Re:Start

-Damien- - Trigger: Chrono Phantasm.

"Hey Dami, time to wake up and seize the future."

A sudden sound of a shrill ringing suddenly blew up beside me and my eyes opened up angrily. I tried to go back to my peaceful sleep but the annoying ringing is just too much. Damn, even though my alarm is just doing its job just like how I set it up to, I still wanna blow it to pieces for ruining my perfect sleep.

I groaned as I begrudgingly sat up on my comfy blue bed. The alarm clock was still ringing like hell on top of the small table beside my bed and it seems to show no signs of stopping anytime soon. The annoying sound is starting to really get to me.

I turned my body to face it and I angrily held up a finger gun using my right hand in front of it. I focused on letting energy flow through the pointed finger. I felt the slowly surging waves of power swimming in my body towards my finger. My body then surged with emerald green light to signify that my powers are now active. And with that, I blasted away.

"Funf!" My finger then shot a green beam of energy that blasted the alarm. My alarm wobbled in its position and it got slowly surrounded by a green barrier of light. The alarm stopped ringing and it ultimately just stopped doing anything. The sound isn't ringing anymore and the hands of the clock aren't moving. It was stuck in its last position, 6:30 AM.

"Thank goodne-oh." I collapsed on my comfortable bed. Sudden nausea was what I felt. I was feeling uncomfortable and tired again, but in a different way from the waking up tiredness.

That's what I get for activating my power, my Trigger without doing the right preparations. My Trigger, Chrono Phantasm, allows me to control twelve spells that relates to the workings of time. And with that powerful Trigger comes with a price, I get tired easily. Plus, I didn't do the Trigger activation chant so it just added to the overwhelming feeling.

Honestly, I don't really mind it, if it means just laying on the bed all day.

"Heyyyyyyyyy! Get uppppp! It's time for school!"

I winced at the sound of my inside voice ringing in my head. Yes, I have an inside voice. Its name is Mono . No, I am not delulu. My friend appeared when my dear little sister died when she was born. I probably created Mono as a coping mechanism but gosh it seems to have a life on its own, and its living on my head rent-free.

"Mono." I whined its name, dragging the o. "Do I have to go?"

"Yes!" It screamed, making me wince in pain again. "Mommy and Dad didn't work hard just so that you can lay on your ass forever."

"Buuuuuuut...my head hurts." I tried to reason out.

It just rolled its eyes in response. Yes, I can feel it roll its eyes even though I can't see it. "It'll go away in a few minutes Also...you're strong, this is nothing, and you trained a lot in the past few years' right?

My heart grew happy when it said that. Even though its just my head talking, it's nice that someone believes in me. Even if...no one does.

I jumped off my bed and stretched my arms high off the air. I can still feel a bit of soreness in my arms because of my little training session in the backyard yesterday. I shook my head to get rid of the unpleasant feelings. I looked around my small green room and saw my white school uniform hanging at the door, like its inviting me to wear it.

Might as well do it, I thought. I grabbed my bath towel and went to my own bathroom.

"Oh right, I forgot." I snapped my fingers and the time-stopped alarm clock instantly got freed by my stop spell. "That's what you deserve for ruining my beauty sleep."

I did my basic bathroom stuff in a jiffy and made myself look presentable. I'm not that good looking of a person but looking at my reflection at the mirror, I guess I look decent and presentable enough. I applied face creams and concealer to make myself even cuter. (But let's be honest, I may not be handsome but I AM CUTE AS FUCK MWHAHAHAHA!)

After all that bathroom stuff, I grabbed my waiting uniform and went to my closet. There I dressed myself up. I buttoned up my long sleeved white uniform and zipped up my black slacks. I also put on my pizza themed socks and put on my green low-cut sneakers.

I looked at my reflection in the mirror to see if I looked okay and there I was in full display. Damien Leigh, a boy with blond hair with green highlights swept to the side, dark eyes that look tired but still ready, and a fat stomach that occupies my body. On my side I see a glowing violet orb floating around my shoulder like one of those Angel/Demon things that reside on the shoulders. But that's Mono, or what I perceive it to be. I can only see it through mirrors though.

Anyways, I look normal. But just to be sure.

"Hey Mon." I called out. "Do I look okay now?"

"Oooooh, damn!" Mono whistled. "You're looking fresh as fuck boi." It said, hitting the last four words with emphasis.

I face palmed myself with chuckling. "Shut up. Well then, let's go?" I walked up to grab my things before stopping myself.

"Wait, I almost forgot." I grabbed a little box towards the end of the cabinet and opened it. Inside was the ribbon that my late baby sister, Rain, had when she was still alive.

