Raphael Davidson strutted across the grounds of New York City Preparatory Academy with his leather jacket slung over his shoulder and a smoldering look on his face. He extracted a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and lit a cigarette. Once the end of it burned a deep orange and smoke curled from the end he took a deep drag from it and then blew out a smoke ring, watching it float towards a group of students with a smirk on his handsome face. He chuckled when the group recoiled as the smoke dissipated in front of them and then glared at him.
Raph just shrugged and kept walking, his other hand gripping his jacket loosely. He was wearing the required white button up shirt, black slacks, and a green tie with the school crest on it. He loosened the tie as he walked, undoing his mother's hard work in seconds. Despite his mother's protests he had spiked his fiery red hair to sharp points and black sunglasses hid his chocolate brown eyes. As he strutted across the courtyard he drew many looks from his fellow students. Their judgmental gazes made his attitude flare up and he immediately knew that this place was very different from his previous school. Here he was not only an outcast but also a charity case. Not one to accept charity, he had balked at the idea of attending the academy when his mother had brought up the opportunity, but the pleading look on his mother's face and the encouraging nod from his father had inspired his acceptance.
He was starting to seriously regret caving so easily.
But how could he resist that look on his mother's face? His parents had worked so hard to give their children the best that they could. Their family was far from rich and when Raph's mother had been hired as the chef for a prep school in the downtown area, she had also been offered free tuition for Raph and his sister. This school was a serious stepping-stone towards a better future so Raph was going to grin and bear it.
He shook his head and when he passed a group of girls who rudely stared at him and whispered amongst themselves. They all looked exactly the same with their long blonde hair, Starbucks in one hand and Gucci bags in the other. Feeling a bit ornery, he decided to antagonize them.
Just a bit. What harm could that do?
He grinned and veered towards them, approaching the tall blonde who seemed to be the head of the group. "Wassup Barbie?" He rumbled in his raspy Brooklyn accent and blew smoke in her overly made-up face.
She scoffed and coughed but Raph just shrugged and strutted away calmly, chuckling to himself as the girls hurried to spray their friend with various perfumes. She wasn't his type anyways. When Raph made it to the stairs he threw his cigarette on the marble steps and put it out with the heel of his combat boots, relishing in the looks that a few boys gave him. He was walking towards the door when he bumped into a thin young man who was hurrying towards the entrance.
Even though the impact was slight, the boy recoiled violently and dropped the books in his arms. Feeling bad, Raph reached for him, "Ya okay buddy?" The boy looked at him with a cold calculating gaze as he avoided Raph's outreached hand.
He was thin but Raph could see a good amount of muscle on his body. A strap ran across his chest and supported a long black case. His hair was midnight black and cut short in the back, but his bangs hung in his face slightly and golden eyes watched him warily. Raph caught a glimpse of a great pain in them before the boy speedily picked up his books and dashed away without a word.
Raph stood there for a moment, puzzled at what had just taken place. The boy intrigued him. He seemed different and interesting, unlike his fellow students. He shrugged and walked inside of the huge building. He looked around in awe at the fancy decorations and the vast amount of space. As he ambled towards the principal's office he heard the sounds of a scuffle and the whimpers of a victim. Growling and narrowing his eyes he hurried towards the noises and found a group of three boys cornering a tall, skinny boy with long brown hair pulled back in a ponytail. He barreled forward and saw the boys pushing the boy against the lockers.
"What? You're not gonna fight Pony boy?" One of the boys taunted and the boy merely rolled his eyes.
"I'm going to assume that was an attempt at an insult and not a literary reference." He said in a soft, slightly nasal voice and adjusted his glasses.
"Shut up!" a boy snarled and shoved the tall boy back against the lockers, hard. Still the boy did nothing but wince.
"C'mon Dorkatello we know that you know how to fight." The leader stepped forward and made as if to punch the boy. As his fist came down his arm was captured in a strong grip and he was wrenched away from the poor boy.
"Back off ya little punk." Raph growled menacingly and cracked his knuckles. The bully looked him over before sneering and crossing his arms.
"What are you going to do about it...? Peasant." He spat and snickered, his friends joining in from behind him.
Like lightning, Raph reached into his belt and whipped out a butterfly knife, expertly twirling it before pointing it directly at the leader.
"Wanna find out?" He whispered dangerously and the boy's eyes widened. He looked at his friend before spitting at Raph's feet and quickly walking away. Raph barely tamped down his need to go after the boy and put him in his place and instead turned around to check on the boy who was straightening his glasses and grabbing his shoulder bag.
"Hey you okay?" He asked but the boy merely looked at him with his soft hazel eyes that were framed by messy brown bangs.
"Weapons aren't allowed in school." He said softly and then walked away. Raph stared after him in shock before his face morphed into a frown and he kicked a locker in frustration.
"Prick." He mumbled then hurried to the principal's office, intent on avoiding any other students. When he got there and checked in he was told to wait for his mentor to arrive. He scoffed at the idea and stared disinterestedly at the bland, ugly portraits of principals of the past.
