IthinkImKevin- You can't rush perfection, lol.

Lemon Moons- Can't answer that just yet, but all will be revealed in time.

Goldyx- Could be 20-25 or more.

hrg2damax- I guess this isn't too big of a spoiler, but yes, she will be included.

Aldo W. T- I know your review didn't contain any questions, but it was still a very thyoughtful review. Thank you!

Guest- I haven't read it, but I will hopefully find the time in the future!

leozkin- I just interpret the word as "romantic-awesomeness", but I guess it's sort of subjective.

Hello, and welcome back for chapter thirteen! It's been a fun ride so far (sort of), but it's about to get even more mesmerizing as the story progresses! Enjoy the new chapter!

Nick POV

Oh, it's times like these I wished would never come.

I pace throughout my room, ranting to myself in frustration as I clench my paws shut.

My mind is clear on what I want...no, need to do, but my mind is still an erratic haze. It's safe to say that this condition isn't something I'd wish on even my fiercest enemy...

Love.

Sure, it's all bright and happy, but it's the "what-if" factor that gets to me. I've always been one to think of the worst case scenario in situations such as this, so the possibilities terrify me.

I want so badly to tell her and get it over with, but how?

What if she rejects me? What if-

Don't think of what-ifs, Nick! That won't help at all!

But I have to! It's who I am!

For once Nick, just do it!

When has that worked in the past?

Good point.

I sit down on my bed and take a deep, audible breath as I attempt to rid myself of this oppressing tension; which I fail to do.

"Why does it have to be so hard?" I ask aloud, and my mother overhears me, cracking my door open.

"Why does what have to be hard?" she asks me, and I cringe, hoping she didn't notice me pacing my room in deep thought.

"Nothing, mom" I answer simply, hoping she'll nod and walk away.

Guess today isn't my lucky day.

She rolls her eyes knowingly and enters my room, placing some of my ironed clothes on my dresser.

"Nick, you don't think I'm stupid, do you?".

I mentally smack myself before I continue reluctantly.

"Mom..." I groan, but she crosses her arms, ready for me to confess.

"I can help you if you're willing to tell me, Nick" she states with a wink, and I know she knows of my current mental strife.

My ears lie flat on my head as I stare down at the floor, muttering each word as they flood into my mind.

"Mom, you can't tell anyone! I mean it! But I'm just trying to figure out...how to tell her..." I struggle to say.

"Well, for starters, who is "her?".

"You know who."

"Judy?" she asks with a knowing look.

"Who else could it be?" I ask her.

"Well..." she trails off.

Just the very thought of telling Judy causes me to panic on the inside; a whirlwind of emotions tearing at my heart with aggravating intensity.

"I don't really want to talk about it. I mean, I'll figure it out eventually..." I mutter, and she puts on an empathetic expression.

"Well, if you ask me, it looks like she feels the same way" she assures me, and I roll my eyes in a disbelieving manner.

"I don't know about that" I mumble, quite bitter at the thought of being rejected by Judy.

Obviously, my mother notices this, and she tilts her head a bit, trying to find the source of my uncertainty.

"Nick, is it because you're a fox?"

I squeeze my eyes shut, indirectly admitting my concerns without speaking a word.

My mother sets my clothes down and sits beside me, noting how stressed I appear to be.

"Listen; Judy is a sweet girl. Trust me, I can tell, and I know that you know too. She doesn't judge people by their species" she persuades me.

"But it still bothers me, mom" I speak softly, the weight of the world on my shoulders.

"Well, a few weeks ago you didn't have any friends at all, and now you have someone who will never leave your side no matter what. I can tell that she's genuine and that she'd never ditch you. She's not like everyone else, honey" she tells me once again, and I smile softly.

"Well, I hope you're right about that".

She stares blankly at me, shocked at my lack of trust in what I feel.

"You'll be fine" she tells me as she pulls me in for a brief hug, and then exits my room, leaving me drowning under the pressure of my emotions.

"Goodnight!" I call to her.

"Goodnight!" she replies, "Oh, and I saw the hole in your wall".

I take a deep breath, preparing to be scolded quite harshly.

"But it's okay. I'm getting it fixed. I just want you to be more careful in the future" she says, and I smile in affirmation.

"Thanks for not...getting mad about that" I say honestly as my ears are restored to their usual upwards position.

"It's no problem, Nick. Now get some rest".

My talk with my mother did little to effect the way I feel at this point in time about my feelings for a certain rabbit. No matter how hard I try, simply discarding my feelings is essentially impossible. Judy really is the best thing ever to happen to me, and I don't expect that to ever change.

