Chapter 65: Similarities
Monday arrived. Today would be the day for tenth graders to practice sparring. Luke hadn't spoken to Wednesday since they were in the same group.
He wasn't nervous. The goth girl was supposed to take care of everything. She said so herself and knowing her excellence in just about everything. it was quite possible she would take on two psychics by herself.
Luke recalled, thanks to his photographic memory, that Wednesday had perfect grades and was a genius in multiple disciplines: archery (better than him), fencing (better than him), engineering, etc. Of course, she is better than Luke without using auras, since with his clairvoyance aura, Luke can be untouchable in fencing or archery. With his telekinesis, he can direct the arrows and have them always hit the target.
'Where did she get so much time to be an expert in so many things?' thought Luke, heading to the cafeteria along with Xavier and Ajax.
Luke had good grades in school thanks to his photographic memory and the fact that he was a person who was reincarnated. He is a successful writer because he copies the works of Stephen King, who is not in this world.
'Well, I have three auras, and according to Edgar, I'm a genius in battle,' thought Luke, encouraging himself.
His real specialty is his combat power. He trained like crazy and defeated four people who wanted to kill them without anyone's help. In that, he knew he wouldn't lose to Wednesday. According to his judgment, his strength was superior to all Nevermore students. Even the older students.
As he entered the cafeteria, which was filled with students, he noticed the gaze of many people on him. It was not the first time he felt this way. He was used to it, but today was different. There were more stares and murmurs than usual.
"Here we go," muttered Xavier, and Ajax smiled slightly. They were somewhat used to the stares their friend got, but it was still a little uncomfortable being watched by almost every student.
"More stares today than usual," Luke said as he grabbed his breakfast and sat down at a free table.
"It's because of the other day," commented Xavier, sitting down.
"Mm, what thing?" asked Luke, adding a lot of sugar to his coffee.
"Have you forgotten already?" asked Ajax in disbelief.
"Kat Abagnale. The rumor that you two slept together is already known to everyone. Congratulations," replied Xavier with a smirk.
"What? That fast?" asked Luke. It had only been a day.
"I was also surprised that the rumor was flying so fast. Ajax shows it to him," said Xavier with an amused smile.
"Look at this," said Ajax, showing Luke his cell phone screen. Both boys looked at Luke silently, who was looking at the picture on the cell phone.
'At what point did that bitch take this photo?' thought Luke abruptly, grabbing Ajax's cell phone and taking a closer look at the photo.
The photo was of him and Kat. He was sleeping peacefully, while Kat was taking a selfie very close to his sleeping face as she smiled. You could tell they were both lying on a bed, and Luke had no shirt on. Kat didn't either, so she was covering herself with the sheets.
"Thanks to the spread of this photo, the rumor became a reality and flew faster than ever," Xavier said with a slight smile, seeing Luke's shocked expression. In recent times, it was rare to see his friend with that expression.
'I shouldn't have let her sleep with me,' thought Luke, squeezing the cell phone hard. Since when do girls take half-naked pictures with a guy and spread them around? It's usually the other way around!
"Hey, you'll break it!" said Ajax, yanking the cell phone out of Luke's hands.
Luke paid no attention to Ajax's complaints and, with his eyes, looked for the table where Enid was for some reason.
He quickly found her. It wasn't hard to find the striking blonde hair with blue and pink highlights on the ends.
Enid looked at it too, though only for a second. Her expression was not as enthusiastic and happy as it usually is. Luke could notice Yoko and Divina's furious glares at him.
'Why did I look at her?' Luke thought, averting his gaze. His mood dropped as he saw Enid's expression.
He cared little for the opinions of others, but with Enid, it was different. When he broke up with Enid, he saw her crying. Which made him feel guilt and pain. Perhaps he had grown fonder of her than he had expected.
Spending so many months together and sharing things caused him to have an emotional bond that in neither of his two lives did he ever have. He didn't think it would be so weak and affect him so much.
That may be one reason why he looks for different girls and forgets about her. Although Luke doesn't want to admit that he's still paying so much attention to her after they broke up months ago.
After breakfast came the first class, which was Psychic Powers. Finally came the day the psychic students had been waiting for. Actual combat against their peers using their powers.
Last year, it was all about learning about auras, ways to use your powers, etc. There was no serious combat.
To everyone's surprise, the practice fight would take place on Raven Island. Luke didn't think he would be visiting the island where he killed the werewolf.
The school paid more attention to Luke's class practice. In addition to Professor Charles, they were joined by two other professors. The fencing professor, Vlad, and Professor Fitts.
Professor Fitts was a psychic. He was of average height, had tanned skin, and had dark sunglasses covering his eyes. He appeared to be on summer vacation, even though it was autumn.
