A Child's Promise (BBRae AU) [COMPLETED]

IV

IV
The Latest Advent
~~~

Rita, Steve, and Gar walk into the Jump City High School and the few people that are there early don't hesitate to gawk at him.

"Omg is that him?!"

"I thought Lexi was joking!"

"That can't be him, he's taller than on TV isn't he?"

He hears people murmur a myriad of things. From him looking different than they thought he would despite the fact that he uses facecam when he streams online and that his face is clearly shown during competitions, to him being 'so pretty.' He tries hard to ignore them and just block them out, but it's unavoidable. Word must get around quickly here because Gar specifically requested that the principal not tell anyone his name for this exact reason.

Upon walking in, the three of them come to the conclusion that the school is huge and virtually unnavigable without foresight, so Gar takes a shot in the dark.

"Um, excuse me?" he asks a girl who's closing her locker. "Where's the principal's office?" She turns around and her eyes inflate.

"Uh...d-down the hall a-and to the left. L-look for t-the main office sign..."

"Thanks..." He's never walked out of a conversation so quickly in his life. The three of them hear a loud squeal as they turn the corner.

"Is this how it was like back in Steel, Gar?" Rita asks.

"Not at all. Everyone knew me there already."

"Will this be a problem?" she asks worriedly. The maternal love in her voice isn't being shy.

He shakes his head firmly with a smile.

"I'll make sure people see me for me. Not just my online profile," he replies simply. Rita smiles.

They get to the office and the front wall is all glass. You can see straight into the open area where the secretary sits.

"Hi," he says after going through the doors. "I'm Garfield Logan and this my aunt and uncle, Rita Farr and Steve Dayton. Is Ms. Lhorwik here?" he asks the secretary who's name seems to be Lily based on her ID. She's got her hair pulled back into a slick ponytail and has two clips in, one on each side of her head about an inch and a half from her center part, to keep her auburn hair back neatly. Her serene brown eyes make it clear as to why she's the first one you see when you come in here.

The office itself is all but plain. There are all kinds of awards and plaques and gold and silver medals on the walls. Awards to staff hang from them as well in similar forms. There are sports awards, preforming arts awards, but the academic ones are the most prominent. Along with a black and yellow banner sporting the school's mascot: A manticore. There's an old painting of it behind Lily's desk. The majestic beast is rearing upwards in order to flash his sharpened claws, the rich mane flowing backward, slightly overlapping his large dragon-like wings. His scorpion tail curls over his head, and it looks completely prepared to attack. Despite all this, the human face it has it the most threatening with its multiple rows of pinpointed teeth. Quite a ferocious mascot.

"Garfield? You must be the new student." Lily says after looking up at him from her computer screen. "She's at the very end of the hall. You can't miss it!" her cheery tone incites immediate comfort along with her comely appearance.