A Talent's Enemies

"Detention.One week."

Starlio didn't even regret his actions.It felt more than right to him and adults like Mrs Wooly were the ones who would never try to see things from his point of view,much less empathize with him.

"I have to take this away."Mrs Wooly waved the taser glove in front of him.Starlio sighed,already anticipating this outcome when Mrs Wooly leaned forward on her desk,clapping her hands together:"What were you thinking Starlio?You are bright,I expect you to know that bringing a weapon to school and land you into trouble."

"It's not....exactly a weapon."Starlio mutters.

"A glove that tasers people is not a weapon?Where did you buy this?"

"I built it."

Mrs Wooly paused,about to reprimand him for lying but then quickly remembering that this was the highest scoring student in the history of the school....it seemed possible."I'll have to call your parents for this.You are smart Starlio,I expect you to know better still.Focus on your grades.You can get into the best schools,don't do stupid things like this that might cost you your future.Got it?"

Starlio nods as Mrs Wooly signals for him to get out of the staff room.Starlio walked out towards the corridor,where he saw several groups of students,looking at him,curious by the extraordinary encounter between him and Frank.

Grades?I am so much past that already.Starlio tells himself,brushing off the stares of the other students towards his locker as the school day approached its end.

"Dozens of girls that tried to attention and he stood up for you?I don't know but if you ask me,I think the signal's pretty obvious here."Joseline teased an embarrassed Shannon,who was busy walking around the school halls trying to find Starlio with her two friends,Joseline and Angie.

"He saw something bad going on and wanted to help.Don't over analyze it!"Shannon begged.

"I mean- yea,he's just being nice."Angie softly and hesitantly answers when the three girls spotted Starlio in a distance,grabbing his bag from his locker."Don't say anything stupid.I just wanna thank him."Shannon gave Joseline a stern look before going towards the prodigy and calling out his name.

"Starlio!"Shannon waved her hand.

"Oh hey,erm,listen things didn't turn out the way I intended it too so,I'm sor-"Starlio barely finished his own sentence when Shannon stopped him:"No,thank you for helping me...I...I really just want to thank you because I wouldn't know what to do...if you didn't help,you know...that jacket is really expensive."she awkwardly says.

"I hope he won't bother you from now on.I mean,students did help verify that he started the whole thing.I believe he's getting suspended,you won't have to see him for awhile."Starlio says."Thank you."Shannon repeats nervously.

"Well....see you next week."Starlio tells her as the weekends approached.

Starlio reached back to his house soon after to hear loud shattering glass sounds.

"Shit..."Starlio raced into the apartment to see his drunken father,Mason pushing his mom aside,overturning the couch's pillows and covers like a mole rat."Where's the money?!I know you are hiding....hiding...."Mason was clearly drunk.

Mitchell tried to hold the general down when Mason shrugged him away."Useless son!If you don't bring me my money don't try to stop me from finding them!"

"There's no money Dad!Mom's already told you-"

"Shut it!"Mason slapped Mitchell in the face,blasting him back as his mother went in,blocking a second slap for Mitchell that hit her right in her eye."DAD STOP!"Starlio threw his bag down,going in to protect his brother and mother when Mason narrowed his eyes in anger:"You...."

"There's no money here Dad,you took it all a few days back remember-"Starlio couldn't even finish his sentence when Mason dragged him by the collar,punching Starlio right in the nose.

"Mason stop!"Alice,his mom tried to hold her husband back only to be pushed aside."Bringing a homemade weapon to school huh?Disgracing my reputation!"Mason says before delivering an upper cut to Starlio,knocking him down onto the ground and unloading a barrage of kicks onto his son.

"What good are you.....useless...."Mason says dizzily as Starlio mutters:"What...good am I?I'm the highest scoring student in the school....if not for your incompetent management of finance I could easily be attending some higher institution way ahead of my age and probably be earning way more than you ever could!"

