I ducked and dived as fist missed me by the skin of my teeth. I jabbed back at the fleshy hands and then ducked as they went for my head. I crouched down and rolled over behind her as she lunged for me. I kicked the back of her knee so that she would fall to the ground with a thud.

"You little shit!" I chuckled loudly as I flipped backward so her kick couldn't reach me. If I was anymore ignorant and naive, I would have thought she had a small smile on her face. But why would she? "Alright, alright. Let's call it, for now, you little monster. You have a curfew. Remember?" I jumped to my feet as the amulet fell from my chest and into my hand. I pulled out my phone and checked the time to see I have twenty minutes to take the thirty minutes bike ride back home.

Shit.

I about ran out of the room before Nomura stopped me with a shout. "HEY!" I turned back around as keys hit me in the chest. I caught them before they hit the ground and looked back at her. "Take the motorbike. But if you scuff it, I tear you apart limb from limb while whistling gleefully. You got that?" I nodded and ran outside to take the dirt bike. I sped home that night like I was a normal joyful fourteen-year-old.

My arms were aching and the gaze wrapping around my chest where my now scar ran across my chest. Little scars scattered across my body like distant pink fading stars in a white pure sky. But beneath it, muscle built slowly. Making it seem that it was due to extensive workouts or accidents. Or at least I made myself believe it seemed that way.

But I was stupid enough to believe that I could keep the bruises and the scars hidden from society. From my family. From my mother. But that changed as time went on, I realized that I was stupid for ever thinking so.

But who could blame me? Who would have ever thought? It was the first time I had a full family. He was my father figure. She was like the crazy drunken aunt that tried to help me figure out how to not break but also bend the rules. I thought that they wanted the best for me. Teach me how to survive in a new world that I understood that no other kid was apart of.

"Atlas." I snapped out of my thoughts and looked at Toby who was now tugging at my gym shirt. "Dude, it's your turn for the rope of doom." He pointed at the rope that was hanging lazily off the ceiling.

This is doom to him? One hell of a hyperbole.

"Oh, that." I took my shoes off with ease and stepped onto the squishy mats that were placed probably for jump landing. I looked at Coach Lawrence and gave him a small nod that basically stated that I knew exactly what I was walking up to.

"Alright, Mr. Lake. Once you grab the rope, I'll start the timer." I rubbed my hands together and took a deep breath.

Alright. You got this Atlas. Strickler made you do this a lot when you did basic training as a kid. It's just to a ceiling instead of the top of a wall. Nothing huge.

With that in mind, I grabbed the rope and jumped from my ground position up a decent twenty-three inch jump up with the help of the pulling of my arms. I quickly started traversing my hands and pulled myself up rather quickly up the rope. It felt like a couple of minutes passed before I rung the bell and jumped down a couple of feet before grabbing the rope again from the halfway mark so decrease the falling height. Then I jumped off again, landing easily on my feet. Knees bending on impact to cause the least amount of possible damage. I looked up to see most of the boys in decent shock.

Did I do that too fast? Did I do something wrong?

"Only thirty seconds over two minutes for you to climb this thing." He held the end of the rope in his hand. He looked up to the ceiling, released the rope from his hands and started rubbing his eyes. He seemed to be in disbelieve.

"You about broke a school record kid! And it's the second day!" He gave me a big pat on the back with a beaming smile. "Let Atlas here give you boys an example of true physical fitness. If he can cut time off that, so can't you with your times!" Then he looked at Toby. "Or just climb the rope at all for some of you. Anyway, time for some fun! Do some warm-ups in the center! Palchuk! Since you warm-ups at the summer football practices, you can lead them here." We all started to head to the center before I was pulled back on my shoulder.

"I want to talk to you, sonny." Coach Lawrence got in front of me and placed both his hands on my shoulders. "Kid, you were only twenty seconds off from beating the school record that had been held since the eighties! How did you get so active? It was obvious this was your first rodeo." I gave him a small shrugged as I tried to open the filing cabinet of lies I kept within my head.

"My step-aunt was in the military. She was trained in multiple different forms of combat while overseas. When my step-father married my mother, she decided it was her job to teach me how to defend myself and be ready for whatever comes my way. Which included walls with ropes dangling from them and showing me how to climb them without relying on my feet."

I'm learned really well how to make a lie not far from the truth. You learn rather quickly to do as so when it comes to being the Trollhunter anyway. Lies just become painted over truths that were just adjusted to make it seem like it fit the reality.

But at least I didn't go with my normal story. About my father being in the military. If he knew about my step-father being Strickler, that would have been looked into and noticed as a lie instantly.

