Bonfire I

Removing a thick black hoodie from the wardrobe, I removed my sweater and slipped into it, the sweater placed on my bed. I took a few steps to my desk and crouched to pull back the last cabinet, revealing neatly arranged stacks of paper and stationery.

Snaking my hand into it, my fingers moved to the end of the cabinet space until I felt something hard. I grabbed onto it and reeled back my hand, a black pocket knife was being held firmly in my grasp.

"Let's hope I won't have to use this tonight." I slipped the weapon into the left pocket of my jeans and patted it to remove any discomfort on my thigh.

A slight chill tightened around my body and I turned to face the open balcony as the wind cruised into the room. I walked up to the face of the balcony and took sight of the starry sky and after a few seconds, I pushed the ajar doors to a close.

My eyes darted around the room to see if I had left anything or if anything was amiss or out of place and seeing nothing, I pocketed and walked to the door, flicking the light switch upwards as I opened it.

Time to get to the bonfire...

I stepped out of the room and closed it behind me gently. I could hear the sounds of the television downstairs as I walked to descend the flight of stairs. The whole house was lit.

Walking down, my right hand on the rails, I saw my father slouching in one of the couches in a white v-neck t-shirt and casual khaki shorts, perfectly relaxed with a bottle of beer in one of his hands that was resting on the armrests.

He was watching an NFL match with a bored expression on his face, as if disappointed at what he was witnessing on the flatscreen. He jerked his head to the side as my feet touched the ground and beamed at me, his blue eyes examining my outfit.

"All ready for the event son?" He asked with a nostalgic smile as he took a gulp of his beer.

"More or less." I shrugged as I stopped at the side of his seat.

"Okay, but you don't look excited son. You know you don't have to go if you don't want to right?" He leaned slightly towards me and asked calmly with a smile on his face.

Maybe it was because I was just going in the hopes of getting a douchy face to bash in? But he didn't need to know that...

"I'm fairly hyped Dad, even if it doesn't look like it." I smiled at him and he just shook his head slightly with a smile.

"Say what, why don't I give you my car for tonight? Do whatever you want with it but please don't get a girl pregnant in it." He offered and added with a playful smirk on his face.

"Thanks, Dad but I'll have to decline. I want to enjoy the night air and the scenery tonight so I'll be walking there." I shook my head and declined politely with a thankful smile.

"I see, I guess that's also fine. Well bud, I'll leave you to it. Have fun, try your best not to get drunk, and come home the moment everything is over," He advised me seriously and smiled widely, gesturing to the door with a motion of his head. "Now, get your ass out of the house."

The corners of my lips curled up into a smile and I nodded.

"I'll see you later Dad." I tapped his shoulder affectionately and moved to the door while my father used the remote to increase the volume of the sports.

Opening the door, I turned back to glance at him and our eyes met. We both smiled and after waving him goodbye, I walked out of the house.

The full brunt of the cold air slapped my face and I couldn't help but shiver as the small grasses on the front lawn waved with the wind.

The noise and chatter from the houses of my neighbors tickled my ears, and in front of me, walking on the opposite sidewalk were a couple, snuggling against each other as they acted all lovey-dovey, simply looking ahead.

I shook my head at the sight and concentrated on my power, everything around me shifted almost instantaneously and my feet left the ground. The cold immediately disappeared but I could still feel the goosebumps resting on my skin.

Ascending, I rose above the rooftop of my house, and turning to the direction of my school, I concentrated on speeding up, and with a flash, my body speared through the air at high speeds.

A grin crawled onto my face as I moved through the air like a free bird, passing above the lit streets, houses, and general roads like an unseen phantom. Flying was really amazing especially when no one could see or detect me...

I had already decided to fly any chance I get and as I soared through the air, feeling that unique sense of euphoric rush, I affirmed my decision, and with a smile on my face, I forced my body mentally to speed up further.

In no time I arrived at the school, hovering nonchalantly above the parking lot area lit by the towering street lamps that lined the edges and seeing a trail of smoke slithering into the sky on my far left, I flew towards it.

I passed above the rooftop of the main school building and moved towards the back, where the smoke was coming from, and the excited shouts and cries of the students rang in my ears as an old wide field surrounded by tall trees came into my view.

It looked like an abandoned football field, possibly the old one before they constructed the modern one I was familiar with.

Below me, students were moving through the path between the trees to the field and sighing a secluded spot between the trees at the front, away from any view, I descended gracefully and transitioned back.

The whole place was dark, almost grim, and the ground was carpeted by green moss with small ankle-length shrubs littered around it. The sounds of bugs filled the place.

Quickly, I walked out of the area into the path and walked behind a group of students toward the field. We passed through the open entrance, a wide space cut through the metallic fences, and entered the field.

The whole place was large and lit brightly but also dark, like how a candle lights a room, and the whole place on my left and right was crowded by a bunch of trucks with students in all sorts of casual wear hanging around the vehicles or on top of it.

Most of the trucks were filled with beer and alcoholic kegs and in the grasp of almost everyone here were red plastic or styrofoam cups which were either filled with liquid or empty.

Everyone was laughing and smiling, having the time of their lives, and the whole place smelt of alcohol, smoke, burning twigs, and perfume. A weird mix of scents that seemed relaxing.

Right at the center of the wide field, erected in a triangular shape with smooth white stones ringing it, was the bonfire, and a wooden effigy clothed in the colors of the school's team was bounded to the sides of it.

