The Grind Begins

DRIIINGG!!

Finally break time arrived which consisted of 1 hour where students would take their nutrition pills and hydrate.

Darius walked out in the school yard, sat under a tree with blue leaves closed his eyes enjoying the breeze.

Until he heard "Ciao,Darius!" Darius heard behind him. Without turning Darius answered "Hi,Salvatore" after pausing he said hesitantly "do you want to eat out something later?"

Salvatore who was about to say something choked for a split second, with bulging eyes"Eat out?! Do you know how expensive it is to eat food in this day and age yah?!"

Darius beckoned "It's my treat. But. I want you to do me a favor in the future."

Salvatore knew that if Darius was willing to pay out the equivalent to a small fortune he had to be serious.

Salvatore looking at Darius in the eye probed "Do you want me to get yah hands on a vibranium space injection?"

But contrary to Salvatore's thought he said "No about the vibranium space injection I already know that Atlas' are the best in the galaxy. There's no other way than working my butt off to take it myself. Getting straight to the point I want you to search for a person's location I'll give you his description,no questions asked."

Salvatore "That's it yah? Look Darius I know it must be hard to keep composure yah, after loosing a parent I would be the same. There's no need to eat out. Yah should use the inheritance money yah got with care not spend it compulsively. As for the favor you asked me I'll do it,that's no problem for my family yah know."

Darius's face bloomed "Thanks brother Salvatore I owe you big time i won't forget this favor. I'll make sure to pay back in full in the future."

"So what do you want to do this evening? Wanna play a VRMMO? I just heard a new one came out! It was developed by the federation's military supposedly this one will improve your reflexes and help you train fighting!!"Salvatore asked as he laid himself beside him.

Darius with a grunt "Mhh, sure" he lifted his torso upright, gazing at the people in the yard. Until he saw Paul walking towards his friends, recalling his grades and aptitude towards accademics an idea popped up in his head.

Darius got up and walked towards Paul "I'll be right back" he said to Salvatore.

Quickly he intercepted Paul before he met up with his friends.

Paul saw him approaching and greeted him "Hi, Darius" Darius exchanged "Hi, Paul, let's avoid wasting time in chit chat and get straight to the point.", Paul nodded. Darius followed with"I want to cooperate with you, let's get us two spots in the top 50 of the competition." Paul thought -But how are we gonna do it we have to be the best in the school. No wait he's the best athletes of our class why would he come to me?- Darius proposed "The condition's simple i train your PE you teach me Accademics". Paul blanked for a second and began looking up towards the sky for a good dozen of seconds quietly, until, he said"Okay,define a schedule." Darius stretched out his hand "From when the starlight goes down past the horizon until midnight." Paul stretched out his hand instantly after gripped Darius' and shook hands. They said in unison "See you after school." Paul stared at his palm, recalling the rough texture of Darius' palms.

Darius quickly turned, and sat besides Salvatore once again "I'm sorry Salvatore, but i guess i won't be able to spend time with you in the evenings for the next few months..."

Salvatore teased "Oh yah got yourself a lover? yah,i didn't know you were into such things, i should be on guard the next time we hang out yah" then laughed heartily.

Darius glared at him "You..." he jumped then began wrestling around the base of the tree with Salvatore. After a little while the tomato faced Salvatore waved white flag."Brother you're way too strong what kind of nutrition pill do you use?! I need a pack of those..." Darius grunted"Humph, it's called weight training and loads of sparring with my old geeze...". He pulled out a yellow paper out of his pocket and gave it to Salvatore. Salvatore as he grabbed it "Wowo, yah so old school still using paper, what's this?." Darius beckoned "Unfold it." Salvatore unfolded it and quickly his grin faded as he narrowed his eyes with a serious face. "I'll give it to my men they'll take care of..."

DRIINGG

Classes resumed, the subject involved Engineering. The teacher has heard the announcement, so decided to make a special class explaining Vibranium's properties.

As usual Paul raised his hand"Sir, may you begin by explaining how do vibranium spaces work? I know that we humans can manipulate the 'string' but why do we need a vibranium space to do so?"

The teacher with glasses nodded, looked at the sealing for few dozen of seconds then began explaining "The 'string's' foundament is energy, humans for an unknown reason through the centuries have evolved to be able to manipulate such energy. A vibranium space is a compressed pocket of space capsulated from the rest of the world. The 'string' can be stored within in a stable manner, thanks to the vibranium's high capability to adapt to frequency it will vibrate along with the same frequency as your string."

Darius didn't understand anything of what the teacher was explaining. But he just took note of everything that he explained and wrote on the wall interactive screen.

DRIINGG

Darius dropped his head on the desk with steam and drool gushing out of his mouth and ears,arms dangling...

A ripped stud with mimetic clothing walked into the classroom. Instantly the class became ghostly silent. Almost everyone stood up in unison and saluted "WE GREET CO Hawkings!!" The instructor seemed satisfied until he saw a youth with his head on the desk and arms dangling. Without saying anything he walked between the rows of desks. The students closest to him horrified until their eyes noticed where the CO was looking towards then quickly their horror took a 180 degree and turned into sneers.

The CO stood in front of Darius then shouted "WAKE UP SUNSHINE ! YOU WANT TO SLEEP? SLEEP WHEN YOU FINISH YOUR 500 PUSH UPS !"

Darius grunted and stood in front of the CO "Yes,sir!" He shouted, bent his knees put his hands on the ground then stretched his legs, began counting under his breath "one,two,three,four...". The CO turned to the rest of the classroom then shouted "Move out" quickly the students began leaving the room orderly, walking towards the gym complex. The CO was about to exit before he turned towards Darius and said "Join us when you finish!".

Starlight slowly began dimming in the horizon.

Huff,Huff "498" Huff "499" huff huff huff huff huff "500" as he did the last repetition with a tortoise's speed, then collapsed .

The CO watched from the roof of the gym complex Darius finishing his 500th rep, then nodding fervently -that's a good seedling- he thought, then walked away.