The start and end of school

The pink petals of cherry blossoms danced in the gentle spring breeze, carrying a sense of renewal and change. Xander Ri's stomach churned with nerves as he approached his new high school. He fought back a yawn as he trudged up the steps to the imposing brick building, dreading the start of a new chapter in his life.

Xander walked down the hallway and arrived at the principal's office. He knocked on the door, and an older man with a receding hairline gestured for him to come in. The principal reclined in his swivel chair and propped his head up with his hands, wearing a familiar expression of disapproval that Xander had grown accustomed to seeing too many times before.

Xander slouched in his chair, rolling his eyes as the principal launched into his usual lecture.

The man's bald head glistened under the harsh fluorescent lights, and his voice was like nails on a chalkboard. Xander tried to appear disinterested, but deep down he felt a familiar pang of frustration. This wasn't the first time he had been labeled a troublemaker, and it certainly wouldn't be the last. He shifted his gaze out the window, watching a group of teenagers laughing and chatting with ease. A hint of envy tugged at Xander's chest - he couldn't remember the last time he felt carefree like them. With a heavy heart, he resigned himself to being an outsider once again. After all, this was his sixth high school in just a few years.

Xander tuned out the principal's nasal voice as he stared longingly at the students outside who were laughing and chatting with their friends. He couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to have a group of close friends, to feel like he belonged somewhere. But deep down, he knew it was just a futile daydream - he had always been a loner, constantly moving from school to school.

Despite this realization, a small part of Xander held on to hope that maybe things would be different this time. Maybe he could keep his head down, avoid trouble, and finally make a fresh start. But even as the thought crossed his mind, he couldn't shake the feeling that trouble was inevitable for him.

The principal's voice grew sharp, jerking Xander back to reality. "Are you paying attention?" the man demanded.

Xander let out a heavy sigh, meeting the principal's irritated gaze. "Yes sir," he murmured.

The principal leaned forward in his leather swivel chair, resting his hands on the desk. "Listen closely," he said sternly. "I won't tolerate any nonsense at my school. One wrong move and you'll be expelled before you know it."

Xander fought the urge to roll his eyes - he had heard this warning countless times before.

"I'll be watching you closely," the principal continued. "Any disruptive behavior or violence will result in immediate expulsion. Understand?"

"Yes sir," Xander replied monotonously, suppressing any hint of emotion in his voice.

The principal's gaze was fixed on Xander, analyzing him for a moment. Unfortunately, Mr. Wallan had seen too many students like him come through his doors, and he had a feeling that Xander wouldn't last very long here before getting expelled. His record showed a tendency to fight and cause issues at his previous schools. With a resigned sigh, Mr. Wallan gestured for Xander to leave and go to class.

Xander stands up without a word and exits the room, making his way into the hallway where he retrieves his class schedule from his pocket. Furrowing his brow in concentration, he scans the paper to find out which classroom he needs to go to. His eyes settle on the word "Homeroom" followed by the number 215. He glances up at the numbers on the doors lining the hallway, using them as a guide to determine which direction to head in.

After a few minutes of walking, Xander finally locates room 215 and hesitantly knocks on the door. A gruff voice bellows, "Come in!" Xander lets out a deep sigh and enters.

The teacher, a short man with a thick mustache, scowled as soon as he saw Xander, sweat beads forming on his forehead as he glared at the young boy. The other students in the class immediately began whispering, some commenting on how cute Xander was while others whispered about his intimidating appearance.

Xander shrugged off the attention, attempting to focus on the task at hand. He clutched his battered backpack closer, the worn leather creaking under his grip. His eyes narrowed at the teacher, whose sour demeanor contrasted sharply with the welcoming spring outside. The man didn't bother introducing himself, merely pointing to an empty seat in the back with a gruff hum.

The whispers followed Xander like unwanted shadows as he made his way to the back of the classroom, weaving through desks filled with curious and judgmental eyes. Some stared openly, others darted glances when they thought he wasn't noticing. He was used to this by now; a new school always came with its fair share of spectators.

Once settled into his seat, Xander tried to drown out the murmuring voices. But despite his best efforts, he couldn't help but feel like a fish out of water in this new environment.

As the lunch bell rang and the teacher left the room, Xander took out his phone and scrolled through his messages. Suddenly, the door flung open and a group of boys barged in. They marched towards the back of the class where a scrawny kid with glasses sat frozen in fear.

"Hey Nelson!" one of the boys barked, "Where's our lunch? We've been waiting for you to bring us some money." The color drained from Nelson's face as he stammered out an excuse. Xander could feel his heart pounding in his chest as he watched the bullying unfold before him.

Nelson flinched as the burly boy grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and dragged him out of his seat. "Where's our money?" the boy growled, his hot breath stinking of cigarettes and cheap beer.

"I don't have it," Nelson protested, shaking his head as he tried to squirm free. "My parents didn't give me any money today."

The ringleader sneered at Nelson's answer, his muscles bulging under his tight t-shirt.

"That's not good enough. You know the deal." He raised his fist menacingly, and the room fell silent in anticipation.

Xander knew he had to act. He was done watching from afar. Brushing off his earlier resolve to stay out of trouble - a resolution that now seemed quaint - he rose from his seat. He walked up to the bully with an unruffled demeanor that betrayed no hint of his true feelings: anger, frustration, impatience.

"He said he doesn't have it," Xander said, standing toe-to-toe with the bully.

All eyes were focused on him now, their whispers replaced by a stunned silence. The bully laughed, looking back at his friends for approval before redirecting his gaze to Xander. "And who are you supposed to be? His bodyguard?" 

Xander shrugged nonchalantly, "I'm just saying that you should let him go."

The bully scoffed and released Nelson. Not because Xander had asked him to, but because he thought dealing with Xander might be more fun. Nelson rushed back to his seat while the bully turned fully towards Xander, cracking his knuckles threateningly.

For Xander, this was nothing new. He'd been in countless fights before - every school had its tormentors and every school had its victims. And despite each vow made to keep out of trouble in his new schools, Xander found himself inevitably playing the savior.

The bully's face twisted into a sneer as he spoke, "You're the new kid, huh? Let me make something clear: I run this school. Even after these losers graduate, I'll still be their king. You may not know it yet, but my family controls this entire town. So that means it belongs to me too." He shoots a smug look at Xander.

Xander fought back a yawn, trying to hide the exhaustion that had been weighing on him. "Your words are meant to intimidate, but they don't faze me. And those fists you're clenching? They don't scare me either." The bully's face turns even redder with anger in response.

Xander stepped back, putting himself in a defensive stance that he learned from his father, a former military solider. The bully moved closer, his arrogance replaced by a glimmer of doubt.

His friends anxiously watched the confrontation, a spectacle they never thought they would witness in their mundane high school lives.

"I'll tell you something," Xander started, his voice calm yet firm. "A king does not rule through fear. A king rules through respect and love for his people. You might control this school, but you are no king."

Laughter erupted from some of the surrounding students probably out of relief more than humor, breaking the intimidating aura the bully had built around him. His face turned an even deeper shade of red at the insult to his power and pride.

"You'll pay for that," he snarled, lunging at Xander.

But Xander was ready. He sidestepped the oncoming attack with ease, landing a swift punch that made the bully reel backward.

Xander releases a heavy breath, fully aware that today marks the end of his short time at this new school.