Crusader: Champion of the Dark One

Chapter 1

“Beep, Beep, Beep” the alarm rang. Jason opened his eyes with a groan and got up from his bed, Mondays was the day he loathed in the whole week as this was the one day his dad was home.

“Michael”, his father was a lawyer in one of the biggest firms in the city. Though he wasn’t rich he was well off enough. If Jason was to describe the relationship he had with his father, love wouldn’t be the word for it, and although he didn’t hate his father or anything like that he wouldn’t say he liked him very much. You see his father was one of those types who didn’t care about your opinion once he made up his mind about something, he was more of a control freak” do this”,” don’t do that”, “wear this”, he cared more for what others thought about him than even his son’s happiness. So although his dad didn’t beat him up or anything with a dad like that, he couldn’t say he was happy.

Anyway, Jason hurried down the tree-lined sidewalk at a brisk jog on his way to school. He spent too much time in the shower and now he was going to be late for school if he didn’t hurry up [if only dad would have bothered to drop him off he wouldn’t have had to worry about being late but no he had a case to handle out of the country so he had left earlier now I won’t even have a note if I’m late to avoid detention], Jason thought with a sigh.

Jason’s thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a blaring car horn. In his hurry, he had almost stepped off the sidewalk almost getting knocked down by a car.

“Watch it as***le”, yelled a blonde-haired teenager driving a red sports car. He could have sworn he knew the teenager but before he could give a reply or be certain the driver sped off down the road. [Seriously, this day is already off to a bad start], he thought again.

As he turned a curve his high school building came into view “Franklin High”. The lawn of the school was well maintained and dotted with large oaks. Under normal circumstances, he would have stopped and admired the scenery, but he was already running late and at that time the bell rang, [damn] he was late. With a sigh he turned toward the principal's office, some of you might ask why he didn’t run to class but if Franklin High was known for anything it was its discipline and as such if an individual is late he has to report to the principal’s office running only makes it worse.

Normally, a school like this wouldn’t accept someone with his nor so prominent background as this school was a place for “elites”, children of you know prominent social standing, people who are filthy rich. The only reason he got in was due to his exceptional scores he obtained a scholarship the school introduce for people with a lesser background like his to “experience” the “privileged” of schooling in such a prominent school. With this, he should be happy for the fortune of studying here right but the problem was that he didn’t have enough money nor social background to be “worthy” of attending Franklin High. The students knew it and always made sure he remembered it, even the faculty made sure he wouldn’t forget how privileged he was for this “opportunity”.

Jason hurriedly approached the front door of the office, he opened the door to the office, and just as he stepped through he was immediately greeted with a scathing gaze of a thin woman sitting behind a desk. She wore horn-rimmed glasses and was speaking with a blond-haired student. As she glanced in Jason’s direction, her eyes flashed with thinly veiled disgust, [oh shit], Jason thought.

The student speaking was apparently the owner of the red sports car from earlier and now that Jason looked at him he realized why he thought he was familiar earlier, the owner was none other than Alexander Owen. Alex was a stunningly good looking with an athletic physique and striking blue eyes. He was also blessed with ample intelligence and had a certain charisma about him that drew others in. Alex’s father was the CEO of multiple multi-billion dollar corporations as such his family was filthy rich, oh and Alex is also the biggest as***le Jason has ever met.

“My apologies Ms. Amelia, my father…, as he began speaking Ms. Amelia’s pinched expression loosened and for a minute Jason thought she might actually smile as he cut Alex off saying,

“Alex I’ve already told you that you needn’t bother yourself explaining whenever you’re late. Just try not to be late again okay?

“Go ahead and get to class”, Ms. Amelia

Alex thanked Ms. Amelia, but as he passed Jason his angelic smile turned to a smirk of disdain as he shouldered Jason causing him to drop his bag.

“Oh sorry”, he said with fake concern, clearly for Ms. Amelia’s benefit. [What an assh*le], I thought, [ If only others could see past his façade]

Jason turned back to Ms. Amelia. Her mouth was again pinched into a thin line. She looked Jason up and down cataloging his defects, his disheveled hair, a slightly wrinkled and slightly baggy uniform.