Before I met her, my entire life was a blur of misery; and that's what strengthens my love for her so boldly.

My phone vibrates and I pick it up eagerly, and I smile upon seeing that my newest text is from Judy.

"OMG yes!" the text reads.

We are currently discussing our favorite foods with each other, and we've both settled on a universal favorite between us: popcorn.

Sure, it's not exactly a cuisine or anything, but it sure is delicious.

"Especially carrot flavored!" she adds, and I chuckle.

She really does like carrots. I mean, she loves carrots! Maybe she should be named "carrots"! I joke to myself, finding the nickname to actually be quite catchy.

Now, if only she loved me...

Judy POV

I stand on the balcony of my still-new home, gazing off into the stars around me. Although I've been in this home a few weeks now, I still haven't taken the time to stand on this balcony that I now find to be quite interesting.

Sure, it's only two floors up, but the view of the city is riveting, and the constellations above me mesmerize my mind as a certain subject continues to attack it.

I really wish I could' have just been friends with Nick. I wish I hadn't felt anything more than I did a few weeks back, when everything was normal.

I hear a knock on the door and I take a deep breath, imagining if it were to be Nick.

"Yes?" I call, and I hear the door slide open, and someone steps outside.

"Hey" my sister's voice speaks gently, and I breathe a sigh of relief.

I'm in no mood to speak with my father, especially considering how moody he has been as of late. My mom swears it's because of his new medication, but I fear it may be due to my friendship with Nick.

Imagine if I were to become more than friends with Nick? What would he think? What would he say? It's almost impossible to think about.

"Hey. Something wrong?" I ask.

"Well, I haven't really gotten a chance to speak to you lately" Maddie replies, walking up beside me.

"I'm sorry about that" I tell her, "And I know it's been hard with everything going on..." I speak.

"It's been harder for you, Judy. Your friend almost died. Twice".

I nod slowly, knowing she is right. The difference here is that Maddie was a lot closer to Bryce than I was.

Also, I guess you could say that I deal with conflicts in a much different manner than that of Maddie. While I'm a natural optimist, Maddie deals with problems in a much more bleak way. The death of my brother was overwhelming for me, so I can't imagine what Maddie must be feeling.

"Yeah, but it's not like that's over. I mean, he's this new symbol for...a fox revolution or something. I mean, I want foxes to be equal, but I don't like Nick being in the middle of it" I tell her, and I think she understands.

"Well, at least he's making a change in this city" she replies.

"I...I still hate it that people want him dead! I mean, he's the sweetest kid ever! He's so fun, and awesome, and-"

I stop talking when I notice the look my sister is giving me, her amber eyes squinted knowingly.

"So it's true. You do like him!" she says with a smirk, and I panic.

"Oh! No! No! Of course not! I'm just...uh..."

I can't find a way to finish my sentence, but my sister does it for me as she leans over the railing of the balcony beside me.

"In love?" she asks, fluttering her eyelashes teasingly.

I sigh deeply and bury my face into my paws, not daring to lie to my sister.

"Okay, fine! I'm...I'm in love with him" I admit, "And you better not tell anyone!" I say quietly yet threateningly.

"You're in love with a fox? I'm not going to tell, but sheesh. I didn't see this coming" she snickers, looking at me intently, wanting to hear more.

"He's just...he's...I can't help it! I never wanted this to happen! I mean, what if he finds out?! He'll hate me!" I exclaim in fear, and Maddie simply rolls her eyes playfully.

"If I remember correctly, you're his best, best friend. Right?" she asks me.

"Yes" I reply, not sure what she is getting at.

"Well, I highly doubt he'd just abandon you for having a crush on him" she predicts.

"It's not a crush, Maddie. It's something a lot stronger than that. I had a crush after a day of knowing him. It's just...it's so much more now..."

She pats me on the back, knowing my struggle, and I sigh for what feels like the thousandth time.

"I think you need some sleep" she advises, and I nod.

"Maybe this is just all in my head. Being in love can't be that bad!" I speak, and my sister nods.

"Yeah, Judy. I mean, how hard can it be to hide?"

10 Hours Later

As I climb the staircase to the bus, I notice security guards sitting in two of the front seats, and I don't have to guess their purpose here.

They sit stiffly as they eye me, possibly recognizing me as Nick's best friend.

Immediately my eyes dart straight to Nick's orange, fuzzy form in the back of the bus, and I feel an explosion inside me; not like a bomb, but more like a cluster of fireworks.

"Hey!" he chirps to me as I reach the back of the school bus, and I plop down beside him, scooting a bit closer to him than usual.

Don't creep him out, Judy!