The trip to Raven Island was not in canoes like the Poe Cup. They got on a motor boat that fit about fifteen people without a problem. It was much more comfortable than a canoe trip.
"How's the morning going, teammate?" asked Luke, sitting down next to Wednesday, who was looking out at the river with a blank expression.
Luke looked at Wednesday's outfit. Since today was a training day, no one was wearing the normal uniform.
They were all wearing their gym uniforms, which were sports jackets with comfortable, stretchy t-shirts underneath. On the bottom, are sports pants.
As expected Wednesday wore the all-black sports uniform with white lines. The normal one was indigo.
Wednesday turned her head slowly and looked at Luke. Luckily, Luke did not invade her personal space. He sat at a medium distance. So she didn't have to turn away with a disgruntled look, as she almost always did.
"Normal. I wish the sky was more cloudy and dark," Wednesday replied, going back to looking at the river.
'That's a better answer than I expected,' Luke thought. He had thought Wednesday would either ignore him completely or tell him to stay out of the way.
"Are you used to Nevermore yet?" asked Luke. He knew the answer to this question, but still, he asked it.
"Irritating. This school is more normie than I thought. I only come here out of obligation to my parents," Wednesday replied.
Unlike the outcasts who had attended Nevermore for years, she had been educated in normie schools. She thought her peers (outcast teenagers) would act differently, but that was not the case.
They still had the same interests as normies: popularity, sex, gossip, and stupid things that made her irritated. The only difference was that the teenagers here had special abilities, and there were specific subjects for that.
'Is that your irritated face...?' thought Luke. Wednesday's expression was the same as always. The changes in her face were barely visible since she arrived at Nevermore.
For example, when Luke gets up in the mornings and is in a bad mood, he has a scowl and a grim look on his face. Although that's usually the norm for him, but more visible.
"I feel the same way. I went to normie schools, and the only difference is that there are people here who can murder normies easily," Luke commented.
Luke at first did not want to come to Nevermore, just like Wednesday. However, his reason was different. He hated schools in general. He didn't care if it was for normies or outcasts.
However, he now thought Nevermore was much better than a normie school. Its facilities, food, and subjects specific to the outcast world were better than normie subjects.
Even the people. Luke, at the end of it all, felt more in tune with the outcast world than with the normies. If he had murdered a person in normie society, he would have gone to jail and been treated like a psychopath, but here that wasn't the case.
"But I ended up concluding that Nevermore is better than the normie schools," Luke added.
"I don't agree with that," said Wednesday, disappointed by Luke's comment.
'In the end, it's just like everyone else,' thought Wednesday.
"Well, people don't always have the same opinions," said Luke, making a lazy gesture with his hand. He knew Wednesday hated Nevermore because her mother had been the model and most popular student of her day, and she didn't want to follow in her footsteps.
"Why did you end up concluding that Nevermore is better?" asked Wednesday after a few minutes of silence.
"Because you can murder people as long as it's in self-defense," Luke replied in a calm tone as if what he was saying was the most natural thing in the world.
Although in the normie society, the concept of self-defense also existed, it was much more rigorous than in the marginal society. Many irritating procedures had to be followed once he had killed a person who wanted to kill him.
In normal society, Luke would have gone to a trial to determine whether he acted justifiably and under many more problematic procedures. In an outcast society. However, he didn't have to go through all that trouble. Even an outcast police officer complimented him. The rules were different.
Wednesday opened her mouth slightly in surprise at Luke's response. She thought he would tell her because of his friendship with people similar to you or something stupid cliche. She didn't think he would say because murder is easier with the outcast rules.
She knew firsthand that was the case. At her previous school, normie almost murdered a gang of girls who picked on her. She put up with their jokes as long as she could, but they wouldn't stop. So, she had no choice but to act.
Using the electrical wiring from one of the poles on the school campus, she electrocuted them with a simple trap. Unfortunately, people arrived to save the girls, and someone had seen her set the trap.
She was indicted on multiple murder charges and expelled from school immediately. Despite the evidence, she had of the girls abusing many students.
Because of her family's power, nothing happened to her, but she knew that the procedure was very rigorous. Her father had to pull a lot of strings and bribe people.
This would not have happened in the society of the outcasts. The law is an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.
"We are here! Come down in order!" shouted Professor Charles.
Luke stood up without noticing the change in Wednesday's expression toward him. However, to notice it, you had to watch her very carefully, as the girl was an expert at keeping her expression the same most of the time.
'Maybe we have more in common than I thought,' thought Wednesday, following Luke and looking at his back. Her earlier feeling of disappointment about Luke was gone.
No other outcast would have given that answer. She knew that. Although they accepted death more naturally because of their rules, not everyone would talk about murdering people like it was common.
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