Longest Novel: Fall of The Republic

by morgan kingsley

In 2020, a middle-aged author, living too deeply in the past, decides to write the story of what really happened to him and his friends when he was younger, and as it unfolds, a giant conspiracy starts to show itself. An AU of seasons 1-4 that take place in the United States. Crossover with several other series for one overall universe.

18. The Legacy of Ocho

Chapter 1 Episode 18 – The Legacy of Ocho (Ocho's POV)

Scene 1: First Day of Junior Year

Day 1

So I don't know how to officially label this? A journal? A confession? A story even? I don't fucking know. All that I do know is that I got involved in some serious shit, and I am still just trying to really find a way to properly tell the story. That being said, I guess that I can start with the basics. Note that regardless of how much is in here, this work is incomplete, as I have so much to tell of this year, but need to get as much as I can in just a night, so if it seems disjointed and uneven, that is why.

My name is Ocho Tootmorsel. I am seventeen years old, and I was a junior at Wayside High School at the time that these events went down. As for what I was doing to lead to this, I guess that like a lot of stories worth telling, it is about a guys desperate story about a girl. As dumb as it might sound.

So in my first day of school, I was just trying to get used to everything around me. Everybody looked like they were just basically mummies, and like they really had no desire to be here at all. Not that I can fucking blame them. I mean, this is high school we're talking about here. Although if I had known everything that was to come, I would have laughed at how I was reacting to this.

As I was in my class for the first day, I was seeing that there were not many empty seats. In fact, I had a feeling that nobody would want to hang out with anyways, since back then hanging out with me was basically social suicide, and they all fucking knew that. But I was seeing that there was one person near by who was new, so I started to head on my way over to him.

Eventually, I sat down, and when I was staring at the board, the guy looked over at me. "You seemed tired as hell today." He said, and then I was nodding at that. In all honesty, that was technically true. And as I was looking ahead, I wondered how long it would take to instantly be rejected by all social groups again.

"What is your name?" He asked, and then I looked at him again, wondering why he was even pretending to care so much. I mean, we barely even knew each other, and I am sure that he probably at least heard about how to stay away from me due to the fact that word travels so quickly every time.

"Ocho." I said, and I refused to tell him his last name since my last name was super fucking embarrassing when I was that age. "What is your name?" I asked in return, pretending to be interested in this discussion right now.

"Matt. This is my first year here. So I have no idea what I am to expect. Honestly, I heard some disturbing rumors about this town. Are any of them true?" He asked, and then I was closing my eyes for a second, since in all honesty, that was a loaded ass question that I could give him any form of answers on.

"I am going to be totally real with you. They are almost all true. I am sure that by now, you have heard of the Shiny Gentlemen at least once?" I asked, and I was mainly doing this because even if he had not heard of it, I felt that just telling him about it would be able to get some form of conversation going.

"In case if you have not, it is this really loud grinding noise that goes off every so often. It hasn't happened in a few months though. Nobody really knows about why it does this. What you do need to know is that if you are a woman, you need to hide when it does happen." I said, and then Matt looked at me, confused to that last part.

"Why the hell do girls specifically need to be careful?" Matt asked, and then a couple of the students were looking at us, as if thinking that we just needed to shut up right now. I laughed, thinking that the faster that he knew, the better that it was going to be for everybody anyways.

"It is because when the grinding noise goes off, usually a woman goes missing a couple of days later. And they are never fucking found. I mean, a part of me does want to know why. But after a while, you just kind of learn of it as truth, and you leave it alone, and you accept the fact that this just sort of fucking happens." I said, and Matt seemed to be relatively scared at this.

"That is so fucking odd." Matt said, and then I laughed at that, as if thinking that the fact that he was telling me this, when I was the one living in town longer was fucking rich. And the worst part was still not told to him yet.

"The worst part is that by this point in time, people just basically turn a blind eye. Nobody fucking cares at all what is happening here. In all honesty, I think if you still want to maintain your level of sanity at this town, you just got to not think about what these people are doing." I said, and then after I was telling him this, I was seeing that by the second, Matt clearly looked less excited about being here. As much as it sucked to ruin his hopes like that, I was glad that he at least knew the truth right away.

As the teacher was walking into class, a part of me was happy that I no longer had to talk about labyrinth, at least for now. But another part of me was sort of let down since I was enjoying the idea of talking to a friend for a bit, and just slowly getting to know them a little bit.

"Hello class, and welcome to the first day of the 1985-1986 school year. I know that like myself, you are probably all bummed out that we are no longer in summer break. But that is something you guys can look forward too. Every day is a day closer to next June." The guy said, and he was saying it such a forced and monotone voice that I knew that he was mainly just saying it for himself to pretend like he was willing to suffer through this wait.

The next hour or so passed by as you would normally expect, and when the class was done, that was when I was starting to leave. Before I got too far away however, that was when I was hearing Matt calling out to me again. I turned over to see him, and I was seeing that he was actually looking like he was wanting to have a real conversation with me. Which just seemed so fucking crazy to me.

"Thanks for the tip about the Shiny Gentleman. I was wondering if maybe you would be willing to hang out for a hour or two after school today? You know, just show me around town for a bit?" After he asked this, I was thinking that this was a dumb idea. But in all honesty, I was wanting to do it. So with that, I was slowly nodding. It would be nice to hang out with somebody for once.

"Yeah sure. That could be fun." I said, and then after I said that to Matt, I wondered if maybe this could be the first step to me turning things around a bit? But I told myself not to get too excited, just in fear of what could happen if I did.

With that, we went off for the rest of the day, and I was kind of feeling bad for already telling Matt about that grinding noise when I had just met him? I mean, for fucks sake, he was probably already scared shitless of this place, and he hadn't even gone a day into the school year. No wonder why people were always thinking that I was such a hard person to talk with.

When the school day was over, I was waiting at the school entrance for a bit. I was thinking to myself that Matt would leave me, or just make some random excuse about why he would not be able to hang. But much to my surprise, after about twelve minutes or so, he did come through.

"Sorry for the wait. Just trying to talk to new people. You know, get used to the town. Wayside is so much bigger than Onett." Matt said, and then I nodded, willing to believe it from what I have heard in the one or two stories. But with that, we started to head off, and I was just telling myself what the teacher said: One day at a time. That was not a bad way of looking at things, as I learned that day.

Scene 2: The Girl

Day 2

The next day of school, during lunch, I was looking around, trying to see if maybe I could see Matt or something. But when I was seeing that he wasn't to be seen, I figured that maybe he wouldn't want me to random try to talk to him a lot anyways. So with that, I sat down, and I looked right around. And I was seeing that I was sitting down next to a freshmen waiting for her friends.

"Sorry. If you are going to be hanging out with people right now, I can just leave." I said, and then she was looking up at me, and I saw that she was looking like she was rather shocked to see me offer to leave her alone, especially since there was no reason for me to leave really.

"Don't worry about it. I just didn't expect to see you here." She said, and then she was looking at me. "Not a big fan of going to school? I mean, looking at you, it seems like you are even more against it than most people here." She said, and then I shrugged, not sure what in the world I was going to be telling her. I had no reason to try and pretend like this was what I wanted to do though.

"Not really. But it is mainly because everybody in school doesn't like me, and I feel like I would be wasting my time trying to hang out with them." I said, feeling like I just needed to be realistic when I was talking to her. "Besides, I feel like I am talking to somebody decently well right now. Some guy who just came here on his first day."

"My name is Andrea by the way." After she had said that to me, I was feeling like I needed to know that name from somewhere. There was something important to it. But when I was looking at her, I was totally fucking blanking, and in all honesty, I had no idea who she was. When she clearly saw that, she sighed, and felt like she would be more open with me here.

"Andrea Wilson. My cousins are technically children of some really important business people. But I don't like being judged by their standards, and I just try to show people that I am not really worried if people know that about me or not." She said, as she was shrugging. "Although realistically, everybody usually finds out sooner or later anyways. As long as they don't start suddenly acting different to me as a result of it…"

"Oh yeah. I think I have heard of the Wilsons. Although I don't really think I ever really met any of them before. But I don't really think that will matter. Nobody really wants to hang out with a scrawny guy like me who has no social cues at all." I shrugged, and then I was smiling at her for a few seconds.

"I was waiting for some of my friends earlier. People who never once judged me for my connections with the Wilsons. Although to be honest, I have a feeling that they might not be showing up today. But if you want to meet them, I can introduce you to them after school." After she was telling me this, I had no idea if such a thing was a great idea or a terrible one.

"I am going to be real with you, I think that it might not be a great idea for you to do that I mean, you still hardly know me, so in all honesty, there is no reason to do that." I said, and then she was tilting her head to the side, as if wondering why I was so stiff with talking to. Probably thinking that I just needed to at least try and have a better social life.

"Dude, you need to try and relax more. There is nothing wrong with meeting new people. I mean, I understand that you might not want to meet my uncle." She said, and then I was nodding at that. I would be lying if that did not have a small part of it. "But I think that with each passing year, it just grows to matter less what people believe when it comes to approving of somebody." After she had said that, I really wished that I could believe her.

"I mean, I would agree with you if it weren't for the fact that neither of us are eighteen yet. If we were eighteen, then technically that could be true." I said, and then I was lowering my head down. "Forget I said anything. I am just making myself sound like a fucking idiot every time I talk about this." I was saying, and then I started to laugh a bit.

"But yeah, I would really like to meet your friends. Thanks for the offer." I said, and then I was shrugging, feeling that it wasn't so hard to say that, and that I just needed to regain a level of focus, and dare I even say, confidence, as I was saying this. I saw her looking happier when I finally came around to accept her offer.

"That is extremely awesome. I mean, worst comes to worst is that if they don't like you, they'll just not hang out with you as much after this first time." Andrea said, as she was then thinking of another way to continue this conversation with us.

"So tell me a bit more about yourself. Why do you have a hard time getting along with most people anyways?" She asked, and then I felt like I might as well just be honest with her. After all, if she was wanting to be friends with me, then honesty was the only thing that could get me any points with her.

"Well, it is just because when I was younger, I had a giant obsession with fire. I even set off a firework in the boys bathroom in the third grade once. I did it on the last day of school, so I got to go home early. But my parents were furious at me at the time." After I said that to her, I was seeing her looking like she was finding that statement rather fucking hilarious. "I thought that it would be a big hit, but when everybody is running out of the school because of a real fucking fire, they don't find it as funny anymore."

"I mean, I might have hated you when it happened, I will admit. But hearing that now, is fucking hilarious. I bet that if you did that a week earlier, you would have been suspended or expelled." She said, and then I was nodding, as if thinking that there was no way in hell I would have gotten away with it otherwise. But then I shrugged, thinking that it was not that big of a deal here.

"I don't know. You're probably right. But ever since then, I have been labelled as a trouble maker. You would think after eight fucking years, people would probably have let it go at this point in time. But I guess that people can remain bitter for much longer than they are letting on." I shrugged, and I decided that for both of our sakes, it might be best to just not push the subject further.

"But in all honesty, I feel like if I really just keep my head down low, and just don't stir up too much bullshit, then perhaps this year will be better. My name is Ocho by the way." I said, and then I smiled at her. I mean, after I have talked with her for a few minutes, I have to admit that I did actually find her to be relatively attractive.

"If you don't have anything planned, I will show you to my friends Rob and Julian after school. I highly doubt that they would have anything against you since they just met you." After she was telling me this, I was smiling at her, and I was feeling that there was no reason to be turning her down at all. "I can tell from the look on your face that you are fine with this."

"I mean, if I want any chance to finally get a new social life, and to get people to like me, I have to take the fucking chance. I just don't want this to be another year where I go along, and I feel like I just wasted my fucking life or anything like that." I said, and then I was wondering what in the world I was even getting myself into at this point. "Nice to meet you by the way. Sorry if I come off as a bit standoffish." I said, finally solidifying myself.

Scene 3: The Triad of Friends

Day 2 Part 2

After school that day, Andrea brought me over to her friends. "Give them a couple of chances before you really judge them. They are both very different in their personalities." After she had said that to me, I was slowly nodding, thinking that I would be kind of a hypocrite to judge them in the first place when in all honesty, I was probably needing to be judged more than anybody else.

When were at the front of the school, I was seeing that one of them was smoking a cigarette and was wearing a short that had a exploding bomb on it. The other guy was wearing a yellow shirt and a red pair of pants, and had very dirty hair. "The one with the cigarette is Julian, and the other one is Rob." She said, and then I slowly nodded as I was checking them both out. "The guy I am hanging out with right now is Ocho."

"Hey. Sorry for getting involved here. Andrea thought that it would be cool if I checked you guys out and hung out with you for a bit." After I said that to them, I saw that both of them were looking like they were just kind of bored. "I am kind of interested in knowing how you guys got involved with hanging out with each other anyways."

"Just in the last couple of years, we started to work together a lot in school, and over time, we started to grow a connection. Now we are like a working tricycle." After Rob said that to me, he blinked for a bit. It is so strange thinking back to the days when he actually did have both eyes, when he was still at least relatively happy go lucky, and didn't feel like the world was all against him.

"That's kind of cool. So how do you feel about Wayside high school so far? I mean, it is not my favorite thing in the world. But you kind of grow attached to it after the first year." I said, and then I was sighing, wondering why in the world I was even admitting to the fact that I had a small amount of attachment to this fucking place.

"It's alright enough. Honestly though, it just kind of feels like a part of the course. All the classes that I have gone too are really fucking boring." After Rob was saying that to me, I was slowly nodding, feeling like that was fair enough to consider.

"I just wish that we would be done with school, and just start adult life." Julian said, as he stomped on his cigarette when he was done. "I mean, if we are going to be working five days a week, we might as well be getting paid for it." He said, and I was shrugging at that, thinking that perhaps something like that was fair enough. And I honestly could see his sentiment.

"I guess that is fair enough." I said, and then after I said that, I was then wondering what we would be doing now. "So do you guys have any plans tonight? If you do, then I would not mind leaving you guys alone, since I would not want to be getting in the way." After I said that to them, I saw that they were all looking kind of shocked to be seeing me act like this in the first place.

"Not really. I think that we were probably just going to go on over to Andrea's house." Rob said, and then he was looking at me, as if thinking about offering me a spot to join. But before he was able to do so, Andrea had already been beating him to it.

"If you wanted to, you can come along and join." She said, and with the way that they were all offering this to me, I was feeling like it would be a rather big mistake to not let agree to such a thing for the time being. So with that, I was shrugging, and had nothing else to say in argument.

"Yeah sure. I mean, I have nothing else better to do anyways." I said, and then Julian was looking right at me, and I was seeing that he was having some things running through hid mind. I wondered what he was thinking about saying.

"Honestly, her parents are really important people. So you are going to have to be on your best behavior. Or else they will make it very clear to you that they want nothing to do with you." After Julian was saying this, I was slowly nodding, feeling like something like this was making some fucking sense.

"Yeah, she was telling me that her uncle is Harold Wilson." I said, and then I smiled at this, feeling like I might as well just run with what I have right now. "I don't really think that there is anything too impressive about me though. So I think you are all getting your hopes rather fucking high." I said, and then I was shrugging, wondering why I was always selling myself short like this.

As we were leaving the track, I was seeing that already Rob was much more willing to hang out with me than Julian had been. As I was seeing this, I was feeling like I might as well just see what he was planning on telling me. "So Ocho, have you ever been interested in getting into skating?" He asked, and I laughed at that, since it was so fucking random.

"Honestly, I have not thought much about it at all. I have thought about what it would be like if I did give it a try. But I would be fucking terrible. Since I am terrible at everything that I ever do." I said, and then I was shrugging, and Rob was looking like he was a little bit worried about the self deprecating statements that I had been making.

"But if you want to give it a try, then I suppose that I would be interested in seeing how well you fair." I said, and then after I said that to him, I was seeing that Rob was kind of interested in heading me say that. "Just make sure that if you are going to be doing this, that you don't get too fucking overly excited about this all."

"I never considered skating before. All of the possible injuries always kind of turn me off from it." Julian admitted, and to be honest, when he was saying it this way, I was kind of thinking about that as well. It was always hard for me to justify doing something when I was virtually certain that it was going to lead to a massive injury.

Eventually, we were at the house, and I was looking at Andrea. "Thanks for giving me this chance to see your family. I will try my best to be on good behavior." I said, and then after I said that to her, I saw that she was looking like that was not really something that she was worried about at all. I was shrugging for a second, feeling that I just wanted to tell her that, to give her some feeling of assuredness about my behavior.

"It's alright dude. I am really not that worried about anything like that. I just hope that you end up having a good time. And honestly, if they don't like you yet, I am sure that they will probably be getting over it soon enough." Andrea said, and then she opened up the door, and then I was shrugging as I was going inside now.

Once inside, I was having another question in my mind. "Why do you live with your cousins anyways?" I asked, and I was feeling like that might have been over stepping the line a bit. But honestly, I was far too interested in knowing the truth to care. She looked at me, and I saw that she was not too incredibly worried about that answer.

"Just easier to do it with school and everything. If you want the full story, I will be willing to tell you more later. But that is something that I want to trust you more on first." She said, and then I nodded at this, feeling that was a very reasonable way to look at it. With that, I was seeing Harold coming down the stairs, and he was seeing me.

As he was walking by me, I saw that he was looking like he was greatly considering something. "Hello, I hope that you don't find yourself causing too much trouble while you are hanging out with your niece. Don't cause anything, and we will get along just fine." He said, and then before I had a chance to respond, he was already gone. And I was just remaining there, wondering what to say.

Scene 4: Novice Skater

Day 4

Two days later after school, Rob and I were hanging out, and I was feeling like the fact that he was willing to still give me a chance despite everything we talked about that first night was something that I could be feeling better about. "So you know how I was talking to you about the interests in skating that I was having earlier?" He asked, and then I nodded at this.

"Yeah, have you made up your mind on the matter yet?" I asked, and then after I asked him this, Rob shrugged for a second, as if not thinking too much on it at all. "I mean, if you want to get into it, I would have nothing against you doing so. I just think that you need to be finding out what would personally interest you."

"Yeah, I was thinking that I would go down to the shop and buy one. I know that I would not be very good at it. But there is nothing wrong with trying it out for a change." After he had said that to me, I was finding myself kind of coming around to the idea. "And I was wondering if you would be willing to stay there at first, and watch me. You know, just in case something happens, I would like to have somebody watch over." After he had said that to me, I slowly nodded.

We started to head along, and then Rob was remaining silent for a few seconds. "Honestly, I think that it is great that Andrea is making another friend. She is always worried about how people are going to treat her, due to the fact that her parents are like super important people." After Rob was saying that to me, I was sighing, figuring that something like this was making some level of sense here.

"She is probably just always scared of what people want to claim behind her back. I guess that I do sort of see where she is coming from. But to be honest, I feel like she probably is just worried about things that are not really fucking real." I said, and then I was looking at him, and I knew that I was being harsh when I was saying that. But it was all true to be honest. "I mean, at least she is actually having a social life."

"That is what I have been telling her." Rob said, and then we were at the skating shop. "Wow, I never really thought that I would be taking the leap of faith into actually doing it. For some reason, it just feels better when I start a hobby with somebody else at my side, like I could actually fucking do it." Rob said, and then with that, we walked inside the shop, and Rob immediately went to work finding one.

As we were inside the skating shop, I was starting to feel like whatever could go wrong was probably not going to happen, and that I just needed to not be so fucking worried about what was around me at all. As I was looking at Rob taking his sweat ass time looking at the options, I will admit there was a small part of me that was wondering if he was going to spend all night on this.

"So Rob, do you think you'll actually stick with it? I mean, I know what it can be like to have a hobby that you start, and then you do it for a while, and then you just give up on it for whatever reason." I said, and then he was looking right at me, as if wondering if Andrea had put me up to it or something like that. I shrugged, thinking nothing of it.

"Honestly, that sounds exactly like the shit that Andrea tells me. She and Julian are always on my case about starting something, and then letting it go." After he said that to me, I was shrugging, and I was feeling like maybe I should have just not said anything this time, and maybe he would have talked to me about this stuff anyways.

"Sorry. I was just curious. Trust me when I say that Andrea had nothing to do with it." I said, and then I raised my hands up in the air, and then Rob looked at me for a second, and then he shrugged for a second, and then he decided that he would leave the subject alone for the time being. Then with that, he was starting to look at the options once again.

Eventually, he picked one out, and brought it to the skate shop owner. He placed it down on the ground, and with a smile on his face, was looking ecstatic at what he was doing. Then Rob took the money he needed out, and then placed it down on the table. The man just looked at me, to see what I thought. "You seem way more excited about this than I have seen anybody else." After he said that, he shrugged, probably thinking that it wasn't really worth his attention.

When Rob was done, he was walking to me with the new board, and I saw that he was having a million thoughts in his mind. "I will admit that I do sort of see what Andrea was saying. I mean, I don't like to say it. But I do sort of have a history." After he was saying this to me, I saw that he was looking excited to be seeing where this was going.

"Seriously, Andrea had nothing to do with it. I literally have never brought up skating around her." I said, and then I was sighing, wondering why in the world he was constantly coming back to this. As I was saying this to him, I just was seeing that Rob was looking like he was trying to be more calm about this whole thing.

"I am not even thinking that anymore. It's just that in general, she always had a hard time really taking it easy with the stuff she was saying, and it sometimes can be a bit exhausting to deal with. But I mean, I guess that I do sort of see where she is coming from." After Rob was telling me this, he shrugged a bit.

"Regardless, I do plan on sticking to it this time. Mainly because I always just thought it was cool when other people were doing it that I think I would want to join along for the fun." After Rob was telling me this, I felt that I might as well go along with it for the time being.

"Well, I suppose that I could want to stick around and see it happen. After all, it is better than what I was doing earlier. I would rather watch this than nothing." I said, and then with that, we were walking to the skating park, and I was wondering how well he was going to do. In all honesty, I was actually pretty excited to see how he would be doing.

"Honestly though, I know that I am not going to be that good at it. After all, I hardly have even tried it before. Even with other peoples boards. But I just feel like there is nothing to lose by having fun. I mean, isn't that the whole point of being an adult? Is going around and enjoying your life?" After Rob was asking me this, I was laughing at that. My mom as probably not agreeing with that at all.

"I mean, some adults would probably agree that high school is the time when you are supposed to have fun. Which is ironic because like what Julian was saying, you are still technically working five days a week." I said, and then I was shrugging. But before too long, that was when we were at the skating park, and Rob was stretching his arms out, as if ready to take on the world.

Then with that, he started skating around for a bit. He actually lasted a few seconds before having his first mistake. To be fair, he was going slow and easy. But I was feeling that was the point of skating around. Was taking it nice and easy, and seeing how you can handle it. I was wondering for a second if maybe I could do something like this myself.

Before long, he finished up, and then he was starting to hold his arms up in the air in a triumpth way as he was mildly skating along. "I feel like I am kind of getting in the hang of it." He said, and then I was starting to slowly form a grin across my face. Seeing his excitement for it was making me actually kind of happy for him in a strange way.

Scene 5: The Wilson Family

Day 5

It was the next day at school when Andrea looked at me, and I was seeing that she was clearly having a idea in her head. "I was hoping that you would see my cousins Tobias and Rachel. I have told them about you a bit, and I was hoping that you would be willing to give them a chance." After she had said that to me, I was sighing, feeling that I would have to do this someday anyways.

"Yeah, to be honest, I was kind of interested in meeting them eventually. So I am down." I said, and then after I said that to her, I was seeing that this was the best news that she had heard all day. So with that, we were getting up, and starting to head towards her house. And as we were going, I knew that my mom would be happy that I was finally having a social life for once. And not just making random excuses as to why things couldn't work.

"So Rob was telling me about the fact that you were watching him trying the skating out. Is that true?" As she asked me this, I slowly nodded, feeling like I might as well confirm this. "He was telling me how at first, he was convinced that I was putting you up to it." After she was telling me this, I was shrugging for a second, not sure what to say.

"I mean, I do sort of see what he is saying. I have a fucking history of not letting him forget about the fact that every time he gets into something, he always just seemingly drops all interest in the subject after a while. And then when I ask him about it, he always gives off some form of response due to how hard it is." After she had said that to me, I laughed for a second.

Eventually, as we were at her house, I was wondering if Tobias or Rachel would even really like me at all. I mean, I am getting less worried about her uncle and aunt. But her cousins were different since unlike the older family members, I would be seeing them all the fucking time. There was no way I could hide from them if they did not like me.

"I think Rachel has already met you a couple of times. Or at least seen you in the hallways. But Tobias, I think you are going to be entirely new to him." After she had said that to me, I was shrugging, feeling that I would just take it one moment at a fucking time, and not be super worried about anything.

Eventually, before we were able to talk about it much further, I was seeing the two of them going down the stairs. I think Andrea was right about Rachel. I remembered that artificial colored hair and her relatively shorter height, even for a fifteen year old girl. And Tobias just looked like he was trying to give off a gangster vibe, but was doing it horribly.

"You will probably not have to work with Tobias too much, since he's in middle school still. But Rachel and I were talking about how she would probably have to hang out with you every once in a while, so that it would probably be best to try and know you." Andrea said, and then I was sighing, feeling that now that I was here, I might as well just go along with it and see what I was doing.

"Hey! I heard you were like super rad." Tobias said, and then I was starting to just slightly shutter at the way he had said that. It felt wrong to be hearing him say this. I mean, I sort of knew why he was trying to give off that impression, but it was still feeling false as all fuck to be honest, and I felt like he was just trying too hard on it.

"Oh my god Tobias nobody is buying it when you say stuff like that." Rachel voiced what we were all thinking. As I was hearing this, I looked right at Andrea, and I wondered what in the world she would have told me here. "Anyways, so is this your new friend?"

"Yeah, we met a while ago, and I guess that we are just kind of getting in the hang of talking with each other. Her friend Rob is pretty cool to be honest." I said, and then I was wondering if I was going to be getting any favors for praising her friends like this in the first place.

"Oh yeah, I have hung out with him a couple of times. I suppose he's okay once you get to know him. I think he likes you." Rachel said, as she was winking at Andrea, and then Andrea looked down, as if thinking that Rob liking her was probably something that she was not really ready for at all.

"Stop it. He's almost like a brother figure." After she was telling us this, I was feeling like that was the exact opposite of the vibe that I had gotten earlier. But if she was claiming that was how it was, then I suppose that it would not be too hard to understand.

"Anyways, so how have you guys been enjoying the school year so far?" I asked then I was seeing that both Tobias and Rachel looked like they were having way less fun with this. "I mean, after all, we are like a week into it. I assume that is enough time to make a judgment."

"It's boring as all hell." Tobias said, and then I kind of gave a 'fair enough' shrug to that one. "Especially when Gumball is going around and taking all the glory for himself. Not really giving anybody else any time to have a chance to be cool or anything."

"Gumball? What the hell kind of name is Gumball?" I asked, and then all three of them were looking like they were agreeing with that part of what I said. I mean, that must have been a nickname, right? "But I think that you will realize that being popular is not going to be the end all be all when it comes to being at school."

"But if you are popular, then technically you can have more stories that you can talk to people about when you leave school years later." Tobias said, and then with that, I was sighing, feeling like this entire conversation was not going to be worth the argument.

"Nothing really much has happened at school this year. I think talking with you is probably the most interesting thing that has happened so far." Rachel said that to me, I was feeling bad for her saying that since in all honesty, I should not be the most interesting part of anybodys life at all. But I was not saying much at all. If she was believing that, then I would fucking take it.

"My school year seems to be doing relatively well so far. It might be because I have seen what it can be like to have a truly bad school life, and I just don't want to live through it again. At least when I am having some form of a social life with people, it's better than nothing." I said, and then I shrugged as I was saying this for a bit.

"But to be honest, I still am having a hard time really kind of wrapping my head around this all. I mean, there is no reason for people to actually like talking with me. I just feel like there are so many other people that you guys could probably be hanging out with, that would be providing you a much better experience." I said, and then I was smiling at the absurdity of what I was saying.

"You're saying that you didn't realize it was as simple as just taking the time to try and talk to somebody?" Andrea asked, and then I was shrugging. I guess that in a matter of speaking, that technically was the truth. But I was really not wanting to admit that it was something as simple as that, because it would make me sound like a fucking idiot.

"Yeah, I suppose that I could word it like that. To be fair, I think that most of my regular classmates would probably reject the idea of hanging out with me. In all honesty, I feel like it is a miracle that I was able to meet Matt soon enough for him to actually still be willing it give it a go with me." I said, and I was wondering why I was bringing up a guy they never met, and therefore had no connection with at all into this discussion.

Scene 6: The Question of Courage

Day 8

The weekend past by normally, and when I was at school again on Monday, I was feeling like now that I had some form of a social circle, that maybe this second week of the school year was not going to be too bad after all. Looking at the entire school year was going to be suicide, but I can handle looking at reaching Friday.

When I was almost at school again, I was seeing Andrea at the entrance, and I was super excited to be seeing her. So with that, I started to head towards her. I was wondering if she was actually going to be receptive of the idea of talking with her. Or if she had gotten in trouble over it, and didn't want to take the risk or whatever shit.

"Hey Andrea, I was hoping to ask you a question." I said, and then I was seeing her looking right at me, and I was seeing that she was not knowing where I was going with this. As I had seen that, I was seeing that maybe I can use that to my advantage and maybe just take her by surprise when I would eventually ask her out.

I had no idea how in the world I was going to ask her this. I had no idea in the world if this was even a proper question to ask, especially since I had barely known her in all honesty. But I was well aware of the fact that if I had not done it, I was going to constantly have the idea lingering in my mind. I was always going to be thinking about what it could be like if I had asked.

"I was wondering if perhaps you would be willing to go on a date with me. I know that we hardly know each other and stuff. But honestly, I feel like it could be lot of fun." I said, and then after I was done asking this, I saw that Andrea looked like she was actually pretty happy at what I had said.

