With one day before the flight, Vin readied a bag. This was later proved pointless because a uniform and card appeared at his doorstep. The letter detailed what could be brought with him. Which was nothing. Only the provided uniform and his nanosphere were allowed, while the rest would be provided upon arrival.
It was sketchy, but not enough to warrant him withdrawing his enrollment. He only hoped they would be loose on education and emphasize racing because he remembered jack from his time in school.
Gavin skated a few laps around the neighborhood with Vin and Miyo to prepare him for the competition. The man was nearing 40, but his talent hadn't declined a hair.
He'd slowed down his career to care for his two children during their critical years of maturity, though the world knew he'd eventually return to the skating league with waves. That was what Vin admired about his father; he engraved himself into the hearts of millions with his skateboarding. It wasn't the money or trophies that drove him; it was the supporters.
On the other hand, his kids didn't care for any of that. They were bred nightmares that sought competition and challenge. Vin was still figuring out why he'd gone from a perfect win/loss ratio to losing every race, but Macy only skyrocketed.
She waited at a local park with lunch for the two boys. Sitting underneath a tree shade in a flowy dress and picnic basket. Delicate upon the eyes of the passing strangers, but truthfully she was unrivaled within their small town.
When her family met her with sweaty faces and heavy breaths, Macy reciprocated with smiles and a nutritious home-cooked meal.
They weren't a perfect household. Not like the stock photo that comes inside picture frames. Their mother was absent, they argued, and sometimes there were awkward silences. But, the Dance family was tied by blood, and they valued each.
The last day seemingly vaporized. It was tough for everyone to be losing the eldest son. Gavin would no longer have a training buddy, and Macy definitely wasn't going to skate with the man that filled their childhood with conditioning and harsh treatment. She could forgive but never forget.
That night before bed, the family flipped through old photos of Vin. Would ya know, his face always looked like he wanted to fight the nearest kid. At least until it involved Macy or their mother, then his face looked much more joyful.
There were a lot of gray spots in his memory of her. No matter how he tried, he couldn't remember why she left, nor could the other tell him.
He wished he could speak to the woman and show her how he'd grown in the last seven years. He'd be taller than her, strong enough to lift her as she did him, and intelligent enough to help her with work.
Well, hopefully... Vin still didn't have much faith in what he had learned in school, but he would try.
The album viewing lasted much longer than expected, and yawns began to follow each new page. Eventually, Gavin left for his chamber, and Vin and Macy started a private unfiltered trip down memory lane. They could pinpoint the time each photo was taken and how miserable they were because of their father.
The photo of Vin's ninth birthday looked pleasant. But immediately after the party, they were dragged into a scheduled competition. They laughed, remembering how Vin forgot to remove the party hat and won the race with it on.
In another instance, Gavin spent an absurd amount of money for a popular pop singer to surprise and escort Macy to her middle school dance.
Macy hated pop. She had no idea who that guy was and broke his jaw with a front-kick when he surprised her. Gavin had to pay even more for the singer's hospital bills.
There were plenty of unpleasant moments, but they treasured them and their father because those experiences ultimately made them the people they were.
Another hour passed, and they both fell asleep on the couch. Macy curled up and rested her head on Vin's shoulder while he snored at the ceiling. The lights were cut, and a blanket magically appeared over them in the middle of the night. That magic had heavy footsteps though, and Miyo peeked at it as it tried to sneak away.
<>
The time was neigh. Morning came, and after breakfast, Vin was taken to the airport. Following hugs and waves goodbye, he departed for his flight.
He'd only flown once when he was nine to watch an out-of-state race with his father; it was the first and last time he left his small town. The area just seemed to harbor him. So, it hit differently when going away to live on a school campus. Vin held onto Miyo during the flight and stared out the window, peacefully watching the unchanging crystal blue water.
The flight lasted eight hours. Vin was wide awake the entire time, listening to babies fuss and refusing the tasteless complimentary snacks.
As the plane approached the island, he grasped the extraordinary sight from the sky.
The island got its name from miraculously maintaining all four major seasons year-round. The northern region of the land snowed, the west coast was always warm enough for beaches, fall persisted south, and spring held in the east.