"I was wondering why. Mr. Strickler said you were special. That he had personal ties to you in some form. Said you were like a son to him. That have anything to do with it?"

Yep. Thank Deya I didn't go with that one.

"Kind of. It's a long story."

"It fine kid. I've witnessed it enough times to understand. I was wondering though if you were interested in joining some sports team though. Put that military training to use."

Shit. What do I say? I can't just say "Sorry sir, I fight monsters till one in the morning so adding more physical labor might actually get me slaughtered" is not a good fucking way to say no.

Then I heard a laugh I got rather acquainted with over the summer and looked in its direction. Claire was sitting with two of her friends with her phone sideways in her hands. One I recognized as Darci and the other I didn't know at all. Then instantly remembered my promise to her in English on the first day.

That's it!

"I'm really sorry Coach." I looked directly at him after I begun to speak. "But I promised a friend of mine that I would join her in the theater program. She said they would need as many experienced actors as possible."

"Oh, you're an actor?"

I nodded my head. "My step-father had a passion for literature. Shakespeare is one of his personal favorites. I was raised on it."

"So it's like it runs in your veins. Not biologically but you-you know what I mean."

"Yes, sir."

"Just call me Coach, kid. You've earned it already. But if you ever change your mind, there will be a warm welcome from the team to you."

"Thanks, Coach." He gave me a smiled and patted me on the back. "No problem. Now go join them. Don't want them thinking I have favorites."

I ran over to the rest of the guys with a single thought on my mind.

You already showed them favoritism as it is, but okay.

"What did Coach talk to you about?" Toby was struggling to put back on his converses as he talked to me. I shrugged as he asked. "Nothing much. Was asking me if I wanted to join some sports teams this fall."

"OOOO! Are you going to do it?!" He looked over to me with a giant smile on his face. I was relieved that I had just put on my normal shirt before he glanced over.

I don't need him seeing the scars just yet. Also, I don't remember Toby being so much like those over exaggerated human emojis. He's lucky he's my best friend. If not, I would have chucked him out a window by now.

I smiled to myself as I put on my normal shoes. "Nah. Sports aren't really my thing. The only reason I'm fit and know how to do that is that my step-father's kind of sister was really into self-defense and knowing how to get out of bad situations like she had to in high school. Besides," I shut my gym locker as I grabbed my school bag off the floor. "I promised Claire that I would audition for the fall play. Whenever that would be."

I could easily see Toby's clear knowing smile on his face. "You like her don't you?"

What?

"What?"

Toby gave me a slightly shocked look. "Dude, you've never had a thing for a girl since you left, huh?"

Well, there were, attractions. To say the least. But nothing huge. Strickler made it obvious to me that girls would only be a distraction from my goal. To not do what he did. Love is for those that want to be thrown into a battle that would only leave you scarred. That my skin would be scarred enough from the war I was already in.

But when was he ever right?

"I've had, things. Sure. Nothing huge though. But, I'm not sure. Claire's, unique." He nodded along. "Spoken like a modern Romeo."

"Ironically, that's the play she asked me to think about auditioning for."

"Dude. She's noted to be one of the best of everything she does. Know what that means?" I gave him a raised eyebrow. "She knows she'll more than likely be Juliet. If not, then it's a more than likely in the back of her mind. You being a tall and decent looking guy that she knows has a history with plays, is more than likely to be her Romeo."

Oh.

"Huh. I never really thought of that." Toby had just finally put both of his shoes on with a celebratory 'yes'. "That's why you have me. I'm the lady whisper."

Right. He's a modern-day playboy Romeo. Oh, there are so many girls hanging off his arm.

Totally.

As school let out, I started walking to my locker with Toby beside me. We were just walking in a normal full round talk. Till I heard a kid yell from down the hallway. I instantly got into defense mode and started running toward the voice.

"Atlas! Where you going?!" I ran down the hall and rounded the corner to see two kids from our PE class and a couple of others. There was a pretty athletic looking blonde shoving a smaller boy with glasses into a locker. Laughing as the kid was yelling at him to stop. I recognized the blonde kid very well. I remembered him from my Spanish class as well.

Palchuk. That was his name. Steve Palchuk.

"Great. Only the second day in and he's starting stuff."

This kid has done this before? Who the fuck didn't teach him a lesson?

I felt a strong rage fill my veins. This outraged me. I felt like a bull within a ring and all around me was red. I started stomping over toward. "Dude! What are you doing?!" I heard Toby whisper-yell to me but I ignored it. I had already placed my mind to teaching this kid a lesson.

No one is going to stop me.

"Hey! Let him out will ya? It's only the second day in and I doubt he did anything to you wrong enough validate this kind of treatment."