Jason was not a bad-looking guy for a 16-year-old, but he wasn’t drop-dead gorgeous either. He had dark hair, an average frame with a bit of muscle, his uniform making him look skinny. The only thing that seemed noteworthy were his green eyes which seemed to glow sometimes when he was angry.

 As Ms. Amelia gazed at him, she sneered. Ms. Amelia was an alumnus of Franklin High and like most of its population her family was filthy rich. She was adamant about maintaining the reputation and standing of the school. Ms. Amelia was vehemently opposed to the “scholarship” students, especially our dear Jason here who doesn’t even have a satisfying enough background. She had gone out of her way to it revoked or have the students expelled

“Mr. Smith, you’re late. I suppose you have an inane excuse for your tardiness but I don’t want to hear it. Being late means you’re late and as you have been attending this school for three years you should know that we pride ourselves on discipline so detention. Keep this up and I doubt you will make it to graduation”.  She said sounding a little excited at the prospect of me not graduating.

“B- but ….”

“That is enough, now get out of my office and to class”, she said as she stood up and walked to the other side of her office.

Jason stood there for a moment in disbelief [I hate that woman. I bet if my parents were loaded she’d let me off the hook] Jason thought

As he walked down the hallway, a door opened and a girl walked out. The girl was blonde, petite, and seemed to almost glow with energy. Jessica wasn’t the prettiest girl at school but she was probably the kindest person he had met and one of his only friends in the school. Jessica was well known at Franklin High. She was a senior and a member of the lacrosse team. Seeing her Jason felt some of his anger dissipate.

“Hi Jason”, she said as she saw him approaching

“Hi Jessica”

“How’s your day going? Wait….”, she looked at her wristwatch and at him holding his bag and said, ”are you now getting to school?”

Don’t ask, He sighed, “I already heard enough from Ms. Amelia”.

Jessica chuckled a bit. “Sorry didn’t mean to laugh”.

They started walking together down the hallway chatting as Jason headed towards his locker. Jason kinda had a crush on Jessica but was too chicken to confess. He sometimes wished he was like George his other friend who happens to be a playboy.

“Ms. Amelia can be such a bitch”, Jessica said

“You don’t have to tell me about it Jess, but wait where are you headed to now?”

“I have to deliver a note to Mr. Charles, you?”

“I have Calculus with Mr. Charles.?

“Oh Calculus huh, I heard only geniuses are in that class, is it true?”, she said teasingly with a grin as her eyes sparkled with mischief.

“My grades are decent, now speaking of Calculus wanna go together since we’re headed in the same direction?”

Sure.

Jason took his books from his locker before heading to class together with her.

He opened the door and stepped into the class with Jess close behind him. Mr. Charles hesitated in the middle of his lesson making the entire class turn to look at Jason.

“Sorry, I’m late”.

Jess put her arm around Jason’s shoulders and said with a smile, “ Jason has had a rough morning, you should take it easy on him”.

Jason felt a blush creeping up his face from Jess’s touch.

“No problem, Jason you can take your seat”

Jess smirked at him and told him to take care before stepping out

[Sometimes, I forget Jessica’s family is really rich with how kind she is, compared to the others here], Jason thought.

As Jason made his way to his seat, he was tripped making him fall down on his face.

“You should watch it “Charity student”, a snide voice hissed near his ear. Jason heard chuckles from the other students.

He turned his head and saw Alex looking down at him.

Charity student, Welfare,  among others is the nicknames given to him as a scholarship student.

Jason turned to gaze at Mr. Charles as he got up but the latter ignored what went on instead telling him to quickly take his seat.

Jason sat down and glared at Mr. Charles and the other students, he felt around his eye where the textbook he was holding as he fell down slammed into and could already detect swelling, meaning he’d probably end up with a black eye.

He felt anger simmering inside him on how he’d been treated by the students and the faculty but mostly at Alex. [Someday, someway, they’ll all pay].

At the end of class as he was making his way out of class Alex came up behind Jason and said in a low tone.

“Don’t think this is over. You need to be taught your place Welfare, someone like you shouldn’t be talking to Jessica”, and then shoved past him and into the hallway with Jason thinking {Since when was he interested in Jess]

Jason stood there as he clenched his hands thinking about his morning and what had been through in this school so far. He felt anger at them all and also at himself for standing there and taking it all. Unknown to him his eyes began to glow.