Because of its abnormal weather, the land mass was purchased by a wealthy corporation and reinvented into a hot spot for SFX events. The island was perfect for a multitude of racing with a mix of urban and suburban areas.
There was only one airport on the island, and students were flying in from all over the world to attend the highly discussed university.
After disembarking the plane, a three-story escalator led down to a massive main lobby. Just getting there was a live game of human bumper carts. Vin wasn't a tiny person, yet he felt as miniature as Miyo among the congested fields of human bodies.
The automatic stairs themselves were so jam-packed that the entire structure appeared like it would collapse if one jokester decided to bounce in place.
Regardless of the tight net of individuals, Vin remained unfazed while pinballing from one person's shoulders to another. A majority of the occupants were dressed in the same uniform. Black plaided slacks or skirts. A white button-up for men and a sailor-style top for women. All were almost identical except for the colored accessories. For whatever reason, all the belts, ribbons, ties, and shoes were one of three colors.
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Vin's set was red, but he also noticed others with blue or yellow adornments. It was far from his usual style of cheap graphic jackets and track pants.
The traffic flow led to the escalator; however, Vin broke from the herd and steered for the guardrail on the third floor. One that stooped numskulls from falling over.
Miyo was hidden in his blazer, so he unsheathed them and hopped up to sit on the guardrail. "Sure are a lot of people," he mumbled, peering back at the ground floor.
"We might be late at this rate..." Continued Vin, inching his suggestive gaze over to his associate.
Miyo glanced back and squinted its expressive white eyes in disagreement. As Vin's usual criminal partner, the summon deduced his subliminal message and outright denied it.
Persistent, Vin poked its plush cheeks. "I know I'm not supposed to use you outside of races, but we'll be tardy otherwise."
Still against him, Miyo shook its flaming head. Milliseconds too late because Vin had abandoned his balance, and his body sloped backward before reclining off the railing.
A spooked, kind-spirited customer gasped, then dashed toward Vin, who just looked like a suicidal teen. The stranger's grip narrowly missed his pants leg, and they shouted in horror as he fell out of reach.
Vin, on the other hand, was calm and whispering to Miyo. "Don't let anyone catch us. Go straight for the exit."
It was a crime for citizens to use nanotech for mere convenience. Even service summons could not skip lines, gather illicit information, or work around any set procedure. Those were the rules, yet Vin was in freefall from the third floor of an airport terminal.
Forced, Miyo outstretched its burning wings and lifted Vin over the ocean of people. As instructed, it reluctantly carried him past shouting guards and a clogged, grumbling mass. After they landed, he ran until he was outside the airport and away from potential pursuers.
Vin found himself under a massive overhead. He was at the beginning of a long walkway labeled "Pick-up strip." Here, numerous cars were lined up on the street, awaiting their contacts.
The outside strip was just as jammed and clangorous as the inside. Drivers were stepping on the roof of their vehicles to wave signs and shout for their pick-ups. Children were lifted off the ground to avoid being stampeded, and a noisy helicopter above broadcasted the sight.
While Vin squeezed through, he reinstalled a taxi service application on his phone. Once he was far enough from the cluster fuck, he would arrange for the ride to school. It was a superb plan, except-
"Gavin Dance, over here!" Hollered a familiar voice. Vin recognized the loud, bassy volume, and when he rotated, he spotted his recruiter holding up a large sign on a car. He knew it was him because he wore the same sunglasses and, this time, a fancy suit. The board he held was crumpled on the edges and had several names sloppily handwritten in highlighter marker. Too illegible for anyone to see from afar.
The man was accompanied by four other individuals, all wearing the school's uniform and peering at Vin as if he'd committed a grave offense.
"..."
After glancing again at the pool of cars blocking the exit, Vin looked stiffly at the recruiter. He blinked, then steadily continued down his own path. He ambled like a pedestrian that wandered down a dark, sketchy street alone at night, avoiding capture like their first encounter.
Unfortunately, Vin's hyperdrive (jogging pace) was too slow, and his forearm was seized. "Hey now, don't be a stranger," said the man named Hughie Dover.
