BeautifulyBlue: I feel bad asking but can I get a some help to at least ten reviews? Or maybe even give me a shout out? : D Haha well sorry for the short chapter and if it seemed rushed but I am keeping the good stuff for later…And the "Johnny" from chapter two is not the pot-head "Donny" we all know and love. Just a random character I had to give a name. : )

Cary didn't talk as much as he would've when they hit the skate park. In fact, he left the two alone as he went to some ramp with a few kids he knew from school. He kept spacing, all about what Caleb did…and why the hell he did it.

All over walking around a store? It still wasn't making sense as to why he had to get his hair yanked.

Maybe it was just the only thing he had to grab although his shirt was well in reach…but he didn't have to pull so hard.

Fuck did it hurt. It felt like it had been sucked into a vacuum cleaner.

Then there was the anger in his tone that bothered him to…so intimidating like he was going to kill him in a matter of seconds (he certainly proved his strength from pulling his hair). Maybe it was something he said? Or maybe he was just way too protective of his 'baby cousin'….he certainly didn't treat him like one back at the shop.

All the sudden this kid accidentally bopped him in the face with his hand as he was sliding upward, snapping him back into reality.

"Ooh! Shit, sorry!"

He pressed against the bridge of his nose, "It's fine." Hurt like hell, but he'd live. He then realized he'd been with that group for at least 10 minutes and not once had he showed off his skills,

"Hey, why aren't you going?"

He didn't have a reason…but he did have his skate board and was on a ramp that was decent height enough to get some wind. He got ready,

"Now I am."

He figured he may as well. He NEVER got to go to the skate park. Even when Joe or the others invited him his mother or father would immediately pile him with chores as if on purpose. And then whenever Nathan or his dad took him it would start pouring rain even if it was perfect blue skies when they left their house. It felt like it was a now or never decision whether he take advantage of this time or not. He was pretty good on a board. He got his first one when he was about seven. Never placing his love for fire of course but it seemed like something he could do on the street and feel…normal.

Some people were fine with Cary's love of fire, some didn't give a shit, and some found it pretty cool. Then some found it freakish, asking him when he's going to burn his house down or set his family on fire. People he grew up with on his block would always question him when they saw him making M-80's or messing with Cherry Bombs…in fact, there was even a time when a little girl, maybe five or six, saw Cary walk outside of his house with absolutely nothing flammable on him and immediately ran inside her house looking terrified. As if he was some rabid dog without a leash who let out of the house.

It sometimes made him feel…terrible.

It even freaked Cary out sometimes how much he loved fire. He didn't even have a reason to love fire, he just did. His own brother wasn't even as… affectionate about fire as Cary was. At times he felt like there was no one to go to but fire for help. Even his friends weren't any use at times.

Then there was the skate boards that he'd do every so often to make him feel normal. It was fun to feel free and fast but he'd start missing fire immediately. For now his skate board was all he had, and he seemed to be enjoying it and not even realizing it.

The three stayed until dusk, and Cary was barley started with feeling better.

"Hey bro! Come on!"

Cary picked up his skate board, starting down the stairs of the ramp, "See you guys later." he called. He didn't know them too well, but if he was going to go to high school with them he didn't really have a choice but to be nice to them. The car ride home was just as awkward as before, Cary sitting in the back in silence as the two jammed out to the blasting radio which were killing his ear drums. It took longer than expected due to the late night traffic which made it even more odd for Cary. Just last night the three were barking, laughing and launching fire crackers into the air, and it only took one little thing to screw it up.

They arrived home at seven at night, the family had already made dinner, Cary was the last to enter the house, not very enthusiastic about being home.

Amy was making the table, "You alright Cary? I made your favorite."

He raised his head up, to ensure her he was happy, "Yeah yeah, I'm just a little tired."

She put down her plate smiling, "Stayed up too late is why." She sat down next to Will, "And then you get up way too early."

She knew him like the back of her hand. It wasn't right. To Cary anyway. His dad went to pass out the silverware,

"C'mon Cary it's not like we're trying to feed you poison."

