Chapter Text
It was a warm autumn day at Velvet Wood High School, where most students were spending their lunch outside. The warm atmosphere settling over the day, the smell of fresh green freshly cut, damp grass drifting around in the air. A few cheerleaders practiced near the bleachers, while some soccer players kicked the ball "carefully"— trying not to send it flying into people's faces. Cliques gathered around picnic benches pretending they like being there. A few other basketball and football players were bouncing balls around the court, the slamming sounds echoing across the campus.
One person was definitely not enjoying any of it.
Stel. He calmly walked towards a nearby tree for shade. His deep warm red sweater clung uncomfortable on him due to the heat but refused to remove it, one rolled up sleeve, revealing a grayish-brown wristwatch he's brought second-hand. A cream-collared shirt peeked out from his neckline. High-waisted blue trousers, black polished loafers, hair tousled in layered two-tone jet-black hair and warm blonde. Though no one knew about the pearl necklace tucked carefully under his shirt.
As he flopped down on the shade of the old tree, a small black guitar case laid against his arm. All he wanted was quiet day without getting disrupted trying to eat his lunch.
He did not notice the a small crowd was nearby at school parking lot a little farther across the field. On the right side of the field where most vehicles would be parked. A sleek black motorcycle parked there surrounded by a few cheerleaders.
That person was probably new here since no one has ever seen him here before.
As the biker leaned against his motorcycle shameless flirting with them. A basketball player approached them, wearing a red leather jacket with beige sleeves and ribbed cuffs, collar, and hem, a bold blue “M” patched on the left chest. Short black hair swept to the side, bangs covering part of his forehead.
The guy called out waving his hand at them the other arm was holding a basketball underneath. The biker and other cheerleaders look over at him. "Catch this!" The guy threw the basketball, luckily the biker caught in time. The cheerleaders were giggling and egging on him to toss it back. Which he did but instead the basketball player catching it he missed and the basketball flew straight to the old oak tree nearby.
Stel never even saw it coming. One moment he trying to eat his sandwich in peace with nice, cold shade from the old oak tree...then the next— "WHAM!"
The basketball hit the side part of his face with full force. He flinched sharply by the force which cause him to drop his lunch to a nearby dirty puddle and his guitar case wobbled, denting slightly against the oak tree trunk. The impact knocked the wind out of him for a brief moment.
Stel's hands shot up to his slightly bruised face, "What the fuck!"
The biker, the cheerleaders and basketball player turned to look at sound. "Fuck..." the biker said under his breath. The basketball player quietly step back away, muttering under his breath. "Yeah.. that a you problem now. I'm going to leave now, byeeee!" Slowly edging away, hands raised.
Nearby students who saw the incident froze for a brief moment from what they were doing, then erupted. Some gasped, others quietly chuckled, and nearby cheerleader shrieked, others whispered to each in hushed voices.
Then nearby student whispered to their friends, "Did you see that?" The friend nodded and spoke, "Is he okay?"
Stel quickly got up, scanning who threw that basketball right at him. "I swear if it fucking Trent, I'm going to give him another reason for losing a bloody tooth," he thought then his eyes land on a few students pointing and staring at the on the right end side of the field where the parking lot was. He eyes shot up towards a small crowd with a motorcycle, then stormed right over there.
When he got closer and closer to the parking lot. He stop mid-stomp. Then his eyes flicker to the guy, spiked, tousled caramel-brown hair, a few strand curls sticking out. He wore a wore-out black leather jacket unzipped over a plain white tee-shirt, black shades rested on top of his head, his hazel green eyes glinting from the sun.
Continuously flirting with the head cheerleader while the others giggled around him, acting like he didn't try to assault someone a basketball straight to their face.
Stel rolled his eyes with a quiet scoffed then spoke up. "Hey!"
Nothing.
"HEY!" Stel bark stepping closer. The biker didn't even glance over at him, still flirting with the cheerleaders.
Then he cupped both hands around his mouth. "HEY ASSHOLE!!"
This time a few girls noticed him, but continue to talk and giggle with the biker. The biker didn't even look at him. Then Stel stalked a bit forward like a pissed-off cat.
"HEY SHOO! SCRAM. I'M TRYING TO TALK HERE GEEZ! Go back to whatever you actually came from!"
All the girls looked at him like he was some contagious insect, a two retreated, others stepped farther to aside to watch. One girl lingered, purposely dropping her pom-poms like she had butterfingers.
Stel narrowed his eyes at her, pointed at her pom-poms. "Bitch. Pick it up before I feed to the grass cutter. And we both know we don't wanna see that do we now?"
