"Hey, guys! This is my cousin, John."
It was a nice summer day in the gated community of Xavier Flats when Bobby Drake first saw him. At first, Bobby only saw the small brunette Kitty Pryde; then St. John Allerdyce shuffled into his sightline. He was taller than Kitty by a few inches, but his body was just a slightly elongated version of hers, with the same lithe limbs and face shape. But at the same time, John was so different from his cousin.
While Kitty stood proudly in her summer-wear with her shoulders squared, John stood awkwardly, hands stuffed in the pockets of his hoodie and eyes focused on his dirty sneakers. His hair was a much lighter brown, and his eyes were darker. The thing that stood out the most, though, was their faces. Kitty was practically glowing, a bright smile on her face as usual; John looked petrified, biting his lower lip and looking at anything but the others.
"Well, John, say 'hi'," commanded Kitty.
John looked up, saw Bobby and the other two teens he was sitting with- Marie and Peter – and raised a hand covered in a finger-less glove. He was an odd sight in a children's park.
"Okay," Kitty said in exasperation. "John, this is Marie, Peter, and Bobby."
John nodded at them, not making eye contact.
"Hiya," greeted Marie in her typically southern bubbly manner.
"Hello, John," said Peter with a soft smile that John attempted (and failed) to return.
Bobby recognizing the shyness, just nodded and gave a half-smile. John's eyes gave an odd spark, one of interest, before he tensed up again, fiddling with something in his pocket.
"John, what's in your pocket?" asked Kitty sharply.
"Nothin'," snapped John, surprising the others with his quick temper and sudden use of vocal chords.
"It's that stupid lighter, isn't it?"
"What if it is? And it's not stupid!"
Bobby sighed. It was like Kitty was arguing with her boy self.
"John, give it."
"No!" yelled John, clenching his hand tighter around it.
"That cop said you can't have lighters!"
Bobby, Marie, and Peter exchanged surprised looks. Why did a cop tell John not to have lighters?
"I don't give a damn, this one's mine!" The eyes of the cousins narrowed. "And if you tell your mom, I will hurt you."
Bobby gave an involuntary shudder at John's tone. Bobby could already tell that John was some kind of delinquent, or at least a reforming one.
"Hey, Bobby. Tell her I should keep it."
Haunted hazel eyes looked into his icy blue, begging him for help.
"Kitty," he started softly. "Just let him keep it."
John's face lit up a little. "See?"
John looked at Bobby only to be motioned over. The smaller teen obeyed, but his manner went back to cautious like someone had flipped a switch.
"Why's that lighter so important?" asked Bobby as the other three melted into their own conversation.
"It's really pretty," said John, pulling a gleaming silver lighter from his pocket. "I even painted the shark face on it."
"That really is pretty. I would ask to hold it, but I don't think you'd let me."
"You can if you want. You're pretty cool."
Bobby noticed how John tensed when he said it, though, so he made no move to take it. "It's fine."
The corner of John's mouth pulled up and he relaxed a bit.
"So, do you like it here?" asked Bobby.
"It's pretty good. People are a lot nicer."
John's face turned a bit red once he said that. Something in Bobby's brain clicked. John had probably come from some sort of broken background, and that's why he seemed so awkward. He didn't quite know how to behave around people not like him.
"Well, glad you like it."
"Hey, John!" called Kitty. "Come tell these guys about your go-kart incident!"
John snickered a bit. "You might wanna hear this Bobby."
Okay, so. First serious story, so it probably isn't all that serious. Am I doing well at all? Anyway! I have 2 and a half chapters already written, so I'll be uploading soon. John's secrets in the next chapter! And the go-kart incident might be actually told later by a surprise character if you guys want. :D