"You feeling better?" I ask him, knowing that recovering from such a drastic surgery is no easy feat.

"Guess you could say that" he tells me, "I can laugh again, you know, without it hurting me too bad".

I smile and look into his eyes, nearly losing myself within them again.

"So, you notice the security guards?" he asks me, and I snap out of his entrancing stare.

"Oh, um, yeah! At the front of the bus?"

"Yeah. They're worried some idiot is going to try and attack me...again" he mutters, "But I don't think it'll happen again".

"Nick, you do realize that this is a very serious-"

"Yes, yes I do" he says before I can finish, "And I know I have you to help me through whatever happens...and you know, I'm here for you too of course".

I can't help but allow my heart to melt at that comment.

"Thanks" is the only thing I can say in response, my head feeling quite light and my heart beating twice as fast as normal it seems.

"What's up, guys?" a voice rings out, and I notice it's Melvin as he sits down in the seat on the opposite side of Nick, "You feeling any better?"

"Yeah, I am" Nick answers, "Well, it's safe to say I can't wait to get this taken off" he says, regarding his arm-cast.

"Is your breathing okay?" Melvin asks him.

"It's getting there" he answers, "But my face still doesn't feel right".

"Well, it is still healing" I speak, and Nick feels the bandage on his face.

"I probably look like a mummy, don't I?" he asks flatly.

"You look fine" I tell him, "It's not your fault some jerk decided to beat you half to death over nothing".

He nods with a smile, looking at me like I'm the most beautiful sight he's ever laid eyes on.

No, he's just being nice. Like, come on Judy! That's a normal look!

"I guess you're right" he says gently.

"Of course she's right! You didn't deserve any of that! I mean, you only stole his car keys! Or did you? Like, I'm not fully informed here-" Melvin speaks, and I give him a glare of annoyance to cut him off.

"Nick didn't steal anything, actually. He's better than that" I speak on his behalf, and I swear I feel Nick slide just a bit closer to me, evoking strong feelings of confusion mixed with the best sensation I've ever felt in my short life.

What if he actually does like me?

Nah.

"Hey Violet!" Melvin nearly yells.

Violet walks down the bus aisle, and I notice all of the stares we're getting from the other students, although I've become completely numb to it.

"Hello Melvin" she mutters dully, and I giggle quietly at the nature of their friendship.

"Hey, Violet" Nick says brightly, and Violet turns his way.

"I assume you're feeling better, no?" she asks.

Nick shrugs briskly.

"Guess you could say that".

After a few more minutes of everyday conversation, we exit the bus, walking cautiously towards the entrance to the school.

The fact that Nick dared to come back is very compelling to me, although I know he's the strongest person I know on the inside for sure. Still, it's just awe-inspiring how Nick isn't fazed by the fact that he was nearly killed at this very location. It wouldn't shock me if his bloodstains are still embedded into the concrete.

I think it bothers him more that the young buffalo is dead at the hands of his fiendish father. He's told me multiple times that his father is still out there to wreck his life, and I believe it. His father is the most accurate example of pure hatred that I've ever seen.

He hates his son, and he hates his wife. It's no wonder Nick has despised him for so many years.

Even the scars on his arm are caused by his abusive father, who broke his arm a few years back. I don't use the expression "pains me" often, but learning more and more about Nick's past truly pain me to hear. It makes my heart ache with grief and pity, and it causes me to become more grateful for the great childhood I experienced.

Still, I have my goal ahead of me that seems to be impossible according to every other animal in this city: becoming a police officer.

I promised myself I'd never give up on it, and I surely won't.

We enter the doors of the school still on edge. The students around us all quit what they were previously doing and glance our way, observing Nick's injuries, although he shows no weakness.

Nick continues walking as he would any other school day, ignoring everyone except for me perhaps along with Violet and Melvin.

I notice Finnick looking over at us from the vending machine, and he nearly sprints over to us upon spotting Nick.

"Dude, you're walking again!" he says in astonishment.

"Well, my legs didn't really-"

"But still! Like dude, you were so hurt! I wasn't sure if you'd ever leave the hospital!" he speaks in a jittery tone.

"It's okay Finnick, I'm doing bett-"

"Well, duh! I can see that!" he speaks with a hyperactive grin.

Jeez, this kid had his fair share of the vending machine.

We continue the trek to our homeroom as Finnick continues his rant, and I notice that many animals are pretending not to notice us.

Perhaps they heard about what happened to the buffalo, and now want no affiliation with us out of sheer fear.

Ms. Bronson stares at us, aghast as we take our seats, and she scans over Nick's injuries.

