Lucas thought that going back to school would be a relief, something to keep his mind busy, but he was wrong.
People generally regarded him as if he were a gost, giving him odd stares and whispering behind his back. Even the few friends that he had wouldn't be associated with him.
He quickly decided that it might be better to go to school at the orphanage, even though he didn't know anyone there.
After a week of schooling from the staff at the orphanage, it was determined that Lucas was far ahead of his classmates, but that was fine with him, he didn't really want to do anything anyway.
On his faith day there, Lucas met his first challenge, in the form of a pudgy boy named Jack Rippinski. Lucas came to lunch early, and got in the front of the line, not wanting to wait for everyone, when suddenly, he was shoved from behind, dropping his tray.
"Hey," a rather chubby blond boy said, "get out of my way."
"I'm sorry." Lucas said,"And who are you."
"Jack," the boy replied, "Sir to you."
Jack was an ugly boy, with blonde hair that was nearly as greasy as the food being served for lunch.
" Well, assface, I'm not moving any time so you can just sit there patiently, okay?"
If there was one thing Lucas couldn't stand, it was bullies.
"What did you just call me?"
"I called you assface, like you asked me to."
"No, ugly, I said sir, but I guess your to stupid to understand that." Jack turned to a group of boys behind him and laughed hysterically, like Jack had just said the wittiest thing in the world.
"Now why don't you move before I beat your ugly face in."
Lucas just turned away and started serving himself lunch.
"Shove it, dickhead." This time he said it loud enough for people to hear. The cafeteria got very quiet.
"What?" Jack asked.
"Shove. It. Dick. Head." Lucas said deliberately and slowly.
"Your gonna die, punk, your gonna die." Jack sputtered out, embarrassed.
"Okay." Lucas said, and sat down to eat his lunch.
Kids stared at Lucas the whole day, and whispered about him nearly as much. Some even came up and congratulated him when nobody was looking.
Lucas suspected that Jack was just a kid who scared people, but never did anything to hurt him. So he wasn't expecting it when he was heat with a book in the back of the head at the end of the day. Hard.
"Hey, what the," Lucas started as he spun around. His sentence was cut off by a fist to the jaw.
Lucas' head spun as he looked at his assailant.
"Hi, punk." Jack sneered at him. Lucas had seen fights before, but had never been in one, so he had no idea how to react to this.
The fat boys fist was coming at him again, but suudenly, time seemed to slow, and the hand wasn't coming nearly as fast.
Lucas raised his own hand and caught Jacks fist like he was playing baseball with his dad. Not thinking, just letting his body guide him, Lucas twisted around and threw Jack over his hip, keeping ahold of his arm.
As Jack fell, Lucas pulled up on the arm, and he heard a sickening popping sound as the big boy's shoulder dislocated. Jack was beaten, and everyone knew it, but Lucas couldn't stop himself, he didn't seem to be in control of his body.
He picked Jack up by the collar with one hand, and lifted him off of the ground. Without so much as a grunt, Lucas threw the bully across the hallway into the parallel bank of lockers.
Lucas looked at his hands in wonder. He had never been particularly strong, yet he had just lifted and threw a 200 pound boy without straining a muscle.
Suddenly aware of all of the eyes focused on him, Lucas ran for his room and slammed the door. Leaving a large crack in the frame.