"Wow, thank you. That would be really fucking awesome." Andrea said, and then I was shocked that she had agreed so easily to that. In all honesty, I had no idea why in the world she agreed with this. I only just knew her, and she was already giving me a chance. But what I did know was that I needed to give it a fucking chance here.

"I mean, I don't want to force you into something that you don't want. I just thought that given everything, it could be worth it." I said, and then I was wondering if she was going to be feeling this way or not. But before I was able to ask her further, that was when Rob and Julian started to walk towards us. As I saw them, I wondered how happy they would be to hear what I had just done.

"Hey guys, how are you today?" Andrea asked, and she was clearly much more excited to be talking to them than she had been earlier. I was seeing that for the time being, both Julian and Rob were looking like they were just kind of interested to see what had been getting her so excited in the first place.

"What's gotten you in a good mood today?" Rob asked, and then I was seeing Andrea looking like she wanted to break the news right away, and not waste any time. I looked at both of them, and I was just kind of wanting to gauge how they were going to react to the news. I had a feeling Rob would be fine. Julian I was not so sure about.

"Ocho asked me out on a date, and I said yes." Andrea said, and then as soon as she was seeing this, I was seeing that both Julian and Rob were taking a second to actually consider what she had just told them. I was seeing that both of them were looking like they were willing to take it, due to the fact that they were still wanting to make her happy.

"That's cool. He seems like a cool enough guy so far." Rob said, and then I was seeing him looking like after a bit of thinking on it, that he was hardly really caring at all. I was seeing that Julian was looking much less sure of himself. I was wondering if he was just thinking that I was like a really bad choice for her, and I was wondering what I would do to change that out a bit.

"You've only known him a week. Don't you want to take some time to really think things out a bit before you decide?" Julian asked, and then I was shrugging, since I was feeling like that was a fair enough question, and I could sort of see where he was coming from as he was saying this. But for some reason, I just did not want to admit to it.

"I know that it is technically sudden. But to be honest, I just feel like I want to. I mean, it's just one fucking date." She said, and then after she had said that to me, Rob and Julian were kind of coming around to it. As if both thinking that since this was the case, that they might as well just let it go.

"Yeah, you're right. Sorry. It is just one fucking date. You should be allowed to do whatever you want." After Julian was telling her this, I saw that he was kind of wanting to say more. Probably felt that he needed to. But for some reason, just had a hard time saying it. I mean if he liked her, then he should just say so. After all, they knew each other longer, so he probably had a right to it more than I ever did.

"I mean, what is the worst that can happen? That you guys just don't think it'll work out? That's fine." Rob said, and I was seeing that despite everything else, he was taking things at a much better direction than Julian was here. I was kind of feeling bad for Julian, and I was wishing that I could have helped him feel better. But I did not want to really push my buttons on him at all.

"I will have to tell Matt about this after school." I said, and I was thinking of the fact that I hadn't really hung out with him outside of classes. In all honesty, I feel like it was time for that to change up a bit. After all, he was the first one who was willing to talk with me, and I was feeling like maybe he just needed to have somebody at his side more than I had been acting at this point in time.

"You keep talking about him. I would like to meet him at some point." After she was telling me this, I was looking at Julian and Rob, and I was wondering if they were both interested in getting to meet him as well. I was seeing that neither one of them looked like it was all that big of a deal. In all honesty, I would not be surprised if they end up taking a bigger liking to him than they would be taking to me, knowing my fucking luck.

"Maybe after school today, I can introduce you to him." I said to her, and then before I knew it, the bell was ringing, and then we were heading off. I was feeling like things were almost working out too well. Like the world was wanting to give me a moment of serenity, and that they wanted me to feel like I was actually going to get a good night out. But deep down inside, I was hardly buying it for the most part.

As I sat down ready to go to class, that was when Matt looked right at me. "Hey, you seem pretty excited right now." Matt said, and then I smiled at him, and I figured that I would just tell him what happened. "Like much more than I have ever seen you."

"Oh yeah, it is because I asked somebody out on a date, and she said yes." I said, and then with that, I was seeing some people around us looking like they were shocked to hear that I had actually managed a date with somebody. They probably assumed that it was a pity date, and that might be true.

"That's awesome. I am making some progress with somebody myself. I feel like I want to wait a month or so before asking though." Matt said, and then I shrugged, thinking that was smarter, but I did not want to admit that, since I was still proud of what I had been able to accomplish for myself.

Scene 7: My Date With Andrea

Day 12

It was the second Friday of the school year, since we had decided that it would be best to wait until the weekend, where we did not have to deal with homework. Although I did not mind waiting since in all honesty, it did give me something to look forward to and make the week less bad for me to get through.

When I was sitting down across the table from Andrea on our date, I looked right at her. I wanted to just see what in the world was going on in her mind. "Sorry if I forced you into this. If you do not want to do this, then I can just go home right now." I said, and then she was waving her hand, as if to try and dismiss what I was saying.

"Don't worry too much about it. I wanted to do this. I just hope that we both know how to do something like this." She said, and then I looked at her, and I was wondering what she was talking about. In all honesty, I was feeling like she probably knew how to carry herself in a fucking date better than I ever did, since nobody liked me.

"Sorry if me going on a date with you was causing a rift between you and your friends. I wanted to have a good time, I didn't really think that Julian and Rob were going to feel as negatively about it as they had been." I said, and I was feeling so bad about what I had done.

"Yeah, I was not expecting Julian to be relatively upset about it. I wonder if he secretly has feelings for me, and is just trying his best to hide it. If that is the case, I would feel slightly honored about it." Andrea told me, and then I slowly nodded, feeling that something like that was fair enough. "I just hope that the two of them will let it go eventually."

"I mean, Rob already seems to be relatively over it. I am more worried about Tobias and Rachel. I mean, they are your family after all. They might be upset at what I am doing." I said, and I was aware that what I was saying probably sounded dumb in her mind. But I was having a hard time really thinking of any other statement.

"I mean, I feel like Tobias might have a hard time. I have always been close with him, and I don't want him to feel like I am pushing him away. But he might be feeling that exact same way. I just hope that whatever he might be feeling, he will be able to push through it eventually." After she was telling me this, I was shrugging, having no idea what to tell her.

"Rachel on the other hand, I feel like she is taking it rather well. If anything, I think that there is a small part of her that actually really enjoys the fact that I am doing this." Andrea said, and then she was shrugging at that. "I will admit that I was surprised that you asked me so soon after we meet. I thought that you would never have a interest in a freshmen."

"It's okay a two year age gap. Nothing too big. I am sure that most people will be over it in time anyways. I just felt like in our short time hanging out, that we were able to really connect more than ever." I said, and then I shrugged as I was telling her this. "I will admit that I am not sure if that is how it really is, or just the result of me not having any friends."

"You seem to be getting along with Matt well enough. So I would not be too worried about you having no social life." Andrea said, and then I shrugged, thinking that I might as well just be upfront about the fact that I still hardly knew the first thing about him.

"We only met just recently. In all honesty, I think that he probably doesn't know me enough to judge me too fully. That being said, I feeling like in due time, we will probably get along well enough." I said, and I was not sure if I was actually meaning what I was saying, or if I was just saying that because that was what I was believing in.

"I mean, he seems like a nice enough guy the one time that we talked." Andrea said, and then she was looking right at me for a bit. "You do not seem very happy about being in Wayside. I feel like you probably do not really want to be here at all." She said, and then I was slowly nodding, feeling like thatw as true enough.

"I don't really like it here. Strange though considering the fact that I don't have much to be worried about. That might be another reason why I was always having a hard time connecting with people around me." I said, and then I looked at her, and I was seeing that Andrea now looked like she was kind of confused what I was talking about.

"What I mean is that I always just thought that if I hardly talked with people, and just did not make a connection with them, then when the girls would go missing, it would hardly be anything that I was missing at all. If anything, I would just brush it off as a sad event that I could move on from. That is probably not the best way to be looking at things, I will admit." I said, and I was feeling like a terrible person when I was telling her this out loud.

"I mean, I sort of see where you are coming from. But it seems like you are kind of already seeing that this could be a bad way of looking at things. It kind of just closes you in, and makes you lose sight of what you actually enjoy." After she was telling me this, I slowly nodded, really having no idea what to tell her.

"I guess that in all honesty, I just kind of feel like fighting with things will not be making things any better for me. Now I am starting to feel like I want to just go out there, and really try to see if I can live a life that I can actually be sort of proud of." I said, and then I was wondering if what I was saying was something that could even be fucking true.

"I guess that talking with you guys, and just starting to see new people, in these last two weeks, have made me realize how much I have been holding myself back." I said, and then with that, I decided that I would just leave things alone for the time being.

"I hope that when this is all done, we can all look back at high school and feel like we had a good life out of it." She said, and then I was slowly nodding, as the rest of the date went along, and I was feeling like whatever I was scared of before, I just needed to stop thinking too much about it. I just needed to enjoy the life that I had.

I was bringing her home, and the entire time that we were heading along, I was slowly seeing her kind of getting happier and happier. I was feeling like perhaps she was just wanting to know what it would be like to have a man who was willing to take her seriously. And not be worried about her just because of the risk of a person who could go missing.

When I was at her house, I was seeing that she was happy. When I was seeing her happy, I was wanting to just change her mind for a bit. "Hey Andrea, I really enjoyed going out with you tonight. It makes me feel really good to know that I am actually having a good impact on what people are feeling here." I said, and I was seeing her looking like she was just kind of considering what I had told her.

"Thanks for asking. I probably wouldn't have done anything nice tonight if it were not for you." She said, and then with that, she kissed me on the fucking cheek. As she did that, and pulled away, I saw that she was looking like she already kind of shocked that she did that.

When we had a few seconds to think about it, she smiled again. "I better be heading back. Sorry for taking your time." She said, and then with that, she was heading inside. I stared at the house for a second, with a small blush coming on my face, and I wondered what I could do here.

Scene 8: The Town Fire

Day 15

At school on Monday, I was sitting down, and Matt was looking at me, and I knew what he was interested in asking me. As I seen him, I figured that I would just tell him the good news, and cut right to the chase.

"The date went well. She gave me a kiss on the cheek at the end." After I told him this, I was seeing Matt looking like that was a good ending, and that he felt like we would have to take this. As we were looking ahead, that was when our teacher was coming inside, and I could tell from the look on their face that they were not excited for this lesson.

"Today we are going to be talking about an event that only happened four years ago. I don't really like going into detail about this, but I feel like you guys deserve the right to have a short lesson on it." After he had said that to us, I was confused what he was meaning. I was also seeing that Matt was looking just as confused as I had been on this as well.

"So today I am going to be talking to you about the fire that happened in the forest and a part of the actual town in 1981." He said, and then I was already interested in this. I mean, I guess that part of my pyromaniac reputation was seeping through with the fact that before he even got deep into the lecture, I instantly raised my hands.

"Is that the one where the tree house got burned down? The one that everybody would always go to as kids growing up? I heard that there have been rumors that this was a deliberate attempt to try and destroy possible evidence of trafficking in town." I said, and I was hardly caring if I was coming off as a bit paranoid, or rude for getting in the lecture like this.

"Yeah, I have heard about those theories as well. While it is not confirmed, or even really hinted at being the truth, there are some reasons why people have come to believe that theory. Most of which was stuff that could have been found in the tree house. Strange writings and warnings, as some have said." After he had said that, this was when Matt raised his hand, and I was wanting him to not do this. It was one thing if I fucked my reputation up. But he still had a chance to have a life here. I wanted him to not do this.

"What were these writings that were found in the tree house? I mean, there must have been some concrete evidence if these became theories in the first place." Matt asked, and then the teacher was clearly looking like he was trying to not show his annoyance here. Even though it was rather clear what he had truly been feeling.

"I feel that I must remind you guys that these are not true. But some of the writings that were found there over the years were "quiet please." Or something else such as "make it stop." Which many people have suspected was related to the grinding noises that go on at town. But these noises have been going on for so long, that these could have been made at any point." After he had said that to me, I was sighing, feeling like I just needed to hear more of what he was saying.

"Regardless, people have felt that it is extremely important to raise awareness of the events around this fire due to the fact that with the high death toll, and the cost of city damage repairs, that it is important to really look at how quickly things such as a human life could end if you are not paying enough attention, or are not careful enough." After the teacher said that to us, another student was raising their hands.

"Can you at least confirm if the fire was started from a person, or just a freak accident." After the student asked this, I was seeing that the teacher was clearly looking like they were kind of being pushed to a corner, and did not want to be talking about this at all. But I hardly fucking cared, and I think that at this point, most of the students were hardly caring at all either.

"I think that it has partially been confirmed. Although I would not put my bets on that. I am just going by what I have heard at this point in time." After the teacher said that to us, I was feeling that at this point in time, we might as well just sort of call it a day, and admit that this was what was happening.

I raised my hand a second time. "If I remember correctly, I think the grinding noise had gone off once again, like two hours before the fire started. And as we all know, the grinding noise is usually followed or preceded by the disappearance of a person. Since that is the case, could the fire have been a direct response to that grinding noise? Or could I have mis-remembered what had happened that day?" I asked, and then after I asked him this, I was seeing that he wanted to deflect again. It was clear that deflecting was the main thing that he had wanted to do this whole time.

"No, you remember correctly. Except I think it actually closer to just even one hour before. And it was a rather important one that time. It was the mayors daughter, which can lead into why the mayor has confirmed that he will not under any circumstances run for the position this time around. And now that the election is only a year away, people are already getting their hats in the bin." After he was telling us this, I was aware of what he had admitted here.

"But isn't Mr. White one of the more prominent members of where people go to consiricizing to be behind these missing peoples cases? If he was, then wouldn't his daughter going missing basically confirm that he had nothing to do with it?" After one student asked this, I was seeing that our teacher was quickly looking like he was scared of this conversation. It had gone off the rails, and he fucking knew it.

"Those theories were made in the 60's, when he was still not a huge person behind everything. People usually just make theories when they feel like it is convenient to have a fall back excuse for everything that has been happening." After he had said that to us, I was feeling like he had needed to say more to try and really make us feel different here.

"I mean, I feel like he probably would have wanted to retire anyways. He is already in his late sixties to begin with. Many people are already questioning when Larry Needlemeyer is going to quit his job as working at the retail stores. And at sixty eight, I feel like you can sort of see where the public is coming from." The teacher said, and then he was shaking his head, as if wondering why he was even bringing that stuff up to begin with anyways.

"Sorry, it is not in my place to be talking about things like that. After all, the mayors job and Needlemeyer especially has nothing to do with the class. Getting back on topic, the fire has been rumored to be the product of a response to the missing peoples cases going off around town." After he had said that to us, I was seeing him looking like he was getting kind of tired to be having this discussion in the first place.

"We do not know if these are true or not. Although at this point in time, many people have gotten to the point where they are essentially confirming these things as true." After he had admitted to us, I was seeing that he had kind of looked like he was kind of annoyed with what we had been discussing at this point in time.

"The main thing that must be remembered is that the destruction of this area is us losing a huge part of the history of Wayside. As despite everything else going on around it, the truth is that Wayside had a lot of history with that tree house. Many people grew up with it. Most of you are probably at an age where you had at least played with it a few times. Since you would have been between eleven and fourteen when it burned down. So I guess that I was just interested in seeing what you would have said about it." The teacher said, and I had nothing to say to this

I was taking that time to take a chance to remember the few times that I had gone in there, and played around there to just see what it was like to play at a tree house. I would go there every summer break until those days. Which is probably another thing that made me tone down my fire obsession after a point.

Scene 9: Helping Friends

Day 16

After school the next day, Rob was wanting to meet up again. I was shocked to be seeing him interested in this. But I was certainly not going to reject the idea of hanging out with him. And I was feeling that maybe after the incident at the classroom, I just needed to try to lay low.

"So what are you planning on doing today?" I asked, as I was wondering when my mom was going to potentially get on my case for being out so late all the time lately. I would probably be able to get her to not feel too bad about it. But currently, I felt like I just needed to try and make it seem like there was no real issue with what was happening, and that this was what I wanted.

"I was thinking about going down to the skating ring, and just trying to practice a bit there. I know that it is not the most glamorous idea in the world. But I just kind of want to do some practice before I start talking about it with friends at school." Rob said, and then I sighed, not sure what else to say.

"I mean, it is better than nothing." I said, and then with that, I was shrugging, since in all honesty, despite everything and personally not being interested in skating, I wanted to be at my friends side, or who I was thinking was a friend, and just working with him on his issues.

As we were heading to the ring, I was seeing Rob looking like he was wanting to talk a bit. "Honestly, I feel happy being around you guys. I feel like when Andrea was telling me that I had never really pursued this whole thing too much, and always would quit a hobby, I can't help but feel like maybe she was just trying to make sure that I didn't fall down this path again." After Rob was telling me this, I was sighing.

"Just do what interests you. I mean, you seem like you are enjoying this for the time being, so I feel like you just need to have some fucking fun." I said, and then with that, I looked right at him, and I saw that he was looking better at the fact that I was treating him with at least a minor form of respect. "I mean, if you never got interested in the other hobbies you tried for a bit, then that means that it just wasn't meant for you."

"Yeah, I mean, I just feel like most of the time, I just don't want to bother with something due to the fact that I feel like I am kind of terrible at these things. I just always feel like I can make something work, but then it just isn't for me. And that is fine." Rob was telling me, and I was wondering why he was always quitting these habits so early on before he really knew what he was into.

We were at the skating ring after a bit, and then he looked right at me. "Honestly though, I will admit that the way that everybody talks about, I feel like I do need to at least give it a good effort before I finally throw my hands in the air and say that it is done. And once I give it a couple of weeks, then perhaps I feel like I could see the difference." He was saying, and then I sat down, just getting ready to watch him skate around.

"I mean, at least you are trying out different hobbies. I have a bad time really finding a hobby that interests me in all honesty. I feel like when something like that is a issue, it just kind of explains more why I was so fucking socially recluse." I said, and then I was smiling at him, and I wondered if he was willing to listen to me here.

Rob was skating for a bit, and then I was seeing that he was slowing down to a casual level. Probably so that way he can still talk with me for a bit, and just kind of enjoy the moment. "Honestly dude, I think you worry too much. I think you just got to find something that either you enjoy, or at least passes time, and you will start to change your perspective on it." Rob said, and then I was trying to at least consider what he had been telling me.

"So like picking up a journal or something? At least that would be a way for the time to pass." I said, and then after I was saying that to him, I was seeing that Rob was thinking about what I had said. Probably thinking that this would be a really lame way to pick up a hobby.

"I mean, yeah, I feel like that could be something. It might not be the most glamorous hobby in the world. But as long as you are interested in it, that is what really matters honestly." Rob was telling me, and I was watching him try to do a flip. But he failed, and he flopped down on the ground, and his ass hit the summit. I was seeing him looking like he was mildly hurt at what he was doing.

"Wow, did that hurt?" I asked, and then he was getting up, and he picked the board up a bit. I was seeing him grow a small smile on his face, probably just as a way to kind of pretend like it was no real big deal. Even though I saw that he wasn't very fond of this.

"A little bit. But not as badly as I was thinking that it would. Honestly, it was only for a few seconds that it was really bad." After he was telling me this, I was smiling at him, knowing that things were going to be heading back to normal. But then he was getting right back to it, as if nothing had happened, and then with that, I was thinking about what to tell him now.

"But do you think that you and Andrea could actually become a couple? She seems to think that it could happen." After he was telling me this, I was smiling once again. I was feeling like bringing Andrea to the discussion was really the main thing that could make me feel better. "Honestly though, I think that you are a good person for her. I see the way that her face gets when you get brought up."

After he had said that to me, I was really wondering why in the world I was even thinking about how this could be going badly. If he was telling the truth, I needed to take what I could get, and I needed this moment more than anything else in the world. "I mean, I just don't know if I will be good for her. She might think that I am, and I appreciate the thought. But in all honesty, I feel like she would be better with somebody else." I said, and I decided to just not say much more about it.

"I mean, just give it a month or so. See how you guys feel. And if you feel like you want to take it to the next level, then start a relationship." After Rob was telling me this, he was getting around with his skating around. Probably not wanting to lose his chance to really just make it work out. I was smiling at the fact that he was determined to make this work, if for nothing else.

"Yeah, I guess that I can do that. Although I will admit I was surprised about how bad Julian took the whole thing. I mean, I knew that he probably wasn't super happy to be around me. But I didn't think that he was going to basically be a little bitch about it." I said, and the I laughed at this, thinking that I was just being more funny than anything. I just hoped that Rob was not going to be telling on me for what I just said.

"I mean, he has known her for a while. If you knew him earlier, you know for a fact that he really fucking liked her. So in all honesty, he probably just wanted to really ask her out, but then failed to do so." After he was telling me this, I was sighing, and I figured that maybe that was something that I should have expected after all this time.

"I just feel like if you really care for somebody, then you would know that what makes them happy would be making you happy as well." I said, and I was sounding rather fucking stupid as I was saying this. But I could not fucking say it any other way, and I was seeing from the way Rob looked that he had no idea what he was feeling to that wording of it.

Scene 10: Burying The Hatchet

Day 17-18

A day, maybe two, after I had talked with Rob at the skating ring about Andrea, I was heading home, and I was seeing Julian heading along as well. I was feeling that I would leave him alone for the time being, and not get in his way. But as I was heading off, that was when I was hearing him call out to me. I was shocked and a bit worried that he would have a plan, so I turned around, feeling unsure what to tell him.

"Ocho, I just wanted to apologize for how I acted earlier when I was seeing you after you guys told me the news of you guys dating. In all honesty, I was just jealous about the fact that you were already dating her. I really like her, but I have never once been able to get her to see my feelings." After he had said that to me, I looked right at him, and I Had nothing to do say.

"I mean, if that is the feelings you have for her, then I do understand why you feel that way about her. But I feel like I deserve than to just be pushed aside like I was some horrible trouble maker. I honestly am just trying my best to give her a good time in high school." I said, and I hoped that me saying that this way would get him to trust me a bit more.

"Yeah, and I really do appreciate that. I mena, I feel like one way or another, you are a part of the friend group, and I have to just accept something like this before I end up making it any worse for you guys." Julian said, and he was genuinely seeming to be evaluating what he had been doing earlier.

"So do you feel like you and I could be able to just let this whole thing go?" He asked me, and then I was nodding. I mean, I did not really think that our bond was all that bad to begin with. And in all honesty, I feel like I was only really making it worse by fighting it as much as I had been.

"Yeah, I mean, I feel like Andrea would want us to get along, and I feel like we can both agree on making sure that she doesn't have to worry about a bad school year. I mean, if I had known that this was going to be a issue to begin with, I would have just probably not spoken to her." I said, feeling that the pure honesty could give me some points with him at the least.

"Even though you talking with her is the main thing that is making her happier? That is a strange way of putting it. Maybe I just don't really understand. But I guess that I don't have to understand these things at all." After he had said that to me, I was shrugging, since I had no idea how I was going to respond to his statements.

"I don't really fucking know honestly. I mean, I just don't want to create a situation where things just get worse between you guys. And I feel like I need to be looking at what will be the best for her. And if I feel like not talking to her anymore could be what is best, then I will do just that." After I was telling him this, I just felt like there was nothing else to be so worried about anyways.

"That makes some sense. Sorry for putting you in this situation. I mean, one of these days, I have to be honest with myself, and look at what she needs more than what I will need." Julian said, and then we were walking out of the school building. "I mean, I know that I am probably not a good influence for her, and that I am probably only making things worse for her by everything that I have been doing.

"I mean, in that logic, I think that Rob probably has the least bas influence on her. I mean, he is just a regular guy who is doing what he wants. I think that the two of us are probably going to have to look at what we are actually like if we want to discuss good influence." I was saying, and I was seeing that Julian was actually considering that to be a good enough point, and decided that he would just remain silent for the time being about the whole thing.

"Regardless, I feel like if we are going to make this friendship work, we have to be looking at things beyond just Andrea. I mean, we have to look at things that could probably be considered common interests. I just have no idea what you are into, and that is the thing that makes it hard." After he was telling me this, I was slowly nodding, since I had felt like that was fair enough. But I honestly did not want to say much more.

"I am afraid that I am not that interesting of a guy. I mean, I think that you guys probably have done more with your life than I have. Even if you guys are a couple of grades lower." I said, and then I shrugged, having no clue what I was going to say now. Julian looked like he was thinking about something else.

"Maybe if you really feel like you need to expand your social horizon, you need to go to a guy named John. He is somebody that is in my grade. I only hung out with him a few times, but honestly, he is a decent person to talk to if you do not want somebody to judge you." Julian said, and then I was looking right at him, wondering why he was telling me this in the first place.

"Why do you say that he would not judge me? I mean, he might still do it anyways, despite what you might say?" I asked, as Julian was looking around, and I was seeing that he was looking glad that nobody was around to hear the next part of the conversation. And I was wondering what the issue even was anyways.

"He has told me a couple of times that he really feels like he has no right to judge people for their quirks or whatever because he's actually gay." Julian said, and then I looked at him, and I was shocked to hear that. I mean, people, especially in Wayside, would never reveal their orientation like that. I mean, even with each passing year growing a bit in acceptance towards the subject, it is still looked down upon by most people.

"If you want to be friends with me, then don't tell anybody that. I am the only person he has told. He is worried about how the public will react to him if they find out." After he was telling me this, I was slowly nodding, since I felt like something like that would make a lot of sense, and I was feeling like I just needed to respect that mans wishes.

"Alright. Yeah, I can keep that to myself. But I feel like if that is the case, he will need friends more than I do. Maybe you can show me him at some point, and I can try and talk with him." I said, and I was shrugging, not really having any idea why I was even so fucking worried about anything like this in the first place.

"I will tell him that you would be interested in getting to know him." Julian told me, and then I was feeling like the way that this subject was going was rather odd due to the fact that it should be this John guy who decides if we hang out or not. It should not be me who decides that due to the fact that I still was only like vaguely aware of who he even was in the first place anyways.

I was thinking for a few extra seconds before I felt like I needed to say something else. "Thanks for the apology. I mean, I know I should forgive and forget easier. But it feels better when people actually say something. Usually makes me realize that somebody does indeed care a bit." I said, and then after I had said that to him, I shrugged, and I really had no idea what to say.

But all in all, it was working along just fine. I was feeling like one of these days, I could work my way into being popular at Wayside if I just kept a clear head, and did not really make a fucking controversy over everything, and I showed respect to those who were around me.

Scene 11: A New Day

Day 19

As the week was ending up, that was when Andrea and I were sitting down at a bench near the entrance to the school. "So Julian told me that you and him were planning on not getting on each others case anymore. Is that actually true?" After she had asked me this, I was sighing, since it was mostly true. Or at least it was seeming like it was mostly true. But I had no idea what to tell her.

"I feel like he is willing to at least give it a chance. I guess that in all honesty, I should be happy for such a thing. After all, with the way that he had been acting earlier, I am surprised that he is still willing to speak with me at all." I said, and I was not sure what the hell I was meaning, since we still hardly even knew each other in the first place.

"I mean, I feel like I just could not really work with him at all. I feel like we would just not have been a very good couple, and I feel like with enough time, he will see what I am saying." After she told me this, I was looking at her, wondering what she meant. "I have thought about it a couple of times before."

"Although in all honesty, I feel like Rachel and Tobias are at least relatively willing to hang out with you. They seem like they are interested in getting to know more about who you are." After she was telling me this, I was looking at her, and I was wondering why in the world they would even want to know me in the first place.

"I mean, I feel like Tobias would only want to talk to me to see what type of cool advice I would be able to give him. I feel like he would hardly even know how to carry a real conversation with me at all." I said, and then I was shrugging, and I was not caring if I was sounding mean when I said that. It was just mostly the truth.

"But Rachel, I have no idea how in the world she would be finding me a good person to talk to. I hardly even spoke with her that first time, so it just seems a bit sudden." I said, and then I was shrugging, but I was feeling like it would be best to just not push my luck any further. After all, I was being given a chance, and I needed to just take it.

"Well, I have told her a bit about yourself. I hope that you do not mind that I have been talking to other people about you. How you seem to be rather hard on yourself, and that you need to lighten up due to the fact that you are not as bad of a person you try to claim that you are." After she was telling me this, I was sighing, since I wanted to believe it, but I was having a hard time really knowing it.

"I guess that I would not be getting a lot done in my life if I always second guess myself. If I always wonder what I could be doing to change things around. I feel like you guys deserve better than that, and I will make sure that you are doing well enough." After he was telling me this, I was just kind of not sure where to really go with this for now.

As we were talking, Matt was walking by, and he was seeing us talking. When he was looking at Andrea, I was seeing that he was looking kind of shocked to see that she was the one that I was always talking about. "So this is the famous girl that you have been seeing lately?" He asked, and then I slowly nodded, wondering if he was going to want to hang out.

"This is my friend Matt. We haven't done much outside of school so far. But since I have nothing going on this weekend, maybe it can be time to change that around a bit." I said, and then after I said that to Matt, I was wondering if he was willing to take the idea or not. I was just hoping that Andrea would be willing to go along with it.

"Yeah, I mean, I have told my parents about you once or twice. But more so in passing. I just wasn't sure if you were actually looking at me as a possible friend." After Matt said that, I looked at him, and I was wondering why in the world he was even going to be thinking that way.

"Well Ocho was telling me that due to his terrible social life earlier, that you were really the first person that was able to get him to really open up." After she said that, I slowly nodded, feeling that I might as well confirm that she had just said to him. I saw Matt looking like he had no idea what to tell her here.

"I mean, you're not wrong. But the way you are saying it kind of fucking hurts dude." I said, and then I was looking at her, and I was feeling like I just needed to not say anything due to the fact that in all honesty, she really was not wrong about what she had said. Then I looked at Matt, and started to stand up a bit.

