Chapter 2

Making New Friends

Kal's POV

When I opened my eyes the sun was shining through the window. I then got up and walked over to the window and stretched. I looked out and saw that it was no longer raining.

"I guess it stopped last night." I said to myself.

I then walked over to my bags and grabbed me another set of clothes to change into. I ended up wearing a pair of blue jeans with a long white sleeved shirt and a red t-shirt on top of it that said "Southern Boy." I then got out my running shoes and my iPod.

"Maybe I can get a good look around this town when I go out for my morning jog." I thought.

I then walked down the stairs and stopped have way to look at the picture I saw yesterday. "Maybe I can be friends with Jon." I said to myself.

I then continued down the stairs and when I was on the ground floor I smelled something cooking. I walked to the source and found Felicia, Jon, and two other guys sitting at a table. They must have heard me come down because Felicia was the one to speak.

"Morning Kal, did you sleep well?" she said.

"Yeah I did actually." I said.

"You going somewhere?" Jon said drinking a cup of coffee not looking up.

It surprised me and Felicia that he actually spoke to me.

"Yeah I'm going out for a jog if that's alright?" I said looking at Felicia.

"Of course you can but let me introduce you to two more people living here." she said.

"Okay." I said. "This is Rikou." she said pointing to the man with green highlights in his blonde hair.

"Tell me kid do you think I'm the most handsome man you have ever seen?" he said referring to his face.

"Is he serious?" I thought.

"Sorry dude I'm not going to say anything because unfortunately for you I only stare at girls and not myself in the mirror." I said.

A vein popped out on his head and he said "Why you little..." But Felicia cut him off.

"And this is Victor." she said pointing to the larger man next to Rikou.

"Hello." he said in a German ascent.

"Nice to meet you." I said.

Felicia must have noticed my shirt because she said "I didn't know you were from the south?"

"Born in the south and raised in the south." I said putting my fist to my chest taking pride in where I was born.

"Great we got a hillbilly." Rikou muttered.

I just shook my head and said "You're going to have to do better than that because I've been called worst than that and by a single person I care dear for."

"Like who your dad?" Rikou said.

I felt my heart skip a beat when he said that.

"My step dad actually. I don't know who my true dad is." I said.

They looked shocked at what I said, even Jon.

"I-I'm sorry I didn't mean to..." Rikou started but I cut him off.

"Don't be he's not my dad anymore. Besides the worst thing he ever did to me was this." I said rolling up my sleeve on my left arm revealing a long scar that started up at my left shoulder and ended near my wrist.

"He did that to you?" Felicia said putting her hands to her chest.

"It happened when I was around five but he didn't do it on purpose. He came home drunk and saw me sitting on the floor and he just snapped. The only thing I remember was that he pulled out a knife and called me a demon child before he jumped at me and the next thing I knew I was in hospital bed hearing the doctors saying it was impossible for me to be alive. Anyway my mom divorced him and married my current dad and he treats my really nice." I said rubbing the back of my head smiling.

Felicia decided to change the subject quick by saying "There's also someone else living here that's about your age."

"Really? Who is he?" I asked.

"His name is Harry. You'll have to wait until he gets home from school." she said.

She then looked at me with a confused look and said "Aren't you supposed to be in school too?"

I felt my smile grow wider.

"I take it my mom didn't tell you did she?" I said.

"Tell me what?" she asked.

"My mom signed me up for school here next year. So I don't have to do anything till then." I said.

She looked dumbfounded at hearing this.

"Well I'm going out to jog for a while." I said breaking her thoughts.

"Okay be careful and hurry back." Felicia said waving her hand.

When I walked out the door the crisp morning air filled my lungs and once I started jogging I felt a small tear roll down my face knowing that I had revealed too much.

Jon's POV

When we were sure he left. Me and Felicia both glared at Rikou.

"I should chop you up into catnip." Felicia said causing her cat ears and tail to pop out.

"How was I supposed to know that his dad did all that to him?" Rikou said trying to defend his case.

"He probably didn't have any friends when he was growing up." Victor said.

