Chapter 15: Back to School
The next morning came and Alexander got ready just as how young Alex usually would.
He was a 47-year-old souled kid and couldn't be any more better at readying himself than other 9-year-olds. The only thing that weirded him out now is coping with how unnatural he is to his small body.
After doing most of his necessities, he went for his backpack and stuffed it with stacks of paper from his art supplies. He needed a creative way to enforce his ideas to his grandfather and he had one alright.
He didn't forget to place it in a folder to prevent the crumpling and churning his thoughts on what to fill them with.
Alexander, then had breakfast downstairs, with a lot of toast and a glass of milk. After a chat, he headed off under the watch of Sullivan.
"It is a joy to see him motivated." This was Sullivan's takeaway as he saw off Alexander as he rode the school bus.
All Sullivan knew was that his grandson had moved on and faced life as a boy should be. Crushes, rivals, friends, hobbies, and all the simplicities of growth and development.
What he didn't know was that the new Alexander had long moved on from his parent's death and even his own.
The boy was also facing life differently from how Sullivan imagined growth and development would be.
All in the boy's mind was to supply phenomenal movies, analyze competition, and how to survive karmic retribution from all the people he is going to pirate from.
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Alexander was still a loner in the seats but his eyes were now contemplatively discerning.
His seatmate and coincidental classmate that wanted to ask about his birthday yesterday could only find some other person to bother.
His other peers didn't bother much of him as they were preoccupied with their own things. The school bus wasn't just restricted to first graders so everyone had something to talk to with their bus buddies.
San Fernando Elementary School was the final bus stop and everyone was off to another school day.
Cars and parents dropping off their kids were clear to see while the walkers and bus riders surged their way to the school gates and entrances.
The noise grew due to the chit chats and all that Alexander could helplessly mutter is. "I solved a godlike computer system's problem through programmed a chaos monster into existence and the reward it gave along is for me to retake school."
He could only sigh in acceptance as he headed for his room, take his seat, and count his days and hours of boredom.
For someone who cheered and had already tossed his graduation cap into the skies, being in school felt like a prison.
Fortunately, he brought his project papers and developed a notoriety in the classroom as the 'doodle kid', so passing the time shouldn't be too hard.
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Of course, there was also another thing to tolerate. Right on cue as Alexander set up the folder and his pencil, a childish voice shrilled with mockery.
"Hey Doodle Creed! How's your birthday?" Barty asked along with his goons behind him.
"It was alright." Alexander just obliged while cringing at this Barty kid's bully quips that he can't help but to freshly remember.
Having dead parents and being a loner with his drawings was his weak point in the eyes of these kids after all.
"Oooh!! Did your ghost mommy and ghost daddy come to wish you a happy birthday?! Are you going to draw them now to remember your ghastly and boring birthday? Hehe!" Barty mocked like a ghost and his goons laughed to his accompaniment.
Alexander resisted the urge to palm himself from this childish situation. As a previously enlightened adult, being teased by a kid was quite demeaning, to say the least.
"Whatever you say, Barty." He didn't act out his impulses though as he simply replied with indifference, this was his usual way of dealing with childishness.
Fortunately, nothing escalated after that as the bully group had other matters in mind.
Barty was smug from his target's reply, thinking that it was a show of fear and not considering the fact that he was considered as insignificant by the other party.
"Nice one, Barty. That's why you're our leader." Goon #1 named Clarky commended as he kiss-assed just like how his father told him to. Barty was his father's boss's son so he had to extend the courtesy at school to help his father on the job.
"Hey, Barty. Let's ditch Creed for now and branch out to make our Barty, Clarky, and Olly group be known to our school." Olly or Goon #2 didn't care for Clarky's overpraising as he had much greater plans for their group. "Maybe we can increase our numbers by recruiting other boys with names ending in 'ee'."
"Good idea, Olly." Barty quickly put uninteresting Alexander aside and fantasize about his glory. "I can be the boss as the 'Ee' group will make this school and the world tremble."
"Yeah!" Clarky yelled as support while Olly followed suit. "You even think far ahead than me, Barty. I never even considered recruiting 'Ee' boys in other schools."
"Hmph! You underestimate me, Olly." Barty was now bathed in narcissism. "Just wait until I become president Barty of the 'Ee' world."
The rest of the onlookers in the room could only keep quiet lest they be affected by this spoiled kid's tyranny.
Alexander, who was spectating close, was highly doubtful that these 'Ee' trio could achieve their glorious dreams while announcing their plans in public.
Alexander could distinctly remember rich kid Barty's father being out of business and Clarky bullying the now-poor kid for all the shameful shoe licking he had done.
Olly was the one who would succeed the Ee group's ambition but had to stop because the teachers gave him a big scolding.
Ultimately, the bully trio would disband and Alexander hadn't heard from them ever since.
"That should keep them away for now." Alexander muttered as his pencil touched the first empty page on his table. "I forgot just how imaginative and ambitious kids are in this time."
Although they did bully him as he remembered, Alexander didn't put it to heart as they were much more on the teasing and verbal side. Not the physicalness that movies portray bullying to be.
In any case, everything would play down to being a child's magnitude of doing things. He could at least handle those sorts of things.
Of course, this re-life would shift things differently from his memories and he could at least be ready for it.
The bell rang and the Ee trio scampered back to their seats while their unexciting bullied target just looked on with intrigue
"I guess I am truly back to school." Alexander could only whisper as he scribbled on his paper while he took the situation in.
Set schedules, boring lessons he already knew, and the intricacies of the classmates around him. Alexander had no time for it but he could at least find something fun to do while he was at it.