"Oh, it's the rope version of Tarzan! How about you keep your face out of my business?" I got a little closer as I heard shuffling behind me. I didn't quite care. No kid deserved that shit.

I should know.

"Just let him out of the locker. No one deserves that shit."

"Oh, big language for a small build of a boy."

"Says the one with so little of self-esteem that he puts it out on someone that can't defend themselves. Isn't his fault that you'll end up in a muffler shop. I don't know the other one but by how smart he was in math, I would guess that he's gonna go far. Isn't his or anyone's fault that you're not." I got basically up to face him straight on. I could tell that he was ready to throw a couple of punches.

"You don't want to fight me, man. It's not gonna end well. I'm new here and I don't want my first encounter with the principal to be about a fight. Even if I didn't care about that, I would make you seem like a fool anyway."

"I doubt that. You're a no one." We were basically talking to each other in hushed anger. But I backed up with a smirk. "I might be a no one, but at least I have morals."

Instantly he went to throw a left hook at me and I dodged it like it was nothing. I looked at his face and it was obvious to see that he didn't like that. I put my hands in my pockets nonchalantly.

Not my fault. I warned him.

He kept throwing punches but I kept dodging. After a few attempts, he seemed to be out of breath.

For a fellow teen that suppose to be 'Peak of the physical prowess' like I heard him say when we were in the locker room before PE, he can't keep up.

But I also have been trained in combat for years. Fighting is in my blood. More like it was injected into my veins by force, but nevertheless.

I looked around to see that we have gathered a crowd. Not a large one, but a crowd. I saw a few familiar faces. Two that mattered the most to me for the moment. Claire's and Toby's. Claire's was a mix of shock and worry which I could understand. She didn't seem to see what I did while in class today so she must have been at least a little shocked by how I can keep up physically with no true effort. Also, she seemed to really care. At least a little bit.

It kind of warmed my heart a little bit actually. Not many normal people have actually cared for me. Not outside of those that already knew me before both my moves or from knowing I was the Trollhunter.

But her and Toby were the only ones I believe that were outside of my family that actually quite enjoyed my company.

Speaking of Toby, his face was in awe. He didn't seem shocked at all about Steve being breathless and not about me.

There was only one problem though. I let myself get distracted.

There was a fist the whistled through the air and knocked me across the face. The balled hand of flesh contacting to my chin. I didn't move though. I just stood like a rugged and solid statue. He was proud of himself though.

"Ah ha! Not so big bad and tough are we?" I slowly moved my head back to look at him dead on. Giving him a raised eyebrow. "You really think that hurt? Punch me all you want Goldilocks, but I just wanted the guy you stuffed into the locker to be let out."

"What the-How the-?" I rolled my eyes and started heading over to the lockers. "Hey bud, can you hear me?" I heard the muffle through one of the many shut lockers.

"Yeah! Over here!" I walked over to where I thought he was. "Over here?" I said back to him with a smile. Even though it did sting.

"Yeah! Right in front of you!"

"Perfect. What's your name, mate?" I started to try to pull the locker open. It was slammed awkwardly so the handle of it was no help to open it.

"I'm Elijah Pepperjack. But everyone calls me Eli." "Well it's nice to meet you, Eli, I'm Atlas. Atlas Lake." With that, I popped it open and he about fell out. When he did, he landed awkwardly on one knee but somewhat on his other foot. He fixed himself to stand as I closed the locker once again.

"My glasses! Do you see my glasses?" He went back onto his knees and started fumbling about with his hands out. I picked up the glasses that weren't too far from him and placed it into his hands. He gave me a small thank you and put them back on his face. Right then he gave a scared look to whatever he saw.

"Atlas! Watch out." I looked over to see Steve was charging at me and Eli. I helped him up as quickly as I could and pushed him lightly out of the way before stepping back myself. I barely got out of the way before Steve started throwing fists at me once again. I started dodging easily once again. He tried to run and grab me but I flipped out of the way like I constantly did with Nomura in the past.

He wasn't liking it either.

His face was red and looked like that of a bull. Constantly barging into fights and wanting to cause pain as much as possible. That was until a voice caused him to stop.

"Come on Steve. All Atlas wanted to do was to help Eli. Just leave him alone." I looked over to see Claire step forward pridefully. Her arms crossed across her chest and her weight mainly shifted to her one leg.

"Stay out of this Nuñez."

"Don't disrespect her like that." Instantly his attention was brought back to me. "Being a little knight in armor huh?"

Oh, you have no idea.

"I just know not to disrespect a lady. Especially when they're right." I was expecting it when he jabbed me in the stomach.

Shit.