"Regardless, I don't want to keep you guys here for too long. I don't really want to stick around this fucking place." After Matt was telling us this, I slowly shrugged, feeling like that was fair enough. "So what were you guys talking about just now?" Matt asked, as we were all starting to head away from the school. Putting it behind us until we were forced to come back once again.

"Well, she was telling me about how her cousin Rachel was interested in getting to know me again, after I met her the first time." I said, and then I was seeing the look on Matt's face process the revelation that I was dating Rachel's cousin.

"You mean of the Wilson family? They are like the most popular family in this town. I am surprised that you were manage to score that high on your first try." He said, and he was sounding like there was a level of proudness in his voice. I knew what he was meaning. But in all honesty, it just felt wrong, and it was not really feeling much of a accomplishment.

"And her cousin Tobias is like trying way too hard to be super fucking cool and hip. Probably just trying to be popular with his friends." After I was telling Matt this, I saw him looking like he was finding that to be the funniest thing in the world. I was seeing that Andrea was looking like she was probably finding that to be a bit unfair.

"I mean, most people in that age range are like that. You need to let him have a break. He is just trying to fit in with his classmates." After she was telling me this, I was sighing, and I figured that maybe she was right. After all, if it was going to get him a chance to not deal with the pain of rejection like I had to deal with earlier, I couldn't fucking blame him.

"Yeah, you're right. I just feel like when I see Rachel, and she is perfectly fine and normal about it, I just find it odd. And she is only two years older than him. I mean, seriously. It's not that big of a age gap." I said, since in all honesty, two years was almost nothing in the grand scheme of things after the age of ten or so.

"Well, I mean, I would rather have a brother like Tobias who is at least trying to be popular than my brother T.K. I mean, we're already almost a month into the year, and he only has made one decent friend so far. And to be honest, I feel like he has no intention of reaching out." Matt said, and shrugged, since he didn't like admitting it.

"To be fair, you guys at least have the excuse of just moving here." I said, and then I was shrugging, and we were walking along. I was enjoying my life with a new group of people to talk to. I was finally really getting somewhere in my life. It took until my junior year of high school. But I am starting to sort of slowly see it come through.

Scene 12: I See Myself

Day 20

That Saturday, Matt and I were hanging out at his house. He looked right at me, and I was wondering what in the world I was even going to do now. "Honestly, I just want you to try and talk to T.K., and get him to see that there is nothing wrong with putting yourself more out there in the world." He said, and then I looked right at him, wondering why he was telling me this.

"I mean, he might resent you if he feels like you are forcing this upon him." I said, and then I was looking right at him, and as I said that, I was seeing him looking like he was not really in the mood to hear anything like this. I just decided that I would remain silent, as to not be making the issue any worse for either of us.

He left his room, and I was seeing that he had looked extremely kind of lost. As if worried about what people were going to say about him. I wondered what I was even going to tell him. Tell him that things were alright, and that he did not need to worry about what was going on. "Hey, is this your new friend?" T.K. asked, mostly just uncaring about the fact that he was talking to me in the first place.

"Yeah, I have been talking with him on and off the entire school year so far. He was telling me that he would want to introduce me to you." I said, and then I shrugged, not really sure if this was still the way that I was wanting to take this conversation in the first place.

"Cool. I have had a hard time really doing anything since I moved here. Kind of makes sense, due to how much I really messed up when I was at school at my previous place." After T.K. was telling me this, I was looking at Matt, and I was wondering what he was going to say in reaction to this. He seemed kind of unsure what to say.

"He has been saying these things all the time. Sure a small part of it is his fault. But not the whole thing." Matt said, and then I was really feeling like I just did not have enough context to get what the hell they were both going on and on about.

"What happened in your original home town that made you guys come up here anyways?" I asked, and then Matt sighed, probably feeling like there was no real point in even trying to argue what happened, due to how fucking insane the whole thing already had been. "I mean, you guys are acting like you saw the fucking apocalypse."

"The short version is that in our old home town of Onett, there was a meteor that fell down on the town. The company that runs most of this town, Lazarus, I think, started to send people down there to check it out. And then after that, we were forced to move to Wayside due to the fact that our dad claimed that he got a promotion. But to be honest, neither one of us believe that." He said, and the I shrugged, unsure why he was telling me this.

"Seriously? You're having a hard time socially interacting with people because of that? I mean, there is nothing you can do about a fucking meteor." I said, and then I looked at T.K., wondering if he was able to see how insane this whole thing was sounding. He looked like he was still not really buying what he had said.

"I mean, I get it. You have just moved to a new town. You are unsure of who you might be able to get along with or not. I understand that feeling. Especially since I still have feelings like that all the time. But the reality is that if you don't go out there, and just at least try and see what you can do, you are only making things worse." I said, and I was feeling like I just needed Matt to say something if he was really wanting this situation to work out well.

"I mean, I have been able to focus on my studies at least. My grades have been decent this school year. So maybe this was for the best. At least I can set my eyes on what matters." He said, and then I was shrugging, feeling like at the rate he was going, there was literally no point in even trying to talk to him about what had happened at all.

"I am going to be totally honest with you, middle school grades so not fucking matter at all. I mean, at least you have something that you are keeping your sights on. But in all honesty, they are at most just going to help you get ready for high school." I said, and then with that, I decided that I would break in before he would say the next part.

"High school grades on the other hand really are important. Colleges look at that stuff, not what you are doing right now. But even with grades as an issue, you can still go around and have some fun. You do not need to throw everything away for something like academics." I said, and then I was feeling like I was only making things worse if I kept talking any longer.

"I mean, it all comes down to simply greeting a person, and not being upset at them. Just treat them well, and they will go around and support your interests." Matt said, and then I was looking at him, wondering what the hell his interests were even going to be in the first place. "I mean, to be fair, you hardly given me anything to work with on your interests?"

"I mean, I would be interested in going to the arcade for a bit. I feel like I could make something work there." After T.K. was telling us this, I laughed since that stuff was way out of my fucking league, and to be honest, I felt like I would have to just let Matt kind of take over for that issue, since I had a feeling that even he would have a better idea what to be doing here.

"Do you have any knowledge on that stuff?" I asked Matt, and I saw that he was looking like he was kind of unsure of what to say. After I was seeing that he was kind of looking out of it as well, I sighed, feeling like I should have expected that. Then I looked at T.K., feeling like I just needed to give him something to work with here.

"If for nothing else, we can at least take you there. And I am ninety five percent sure that you can find somebody there who you would be willing to talk to. So I feel like you will be fine." I said, and then T.K. was looking like he was kind of worried about what I had just suggested. I was wondering what was going on that got him so uptight anyways.

"Yeah, I guess that I would have nothing to lose. I just hope that this isn't a load of shit, and that you will actually be able to help me." T.K. said, and then when he said that, I was wondering what in the world was getting him so fucking upset with this. But I decided that I would just remain silent, and not be worried about it any longer. So with that, the three of us were heading down there.

"It's not even a thing of self confidence. It is more of just a matter of having social skills. I mean, if you just simply talk with people, over time, you will start to see that you are not needing to worry about things nearly as much as you have been." After Matt was telling T.K. this, I was seeing him looking kind of worried about what to say now.

Eventually, we were getting near the arcade, and then I was looking at him, and I was just kind of wondering if he was actually going to be well. I mean, it was none of my business. But it was still just kind of feeling wrong to be leaving him like this when we still had no idea if he was able to handle it at all.

"Thanks. I will give it a try. I mean, since I am already here, I might as well." After T.K. said that to me, he walked inside, and then I was looking at Matt, and I was wondering if he was actually planning on doing this or not. In all honesty, I had a feeling that it was going to take a couple of tries for it to work. We gave him about ten minutes before we started to head back, feeling that from that point forward, it was up to him.

Scene 13: The Cousins Blessing

Day 22

As I was heading home on Monday, I was seeing that Rachel was looking at me, as if wondering when I was going to finally see her. I wondered what in the world she was fucking planning on doing. "Hey Ocho, sorry to meet you so suddenly like this. But I was wanting to talk to you about a couple of things." She said, and then I sighed, wondering why she was doing this.

"Don't worry, I won't be keeping you for long. I just wanted to talk to you about Andrea, and just see how you two were doing." She said, and then I was looking right at her, and I was wondering if she was going to tell me that she wanted me to stay away from her from now on, and that I would regret it if I didn't.

"Did I do something wrong?" I asked, hoping that there was nothing wrong. I was just hoping that with everything that was going on, she wasn't going to reveal to me that she wanted nothing to do with me. "If she doesn't want to hang out anymore, then I will respect her wishes…"

"That isn't it. The truth is that I wanted to just see how you were feeling about it. I mean, I know that things are moving a bit fast, and that you might be worried about her. And I was mainly just wanting to make sure that you were actually ready to be in a relationship with her." She said, and then I was sighing, sort of aware of what she was saying. I knew that she was just worried about her cousin, and that was something that I more than respected.

"I mean, I am ready to do the best that I can. I will admit that this is all new to me. So I will not be surprised if I fail at it. But that doesn't mean that I can't look at what is happening, and just try to see what is ahead of me." I said, and then after I was telling her this, I was looking at Rachel, and I was just trying to decide what I was going to say next. Make sure that I didn't fail at making sure her family was getting what they needed.

"Rachel, I will be honest. If you guys do not want me around you guys, for whatever reason, I will have to just accept that, and not fight it. But I hope that you know that in all honesty, I really do care about what you guys are feeling." I said, and then I was shrugging, not sure what in the world I was going to be telling her now.

"It's not that. I think it is just more of the fact of getting used to the change. You know, having you around often will be a bit strange at first. But over time, I am sure that people will be getting over it. I am more so just wondering what Tobias will be feeling. He will be the one that will really make it hard to have a comfortable relationship with her." Rachel said, and then I was really having no idea how I was going to say what I wanted to say next, without making it sound like I was being a asshole. But in all honesty, I hardly cared at all.

"Why is everybody so worried about what Tobias is thinking? I mean, he seems like when you guys put so much emphasis on him, that he is becoming more trouble than he is worth. You got to do what you believe is right for you." After I said that to her, I was seeing that she was looking like she did not really feel too comfortable with me saying that.

"It's because it's really fucking obvious from a mile away that he's mom's favorite. I don't care how much she denies it, or how much she wants to pretend that she loves us equally; It is clear that if there were two buildings with a bomb in it, and I was in one, and he was in the other, and you asked her a hundred times who she would save if she would only pick one, she would pick him a hundred and ten times without a seconds hesitation." She said, and then I was looking at her, and the way that she was saying was so definitive that I already had no way to argue it.

"I mean, you never know. If you ask Tobias, he might say that he feels the opposite way." I said, and then I was shrugging, not having any idea what the hell to tell her. "And even if that is true, you got to think about your father. Maybe he will like you more than he likes Tobias."

"Honestly, I feel like he probably actually likes Andrea the most. I can't remember the last time that either Tobias or I had a real conversation with him. He always seems to be so busy with his work that it is hard to talk with him." She said to me, and I was wondering why in the world he would be feeling that way about his fuckin niece more than his actual children. I mean, if that was true, that would be kind of messed up.

"That must really suck. So you feel like you are just sort of the third wheel to the family situation, and that you just kind of accept that? Do you really feel like you would want to fight that though?" I asked, unsure what in the world I was even going to say to her to try and change the way she was looking at this.

"There is no point. I mean, I have school, and I have friends. Rob seems to be friends with both Andrea and I, and it is clear that he does sincerely try to help us both here. But I guess that when reality comes up front that in all honesty, you can only have one best friend. And if he ends up picking her over me, then I suppose that this will be when it really does fucking hurt." She said to me, and then I looked right at her, and I was really having no idea what in the world I was going to tell her.

"Sorry for asking. I still don't really know when I have to stop something before it ends up just getting worse. I always feel like I want to talk to people, and just really get to know them, but I am only making things worse for you guys." I said, and then after I was done, I was really having no idea why in the world I was even saying all of this in the first place. I had no idea what I could even say.

"Don't worry about it. I think your attempts to try and get to know every detail about somebody is what really makes people understand where you are coming from. I feel like you have nothing to be sorry over." After she was telling me this, I had no idea what I would even be able to say in response. I guess all that I could say was a moment of dawning realization.

"Are you telling me that I probably would have been better off if I actually tried to reach put sooner? That I ended up shooting myself in the foot? I don't really want to think that, because if it is true, then that means that I am sort of my own worst enemy." I said, and then I was really not sure what in the world I was even able to tell her in the first place.

"In a way, that is what I am saying. I just think that you are probably looking too deeply into this thing, and that you are having a hard time really piecing things together. But I can't really say much. You seem like you are self aware of that. And I need to stop looking at my family, and what they believe, and look at myself." She said, and then I was looking at her, kind of lost on what she was meaning when she had been telling me this. I felt like I needed to know what she meant.

"I mean, I got to look at what I can bring to the table, and realize that I am worth more than I am giving myself credit for. And if I can do that, then perhaps I could be able to really just be my own person. Not having to worry about what anybody else says about me at all. If I stop caring what people think of me, then perhaps I can finally change myself." After she had said that to me, I slowly nodded, hoping she would find that in herself.

Scene 14: Self Confidence

Day 24

A couple of days later, I decided that I would try and talk to Tobias, I would try and really clear some things up with him. Perhaps I could get him to see that I was genuinely trying my best to be making Andrea have the time of her life. I just wanted him to see that even if I wasn't the person he expected me to be, that I was not a bad person.

Once at his house, I was seeing him coming home from school, and as soon as he was seeing me, I saw that he was clearly not looking all that excited to see me at all. He probably thought that I was going to try and force him into a nice long conversation. "Ocho, what on earth are you doing?" After he had asked me this, I sighed, and figured that I just needed to run with it before I changed my mind.

"Honestly, I wanted to talk to you for a bit. I wanted to just try and clear some things up, since I know that you don't like me very much, and I was hoping that maybe we could just try and push this whole thing behind us." I said, and then after I was telling him this, I saw that Ocho was looking like he was not really in the mood to hear it at all.

"It's not a matter of liking you or not liking you. I just simply have a lot of things that I am worried about personally, and my school life is not turning out as well as I was wishing it would be." Tobias said, and then I nodded, feeling like I just needed to let him talk for a bit, and then perhaps we could sort things out a little.

"What would you need some help on?" I asked, and then I was looking straight at him in the eyes. As I asked him this, I was seeing that he clearly did not even fucking know where he was going with this. And that he might as well just just try and talk to me. If for nothing else, at least I was somebody who was going to school with him.

"Well, I feel like everybody at school is just more focus on hanging out with this one guy, Gumball Watterson. I am starting to feel like when they talk with him, that they hardly even fucking care to be looking at somebody like me anymore. And I get that popularity isn't huge. But I want to have some good memories. I don't want my memories to be stuck to what I feel about a random classmate."

"So you need some help with that?" I asked, and then after I asked him this, I was seeing him nod a little bit. I was still seeing that he was not too excited to have this conversation. "I think that if you do not really want to be feeling like you are being rejected in favor of Gumball, you need to try and just maybe talk with him. Be friends with him."

"Another issue that I am seeing is that people seem to have a incredibly hard time distancing themselves from the fact that my parents are the Wilsons. They seem to think that I get whatever I want, and that I just buy my way through everything. It is clear that they do not really feel like I am earning anything that I am doing. I just wish that I could be able to get them to view differently." After he was telling me this, I was looking right at him, knowing nothing about what to tell him now.

"There is nothing you can do about who your parents are. We all know that. What you can do something about is working on making people see that you will not let that fact get in the way of your willingness to actually be with others. That you are willing to actually to become a completely different person than who your parents are. But if you can't do that, they will still look at you the same way." I said, and then after I was saying that to him, I was seeing that Tobias looked like he was still not too sure what to tell me.

"I just don't want people to be scared of me. I don't want to be hated just over something so simple. I want people to see that one of these days, I truly can be my own person." Tobias was telling me, and with that, I simply was feeling that there was no way that I could be able to get him to talk to me here.

"Look, whatever else you do, if you want people to really respect you and your life choices, you got to earn it. I feel like you can do it. I mean, you have so much time ahead of you." I said, and then I was thinking of another way that I could get him to at least consider what I was saying now. "You have six years until graduation. Six fucking years. You can really make it work. Don't focus on your twenties, or thirties. Just focus on getting through this school year." I said, and then I was shrugging, not sure what to say.

"Look, I think that the best way that I can do to help you is to tell you to look at a piece of advice that somebody gave me. Taking life one day at a time. Every day is its own twenty four hour story. Make that day work out, and every time you feel like you put a day to good use, and that you did your best to help, then you will realize that you had a great life." I said, and then I looked right at him, happier than ever to tell him that.

"So basically just make the most that I can out of it? I guess that I can talk with people, and work things out with them." He was telling me this, and then I nodded, and I was glad to see that he was seeing what I was trying to tell him. "Even if Gumball doesn't want to be friends with me, somebody out there will."

"I mean, I never thought when I started school this year that I would be talking to a few different people. I know that I still have a long way to go. I feel like I will never quite be ready for everything. But I do know is that I don't want to regret what I have been doing. And with the more that I socialize with people, the more that I really feel like what I was doing back then was a waste of my time." I said, and then I was having no idea what to say.

"And think of this: Even if you try, and you do terribly. Like nobody likes you… At least you tried. At least you worked on it. You went out there, and you did what you could. I mean, at the end of the day, everybody has their own life story. Every year that you are alive, is another set of experiences, and another set of stories that you complete. As long as you feel like you made a little bit more progress in a year than you did the previous one, the that is what matters." After I said that to him, I was seeing that Tobias was not looking like he believed that.

"And if you feel like a year in general really was a wash, and that you did not do much with it, at least you can walk away with the fact that you are another year closer to graduation. Use that at least to walk away with. You are closer to graduation, and you are closer to putting that part of life behind you. I feel like that should be enough to be happy with." I said, and I really was not making this any easier for him. I just wanted to really make him feel like it was not all that bad.

"Thanks Ocho. I mean, it's not everything I wanted. But it's a start. I will take it, and see what I can do with it." After Ocho said that to me, I was seeing him smile at me. "I feel like if I just try at something, then over time, I will be able to make it work. I hope that my assumptions don't really turn out to be false." After he said that to me, I was feeling like maybe I was at least starting to get there with helping him out.

Scene 15: Kiss Under The Light

Day 27

That Saturday, Andrea and I were out for a minor "date" if you would want to call it. As we were going along, I was seeing that Andrea had clearly looked like there was something on her mind that she wanted to say. And since I was wanting to respect her wishes, I decided that I would give her a chance, and just tell me what was going on in her mind.

"So Ocho, I really wanted to thank you for the help that you have been giving Rachel and Tobias. They have been telling me that you have been making them have a much easier time lately. I really appreciate that. I was worried that they would not like you or something." After she had said that to me, I was slowly nodding, feeling like that made some fucking sense in all honesty.

"I just feel like the stuff that I have been saying really just made sense. I don't know. I don't think I'm some great therapist or anything like that. But I do not want to see other people around me not have a chance to have the life that they would want." I said, and I was wondering if that was making me a good person. At least from a matter of speaking. "I just don't really feel like you guys deserve to have that great level of doubt on your shoulder or anything like that. It's really as simple as that." After I was telling her this, I was really having no idea how in the world I would continue at all.

"Yeah, Rachel and Tobias had both approached me, for different reasons, about how they no longer want to have their reputation tied to their parents. How they want to be able to be their own people, who can do their own thing. I mean, I feel like I sort of get it. Even if it doesn't make the most sense in the world in my eyes. I want to do whatever I can to help out." I said, and then Rachel was nodding at that, probably thinking it made some sense.

"I guess that makes sense. I mean, people seem relatively willing to look past it for me. Probably because I am just simply their cousin, and not a actual child. So when they see that, they probably feel like they do not need to be as obsessed with something right now. I guess that is why they always feel like they are willing to talk to me." Andrea said, but I was really having no idea what in the world I was going to even be telling them at all.

"But in all honesty, I feel like you are not giving yourself enough credit. You are really going in there, and it seems like as long as you are at least relatively willing to speak with them, that they see that you are not a bad person. I just hope that over time, you will be able to relax those strange feelings that you have, and you can be happier about what you are doing for yourself." Andrea was telling me, as she was clearly looking out of it a bit.

"Is there anything that you are worried about? I mean, I haven't really gotten to know what you believe nearly enough to have a clue what to say." I said, and then I was looking right at her. I was seeing that Andrea looked like she was almost embarrassed to be having this discussion right now with me. Probably thinking that talking to me about her feelings would be an embarrassment.

"I mean, I guess that I am worried about all the disturbing rumors about Wayside. In all honesty, I feel like if I knew that they were not true, then my life would be better. But I will never know something like that, and that fear is just really dragging me down a bit." After she was telling me this, I slowly nodded, and I felt like I could see what she was saying.

"I have no idea if I will be able to help you with that. I think you are probably going to have to be on your own with that." I said, and then I was sighing, and I was wondering if that statement was really something that she wanted to hear. I was hoping that she would at least be able to respect my honesty when I was telling her this.

"Yeah, I kind of figured that. I mean, after the scene that you made earlier with that class session and asking the teacher all those questions, I am sure that the teacher doesn't want to deal with that any more. He will probably be looking for any excuse to not have to talk with you." She was telling me, and then I looked down at the ground, since in all honesty, I really did not want to be reminded of that event.

"Honestly, hearing that get brought up again is just making me feel really fucking embarrassed." I said, and then I was looking right at her, wondering if there was any point to having any extra conversation like this with her. "I mean, if I ever hear something that you might be interested in, I will tell you. But until then, I would not place my hopes on it at all."

We were getting near a light pole, and it was already nearly pitch black at night, despite only being 8 pm. And I hardly cared about the man in black on the other side of the street, smoking a cigarette, as he was staring at us. As I was looking at Andrea, I was wondering what in the world I was even going to tell her at all.

"It might not be much, but I promise you that I will do my best to keep you safe, and keep you happy. I know that we have only known each other for like a month or so, but I feel like just getting to know you guys have made me realize that doing whatever I can to make sure that you guys are happier is what really matters to me." I said, and then after I was telling her this, I really had no idea what the hell I even had to say now.

"If for nothing else, I will admit that when you say it, I believe what you are saying much more than when other people say it. It just feels like I am hinging my fate on other people when I hear them say this." After she had said that to me, I was shaking my head. I was not going to let her be feeling this way. I wanted her to be happier than she had been before.

I gave her another kiss. This time on the lips, and I wanted her to know that I was not regretting what I was doing. I knew what I was doing, and I was hoping that maybe this would help her understand that no matter what happens, I will never let her leave my side. Unless if it was by her wishes. When we let go, and looked at each other for a few seconds, I was having no idea what in the world I was even going to be telling her at all.

She was placing her head on my shoulder for a second. "Please don't change the person that you are. I trust you too much to see that happen." After she was telling me this, I was sighing, since what she was saying was a giant fucking request, and I had no idea how on earth I was even going to be able to give that to her. But I felt like this was something that I needed to do to make her feel better.

"I love you. I will do my best to stay the person that I am. I just hope that as the years progress, I will find myself getting more mature, and able to really change my perspective for the better. But until something like that happens, I will not be too worried about it." I said, and then with that, I was hugging her for another moment or two longer, before I was finally letting her go. When she was off of me, I was sighing, since I had no idea what to say now.

"I hope that you remember your promise. About helping me find the truth of labyrinth if I ever need to. If I know the truth, my life will be so much better." After she had said that to me, I was slightly nodding, and I was really having no idea what in the world I was even going to be telling her. I just hoped that I would not regret my promise.

Scene 16: Friends Feelings

Day 28

As Rob requested that I hang out with him while he was doing his skating session that day, I decided to come along, and just enjoy the day. I mean, literally anything to get myself another day with these people, and know more and more that my company was indeed appreciated. As we were already at the skating park, I saw Rob going at it for a little bit.

I will admit, he had been getting a bit better at it over time. I was feeling that if he kept up at it over time, he might actually start to get really good at his hobby. "Have you been practicing every single day since you bought it?" I asked, and then Rob was nodding at that, as if excited to admit this.

"Yeah, I am mainly doing it because I want to show people that I can actually do it, and that this isn't just a phase. But beyond that, I also want to impress the girl that I like." After he was telling me this, I was looking at him, and I was wondering why in the world he was suddenly opening up with me about this out nowhere, when he hardly had before hand.

"Who do you fucking like anyways?" I asked, feeling the need to know about this. As I asked this, I was seeing him lose control of his skating, and then he started to fall down for a second, before he landed on his hands for a second. He winced in pain for a second before getting back up once again. "I mean, sorry. It's just that you never brought this up before, and you got me interested." I said, apologizing for the accident. As I said that, I saw him slowly nod, as if feeling like something like that was fair enough.

"Well, I guess that I might be able to tell you. But keep this between us. Since I don't know if she would feel the same way. Anyways, the girl that I like is Rachel." He said, and then after a second of thinking about this, I was smiling for a second. Knowing that because of this, Rachel was going to be able to get her feeling of being more significant than she had been before, which was literally what the whole issue was in the first place.

"Well, I know that she does view you as a great friend. She has given me that much. I don't know if that is what you want it to be. But I am sure that you would feel like that is better than nothing at all." I said, and then after I was saying this, I was seeing Rob looking like he was just trying to find something else to say. But then with that, he shook his head at me. Probably thinking that it would be best to just not push his luck too far here.

"Yeah, I mean, I feel like I will have to take it. It's better than nothing. Honestly though, I just feel like every time I talk with her, and see her point of view, the world actually becomes a slightly better place. I have no way to really say it any other way. Maybe if I was good at talking with people, and knowing what to say, then I would be able to give you more to work with." After he was telling me this, I slowly nodded, feeling like I just needed to roll with what he was giving me.

"What I would suggest is that you just really get to know what she feels more. Not worry about anything else, and not worry about if she would reject you or not. What you are doing is good work, and I am sure that she would be able to recognize that." I said, and then I was smiling at him. Rob was starting to skate along for a bit again, just trying to find something else to do to make him feel slightly better here.

"I mean, my interest in the skating has nothing to do with her. I mean, that is just something that is making me feel more inclined to stick with it. I feel like I need to at least point to a successful goal of mine. And if I can do that, I would feel so much fucking better. Knowing that people are aware that I am not just taking things for granted here." Rob was telling me, and then I was slowly nodding along with what he was telling me now.

"I think the first step is to ask her to hang out. Nothing else. Ask her to hang out. And see how that goes out. If she shows some interest in you that way, then continue. But if she friend zones you, then at least you are still friends with you. Which is a whole lot better than anything else." I said, and then I was smiling at him, wondering what in the world I was doing. Why was everybody going to *me* for dating advice, when I was hardly even in something with Andrea. I barely scratched the surface with her, and now everybody was like thinking I was the guy.

"Sorry for bringing it up. I should have kept that to myself. Honestly, it feels dumb when I talk about people that I like. Nobody cares, who fucking cares who I like? That is just so random for me to bring up, and I feel like I am just kind of being a idiot talking to you about something like this." After he was telling me this, I was really having no idea what in the world I was going to do.

"There is nothing dumb about your emotions. You are feeling a certain way, and you are just trying to understand why you feel that way. There is nothing wrong with that. You are doing what you need to understand life around you." I said, and then I was really having no idea what in the world I was even going to do now. I just wondered if what I could say could even help make anything better for him in the ever slightest.

"Who knows. I mean, I feel like I can talk with Julian about it. He likes Andrea way more than he likes Rachel, so it is not like he will have that dumb ass feeling about competition. I mean, I feel really sorry that you have to deal with that from the guy. You deserve better than that." After he was saying that to me, I was sighing, since in all honesty, Julian was just rolling through his emotions.

"I mean, I feel like Julian and I are sort of making up. I told him that I was going to do everything that I can to make Andrea feel better. And when I did that, I think he saw that I was telling the truth. And to be honest, I feel like when you get to know Rachel more, you need to know more about the true here. Not her looks, her personality. And the other way around. You have to try and open up about your personality to her, and show her the way you really are." After I told her that, I slowly nodded, feeling that maybe that was going to be easy.

"I feel like that is much easier said than done." Rob was telling me, and at this rate, I was feeling that arguing with him would not really be worth either of our times, so with that, I was just feeling like I just needed to let it go for the time being. "But who knows, I think the fact that we are friends at least is enough to give me some hope that I am looking too deeply into something like this right now."

"No matter what happens, if she says no, at least you got your answer. It is better to have a answer you don't like than nothing at all. If you don't get anything at all, how will you know if this is going to work out?" I asked, and I was hoping that my way of putting it would at least get him to start to open up to the idea of us talking more here.

"Yeah, thanks for telling me. I will try to start hanging out with her, and see what she feels and says. And who knows how it will go. I want to just see though." After he had said that to me, I was nodding, and I felt like there was nothing else to say on the matter anymore. I had felt like we both made our case, and that we were good. So with that, I started to just watch Rob skate along and have a good time while I was wondering what else to tell Andrea.

Scene 17: The Boy Who Loves Blue

Day 31

One day, when I was heading by the Wilson house, I saw another guy heading on his way over. I was confused why a younger guy who was clearly trying to dye his hair blue (for no reason), was heading on over there. When I was looking over at him, I saw that he was looking kind of unsure of what he was doing. "What is the issue?" I asked, even though I felt that something like this was none of my business.

"I was going to go over and talk to Tobias. For some reason, he said that he wanted to see me at his house. I don't know. I have a feeling that he is planning on something right now." After he was telling me this, I was shrugging, since I had no idea why in the world he would even be feeling this way in the first place.

"Were you planning on seeing him?" He asked me, and then I shook my head. I looked over at him, and smiled for a quick second, feeling that I might as well play along with this, and act like I was prepared for this type of random ass conversation that suddenly came up.

"Honestly, I am going to see his cousin. She and I are currently dating, and I want to just take as much time as I can to make sure we have some good memories to get out of this." After I said that to him, I was seeing that Gumball looked like he was shocked to hear a guy like me being able to be in a relationship with Andrea.

