The student's toilet room. Small, quiet from the sounds of the hallways, and usually empty. Rei likes it just the way it is. His hands went into his pocket to pull out a pack of Delborro that he had saved for rainy days like this. It already dawned on him that his itch to smoke would creep up during school. He pulled out a single roll of cigarrete from the pack and held the edge of it with his lips, too busy on putting the pack back into his school trousers.
With the cigarette in his mouth, he tilted his head back and flicked his right thumb. A single small flame began to ignite on top of it. Its cool blue color as it dances and swerves was a mundane sight for him. He had done this all the time for every cigarette he had, no lighter required. He brought the flame closer to the front end of his cig, and let it stay there until the front end began burning away. With another flick of his hand, the flame instantly disappeared.
He inhales in smoke as the cigarette's front end began to burn away, revealing the ashen-white tobacco inside. He smiles in ecstasy, exhaling to let smoke puff out of his mouth.
"I knew you'd smoke here, Rei".
Rei had failed to notice the bathroom stall at the left most end of the room was occupied by someone else. He looked to his left and saw the stall door swung open. A boy of similar height to his walled out of it. His hair was striking yellow, neatly brushed back, suitably befitting his appearance as the Head Prefect.
"Well well..." Rei said, sneering with the cigarette still in his mouth. "If it isn't the Captain of the Guard".
"Head Prefect" Leduc retorted back, adjusting the buttons of his long sleeved grey prefect uniform. His expression was not of bewilderment, but of plain casualness, even if Rei was still blowing out smoke in front of him. They were both classmates, but he'd known Rei for too long to know his gig.
"You're lucky that I'm the one who's in here. My boys would've sent you to the principal, no questions asked" Leduc said, grabbing tissue paper from the dispenser on the wall beside Rei. "Yeah..." Rei could only mutter that word as he blew out another puff of smoke.
Leduc looked away, being careful not to inhale the smoke himself. "You know, I keep wondering how Nadia's still with you even if you're smoking like this" Leduc began to lean on the sink counter as he said it. "Guess she doesn't mind about it..." Rei said. He pulled out the cigarette from his mouth and threw it away into a trash can next to him. "Some girls don't go for knights in shining armor, you know". Leduc could only smirk at that remark.
"You know", Rei said, "Nadia talked to me about going to Imperial Mall after school's over today. Wanna come with us?". Leduc had heard about it. The mall was the talk of Canopolis after it opened last weekend. A megamall to end all megamalls, he'd heard most people say. There were hundreds of stores inside, chain stores, branded stores, and the like. It was shaped like a diamond, one of its most defining features other than its sheer size alone. Despite that, some sources claimed that the Medici crime family had funded its construction, using it as some sort of front to cover up their activities. "Hmm..." Leduc tried to put some thought into it. He took into account what he'll do today after school. He might help out Dr. Avian and Stanley in the lab, or maybe just hanging out with Peacock and Hive. Or maybe...
"You need to have some free time once in a while Leduc. Peacock keeps tellin' me about how overworked you are in that lab of yours" Rei said it as if he just read Leduc's mind. He turned around to face the mirror, taking a look at the reflection of his face. His spiky, silver hair was the object of many a teacher's complaints, among other things. His brown skin lied about his actual Japanese heritage, complimenting well with his red eye color. He turned on the sink and cupped his hands to let water fill his palms before rinsing his mouth with it, trying to get rid of the smell of cigarettes.
He was right, Leduc thought to himself. He was working himself to the bone pretty much everyday. He thought that for once he could use some off-time just for himself, maybe bring along Carol to the outing. "Alright, I'll think about it" Leduc replied. "In the meantime, just try to keep yourself clean". Rei had just finished spitting into the sink. "Don't worry, after this it's Science. Old Ms. Heaves is oblivious to everything, don't you think?" Rei said, smirking as he casts a side glance towards Leduc. The Head Prefect would just retort his statement; however, he actually agreed for once. He let out a small laugh.