Fresh Start


"Ok, baby." A short Puerto Rican woman crouched down to the small boy in front of her at the school gates, "I know this is a lot, and there's people here you don't know again." She nodded, placing her hands on his arms, "But you'll make friends." She smiled, "Ok?" She cupped his cheek, "You'll make friends and you'll learn lots of new things. Different things than all the other schools." She said as the five-year-old boy nodded along with her, "You know I love you so much, right?" She said.

"Mhm." The boy nodded, holding the straps of his backpack, his shaggy dark hair sitting on his head like a fluffy mop, dark brown eyes and skin like his mother's, gazing across at her, no longer phased by the pressures of starting a new school… and he was only five.

"I will be right here when you finish, ok?" She said as he nodded, "Mommy loves you." She nodded, leaning over and kissing his head, standing up straight, "Make it the best day." She smiled as he nodded, running away into the school as she took a deep breath.

The woman made her way back to her car parked outside the school, getting in and driving off. They'd only arrived in Chicago a few nights ago. It wasn't a planned-out destination. Most of the moves they made weren't. Chicago was the next flight out and she needed to get on it with her son. It only took her a few days of getting settled to enrol her son in a new school and find a job in a small café in town. She used her emergency money for a new apartment. It was just enough.

She drove to work, quickly getting out of the car and rushing into the café to start her shift. The last thing she wanted to do was show up late to her new job. She couldn't afford to lose it. It was the best thing going for her.

She spent most of her day serving coffee, cake and sandwiches to customers. Some were enjoying a coffee whilst reading their book, some were on a lunch break from work and some were with friends and family. It was a cosy little café, and she was no stranger to waitressing life.

She was taking her lunch break after the busy rush when one of the other waitresses walked out to the back where she was.

"Cigarette?" The girl asked as she took out her pack of cigarettes.

Oh, no. I… I don't smoke." She shook her head.

"Why are you standing out here then?" The other waitress wondered.

"Just for some fresh air." She smiled pleasantly.

"Well, I never got the chance to introduce myself because of how busy it was." She said, "I'm Bonnie." She extended her hand.

"April but you can just call me AJ." The Puerto Rican woman smiled, "It's nice to meet you."

"Yeah, you too." Bonnie nodded, puffing on her cigarette, "So are you new to the area then?" She asked her.

"New to the state actually." AJ said, "Came here a few days ago."

"And you already got a job? Go you." Bonnie nodded.

"Desperate times." AJ said, "The hours here are ideal for me to pick my son up from school." She said.

"Oh, you have a son? What age?" She wondered.

"Five." AJ said, "He's not too thrilled about the whole… starting a new school again." She said, "But he's way better at making new friends than I am." She teased lightly as Bonnie laughed.

"I think you're doing alright." Bonnie nodded, stepping on her cigarette and folding her arms, "So… are you here for a new start?" She asked.

"Yeah, you could say that." AJ nodded, "Never seems to last for long." She said.

"Why is that?" Bonnie asked her as AJ just shrugged, with no answer ready for her, "Well, welcome to Chicago, honey." She patted AJ's arm, walking back into the café as AJ stayed outside for the fresh, cool air.


"What'd I say about doing that shit in my house?" A tattooed man shook his head as he ripped the cigarette from his friend's hand and walked into the kitchen to toss it in the trash.

"Do you know how expensive these are now? Why'd you do that?" The dirty-blonde haired man stood up angrily, "I don't know why we bother coming here if you don't let me smoke."

"It's disgusting and you're going to die when you're forty." The man warned.

"You're lucky I made it to thirty." His friend countered back as the tattooed man just shook his head and sat down beside him.

"You two are literally like an old married couple." The two-toned haired man across the couch said, "Dean is like the husband, Punk is the wife."

"Great. Women are awesome." Punk shrugged and reached for the television remote.

"I thought you'd be spending time with Kat." Dean said, running his hand through his messy hair as Punk, or Phil to those who really knew him said. Punk was a sported nickname he'd grown up with.

"We sort of broke up." Punk shrugged.

"Well there's a surprise." Seth said sarcastically across on the other couch, "What was it this time?"

"Nothing." Punk shook his head, "I just… I don't even think I want a relationship. Things were never that serious anyway."

"You'll get back with her in a week, though." Dean laughed.

"Nah. Not this time." Punk shook his head, "All she ever goes on about is how rich I'd be if I worked with my dad and I wasn't a mess." He said, "First of all, that guy isn't my dad. Second of all… fuck off." Punk shrugged as Dean and Seth laughed.

"She's got a point, though." Seth said, "You would be pretty rich. I know you don't see eye-to-eye with your family but… they've never done that wrong by you, have they?"

"You don't know the half of it." Punk said, "They're not my family." Punk made clear, "Kat can clear off if that's all she's interested in." He shrugged, "I'm happy in the comic store. It's what I like. It's what I enjoy. And it gets me by." He shrugged.

"We know, man." Seth nodded, "You're right. Who cares what she thinks. You do what makes you happy. We know you find it tough with your family." He said, "The comic store is great. We all love it." He nodded.

"You've never saw them as your parents anyway." Dean said.

"That's because they aren't my parents. They're just… foster parents who decided they wanted to adopt a kid and then got disappointed when they picked me out." He said, "Like I was some fucking dog getting taken home as a Christmas present." He said, "I was better off staying in the streets."

"Yeah, I think we all feel like that sometimes." Dean said, "But they still gave you shelter and a life and three meals a day. You were lucky like that." He said.

