Chapter 1: To The Grand Canyon
The small dorm room was covered in complete silence as sun light was just beginning to gleam through the blinds signaling the start of a new day. The room was sparsely decorated as if it hadn't even been lived in, the bare walls only housed a single bed and a small nightstand holding a laptop.
The only evidence the room was even occupied was the long lump on the bed rising and falling in a slow even rhythm.
*Sunflower by Post Malone and Swae Lee begins playing*
The calm serenity of the room was broken abruptly when music began playing from a phone lying face down beside the pillow. Reaching out from its warm cocoon a hand felt around multiple times until finally grasping the phone and cutting the music short.
"I really need to start going to bed earlier *haaaaah*."
The room once again fell into silence as a loud sigh echoed off the walls. Half of the lump slowly rose until the blanket fell away revealing a handsome young man with messy wavy hair pitch black as the night sky. His sleepy fox-like eyes blinked open and closed showing glimpses of stunning crystal blues that shone like stars.
Gaining his bearing the youth grabbed his phone checked the time and climbed out of bed. After going to the washroom, he quickly threw on a pair of dark blue shorts and a black skintight athletic t-shirt before lacing up his runners walking water bottle in hand outside the front door.
While making his way to the communal gym he popped in his earbuds and scrolled through the hundreds of songs on his phone. Pushing open the doors he was greeted with an empty room filled with various weightlifting machines. Following his regular routine of pushups, sit-ups and a quick stretch, he stepped onto the treadmill clicked play on his phone. Losing himself to the music the stray thoughts plaguing his mind slipped away and began to run.
*Believer by Imagine Dragons begins playing*
Sweat dripped down his face as he drank gulps from his water bottle. Between deep breaths he tried to calm his pumping heart while wiping the sweat from his brow. Once he collected himself, he checked the time and began to make his way back to his room.
Inside he took a quick shower, brushed his teeth and got through the rest of his morning routine. Wearing a pair of black jeans, white t-shirt, his familiar slightly over sized black hoodie he laced his black Vans and grabbed his backpack carrying his schoolbooks and laptop. Locking the door, he made his way out of the dorm rooms and made his way to the large Gymnasium on the other side of campus.
Looking at the group of teens that filled the building he bobbed and weaved through the crowds of people who not even seemed to notice his presence. After years of practice, he became quite adept at the art as he danced fluidly through the ever-ignorant crowd. Finally making his way to his class he spotted two familiar faces standing together slightly away from the rest of the class quietly chatting. Silently walking up behind the boy and girl he tapped them on the shoulder making them nearly jump out of their skin as they whipped around and let out a small yelp out of surprise.
""Aaahhh."
The duos' reaction caused a sly smirk to appear on the teens face. No matter how many times he's seen this reaction it will never stop amusing him.
"Dammit Ryan, will you quit it, it's too early to be dealing with your spooky ass!" The grumbling teen was one of his best friends, a cheerful guy that looked like a Latino elf, with curly black hair, slightly pointy ears, a cheerful, babyish face, and a mischievous smile that told you right away he should not be trusted around matches or sharp objects. Even while complaining he didn't stop fiddling his long nimble fingers on the buttons of his army fatigue jacket, showcasing he was naturally hyper or hopped up on enough sugar and caffeine to give a water buffalo a heart attack.
"Leo's right you nearly scared me half to death!" Wearing faded jeans, hiking boots, and a fleece snow-boarding jacket she stood with arms crossed glaring angrily at him with her kaleidoscope like eyes that seemed to change between brown, blue, and green. Her chocolate brown hair was cut choppy and uneven, with thin strands braided down the sides. She wore no makeup like she was trying to not draw attention to herself but judging from the reaction of the other guys in class that seemed pretty useless.
"Sorry guys couldn't help it." With a slight chuckle Ryan cheekily responded.
"All right cupcakes, listen up!" Suddenly a booming voice from the front of their group reverberated across the whole gym.
Looking towards the deafening sound Ryan saw one of the weirdest teachers he has ever had. Gleeson Hedge, otherwise referred to as Coach Hedge. His baseball cap was pulled low over his hair, so you just see his beady eyes. He had a wispy goatee and a sour face, like he'd eaten something moldy. His buff arms and chest pushed against a bright orange polo shirt. His nylon workout pants and Nikes were spotless white. A whistle hung from his neck, and a megaphone was still ringing out in front of his face. He would've looked pretty scary if he hadn't been five feet zero.