"What the hell did you just say you little-"Mason raised his fist,ready to attack Starlio again when Alice ran up to her husband,her hand holding a couple of ten dollar bills:"Mason!Stop....here,your money."Mason glared at her like a satisfied animal,grabbing the money violently out of her hand as he stormed towards the exit of the house,turning back one last time.

"For real...stop causing trouble in school."Mason says in a gentler tone before leaving.

"Are you alright?"Mitchell asks at a teary eyed Starlio,wiping blood off his cheek."Come son,let me see-"Alice had a cloth in her hand,approaching Starlio who shook his head in silence before going back to his own room and locking the door,crawling up to his bed and sitting there in sorrow.

What am I missing out?

What kind of person would I become in the future if I follow in his footsteps?Where would I be if....he wasn't so useless....

Starlio looked at the mini rocket thrusters he salvaged from the scrapyard.A device that was meant to elevate,bring flight to anything it was attached to.Maybe he can do something with it,find out how it works and if he could,maybe replicate or upgrade it.Make it his.Starlio wiped the tears off his own face,grabbing his toolkit and began breaking the rocket down.

Results Day.Couple of days later.

The results day for an exam Starlio didn't even remember taking.

"Dude,are you excited?"Conner elbows Starlio as the two friends bumped into each other at the front of the school gate,making their way in."Excited?Is something supposed to happen today?"

"Last week's Science Test!"Conner says.

"There was a science test?"

The duo eventually made their way into the class where the first thing Starlio heard was Kane's voice:"The smartest guy bringing a homemade weapon to school isn't really a smart thing to do right?What did he do to deserve what he has?Look at the results later,he probably doesn't even remember the test itself and would probably do just as well!"

Starlio stopped in his tracks.Kane....was not wrong.Conner heard the conversation as well when the duo overheard Shannon's voice:"He did what he did to help me.I don't think he deserves any negative comments because I started the whole thing unintentionally or not.If you have a problem with what happened,you find it with me."

"Yea...please don't.Just stop alright Kane?Results are gonna be out soon."Angie's voice followed up.

Starlio took a deep breath as he entered the classroom,directly looking at Kane whose facial expression remained calm and unhinged.No guilt in his words or actions.The girls Kane was talking to,Shannon,Joseline and Angie nervously looked at Starlio,who wanted to confront Kane only to be held back by Conner,who warned him with his expression before directing his eyes to Roy,who was at his desk with his face buried under his arms.

"Roy,you alright?"Starlio asks,approaching his friend.

"Yea....yea....just nervous....first time working so hard for a test you know?Hope I really don't fail again."Roy's voice quivered as Starlio gave him a reassuring smile:"If you followed whatever I had taught you then I'm sure you will do well."

"To your seats!"

The students all turned to the door of the classroom as Mrs Wooly entered the class with her stack of exam papers.The students all nervously shifted back to their seats when Starlio noticed Kane,staring menacingly at him.

"So this results are going to determine which students are approved to go to the Plex City charity trip this upcoming holidays.Only students who pass will be allowed to go.Starting with the highest scorer in class,as usual,Starlio.Full marks,come get your paper."Mrs Wooly says as the class turned to the prodigy,who collected his results and returned to his seat.

"Next up,Kane Ky-"

"I am second.....again?"Kane asks.Mrs Wooly nods:"Yes Kane.You have a wonderful score of 91 which is not only very high,but an improvement compared to your last exam's score.Well done."Mrs Wooly hands a visibly depressed Kane his paper.

Paper after paper,Mrs Wooly eventually finished out handing their papers.

Starlio noticed Shannon and Angie celebrating together while a quieter Joseline began looking through maps of Plex City,which Starlio assumed that the two girls are going for the trip.Roy,the naughty student who used to follow Starlio on crazy stupid adventures in the past had finally passed his first exam,a 62 mark out of 100,Roy's best result yet and Conner,a 69.

"Oh my god dude I really have to thank you."Roy bro fists Starlio,Conner right in between them as the three friends headed towards the exit of the school once school ended.

"So,what you gonna do now that it's the holidays?"Conner asks.

