The shifting of Gears

"So they covered the fire as a gas leak? I thought I'd be labeled an arsonist," Ethan muttered to himself, scrolling through the newsfeed on his phone.

A full day had passed since the incident, giving him enough time to process everything that had happened.

Ring! Ring! Ring!

Ethan quickly answered the call, bringing the phone to his ear. "Hello, Jeffrey."

"Young master Ethan, I wanted to ask if you were planning to go to school or had other plans," Jeffrey inquired on the other end.

"Yes, I'm already prepared to leave..I'm just waiting for you, Is there something wrong?" Ethan asked, his tone laced with concern.

Jeffrey rarely called him first, and this felt unusual.

There was a brief pause before Jeffrey responded, his voice tinged with hesitation. "My daughter's leg is broken, and you know my wife is pregnant, so I need to step up and take care of them.

My son is willing to take my place and be your driver."

"I'm sorry to hear that, Jeffrey.

It's fine I'll manage getting myself to school until your daughter's condition stabilizes," Ethan said. He paused briefly before adding: "My lawyer will provide you with a statement granting a paid leave of absence for a month.

I hope that helps. If you need anything else, don't hesitate to call me."

Ethan spent a few more minutes chatting with Jeffrey before ending the call.

Jeffrey was a reliable driver whom Ethan could count on any time, day or night, but he understood that Jeffrey was now facing overwhelming family responsibilities.

He soon picked up his bag, took keys from a key rack, and walked toward the garage.

"It's been a... while," Ethan muttered.

Sighing, he opened the garage door and was momentarily blinded by the rush of nostalgia.

He approached a car, covered by a veil, and carefully removed it.

Revealed before him was a modified, pristine black 1953 Nash Healey Roadster,

a vintage model his father had gifted him when he was twelve, shortly after he learned to drive.

He turned on the ignition, and after a few moments, the engine hummed to life.

A few minutes later, he drove out of his villa and onto the main road.

Glancing at his watch, he realized there were only forty five minutes left before his classes began.

Ethan pressed down on the accelerator, causing the engine to rev slightly as he overtook other cars.

Despite the traffic, he quickly navigated through and arrived at Starlight Academy without any issues.

"Mhhh!!! I like how you handle that car; it means you can ride me well," a voice teased from aside.

Ethan rolled his eyes as he approached a parking spot and began to park.

He was already used to the girls flirting with him every morning, and comments like that were nothing new.

As he stepped out of the car, a girl approached and said, "I like what you did with your hair. It really brings out the beauty of your eyes."

Ethan locked the car, turned to face her, and with a slow,deliberate glance he asked: "Honey... what's your name again?"

The girl grabbed his jacket, pulling him closer and forcing him to bend slightly, their noses nearly touching.

She bit her lips and said, "The name's Lana You can come to my house, we'll chill... and after that maybe you'll remember it better if you spell it in reverse."

Ethan looked at her, slightly confused at first, but then it clicked, He smirked and said: "... right."

He chuckled awkwardly, not sure how to respond.

Ethan quickly freed himself, heading into the school hallways.

Glancing at his watch he noticed he was two minutes late, He hurried to his classroom and as soon as he opened the door, his eyes landed on Mr Miyagi.

"Hmmm, my prodigal son has returned. You're rarely here on Mondays, and now you're even wearing a full school uniform. What changed?" Mr. Miyagi said, looking at Ethan.

This caught the attention of the whole class, and many of them turned to stare at Ethan.

Ethan frowned at Mr Miyagi and replied:

"Umm, I pay for my school fees, so I'll attend as I wish. You didn't buy my uniform, so I don't know why my dress code bothers you. And lastly, I'm not your son."

"Pffftt"

"HAHAHAHA!!!"

Mr. Miyagi gritted his teeth, clearly frustrated as Ethan's response seemed to have embarrassed him.

With a shaking finger, he pointed at Ethan and said, "Go... to the headmaster's office. You came late, so go and receive your punishment."

"Umm... sorry to disappoint you, but I can't," Ethan sighed as he looked at Mr. Miyagi: "According to Policy 77 of the Code of Conduct, I need to be 10 minutes late for that decree to apply.

So... I'm just going to sit down, and you're going to continue teaching."

Ethan quickly approached his desk and greeted Rosalina before sitting down, He took out his books and glanced at Mr. Miyagi, who had already started teaching.

As Mr. Miyagi continued the lesson, he sneaked glances at Ethan.

To his surprise, Ethan was not only paying attention but also taking detailed notes something that shocked both Mr Miyagi and the classmates nearby.

'Is he perhaps high? 'Mr Miyagi thought:

'I know exams are around the corner, but he usually does well. What's changed? I can't even complain.'

Throughout the lecture, Mr. Miyagi tried asking Ethan questions, but Ethan answered them with ease, frustrating the teacher, who hoped to humble him.

Ethan continued to take notes, and before anyone noticed, two hours had passed in the blink of an eye.

Ring! Ring! Ring!

The bell rang, and the students quickly packed their belongings, heading off to their extracurricular activities.

Ethan approached Rosalina, his tone firm. "What activity are you doing? We need to talk."

Rosalina glanced at her books, her voice carrying a hint of sass. "Did something happen... something worth my time?"

Ethan ignored her attitude and leaned closer. "Yes, you know exactly what's going on with me, and I need your help."

With a sigh, Rosalina met his gaze, her expression unreadable. "Fine. Let's talk in the cafeteria."