Cary realized everyone was sitting except for him. He sat down in his usual seat next to Nathan, the only difference was on the other side of him was Sherri. He kept staring at Caleb suspiciously as he ate while he and his dad casually talked. He kept trying to shrug it off but couldn't as the hot molten lava that was in his stomach earlier was now in his chest.

After drifting off into his head for a second out of no where he heard, "So did you have a good time Cary?"

He had no idea what they were talking about, having zoned out completely for quite a while, "Oh-yeah. I had fun." He sipped his water, excusing him from talking anymore.

"You three went to the skate park?"

Cary was then sipping even more water than he could manage, looking at Nathan to speak,

"Yeah…" he looked at Cary, "Say, who were those kids you were with?"

Cary finally swallowed the water, nearly choking on it having taken too much, and spoke, "Some kids who go to my school."

His mother was curious, "Why weren't you with them?" she asked referring to Caleb and Nathan.

He shrugged, "I hadn't seen them all summer and felt like catching up." he lied. He barley knew their first names.

"Alright." she seemed satisfied enough. Cary looked at his plate to see he was finished, (thankfully). "May I be excused?" it was a rule to always ask in his house.

"Sure. Throw it in the sink." his father said, having not even started on his food. Cary dropped the dish into the sink, staring at Caleb as he went by to go to his room.

"Oh wait Cary!" his mother called, he stopped. "Your father and I are taking Will and Sherri shopping tomorrow do you think you could take Caleb and show him the sights?"

What sights?

"Uh…ok." he had no idea what the hell he was going to show him. Lillian was boring to Cary. Like West Virginia was boring to Caleb probably.

"Thank you."

He walked into his room, staring at the ceiling. The ticking of his clock got on his nerves so badly as he wished he could knock it off of the wall. He stared at his poster of an explosion. The Upshot-Knothole operation from the 1950s. Cary had to go through an unbelievable amount of trouble to get that poster, circling the Lillian mall twice to see if he missed it, all of the Wal-Marts he saw in sight, even going to Donny to find one. He got it alright. And boy did he appreciate it.

One day he'd make an explosion as big and beautiful as that one…with a reason behind it of course. For now he'd spend the next few months, possibly years of thinking of one. Suddenly Nathan walked in opening his door,

"Can I come in?"

Cary sat up, "You already are."

"Oops." He replied sarcastically. It ran in the Scott family, "You ok? Your acting funny."

He let his feet dangle off his bed, "Yeah I'm fine." he wasn't conscious of it, but he was bouncing in place a little. He never stopped moving when he was bothered by something.

"Dude, your minds in like 40 places right now." and Nathan could always tell when he was.

"I've just been thinking…"

Nathan grew concerned, he didn't know that Cary already knew about the drug issue, but he didn't want someone he trusted, let alone shared the same blood with hurting his only brother, he shut the door behind him, "About what?"

"About…" he took a second. From Cary's point of view, Nathan seemed pretty close to Caleb already as the age difference was pretty uncanny. He hit a light bulb,

"High school…"

Nathan leaned against the door crossing his arms, "Ok?" Nathan would be entering his third year during Cary's first, not once has he had something interesting to tell Cary with the exception of his problem with his girlfriend…

"Caleb told me he's seen people my age make stupid decisions…do you know what kind?" he lied…he really didn't care but he didn't want to talk about Caleb.

"Well…most boys at your age and- you should understand this, want…" he paused, he smiled hopelessly at the seemingly hilarity of it, "Sex."

Cary's eyes widened in disgust, "Uh…gross."

Nathan laughed, "Well maybe not you in particular, but…" he played with the little trinkets that Cary had rolled up to make M-80s on the desk, "But some guys will do anything to lose their virginity…" he figured he'd admit it, "I know."

Cary was still disturbed, "Well…that really answers it." he made a 'bleck' noise sticking his tongue out. Even thinking of the word shook him. He remembered his first sex-ed class in middle school a little too well…

"Anyways dad, Caleb and I are watching the races on TV. if you want to-"

"Oh no…I'm good."

Nathan raised a brow, "You sure?"