"Continue building,see what I can create."Starlio answers.

"Hey hey,invite us when the space shuttle works."Roy jokingly says as Starlio laughs along,sarcastically replying:"Sure sure,I'll get you guys over once I build an iron man armor too."The three headed their separate ways as Starlio hopped onto his bike,ready to take off once again when an unexpected voice called him.

"Starlio!"Shannon Ray got his attention.

Starlio turned around to her,noticing her outfit for the first time.A slightly oversized white t shirt with short grey pants,a red cap that contrasted nicely against her blonde hair and her sky blue eyes,looking at him nervously.

"Yes,hi."Starlio awkwardly replies.

"So...uh....uhm...thank you for that day-"Shannon started when Starlio undeniably started blushing,having barely any conversations with girls previously."Uh....yea no problem.You-you don't have to thank me every time you come across me you know?"

"Yup...I know,I was just wondering if,you know you being the highest scorer in class,are you going for the charity trip to Plex City with us?I'm going with Angie."Shannon offers.

"Me?I can't afford it."

"It's discounted by the school."Shannon reminds him."Still can't,plus I have my brother to take care off when my mom goes for work.Can't really leave."Starlio lies a little.Mitchell was old enough to take care of himself and Starlio...wanted to continue building but at the same time...how fun would it be to join his class to travel,for the first time with his friends?

"Sorry if I'm bothering you uh...you can just take off without me first."Shannon says,noticing that Starlio was pushing his bike just to talk to her."Hey,no it's alright,which direction are you heading?"Starlio says as Shannon pointed directly forward,where he was going.

"Dareia Street."Shannon says.

"Wait what?"Starlio recognized the street right down his own.Shannon was living a mere street away from him all this time?"I'm on Orion street,never bumped into you all this time before."Starlio turns to her as Shannon smiled:"Well since we are heading towards the same way,let's go together?"

"Yep."Starlio could feel the ice between them melting away.

The two slowly walked away from the school as Shannon began:"Starlio...I don't know if,you are bothered by things like this but....with your results,why are you still in this school?Most prodigies are already in some big university."

"Yea a lot of people had asked me this before.Well,my family is not exactly doing well financially.Can't afford a better school."

"Well...you know,I-I barely passed this term's math exam.You always seem to have no problem scoring high marks so if you don't mind,can I tag-"

"Sure."Starlio blurted out too fast.

"Then maybe,we can meet up during the holidays.Study sessions."Shannon looked genuinely worried for her own grades as Starlio shook himself,trying not to drift too deep into his thoughts."That should be fine,do you have a number so I can contact you?"

"Sure,let me just type it into your phone."Shannon offers."I.....don't have a phone."

"You using your house number....well it's alright,I'll still call you."Shannon smiled at him,which instantly melted Starlio more than he should have been.She wasn't judging....like all the others,people who could not understand how he could live without a phone.

"Alright....see you then."Starlio tells Shannon as the two made their way to the end of the street where they parted ways.

Weekends arrived.

It was the end of the year.Starlio had already went on 3 study sessions with Shannon.Roy and Conner came over multiple times over the past two weeks and according to Conner,the school trip to Plex City charity was going to start on the first week of their holidays which was approaching quickly.

Starlio had scavenged more stuff from the scrapyard,adding on to his inventory of inventions with tracking darts and makeshift guns.Overkill?Maybe,but in this town ridden by poverty and crime,nothing can be too safe given that his house was literally falling apart.

Roy and Conner was about to arrive this evening.

His exo suit was taking shape.Starlio had successfully redirected the thrusters' circuits to link with the exo suit that he fitted to his own body,rewired many circuit boards that he found in the scrapyard to link to one another and four boosters,two on the exo suit's feet and two on it's back.Multiple lithium ion batteries that he found was powering the mechs in the scrapyard was also extracted and used to power the boosters.

If this works....this would be his best invention yet.

Starlio looked out of his second floor dusty and creaky window to see both Roy and Conner walking towards his house,signalling for him to get downstairs."Yo,big bro!Someone's on the house phone!"Mitchell interrupts Starlio who was about to open the door for his friends.