"Yeah, I'm thankful for all of that stuff but… you don't know them. They're strange. They always have been." He said, "There was a reason I always stayed at your places." He said.

"Good times." Seth nodded, "When was the last time you even saw them?"

"I don't know. Like a year ago or something." Punk shrugged, "I don't care what they're doing."

"Yeah, clearly." Dean laughed, "You raised yourself like a wolf anyway, who needs parents?" He slapped Punk's back brotherly as Punk just laughed, "Anyone up for a party tonight?" He asked them.


"So how was school?" AJ asked, standing at the kitchen as she made dinner whilst her son sat at the small kitchen table doing his homework, "Kace?" She turned around as her son just shrugged.

"It was ok." Kace said, "Didn't make any friends." He said.

"Oh, baby. That's ok." AJ said, turning the pots down on the stove and walking over to him, taking a seat at the table, "It might take a little while for you to settle in but you'll make friends eventually." She assured him.

"But then we'll just move again." Kace shrugged as AJ frowned and looked across at him sadly. It killed her that this was her son's life. That it was so chaotic and unstable. It wasn't what she wanted for him at all, but it's what she had to do.

"Maybe this will be a good place for us to settle?" AJ shrugged, "I know… I know it's so hard moving all the time and… especially when it happens so quickly but… believe me, baby. I wouldn't do it if it wasn't necessary." She said as Kace just nodded, "Wherever we go, you're always gonna have me, and we'll be safe together." She nodded.

"Yeah." Kace nodded, "This is better than the last place." Kace nodded, "I like my room." He told her as she stood back up and concentrated back on dinner.

"Yeah, you like it?" AJ smiled, "Maybe we can get decorate it up a little. What do you say?" She asked.

"Yeah!" Kace exclaimed, "Let's do that." He cheered as AJ smiled. All she wanted was for him to be safe and happy. That's why she had to keep moving. Keep getting them out of danger. She wasn't going to ever let anything happen to him.


After dinner, AJ put Kace to bed, reading him a story which helped him fall asleep before leaving his room and heading to bed herself to read some of her book in bed. Knowing they were safe here was a blessing… so far anyway. So much of her life, her past was filled with terror and unsafety, and she had to get away, she had to keep moving at any sign of danger. It'd been this way since Kace was born. She knew she didn't just have herself to protect, and she knew she couldn't beat the odds. There were too many.

She got into bed and sunk down into the covers with her book. They weren't wealthy at all. There were saving funds that she dipped into at times of desperate need, and she had her job, but they weren't well off at all. AJ was just glad she could still put a roof over her son's head, and give him three hot meals a day, and make sure he got a good education. It was everything she wished she had. She always promised she'd do right by him.

She was reading her book, feeling her eyes nip with tiredness as she read the words on the page when suddenly she began to hear booming coming from downstairs, like extremely loud music. It was so loud it was even vibrating some of the furniture in the bedroom.

She sat up, sitting her book on her night stand and grabbing her hoodie from the bottom of the bed, leaving her bedroom as she put it on over herself. It was pretty late on at night, and it was through the week. She didn't find it very amusing that such loud music was blaring through the full apartment block.

She checked on Kace first and was glad to see he was still fast asleep, but she couldn't stand the noise a minute longer, and left the apartment, rushing downstairs to the next floor and knocking on the door where the music was coming from, having to knock a few times for anyone to notice.

Finally someone answered and she found herself looking on at a fully tattooed man, who strangely looked sober.

"Uh… do I know you?" Punk shook his head, "Are you friends with Dean? Seth?" He wondered.

"No." AJ shook her head, "No I'm living upstairs." She said, "I was just wondering if you could turn the music down? My son is asleep. He's only five."

"Well if he's asleep then it must not be bothering him." Punk shrugged, about to close the door over when AJ put her foot forward to stop him.

"I'm asking you nicely." AJ spat, "Or else I'll call the cops." She said, "It's disrespectful and inconsiderate." She warned, "Some of us have work in the morning."

"I have work too, lady." Punk said, "It's just a party. You're welcomed to join." He smirked as she tutted.

"Just turn it down. Please." AJ asked.

"Ok, alright. Fine." Punk nodded as AJ walked away and headed back upstairs as Punk rolled his eyes and closed the door over.

AJ got back into her apartment, noticing Kace standing outside his room as she closed the apartment door over and locked it, "It's ok, baby. C'mon, let's get you back into bed." She walked over to him, taking his hand and leading him back into his room.

"Why's it so noisy, mommy?" Kace asked, rubbing his eyes as AJ walked over to his bed with him, helping him back in.

"There's just a little party going on downstairs but I asked the man if he could turn the music down and he said ok." She lied as Kace just nodded and sunk down into his bed, "Close your eyes back over." She crouched down at his bedside, stroking his cheek softly, pausing her actions when she suddenly heard the music get louder, shaking her head and sighing as Kace looked over at her.

"Can I sleep beside you tonight?" Kace asked as AJ nodded.

"Yeah, ok." AJ nodded, standing up and lifting him up out of bed, carrying him through to her bedroom, letting him onto the bed as he settled down onto one side of the double bed.

"It's so loud." Kace said as AJ nodded, laying down beside him.

"I know. I'm sorry, baby. It's just one night, ok? It'll quieten down." She said, cupping his cheek softly, "Try closing your eyes." She hummed, doing her best to get him back to sleep through the unbearably loud music.


A/N: Let me know what you think!