The girl scoffed under her breath. She grabbed it, cheeks flushed red, and stormed off, shooting him a daggers glare.
Finally, finally.. the biker turned to looked at him slowly. Like he wanted to piss him off after violently smacking a basketball at his face not intentionally.
"Well, hello." The smooth Italian accent floated through the air.
Stel glared at him, his arms crossed. "‘Well, hello' my ass! You hit me with a fucking basketball right at my face!" Then pointed at his half-bruised side of his face.
The biker leaned against his motorcycle casually. "Wow. Fiery. Pretty. I like.”
Stel stare at him blankly, “Pretty? Do I look like I have time for your crap? You could’ve sent me into a coma!"
The biker's face shifted to apologetic. "Ah, yes I allow me to offer my deepest, most sincere apologies for my reckless, careless, and utterly harmful behavior I have inflicted upon you.." he paused and grinned, leaned against his motorcycle, "Though truthfully, I don't give one single flying fuck."
Stel blinked, stunned. "Pardon me? Are you some Shakespeare reincarnation?"
"No. If I was, I wouldn't be talking to your lonely ass then." He slid his shade down dramatically. "I must be off. "Important" thing to.. uh.. get to. Byeeee." Then the biker waved a dismissive hand and started walking.
Stel started in disbelief, then his eyes darted to the motorcycle then looked back at the biker. "I'm going to kick your ugly ass bike!"
The biker stop midway turned around. "You wouldn't.."
He led out a small scoff. "Bitch, try me."
As Stel stepped infront of the motorcycle. Without functional thought first, he swung his leg and a loud "CLANK"— hit the motorcycle harder than any sane normal person should. The metallic sound cracked through the parking lot like thunder, filling by gasps, whispers and also the biker's horrified scream eyes widened in horror. "NOOO! MY BABY!"
Stel stepped back from a now dent motorcycle "Oh shit.."
The biker rushed over to his now dent motorcycle, brushing Stel aside dropping down to it checking anymore damages. Stel stared dumbfounded at him.
Then the biker turned to look at him with pissed off expression on his face. "What hell dick!? Did you really have to kick it that hard, what are some angry issues athlete or something!?"
Stel held his hands up. "I didn't mean to kick it THAT hard!"
"Yeah huh-uh, like I will believe that crap! Do you know how much this shit cost!?" The biker yelled.
Stel blinked, then looked back at the dent motorcycle on the ground then the pissed-off biker, shrugging. "Uhm..no?"
"Of course. What did I expected? Broke ass son of a bitch IS always broke." He muttered the last part though Stel heard him loud and clearly.
Stel raised a brow then pointed at himself. "I'm broke?" Then pointed at him. "Look at you wannabe greaser getup trying so hard its look like a mistake of a crackhead at this point."
The biker started at him disbelief. He slowly stood up turning to face him. "Yeah, I'm beat your ass."
Stel stepped back from him, raising both hands infront of him. "Calm down now. Let talk like normal civilians.."
The biker stepped closer. "Calm down? Motherfucker, you kicked my bike and called me quote-unquote 'a mistake of a crackhead.'"
Stel slapped a hand on his chest like some heartbroken soul. "I never said such a thing that like!"
"Yes you did!"
"No I did not!"
Before fist could fly, a voice spoke loudly.
"What the hell is going on!"
Charlotte arrived after finding out Stel yet again here already on yelling match with the new student. Her light strawberry blonde, wavy hair covering one eye bounced as she marched over at the scene. Her brown beret decorated with a white flower on left side, titled slightly on her head. Her flowing purple dress with black waist belt. The soft clinking on the pavement coming from her polish black heels.
She stood between them staring daggers at Stel. The biker spoke up pointing at Stel.
"This bastard kicked my bike!"
Charlotte tugged Stel's arm firmly. "Sunny, you promised you won't take out your angry on strangers!"
"Ow—!" Stel rubbed his arm. "I don't remember that promise but this time it wasn't me, Cherry!"
"He called me a mistake of a crackhead," the biker ended.
Stel recoiled. "I don't recall that one."
Charlotte pinched the bridge of her nose regretting everything. "I'm so sorry for behalf of this fool, Miles."
Stel leaned in, whispered frantically. "I'm scared. He's kinda big— just look at him for a good moment."
The biker stared at him like he was kinda alien. "You weren't scared insulting me earlier ago," the biker deadpan.
Stel cut him off in the worse way possible. "Oh shut your ass."
"Excuse me?" The biker stiffened.