"Alright,can you get the door for Roy and Conner?Thanks."Starlio says as he answered the call.

"Hello?"Shannon's voice echoed through.

"Yes,hi."Starlio's heart began beating faster.He didn't understand it,but all he knew that Shannon was someone he wanted to spend more time with."Erm,if you are free tomorrow,Angie,Kane and Joseline wants to meet up for that physics project.Joseline says it's her last shot for joining us at the charity trip so she really wants to do well."

Starlio's heart sank a little.Shit......I thought I could have spent more time with her....wait,why am I thinking like this?Stop.

"Sure,just tell me the time and location."Starlio replies.

Roy and Conner both entered the house as Starlio noted down his next appointment with the group."North Star Library,tomorrow at 2 alright,got it.See you."Starlio says as Shannon ended the call.

"Chip,is it finally working?"Conner excitedly asks.

"Let's find out."

The exo suit now laid at Starlio's backyard,Conner cautiously monitoring the wire strapped to the back of a battery box Starlio extracted from a car and Roy,standing with a fire extinguisher in his hand,ready to respond in case any accidents were to occur.

"Alright,let's strap yourself in."Conner says,Starlio,analyzing the suit's parts to ensure everything was working when Roy interrupted him."You know how when I asked for you to guide me in math and told you that I would repay you?"

"Yea,what bout it?You gonna pass me the keys to a Ferrari?"Starlio jokes.

"Hm....close,but what if it's better."Roy fished out a familiar device from his pocket:Starlio's taser glove that Mrs Wooly confiscated.Starlio looked at Roy in awe and asked:"How in the world did you get this back?"

"She leaves her office unlocked."

"You absolute beast."

Starlio kept the glove before looked at the suit he was about to test out,strapping the exo suit on into himself,fitting his own feet into the metallic boots of the suit and after checking all the safety patches,Starlio gave Conner the thumbs up."Are you sure this thing will take off?"Roy asks.

"Nope.But let's see how it goes."Starlio says,flicking a switch on one of his forearms.

BOOM.

Starlio could feel the heat surging from his back and legs as he began losing control of his own balance.Wind blasted across his face,followed by a heat wave that made Starlio close his eyes."What the heck?!This is crazy!!"Starlio could hear Conner's muffled voice.

He was beginning to hover upwards,at least a meter above ground level and turned to his friends,laughing out in joy:"IT WORKS!"

Roy had his mouth opened in awe as Starlio looked down,smoke bursting through the bottom of his exo suit....no.....his jet pack.He can fly....he can fly!

"AHAHAHA!I DID IT!"

"YOU DID!"Conner congratulated his friend when he noticed the back piece of the suit was beginning to glow extremely orange.Starlio himself began to feel a burning sensation on his back when he noticed Conner yelling out something,muffled by the roar of his jet pack.Starlio narrowed his eyes,trying to make out what Conner was saying:

Fire.

Roy shut the battery box off as Starlio turned around to see flames from the corner of his eye,lighting up the back of his pouch.Before he could react,the jet pack shut off as Starlio fell back onto the ground.Conner ran towards him,trying to help Starlio when Roy held Conner back,spraying the fire extinguisher onto Starlio,dousing him in massive blasts of carbon dioxide that slowly resided the heat on Starlio's back.

Starlio quickly unstrapped himself,allowing Conner to get him up and quickly turning around to check on the damage on the jet pack,which to his relief,was still in one piece with just a small burn patch that exposed the engine of the boosters.

Roy shut off his extinguisher as the three friends sat back in relief on the backyard floor.

"Phew...."Roy wiped some sweat off his face.

"It's....it was fun while it lasted.Oh well,you can always just build another one Chip,don't be too upset over this one."Conner pat Starlio's shoulder as the prodigy began laughing to himself,which made Conner and Roy share a confused look with each other.

"It works....I know how to fix it.I think I know how to make it go higher.I want to fly."Starlio tells his friends.