No sane person chose to go there.
But to think he wouldn't be seeing her disappointed face and the fear in her eyes whenever he appeared before her… Maybe he belonged there more.
The sound of the engine woke him from his sleep. He rubbed his eyes and looked outside the window. A long brick wall and an iron gate with huge letters, Goldleaf High School came into view.
He looked at the school surroundings with a grim expression. A few scattered houses, hardly any people. Not even a shop in sight. Inside the school, he couldn't see anything apart from trees.
The guard cast his eyes inside the bus, inspecting it. When he thought everything was fine, he opened the gate.
The bus passed along a road lined with blossoming trees, petals falling slowly. It was stunning to look at, but he felt uneasy.
After a moment, from afar, he saw a mountain peak with ice on top. It was as if he could reach it, yet he knew the distance was far.
He glanced back at the others.
The bus was almost empty, with five passengers, teenagers his age sitting separately and quietly, staring ahead or out the windows.
But unlike him, they were all dressed the same: orange T-shirts and pants, with printed numbers on their chests.
His forehead knitted. Was he really going to Goldleaf?
The rumors he had heard came back to him instantly: students straight from juvenile detention, teachers who break them, suffocating rules, and hellish punishments.
Everything meant to make sure a student regretted whatever he left outside the walls. In short, it was more of a discipline academy not far from a juvenile detention, even if they called it a high school.
And that was the school he had been admitted to by his parent.
The bus came to a stop. He turned forward at a huge building with bold letters at the top: Administration Block.
"You can get out," said the man in blue uniforms near the driver's seat.
The boy took his luggage from the overhead compartment and stepped outside. He stood aside and looked around.
His eyes moved back to the bus as he noticed the other boys following one after another.
The first was a young boy with glasses on his small face. He wore a serious expression the entire time, but the moment his foot touched the ground of Goldleaf, his lips broke into a wide grin. He pushed his suitcase and stood aside, looking pleased.
The guy looked relieved. Proud, even.
The second stopped at the bus doorway and gave a long yawn. He looked around nonchalantly before stepping down.
He had brown skin, a buzz cut, and naturally pinkish lips, features that would make anyone stare. He scanned the place with lazy eyes, looking bored.
Then came the chubby one with round cheeks. After standing with them, he asked, "Is lunch over?"
The brown-skinned regarded him. "Do I know you?"
Then another emerged from the bus. He ran a hand through neatly kept blond hair and paused at the doorway, grey eyes taking in the place with disinterest. He didn't need to announce himself to be noticed.
He looked out of place.
"Out of the way."
The blonde heard a voice behind him.
He turned and met a serious expression, deep blue eyes and messy silver hair. The blonde guy pointed a finger at him and hissed. He wanted to say something but stopped when he met the other man's gaze inside the bus.
He smiled. "Sure." And stepped aside.
The silver-haired stepped down, looking calm and measured.
Once outside, he scanned the school, and as he did, he noticed the isolated boy staring at him with wide hazel eyes.
Ignoring him, he went and stood with the others.
The five of them stood together, each holding a suitcase.
The warden stood at the bus door and looked at them as they gathered. "Listen carefully."
When he said that, there was only silence, and all eyes and ears were on him.
"You all said you want to correct your past mistakes. And I also know this isn't true for all of you."
When he said that, the blonde guy cleared his throat quietly, the brown-skinned boy covered his mouth as he yawned, while the one with glasses nodded his head vigorously.
"And still, I believe there are some of you who fought so hard to be here, for your future." Saying that, he looked at the silver-haired guy, who listened carefully.
Then he turned to the round-cheeked guy, who held his stomach with a slight frown but still listened.
"And some of you… who don't even know why you're here." Saying that, he threw a quick glance at the isolated boy.
He continued, "Remember, this school is your chance. Whatever choices you make are up to you. However, fail here…" His eyes turned colder. "We will meet again."
After saying that, the warden walked back in. The bus started, and it left them outside the office.
Seeing the bus disappear, the guy with glasses widened his maddening smile. "I'm… free."
"Anything fun in this place?" wondered the brown-skinned as he looked around. Then his gaze landed on the boy not far from them.
He seemed lost, his eyes down as if he were deep in thought.
"Found you," he said as he was about to drift toward him.
At that moment, a woman arrived. As soon as she did, all the boys' eyes were on her, scrutinizing her body. When was the last time they had seen a girl in those past months?
She had a slender figure that looked the same from both the front and the back just a narrow frame.
Their brows raised.
"Stripping me in those tiny brains of yours," the woman snapped at them sternly.
Some pretended to cough; others looked away.
The woman looked at the isolated boy, who also looked her way. "Come."
The boy flinched, but immediately he pushed his suitcase and stopped together with them, still a bit apart.
"What's your name?"
The boy replied in a low voice, "Christan."
"Christan. Do you have any questions?"
Questions? He had all the answers. This was a reform school. Those kids wore those uniforms because they came directly from juvenile detention.
Christan remained silent for a moment, then shook his head. "No"
"Good. Both of you, follow me."
Then they followed her without question.