Stel aggressive shushed him. "Shhh crackhead!"
"Stellie I swear.." Charlotte sighed softly and tugged Stel's arm hard. "We're leaving. Get your guitar case."
"Fine.." Stel walked back to the old oak tree to retrieve his dented guitar case. He paused dramatically for the biker. "Bye, crackhead!"
The biker adjusted his shades. "I'm going to find you, dick. Mark my words!"
Charlotte followed him with tight footsteps behind.
Charlotte's thoughts lagged like a sigh, "This fool I swear.. if Jace hadn't told me who knows what will happen to this idiot."
As they walked away, he muttered to himself, half-aggravated, half-impressed. “He’s kinda cute… wait, what the? He just ruined your bike dumbass!”
Charlotte didn't stop dragging Stel after he picked up his dented guitar case. Until they were far enough from the parking lot that noise of chattering dull into the background. Her grip loosen once they stop at main building concrete steps.
Stel hissed as she shoved him down the steps.
"Ow— Cherry! You could have told me to sit, you know?"
"You have zero self-preservation," Charlotte snapped, immediately checking on the bruise on his face. "Oh my goodness.."
"What?" Stel turned to looked at her.
"Your cheek is swollen red, Stellie!"
"It can't be that bad," Stel shrugged slightly. "I had worse.."
She stared at him him dumbfounded, then went to open her small, brown satchels and pulled out a compact. It had a rose pattern on middle. Opening it and directly pointing at the bruised part of his face.
The bruise started to blooming and swelling darkening, reddened edging into purple, just beneath his cheekbone. She clicked her tongue softly.
"You got hit in the face by a basketball, kicked a motorcycle, and almost started a fistfight with a stranger who new to town."
Stel scoffed, through it came weaker than usually. "But you came in time, no?"
Charlotte sighed softly shaking her hand. "Yeah in time before you ended up in suspension."
"You're lucky that Jace noticed out the cafeteria window and told me. That poor guy would've ending up like Trent."
Stel slumped on the steps. "Yeah.. a black eye and missing in front tooth? Good times."
She rolled her eyes, "I swear maybe the guy could knock some sense into you before I came. Oh— and I told Jace to bring a ice pack if it was you."
A few moments later footsteps approached.
"It really was him?"
Stel looked up just as Jace jogged over, football jacket still half-zipped, hair brown already mess from the run. He hold up a ice cube wrapped around in a napkin.
"Yep.." Charlotte said sarcastically looking directly at Stel hand on her hips. "The one and only."
"Jace please take your girlfriend away from me she been lecturing about not to kick strangers stuff," Stel muttered.
Charlotte smacked his head lightly as Jace handed her the ice cube. She crouched down to his level. "It might string a bit."
She pressed the ice pack against Stel's cheek, holding it there despite his dramatic squirm. "Stay still. Don't be a baby."
"I'm not—!"
"You kicked a motorcycle," she deadpanned. "You lost rights to complain."
Jace paused then looked up at Charlotte. "He did what..?"
"I may or may not have kicked the guy's motorcycle," Stel waved a dismissive hand.
"You probably damage it too." Charlotte pressed the ice pack gently.
"Good. Teach him a lesson for insulting me." He shrugged.
"So do you feeling dizzy? Nauseous? Blurry vision?" Jace said seriously watching him closely.
Stel blinked at him. "Are you diagnosising me?"
"I play football," Jace said calmly. "Head injuries are kinda a thing."
"He's fine," Charlotte muttered though she watched him Stel closely as she said it.
Stel shrugged with one shoulder. "Had worse."
"Not comforting but okay."
Charlotte pulled the ice pack away to check the bruise again. “You’re lucky it didn’t hit your eye.”
Stel hummed. “Lucky’s a strong word.”
Stel rubbed his bruised cheek absentmindedly, still grumbling under his breath about the motorcycle incident. Charlotte and Jace exchanged a glance, both clearly exasperated, though each in their own way. Charlotte’s expression softened slightly—more from concern than from any patience with Stel’s antics.
“You really need to stop letting your temper get the best of you,” Charlotte said, sighing. “And yes, that includes rude strangers.”
Stel nodded at her absentmindedly. Starting at the far distance of the parking. "Who was that guy?" He thought to himself before snapping out of it by Charlotte's voice.
"C'mon let's go to the cafeteria I'm starving!" She whined.
"Yeah.. we should probably go," Jace suggested as both of them agreed. As they started heading in the bulding. Stel couldn't help but to look back one last time at the parking lot for a brief moment then quickly followed behind them.