"Looks like I'm going to have to be friends with this kid quick." I said finishing up my coffee.

Felicia just looked at me with disbelief.

"Since when did you change your mind about being friends with him?" she asked.

"Since last night. I've thought about it some and realized that he's nothing like his mother. Pam never liked to exercise much and she always had an anger issue. But Kal he's different. He's always happy and doesn't care what people say or do to him. He's not what I expected him to be." I said while getting up from the table.

"Where are you going?" Felicia said.

"I'm going for a walk. The fresh air will do me some good." I said walking to the door.

"Well see you later then." Felicia said.

When I was outside even with my human nose I could still smell Kal's scent.

"He must have ran towards town. I might as well follow him and keep an eye on him" I said to myself while walking in the direction his scent lead.

Kal's POV

After about twenty minutes of jogging I slowed down to a walk. So far I ran around half the town already and was hardly sweating. I got a good look at parts of the town that I liked. It had a small library that was also a bookstore and it also had a large open park that was on the outside area of the town. I also saw a sign that had the town's name. The town was called "Silverstone" because of the silver mine that was found in 1880. After a few minutes of walking I saw a group of guys ganging up on a blonde girl.

"There are about four of them and one of me. This should be interesting." I said to myself as I walked over to the group.

"Come on Amy you know you want to be with me." one of the guys said moving close to her and started to put his hands where they shouldn't be.

"Stop Jason, I done told you I'm not interested in you so leave me alone." the girl named Amy said trying to walk away but was cut off by the guy named Jason.

"I believe she said to leave her alone." I said walking up to the group.

"And what are you going to do about it?" Jason said turning towards me and shoved me in the chest.

He then started turning back towards Amy when I said. "Nothing but call you a dirtbag."

He stopped in mid turn.

"Oh this kid is dead." said one of his friends.

Then next thing I knew a fist came in contact with my face and ended up on the ground with my nose bleeding.

"If you know what's good for you you'll stay down." he said turning back to Amy.

But I got back up and placed a hand on his shoulder and said "She said she wanted you to leave her alone."

"You just don't know when to quit do you?" he said.

Then two of his friends grabbed both of my arms and then he started to punch me in the stomach continuously.

"Jason stop it! Leave him alone!" Amy cried as she tried to pull him off me.

But the next thing I knew the guys that were holding my arms were some how snatched away from holding mine causing me to fall to the ground. I looked up and saw that Jason was being held back by one of his friends and that the other two were on the ground groaning in pain.

"Are you alright Kal?" someone said helping me up.

I turned around to see that it was Jon who came to my rescue.

"Jon? What are you doing here?" I said wiping nose on my sleeve leaving a long red line down it.

"I followed just in case something like this happened." he said.

He then walked up to Jason and grabbed him by his shirt and said "If you know what's best you'll leave my friend and that girl alone from now on got it?"

Jon then let go of him and walked back to me. I was shocked at hearing Jon call me a friend. I was about to ask him about it but I let it go for now. Jason then helped his two friends up off the ground and started walking away when he noticed he was missing one. He turned around and saw him standing next to Amy.

"Jake come on let's go!" he said.

The guy named Jake just shook his head and said "No Jason I'm not going to follow you around anymore. I let you go too far when you started messing with my sister."

Jason then got angry and was about to head for him when his other two friends grabbed him and dragged him away. Then Amy walked up to me and said "Thank you for what you did for me. No one has ever stood up to Jason before."

I just smiled and said "No problem that's what friends are for right? By the way I'm Kal."

I then stretched my hand out to shake hands with her.

"My name is Amy, Amy Bradford." she said taking my hand and shaking it.

"And my name is Jake Bradford. Thank you for what you did for my sister. I never had the courage to stand up to him till now." Jake said shaking my hand as well.

Jon then placed a hand on my shoulder and smiled at me.

"Let's head back to the apartment and get you cleaned up then you can hang out with your friends." Jon said.

"Alright, hey do you guys want to come too?" I asked.

"Sure why not." Amy said.

Jake just nodded his head. I just smiled and walked ahead of Jon. Some how deep inside I felt that I can make friends again.