"Um, Nick, dear, I've heard all about what's going on...and...I'm really sorry about all of that" she tells him, and I can't tell if it's out of sincerity or not.

"It's okay" Nick replies simply, setting his backpack onto his desk roughly, not wanting to put any weight on his broken arm.

"I'll keep an eye out for any meticulous behavior in class today" she assures him, and he nods.

As usual, we're the first few people in the classroom. Everyone else seems to prefer hanging out in the hallways or restrooms, but a quiet classroom is actually an atmosphere I much prefer to the former.

Well, I prefer wherever Nick is.

Nick POV

Usually, school is home to a very hostile ambiance, and not one of peace. However, this morning has been a bit unorthodox.

I haven't received any dirty looks yet; only gazes of wonder and indifference.

It's been thirty minutes or so since class started, and not much has been different aside from the bodyguard standing outside of the classroom door, which I guarantee is there for my safety.

Well, I've always dreamed of the day where I'd become something besides a complete loner that roams the streets of the city, and I guess you could say I've exceeded my expectations.

Yes, it puts me in a considerable amount of danger, but it's well worth it in my eyes.

I'm helping much of fox-kind living in the city, as well as others around the world, and I have the best soul perhaps in all of the universe at my side to help me through it all.

I watch Judy as she quietly converses with Violet, staring at her grin as she laughs, and taking in the sound of her amusement.

It's something beautiful, at least in my eyes.

"Psh!" I hear someone whisper, and I turn my head towards the direction of the noise.

"What?" I ask Melvin, realizing he wants to get my attention.

He gestures for me to lean over closer to him, which I do, and he whispers in my ear with deliriousness.

"I knew it! You like Judy!" he whispers, almost too loudly.

"What? What are you talking about?" I ask, trying my best to recover.

"Oh, it's not like you were staring at her for a full thirty seconds or anything" he chuckles, and I roll my eyes.

"Well, mayb-"

"Oh, stop kiddin' yourself, kid" Melvin says,"It's obvious to everyone else that you guys have a thing".

"A thing?" I ask, trying to pretend like I don't understand that meaning of the word.

"Yeah, dude. A special thing".

By now, I know I'm blushing, and I hope to the high heavens that my fur is able to hide it adequately.

"It's okay, your secret is safe with me!" Melvin squeaks, and I look in the other direction.

"Whatever" I say, "But one thing: was it...like...obvious?"

He laughs fairly loudly, and I fold my arms at the sight of his snickering.

"Yes, yes it was!" Finnick tells me, patting me on the shoulder.

Great. That means it's only a matter of time until she catches on.

However, he goes completely silent as a lion cub enters the room, looking a bit bigger than the usual child.

"And who are you?" Ms. Bronson asks him, and he whispers something in her ear.

"Oh, alright!" she says, looking across the room at me now, and my eyes widen.

What's going on?!

The fur on the lion is a cross between gold and brown; somewhere in between, and her eyes look focused yet reckless at the same time.

The lion walks back to me without hesitance, glaring at me as she approaches.

"What's happening?" Judy asks me, and I shrug slightly.

"Hello" the lion speaks in a fancy accent as she reaches my desk, "I'm Kygo, your assigned bodyguard".

Bodyguard? She can't be older than thirteen or fourteen!

"Um...hi?" I say quietly, and she laughs, standing behind me now, as everyone in the classroom observes her.

"I know, I don't look like much, but just trust me, I've been trained for this".

Great. So I have two bodyguards now, including Violet. I'm not complaining though, as I do enjoy feeling safe and secure.

"Are...you really sure this is necessary?" I ask, and she laughs.

"Of course it is!" she says in her sassy voice, leaning against the wall, "You almost died!"

She seems to snicker with every word she says, which I find to be quite amusing.

"Well...okay" I say, trying my best to act normal as class resumes.

The rest of class goes by relatively uneventfully; that is until I spot a leopard named Brodie glaring at me and my bodyguard from across the room.

Here we go again...

"Oh, don't worry about him" Kygo speaks from behind me, noticing my line of sight, "he's just mad at you because he's a member of the AAFE or whatever".

"The what?" I ask, dumbfounded.

"The "Animals Against Fox Equality" or whatever. Seriously, you don't need to care about him or any of the rest of them".

Still, somewhere in the leopards gaze, I feel severe uneasiness. I feel the projection of contempt being jetted my way, and I breathe deeply.

Nothing to worry about.

So, there were some new characters, huh? Like I said, things are about to be interesting. Next chapter might be a bit of a longer wait due to a VERY busy week, but I'll have to see. Anyways, leave your thoughts in the reviews, and I hope everyone is enjoying the story! Until next time!