"Will Michelangelo Lovett pleaser report to the principal's office?" A voice echoed over the intercom and Raph rolled his eyes. Great he was going to be mentored by one of the richest boys in the country.
When Michelangelo finally arrived he was the opposite of what Raph expected. He was a short, blonde boy with long surfer hair that was stuffed under a bright orange beanie. He wasn't wearing a tie and his pants he baggy on his small form. He was wearing two shell necklaces with surfing charms on them and his ears were pierced with diamond studs.
When he caught sight of Raph he walked over and shook his hand vigorously.
"So you're the new dude. Nice bad boy look. I dig it." He grinned goofily and pushed Raph towards the door, "Let's get started man." He babbled excitedly as he led Raph around the school, constantly bouncing around and gesturing wildly. The other students seemed to ignore him and his enthusiastic greetings, but the bubbly heir was not fazed.
Suddenly he stopped dead in the middle of the hall and Raph barely avoided colliding with him.
"Shit man!" He slapped his forehead with the palm of his hand and shook his head. "We never did the meet and greet. I'm Mikey. What's your name?" He asked excitedly and Raph gave him a small smile. This kid might be annoying but he was pretty cool.
"Raph." He said and the boy immediately launched into another long tale about his run-ins with the school ghost who he called 'Leatherhead'. Apparently the ghost was a giant alligator or something like that. Raph just rolled his eyes good-naturedly and followed him to their first class.
Mikey ushered him to the front row and then excitedly plopped down in the seat next to him. Instead of trying to engage the red head into a forced conversation he got the hint and put in his headphones. Seconds later loud, muffled music poured out and he began humming and dancing in his seat, his baby blues closed as he soaked in the sound.
Raph took the time that the teacher was lecturing to look around for any other friendly faces. Maybe there were other cool people like Mikey at this lame school. His gaze fell on the boy next to him and after a moment he recognized him. It was the boy that he had saved from the bullies. The ungrateful prick.
Raph turned to him and found the boy already looking him over.
"It seems that Mikey has taken a shine to you. He's a good kid. Be nice to him." Raph nodded dumbly at the stoic boy and gave him a confused look. He couldn't really figure this kid out. For a moment the boy's mask melted and his face softened.
"Thank you." He said softly and looked down almost shyly. "For what you did."
Raph blinked then gave him a crooked smile, "No prob." He reached out his hand and took the boy's pale hand.
"I'm Raph." He whispered, unaware that the teacher's gaze was focused on him and the boy.
"Donny." Donny gave him a soft smile and then froze, his face turning bright red when the teacher cleared her throat directly in front of them.
"Finished with your introductions Mr. Morrissey?" She snarled and Donny recoiled immediately, looking down at his book. Satisfied, the teacher walked away, still talking and Raph just gaped at Donny.
Sitting right in front him was most likely the son of his favorite wrestler, Mad Morrissey. Finally he found his voice and he whispered excitedly.
"Morrissey?! Like Mad Morrissey?!" Donny stiffened and gave Raph a hard look.
"Yes. He's my father and no I don't want to talk about it." With that he turned his attention to the teacher and what she was writing on the board, his pencil furiously scribbling on the paper.
Bored out of his mind, Raph rested his chin on the heel of his hand and continued to gaze around the room, looking around for something interesting to capture his attention.
That was when he caught sight of the dark-haired boy from the steps sitting in the corner of the room.
The boy was staring listlessly out the window while his hand scribbled away at his notebook. He was taking notes without even looking. Propped up against the wall by the boy was the same long black case from before. It looked like it could hold a pole or something thin and long.
Curious, Raph tried to get Mikey's attention unsuccessfully. Finally he resorted to a well-placed poke that hit the small blonde hard in the cheek.
"Hey." Raph growled and the happy smile was leveled at him, the blue eyes shining with excitement and friendliness,
"Who's dat kid in da corner? Da one with da black hair." He whispered and Mikey looked around for the boy in question, his eyes widening when he realized whom they were talking about.
"That's Leonardo Hamato." He leaned in conspiratorially as if sharing a deep secret, "No one really knows what his deal is but he's a hardcore loner." Mikey shrugged, having told Raph everything he knew. He then returned to his music and began doodling in his notebook.
Raph chanced one more glance at Leonardo. He caught sight of that deep sadness once again in the boy's face before it was quickly hidden by feigned boredom. Their eyes locked for a moment and the boy seemed to look Raph over before stiffening and turning away from him despite Raph's attempt at a friendly smile.
Raph huffed grumpily and turned to look at the notes on the board, scribbling in his notebook angrily. Just one look from that mysterious boy set him on edge and made him ready to punch something. Hard.
And yet, he was intrigued. There was something about Leonardo that made him want to find out what made the boy tick. He was a mystery.
If anyone was gonna solve the mystery of Leonardo Hamato, it was going to be Raphael Davidson.
So far this year promised to be at least slightly interesting.