"What's your name by the way?" I asked, already well aware of who I was talking to. But I was feeling like I needed to at least pretend like I didn't for the sake of not sounding totally strange to him. I mean, how in the world would somebody react if you literally never met them, and already knew who they were.

"Gumball Watterson. Tobias doesn't seem to like me much for some reason. I think it might have to do with the fact that I am trying to go out with Penny, and I have a feeling he might like her as well." Gumball said, and then I looked at him, wondering why he was bringing this up. I mean, it was something to work with. But it was still odd to be honest.

"Well, it's hard to not be a bit jealous of somebody who is wildly popular among his classmates. I mean, when I was your age, I was sort of the same way. But I never I would never get fame, so I didn't fucking do anything." I said, and then I looked right at him, unsure what the hell I was going to say.

"Wildly popular? That is a way I never heard it before? What makes you think that?" He asked, and then I was sighing, feeling like at this point in time, there was no reason to be hiding what I had known. After all, I did kind of walk into this one.

"Tobias was telling me one time that a classmate of his named Gumball, so you, were really popular, and that he feels like he can't ever be able to get to that level due to the fact that he is related to the Wilson's, and he is always feeling like nobody wants anything to do with him due to that." I said, and then I looked at him, really feeling like I just needed to know what was going on in his mind.

"I don't even dislike the guy. He is the one who refuses to talk to me. If he would give me a chance to talk with him more, then things would be better." Gumball said, and he was sounding like he was actually kind of pissed as he was saying this. I felt like for my own personal sake, I needed to just stay out of this one, since I had no real stake in the matter at all.

"Hopefully he will be able to see your perspective." I said, and then I was shrugging as I was saying that. Not really having much else to say on the fact, and then I was continuing my way over there. Gumball was walking behind me, and while I found it strange, I decided to not argue with him about it too much, for his own sake.

"So why would he talk to you about this of all people? I mean, you would think that he would try to talk to his family about it?" After he asked me this, I was looking right at him, and I really had no idea what I was going to tell him at all. I didn't know the full answer to that question honestly.

"Honestly, I have no idea why that is the case. I just simply know that when I started to date Andrea, I wanted to really get to know the full family. That way they know that they can trust me. And when I started to talk to Tobias, he was giving me those details. But why he was reaching out to me, I will admit I do not know." After I was telling him this, I was shrugging for a second, thinking that I could leave it at that.

"But Gumball, I think you need to understand that even if you do talk with Tobias, and you get him to open up, I think you need to see that he might not be fully willing to talk to you yet. He might need some time to really know that you are actually meaning it all. If you don't let him have that, then he will probably feel like you are just being insincere. Like you are forcing him to talk when he doesn't want to." I said, and then I was looking right at him, wondering if he was actually listening to me here.

"I guess that I can do that. I mean, I will admit that I do not have a huge stake in the matter. I just want to make sure that he knows that I am not trying to be rough or rude with him. I feel like he will probably not really see the bigger picture yet." After he was telling me this, I was smiling at him. "I hope that taking it slow and easy doesn't lead to a terrible school year." After he was telling me this, I was really at a loss of what I was wanting to tell him at all.

We were eventually at the Wilson house, and I was wondering what Gumball was basically going to be doing in all honesty. "Nice to meet you. Just don't be so hard with the guy. And remember that it will be best to just give him some time to really think things out. That is the best that you can do." After I was telling him this, I was seeing Gumball looking like he was really not too sure what to tell me at all.

"Have a good night with Andrea." He said, and then he was walking inside, and leaving me alone. As I was alone for a second, I really had no idea what in the world I was even going to tell him. In all honesty, I needed to just make sure that whatever Gumball was doing, it wouldn't affect my time with Andrea. After all, at the end of the day, she was still the person that I was looking at pleasing the most.

I walked inside, and I was seeing that Tobias had already been out of his room, waiting for Gumball to talk to him. I was wondering how long in advance he had planned this whole thing out. As I was walking by them, to see Andrea, I was seeing Tobias looking over at me, and I was seeing that he was already looking like he was kind of regretting this whole thing.

I nodded in his direction, to give him some hope and confidence that he will be able to make it through this. Then with that, as I was heading to Andrea's room, I was already hearing them talking to each other, as if feeling like they might as well just get this over with.

When I was at Andrea's room, I looked over one more time, and saw that Gumball and Tobias were having a very stilted conversation, and it was rather obvious that neither one knew where to go with this, which made me feel like this was a terrible idea. I was glad for more than one reason when Andrea opened up the door, and let me inside, and I decided to just pretend that I did nothing wrong.

Scene 18: My Friends Girlfriend

Day 34

After school was done, and the weekend was underway, I was hanging out with Matt at his house, and to be honest, it was a lot of fun to be able to relax with him, and actually see what he was feeling. After all, I had not seen him much lately, and I was happy to finally just talk to him for once. I was always trying to balance too many things, but had a hard time really getting through to him at all.

"So Ocho, I decided to ask her out." Matt said, and then I looked at him, and I was seeing that he was not bullshitting. The level of joy in his face was clear enough for me to see that he was telling the truth. As he said that to me, I was smiling at him, honestly happy with him for the fact that he done this. Although I will admit I was kind of sad to see my victory pose of being the only one in a relationship end so abruptly was kind of sad.

"What is her name?" I asked, since I couldn't remember if he told me or not. He was looking like he was not too sure if he remembered as well or not, but that either way, it didn't really matter all that much, and he was too excited to care.

"Sora. She's a grade lower than us. But given the fact that you are seeing somebody two grades lower than you, I feel like you really have no right to lecture me here." After Matt said that to me, I was sighing, and rolled my eyes, since he did not need to really mention that at all. "She will be here in about an hour. We plan on going on a date tomorrow."

"Well, good luck on it. If it does start to work out, just remember to take every day that you can get. And beyond that, remember that at the end of the day, you need to remember what you are both needing, and what you are both wanting. What you guys both have is rather important." I said, and then I was shrugging as I was telling him this, and then I saw that he was considering what I said.

"Thanks. I mean, I feel like as time goes by when you live in a place such as Wayside, you kind of just get used to everything that is going on around you. You hardly seem to be worried about what others are thinking. I mean, people care more about the missing people than they care about your relationships really." After he was telling me this, I was thinking that I sort of understood.

"Has T.K. been making any progress with his social life? I mean, that was a big deal earlier, and I feel like if I have to, I can try to fucking talk to him, and see what I can do to help." I said, and then after I said that to him, I saw that Matt was looking slightly unsure of what to tell me at all.

"A touch, I suppose. Which I guess is better than nothing. He seems to be kind of opening up to a second person. I guess one person at a time is better than where he was before. And I noticed that with each passing school week, he seems to be happier. I don't know if that is because each week he is reaching out more, or that each week is just closer to the end of the school year." He said, and then I was shrugging, not really sure what to think about that at all.

Before we were able to talk about T.K. for a duration, that was when Sora knocked on the door. Matt got up right away, and answered the door. When she was looking at me, I was seeing that she was actually rather attractive to be totally honest. But I did not want to say anything due to the fact that Matt was already with her, plus I was with Andrea by now anyways.

"Hey Sora. I was just hanging out with one of my friends while waiting for you." After he was saying that to her, I was seeing that she was really having no idea what to say about me. Probably feeling that I was somebody she never expected to be hanging out with Matt in the first place.

"Yeah, I know that it might be strange to see him with somebody like me. Especially since I'm a terrible human being who has no social skills at all." I said, and I was mostly trying to be funny as I was saying this. That type of comment was kind of making Sora take a step back. She probably wasn't really thinking that the self deprecating comment was a bit much.

"Why in the world are you talking like that? I mean, at least give me a chance to actually know you first." After she was telling me this, I was sighing, since I was not sure what I was going to be saying now. After all, I was kind of invading her time with her boyfriend in the first place. "Anyways, so what time do you want to meet up tomorrow?" She asked me, and then I was seeing him looking like he was getting back into the serious mode once more.

"I was thinking maybe five? I mean, I know that since tomorrow is Sunday, we can't end up staying out too late. But I mean, we can still hang out until nine or ten just fine." Matt was saying, and then Sora was nodding, since that was still four hours of being out with Matt. "I know that you were talking about sushi. It's not exactly my type of food, but if you want to have it, I would be more than willing to give it a try, and see how it goes."

After Sora nodded at that, she was looking right at Matt, and I saw that she was having something running through her head right now. "So Ocho, how did you end up getting to hang out with Matt in the first place anyways? It's a odd combination, you have to admit." After she had told me this, I felt like the answer was basic enough.

"We just met up in class on the first day. He looked like he was bored out of his mind, and since I had never seen him around before, I decided to say hello." I said, and then I was shrugging at that statement. "Besides, I mean, I felt that the worst that would happen was that he would show no interest in talking to me."

"We were just talking about how his brother was having a hard time really getting to know people, and our concerns over him not having a chance to really reach out to classmates." After I said that to Sora, I saw her nod, and I was seeing that she was mildly considering what I had just said at that point. Probably thinking that what I was saying was true.

"Honestly, I have no idea what his issues are. I just figure that since we are not in the same grade, that it would be best to just let him be taking care of his own thing. I also know that when you are that young, if you interfere with their life, then they will resent you more than they would if you had just left things alone." After she was telling me this, I really had no idea what in the world I was going to be telling her in the first place.

"Sorry for staying too late. It was nice to meet you. I should probably get going though, so you guys can have the night together." I said, and then after I had said that to him, I was starting to walk out of the house. I had hoped that in all honesty, the two of them would be able to take things slowly and easily. I was just simply worried about what they would have felt if I was still there.

As I was leaving, Sora called out to me, and then I was looking right at her, wondering what she was planning on telling me here. "If you ever just wanted to hang out, I am more than sure that Matt would be willing to let you stay." She said, and then I was slowly nodding. I mean, her saying that made me feel better. But at the same time, I felt like I just needed to respect their space, and not be making a big fucking deal out of anything. So I left, and let them have their own time, at least for tonight.

Scene 19: Hot Dog Guy

Day 38

On Wednesday that school week, Julian was deciding that he would introduce me to John, who was still commonly nicknamed "Hot Dog Boy" (which had a whole new hidden connotation after what Julian told me earlier). And when I was heading on over there, I was feeling kind of excited. Like I was really getting to know the culture about the people that I was going to school with, and their different views.

When Julian showed me the guy, I literally understood what he meant. He had a red shirt, and a yellow jacket, and he was literally eating a hot dog. I was laughing at this, thinking that at least for once, a stupid nick name actually did make some fucking sense after all. "Hey John, this is Ocho. If you remember, I was suggesting earlier that I would introduce him to you."

"Oh yeah, I remember that. Honestly, I was wondering if you were actually going to do that after a point." John said, and then he was looking over at me, and I was seeing that he was still not looking like he was fully sure what to be telling me.

"To be fair, I have been hanging out with other people far more than I have been hanging out with Julian. So even if he wanted to, I doubt he would have had the chance to do so for a while." I said, and then I was seeing that Julian didn't even look like he was minding that fact. Almost like he was silently preferring that I would be doing this, but didn't want to fucking admit it.

"So, how did you guys get to know each other anyways? I thought you guys have only interacted with each other like three or four times." I said, lightly referencing the conversation that Julian and I had a while ago. But I decided to not say anything any further, because I knew that doing so would only make things worse.

"Mostly just from school projects, and the fact that we only like a block away. So we usually hang out once or twice a month during summer, when neither one of us have anything better to do." After John said that, I was shrugging, and I guess that with the fact that he didn't have any friends was the main reason why John ended up telling Julian about himself eventually.

"Fair enough. I mean, summer can get really fucking boring when you have literally nobody to hang out with, or anything to do at all. Even if you don't get to hang out with friends every day, even once a week would make it slightly less bad." I said, wondering if that was what I could talk about. But in all honesty, I was feeling like I needed to get better about this all.

"Regardless, I do fine enough on my own. As long as people are willing to leave me alone, then I am willing to leave them alone. I feel like that is the best thing that can help both of us out." After he was telling me this, I was slowly nodding, since I was feeling like he would not want to be making things any worse for him.

"Do you hang out with Julian's other friends, Rob or Rachel?" I asked, and then John slowly shook his head. Probably thinking that the fact that I was asking about that was a bit strange in his eyes. I was wondering why this guy was so fucking stiff to talk with. I just wanted to make some innocent fucking conversation, and he was not really working with me.

"I mean, I might have once or something. But I hardly remember anything about it, and in all honesty, I feel like even if I tried to talk to them now, they would never accept the idea of being friends with me. After all, I have no social skills." John said, and then I was sitting down for a second, kind of thinking about what to say.

"Look dude, I don't have any myself. I still go around and talk with people. I just know that it is the best thing that I can do for myself. I know that people probably do not really care much about what I do anyways. But I just want to do a bit more with my life." I said, and then I was having no idea what in the world I was even going to be telling him at this point in time.

"I mean, what would I even say to them if I was introduced to them? I mean, just the idea of hanging out with the Wilson's would be enough to kind of make me feel too scared to go through with the idea of hanging out with them." After he was saying this to me, I was then slowly nodding, feeling like something like that was making a minor form of sense honestly.

"Why does everybody think that talking to a Wilson is like the scariest thing known to man kind? It's just a family, and you don't have to talk to their parents." I said, and maybe this was because I reached out with both Tobias and Rachel, and grew to know them, that I started to feel like this constant fear everybody had was fucking dumb at this point.

"But don't be so worried about the little things. Everybody has a hard time reaching out at first, but if you try hard enough, then soon enough you will get a person to like you, and then you will start to realize that you got yourself so worried over nothing at all." I said, and then I was shrugging, and I was wondering if they were actually going to listen to me here. "You just need to believe in yourself, and stop beating yourself up over things that don't matter."

"I guess that I can do that. But I mean, I feel like if I try to reach out now, most people would not even know who the hell I was, and would probably tell me to just go waste somebody elses time. I mean, everybody just knows me as the guy who likes to eat hot dogs." He said, and gave a uncomfortable laugh a bit.

"I mean, it's better to have that reputation than being the guy who almost burned down the guys changing room in the third grade gym. So I think that you are not really in a bad spot here. Just go out there, and see what you can do." I said, and then after I had looked right at him, I was wondering if John would even be willing to listen to me at all in the first place.

"Fair enough. I guess that when you bring that up, it's not so fucking bad after all." After John was saying this, I was seeing that he was finding a mildly amused feeling about this whole thing. I was looking at Julian, thinking that getting John to talk with harder than anything that I had been doing with any of his friends.

"Look, if you want to hang out at any point, I will see what I can do. I am sure that we can work something out. There's no reason to not try at the very least." I said, and then I was shrugging for a second, and I really had no idea what I was even going to be saying. I just hoped that this John would be so hard to talk with anymore.

"Alright. Just don't be surprised or upset if you eventually just start to find me rather odd. At least I can say that I warned you." After he was telling me this, I was sighing, feeling that I might as well let it go for the time being. Then he was catching a glance at Julian, then started to smile for a second. "Although if you are already hanging out with him and his friends, then I guess that hanging out with random people is not all that strange after all."

"Alright, I will try to keep that in mind." I said, and then I was sitting down, and I was seeing everybody going around, and talking about their homecoming plans. As I was seeing them having the time of their lives making these plans, I sighed, unsure of what to say.

"Going with Andrea is going to be quite the experience. I wonder if I will even be able to handle it. But I would not have the heart to tell her no, and I feel like we will probably be able to make it work out." I said, and then I was starting to consider what in the world I would do when we were actually on the floor, and how hard she would want to really dance.

Scene 20: Homecoming

Day 41

It was time for the first dance of the school year, Homecoming, and I felt great to be able to have the experience with Andrea. It felt like this was something that was meant to be. I was at her house nearly an hour and a half early, which my mother felt might have been a bit too early. But at the same time, I was hardly caring at all.

When I was at her house, I knocked on her door, and waited for a few seconds before she answered, and was wearing a blue dress. I smiled at her, wondering if my black suit was something that was even going to be worth it at all. As I stared at her for a few seconds, I was just feeling totally fucking lost on what was going on in my mind.

"Hey Ocho, I was wondering when you would be here. Thanks for coming early. Do you want to just head on over to the school right away?" She asked, and then I slowly nodded, feeling like there was no need to be waiting any longer, and as we were starting to head on away, that was when Harold Wilson called out to me, and I turned to look at him.

"Make sure that you give my niece a good night out. She has been talking about this for nearly two weeks." After he was telling me this, I was slowly nodding, due to the fact that this was a rather high expectation that he was throwing on me. I sighed, and felt like I just needed to take it for what it was, and be happy that I was being given this chance still.

"Don't worry. I will do the best that I can." I said, and then with that, I was starting to head on out, and Andrea was having a smile on her face. I was wondering if she was finding that warning amusing or not. It was something that I wanted nothing to do with, due to the fact that this guy was going to have my head if I turned out to break her heart.

"Don't worry about it. He is like that with everybody. You get used to it after a point. Rachel is planning on going too, but since she doesn't have a date, it is more for the view than anything else." After she was telling me this, I was sighing, and I really had no idea what the hell I was even going to be telling her. I just thought that as long as we could make a positive memory that was all that mattered.

Eventually, we were at the school, and most people who were going on a date had already been there. I was taking a long sigh, since I was still feeling that the fact that I was here in the first place was literally one of the most crazy things in the entire world. I really had no idea what in the world I was going to be doing with Andrea.

I was just trying to decide what in the world I was even going to be doing. I smiled as I looked at Andrea, and then we walked inside, and I was holding her hand. We looked around, and the entire time that we had been walking around, I felt the desire to dance grow more with the second. I looked at Andrea, and felt like I needed to at least suggest the idea to her.

"Want to dance for a bit? I mean, if we are already going to be here, we might as well." I said, and then I was holding my hand out in that cheesy movie fashion. As I was looking at her, she nodded, and grabbed it. As we were slow dancing for a while, I was really wondering how much I could have predicted at the start of the school year, that in just six weeks time, I would be doing this.

"Don't worry about anybody else tonight. Just think about yourself, and what you want. Think about what will be the best for you." I said, and then I was wondering how much what I was saying would really settle down with her. I needed her to actually listen to me, if this was going to work out.

"Thanks. This school year has been so much better for me than every other one so far. This is the first year where I genuinely started to feel alive." After she was telling me this, I remained silent for a second. I wanted her to never say something like that. She deserved to feel alive all the time, and hearing that this wasn't the case was hard to hear.

"I am glad that I had a part of it then." I said, and I was feeling like that was the best that I could give her. There was no way in hell that I would be able to give her anything different. I was just hoping that when this was all said and done, there was never that feeling of being alone anymore. She deserved so much better, and I would give it to her.

"If I managed to become home coming queen in one of these four years, then I would be so fucking happy. I would be talking about something like that for the rest of my life probably." After she was telling me this, I was slowly nodding, since I was not too sure if we were even going to be together next year.

"If we are still a couple by this time next year, I will do everything that I can to make sure you get that choice." After I was telling her this, I was sighing, since I was really having no idea what in the world I was even going to tell her. I felt like there was no point in worrying about it any longer.

"I will take you up on that. But for now, I feel like there is nothing to worry about. For tonight, I am just more happy to have a chance to actually see somebody who I appreciate." After she was telling me this, I was really feeling that this statement was making me feel so much better. Hearing her admit that I was really the one who made her feel differently.

For the next song, we just danced together, and didn't care what people looking at us were thinking when we were just taking the moment. As the night was going on, the more and more that I was wondering if I was going to be the man that she needed, and not the one that she had wanted.

At one point during the night, I was seeing Rob sitting down, and since Andrea was off to use the bathroom, I decided I would hang out with him for a few moments. "So Rob, is something going on in your mind?" I asked, and then he looked right at me, and I was seeing that he was shocked to see that I was taking the time to be seeing him.

"Yeah, I am just trying to decide if I should be asking Rachel out. I mean, she probably would be willing to do it. But at the same time, I feel like I would be really embarrassed if she says no, and then I would be alone for the rest of the night." Rob said, and then I was sighing, since I was feeling like I just was not going to ever get beyond the fact that I would always have to give him some pep talks to make him feel slightly better.

"Just fucking do it. She will probably say yes. Maybe not romantically, I will admit. But she will probably let you have the moment, and I think that will be enough to keep you going." After I was telling him this, I was seeing that Rob was looking like he was kind of thinking about what I had said to him. Then with that, he was slowly nodding.

"Yeah, I guess that I can do that. I mean, no reason to be scared." After he was telling me this, he was standing up, and then he was looking right at me for a second. "Thanks for the encouragement. Even if she says yes just as a friend, it is better than sitting here all night."

Eventually, he was there, and when I was seeing him talking with Rachel, I was seeing her starting to blush a bit, and I was seeing that she was happier around him. The two grabbed their hands, and then started to slow dance for a bit. The two of them were seeming to take it nice and easy. Eventually Andrea was back with me, and she saw what I was watching. "I wonder if they will start dating soon." She said, as I smiled and shrugged.

Scene 21: Becoming Renegade

Day 48

I was heading on home from talking with Matt when I got the news of what happened with Andrea. In all honesty, I had started to believe that perhaps this friendship really would fucking work. I thought that something like this would have been impossible earlier. But now, it was actually starting to line up perfectly, and that was making me feel so much better.

And in all honesty, I was finally feeling like I knew what it was like to actually be accepted by those around me. People who were clearly willing to give me a chance, and not feel like I was a bad student. I felt like I could finally become more and more accepted by my classmates at school.

As I was on my way there, I was seeing Rob skating right towards me, and he was going at a super fast rate, and I was kind of shocked at how fast he had been going. But I figured that I would stop when I was seeing him get near me. After all, he might not have even known it was me, and would probably be willing to hang out with me once he saw who it was.

He eventually got off his board when he was in front of me. "Hey Ocho, I was looking for you. Sorry to come at you so suddenly, but I think you need to know that Andrea still hasn't been seen all day. We all thought that she was just skipping school. And her backpack was found on the side of the road, about a mile away from school." After Rob was telling me this, he was rubbing his hair, and I was nodding at this.

"I guess that makes sense. God damn it. Why is it that the one time I started to feel more like things were finally turning around for the best, this shit happens." After I said that to Rob, I was feeling like I just needed to find something to do about this.

"What are you planning to do about it? I mean, you have nothing to work with? I mean, as much as I hate to admit it, I think that you are going to have to come up with a actual plan here before you go roaming around crazily." After Rob was telling me this, I was looking at him, and in all honesty I did not need him to be telling me this. I figured that I kind of already knew this part to be honest.

"I am just simply going to go and see the Wilsons. I mean, they have to know something. Especially Rachel. The two of them were tight, and really were close." I said, and I was wondering if they even wanted something like that at all. I was seeing that Rob was looking like he was just kind of depressed about this whole thing. I wondered how in the world I was even going to be making him feel better about what was even happening now.

"I can't even imagine how you and Julian are feeling. You guys were so close with her, and knowing that she is gone must just really fucking hurt." After I said that to him, I was seeing that Rob had clearly looked like he did not want to be talking about this too much. He probably thought that I was trying to make him feel sad or whatever.

"I haven't spoken to Julian. He really liked her a lot. I think you probably noticed that. And I believe that he will need some time to really think about how to go at this going forward." After Rob was telling me this, he was sighing, as if feeling like talking wouldn't be so bad after all. "As for myself, I am just hoping that whatever happened to her can be found out soon, and we can perhaps change this for the better. I mean, I just have to believe."

"I mean, I was supposed to protect her. I was her fucking boyfriend, and then here I am still, while something is going on with her. I feel like I should have never even talked with her." I said, and then I was looking at Rob, and I was seeing that he was looking like I needed to calm down what I was saying, since it was not really my fault at all.

"Stop it dude. You made her life fucking wonderful when she was with you this year. I can't tell you enough about all the great things she was telling me and Julian about your time together. Even if you do not see it, she clearly loved you very much." After Rob was telling me this, I was looking at him, and when I saw the look on his face, I was actually sort of buying what he was telling me.

"I just feel like I might have gotten over confident. I might have felt that maybe everything was turning out great, and then here I am, just having to deal with what to do now. I will talk to Rachel." I said, and then I was starting to leave, but then Rob was running after me with his board still in his hand. I was seeing that he was very excited to talk with me now.

"Ocho, if you are going to try and talk to Rachel, then let me talk with her too. I mean, I have some form of a friendship with her already, and I feel like she would be much more willing to talk with me than you. No offense." After Rob was saying this to me, I was sighing, and I really had no idea what in the world I was even going to be telling him in the first place.

"Yeah, I feel like you might be right. I just feel like I have to do something better for everybody. Honestly, I feel like given the fact that I was her boyfriend, I should have actually been taking this whole investigation more seriously." I said, and then I was shrugging, having no idea what in the world I was even going to be doing at this point. "And who knows, I feel like maybe I can get Matt to help us out a little bit. After all, his father works at the radio station. He might be able to give us some updates about this whole thing."

"Not a terrible idea honestly." Rob said, and then I was seeing that he was starting to form a grin. Something to signify that he was indeed feeling some form of happiness here. Probably feeling that I was actually showing a level of care that he hadn't seen most people give with the girls who would go missing.

"Whatever you decide to do, as long as you are helping the cause, I will be there every single step of the way. I feel like we got to make a plan to turn this around." After Rob was telling me this, I slowly nodded, and I was hoping that he would be looking at it this way going forward, and that he was not going to too much of a hardass about this all going forward.

"Tell Julian that I am sorry about all of this. Tell him that regardless of what he believes of me, I will do everything that I can to make sure that she will return home. This needs to be a team effort, and I am hopeful that we will all be seeing this now." I said, and then after I had said that to Rob, I was seeing him nod for a quick second.

"And thanks for telling me as soon as you were aware of what is happening. I would not want to be left in the dark here." I said, and then with that, I was walking along, and I was going to head home. And maybe when I was with my mom, she would understand how I was feeling. She never seemed to love our friendship, but I noticed in recent times she was willing to put that behind her when she was seeing how happy I honestly had been.

Before long, I eventually did get home, and I was seeing her getting home from work. When she was seeing the look on my face, which I pretended to hide when I was speaking with Rob, she instantly started to get into protective mode. "Ohco, what happened?"

"Andrea is gone." I said, and then after I said that to her, I was seeing her looking like she was feeling unsure of what to tell me. I was feeling so fucking out of it, and I really had no idea what to tell her. She was walking up to me, and she hugged me, letting me know that it was okay, and at least she would still be there for me.

Scene 22: First Interview

Day 51

It was a couple of days after Andrea had gone missing, and I was a wreck that first day or so, just trying to decide what in the world I was even going to do. But once I had gotten a moment to just kind of calm down, and think about what I was going to do, I decided to just go to Matt's place. After all, I was feeling that as strange as it was, I could be able to see something with him before I started to lose too much hope here.

When I was at his front door, I knocked on his door, and then he answered, and looked right at me. He looked like he was clearly not too sure what to think of me being here right now. "Are you needing to just talk for a bit? I will see what I can do to help you out?" After he asked me this, I was shaking my head, since in all honesty, that was not the intention at all.

"Honestly, I was wondering if I could be able to talk with your father about anything. I know that he is a news reporter, and I was hoping that he would be able to tell me some details that he might have heard related to her case." I said, and then I was sighing, aware of how much it might have been seeming like I was pushing too far. But I hardly gave a shit at all.

"Oh shit. I have no idea if he would want to be talking to anybody about that stuff. But if you want to try and talk to him about what he might know, then I guess that you can give it a go. Don't take too much hope though, since he never talks about his job." Matt said, and he sounded like he was actually upset at that statement.

But he was deciding against it, and felt that the only thing there was to do was just to give it a chance, and maybe have me really see how desperate this whole thing really had been. So with that, he was walking inside, and I was seeing that he had been writing something. He looked up to see who I was, and I was seeing that he had no real opinion on what to think of me.

"Making sure that my son is staying out of trouble, are you?" He asked, and then I smiled. I felt like I might as well at least pretend like I was keeping myself together, and not going absolutely insane. I slowly sighed, feeling that I would just really relax while I was speaking to him for the time being.

"Yeah, although I was wondering if there was something you could tell me." I said, and then I was sitting down, and I looked right at him for a second. I was seeing that Matt's dad looked slightly worried about what I was doing. But he decided to just let me talk, for the time being at least.

"Now I know how desperate I am probably sounding right now. But my girlfriend went missing a couple of days ago, and I just want to see if there was anything that you knew about her case. I will be willing to take everything…" I said, and then I was feeling like everything that I was saying was just purely sounding like I was being desperate, and I hardly even cared.

"Yeah, Matt was telling me about a freshmen who went missing after that grinding noise had gone off again. I am still just trying to figure out what that noise really is. But I didn't know that the case was directly related to his friends or anything." He said, and I was hearing him sounding sincere enough as he was saying that.

"Like I said, anything that you have been able to cover with your stories, that you can be able to tell me I would love. Hell any information that you plan on covering in the next couple of days that I might be able to use, I will fucking take." After I said that to him, I was not caring at all if I was sounding like I was desperate, or a cry baby. I needed this.

"I don't really have anything that you probably don't already know. Most of the information that I have is information tied to her family life, as well as what the police are doing in order to actively look for her. I was told that barring any real evidence coming up, they want me to just give a weekly story about it for one or two minutes." Matt's father said, and then Matt started to get into the discussion at that point.

"Are you telling me that they are just giving you a fucking script, and that you are following through with that more than anything else?" He asked, and then I was really hearing in his voice that he was not taking it super well. I was seeing that Matt's dad did not look like he was really in the mood here at all.

"You can take what I said any way you want. But at the same time, I am just doing what I can. I don't know anything. I am sorry. But if I ever do find anything, and I am told to do a report on it, I will let you know right away." He said, and then after he had said that to me, I was slowly nodding, feeling like I just needed to take what he was saying.