Cary yawned, surprised he didn't have to fake it, "Yeah…just tired is all."

"Ok…night."

"Night."

Nathan closed the door behind him, leaving Cary alone with the ticking of his clock once again. He slid off his bed and cracked the door open. He could see into the living room from his bedroom, he saw Caleb and his (Cary's) dad on the couch with soda's, handing Nathan one as he sat down in between the two.

Cary wanted to be out there with them so badly but it still boggled him…he looked at Caleb, he seemed so happy and energetic from over there but, he saw a different side of him…and for some reason unlike normally he couldn't shake it off. He closed the door, sliding down with his back on it, he grabbed his bag on the floor and checked out his M-80s. Remembering how he sat at the dining room table for an hour and a half making sure it was rolled perfectly. He kept his match in the drawer of his desk along with some other junk and old tapes he never really cared for. He began to play with the small explosive in his hand, twirling it around with his fingers and throwing it back and forth between one hand and the other, finding an excuse not to go bed just then. Not with what was on his mind. He finally got bored of it and reached up to put it on his desk. He slammed his head back onto the door upon listening to the three laugh.

Maybe it was just him…maybe he just took everything the wrong way and it'd never happen again. Of course he took the train wreck that way. A freak accident he thought that would mean nothing a week later…a week later the water tower was gone. He crawled into bed after changing into his night clothes. He knew he was tired but he wanted to ignore it. However the ticking of his clock eventually hypnotized him to sleep.

-X-

Cary woke up when a sudden force slammed into his head, it didn't hurt but it scared the hell out of him.

"WHA-WHAT?"

He jerked up from his sideways position to see that Nathan had hit him with a pillow. He was laughing, tossing him the pillow,

"Morning sleeping beauty."

It was morning? Cary had only went to bed…he checked his clock, six hours ago. It was eight in the morning, the longest Cary had ever slept in, (sadly). He must've been sleeping hard to not even notice.

"My god I came in to see if you wanted some soda last night and I could NOT get you to wake up."

He snickered, "I told you I was tired."

"Well listen up 'tired'" he tussled Cary's already messy hair, "You're gonna have to show Caleb around town on your own today I've…got some plans already made." when he realized his parents and the others would be gone all day he decided he'd get some friends over.

"Your kidding right?"

"Well, you can handle it can't you ghost rider?"

Cary crawled out from under his bed sheets, "I guess but I-"

"Cary…" Cary bit his lip in fear, had he been caught? "Did Caleb say or do anything that made you…act this way?"

Shit!

"No no but…" he cracked, he wasn't sure what to say, "Just what am I supposed to show him that'll keep him interested?"

Nathan shrugged, "How about the bar?"

Cary dropped his fear, "The bar?" he knew Nathan was joking.

"He's 22, he can sneak you a drink."

"Yeah ha-ha." he replied sarcastically. "If I can't handle a grain of sugar how's alcohol gonna work out?"

Nathan mocked him by making a frightened facial expression, Cary hit him with the pillow with a smile, he exited the room for Cary to freshen up…however he got an un easy feeling before going to eat breakfast.

At about 10 A.M. was when Caleb and Cary got kicked out of the house before the parents left to shop as Nathan made an excuse as to why he was staying 'home alone'.

"This is the main street of Lillian." They were in a little town with shops and small restaurants at every corner, always busy and full of people, "This is the only spot people can go to for fun. My friends and I used to go to this arcade but it shut dow-"

"Hey, kid." he stopped Cary, he pointed ahead of them to a tall, gorgeous brunette, "You know her?"

Cary wasn't interested in what he had in mind at all, "No. She's like 17 probably."

He decided to get Cary comfortable by joking with him, "Damn it, I'd have to wait another year."

Cary turned bright red with his laughter, "Dude!" he always seemed to crack at those kinds of jokes, no matter how stupid they were.

"Cary?" he heard, Joe Lamb.

"Joe! Hey!"

He walked up, Lucy on a leash at his side, "Haven't seen you in weeks, who's this?"

"Oh, Caleb this is my friend Joe, Joe this is my cousin Caleb."