"You know, 7 years and until now you still have that." Mono chuckled.

"Well...yeah." I smiled sadly at the box. "It's my reminder of her...of your former form after all."

"Hey don't mix us up okay? I'm Mono and I'm just inside your head." Mono's voice pitched into a high note when it replied. It's like she was scared or something. I didn't really care and just snickered at it while tying up the ribbon on my neck area of my shirt.

I grabbed my green backpack that was beside my closet and my fully charged phone. I was about to rush out before I stopped myself and looked at my bookshelf. I picked out a random novel on my "not yet read" section and quickly placed it on my bag. I decided to bring in my handheld game console just in case school gets boring. Then I rushed out of my room.

I closed the door and went downstairs to the dining area. On my way there, the house is quite, just quite. Nothing peaceful, blissful, or eerie about it, just quite like always. That's what you get if you're all alone. Mom and Dad are always travelling around the world so they gave me a house to live by myself. It's always been like this ever since I was little so there's no surprise there.

I opened up the fridge and grabbed two cheese sandwiches and a banana and quickly sat down on the kitchen counter to eat. I gobbled all of it in less than two minutes and grabbed up some vitamins. I looked at the time and it was already 7:30 AM. School starts at 8 and I had 30 minutes countdown before I get late. And it would certainly be embarrassing if I'd be late on the first day.

So I grabbed random snacks and hurriedly placed it in the bag and ran off towards the exit. I fumbled for my earphones while running and inserted it on my phone to play out some tunes.

"THIS IS WHAT YOU GET FOR COMPLAINING AND BEING LAZY ON A SCHOOL DAY!" Mono scolded with a scream that could pierce my ears.

"GIVE ME A BREAK OKAY IT'S STILL THE FIRST DAY!" I screamed back, which gave me odd looks from people that I passed by. I grinned sheepishly at them before running ever faster to escape their confused looks.

"Just hurry to the bus stop! It takes off during 7:15!"

I kept on running and never let up until I had the bus stop on my sights. The buildings around me were a blur as my speed kept on increasing. I didn't even know that I unconsciously used a bit of my Trigger to speed up a bit. I grinned in relief that I still can make it in time.

I boarded on the bus with the other passengers and took a seat on the back. I catch my breath and calmed myself down. My heart was still racing from the adrenaline rush and it was hard to keep still.

The bus took off on the road and was running in a decent speed. I think I can still make it in time.

I looked at the window and saw the busy roads of New Hope City as I passed them through. The buildings were shiny and humongous and each of them that I passed through looked identical with the straight features and their cool structures. People passed by with a blur, people with their unique differences. Students like me were also passing through with their different uniforms, and with what I can barely process are excited eyes. Children were walking with their parents looking happy with their gleaming eyes. I smiled with jealousy as they still looked innocent in their cute uniforms and their wide, toothy grins. Quite opposite to me; I looked at the shiny window reflection and saw my droopy and tired eyes that looked unexcited energy going to school.

"Hey...you seem worried." Mono spoke out quietly. I saw its form on the reflection circling around my head, leaving traces of light like a halo.

"It's nothing." I replied, thinking out the words so that I don't have to speak out. I release a puff of air. "Just nervous," I laughed nervously. "first day you know?"

"Dude you've literally been in that school for 4 years." It tiredly sighed after that. "Is this about-"

"Don't say it!" I let out softly; no one was beside me to hear it so no odd looks for me. "Just don't."

Mono let out a shocked gasp. Then it went silent for a short moment before speaking out again. "You still haven't gotten over it huh..."

I looked forward and hung my head low, using my bag in front of me as a pillow. The black floor was squeaky clean and no spots were in sight. As expected of the sanitizing services of the city.

"Hey don't ignore me."

"I'm not." I spoke out in my mind once again. "I just want you to stop talking about that."

"But-"

I shushed it violently and buried my face in my bag. I clutched it tightly and planted myself on it further. I could hear the wheels of the bus hitting the cement roads beneath me. The blackness of my sight was calming me down barely. But it was too late. The memories from the past were surging back like angry ocean waves. I felt like I was drowning from the overwhelming flood of the past. The memories were returning much to my dismay, much to my discomfort.

"You'll never be worth anything fatass!" R****** said before pushing me to the ground with force that could really hurt me. "Can you just disappear forever?"

I tried to get up from the muddy ground but he held out his hand and his Trigger pushed me to the ground without even touching me. "Gay ass piece of shit."

He was the reason why I didn't want to go to school anymore. He was the reason I dreaded going back there. He was the reason why my 8th grade sucked. And I was very much relieved we weren't classmates during the 9th grade. But still...he scares me.