"I mean, I suppose that it's better than nothing. I just want to be able to find her before the noise goes off again, and then her case will just be another story that people will forget about within a day, so people would focus on the new girl." I said, and I was both upset, and slightly understanding, why Wayside was having that attitude on the issue here.

"I have no idea what the inner workings of this town are right now. I do not know how much this happens, or how much you guys are able to do much to change it. If I had known better, then I would be able to help you. But for now, I feel like you will just have to take it one day at a time, and accept that I really am trying to help out." After he was telling me this, I really was trying to make him feel better here. But I just couldn't take it.

"I guess in the mean time, I will just have to try and make the Wilson family feel better about what is happening. They might not like to hear what I say, or believe in me, but I feel like I just kind of have to give them what I can get." After I was telling him this, I was seeing that Matt's father was looking like he was just wanting to remain slightly silent at what I was telling him. Probably not sure if he was able to give a real response.

"If I ever find anything, I will be sure that you are the first one to know." Matt's dad told me, and then I was sighing, and I decided that I would take it, and that this was going to be the only way to get him to actually listen to what I was feeling. And in all honesty, I was surprised that he was even giving me that much in the first place.

"Ocho, I believe that she will be found. The police force is huge in Wayside from what I've seen. Give it a month or two, and I am sure that she will either be found, or a confirmation of death or run away will happen." Matt was telling me, and I was laughing at that. Not because of the comment, but because of how unaware Matt was when he was saying this to me. He had no idea what he was getting himself into by making that statement.

"I guess that confirmation of death or run away would be better than nothing. At least that would be a minor form of closure." I said, feeling like I was needing to at least pretend like that was a outcome that I could live with. In all honesty, it really was not. But at the same time, I was feeling like trying to argue this, and get further into any debates, was only going to be making things worse.

"I trust that this will all resolve soon." Matt's father said, and then he stood up, and then patted my shoulder as he was starting to leave. I sighed, feeling like maybe what he was telling me was true in a way. Even though I didn't believe it for a second.

Scene 23: The Library

Day 55

It had been a week since Andrea had gone missing, and at this rate, I was feeling like there was no need to be acting patient anymore. If people were not going to be doing the job on making sure that she was home safe. And when they were going to be doing this, I was going to just have to really make sure that at least one person was fighting for her to return home.

So when I was heading out that morning, my mother called out to me. "Was there something you needed to talk to me about?" She asked, and then I was looking at her, and in all honesty, hearing her trying to open up like this was hard for me to really hear. I mean, she didn't know what was going on in my mind, and I was feeling like until she did, she was never going to get off my case here.

"Honestly, I feel like I will be fine. I just want to have some time to myself. This whole thing has really been dragging me down, and I feel like I just need to have some time to myself." I said, and then after I was telling her this, I saw that she was starting to feel a bit more worried about what I was saying. Probably thinking that I just needed to talk more.

Before she said anything else, I left the house, and I started to walk on my way to the one place that I never thought that I would be at. The fucking library. I had hoped that maybe if I couldn't learn about her, that I would be able to learn more about the history of the missing girls in Wayside. I felt like I would be able to make some use out of this at the end.

I felt like if for nothing else, if I tried my best to find her, and I really just gave it my all, then maybe I would be able to sleep better at night. It was as simple as that. I felt like I just needed to do this for her family. They needed to know at least one man was looking at this.

Eventually, I was at the library, and then I walked inside, and then I went to the receptionist, feeling that since she would probably have a better idea where in the world I would need to head, that she was probably the only option here. "Hey, do you know where previous records about the missing girls from Wayside could be found?" I asked, and I was not caring how fucking suspicious I was sounding when I said that.

"There is a separate room dedicated to just those things sadly. Due to the fact that these cases happen so often, they have no choice but to do it this way." She said, and then pointed in the general direction. I nodded at that, and thanked her for her help before heading in that direction.

Once inside the room, I was just taking a moment to be utterly blown away over how large the archive was. I was just taking a second to really think things out. I mean, I kind of had a idea how many people went missing, but in all honesty, actually seeing it this way was still kind of disgusting. There was no other way to describe it.

I shook my head at this, and then pulled out one of them. The one that was closest to the door, and looked like it was going to fall apart the least. When I opened one up, I saw that there was a new folder made for Andrea already. I opened it up, and saw that there was only like two pieces of paper on it. One was the news article that was confirming her case. Another one was information about her, such as her age, school life and such.

Realizing that currently (for better or for worse) there was nothing on her at least, I decided to move up one file to the person before her. I looked at the ages of the people who went missing, and realized that every person from the last two and a half years had a later birthday than me. Which made me realize that younger girls going missing, compared to myself, was going to get increasingly common, regardless of if I did something about it or not.

And when I looked at more of the previous person's information, I saw that she was the second person in the archive with the name Misty, the first being from the mid to late 1960's. I checked the current one out, and saw that she was born in January 1971, which meant that at the time she went missing in August 1985, she was fourteen years old.

Knowing that she was in the same age group as Rob and Julian, relatively speaking, I figured that perhaps I would talk to them about it. Perhaps one of the two of them, if not both, would have known something about her. It would at least be able to give me something to work with going forward.

I saw that she had graduated fourth in her class from middle school. So she was clearly smart, therefore confirming to me at least that she wouldn't have run away. Or if she did, at least she would have been rather smart about what she was doing, and that she would have planned this out months in advance.

When I saw that she had also been a part of the cheer leading team, and had gotten a presence as being the person who carried the team into getting silver at States, was making me realize more and more that she might have been targeted for her large talents, and that this was something that, for better or for worse, was probably going to happen no matter what.

From the time of her case, there was a lot of people that the police had talked with, as well as reporters, and they were all giving off these giant praises. I was seeing that she had been dating a couple of guys in her time in middle school. Basically being somebody who most of the guys in her class wanted to date, due to the fact that she was so popular.

But as I was reading more into it, I was seeing one thing that was making my heart sink. After a certain point, roughly five weeks after she went missing, no reports were given to update. It was like after she had vanished for a while, nobody gave a single shit anymore. As if she had her fifteen minutes of fame as being the big target, and then everybody let it go.

I was disgusted. I knew that Andrea would get that treatment. Deep down I knew that after the first month, the only people that would care are those who were directly attached to her the most. And that most people who were crying and making a deal out of it now were only doing so because it was basically in better taste to do so, for the time being at least.

But I was sighing, and then stood up. Not needing a break. But needing to remember to fucking breath, and not to be disgusted at the world right now. I just knew that despite my anger, I was having material to work with. I had the fact that there was a name. And I was feeling like that was the best that I would get.

I was aware that when I talked with Rob or Julian though, that the first thing I needed to do was approach them, and just ask what they fucking knew here. I felt that was the best starting point to work with. I sighed, and I wondered why in the world I was so fucking scared right now. I was starting to make a plan, and that was what I had really needed right now.

I was also wondering if John at least heard of her. Or Rachel. Hell, even Tobias would be better than nothing. Point was that I was having something to work with, and that I just needed to take it. I was then sitting down again, feeling like I just needed to get back to work once again.

Eventually, I was getting back to work. I wondered what in the world I was even going to be doing now. I just needed to relax, and remember that at the end of the day, I was doing this for Andrea. I was not doing this for myself, or for anybody. I needed to bring her home, and in order to do so, I needed to pursue knowledge, and pursue the truth of this place.

Scene 24: Being A Normal Person

Day 57

When I was done with school that Monday, I was seeing that Tobias was just heading home, and from the look on his face, it was clear that he didn't really want to waste too much time talking with people, and that he would much rather be alone. As I saw this, I looked down, and told myself that hopefully he would forgive me, and I started to walk to him.

"Hey Tobias, I was wanting to apologize for everything that you had been dealing with lately." I said, and I looked right in his direction, as he was balling his fist for a second, probably just to try and calm himself down as he was turning around to look right at me.

"I thought that she would have been safe. I wanted to see her go through high school. I was so proud of my cousin." After he told me this, I was sighing, since I really did feel the same way. But there was no way in hell that anything I could say to him would be making him feel any better at all.

"I don't have much that I can tell you that would be making you feel better. I am not even going to try and play that game. I just wanted to let you know that I will do everything that I can to bring her home. I am already working as hard as I possibly can on doing that. I just feel like I need some fucking time." I said, and then I was looking right at him, wondering if he was actually willing to listen to me here.

"I would want to believe in that. I want to believe that she could actually have a chance to be able to return home. But to be honest, given everything that is happening in Wayside, I feel like I can't really ever believe that for a single fucking moment." After he was telling me this, I was slowly trying to think of something to say, but had no idea what to tell him at all.

"I feel like if I work hard on it, then maybe I could make it work. But if it turns out that I am wrong, then just know that as long as you need any help, you need to just approach me, and I will talk to you about what ever you will be needing." I was telling him, feeling that whatever else I would say, it would at most just be a bullshit consolation to try and make him feel better, when he deserved to have his own feelings on the matter.

"I just keep thinking about all the times that we had together. The memories that we had made together, and I feel like there still could have been so much more if everything had turned out right. I feel like she should have never been taken, but that is something that I guess that I can't really fucking do anything about." Tobias was telling me this, and then I was just feeling like what he was saying was something that I could only really superficially understand. I mean, I got the point, but I was feeling that perhaps I needed to have more details given to me.

"I know what you feel. I get it. But I can't do much about it to begin with honestly. I feel like at a certain point, you kind of just have to look at what you have, and be happy at the memories that you do have. Every day that you had with her, every year especially, was better than nothing at all. I mean, I only knew her for a handful of weeks, and I already feel like I have memories with her that will carry me for the rest of my life. If I already feel that way after just a few weeks, I can't even imagine what it will be like for you guys, who knew her for many years." I said, and then I looked right at him, wondering if he was going to at least consider my perspective.

"I guess that you do have a point. I mean, you already had done so much more with her in just a few weeks than most of us did with her in several months. And I feel like after a while, especially when somebody is a part of your every day life, you just kind of lose track of what you are doing. You just grow to not care that much anymore. You just don't think about what she did anymore, and you just don't really feel like those memories that you grow are even that important anymore." After Tobias was telling me this, I was really having no idea what to tell him about that at all.

"I mean, I have no idea what to say about something like that. I just feel like when you look at how somebody impacts a person, you got to really get to know that person as well. You got to learn their full story. From before they knew that person, to afterwards." I said, and I was wondering if such a hypothetical was even going to be possible, or me just saying something that would be nice in theory, but impossible to impose.

"I feel like one of these days, I need to talk to Rachel about this all. See what she says. I am sure that she has something to tell me, and that I am just not listening to her yet. I feel like she probably deserves better than the way that I am treating her right now." After he was telling me this, I was feeling like that was something he needed to choose for his own.

"Have you talked to Rachel about this at all?" I mean, she probably is wondering if you even care what she would say is that is the case. I mean, it is not my business to talk to you about that stuff, but I feel like that is something that you need to be more careful about." I said, and then I was looking right at him, and I was really having no idea what in the world I was even going to be telling him at all.

"Yeah, I have tried to talk to her. I mean, I feel like when I do though, she always looks at talking to Rob more, so why take away from her being with the guy that is actually making her happy? I feel like that would be something incredibly wrong for me to be doing." After Tobias was telling me this, I was looking down, and I was wondering why in the world I was even having this discussion in the first place.

"Yeah, I mean, I can see why she talks with Rob though. He is a good guy, and I feel like if she is talking to somebody like him, than she is in good hands." I said, and then I was sighing, not really sure what in the world I could be saying. "That being said, Rob was a good friend of hers as well, so maybe she feels like she be able to talk to him, and get something out of it as well." I stared right at him, and I was seeing how lost and broken he was.

"But Tobias, you need to focus on yourself. Nobody else. Think about what you need for yourself. If you don't do that, then eventually you won't be able to see what matters for you. I feel like you need to stop, and look at what you are actually doing. Is it good for you?" I asked, and I was wondering if he would listen to what I was saying. I needed him to listen to what I was saying, for his own sake.

"But wouldn't that be selfish? And being selfish is essentially the thing that everybody acts like should never be done." After he was telling me this, I was not too sure what in the world I was even going to be able to tell him. After all, if he was going to be playing this game, then he was lost.

"I feel like there is nothing that I can say that will change your mind. So I feel like it would be a waste of time for me to even fucking try to." I said, and then I was shrugging, wondering if it was smart for me to even say it that way. To be honest, I was feeling like I was never going to change his emotions, and he was not somebody that I should be getting involved in that sense over. I just had to remember that everybody took things differently from how other people would.

Scene 25: The Blue Knight

Day 61

I felt like I had one area that I had needed to see. Something that would give me at least some hope on what I was doing. I needed to head to Wutai village, and try to see what I could be able to find, and see if there was a chance that I would be able to speak to Justin. I had hoped that in all honesty, whatever he was going to tell me, it would be better than nothing at all.

I got on the first train, and just sat down for a while, not thinking anything of it. I was not going to plead him to train me. I was just wanting to make sure that he was even alive in the first place. And if I knew that he was alive, then it would be something that I could be able to work with. And I would try to tell Justin that even if he wants nothing to do with me, that the others in Wayside needed his help.

The entire time that I was on the train, I wondered why I was going to be even thinking for a second that I would be able to get Justin to agree to help me. In all honesty, I feel like the idea was a fucking joke. I was aware that in all honesty, the idea of getting Justin to help me was just not at all possible. I had gotten myself into believing that this was possible, when I knew that it wasn't.

Eventually, after a while of waiting, the train stopped, and I was ready to work. I got out of the train car, and then I saw the relatively empty Wutai Village, where there were only a few areas around it. I was sighing, and closed my eyes, and felt like there was a good chance that Justin would not want anything to do with me, since I had not proved to him that I was going to be a ally or anything at all.

I started to head around, and I was told by one of the people there which house he was in. So with that, I went inside, and I started to just look at the man wearing a blue karate outfit. I was unsure of what to think when I saw this boy. But I told myself he was the best hope for Wayside, and that no matter what was happening, I needed to try and get him to talk.

"Justin, I was wanting to speak to you, and see if you would be able to help me out with something really big going on." I said, and I was feeling like I needed to word my arguments better. But for the time being, if I was able to get him to at least talk with me, then that was going to be enough to be happy.

"You are not really talking to the right person anymore. I wanted to help out, and save the town for what it was. But that is just never going to happen. This area is beyond my saving, and as much as I hate to admit it, I feel like you would be able to enjoy things a lot more if you saw that it was for you as well." After he had said that to me, I was balling my fist, feeling like he needed to give me more to work with here.

"You were the only one that gave most people in Wayside hope. Besides, I am more just wondering if the stories were true. Are the stories about you and Olive true? Where you guys were going around, and acting like you would be able to take on the entire world?" I asked, and I was feeling like if this was the truth, then perhaps he would be admitting that there was a fighting spirit.

"Yeah, that did indeed happen. The two of us thought we were the only ones who could bring safety and justice. We thought that Shaun would be there to help us until the end. For a while, it had seemed like that theory was correct. It was only as time went on, and he knew more and more about his life, where that theory was thrown out the fucking window." After he had said that to me, I was sighing, feeling like I needed to hear more.

"I mean, with her gone, and all of her friends, I feel like you are the only one who might be able to bring Shaun into seeing that he needs to come back to the light once again." I said, and then I was looking right at him, and I was wondering if he would actually listen to me in the first place. If he could, then that would be all that I would even want.

"Shaun will not work with me. I mean, when he first found out how close he really was to inheriting the company, maybe… But now that he has it, and he clearly drank the cool aid, and he believes that this is the best course of action, I feel like it is time to accept that any chance of him wanting to help out is thrown out the window." After he was telling me this, I saw that he was looking like he was relatively broken at this statement.

"So you feel like you are always going to be against him, no matter what is happening? I feel like that is not really a healthy way to look at it." After I was telling Justin this, I was feeling like I should just shut the fuck up, and not be taking over the conversation, and that I needed to accept the fact that he was aware of what happened in the past more than I ever could be.

"If you can't train me, or teach me the ways in order to fight, would you be willing to at least tell me what happened, so that way I would be able to prepare to look at the proper areas?" I asked, and then after I asked him this, I was seeing that Justin was actually considering what I had said. Probably thinking that in all honesty, he might as well let me have this.

"Well, the first thing that you need to be looking at is why you are really in this? Are you in this for the town, or for yourself? If you go into something with a false form of justice, and you don't even realize that this is such, then you will be falling into what many had before." Justin said, and then I looked down, and I really had no idea what in the world I was going to be able to tell him at all.

"I feel like I am mostly in this for those around me, who were affected by her life before I ever came to know her. I mean, I only dated Andrea for several weeks, but her cousins and her best friends knew her for so fucking long, that it would be wrong to not be doing this for them." After I was telling Justin this, I was wondering if he would at least consider what I had been telling him right now.

"That is a fair way of looking at it, and it seems like you seem to have some goal on what you believe. But if your intentions still even have a little bit of selfish desire, then those will eventually come in, and they will eventually over ride your thoughts. And when they do, then you will never really know what you were doing this for in the first place. You will never see why the fight was needed." After he was telling me this, I really had no idea what in the world I was even going to be telling him now.

"I don't want to be like that. I want to be able to hold on my own." I said, and then I was sighing, really having no idea why I was saying this. "I feel like whatever there is that I can do to change this around, I have to. I don't want to see the pain on her cousins faces anymore. Or the pain on my friends." I said, and then Justin was sighing, thinking about what to tell me now.

"Take some time to think about it. Truly think of it. If you come back, and you are still certain, I will do whatever I could to help you out. But you need to make sure for yourself that this is something that you are not just wanting to do, but will be ready for the pains and gains of, no matter what else comes out of it." After he was telling me this, I was sighing, and felt like I just needed to let him have his moment.

Scene 26: Remanent of the Past

Day 64

As the school day ended, I was feeling that perhaps I could try and find out more about what happened back then. Maybe if I knew what happened to Justin Ryder in 1951, then perhaps I would be able to actually understand why he was so against any form of helping me out at all. After all, what I was doing was indeed relatively innocent.

I went to the library, and then I was looking at some of the less official published stuff, as I was having a feeling that I could be able to find at least something in there as well. Maybe a writing that Justin has done, which he put in the school library. It was dumb, but it was something I needed to work with.

Eventually, I found a blue notebook, and given his interest in that color, I was having a strange feeling that this could indeed be it. So with that, I picked it up, and stared down at it for a few seconds before walking over to a table, and I was seeing the librarian looking relatively annoyed that I was staying so far after school hours.

I opened it up and saw that it started in a relatively similar fashion compared to what the one that I am currently writing did. To anybody who ever comes across this, I am probably the most infamous and hated person in Wayside. My name is Justin Ryder, and I have come closer than anybody in this town ever has to blowing this fucked up operation sky high.

For those who are not interested in reading the full story, which I will go into detail over after this, I guess that I might be able to give you a short version of what had happened down here, that way you can get at least the main take aways that are required from this.

When I was thirteen years old, my seventh grade summer started, and I ended up having the luxury of meeting Shaun Reichenbach, the eleven year old heir to Lazarus Coporation, and the two of us became fast friends. In due time, we ended up meeting a girl named Olive, who was a couple months younger than myself, who seemed to hardly be worried about the issues with the company, or the missing girls.

In fact, I hardly understood or cared about it at all until I met a girl named Crystal, who turned out to be Olive's younger sister, and I instantly grew a liking to her. After a while of hanging out with her and the rest of my team, I found out that I would not be able to ever be with her. She didn't like me this way. But it didn't matter, since she was gone just a couple of weeks later.

It was after that when I decided I needed to know the truth. I studied hard, and became obsessed with something that I should have probably left alone, and learned about the Wutai village, and went there to check it out, where I learned that they, along with Cagliostro, were the main form of government that Wayside abided by before Lazarus was created, due to the mining incident.

When I learned more about the history of Wutai, and why they were increasingly relegated to the past, and all their values destroyed, for the new industrial age, and Cagliostro having their power ruined after the mines were gone, and the business was no longer necessary, I learned that the Reichenbach family decided that it was in their best interest to bring back Wayside. They claim it is for preservation, but in all honesty, I feel like they just wanted to take the first claim of being the family that saved Wayside.

As I was leaving the village though, I saw that it was getting destroyed, and that everything that had remotely kept Wayside to a core was gone, and I was starting to watch as the work of hundreds of people, generations of culture, was ruined. I may have only been thirteen at the time, but that didn't make me too young to see what had been ruined.

When I returned to Wayside the next day, I took a couple of days off, realizing how happy I was to just be alive. It was only when that accursed grinding noise had gone off once again, when I realized what my mistake truly was. That I was growing to just let something go, and I was getting increasingly complacent, and hardly caring about who else got affected.

I remember a story that the leader of Wutai told me, which was about a crystal cave. A cave where if you are deemed worthy, then you will get what you need. I went that cave after spending days and days looking around, trying to see if it was true. One I was in there, I went inside, and later learned that I had been in there for two fucking days.

I eventually reached a clearing, where I was so frozen cold that I was convinced that I was going to fucking die that day. But I saw a ghost figure walking up to me. One of Crystal, where she told me that I was now finally at the point where I needed to decide what I was going to be doing with my destiny, and why I needed to go this way.

When she was gone, I eventually was able to create a advanced weapon that never had been heard of. A blue energy sword that could cut through anything and everything. When I was out of the cave again, I went home, to see my parents upset and happy at the same time. About what I had done. And at this point, I brought my eyes to the one thing that I knew I needed to do, which was check the mall out.

I went over to the new mall, and worked with Shaun and Olive to create a plan. Olive wanted justice for her sister. Shaun wanted knowledge of his family. I wanted a combination of both. I looked around, and when I was not being watched, I snuck down below, into a hidden area, and went around, and found out the truth of what was going on down there.

I was seeing that there were some girls down there, and that there were some experiments going on. My goal went from trying to bring justice to just trying to bring at least some of these questions to an answer. I needed to do that for my own personal sake, no matter what the fucking cause was as well. I just took it one person at a time.

Sadly, when I was seeing that Crystal was down there, my focus changed entirely. I brought her out, and did my best to save her, but as I was doing this, I was seeing that the mall had been set on fire. Olive had done this to destroy the companies biggest work yet as a way to spite them and get back at them. Then I realized I needed to save Shaun once I let the two sisters get united.

The entire mall burned down, and so many people were there, and so much information that I wished to still cover. A few days after the event though, I saw Crystal there again, and she thanked me for saving her, and we kissed as way to embrace our feelings for each other. As I was leaving again, I was hearing the grinding noise once more.

I told myself that I would look into that next day. But that was before I realized my biggest mistake. When I was gone, and not looking at her anymore, a man came along, her original boyfriend, and carried out a hit contract, and shot Crystal in the chest three times, making sure that she didn't bring any information about the company outwards.

This is the short version of what had happened. I will proceed to go into greater levels of detail going forward, but that is something to at least create a bare minimum understanding of what was happening. And I do not go a single day wondering if what I had done was worth it. I destroyed everything, and all for a quick moment of feeling like I might have done something good for a moment.

Before I was able to get into the main details, that was when I had to stop because the librarian told me it was after five, which was when the school was required to shut down for the night. I thanked her for letting me stay that extra bit, and then I left the library.I wanted to know more. I wanted to see what the hell Justin was hiding, that was so open right there. I had the truth. We had the truth of labyrinth right there, and nobody bothered to check it out. And now this was my chance to do something right.

Scene 26: The Company Hall

Day 66

A couple of days after this, I was at the company hall, wondering what in the world I was even going to do now that I was here. I was still way too weak to do anything, although I knew that in all honesty, I was going to have to come here one day if I was going to actually end up pulling this whole thing off.

Almost as soon as I started to walk around, I was hearing a voice calling out to me. I sighed as soon as I was realizing who it was. It was Shaun Reichenbach, and I turned around, to see what the hell this man was going to try and explain to me. In all honesty, I felt like I needed to give him a chance to talk to me, and see how this could even work out.

"Hey, I have heard that you were probably going to want to drop by at some point. I heard about what happened with your girlfriend. It is a shame to have to deal with this stuff on a constant basis." After Shaun told me this, I was relatively upset at the way that he was treating this whole situation right now. It just felt so fucking wrong to be dealing with this.

"I just want to see her return. I literally don't even fucking care how she returns. I just want to see her come back…" I said, and I was feeling that being honest was the best way to express the way that I had been feeling about the subject. As I was looking right at him, I was just feeling like I was consoling a therapist and a friend who had seen the worst this place had to offer.

"I feel like you will have to accept that there is a very good chance that these things will never fucking happen. But if you really want to see her come home, then perhaps I can tell one of my associates to keep an eye on her." Shaun said, and then I was wanting to scream at him for the way that he acted around me at this point.

"I mean, you guys have so much fucking money. You guys are the richest group of people in the entire town. You have to have something that you can do to help me." I said, and then I was feeling like I just needed to really be firm with what I was telling him. As I was saying this, I saw him looking like he was hearing my point well enough.

"Yeah, I guess that you could be right. I will have to look at what I feel like will be a effective course of action to see where this could go. I know that people in this town rely on us for good support, and they probably understand that hiding along this any longer will only be making things much worse." After Shaun said that to me, I was feeling like for once, I could maybe believe him here.

"Please, anything you can do to make sure that at least some answers are given, I will appreciate so much. In all honesty, I really have no idea what in the world I can be able to do to help out. But in all honesty, watching everything go to utter shit is just making things worse." I said, really not having any idea what else I was going to be saying.

"I have no promises that I will be able to make you honestly. There are many factors that need to be considered. But one thing that I can promise you is that I will at least try and find out what happened to your girlfriend. I feel like if I can give you guys that at least, then perhaps there is a small chance that the repairs on Wayside can be able to take off." After he was telling me this, I was looking right at him, and I was wondering if he was actually going to be serious about all of this.

"I guess that in all honesty, hope is something that is relatively hard to come by when you live in a town like this. I can't exactly blame you. After all, when I was your age, I was feeling the same way. That life was all a fucked up mystery, that could never be solved. I feel like you deserve to have the chance that I was never able to get." Shaun was saying, and he placed his hand on my shoulder. It shocked me for a second, but then after a bit, I was slowly letting my confusion go, and I was letting myself believe what he had been telling me.

"If you can do this, I will take back literally everything that I ever said about you guys. I will be looking at this company as the shining example of how to turn things around." I said, and I hardly cared if that was a statement that really got to him. I was feeling like when I told him this, he would be able to at least appreciate the gesture of what I had been telling him.

"Well, if you don't mind, I will have to get back to my job. I will remember what we discussed, and I Hope that in due time, we will be able to continue our work together, where the two of us can perhaps find some common ground on what we can do to fix this." After he was telling me this, I was slowly nodding, since I was kind of seeing what exactly he had been saying.

"Sorry to keep your time. I don't want to affect your guys work anymore." I said, and then after I was telling him this, I was seeing that he was kind of having a hard time really coming around to what I was saying. He probably thought that I was only making a scene to just express deep frustration. But I wanted to work with the guy, even if he had a hard time seeing it.

As I was leaving, I was wondering if he was actually going to listen to me this time, or if this was just yet another thing he told somebody in order to keep them in line, and not be going crazy with their own search. I was convinced that I would not have to wait for very long before I would actually see which direction it would be taking.

But I was feeling like now that I talked with him, at least he would probably listen to me. Surely he would see that I would keep going at this all day every day until there was nothing else left for me to be doing. I just felt like no matter what else was happening, I would feel like I was making more of a impact than most people my age really had been.

As I was walking by home, I eventually saw Rob, and he was looking like he was actually kind of excited to be seeing me here. "Hey Ocho, are you doing well." After he asked me this, I was slowly nodding, since I was feeling like as time progressed, I could be able to say that I was slowly starting to make some impact on this town.

"Yeah, I just talked with the president of Lazarus Coporation. I feel like it is time for me to just try and really see if I could make a noticeable presence. I feel like that is what Andrea would have wanted with me, to be totally honest. I just feel like whatever else happens, I need to do whatever I can to be happy with what I done." I said, and I was having no idea if what I was saying would actually really get to him or not.

"Oh shit. I am surprised that he even was willing to talk to you at all. I mean, for fucks sake, this guy probably hates anybody that even remotely talks to him about his company at all. Although I guess that I couldn't really blame him. What did he say?" Rob asked, and I was seeing him actually kind of excited about what we were discussing, although this wasn't meant to be fun at all.

"He was telling me that he promised that he would try to find any answers he could to bring the truth forward. He said that he would need some time, but that it was time for the company to step up and finally learn the truth." I said, and then I looked at him, wondering if that would be making Rob feel better. I was willing to give him a chance at the very least.

Scene 27: Fist Fight

Day 68

I was meeting up with Matt once again, feeling that I really had no choice but to finally just see him again after all of this time, and that I needed to truly understand what was going on in his mind. After all, ever since Andrea had gone missing, we were both feeling totally lost, and had been going around doing a bunch of crazy shit that I am sure none of us were ready dor.

When I was seeing him next to his car, I was totally at a loss of words. I really had no idea how in the world I was going to introduce myself to him again. After all, I would not be surprised if for whatever reason, he just really hated me after all of this. But I felt that it would be better to talk. "Matt, how are you today?" I asked, feeling that a casual conversation would be better than nothing.

"I'm doing alright. I have been thinking about what has been going on, and I have been thinking about how I feel like I need to be contributing more to helping you guys out." After he was telling me this, I was feeling like most of the stuff going on lately was all my fault, and I needed to fess up to that.

"I have been trying really hard to find a way for Andrea to return home. But I feel like something like this is just simply not going to fucking happen. And in all honesty, I am wondering if most of this stuff going on is all my fucking fault." I said, and I was furious at everything that I had just said. I looked at Matt, and I was wondering what he was thinking.

"I mean, I don't think it's your fault that she is gone. But I feel like you need to find something else to be looking for. I feel like you are probably getting way too focused on something like this." After Matt was telling me this, I was wondering what the issue was here. I just asked a fucking question, and he was already acting like this.