A girl, who was seated on top of a blue truck, her legs dangling below her, switched on a stereo and numerous explosive roars echoed from the mouths of the students as loud techno music immediately drowned the area.

I flipped my hood to cover my head and then started moving around the place, looking for any sight of Claire or Brody, occasionally bobbing my head to the rhythm of the beat.

I walked past plenty of dancing individuals, some even openly making out with wild fervor, and seeing none of them, I sighed and walked toward one of the trucks.

I climbed into the truck and then jumped to sit on the roof, my feet hanging resting on the windshield of the car, and started observing the place from my vantage point, my eyes darting everywhere like a hawk.

It was interesting, you know, watching teenagers getting wasted on who knew what and frolicking around with joy, enjoying the moment with everything they had.

Utterly uncaring for the future repercussions of their actions like the couples who walked to the shadows behind the bleachers or even the surrounding trees to release some stress.

I could've bet fifty bucks that half of them wouldn't use protection and in a month or so, that same half would drop out. Such was the way of Highschool, especially public ones like this.

No one cared and no one would even try to give a shit, their life, their rules and that was what made the experience more thrilling.

Sigh, seeing all this made me remember my Highschool and the dumb things I'd done at that time.

My lips involuntarily rose into a smile as I started to reminisce, still scouring the place for either Claire or Brody as the shoutings and screams reached a crescendo.

"...Xander? Hey guys look what we have here. Our junior principal decided to join us here tonight."

I heard my name so I turned my head to my left as the person continued playfully and saw my caller. The person was a guy, a tall blond-haired guy with light blue eyes and a body built like a fighter.

He was wearing a tight white short-sleeved shirt that emphasized his biceps and abs and black biker jeans adorned with a chain that hang from the head of the pockets to the tail. A pair of black sneakers covered his foot.

He was accompanied by two regular-looking guys who had strong builds and three pretty chicks who looked like stereotypical cheerleaders with their bleached blonde hairs and their full shells and skirts that highlighted their curves.

I remembered the boys, we had Maths together, but I didn't know the girls or why they were smiling at me. If I recalled correctly, the guy who mentioned my name was called Ben.

"Hi, Ben." I nodded at him and he smiled, flashing his relatively white teeth, coming closer to the car.

"Oh my pretty boy Xander, why in God's name are you still moppy even in a freaking bonfire!? Dude, this isn't school. Man, let loose, no one's gonna tell your dad." He let out friendly, shaking his head in mock disappointment, his voice high-pitched and playful.

I was sure if I wasn't seated on the truck, he would wrap his burly arms around me like I was his best friend.

He'd always seemed like the cool type of guy who always got the girls and now I could see my impression of him was right on the mark. He was here to mess with me, I could feel it in my gut...

"I've heard you Ben, I'll do just that." I forced a smile at him and hoped he'd take my reply as a clue to leave but he clearly didn't, he only shook his head with a smirk on his face.

"No, no, no, that's not gonna cut it," He mused and turned his head to one of the trucks that had a keg in the truck with students grouped around it. "Hey, Can I get a drink for my friend here please!" He shouted at them, pointing to me, and quickly, one of the girls around with a cup in hand, rushed over to him to give him the cup with a smile.

"Thank you, darling," He said charmingly at the girl with a smile and turned back to me. "Like I said man, let loose." He jabbed the cup in my direction and I could see the brown foamy liquid filled within it.

"No thanks. I'm not in the mood for a drink right now." I decline his offer with a wave of my hand, straining the smile on my face. Why couldn't the guy just take a hint and leave me alone?

"This isn't an offer Xander. You either drink or I scream my lungs out to tell everyone you're a spy sent by the Principal and believe me, pal, you wouldn't want to be the killjoy around here. So what's it gonna be?" He gave me a proposition with a devious smile on his face that made his followers also smile.

I frowned at the sound of this, an eyebrow cocked as a feeling of irritation blanketed me, staring coldly at him. But then my frown broke and I sighed helplessly, jumping to the ground.

There was no need to create any chaos or commotion that would bring any unnecessary attention to me so it was in my best interest to just go with the flow. After all, it was only one drink and maybe he'd leave me alone after I drank it.

"That's the spirit. Feel the heat man." He walked up to me and said cheerfully, patting my right shoulder as he handed me the cup. It felt warm and looking at him, I realized we were the same height.

Shaking my head, I took a whiff of the drink, and smelling nothing amiss, I took a sip. It tasted like root beer, only a little diluted. The next moment, I downed the whole cup and he practically roared, his followers echoing him.

"If you get drunk, do me a favor and keep my name out of your mouth if dear old Daddy starts asking questions," He whispered and winked at me playfully. "I'll smell you later Xander. Try to get laid." He remarked and turned to walk away, waving me as he did and his people followed like trained dogs.

I shook my head with a smile and crushed the cup in my hands, throwing it to the side as I almost cringed at the bitter aftertaste of the beer.

I turned to face the bonfire and my eyes instantly fixed on the figure of Claire who was staring a few meters away from the gradually burning effigy with her hands tucked underneath her armpits.

She was wearing her cheerleading outfit and her curly blonde hair was set loose, hanging at her back. No one was around her and she was just staring at the flames as they consumed the effigy, not caring about the heat.

Something told me to go talk to her but I pushed that feeling down and just leaned on the truck, staring at her lonely self, like she had no one in world. I was starting to feel bad.

"...Sigh. Now where the hell is Brody?"