I raised my head from my bag and looked around in desperation. I was still in the bus and nothing was out to get me. I felt a slow sharp paid around my cheeks as a realized that the zipper has dug through my cheek. I chuckled to myself because I was acting unreasonable. He wasn't here and he wasn't out to hurt me...not anymore.

I was snapped out of my thoughts when an announcement blasted out of the speakers. It said that we were already in my school. A small handful of people stood up and went to the bus doors to exit and I was last to get out. The bus took off when I got out silently as it had some destinations to go to.

I looked ahead of me and I saw my school, St. Roch's High School. It is a red building with a huge open space behind the gate for people to walk around, which I am currently standing. The school logo was plastered on the front building and it shined proudly as the sun shined at it, kinda like signifying the new school year. It still looked the same as last year and so I'm already familiar with this.

I went through the gate and walked around the open area of the school before going inside. I checked my phone and it displayed the time, 7:49 AM.

I wasted no time and dashed through the doors. The hallway was jam packed with students. There were a lot that I didn't recognize, must be new students. People were going left and right, going to different directions. I was one of them, passing through their bodies while mumbling an apology when I accidentally hit them. After I was in a more clear area, I dashed again. I checked my phone again while running to locate my classroom. It was on the second floor of the building. So I head up to the stairs nearest to me and scaled it up like there was no tomorrow.

I jumped to the floor during the last step and raised my fist up in the air. I could really feel my lungs dying out and my heart pumping furiously but it doesn't matter, I WAS NEAR AND I'M NOT GONNA BE LATE. I took a deep breath and sprinted to my classroom. It was on the edge of the hallway. I dodged through people and twisted and turned around their bodies, trying not to hit them. I looked at my phone again to confirm if where I'm going is correct. I continued running without looking. I was almost there but I slammed through someone and we both fell to the ground painfully.

We fell with a loud thump. Our bodies were far apart from each other. I groaned from the impact and stood up gingerly from my spot. I looked around for my phone since I lost hold of it when I fell. I looked furiously around until I spotted it near a door. I limped towards it and picked it up. I kissed my phone and held it with care like it was my first born.

The door that it landed on was actually the classroom door. I grinned at it and was about to walk inside until I remembered that I hit someone. I ran back towards the person I hit earlier and crouched near the body. The person was actually a guy and he was groaning softly. I touched his grey striped uniform and asked him if he was okay.

"A-are you okay?" I asked the figure lying down on the ground. "I am so sorry, omg are you seriously hurt. I could-"

But before I could continue with my nervous ramblings, the guy faced me and I-

"You..." He spoke.

I froze in shock and backed away slowly from him. It was him. It was R******. He still looked the same. He still had his shiny brown eyes and the side swept raven hair and that lips that could give out a killer smile andandandandand...

I am standing right in front of the guy that ruined my high school experience.

I backed away slowly from his rising lithe figure. My hands were shaking from the overwhelming nervousness that was filling my head. My breaths were now labored and my sight was starting to blur.

"Hey! Calm down!" Mono suddenly spoke out softly. "What are you-oh..."

Before he could talk any further, I turned away from him and went straight towards my classroom. I slammed the wooden door with such force that it created a loud bang. No one paid any attention to the sound.

The classroom was a white room with chairs and tables arranged to create perfect columns and rows. There was a blackboard in front and a teacher's desk in front of it. The room was almost full with students. There were still available spaces though and I chose the one near the window area. I skipped towards my chosen spot and sat down wordlessly. I placed my hand to my chest and took long deep breaths to calm myself down from the stress. I looked out the window and saw the clouds lining up perfectly on the sky. Surely nothing could go wrong now right? Maybe I won't even have to see him ever again.

But fate played a cruel joke. The classroom door opened with a creak and there he walked by slowly like nothing happened. He noticed me staring at him and our eyes crossed paths. My scared looking ones with his dark and calm ones. He quickly turned the other direction and greeted some people that were happy to see him.

I looked at the window again and sighed loudly. I am so screwed.

"Yikes..." Mono called out softly.

"Yikes indeed." I spoke out in my head. "I'll be spending another 200 days in hell with the devil on this room."

"Heyheyhey shhhh! Don't worry...you prepared for this remember? All those training, all those times you pushed yourself to be better so that you can face him again if he hurts you?"

I didn't reply to its gestures to try to cheer me up. I just sat silently as my head is starting to get foggy. Deep inside, I hoped that this year will be kind to me.

The classroom door suddenly opened and a man strutted in confidently towards the teacher's desk. He strode confidently to the front. Everyone went silent as the man opened its mouth. And now-

It's the start of a new beginning of hope and despair.