"What the hell Matt? At least unlike most people, I am going around, and I am trying to make a fucking difference? Shouldn't that be enough to make this slightly better? I know that I have not found her, and that she is still gone. But in all honesty, I feel like you need to relax with where you are coming from." I said, and I was unsure of why I was taking so much offense to something like this in the first place.

"But maybe you are too focused on the idea of having a immediate result that you are not really looking at the bigger picture. In all honesty, I am starting to feel like if there is anybody to blame for the fact that this is still going on to such a degree, it would be you. Things would be so much better if you would just let something go." After he was telling me this, I was really starting to lose my patience.

"Are you just trying to get me upset? If I did something wrong, please fucking tell me. Because otherwise, I really do not see the point of what you are trying to accomplish." I said, and then I looked at him, and I was really wondering what in the world I was going to even be doing to get him to see that I really did not deserve this right now.

"I am just stating what I feel like I am seeing. I am sorry if you are upset over something like that. But I feel like it is important to look at everything that is going on, and see that there is at least a chance that what I am saying is true." After he was telling me this, he sighed, and I was seeing that he was looking really fucking lost here.

"If you feel like you can do so much better, than just fucking run around, and see what you can pull off. Be my fucking guest. I would love to see this." I said, and I knew that I was saying this in a super antagonistic tone, but I was feeling like I just needed to understand what the hell was going on with him right now.

"You are obsessed with her. You are letting this grow into something that isn't even healthy anymore. I mean, I supported your investigation when it first started. But now I am starting to feel like you are making a really big mistake by getting involved like this." After Matt was telling me this, I was feeling like I just needed to take the punches, and not let him win here.

"In all honesty, I feel like you probably never really loved her, and you were just using her as an excuse to fucking do this high end investigation that you should have never began." After he was telling me this, I literally couldn't take it anymore, and I just ended up socking him right in the face.

In all honesty, I regretted what I had done just even a couple of seconds later. But what was done was done, and there was really no reason to change this at all. I mean, what in the world was I even doing. It was obvious that either he was just trying to get a reaction, or he was saying something that he did not really mean anyways.

When I saw him looking at me after that punch, I was seeing that there was no way in hell that he was going to let that slide. He hit me right back, and then I was flopping down on the ground. "All I was doing was just saying something. You did not need to take it as seriously as you did." After he was saying this, I was unable to believe what he was saying. That was such a stupid statement he would make. He literally accused me of not having feelings for the person I spent so much time looking around for.

I was getting back up, and I was not going to let my anger be hidden anymore. He really was getting on my fucking nerves, and there was no reason to be hiding it at all anymore. I punched him harder than I did the first time, and I thought that I was hearing something crack for a second. As I heard that, I took a second to think about what I was doing.

Before Matt was able to get back at me though, I pounced at him, and then I started to just hit him really hard a few times. I was going to make him understand that he crossed the line, and I would be doing this no matter what it was going to take. After a moment, I eventually started to let go, and I was already feeling a minor amount of regret over what I was doing.

When I was feeling like I was done, I was starting to just take a few steps back, and I was breathing heavily. I started to wonder if what I was doing was even worth it. I literally just beat my friend, or I was hoping he would still look at me as a friend, over no real good reason, and I was feeling like I would have to be happy if he was even willing to speak with me at all anymore.

I started to walk away, and I was feeling that maybe when this was done, and when we were finally able to let this whole thing go, I could be able to talk to him again, and then we could sort something out. Surely we could actually come to some form of an agreement about what we were feeling, and how to change this.

And I was wondering, as each minute passed, if Matt was going to let it go eventually. I was having a feeling that over time, he would probably at least give me a chance to apologize. And maybe he would see that he did also over step a line as well. But regardless, I was feeling like I did need to apologize for how far I ended up going with this. And maybe one of these days, I needed to let my anger not be as fucking obvious here.

Scene 28: The Truth of Jackie Wilson

Day 72

I had continued my investigation along, feeling that I just needed to not let myself go. I was growing a sinking suspicion that the Wilson parents knew more than they were letting on, and that the longer they were lying to me, and pushing me away, the more that I was getting convinced of something like this. And when I was getting convinced of this, I knew that I needed to at least check their office, to see if perhaps I had been looking too much into this.

So with that, I walked by, and to the Wilson house, while the idea was still fresh in my mind, and I was going to just take some time to be looking around, and see what in the world I could possibly find. The entire time that I was heading there, I was getting convinced that I was going to run into somebody at the house, and that I needed to lie my ass off.

At the front door, I opened it up a bit, and looked around for a second, as I went inside, and started to check to see if Tobias or Rachel were gone. I knew that Harold and their mother would be gone, due to their work hours, and I knew that I had about an hour or so to spend being able to check things around. Which wasn't much, but it was better than nothing at all.

The longer that I had bene walking along, the more that I was just trying to make sure that the butler would not see me, of if they would, then they would be willing to let me go for a bit. Since I honestly had no idea what in the world what lie I would tell him if he was going to confront me. Although it was helping me make sure that I was taking every step as carefully as possible.

When I was near their main office, I looked for a few seconds, and opened the door as quietly as possible, and closed it as quietly as possible. I took a deep breath for a second, thinking that just because I was in the room now doesn't mean that I was off the hook. I needed to make sure that my activity in this area was still relatively quiet.

I saw down on the chair, and I was looking at the computer screen, which was still on, and I was looking down, and I saw that the account logged in was "Jackie Wilson" and I took a second to think about the fact that I have gone all of this time without even what her actual real name was. I laughed at that for a second before getting back to work.

One of the email threads was titled "Yolei" and as soon as I saw that, I opened it up. I saw that the thread had still been updating for quite a while, with the most recent one being just a day or two ago. As I was seeing this, I was starting to get a little bit sick to my stomach.

Part 1

Jackie: I was wondering if the transaction had gone through or not. This is the fate of my daughter on the line we are talking about.

Shaun: The transaction went through yesterday, and we expect by the end of the summer break, that everything will be going through.

Part 2

Jackie: I am just hoping that Tobias and Rachel don't figure out what exactly happened with Andrea. Their friends have been looking rather deeply into that, and I feel like it is only a matter of time before they really figure it all out.

Shaun: You are worrying too much. Things happen all the time. I am sure that in a month, everything will be fine. And I bet that at least Rachel would be willing to understand if she ever learns the truth.

Part 3

Jackie: I just don't want to see the look on Tobias's face when he learns the truth. I don't know if he will ever forgive me. I mean, I love that boy more than I love anybody else in the entire world, and if I ever knew that he hated me, I would honestly consider suicide.

Shaun: Please don't. You're a valuable piece of the company, and you are doing a much better job than most of the assholes who would be coming in here trying to act like they know everything about how to run a fucking company.

Part 4

Jackie: I still see Yolei hanging around all the time. Are you guys actually going to be doing anything about that soon? You guys are not giving me a whole lot of hope?

Shaun: I told you already that this would happen during the summer. I don't know when exactly that will be though. You need to be more patient with us. Things take a lot of time. We are still trying to make sure that set up with Andrea was actually for the best.

Part 5

Jackie: How is Andrea doing anyways? I mean, around this point in time, you guys would probably be able to have some idea if things are turning out quite as planned.

Shaun: With the way that the business is set up, we only check up on each person and make a effort to move things along once a week. We have to keep things realistic, and keep a open mind on what is happening. I am more worried about those friends of hers.

Part 6

Jackie: Ocho you mean? I have no idea what he is trying to do. At this point in time, he comes by so rarely that I am not even sure if he is trying to keep things up anymore. But I keep hearing about somebody named T.K. who is hanging out with Tobias.

Shaun: I have been trying to keep on top with him. Making sure that he doesn't reveal anything that he shouldn't. Also, can you make sure that you delete these messages every time you get them? I have to keep mine for archival purposes, but you shouldn't.

Part 7

Jackie: Sorry, I keep my door locked all the time, so I did not think that it was going to be a issue. But if you want me to start doing that, then I guess that I would be willing to delete these. As for her friends, I haven't heard anything lately. I know that Rachel is starting to hang out with that Rob guy a lot. I feel like they are probably going to start dating soon.

Shaun: Can you please watch that guy more often. I want to make sure that he is doing well. I feel like in due time, he will be a valuable asset, and that we should leave him alone if he tries to get too deep into what is happening.

Part 8

Jackie: I have started to see Ocho coming by here again more often. I feel like he is really trying to take cracking things down more seriously. That kind of is scaring the shit out of me. I feel like every time he shows up, I have to stop what I am doing, and watch him to make sure that he doesn't do anything.

Shaun: Make sure that he doesn't learn anything. I heard that he has been talking with a old colleague of mine, a guy named Justin Ryder. If he is able to find out that I was the one that ordered the hit on Olive, I feel like he would be able to actually let something like this become public knowledge.

Part 8

Jackie: Why did you order that hit anyways? I mean, it just kind of seems a bit off to do something like that for a woman who hardly even has made any head lines in the last numerous years.

Shaun: I feel like she would have been a heavy impending challenge for this town if she had known what I was doing. In all honesty, it goes beyond the fact that she had that garden. I just felt like after a while, having her around was going to cause more harm than good. Nothing personal, since I like her, but it was business.

When I was convinced that I was over staying my welcome, I got up, closed the email thread, went to the window, opened it up, led myself out, closed the window, and started to head off as if nothing had ever happened, hoping that there wasn't a camera that saw me in the room. Although the things that I had learned would turn out to be nothing compared to the stuff that Rob would later learn that exact day, which was of his heritage.

Scene 29: Not An Easy Task

Day 74

When I was back at Wutai village, I was feeling that I just needed to get right to work with Justin. In all honesty, I was feeling that the fact that he was even willing to give me a chance at all was something that I needed to be happy about. I just hoped that I knew what the hell I was getting myself into. Because if I did not, then I did not want to end up proving Justin right about his suspicions of me not being able to handle this.

When I got inside of his tent, I was seeing that it was clear that from the look on his face that Justin was shocked as all hell that I was back here in the first place. I sighed, and looked right at him, and I was feeling that now that I was here, there was no reason to be holding off any longer.

"Justin, I am ready to start training with you. I don't know if I will be able to handle it all, but I feel like I need to for the sake of those around me." I said, and then I was looking right at him, and I was hoping that he would take what I said seriously. I needed him to give me whatever he could.

"Ocho, training to follow the ways that I have is not a easy task, and even if you do pass the tests, you will have to realize that it will follow you for the rest of your life. It isn't something that you will be able to over turn." After he was saying that to me, I was looking right at him, and in all honesty, none of what he was saying was getting to me at all. I needed to do this, for the sake of the Wilson family.

"There is a family that I am trying my best to help out. I want to be there for them, and make sure that they can be happier with the answers. And beyond that, there are a group of younger people. People that I never intended to know, but now that I know everything about them, I feel like it is in my duty to try and fucking protect them from any of the pains that might come." I said, and I was totally firm on what I was saying at this point in time now.

"But do you know that this is the way that they want you to be doing this? They might be feeling that you would be abandoning your way of living for something like this. I appreciate the fact that you care as much as you do, but I feel like you need to be looking at what the others around you would be saying." After Justin was telling me this, I was wondering what his point to this was anyways.

"I am sure that when they understand why I am doing this, they will understand. I have not talked with anybody about the stuff we have discussed though. I never thought it was important to do so." I said, feeling bad about the confession that I was giving. As I said that, I was seeing Justin looking like he was unsure of what to even tell me there.

"I just sense a lot of fear in you, and I can tell that even with everything that is going on, you are still not one hundred percent sure of the path that you have started. That is the main thing that I am worried about right now." After he was telling me this, I was feeling like I just needed to try and ask him a question so he could see my perspective.

"Were you so certain at your age? I mean, I feel like you probably had a lot of the same uncertainties that I have." I said, feeling like perhaps if I could at least get him to be open about that truth, then maybe this would be something that he would stop really being a asshole to me over. As I said that, he looked down, feeling relatively unsure.

"I was indeed the same way. But I am worried that you would be making the same mistakes that I would, and that is the main thing that I am scared over. That one of these days, you will look at yourself, and see that you couldn't separate emotions from reality. And that when you get too caught up, then you will realize that it will be much too late to make a difference." After he was telling me this, I was sort of understanding what he was telling me.

"That is something that I feel like I need to take the risk on. And if it turns out that you are right, and that I am going to follow the same way, then I am so sorry. But I feel like I need to just give it everything that I can, for those that I care about the most." I said, and then I was looking straight at him, as I was growing more convinced that everything I was saying was true.

Justin looked down, and I was seeing him looking like he was trying to find all the ways that he could to get out of this. That he was feeling that what I was doing wasn't right. But then I was also seeing that he probably knew there was only so much he could say before he knew the fight was over.

"I can see that there is no way that I will be able to get you to change your mind. Maybe that is a good thing. Maybe it is not. I am unsure. But I feel that I might as well accept the truth of the situation. Alright, I will give you the basics at least. Then I will determine how much more you will be able to handle from there. At least with this, you can have a good starting point." Justin decided, and I was feeling that this was better than nothing at all.

"Thank you. It's better than nothing. And I feel like I will be able to take what I can get." I said, and then after I was saying this to him, I was seeing that Justin was not really looking like he was able to fully buy what I was saying. And when I was seeing the look of uncertainty on his face, I knew that I needed to do whatever I could in order to make sure that he was able to believe that he made the right choice.

"Come back to me tomorrow, and I will give you your first lesson. I hope that in due time, you will be able to see the challenges that must be brought fourth in order to make sure that somebody is fully ready for the issues that Wayside has in front of you." After he was telling me this, I sighed, and I really had no idea what the hell to tell him.

"I will do whatever I can in order to make you proud of the choice that you have made. I can understand if it is hard to believe that I am going to do something right. I have barely done anything right in my entire time that I have been doing these investigations. But I feel like as time goes on, with each passing day, the more that I am growing to fight for those around me instead of for me." I said, and then I was really having no idea why I was even saying something like this in the first place.

"As long as you make sure that your hubris for justice doesn't cloud the truth that you are facing, then I feel like I have made a better choice than I expected. I just hope that you will never have to face the challenges that I have faced myself. The choices that I was forced to make. If you ever encounter those, then that is when the true test of will must come in. But I feel in due time, you will see that you have to fight for yourself." Justin said, and then I was having no idea what to tell him.

"Every night before you go to bed, ask yourself what you are doing this for, and ask yourself if this is all worth it. Every day that you do this, and you get a different answer, then you will know that your responses are maturing, and growing, and that you are seeing things for the way that they are meant to be." After he was telling me this, I really had no idea what in the world I would even tell him.

Scene 30: No Turning Back

Day 76

I was out hanging out with Rob and Julian when I had heard the news about Andrea's body. In all honesty, I was just trying to do my best to not be super worried about all the random ass things going on around me. I was mainly just focusing on the stuff going on around Wayside as a whole, and had eventually (although I resent to admit it) come to the idea that when I find her again, if I ever did, then I would deal with that when I got there.

"Ocho, have you figured anything out?" Julian asked, and I was hearing that from the tone of his voice, the main anger that he once had in there for me was mostly gone from this point. He was mainly just wanting to make sure that perhaps we were going to be able to sort this whole mess out.

"I haven't found anything. I wished that I was able to give you a better response. But that is all that I have." I said, and then I looked right at him, and I was hoping that he would not be upset with my answer here. I was just feeling like I needed to be honest with him before I did anything else here. And besides, the whole situation was kind of messy to begin with.

"As much as I hate to admit it, I am starting to think that we are never going to find the truth out. And if that is the case, then what the fucking hell is the point of constantly checking this whole thing out. We are going to be disheartened by every single thing that was going on here." Rob said, and then I looked at him, and I was shocked to be hearing him being the one to admit that things were essentially gone at this point in time.

"I mean, sorry, but I just feel like I have to be realistic guys. You might not want to admit it, but there comes a point where we have to throw our hands in the air, and say that it is done." Rob was telling me, and then with that, I was sighing, feeling that if this was going to be the way he would view it, then there was no need to be even trying to convince him of anything at all.

Before we were able to continue it for a second longer, that was when we were hearing some news report breaking through. Which rarely ever went that public unless if something serious was happening. So when this popped up, all three of us decided that we would save our lectures and debates until after this whole thing was figured out. "Body of fifteen year old girl found in the forest." The headline read, and as soon as we read that, I instantly knew that any chance we were ever going to be able to have with finding Andrea was going to be thrown out the window.

"Oh no…" Julian said, and I was feeling like he did not need to say a word more. I think we all knew that was what we were feeling. There was no way that she was going to come back, and I think that as we were watching, that realization was slowly dawning in. And trust me when I say that this realization was a real fucking bummer. It was really hard to be looking at that, and not feel broken.

"I really did try. I looked everywhere. I did everything that I fucking go. I can't believe that it had to end this way." I was telling them this, and I was seeing that both of them were having a mixed look on their face. As if neither one of them were really wanting to admit that truth, but I think that deep down inside, both of them knew that everything I was saying was indeed true. And that getting upset at me was only going to make things worse.

"I mean, I guess it's better than nothing. At least you showed that enough people are willing to care to not be putting their entire self interest first." Rob was telling me, and I was feeling like I just needed to take a second to think about all the possible options, in order to just make them feel at least slightly less bad.

"Honestly, for all we know, it could be somebody else besides Andrea. I mean, I heard a girl named Misty went missing around that time as well. Do you think there I a small chance that it could have been her?" I asked, and I was looking down at them. I was feeling that while it was terrible to even suggest something like this, I needed to just try to bring it that way to give them any minor hope.

"I mean, there is a small chance that it could be somebody like her. But I think we both knew that the chances of that are nearly fucking none. And if it was here, then that doesn't change the fact that somebody who was close to her would now have to deal with that forever." After Rob was telling me this, I was then wondering what in the world I would have been able to do to change this.

"I guess that all we can do is just hope things go better than they are right now. God, I guess that if I want something to be done, I will have to just fucking do it all on my own." After Julian was telling me this, I was looking down at the ground, and I was feeling at this point, I just needed to accept whatever was being thrown ahead of me, and not be looking back at all.

"What are you going to do?" I asked, and I was seeing that Julian had looked like he was almost unsure of what to say. Almost like he was kind of considering that idea. But had no real idea what in the world to tell me at all. He probably thought that any response that he would give me would just simply not really land all that well.

"I am going to have no real choice but to do my own investigation. I know that it might be a bit annoying for people to deal with, and that most people will probably just be thinking that I am just trying to act all high and mighty. But the truth is that I feel like if I wait along any longer, then what I am doing is really no better than anything else at all." After he was telling me this, I was feeling like arguing with him was only going to be making things worse for me.

"Julian, do you think that you will be needing any help if you are going to do this?" I asked feeling that maybe I just needed to try and get him to be viewing me in a more calm light. After all, I really was just trying to do my best to be making him feel better. But at the same time, I had no idea how in the world something like this was even fucking possible.

"No, I feel like whatever I can find, I will be able to manage on my own." After he was telling me this, I was feeling like him saying this was only going to be making things much worse for everybody. I felt like if he was seriously going to try and go this way, then there was really no point in doing anything right now.

"Let me fucking help you. I mean, I know that we have had our differences, but the truth is that I am still closer to figuring this stuff out than anybody else. You are going to be needing me if you want to have any chance to make this work out." I said, and I was being serious as I said this. I was not going to be having a argument with him here, since I knew that he was being selfish by putting his emotions before me or anything else.

"I mean, he's right Julian. You might as well at least give it a chance." After Rob was telling him this, I was seeing that Julian was just trying to find a new response to give me. Probably thinking that this situation was not the way that he was really hoping it would go. As I was seeing him slowly relent, I was seeing that at the end, he was not really wanting to drag this situation out much further, and just let me go along with this.

Scene 31: The Broken Child

Day 81

It was two or three days after the explosion at the factory that Nicole worked at when I figured that I just needed to try and talk to Gumball. From what I heard, he really was actually having a hard time with it, and I felt like he deserved better than that. I hardly knew the guy, and I was still feeling like I just needed to see what the hell he was feeling.

I was at the Watterson house, and I was already aware that being here in the first place was probably a really fucking bad idea. I mean, I was aware of the fact that this family was aware of who I was, and would be going out of their way to be making my life miserable, and that I would be lucky if even Gumball was willing to work with me.

I knocked on the door, and before long, Gumball answered. "Wow, that was fast." I admitted, having a thought that at least a couple of other people would have answered before him, or at the very least a minute or two. But the look on his face showed that he was in no mood to be making small quips or anything like that.

"Yeah, I have been watching television for a while, just trying to do my best to be putting my mind behind everything that is going on right now. But I guess that this is something that was never really going to work out." After he was telling me this, I was sighing for a second, and I really had nothing else to say to the guy at all.

"I mean, I am still taking this better than my mom has been. I mean, she has been broken over what happened there ever since it went down. I mean, to be fair, that was her entire adult life of work that was thrown down the drain. All for no real good reason." After Gumball was telling me this, I was trying to think of something to say.

I had really fucking hoped that he would not have noticed the fact that I was right there when it had happened, while I wasn't the one who planned it out per se, I was the one who probably did end up making things worse for everybody who was there. "Honestly, I think that sometimes the work that people give forward just gets thrown away. When that type of thing happens, then I feel like you just got to do your best to move forward, and not be letting it drag you down." I said, and I was wondering if I was even really helping him out with this at all.

"I just feel like there isn't a whole lot that I can really be able to do in order to make much of a difference though. People probably already think that I really blew it. I noticed that my mom is hardly even looking at me all that much anymore. I don't have to be a genius to know that she probably blames me for what is happening." Gumball told me, and I was remaining uncertain for a bit longer.

"And then my friends are going around, trying to find a way to get me to join along in their fucking insane ass crusade. I don't want to put myself in danger ever again though, and I think that they might be having a hard time really understanding that part." After he was telling me this, I had no idea what I could even say to that.

"But everybody out there is working their asses off to make sure that if there is any justice that needs to be brought forward, that it would be done. They are going to need your help at this. I understand if you don't see it yet. But they respect you far more than you think they do, and that hiding behind fear is not going to be helping them out at all." After I was telling him this, I was wondering if this would actually get him to consider what I was saying.

"But I mean, this is way in over my head. I feel like if I try helping out, I will only end up hurting those around me. I honestly believe, even if it isn't great to admit, that I am only making things worse for them. And I just think that I need to have people see that bigger picture." Gumball was telling me, and I was really having no idea what in the fucking world I was going to tell him.

"I know that things are probably rather rough for you right now, and I have no way of getting upset at you at that. After all, this is something that I never wanted to be a part of. But there comes a point in time where you do just have to accept what is ahead of you, and that you need to understand that there is a bigger picture." I was trying to get Gumball to at least see my point here.

"Ocho, do you know that if we are doing the right thing though? Is that really for us to decide or not? For all I know, we could really just be doing the wrong thing, and we are all having a hard time seeing otherwise. I feel like that is something you got to at least consider." Gumball said, and then I was rubbing my eyes, not too sure what I would even tell him here.

"I have considered it a few times though. And call it denial, or call it me being stupid, but every time I think about that, I think about what has been going on around us, and I feel like there is no way in hell that I can consider something like that the truth." I was saying, and I was wondering if I was really doing a good job of convincing myself at all or not.

"So you are willing to admit that you refuse to see what you could be doing wrong? I mean, I really have no idea what else to say." Gumball said, and then I was sighing, and I really felt like there was going to come a point where I could no longer be nice about this at all anymore. It was just going to be exhausting to deal with this at all.

"Gumball!" I snapped, and I was unsure of what to feel myself. "Look, you need to understand that the people in this company are almost certainly responsible for the girls that are going missing in this town. I understand that your mother is working there. And I understand that realistically she probably doesn't have anything to do with this. I will admit that. But this is something that is going beyond your family." I said, and I was really feeling like the more that I made my point, the better things could get.

"I understand that it might be painful to accept the fact that there is so much shit going on in this town that you have to see the bigger picture, but you are not going to be making things any easier if you keep living in denial over what is happening. You are going to have to accept what is happening if you really want a chance for things to change." I was finally done, and then I was taking a deep breath, and I hadn't realized that the entire time I was doing this, I was pointing down at him, and he was holding his hands up.

It was only then that I realized that I was over stepping the line, and then I was sighing, and took a deep breath. "I'm sorry if I am being harsh about this. You deserve better than that. But at the same time, I just can't really lose sight on what is happening." I said, and then with that, I was feeling like maybe I could slowly getting them to see what I was saying.

As he was seeing me calm down, and I was getting more realistic about what I was doing, I was indeed seeing Gumball get a little bit more calm about what was happening. "Yeah, I guess that I do see your point here. I mean, I feel like I do see your point in all of this. Even if I really do not want to admit it." After Gumball was telling me this, I was just feeling like I needed to shut up about this for a second.

I sat down, and took a deep breath. "I just feel like I need somebody to talk to about this, and nobody seems willing to talk to me anymore. If you can do that, then I would feel so much better." After Gumball said that to me, I was really feeling like I was not a good therapist. But I felt like I needed to at least try to make him feel better. So with that, I sighed, and started to nod, and felt like I just needed to give him the chance to talk with me here.

Scene 32: The Freezing Colds

Day 84

Eventually, I was in the cold cave that Justin had told me of. As I looked around, I shook my head. I was scared out of my mind if I was going to die from freezing tonight. As I was walking around, I was feeling like I just needed to try and get out of this as fast as possible. I mean, from what I understood, when Justin did this, the experience was relatively quick. It was just cold and hard.

I noticed that as I was going along, I was not seeing the man who Justin claimed he saw. The one that was guarding the cave, and giving advice to those around him. I was kind of wanting to see that person. Not to talk to them, but to in general at least have a perspective on where I was going. As I was heading along, I was seeing the giant pool that Justin had to swim through.

I closed my eyes, not wanting to think about the freezing temperatures as I jumped right inside, and started to swim across. The entire time that I was swimming across, I was feeling like the faster that I would get through this, the better that things would be. After all, it was just water. It wasn't like I was going to freeze to death, as long as I was constantly moving.

Eventually, I got to the other side, and then crawled out. I took a second to think about what I had been doing for a second. As I took a second to think about what just happened, I decided that I would not be too focused on it, and that I would just have to focus on continuing the forward stride for a while longer. As I was walking, I was wondering if I would see anybody, or anything, in this area.

Before long, I eventually decided that I was not going to be thinking about the colds anymore. I was instead going to be thinking about who I was doing this for. I was going to think about the fact that I was doing this for Andrea, to slowly bring peace to her mind. To justify the fucking mess of her case. I knew she would be gone, but I was going to make her proud of me.

As I was just pushing forward, thinking more and more about the people that I was trying to save, and the people that I wanted to keep alive longer, the more that I was starting to feel that my personal feelings on the matter were not nearly enough to be putting all of my own personal feelings on the line at all.

Eventually, I did reach a clearing, where I saw a ice cold table. As I was looking around, I was just taking a second to think things out for a bit. As I was walking towards the ice table, I heard a voice call out to me that I thought I would never hear again. Even if it was a hallucination, it was better than nothing at all.

I turned around, and saw Andrea looking right at me. I was unsure what to think, and I was unsure if she was just somebody that I was imagining. But when I was looking at her, I was feeling the tears coming down my eyes a little bit. I just needed to make sure that I could really understand what I was doing.

"You did fulfill your promise. It is times like this where I realize that maybe Wayside does have a chance to repair." She said, and then after she was saying this, I started to walk in her direction. I didn't care if this was a dream, or if she was here, I needed the moment.

"I knew that I was never going to give up, no matter what people might have been thinking. I needed to make sure that you guys all had a chance to survive this." I said, and then I was seeing her looking sad. "I am doing my best to make sure that Tobias and Rachel are safe."

"I wish that I would be able to see them one final time. Tell them that they will be fine with me gone, and that they need to see that this is all a part of how things were meant to be." She said, and then I was just totally shocked at what she was telling me. There was no way in hell she would be willing to let something like this happen to her.

"I want you to return home. I want to feel like everything that I am doing was worth something." I said, hoping that she would at least consider what I had been saying. As I said this, I saw that she had seemed to not really have much of a real response to what I had been telling her. I wanted my best friend back, and I wanted to be able to put this whole thing all behind me for once in my life.

"I loved every minute that I had with you. But sometimes, things can never go back to the same. You know that. You know what Joe found at the forest. I can never return. But I wanted to tell you that you are doing the right thing with your investigation right now." After Andrea said that to me, and she was holding her out to me. And I touched it, as she started to fade away.

"And regardless of what you do, there is nothing that you can do to change it, as many people are willing to look the other way as this is helping Wayside create their next generation. They only care about the children of the future. And because of that, this is all a long winded fight that will never finish." After she was telling me this, she was gone, and I was taking a second to think about what she was saying. I had no idea what to say.

I walked over to the ice block, wondering what else I was even going to do now. I felt like whatever she said about the next generation as meant to be a hint for me, but I had no idea what she was meaning. I was pulling out the hilt that Justin handed me before he told me to go inside the cave. I was staring down at it for a second, and then saw the collection of crystals that were laid out in front of me.

I started to grab one, and it broke off after a second. As it was settling down on my hand, I was starting to see it change color, and starting to even mend shape a little bit. The color part, I was expecting, but the shape was something that I was not really ready for. But when it was all said and done, I was seeing that it had turned into a sort of cyan color.

I had no idea what that was even supposed to me, and in all honesty, I hardly really cared all that much, as I was placing the crystal inside of the hilt. As I was placing it down for a second, I really had no idea what in the world I was going to do. I was closing my eyes, feeling that this was something that at the end of the day, I really did not deserve at all.

As I was finishing up my building, and taking a second to stare at the full product, I pressed the button for a second, feeling that I might as well just see if it had worked. When I saw the cyan blade release, and stared at it, I was taking a second to think about what I was going to be doing now. I was wondering if I was ready for something like this, and if this was something that had been a part of a great plan from the start of my life.