Joe held out a hand, "Nice to meet you." They shook, Cary feeling a bit better about that day,

"So, how does Cary normally act around you is he…usually this spastic?"

Joe nodded, "Usually." he commented laughing. Cary smiled, "Wait why are you out here?"

"Walking Lucy, and I started to think about when the results of our short film are gonna come in and…I somehow ended up on this sidewalk all the way out here." he admitted. Cary got an idea,

"Hey, you don't have to be home soon do you?", he was feeling needy, "Because I'm showing Caleb around and maybe you could help me find something that was actually exciting?"

"Why not?"

Thank god he thought. They spent most of the morning to afternoon walking around the town and checking out the shops, Cary somehow made it to one in the afternoon without even questioning Caleb.

"What time is it?" Cary asked.

Joe shrugged, "How should I know?"

"Why don't we get some lunch?"

Joe suddenly remembered, "Oh yeah! Cary! Remember that new eat and play place that came out?" It was a restaurant and an arcade,

"Yeah did it finally open?"

"Yeah like two days ago."

Caleb smirked, "Well show me the way."

"Wait do they allow dogs?" Joe wondered looking at Lucy, panting and going to lay on the concrete sidewalk.

It took them fifteen minutes to find it. But it was worth it, good food and a pretty decent price. The arcade was surprisingly not as crowded as they thought.

"Joe won't your dad be wondering where you are?"

He didn't think so, "I'd rather not worry about my dad right now, he's been at the station all day…and I don't need to explain to him how I had to convince an eat and play manager to let my dog in here." the two laughed as Caleb was still looking around the place. Cary looked at the arcade card they had been given,

"Hey Joe, you done?"

"Almost." he was still digging in, Lucy kept jumping, trying to nip his hand, "No Lucy."

Cary slid out of the booth and stood up, "I'm gonna go see how this works." he began to walk off to the other side where the arcade was but Caleb suddenly took off after him,

"Woah woah!" Cary was almost there when he grabbed his shoulders, "Wait." Cary was starting to get annoyed,

"What I can't walk around an arcade by myself either?"

"It's not that. What if someone steals that?" Cary was confused,

"…I can always come back another time-"

"But then what if someone steals you?"

Cary felt like he was five years old, "Caleb, I know how to stand up for myself. No one's gonna 'grab me'." he exaggerated with his hands on 'grab me'. He hated being treated like a child. Especially by someone that wasn't even a parent yet. Caleb leaned closer,

"Listen here Cary Scott," Cary started to get nervous as he looked to his right with his eyes, Joe was far at his table still eating, oblivious to what was going on, "I know what a cruel world this place is and someone, ANYONE could be eyeing you right now wanting to take you and kill you right now!" he stepped closer and Cary flinched backing up,

"Jeez…calm down."

"Don't tell me to calm down." he sounded to violent. Cary turned around to quickly walk any where that wasn't near him,

"Where the hell do you think your…" he made a violent reach for Cary's arm, "GOING?"

He yanked it, pulling him back over violently, crushing his wrist (or at least it seemed).

"OW! FUH-!" Cary refrained from saying the full word in front of him, he heard his own arm crack as he grabbed his arm in pain, Caleb still had his wrist. Joe had finally finished eating, unable to hear over all the chatter.

He yanked him closer, hurting him again, "Listen you little fucking piece of garbage! If I have to," he yanked yet again, "tell you to behave one more time," again, "You are going to," and again,

"YOUR HURTING ME!" he finally yelled, grabbing at Caleb's clenched fist, Joe was getting Lucy to follow him instead of her trying to get the crumbs left over. Sudden guilt grew in Caleb's eyes as he let go, Cary stumbled backwards, holding his arm and wincing in pain, he looked at it…it seemed to be left with purple and green marks. Caleb didn't speak,

"Are you guys ready?" Joe had finally arrived, he observed the two, Cary disturbed and Caleb in some kind of shock,

"Is everything ok?"

Cary let go of his arm, still in pain, "Yeah…lets go have fun."

It was now two little things that Caleb had done to screw up the day.