"Everyone follow me, and make your way to bus three, no stepping out of line Cupcakes! *Tweet*!" With a piercing blow of his trusty whistle, he scanned the crowd, when his glare landed on Ryan like always a trace of confusion, anger, and a trace of fear could be seen. With a huff he led the shuffling group through the gym doors and toward the bus.
"Jeez that guy really doesn't like you man, even I could tell his scowl was extra "scowly" when he looked at you. What'd do to him, take the ball out of his whistle? Wait... no that was me." Like always Leo's motor mouth was running at full gas.
With a wry smile on her face Piper added on. " Leo may be slightly exaggerating Ryan but Coach Hedge really has it out for you, it's pretty obvious."
"Wish I knew, since I met the guy, he's been like that. I mean I have scared him a couple of times by accidentally sneaking up on him, but I mean it was his fault for not noticing me, it wasn't intentional." With a shrug of his shoulders Ryan made is way up the steps of the bus filing his way past the seats to the back of the bus following his friends. Leo and Ryan sat together, and Piper sat with them across the aisle by herself. When the bus began to pull out of the parking lot Coach Hedge spoke up
"Listen up Cupcakes, we are now heading toward the Grand Canyon Museum, it's going to be a bit a drive, so sit down, shut up, and don't make too much noise!" The kids on the bus stared at him with dead eyes, as the seemingly world's most ironic words were spoken. With a slight twitch of his eyes and a bulging vein on his forehead Coach Hedge grumpily sat down at the front of the bus.
"*Yawn* Hey guys I didn't get a whole lot of sleep last night, so I'm going to take a quick nap on the way, wake me when we are almost there." Ryan groggily Pulled out his phone out of his pocket and began scanning through his songs.
"Again man, you seem to be almost nocturnal I'm sure you were an owl in your past life." Looking at his friend in with exasperation and slight worry Leo joked.
"I can't help it as soon as the sun goes down it's like I just drank two Redbull, I just get more energy." With a helpless smile Ryan shrugged his shoulders as he explained.
"Are you sure you aren't overworking yourself, I overheard a few of the guys in class saying they have seen glimpses of a ghost haunting the gym in the guy's dorm since the start of the year?" Piper spoke up in a teasing tone laced with concern for her friend.
"Honestly I'm alright, I've told you guys I have been training since I was a kid, I'm used to working way harder than I currently am, so this is no big deal. Anyway... Good night." With his hasty explanation Ryan cut off any more questions before putting his earbuds setting the phone to shuffle and pressing play. Pulling his hood over his head he leaned against the window of the bus closing his eyes to catch some shut eye.
*Wonder by Shawn Mendes begins to play*
Leo and Piper stared at their friend before glancing at each other, seeing the troubled look in each other's eyes they both sighed before distracting themselves. Them could relate to Ryan, to them you don't get shipped off to a boarding school like theirs without some problems, and each of them had their fair share of secrets they don't want to talk about.
Time seemed to pass like it was nothing as the bus ride was quickly coming to an end. Ryan was deep asleep in total darkness just floating in the void when a voice rang out from all around him.
"Now child, your destiny begins. Through joy or sorrow you must overcome all. I believe in you."
With a start Ryan jolted from his sleep, he felt a tingle run up his spine as the echoes of that voice still ring through his mind. He felt the voice was Haughty, noble but it also carried a faint warmth that Ryan had not felt in a long time that made his emotions run in turmoil.
After a few shaky breaths he managed too somewhat calm down, he pulled down his hood and peered over to his friends but to his surprise there was someone else sitting beside Piper and he was holding her hand. The guy seemed like he was their age, while wearing jeans and sneakers, a purple t-shirt, and a thin black windbreaker, He had close-cropped blonde hair, a small scar marked his upper lip, and he had blue eyes that were the same color as the sky. He seemed to have gentle features that showed his kindness, but they were marred with confusion and fear as he warily took in his surroundings.
Piper and Leo were looking at him in deep concern, while Ryan watched with just as much confusion as the mysterious guy seemed to show.
Piper tightened her grip on his hand and asked "Jason, you okay?"
While everyone was frozen with different thoughts only one rang out in Ryan's head.
Who the hell is Jason?
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