But as I was looking at the blade, and turned it off for a second, I was starting to become aware that this was my chance to do something right, and that I was making a big mistake for even considering turning away. The people that I had known were going to be greatly relieved to see me finally change what I was doing. Then with that, I placed the hilt in my pocket.

And despite what Andrea was telling me, people were not happy with what was happening, and I was hoping that she was going to be able to see something like this soon enough. Many people were willing to fight what had happened, and they were willing to do everything that they could in order to change the path that was ahead. It wasn't just me doing this all.

Scene 33: The Men In Black

Day 86

I left the crystal cave, and when I was immediately outside, the relative warmth of outside was instantly over flooding me. It made me feel like I could actually have a chance to be able to recover from this mess. I sighed, unsure what in the world I was even going to do now. Now I guess that I just had to try and see Justin, and show him that I really did finish the task that he has sent me out to do.

I was seeing that Izzy was no longer there, and when I had seen this, I was feeling scared out of my mind, wondering what in the world I was going to do if I was alone. And I was wondering if Izzy really just did not want to help me out, and that now I was gone, he was able to not have to worry about pretending anymore, and just get the hell out of here before long.

I shook my head, wondering if I was going to even be safe at all anymore, when I heard a voice calling out to me. I turned around, and I was seeing that it was one of the men in black, with a gun pointed right at me, and I was wondering if this was going to be when the charade was going to end. I closed my eyes, feeling like I just needed to try and accept that for what it was.

"Do not make any sudden moves." He said, and then I was sighing, feeling like I needed to make a plan quickly, if I was going to be getting out of this alive. "Shaun has ordered that we would be taking you in, and that way you can have a real discussion with him about the things that are happening in Wayside." After he was telling me this, I was shaking my head, feeling like I was unable to really believe what he was saying, and I was not even going to pretend like I was falling for it.

"I think we both know that if I accept that offer, it is going to be a death sentence, and that I might as well just say goodbye to the life that I have." I said, and then I was looking right at him, and I was hoping that he would see what I was saying. As I was looking at him for a second, he was cocking the gun back, and I was realizing that I had no choice but to fight soon enough.

I took out my hilt, and turned on the blade. "I am not afraid to use this, even though I really do not want to. But if it means saving myself, then I will have to do it." I said, and then I was looking right at him, hoping that my threat would be able to get him to stand down, and see that I was no longer playing around with him at all.

He fired the gun at me, and then I deflected it, feeling that I better not get too in the zone of having something like this around, since it really was not a fucking toy, and I needed to be more careful with this from now on. As I was done, I was staring right at him, and I was wondering what else I was even going to say in my defense.

"Look, if you just let me leave, then I can be able to move on, and nobody will have to get hurt. I really do not want this to be getting any worse." After I was telling him this, I was starting to walk back slowly, hoping that he would see that I was not going to turn this into a fight unless if I absolutely fucking had to. As I was leaving, the man was starting to lower his gun. Probably feeling that it would not be worth the fight for either of us.

As I was finally feeling like it was safe to turn my back, and that he was listening to me that I was not wanting to fucking hurt him, I was taking a few deep breaths and making sure that I did not get myself too comfortable about what I was doing, given the fact that the guy did seem like he was willing to take the shot if he was absolutely having no.

I had made about two minutes of walking, when I was seeing two other men in black coming to me on different ends. As I was seeing this, I took out my blade once again, and this time, I was really not afraid to use it. These people were to take me in if they were going to have the chance to. And I was having every intention of making sure that they were not going to be given the chance to do this.

"I guess that there is no way in hell that I am going to be getting out of this." I said, and then the man fired a bullet at me, but I just simply ducked that time, and it ended up hitting a tree. Before I was able to think about it too much, I ended up bringing the blade to their chest, and as soon as I had realized what I had done, I pulled the blade out as I was seeing the guy slowly fall down.

I held the hilt with both hands as I was turning around to the other guy, who was clearly starting to shake a little bit as he was looking right at me. I was seeing that he had gotten himself into a job that he wanted nothing to do with, and was just hoping that perhaps he would find a way out of this.

"I don't want to do this. I would rather we just drop this, and move on." He was telling me, but then before he was able to process what he was doing, he fired a bullet right at me, and I deflected it once again, and then after I did that, I threw the hilt right at him, and the blade hit him eight in the left eye. He fell down to the ground, as I ran to the hilt, and grabbed it. Turned the blade off, and then started to run away from the sight.

Eventually, I made it out of the forest, and took several deep breaths, wondering what I was going to be doing. I was still reeling from the fact that I saw a Andrea ghost in there. I was having no idea what in the world I was going to be able to do. I just felt like if I was going to keep seeing her, then I would be losing all sight of happiness, and being able to make a coherent goal.

So as I was heading off, I was feeling that maybe once I had a moment to think things out a bit, and realize what I had gotten myself into, then I would perhaps see what I was getting wrong. And I was thinking that perhaps once I had seen what was happening in this town more fully, then this would be a easier situation to sort through my mind.

Eventually, I was feeling that maybe going home was the best that I could do. I mean, it would give me something to keep my mind off of what happened. And I was feeling that maybe my mother deserved to know what the truth about what was happening was. I just hoped that she would eventually see that I really was just trying to make a difference. And I was thinking that when I would know what I could tell everybody, then they would finally listen to me.

And besides, I felt like if I wasn't careful enough, then there was a good chance that I could get caught, and maybe arrested for everything that I had known. And I was not going to be down with something like that. Getting arrested over just simply walking into a crystal cave, and defending myself, was not going to be something that I would really be ready for at all.

Eventually, when I was home, I was honestly feeling so much safer than ever. I couldn't describe what I had been feeling. But what I knew was that as long as I was in here, I would be safe from what everybody else was doing. My mother would vouch for me, and we would be able to just put this whole thing behind us.

The entire situation that I was in had been really reeling me through. I was constantly questioning everything that I had been doing, and I was always unsure of what was going on. But at the same time, I was feeling like maybe things were not all that bad after all.

Scene 34: Telling The Truth

Day 89

I was at the Wilson house once again, feeling that the least that I could do is talk to either Rachel or Tobias about some of the stuff that I had been learning. I knew that neither one of them were really going to want to hear the truth, but at the same time, I was hardly even finding myself caring at all what they might be saying.

After a few seconds, Rachel answered the door, and she looked at me, and I was feeling like I really needed to try and sell what I was doing. I needed her to see that this was not what I wanted to talk to her about, but that in all honesty, I really had no choice on the atter at all.

"Hey Ocho, was there something that you needed to talk to me about?" She asked, and then after she asked me this, I was sighing, since I really had no idea what to tell her at all. "I mean, you hardly ever come by here anymore unless if you have some serious news." After she said that to me, I was sighing, and nodded for a second.

"Yeah, I was wanting to talk to you about your parents. I know that this is probably not what you want to be doing. But I feel like there were some things you probably knew by this point anyways." I said, and then I was seeing that Rachel clearly looked like she was not really too sure what she was even wanting to say to that in the first place at all.

The way that she looked down on the ground was giving me a clear indication that whatever I needed to say, I needed to try and be more careful with my wording. "But Ocho, are you sure that you have enough proof here? I mean, even if something was going on, I feel like my parents would do enough to hide the truth." She said, and then I was shrugging.

"Tobias was telling me about the time when he and T.K. went into the Lazarus company head quarters. He was telling me that he was seeing your mother involved in a giant meeting about the destruction of the factory, and that they were trying to build up a budget to repair the damages that were caused." I was telling her, and I wondered if she was going to by what I was saying in the first place.

"What was he even doing there in the first place anyways? I mean, did he feel like he needed to go in there because you kept telling him these stories that he started to believe?" After she was jumping right on my case about this, I was sighing, since I sort of knew what she was saying. But I was trying to get her to not be so focused on me that she wasn't able to look at the bigger picture.

"Look, I know that it might be hard to be looking at the bigger picture right now. But the reality is that I feel like your mother probably at least has some idea what the town sales going on are. I feel like if that is the case, then perhaps it might be a bit hard to trust somebody anymore." I said, and then I just remained silent for a bit.

"I mean, I don't think she was directly involved in any cases, but I feel like you can't be able to just over ride that idea due to her word. I feel like there is at least a small chance that something might be happening." I said, and then after I was telling her this, I was seeing that she clearly did not really want to be taking what I said into account, but there was also a part of her that was at least considering what I had said.

"I mean, I just don't really know what to say. I mean, I guess that there are some things that she has said and done that do make me feel like there is a chance she is involved. But I mean, what about dad? His father was one of the founding members of that company. And if anybody in the family is as involved as you claim, it will have to be him." After she was telling me this, I was considering what she was saying to me, and I really had no idea what I was going to tell her.

"I hope that I am wrong. I bet that I could be wrong. But if there is one thing that I have grown to learn about everything that I have done here is that anything could be true, and that you should never brush anybody off completely." I said, and then I was shrugging as I had told her this.

"If she is really as involved as you claim that she is, then I would not want Tobias to learn the truth. He would deserve better than that. He always sees her to a high esteem. So I feel like he would have a much harder time at this than I would." After she was telling me this, I was really having no idea what I was even going to be telling her.

"I mean, if he saw what she was doing, then doesn't that mean that he has had some time to kind of get used to something like that? I feel like you are probably not giving him as much credit as he probably deserves." After I was telling her this, I was wondering if she was going to at least consider what I had been saying at this point.

"I guess that is true. I don't know. I just feel like I would want to be more careful. I know how Tobias really is, and I feel like you are probably giving him too much credit right now." After she was telling me this, I was feeling like the best thing that I could do would be to just let her have that moment.

"Please just make sure that you don't force Tobias into something that he isn't really ready for. I feel like that is what really matters more than anything." Rachel said to me, and I was slowly nodding, just taking in what she was telling me, since in all honesty, I knew that what she was saying was true.

"Yeah, I can try to do that. I mean, I am more worried about what he would try to force me into doing. You know, if he sets his mind to something, and then gets to the point where he hardly thinks about anything else at all." I said, and then I shook my head, not sure what else I was even going to be telling her at all. I felt like nothing I could say would make Rachel feel better.

"Whatever. I just hope that if it is true what my mom is doing, that Rob will be able to look past that, and not be letting this whole thing drag him down as well. I mean, he has been rather patient with me so far. But that doesn't mean that he wouldn't just leave me the first chance that he has to do something else." Rachel said, and then I was sighing, not really having no idea what in the world I was wanting to tell her at all.

"Rob? I mean, I doubt that he will have any reason to be upset at what your mother is doing. I mean, there is no reason to be letting that translate to you at all." I said, and then I looked at her, and I was feeling like I just needed to try and make her feel better about what was happening. "I think that he will be aware that you are not your mother, and that being upset at you over this would not really be right." I said, and I was looking right at her, and I was wondering what else to say to her.

"And besides, like you said, there is a good chance that your father is far more into this than your mom really is. And if that is the case, then you do not really need to be so worried about this at all. I just hope that what I am saying is true, since if it does turn out to be a false statement, then I would really feel bad." I said, and then I was shrugging, not sure what else I was even going to tell her at all.

"I mean, I still love my parents, even if this is all true. Despite everything, they have done so much good for me and Tobias that it will be impossible to be upset at them any longer." After she was telling me this, I was remaining silent for a second longer. I felt like it would be best to let her have those beliefs.

Scene 35: Heritage Revelation

Day 91

I was hanging out with Rob at one point in time, and I was just only sort of casually listening to most of the stuff that he was saying. "I have tried to go to that councilor earlier. He's not a bad guy, and I can see why most people would like him, but I feel like he kind of isn't really able to help me with my main issues." After Rob was saying that to me, I looked at him, and I wondered where he was even getting at anyways.

"What do you mean? I mean, a councilor is not allowed to tell people what you are feeling, so you can tell him everything that you have been doing lately, and he won't be able to stop you." I tried to tell him, but then he was shaking his head. And with that, I was just remaining completely confused where this was even going.

"I mean, if it was a normal situation, that would be fine. I mean, for fucks sake, there are more to this town than looking around for what happened with somebody. I wouldn't care how he would react to something like that." He said, and that level of hostility was kind of getting to me a bit. I just decided that I would remain silent, and not be messing with him.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to upset you." I said, not sure what else to say. After all, I was just trying to help him feel better. But with the way he said that, I really just wondering what was getting to him so much anyways. Then with that, he gave a simple shrug.

"I am only telling you this because I feel like you probably need to know with everything that you have been doing. Besides, T.K. already knows. But a few days ago, I was hanging out with him, and we were just sort of trying to see what we could find if we looked in the archives Matt and Izzy stole. And we had found out that Shaun Reichenbach is my fucking father. That means that when Shaun eventually passes away, I am going to be forced to take this company over." He said, and then I was looking right at him, shocked to hear this.

I was really just taking a moment to let the revelation process. In all honesty, I was feeling that if this was the case, then in a strange way, he was my main enemy. He was the one person who I needed to watch out for. But at the same time, I had known how he was from before, and I was feeling like in all honesty, he needed to have a chance to show me that he was not that way at all.

I stood up, and I walked out of his house, and just stood outside for a moment. I looked ahead at the streets, as I was sitting down, and then I was placing my heads in my heads, and I was just feeling like every single thing that I had ever tried to be prepared for was all a waste of time. And I was feeling like if Rob was going to take the company over, then there was nothing that I could fucking do. Before I could be able to think on it longer, Rob was walking out of the house as well.

"Sorry for that. I just felt like you deserved to know after everything that has been going on. I didn't think that you would take it the way that you have. I thought that you were going to be able to take it well enough. If that is how you feel though, then there is no way in hell that I am going to tell Rachel." After Rob was saying that to me, I was shaking my head, feeling like there was nothing else I could do now.

"I mean, I can feel like I can get over it. I feel like you probably need to be careful about the others though. I still don't really like it. But there is nothing you can do about who banged your mother. I am just more shocked that he decided to not raise you from the start so that way you would have known the entire time." After I was telling him this, I was feeling like Rob would at least partially agree with what I was saying. It was fucking strange was all.

I mean, I wondered if there was something going on here. Something that I just did not understand. I was wondering if Rob would be able to help give me something to work with. I was seeing Rob looking like he was considering something else here. I really had no idea what in the world he was going to be going on about.

"I mean, I have heard a lot of theories about the adoptions that are going on around Wayside. Maybe those have something to do with it." After he was saying that to me, I was looking right at him, and I really had no idea what he was thinking here. "I mean, there must be a bigger reason he let me get adopted by somebody. It had to have been a fucking plan."

"Adoptions. I mean, if those are really the driving force behind what is going on at Wayside and their economy, then I really have no idea why in the fucking world that is the case. I mean, that is just so fucking beyond random." After I said that to him, I was shrugging, I was feeling like I needed more to work with.

"And besides, even if that is true, there is nobody in this town that will just willingly give us that information. Regardless, you are having a hard time. And that is what I feel like you need to focus on. You need to work on yourself, and making sure that you get what you need." I said, since I was feeling like what Rob needed to move through with this was more important than anything else.

"Even if I wanted to take this company over, how in the fucking world could I do this? I have no business experience. The only thing that I know is that accounting class that I took second semester just so I could get the credit." Rob said, and then he was shrugging. "I mean, realistically, if something happens in the next year or so, then that means that this is literally the only thing that I can use for my favor." Rob said, and then I was slowly nodding, kind of getting what he was telling me here.

"I mean, surely Carbunkle will be able to give you some clues on what is happening. So why not reach out to him, and see what he might have." I said, and then I was shrugging. I mean, I hardly knew about Brad and his true allegiance to this town, or to Shaun. But I was feeling like it was worth mentioning for his own sake. And when I was looking at Rob, I was seeing that he was still just feeling relatively lost here.

"But then if I do that, then it will become super obvious what I am doing. I guess that I might as well just take some business classes. Even as a elective or something. It's better than nothing. Although I have a feeling that in all honesty, with everything going on here, this place isn't really going to be run like a normal business. And that it might not really be worth it." Rob was telling me, and I was feeling that I might as well just let him have his moment.

I was feeling like what Rob was going to do was going to show that he and I were never going to really have the same ideas ever again. Already, even before things happened, I was aware that what Sheldon was saying was probably true. That what happened with him and Brad was two friends who just could not ever see each other in the same goal ever again, and as a result, despite the fact that they were working together in common a lot, things were just never going to be the same ever again. It felt wrong, and I felt so fucking bad for him with this.

"Just take it one day at a time. I guess if for nothing else, really learn the world of Wayside, and really understand what it is like. That is the best that could happen, I fucking suppose. I just wish that I was able to give you more." I said, and then after I was telling him this, I was seeing that Rob was clearly just still feeling hopeless here.

Scene 36: The Bigger Picture

Day 97

I was trying to just get my mind off of what was going on with Rob, since I was kind of just accepting the fact that this was something that I just needed to divert my focus on. And one way to do that was to look at one of the things that I had heard about real casually one time. Which was the Wayside project that I have heard Kenta and some others talking about.

So with that, I was finding myself at Izzy's house again, and I was feeling that despite the fact that the two of us had gotten into a giant argument over this before, I was feeling like now that I knew for sure that he was closer than anybody else to figuring this out, that I just needed to have a load of patience with him here. I knocked on his door, wondering if he would even give me the light of day.

When he answered, he let me inside without so much as saying a word. "What are you wanting to know about this time?" He asked me, and I was feeling like that was him just trying to hide his relative annoyance at what was happening.

"So I know that you are probably the only person in the entire town that actually knows about this Neo Wayside project that Kenta is super fucking obsessed with. And I was wondering if you would be willing to tell me more about it." I said, and then after I was telling him this, I was seeing that Izzy had nothing else to say here.

"Well, honestly, I have been spending a few minutes a day really looking things over, and drawing out all the different parts of the town, out. I only saw it once, and yet I still have a very vivid memory of what that plan was." After he was telling me this, he walked me over to his room, and I was feeling like I now had a plan.

Once we were in his room, he walked over to his closet. "The entire time that I have been piecing together what he is planning on doing, I am slowly seeing how brilliant his plan is. Horrible, but that doesn't change the fact that it really is a work of genius." After he was telling me this, I was having no idea why he was even praising this guy as much as he was. I mean, saying something good about this guy was on par with admitting that they were right about what they had been doing.

"He has laid out literally every single section and block of this entire city, and has shown what he would do with them. In all honesty, I feel like after a point, it would not be too hard to imagine that Kenta might actually have more authority over how this town is going to be run than Shaun himself." Izzy was saying, and then he showed the entire city out line. "If my guesses are correct, he is already roughly a tenth of the way there." After he was telling me this, I was shocked to hear about that level of progress.

I looked down at every single piece. "So the factories are just the starting point? How does he imagine that it will be able to go any further than that? How does he plan on taking it even further?" I asked, and then I stared right at him, wondering how long this would be taking in the first place. That was a good point for us to consider.

"I have no idea what his plan really is. What I do know is his general idea though. I read somewhere that he was planning on having this entire thing done with by the end of the century. That would give us fourteen years to try and see if there was anything that can be changed. His estimate range between 1997 and 2002 But beyond that, you have to look at the fact that he also got his prediction about the monsters almost completely right." Izzy was saying, and I was really feeling like he was going to make it happen no matter what.

"Great, so he is basically going to throw away everything that still can keep us tied down to the past just for his own personal ambitions." After I said that, he was looking at me, and I was clearly seeing from the look on Izzy's face that he was not too sure where the hell I was even going with that one. Which I guess was fair enough, since it was a bit sudden and out of nowhere.

"Well regardless, I feel like if you want to stop this from ever getting completed, you got to look at all the things that are currently in progress, and take them all down. Play a fucking giant game, and see what you can work with." Izzy was telling me, and then the way he was saying this was just kind of strange to me. I was having no idea what the hell he was even meaning when he was saying that.

"So basically destroy more of those factories, and take out the projects one at a time? I guess that this would make the richer areas in Wayside a real fucking treat to be going to, if we were to head along this insane crusade." After I was saying this, I was seeing Izzy looking like he was glad that I was at least starting to catch on quickly here.

"Well, it seems like you are catching onto at the least the super basics of it. I know that it might not sound like the best gig in the world. But I am sure that you are willing to look at the bigger picture, and see that you need take these areas all down if you want to make sure that this actually goes the way you are planning." After he was telling me this, I was really having no idea what in the world I was even going to be telling him.

"I know that you are better trained to be doing this than literally anybody else at all, so I feel like you are probably the only one who I fully am aware will actually be able to pull this off." After he was telling me this, I was sighing, and I was feeling that arguing with him about this was only going to just make things a bigger hassle for me.

"Alright, I mean, I feel like this whole thing can really turn bad in the matter of mere fucking minutes. But I mean, as some people have said in the past wars are not won if you just play it safe all the time. Fine, I will do it, but not because I think it is a good idea. Or because I think I would even survive this." I said, and I was accepting that idea in my head. That if this really turned south, that this could be one of the last normal conversations that I would be having.

"That's the spirit." Izzy was saying, and then hearing him actually say that was making me fucking wince. I was feeling like he was taking too much pride in something like this. "But regardless, I feel like with everything that is going on, I have to help you out as much as I can. So if you ever needed anything, you can just simply tell me what is going on, and I will do my best." After he was telling me this, I was slowly nodding, wanting to keep that in my mind before I went around and was going to do anything stupid.

"If I am going to have to do this, then you must promise me that you will find out everything you can about how to make sure that I can actually pull off these mini operations. I feel like if I am basically going to do some borderline vigilante shit, I need that to work off of." I said, and then I was laughing at that, thinking that what I was doing already was kind of just that, and that I was being way too fucking cautious for no reason at all.

"I guess that I can fucking do that. I don't really see the point of doing that. But if it makes you feel better, then I totally fucking will." After he was telling me this, I was praying to a god that I wasn't fully sure was real. Because I knew this could go down hill so fucking fast if I was not careful.

Scene 37: Counseling

Day 100

I was back at the school again, mainly just so I could be able to talk with the councilor. I mean, I did not really want to do it. It just seemed wrong to speak to him when I hardly even knew who he was in the first place. But I was feeling that maybe the idea of having a person to talk to, to try and really just get my mind off of the issues in the town, would be for the best.

When I walked inside, I was seeing the room that Steven used to teach in had already been fully replaced by his materials. As if he had never been here. I was wondering if people were just desperate to pretend that he didn't exist. I smiled at that idea, and then with that, I walked inside, and I was seeing that the guy was still here, and he had no students.

From what I was able to understand much later on is that he had open availability during summers (barring Saturday and Sunday, which he took off), and did not make appointments unlike the school year, where he did. So that if anybody talked to him during summer, they would take as long as they damn well pleased.

"It's always nice to see somebody come in for my services. I hope that I would be able to please you." He said, and then after he had said that, when he was taking a second to really see who I was, I was seeing that he already started to look much less certain than he had been before. But I was not worried about this as I was sitting down.

"Yeah, I know. I am the troubled student who always gets in the way of things. Sorry that you are having to deal with me. But in all honesty, I just guess that I feel like I need to really have somebody that I can talk with." I said, and then I looked right at him, and I was wondering if he was able to give me this in the first place.

"Well, I will do the best that I can. Can't make any promises though. I hope that you understand that." He said, and then I was slowly nodding, feeling like there was no need to be upset with him. But before he continued, I felt like I just needed to get right to the discussion, for both of our sakes.

"I started what would be considered by some to be my 'trouble making' when my girlfriend Andrea went missing. I was so fucking resentful at what happened with her, that I guess that I just needed to find a way to really fucking express my anger. But I guess that I am only making things worse with what I have been doing." I said, and then I looked right at him, wondering what in the world I could say.

"I just wanted to find her, and I was thinking that since I was the one that was dating her, that I needed to take full responsibility, and do what I needed to get her to be happy with me. But I guess that in the end, I am only making things worse for everybody else around me. I have hardly really considered what it would be like for those around me." I continued, and then he started to have something to say in his head.

"I have seen how much this case has started to really bother people. It seems like most people in Wayside have been in some way affected by her case. Do you feel like you know what your stake in the matter is?" He asked, and then I shrugged, since in all honesty, I had no real idea what to tell him. I felt like whatever I would say would make no difference.

"I mean, I really loved her. Or at least I genuinely feel like I did. I have no idea in all honesty, I am just trying to understand myself. I have been talking to somebody else, and she has been kind of making me see things a different light. Although I would not want to admit to something like this at all." I said, and then I shrugged, wondering if what I was saying was making any sense at all.

"Do you feel like the concept of love is something that you fully understand, or something that you are still learning of?" After he had asked me this, I shrugged, since I was feeling like there was no way in hell that I could be able to respond to that. But I was feeling like I needed to try at least.

"I mean, I feel like that is something that will change every year. I don't know if it is the result of growing mature, or the result of different experiences. But I feel like there is no way that I can understand my answer now, and then have it be the same a year from now." I said, wondering what in the world I could have even said to make it any different at all.

"Do you feel like you have made things better or worse for people when it comes to finding out where Andrea has gone?" After he had asked me this, I was shrugging, since in all honesty, that was a handful. There was a lot that I could tell him here. But in all honesty, I felt like both answers to the question would be valid.

"I feel like it goes both ways honestly. I mean, I feel like on one hand, I have helped people not forget what is happening, and that level of awareness helps her stay in the minds of people. That part is good. But then there is the other part. The part where I feel like every time I try to look at things, and see what went on, it just feels like there is no proper answer. I hope that makes sense." I said, and then I was really having no idea why I was even discussing any of this in the first place.

"And I feel like I have only made it worse for her family. They probably have a lot of hope that I can do something to help. But then I ruin it. I just crash that hope every single fucking time I even try to go outside. And now I feel like it is only a matter of time before they decide that they never want to speak to me again, and that I just really gave them too much hope." I said, and then I decided that I would stop with that one.

"Was she special to anybody else besides you?" The councilor asked, and I didn't have to think about it before I fucking nodded at that one. There was nothing else to say here. I decided that I would give him a list of names to prove my point.

"Yeah. A guy named Julian really liked her. She also had a friendship with Rob. Plus both of her cousins held her to high regard. Everybody seemed to really enjoy her company." I said, and then I smiled, and I was feeling that the impact she made on the town was enough to really make me proud of her, if for nothing else.

"That is good. Gives us something to work with." After he had said that to me, I was slowly nodding, and I was feeling like I was sort of slowly seeing what he was doing here. "How much have the others tried to really follow through with finding out where she was? Are you the main person behind this crusade?" He asked, and as much as I hated the fact that he was asking it this way, I couldn't help but nod at what he was saying.

"I am definitely the person behind this. I would say her younger cousin of the two, Tobias, is a big contributor as well. He seems to be the one that really wants to fucking let his friends know that he is not giving up. But in all honesty, I feel like most people around me are just trying to move on and not let it happen again." I said, and then I was shrugging again.

"Every time I talk about it, I know that I need to let it go. I know that I am only making this worse for myself. I just wonder if I have any way of being able to get people to actually see that I am sorry for the pain that I caused the family, and her friends…" I said, and I was staring down, feeling like there was no way to put it now.

Scene 38: The New Knight

Day 105

As I was continuing my investigation, and continuing to grow a different perspective on everything that I was doing, I was growing more uncertain of what I was actually really doing. I mean, I was growing more uncertain if what I was doing was actually correct for the town, and when I had been thinking that, the more that I was feeling like perhaps I had been looking at my goals the incorrect way.

And in all honesty, I was feeling like the more that I had been thinking about it, the more that I was seeing that there were way bigger things to worry about with Wayside then just finding out the truth with Andrea, although that was still by far one of the biggest things that I was having in my mind.

When I was sitting down in Justin's tent once again, I was staring right at him, and I was having no idea what to tell him. I felt like I was needing to just try and be relatively humble for his sake, and make him see that I really was just trying my best to learn whatever I fucking could, and had no idea what I was doing here. "Justin, I am extremely sorry for failing in my training." I said, feeling that there was nothing else to be telling him.

As I was staring at him, I was wondering what in the world he was going to tell me. "I thought that I was helping out, and I thought that I was making a positive benefit to this town. I really honestly, did. But I realize as time passes, that I am not really making much of a difference at all. I am only making things worse for those around me." I said, and I was not even caring if he was going to accuse me of beating myself up.

"But what I do promise is that going forward, I will give everything that I fucking can to make sure that I will keep Wayside safer. I am no longer going to be doing this just for Andrea. I am going to be doing this for all of Wayside." I said, hoping that this statement could win him a lot more respect.

"This was what I wanted to hear. I needed to know that you were willing to over ride your own desires and be able to look at the bigger picture. There are many people in this town that need help. And in order to be blinded by what is going on in your emotions will only be making things worse for those around you. I remember when I was blinded by emotions." Justin said, and then I looked at him, feeling that he needed to tell me the story behind this.

"What happened? I need to know what went wrong, so I will not be making the same mistakes again." I said, and I was really serious about what I was saying. As I said that to him, I saw that Justin was looking like he was feeling sort of lost on what he had been wanting to actually tell me here.

"I was still feeling like I could be able to convince Shaun to turn back looking at what his father was doing. In all honesty, I felt like I needed to get him to hear that this was not the answer to his thoughts. But as I was telling him this, I was seeing that more and more, that what I was saying was just simply not sticking to him at all." After he was telling me this, I was slowly nodding.

"So you knew that he was bad, and you were trying to save him?" I asked, feeling like that was the only way that I could be able to put it. Justin was slowly nodding as I asked him this. I was feeling bad for that. I mean, if he had known what Shaun was going to be like, I would not want to know what he would feel like he would have to do to his friend.

"I mean, I loved him as a brother. I thought that I was able to do what nobody else could. But knowing what he was feeling, and knowing how he was handling life, I feel like I was just getting myself set up for failure no matter what I did. And now that I see what he has done, and I realize that maybe it would have been best if I just put a bullet in his head when I could have." When he was done saying that, I was sighing, feeling like I just needed to remain silent for a second.

