origins-P14

FOURTEEN

Do you always sleep that late? Sage asked as he and Rowen rushed into the kitchen.

I could sleep til noon if you'd let me, Rowen replied. Let's go.

Sage, Rowen, come back for a moment!

What is it Mom, we're gonna be late?

It'll only take a minute, Dr. Date said, giving her son a small hug. She turned to Rowen and wrapped him in her arms. Are you sure you're okay going to school today?

Yeah, I'm sure, Rowen said.

Do you have your note that I wrote?

Yup.

Good. Oh, here, I made a lunch for each of you. She handed each boy a bag. She turned back to Rowen and took his hands in hers. Rowen, I want you to know that you're always welcome here. Come whenever you need to, or want to. Okay?

Mm hm. Um, I - I really appreciate everything you've done, um...

My pleasure Rowen, my pleasure. Sage?

What? Sage looked up from checking his watch again. Dr. Date pulled a small jingling object out of her purse and dangled it in front of Sage. He snatched them up before Rowen even had a chance to see what it was. Wow, cool Sage said. You're letting me take the car today?

Yes. Be careful.

I will. Thanks Mom!

*****

How do you have your liscence already? Rowen asked.

Technically it's so I can drive to work at one of the other family dojos if I need to, Sage explained. In reality, my parents just don't have time to drive me places. They figured it would be easier if I could just go myself. One advantage to my dad being a cop. Sage scanned the front of the school for a parking spot. Isn't that Kento and that other kid over there?

Rowen looked. Yeah. Why don't you park right there? He pointed to the single empty space in front of Cye and Kento.

Sage smirked at Rowen's sense of humor. The perfect parallel park, he said.

Out on the lawn, Cye nudged Kento. Hey, that green Bonneville is going to try and park in that small space.

Eh, he'll never make it, Kento said. Too bad. It's a nice car. They watched as the car slipped in with uncanny grace and fluidity, evenly placing itself between the front and back cars. Show off, Kento muttered.

Hey Kento, Cye said as the driver emerged, isn't that the same kid who talked to you about Rowen the other day?

Yeah, Sage Date, Kento grumbled. Didn't get to ask him yesterday about Row-

Rowen himself climbed out of the passenger seat of the Bonneville. Hey Sage, do you want me to lock the door?

Nah, I'll get it. If you've got everything, just shut it.

Sage and Rowen headed for the school. Sage looked at Rowen and nodded slightly towards Cye and Kento. Rowen gave an ever so small nod back. He turned to wave at them. Hi Kento, he said, just slightly emphasizing the name, and turned away again. Hey Sage, wait up!

*****

Kento scanned the cafeteria and spotted Rowen at their usual indoor table. He walked over and sat down.

Hi Kento.

What, like you Hi Kento-ed me this morning?

Rowen looked up with guilty sheepishness. Sorry, he said. It was kind of and impulse, it seemd like a good idea at the time -

And whose idea was it, yours or his?

Rowen frowned. Mine. And what have you got against Sage anyway?

He's a prick and a pretty boy who thinks he's better than everyone else. Plus he hangs around Kimi and Tammy. He was there the day I yelled at her in the hall, ya know.

He's not a prick, Rowen snapped. He doesn't like Kimi and Tammy any more than we do. I'll bet you didn't know that he, as well as most of the rest of the school, calls them the Bitch Squad too. They go and hang around Sage; he's just too polite to brush them off.

Kento snorted. He wasn't too concerned with being polite when he brushed me off the other day.

Rowen glared at him. He saved my life, he hissed.

And I haven't?

Rowen turned away, looking hurt and betrayed. He picked at his lunch.

Even before he said it, Kento regretted it. He'd never meant to think such a thing, much less say it out loud. Damn it, why can't I ever keep my mouth shut? he thought. But, Rowen was still Rowen, no matter what. Hey Ro?

No answer.

Rowen, I'm sorry. I've just been really worried about you the past couple of days, when you didn't come to school -

That's why I asked Sage to tell you where I was.

Yeah, I know. Kento looked at Rowen, who was still picking at his food, and searched for any sign of the usual injuries. Rowen, what happened to you? he asked. Sage may have come and talked to me, but he wasn't exactly overflowing with details.

Rowen took a quick glance around. They were in a corner and the acoustics in the room were terrible anyway. He sighed. Kento was still Kento, after all. I got beat, he said quietly.

Kento moved to the other side of the table so he could hear better. It must've been pretty bad.

It was. He made me drink his damned alchohol too -

He's never done that before, Kento said with slight alarm.

No, Rowen agreed. Then he beat me some more, I think even after I fell unconcious. When I woke up, he was just starting to, so I ran. I was so scared. It was really cold that night; I didn't have a sweatshirt or shoes or anything. I was on my way to your house, he looked at Kento, really I was, but about half way there I - I had an asthma attack. It seemed like the worst one I'd ever had. I really thought I was gonna die.

Kento gave Rowen's shoulder a squeeze. I wish I'd been there to help.

Rowen nodded and continued. I guess I collapsed and blacked out. Sage found me and brought me back to his house. His mom's a doctor so she wrote me note to get back into school. Geez, she even made me lunch.

Kento nodded, briefly wondering why Sage had been out that night. She sounds nice.

She is. Sage says she's not home that much though, cause she works weird hours. I didn't see his dad at all. He's a cop, so I guess he works weird hours too. His sister is always at friend's houses and he doesn't really get along with his grandfather, so he's home by himself a lot.

Kento gave Rowen's shoulder another squeeze. I'm just glad you're okay. And Rowen, I really am sorry about what I said.

Rowen smiled. It's okay. I know you didn't mean it.

The bell rang just then, so the pair parted ways for sixth period, leaving clean air between them.

*****

Rowen fidgeted as he watched the blue flame of the Bunson Burner heat the cloudy contents of the beaker. Normally chemistry lab was his favorite period

of the whole week (too bad it had to be last). But on this particualr Friday, Rowen just wanted out.

Stir, said Rowenls partner, who was timing the heating. He was a junior.

Rowen stirred, watching the mixture swirl around like violent storm clouds. he sighed. He was glad he'd had a talk with Kento. However, he wasn't so crazy about Kento's attitude towards Sage. I guess this whole having more than one friend thing is going to take some getting used to, Rowen joked to himself. He smiled inwardly at the thought. More than one friend. Friends in the plural. Rowen decided that, in spite of his father, his life was looking better than it had in a long time.

Stir.

Rowen stirred. Is that it? he asked.

Yeah. Write down what you see, then dump it and clean it.

Cloudy. Bluish-gray. Didn't boil. How do I always get stuck cleaning up? Rowen wondered. He picked up the beaker with some tongs and dumped it in the sink. There was a loud clink on the metal surface.

Rowen glanced around. No one else appeared to have heard it. He turned on the faucet and rinsed out the beaker. He peered in the sink. There at the bottom was, of all things, a blue marble. Without thinking, Rowen picked it up. It was comfortably warm, not hot like it should have been. Stupid, Rowen berated himself. You should never pick up stuff like that.

But it was pretty. It was deep blue, except for the center which was a glowing bluish white. It looked like a star in the night sky. Rowen smiled. He liked stars even better than chemistry. Rowen also noted with curiosity the kanji in the middle. Inochi. Life.

Hey. The lab partner again.

Huh? Startled, Rowen looked up.

He gave Rowen a look full of exasperation at the lowly sophmore's inattention. Stop daydreaming and start cleaning up. I'm not staying after the bell.

Rowen stuffed the marble in his pocket. Damn the juniors anyway, he thought as he put away the Bunson Burner. They're just mad because I'm acing the class and they're barely scraping by...