uneasy feeling since I got here. Everyone's so loud. Can I ask… why does the class hate you so much?"
She kept her voice low so no one else could hear. Dave froze. For a moment, he thought she'd join in the teasing. His smile faded, and he took a deep breath.
"I don't think it's necessary to talk about that here. I'm just the odd one out. That's all I can say for now."
"Hey, don't get me wrong. How about we go out after class? You can trust me. I'm not like the rest. Besides, we could be friends. What do you think?"
Her words caught him off guard. The word friends echoed in his head. Something he had never truly had before.
"Su… sure. After class, then," Dave stammered.
The class dragged on, but Dave didn't care. For the first time, he felt like he had someone beside him. Someone he could actually call a friend.
When school ended, Dave and Hina walked out together. Boldly. For the first time, Dave wasn't afraid.
The clenched fists and furrowed brows of the boys, especially Derek and his gang, followed them out.
Derek's phone buzzed persistently. He ignored it at first, distracted by Dave and Hina, until finally checking it.
His expression changed instantly. He jumped off the desk, startling his gang. Something was wrong.
"Sht. Sht."
He excused himself and rushed to the far end of the class to answer. A cold chill ran down his spine when he saw the Peacemaker crest flashing on his phone. He had ignored it once already. That was a mistake.
"You stupid piece of sh*t! Why didn't you pick up the first time, huh? Do you need this job or not, kid?"
"I… I… I'm sorry. It won't happen again, I promise. Please forgive me," Derek stammered, his voice trembling.
"Save your apology, dumbass. You made an offer about an Izigan in your school, right? Well, listen carefully. This is coming directly from my division master.
This is your first mission: tame that Izigan kid and bring him to the base. We'll send the location after you've captured him. You want to be one of us? Then don't screw this up. Or else… you'll be the target instead. Period."
The line cut.
Derek stood frozen, but inside, he was thrilled. His request had been accepted. Now it was time to prove himself.
He walked back to his gang, signaling them with his hand to follow. A cunning smile spread across his face. he snarled.
"Dave,".