"Justin, are you sure that you would have been able to handle doing that to your best friend? I mean, surely you see why emotions ae hard to over come." I said, and then I was looking right at him, hoping that he would see what I was feeling. Hoping that he was going to see that I was not really ready for something like this, no matter how much I wanted to act like I had been.

"Regardless, I feel like no matter what else is going on, that you will be ready for what is ahead of you. And that it is time for you to take on the next level." After he was saying that to me, I was confused what he was meaning, and I was feeling like I just needed to remain silent. So with that, I just closed my eyes, and decided to simply not say much at all.

Justin stood up, and he was turning on his energy sword. The blue blade starting to heat up the area around us, and I was starting to feel scared out of my mind. Scared that he was going to potentially kill me. I mean, I knew he probably wouldn't. But the idea that he would, did kind of run through my mind for a few seconds. But if he did, at least I could say that it was by him, and not by Shaun.

"By the will of the council, by the power of the order, and by the oath of the master, I know proclaim you a knight of the Republic. Ocho Tootmorsel, you may rise, and with your new found title, be ready for the journey that lies ahead." He said, and then I was standing up, and I was feeling like I just needed to understand what in the world he was even talking about.

"What do you mean? I am having a hard time understanding." I said, and then with that, Ocho turned the blade off, and then he was taking a deep breath, as if feeling like there was a minor form of guilt in hic face. I wondered why was going on his mind, that was making him feel this way.

"You are what I was became thirty five years ago. A knight who served the republic of the Digital World. One who watches over earth, to make sure that there is nothing that comes in. But in Wayside, when monsters don't appear as much anymore, I focus my learnings on making sure that the town is able to have peace and prosperity." After he had told me this, I was trying to understand. I wanted to understand what he was trying to accomplish, but I felt like maybe I wouldn't, and I shouldn't force myself to get it.

"When we are done with our job, I will tell you more about that. I feel like it is my time to pass my learnings onto other people will do a better job with what they know than I will. And I hope that one of these days, I can be able to know that we are all in a safer world." After he was telling me this, I was feeling like I just needed to try and understand what the hell he was even telling me in the first place.

"Thank you for having trust in me to know how to fight this." I said, feeling that maybe I shouldn't try and fight what I heard. In all honesty, the fact that he was willing to give me this in the first place was enough to make me feel like I could actually improve as a person.

"Your first task as a knight is to make sure that your journey is finished. That you will have finished what you started, and that is the best thing that somebody can do with what they have." After Rob was telling me this, I was feeling like I just needed to try and understand where this was going. I didn't fully get it, but I was feeling like I would in due time.

Scene 39: The Loss of an Eye

Day 108

I was meeting up with Rob once again, and I was feeling like I just needed to help him ease his mind. I was not worried about myself, since in all honesty, I was feeling like I needed to push myself if I was wanting any chance of pulling through the mistakes that I had made. But Rob on the other hand deserved happiness, and deserved a chance to just try to have a normal school life.

"Look Rob, I know that you were rather into the skating thing, so why not give that a fucking try?" I asked, and then I was seeing him looking like he was not too sure what in the world he was even going to say to that idea.

"I guess that I can give it a try. I mean, I would rather be doing that than looking around like a fucking idiot, and not doing much with my time. I guess that I am just worried that given how things have been, that if I start, something will come along, and I will not be able to continue. So it will be entirely pointless." Rob was telling me, and I shrugged, feeling like he needed to stop being so hard on himself here.

Rob grabbed his board. As he looked down at it for a second, I was seeing that he was considering something for a second. But then he shook his head, and decided to not say anything at all, as he was heading out of the house. I started to follow him, and I wondered what was bothering him so much.

As we were walking along outside, he was skating with one foot on the board, and basically just walking with the other foot. "Honestly, I just feel like with everything that is going on, if Rachel knew everything, then she would probably not want to ever speak to me again. She would consider me a fucking failure." He said, and then I took a second to realize what he was referring to.

"She might be sad when she hears the truth. But in all honest, you didn't choose your heritage. You just went along with it. You honestly have to accept the fact that you have a bigger chance to actually do something than most people here do." I said, and I was wondering if he would actually try to follow through with a plan to change Wayside.

"I mean, who the fucking hell was supposed to know about who your dad was? I mean, you were never raised by him, and the fact that he let you be raised by somebody else shows that there must be some good in him. He wanted you to have a normal life. Or at least for a while, that is." I said, since in all honesty, that was giving me a minor amount of respect for the man that I never had earlier.

"I guess that this could be true. I mean, when you put it that way, I kind of see where you are coming from. I just wish that I was more prepared for something like this. If I had a extra two to three years to prepare, then I will be ready. I just feel like I need to take every day that I can get." Rob said, and I was feeling like that was fair enough for him to say.

"Just know that regardless of what happens, I will still be willing to stay at your side. I have seen you this last year. I know more than anybody else that you are not a bad person, and that you are not going to be letting your new heritage revelation get in the way of anything else." I said, and then I was seeing Rob looking at me. His eyes pleading with me to be telling the truth, since in all honesty, he still hardly believed what he had heard at all.

"I hope that you are right. I mean, I feel like you are probably telling the truth. But the thing is that despite everything going on, I feel like I have the right to have a fear going on here. Something to hold me down while I look at what is going on." After he was telling me this, I was just kind of feeling that I would keep everything to myself for the time being.

"But what about the others? You know, Julian? He might be feeling like I would use this as an excuse to try and take power when I was weak or whatever. Or Matt? I mean, I hardly know him, and for all I know, he might still be thinking that he doesn't really know me enough to trust everything that I have been doing so far." After Rob was telling me this, I sighed, and I really was feeling like I was never going to get him to feel better about what was going on.

"Julian will have to accept the fact that you are not really that way. I mean, seriously, there is no way in hell that he will actually be saying that. He has known you for years at this point. And if he was acting like this, then chances are that he never liked you nearly as much as he claimed to." I said, and I was feeling like I just needed to tell him the truth here, so that way he would see what I was trying to be coming from.

"And besides, I feel like since you have gone on multiple times about how terrible this company is, you are going to be showing them that you are nothing like the main people. You are a good guy. I feel like when the initial revelation is over, people will be more than willing to give you a chance." I said, and then after I was telling him this, I saw Rob kind of seeing what I was saying to him.

"And look at it this way: Every day that Shaun is fine, is another day you do not have to worry about this." As I was saying this, I saw Rob hit something with his board, and he came flying forward, and he only had time to cover one of his eyes before he landed on a giant sharp piece of rock. As that happened, everything went still for a moment, and I was wondering what the hell I was even going to be doing now.

I ran up to him as fast as possible, and he was starting to stand up after a second, and then he looked right at me. As I was looking at his face, I was seeing that he was staring to profusely bleed down his eye he did not cover. "Oh my god, we are going to have to get you to the hospital." I said, hoping that we could give him a bandage as soon as possible or something like this.

When I looked at how deep the cut went, I saw that it essentially cut the eye in half. "Oh my god, I think that they are going to have to remove it entirely." I said, and then Rob was looking at me like he was just not wanting that to happen. As if losing a literal part of his vision was just the last thing that he wanted. Especially at the age of fifteen for gods sake.

It took several minutes, but the ambulance showed up. "Ocho, try to not judge me over this." He said, and then I was looking at him, wondering why in the world he was saying that. I mean, for fucks sake, he was just a guy who had a bad eye. There was no reason for me to judge him over something like this. I was seeing one of the doctors looking at it for a few seconds.

"I hate to break this to you, but we are going to have to completely remove the eye. There is no way around it. If we keep it with you, then it could get infection from dirt and other particles. There is no way that this would be able to recover." The doctor said, and then Rob was looking at me. Despite how strange it was looking, I held his hand as he was getting the procedure done on him. It was something he needed for himself to make himself feel better.

Later that night, Rob left the hospital with a eye patch on his eye, something that according to the doctors, he was going to have to wear for the rest of his life. And that he needed to come by every month to get a new one to replace it to avoid it getting too dirty. "That one hurts more than the revelation of being Shaun's kid." He said, trying to be making a joke through the pain, but I could tell how much he hated this.

Scene 40: Don't Tell Tobias

Day 109

As I was in the middle of my infiltration, I was seeing that one of the rooms had the name of Tobias and Rachel's mother on it. As I had seen that, I knew that any possible denial would be gone, and that I was just needing to see if she would be able to at least explain to me what her perspective was. So with that, I was just glad that for once, I was alone, and could do things on my own, and I walked right into the office, to see what in the world I could even be able to find there.

Once I was inside of the room, I was seeing that she was wrapping up some of her work. Probably trying to just get another sales pitch done before another meeting. She looked up and was seeing that it was me. I did not really want to play around with her. I just wanted her to give me a yes or no answer to this question.

"Did you know about Andrea's disappearance? Did you plan this whole thing out? I heard those rumors lately, and I just need you to be honest with me." I begged, and I was just hoping that she was not going to be giving me any lies one way or another. As I said this, I saw her upset and standing up, looking out to the window for a second.

"A part of the story is true. I was approached by Harold, and he was telling me that the company wanted Rachel to be taken away. But I could not see my daughter being given away. I realized that as much as it would break my heart, that I would rather have something happen to Andrea than happen to my own fucking daughter. I am sure that you would understand." After she said that to me, I looked right at her, and I was unable to believe what she had just told me.

"You seriously didn't at least try to find another way around this? You just agreed to this, and then remained silent? Do you not realize how much you ruined everything by doing this?" I asked, and then I was really feeling like my composure would be running out soon enough. As I said this, I was seeing that she was kind of upset with the matter of how I was handling this discussion.

"I know that Tobias would hate me forever if he knew the truth. I knew that several people were closer to Andrea than to Rachel. But I felt like I had no choice for the preservation of my own family. I did what I felt like I needed to do. I hope that you can see what I am saying." She said, and then I shook my head, not really in the mood to hear whatever crap she was planning on giving me at this point.

"But there is a way that I know he will never be able to find out." She said, and then she started to pull out a gun from her drawer. As she started to aim, I flew behind a book case. It wasn't much, but it could give me a second to think things out a bit better.

As I was waiting for a bit, she came to me, and then she was right by me, and she fired at my lower leg, and I was able to see the flesh splatter all over the area around me, as I was seeing some of my bones exposed, and I was closing my eyes, just trying to ease the pain of what was going on.

But I knew that I only had a second to react, so I just told myself to get over it, and I lunged right at he, and toppled her down to the ground, and I punched her in the face a few times before she cocked the gun again, and I grabbed the tip with my hand, feeling that I would rather have my hand get shot than anything else.

I pushed her gun down, and the bullet fired as I was seeing my hand turn into a bloody red mess. I grabbed my destroyed hand with my good one for a bit, and then I was in so much fucking pain that I could not take it anymore. She pushed me off while I was in my reeling of pain. As I was holding my hand for a bit, she got up and started to head towards the gun once more.

She got the gun back, and then she started to walk towards me. "You could have simply just done what everybody else in Wayside does and accept that she was too far gone, and moved on. That would have been easier for you. But you decided that it was time to play hero." She said, getting to my back.

"But you were a good friend to Andrea and to Tobias and Rachel. It seems that strangely enough, you really made them feel better about everything this last year. So I will at least make it painless for you. One shot to the head, and everything will be fine." She said, and then I was remembering that there was still my energy sword that I kept with me at all times just in case.

I just needed to tell myself to focus through the pain and I can save myself. "How will you explain what happens to the rest of town? Sooner or later, people will start to get suspicious." I said, and then with that, she sighed, and probably was trying to think of a good story to tell them.

"Probably a run away. Give them at least a semblance of hope. Or if they realize that you're truly gone, just say that it was some random gang dealer. At least it would be a level of closure. But I will not let my family know the truth." She said, and I was finally feeling like I was able to push through the pain long enough to grab my sword.

"Imagine what Tobias and Rachel will say when they learn the truth?" I asked, and then she was starting to sigh, probably to tell me that this question was stupid. But before she got the words out, I used my good hand, turned the hilt around, pressed the button, and ignited the cyan blade through her chest. After a second, the gun dropped down to the ground.

I saw her shaking for a second or two, as some blood was coming down. Then she flopped down to the ground, and she was looking right at me for a second. "Ocho, please don't tell Tobias. I don't want him to know. He was always my favorite." She said, and then I was feeling like I would almost rather have her take the shot to me.

"I won't." I said, and I was feeling like telling her that was going to bring me a lot of pain, no matter how I looked at it. She closed her eyes, and then I was shaking my head. I already wanted this over with. I knew that if she had killed me, then I would never have to worry about what people would have said. At least I would be fine with the knowledge of never knowing.

But every day that I lived from now on I would have to deal with the knowledge that I had killed his mother. That she loved Rachel less. That she was responsible for Andrea going missing. It was all a bit much, and the more that I was thinking about it, the more that I was wondering if this was a punishment that was done on purpose.

Despite everything else, I grabbed the gun, went to the drawer, and grabbed the remaining ammo, and put it in my other pocket. Then I put the hilt of my energy sword back, not wanting to cause any suspicion. I looked up at the security cameras, and took one bullet and shot it, to destroy the proof. Then with that, I looked down at the body. I sighed, and figured that if I got caught bringing her back, then I would just say that she died defending me after I got shot twice, and that I barely escaped with my life.

Yeah, that is what I would tell. She would be able to go down as a hero, and they would never know the truth about the monstrous act that I had committed. As I had decided, I left the office after I picked her up, ready to bring her home, where it would be up to her family to decide what they had wanted to do with her going forward.

Scene 42: The Children's Reaction

Day 110

I was feeling that in order to truly fulfill my duty, I just needed to get through this as fast as possible. I mean, I wanted them to know the truth, but I did not want them to know that it was me, and I did not want them to even think that it was me. If they knew, then my heart would be broken, because I knew that I would never be able to redeem myself in their eyes.

It took a while, especially when I was trying to make sure that nobody saw what I was doing, with cars passing by, and homeless people all over the place, and the people still being scared about monsters or what not. I was just feeling that whatever I would be able to do, I just needed to do it super fucking carefully, and not really draw attention.

It took nearly an hour to get her to the house, but when I did, I went up the secret path that Andrea told me to not draw attention. I looked around once inside to see that nobody knew that I was here in the first place. When I was aware that I was indeed alone, I went right to her room, opened it quietly, and then placed the body on the bed. Then I laid a blanket on her, and walked out and closed the door quietly.

I knew that once they would be able to pick up on the truth, everything was going to be gone. I knew that I would never be able to become the same person once again. And in all honesty, a part of me was wondering if I had deserved it for what I had done. For all the hurt and pain that I knew that I was going to be inflicting on this town.

I went right to the front entrance, when I was seeing Rachel coming down, to hear what the noise even was in the first place. I looked up, and then I looked right at her, and I was wondering what she was going to say. I wondered if I was even able to say anything at all. I just placed a fake smile on my face, and hoped that it would be convincing enough for her to buy.

"What are you doing here?" She asked, and I felt like in order to increase my chances at all, I just needed to play it cool. I needed to come up with a good cover, and not be giving off any light that this was exactly what was happening.

"I was just coming along and trying to see if I could get some of those items back. The ones that I gave to Andrea before she went missing." After I was telling her this, I was seeing that she was actually at least sort of buying what I had been saying. Which was what I had really needed.

"Shit. I handed them to T.K. when he started to get interested in this investigation. I thought that he would be needing it more than you. Sorry. I should have asked first." After she was saying this, I heard a loud scream. Like really fucking loud. Almost to the point where I didn't even have to play the man who was pretending to be shocked to save his skin.

Rachel and I were both running up, and soon enough I was seeing where I had gone wrong. I didn't fully shut the door, and with Rachel talking to me, I simply did nit buy myself enough time to really get out of here. As I was seeing looking in the room, I was seeing Tobias staring at the body. Rachel took a second to realize what was going on herself.

"What on earth happened?" Rachel said, and then she looked at me. "Mom's gone." She said, and then I was sighing, really feeling like there was nothing else that I could do. I was feeling like it was literally only a matter of minutes before they were able to piece together that it was me who was behind this whole thing.

Tobias was looking at me, and I was seeing that he was balling his fist. "I knew that she had done some shady stuff, but she didn't deserve this. Whoever did this is a fucking monster." After he was saying this, I was really feeling like I just needed to try and get out of here. I was feeling like there was no real way to get out of this without causing alarm.

"What do you mean by shady dealings? Was there something you knew that I don't?" Rachel asked, and she was asking more so to sort of understand what was happening. Probably feeling that whatever their mom was doing, she needed the truth. She needed to know the truth.

"Just that she was working with Lazarus. But being employed is not enough to justify this." After Tobias said this, I was just really feeling bad for every second that I was there. I needed to leave them, and just fucking pretend like I was innocent

"Do you guys need to be alone for a while? I can always just get those things back later." I said, and I was trying to just not make it super obvious what I had done. I was starting to take a few steps away. As I was starting to head off, Tobias called out to me. I was scared for a second, but I turned over, to just decide to what he had to say at least.

"Ocho. I know that you are planning on looking into all of these things anyways. If you are looking around more, would you be willing to find out who was behind this. I need to know what happened." Tobias said, and then I was slowly nodding. I needed to just play the part so well that I would be able to convince myself that this was the truth. Although I was feeling that if I played it too well, I would convince myself of my innocence eventually.

"I will do my best. Don't be too upset if I never find the answer." I said, and then I was looking at Rachel. "This might be the last time that I come here. At least for the rest of summer. I feel like it would be in your best interest to just have some time alone, to really think about what is happening." I said, and then with that, I started to head off, for real this time. As I was at the door again, I was seeing that Rachel was holding Tobias for a bit, and I was seeing that while she was holding it in better, she clearly did not take it too well either.

Once I was heading off, I was shaking my head. Being a liar about what I had done was even worse than the act itself. The act itself I feel like I would be able to forgive myself over. After all, I was defending myself in a fight. It was perfectly fair game what I had done. But at the same time, I was feeling that if they knew the truth, then as much as they would hate me, I feel like there would still be a small amount of respect for the fact that at least I was being honest with them.

I was feeling that with everything that has happened over the last year of my life, I wondered if I even deserved to have the proper peace of being able to put what happened to Andrea behind me. I was starting to feel that any peace that I would get would be more for the other people around me rather than myself. And I felt like if I was able to give them the answers at least, then perhaps I could know what to do going forward.

In all honesty, now that I was starting to realize what I was doing, I was wondering if it would be better to just stop this entirely. I mean, my mother would have wanted that from me. Would have wanted me to just leave this whole thing behind. And maybe it would be best if I gave them something like this.

But even if I wanted to, I was feeling that with the promise that I had made Justin Ryder, and the fact that he was taking these things much more seriously then anybody else that I ever knew, I was feeling that I would only be making a mistake if I did not give him what he had wanted. After all, even if he denied it, Justin Ryder was probably too old to be able to do this on his own.

Scene 43: The End

Day 111

Justin and I were heading up the company tower, and I was starting to feel just utter shock over the fact that this was what was happening. I honestly for the life of me could not believe that I was actually fucking fighting with Justin Ryder in a official battle. As we were going up the elevator, he looked right at me.

"I know that it might not sound like much, but despite your lack of experience, I am still proud of the determination you have shown, and your willingness to take on what matters the most in the end. I know that this has been a rough year for you, and that is why it is especially important to mark your achievement." Justin said, and I was having no idea what to feel about that.

"I am just trying to help out with what is right." After I said that to him, I was wondering if that was really my thing to decide. What was right to me could be wrong to somebody else, and I just needed to consider that for a bit." I said, but then I just decided that I would try and remain silent going forward.

Eventually, the door opened, and we were at the top floor. I was seeing that Shaun had been sitting down on his chair. As if aware of the fact that we were probably going to be coming here eventually, and he probably felt that he just needed to be ready for this. "So Justin, you are bringing one of them into this? Couldn't be able to beat me on your own?"

I saw Justin looking like he was considering what I said, but decided to remain silent. With that, he was just taking a few steps closer. "Honestly, I realized over time that I need to do what is right, or die trying. I let sentiment of what happened when we were younger get to me. But now I realize that perhaps that was a giant mistake." After he was saying that to Shaun, he was taking out his energy sword.

"You know that if I die, there is another." Shaun said, and I looked down. I remembered, remembering what Rob told me earlier, and I knew that if we killed Shaun, then he would be the one who would take the company over, and everything in his life would be over.

Shaun was taking out one of his own, and ignited it, and showed the green blade. Justin turned on his own, and then I was just standing there, unsure of what I was wanting to do. I wanted to help Justin, but I was aware that Rob did not want to lead the company. After a moment of thinking about it though, I realized that if Rob did take over, I could just stay at his side, and make sure that he had somebody at his side at all times.

He jumped right towards us, and before I was able to even have a chance to ignite, Shaun was already fighting with Justin for a bit, I was knocked down to my knees, and the two of them were fighting each other. I was scared of what would happen if Justin were to die. I mean, if he did, then Shaun would be able to come towards me, and I was aware that I would never be able to beat him at all.

Shaun and Justin were fighting for a while, and they destroyed the table that was next to them. I was starting to slowly get up, and I was grabbing the hilt, remembering what I had just done with Tobias and Rachel's mother, and I was feeling like even without everything else at stake, I just did not want to have anybody else's blood on my hands.

Shaun kicked Justin down, and slashed at his leg, and Justin was starting to crawl back, although when he was done, he realized how dangerously close he had gotten to the window. Shaun was getting closer to him, and Justin was just preparing a way to fight back before he would have lost the fight once and for all.

Shaun swung down at him, and Justin blocked it this time. As Justin was trying to get back up, he was starting to show his pain, and I was seeing that there was a lot of blood coming down his leg. When Justin was back up on his knees, he started to push Shaun back a little bit, in order to just give himself a little bit more time.

The two kept going at each other for a while, and then with that, I heard Shaun mention something that probably was going to be sending Justin over the edge. And in all honesty, I wonder why in the world he had even brought it up in the first place. "I was the one that ordered the hit on Olive. I knew that if she was alive any longer, she would have had the courage to finish what I thought you were too scared to do." After Shaun said that, I was seeing the fucking venom on his face. I knew that if he had anything to say about it, that Justin would not let Shaun leave alive.

Justin started to swing furiously, and without any form of grace, and just kept going at it hard, probably trying to get Shaun to be too flustered to continue. As they had continued along for a while, Justin was able to get several feet away from the window, and then Shaun was able to regain some composure at the end, and he stabbed Justin on the right shoulder, but much closer to his neck than would have been comfortable.

As he was starting to think he won the battle, I decided that I just needed to fucking step in. I turned on my blade, which the noise shocked both Justin and Shaun, and then I threw the blade right at Shaun, and it went right into his heart. I was surprised that my throw even made it that far in the first place and in any other situation, I would have been super proud of myself.

As I had done that, Shaun got on his knees. He looked at me, and I was seeing a slight smile on his face. "It seems like unlike most people your age, you know when to do what you need to." After Shaun said that to me, I was seeing Justin walking to his face, staring directly at the president of the company.

"I am sorry for what happened. I wished that we were still able to be friends. Maybe if things had played differently, things would have been much better between us." Justin said, and then after he was saying this, I think that the statement that Justin made about them not really being friends anymore was kind of hurting to him.

"I had wished that we could have negotiated. But what you did to Olive was where the last straw was." Justin said, and then with that, he swung the blade down at Shaun, and ended his life. When Shaun was on the ground, lifeless, he picked up my energy sword, and then threw it right at me, where I ended up staring at it. As I now realized that two major people were on my hands, I was starting to feel utterly horrible, even with how horrible Shaun had been.

"I wished that things had turned out better. I mean, we really were friends at one point. I feel like maybe if we had tried hard enough, we could have made things work out. But I guess that perhaps that is just what happens when you have two people get too divided on their views on a subject." Justin said, and he sighed, clearly not wanting to think on it any further.

"Thanks for giving me a chance to redeem myself with what happened to Andrea." I said, and then after I said that to him, I was seeing that Justin was not too sure what in the world to tell me. He probably felt like saying that was still not enough to really make him feel better about what he had done.

I was just hoping that when Rob would take over, that he would be able to do a better job at this than Shaun did. I was just hoping that nothing would happen to him, and that he would bring peace and prosperity to Wayside.

Scene 44: The New President (Rob Third person)

Day 112

Rob was hanging out with Rachel when he had heard the news of what happened. They were walking down the streets, and having a normal night. Both of them starting to put the events of the last several weeks behind them once and for all. "Honestly Rachel, I was wondering if you would want to be my girlfriend."

As Rob said that, from the look on her face, he knew that he was hitting a lot closer to home than she would want to say. "Yes! I would love that." She said, and then with that, the two of them were getting into a kiss. After several moments, the two of them let go and smiled at each other. Ready for their new future of what was ahead.

Before they knew it though, every single news board started to switch to a different broadcast. It was one of the reporters, which Rob recognized as Matt's father, giving a high emergency announcement. "Shaun Reichenbach has been found dead in his company headquarters." After he said that, there was a picture of his body on the ground, and a still shot of Justin Ryder on his way to leaving the company hall.

"It is rumored that there is a illegitimate child of his that will be able to take over for the company. Although it is not yet stated who his child is as of yet." After Matt's dad was saying this, Rob was looking at Rachel, and his mind was running at a million miles a fucking hour. He had no idea how in the world he was going to tell Rachel the truth about his inheritance.

"I have to get out of here as fast as possible. I just remembered that I had something to do." Rob said, and then before he was able to walk off, and before Rachel was able to argue with him at all, that was when Matt's dad started to speak again, and this part of the speech was giving Rob great fear in what people would now know about him.

"We are just getting new reports on who the illegitimate child is." After he said that, it was a second later when Rob's face was shown to every single television and news station in the entire city. The one that was taken during his freshmen school photo. With a innocent smile on his face. When he still had both of his eyes that were usable.

"Fifteen year old Rob Strom, or Reichenbach as he will be known as now, is the oldest living heir to the company and will be expected to take over for Lazarus Coporation effective immediately." After Matt's father was done, every single person in the immediate area was looking right at him, and they started to give him daggers as glances. And when he saw this, he was looking right at Rachel, feeling overwhelmed at what was happening.

"I was going to tell you later, but I was unable to find the time. I am so sorry for not letting you know sooner. I only found out several days ago. This whole thing is way beyond what I thought I was ready for." After he was saying this to Rachel, he hoped that she would be able to accept his apologies for the lies.

"Does this change anything about us?" Rachel asked, and Rob looked at her, and saw that the look on her face was genuinely pained, and he was feeling like no matter what he was going to tell her, she was never going to fully accept what he had said. He felt like he would hurt her no matter what he had done, and that realization was only making things worse for him.

"I am going to learn all the secrets of this town, and I will tell you them. I will make sure that the things that my dad was doing before will never continue. I will turn Lazarus Corporation into a company we can all be proud of." Rob was telling her, and the look on her face seemed to be unsure of what he had said.

"I really hope that you are telling the truth. I want to believe that you can change this." After she had said that to Rob, he was seeing from the look on her face that she was meaning every word of what she was saying. Rob nodded at this, and he was feeling that he had needed to give her what he could. He was just hoping that if for nothing else, he was actually aware of what to handle.

"I better be going. But there is nothing that I will do that will hurt you. I can never hurt you." After Rob said that, there was a car that pulled up right next to them. It was a black limo, with the weapons dealer, and Nicole in it. He was sighing, realizing that he couldn't even get one night of happiness before he had to work.

"I guess that there is nothing that I can do now." Rob said, and then with that, he went inside of the car, and took a deep breath as the car started off. And Rachel was standing there wondering what her boyfriend would be able to do for the future of the company, and if he would actually be holding to what he had been saying earlier.

Rob was finally in the company building, and the entire time that he was inside, he had felt like his life was going to be taking a shitter. He could not believe that this was actually happening. Or at least so soon in life. He was mentally hoping that he would at least see through to the end of high school before he would become the president of this horrible company.

But now that he was here, he had hopped that maybe his new perspective on things would give him a new outlook on how he was going to be handling the job. Maybe he would be the one who would finally change Wayside to become a truly great place once more. As he was looking around, he was seeing that Brad and Kenta were already in the main office. Both of them probably wondering how in the world a tenth grade student was going to run this place.

He saw the open seat, and then he was heading right towards it, when he was hearing Brad calling out to him. "Mister President, what do you want to do with your friends who were making a big scene during the summer?" Brad asked, and Rob strangely found the title to be nice. As much as he did not want it, he was willing to accept it for what it was.

"I want to know what exactly this company has in store before I decide anything like that. I want details on every single operation that is going on in this town, and I want to have a clear goal in mind. If you want me to take over this company, I want to at least understand what I am doing." Rob said, and then Kenta was starting to interject with what he had heard.

"But Rob…" Kenta started, and then after he had said that, he was closing his eyes for a second, trying to accept the new title, and not be too bothered by it. "I mean, President Rob, I want you to understand that most of that is high security information. Things that your father and many of his associates went out of their way to keep hidden anymore..."

"My father is dead! I barely even knew him! And I bet that most of this stuff he would want me to know anyways. So I am going to take what I can get here, and that is it." Rob said, and both Brad and Kenta were relatively scared of what Rob was going to be like going forward. Both wondering if he was really the person to lead. Not just because of age, but because of politics views.

Rob sat down, and then he was laying back. He saw the remaining pack of Shaun's favorite cigars, and having some interest in seeing what it was like, he grabbed one. Then he started to light it up for his own personal sake. "And while I am here, give me a new eye patch. This one is starting to lose its fabric." After he said that, he was staring at the door he just entered. Knowing that for better or for worse, this job was his, and that if he wanted a chance to destroy this business of missing girls, he needed to earn the respect of his employees. He needed to play down low in order to win. But most of all, he was genuinely realizing that for once, he was finally really home.