I hunched over a little bit. I already had a bruise resting there from the night before due to stupid fucking goblins and it made the pain even worst. He got closer and tried to shove me over but I instead dropped to my shoulder and rolled out of the way. This was when I heard angry footsteps walk up beside me.

"Palchuk! Stop this!" Claire was clearly upset that this all kept going. She about got in front of me but I got up quickly to get myself between her and the raging blonde as he got closer.

If he lays a hand on her I swear to Daya I will slash him to pieces.

"This is getting to be way too much. Atlas already got Eli out of the locker. Just leave it be!" When he got really close I put my arm out before her protectively. Giving him a death glare with ease.

Don't tempt me.

I won't hesitate.

He got a little bit closer, almost touching my arm but I about growled at him. "If you touch her or come any closer, I swear I'll take you to the ground." I was too busy staring Steve down that I ignored the feeling of a set of eyes looking at me. Steve and I didn't break eye contact until he decided to turn and take his leave without another word. His little group from before the fight following behind him. I didn't let my guard down though until I watched them all rounded the corner. I dropped my arm and looked over to Claire instantly.

"Are you okay?" She looked at me with disbelief for a second and then started laughing that seemed to be laced with adrenaline and worry but also out of minor shock.

"Are you seriously asking me that? You got punched in the face! And the stomach!" I gave her a small shrug. "Nothing I haven't had in the past. I was more worried about Eli and then you to worry about myself." I gave her a small smile after I spoke.

"You really are something else, you know that?"

If only you knew.

"I have for a while."

I didn't realize that the rest of the crowd disappeared until Eli and Toby walked up to us. "Dude! Did you aunt teach you that too?" I chuckled at Toby's instant curiosity. "Yup. Like I told Coach Lawerance, I was trained in combat for a little while. In comparison, that is nothing compared to some of the stuff she put me through."

I looked over to Eli who was standing there with a hand on his elbow. "What up Eli?" He gave me a sheepish smile and rubbed at the back of his neck. "I just wanted to say thank you. For the rescue and all. You didn't have to." I gave him a smile and knocked him lightly in the shoulder with a friendly fist.

"The world is better when we look out for each other, and from what I've seen, you're not a bad dude. You didn't deserve being pushed into that thing."

I know the true world. Multiple different species and multiple different little 'worlds' that each live within. The real world is full of deep darkness. Manipulation. It's the few that can actually cause a positive change that is forced to go through hell.

To be honest, I see a lot of the past me within you.

No wonder I jumped to protect you.

I looked back to Claire and I guessed Toby immediately took the hint.

"How about we go gather your stuff from your locker Eli? Steve probably won't try anything else if you're around someone that has Atlas on speed dial."

"But my locker is this-"

"Come on Eli!" Toby grabbed the poor kid by the arm and pulled him the opposite direction which caused a small giggled to escape from Claire. "Is your friend all ways like that?"

"I don't know. I haven't actually been here for a little while. We texted, yeah, but it's not the same as him being-Well, him." This coxed another laugh.

"Lo juro. Sigues sorprendiéndome." My eyes widened at how perfect her pronunciation was. "I surprise you? ¿Sabes lo difícil que es encontrar a alguien que hable español con fluidez?" She gave me a big smile and grabbed onto my elbows in excitement.

"You know Spanish?!"

"Guilty as charged. I blame my father."

"Well, I'm Hispanic so I have an actual reason to be fluent."

I just gave her a smile as we stood there silently. She gave me a small one in reply. It was obvious she was somewhat nervous. I didn't understand why until I thought more about the silence myself.

If the stars were not made of fire. If the sun actually did move, then someone could say that I did not feel something within that moment.

It absolutely terrified me.

I never meant to feel something. I never meant for someone to get under my skin. Toby and my mother were one thing. People I knew I couldn't keep out of my life. I knew what it would come to. I knew exactly what would happen to them.

"Emotions are what causes us to lose our reason."

"If anyone fights alongside you. They will die. There is no question or hesitation while I say this. They will die."

Shakespeare had said it best. "And yet, to say the truth, reason and love keep little company together nowadays".

We just stood there. Until a car horn was pressed repeatedly and she jumped slightly. She pushed one of her hairs behind her ear as she laughed lightly at herself. "I'm betting that's my parents. I'll see you around?"

"Defiantly."

With that, she left. I stood there even after I watched her go. A smile seemed to be etched into my face as if I was a sculpture that was freshly chiseled.

Well if Michelangelo wanted to create me anew and destroy all that I ever knew, then he could recreate me in any form he deemed fit. As long as it had some happiness in it.

Wouldn't that be ironic though? A person of my caliber, desiring happiness? Desiring something more than just peace for once of someone of my destiny is unheard of.
But I sure as hell wanted it within that moment.