Vin turned, openly faced the red-skinned man, then deflected his comment. "The entrance ceremony is in 30 minutes," he informed.
"Don't you worry about that; I don't have 12 NASCAR championships under my belt for nothing," he assured, pulling Vin along.
Vin hadn't noticed before because of the crowd, but the fellow had quite the ride. It was the latest model Ford Mustang, a muscle car with low suspension and a custom red leather interior. Vin didn't doubt the vehicle's capability, but he wondered how six people would fit into a two-door car.
It wasn't just him; a single woman among the group of males had no trouble expressing her discontent.
"Mr. Dover, there is zero chance I'm going to be canned up against this many sweaty men," she complained. The recruiter's solution was, naturally, to offer her shotgun, the passenger seat. As if that solved the issue.
"Hard pass. I will wait for a taxi," she refused, drawing forth her phone. Mr. Dover chuckled, plopped into the driver's seat, then started the roaring engine. "Good luck finding a driver amid this shit show."
The middle-aged man snapped the passenger seat forward, tipped his sunglasses toward the boys, then grinned. "You lumps getting in, or what?"
After short consideration, one of the students sucked their teeth and mumbled, "Fuck it." His attire was as lax as his tone. Dressed casually in a goofy font blue shirt designed after Vin's favorite song, "Wake up, by Cave In." He rolled up his sleeves as if going into battle with the rear seat, then boarded. After them, the rest of the boys swallowed their pride and entered.
Before Vin joined, he glanced at the mid-height girl with lengthy blonde hair. Everyone wore the same uniform, yet she emitted an aura of wealth and class.
"Hey," he said, fetching the girl's attention. He thought it was foolish to let something as trivial as a loaded car hinder her decision. But, the potential of one less competitor on campus was bothersome.
When she peered over, Vin presented Miyo to her like a gift. "If it makes you feel any better, you can hold onto Mi-"
"What in the world is that?" she rudely interrupted.
Vin continued to hold his friend out in display for a moment of disbelief. His face had remained level, but he was boiling internally. He pulled his pal into his chest, then silently pivoted away from the girl. Vin stepped toward the car, pushed the passenger chair back, then sat in the seat Mr. Dover had offered the female student.
Without a word, he nonchalantly closed the door, then rolled up the tinted window so he didn't have to see her face.
"Has no one taught you manners?" Scolded one of the back passengers. "Better yet, why is your summon out in public," added another.
Vin heard them but ignored their comments while he continued to silently mope. Mr. Dover found the situation humorous and laughed while gearing the vehicle to drive.
Just as they began to pull off, a knock on the glass set them back. The girl had a change of heart after seeing the wait time for a taxi. Vin was cordial and opened the door, even holding the entrance open for the lady… So she could climb into the back. She complained, but the driver sided with Vin, who took the seat when she initially refused.
The car's engine revved and blared, and the vehicle in the lane next to theirs became spooked. The slight sign of hesitation was sufficient, and Mr. Dover threw the car into gear and snapped directly in front of the other driver.
He rode the tail of different cars so tightly that Vin could preemptively feel a collision with their bumper. The unusual fellow informed them the key to good driving was being assertive. One of the backseaters disagreed and called his style of road work intimidation. Nonetheless, it worked; opposing cars and the passengers in the automobile were jerking left and right at the mercy of the raging Mustang.
The entire drive was turbulent and perilous. The constant moaning and grunting behind Vin determined that much. Anyhow, they arrived at their destination in one piece. Their recruiter showed an ID to enter the school grounds, then sped inside before pulling up and parking on the curb. "Rides over, be sure to tip and rate your driver," he joked.
"1 out of 10," insulted the back passenger, holding onto their woozy head as they climbed out. Vin thought otherwise; the fast speed and near collisions made him even more excited to race at the new school. "10 out of 10," he honestly replied.
The recruiter fired a thumbs up, then instructed them on where to go. Needlessly, because the flock of other students pooling in made it quite obvious which direction to follow.
Vin separated from the others and embarked alone for the assembly. Keen but painfully unaware of what to expect from "school life."