So happy with response to this story. Enjoy

I almost considered not showing for the party that night. It's not like anyone would miss me... maybe Sonny would. I doubted it.

I sprayed myself down with some cologne and put on a blue and black button down shirt. I was still wearing the jeans I'd worn earlier, but I wanted to look decent anyway.

As I brushed my hair, I felt Maka nuzzling my leg, and reached down with one hand to scratch her behind the ears.

She purred.

Leaving her at home by herself on her first full day here seemed like cruel and unusual punishment to me- after all, she was just a kitten- but it wasn't like I could take her with me to the party.

She'd more than likely end up as the basketball teams' newest ball. I'd heard on more than one occasion the star-player Steven Davidson- talk about how he'd shot cats that come in his yard.

It was pitiful really, the regard some people had for life.

I picked Maka up and stepped out of the bathroom, flipping the light off as I did so. I carried her to her cat carrier, put her inside along with a small bowl of food and water, and stepped out the door.

It was cold. The chilly October air blew fiercely, and it looked as if it might start pouring any minute. I hurried down the street, hoping to avoid the storm, and as I walked with my hands shoved in the pockets of my leather jacket, I heard the rumbling of a motorcycle come closer and closer.

Sonny stopped and made a quick U-turn, riding slowly beside me, and yelling over the roar of the engine. "I thought you wouldn't show!"

I shrugged and didn't answer.

"Get on, I'll give you a ride." I looked at him before hesitantly hopping on the back. He handed me another helmet out of the saddle bag, and I put it on and tightened it up.

I awkwardly wrapped my arms around his waist and he started driving. With the speed he was going, it wasn't long before we'd made it back to his house.

I hopped off the motorcycle and handed him his helmet. He took it and quietly shoved it back into the bag, before hanging his own on the handlebar. "Come on." He motioned for me to follow him, and I did so.

Before we walked in, I could already hear the music, and I hoped briefly that there wouldn't be too many people here. I was wrong. The whole basketball team had shown, along with most of the cheerleading squad, and several other populars.

As I followed Sonny inside, I heard someone yell, "Hey! Sonny! What'd you invite that loser for?" I looked up and saw the pack of the basketball team, and then it was no surprise he'd challenged Sonny.

I saw regret flash in his eyes as Sonny started towards him. I realized than he was very, very strong.

He picked the basketball player up off his feet by the collar of his shirt, and slammed him against the wall with such force I heard the pictures on the wall rattle. I heard him say something to the boy in a hushed whisper, and then he dropped him and came walking back casually to me, as if nothing had ever happened. "Come on."

We walked into the next room, and I shot a fearful glance at the guy, now sitting quietly against the wall with his head down. Sonny led me upstairs, and into his room. He shut and locked the door behind us, and I felt kind of nervous at first, until he opened the window and stepped outside.

He sat down on the roof, and looked back at me. I hesitated for a moment, then sat down beside him.

Slowly but surely, I felt his arm wrap around my shoulder, and I wondered just what exactly he was doing. I leaned against him, and I could have sworn I saw him smile.

He cleared his throat. "So uh.. are the rumors true?" he asked quietly, and I frowned at him.

"What rumors?" Worry clouded my mind. If he found out I was gay... that'd be the end of me. He was the closest thing to a friend I'd had since last year. I wasn't about to lose that now.

"Word around school is that you're gay." He watched the streetlight across the street with intent eyes, trying to sound casual.

I frowned. "Oh. Um.. I'm not.." I didn't know whether to deny it, or admit it, so I just did the first thing that came to mind. The effects of my denial would either be good, or bad, depending on his own sexuality.

I stopped myself. Did I mean Sonny might be gay? No. No, no, no. Sonny wasn't gay. He probably jumped gay guys for the fun of it.

His expression remained nonchalant, and his arm removed itself from my shoulder. "Oh." He sounded slightly disappointed, and I wondered why. He was always great at hiding his emotions.

So why let them show now?

I looked at him. "Are you?" I blurted. Second time I'd done that around him. I slapped myself mentally.

"Me? Gay?" His voice rose and he gave a shaky laugh. "Not in a million years."

I frowned. So he was in denial too. He made it way too obvious.

Should I tell him? Or should I keep it a secret? That "rep" of his was obviously way too important to risk; I was certain that if he was gay, he'd hang himself before he told anyone.

"So where are your parents?" I changed the subject.

"My parents? Oh. Dad's is a attorney who disowned me when I went to jail and Mom is either alive or dead who the hell knows."

So he had a messed up life too.

"I live with my adopted parents." He shrugged. "They're scared of me. So if I tell them to leave for a few hours, they do it. No questions asked." He looked at me. "You know, everyone seems to be scared of me. Except you. Why?"

I looked at my hands. "You just never really gave me a reason to be."

"So it doesn't bother you at all that I-" he stopped abruptly.

"Never mind."

I looked at him. "Have been to jail?"

He shook his head. "One of the reasons I went to jail. I didn't tell you this."

I frowned. "You know you can trust me."

His eyes darkened, and he sighed. "You don't want to know. I have a really messed up past. I don't want you to see that side of me."

"Why do you care so much about me anyway?" I asked.

"Because..." he let out a sigh. "I just. I don't know. There's something about you that's different. Look, if you're sure you want to know, I'll tell you, but please... please don't think badly of me for it."

I nodded slowly.

"I've been to jail twice. Been to juvy twice too. The second time I went to juvy, my old man just wanted to get rid of me. He was sick of me.

I don't think he wanted that for me, no matter how many times he talked to me, or sent me to a therapist but nothing worked.

I went there for a few months, was let out, then some people came and adopted me. That's the first part. This is... this is where it gets bad.

I was walking home from the bar one night when I was seventeen. I had a fake ID to get in, so age wasn't a problem. I looked old enough, and even if I didn't, everyone in town knew my name. They'd have let me in. I came across this group of girls, and there was a guy there with them. I was drunk, and wasn't thinking. So the guy decided it'd be a good idea to pick a fight with me. He called me a few names, and I pulled a gun on him.

I shot him Will. I killed him, just because he said something I didn't agree with. The girls all ran... I don't remember much other than that."

I felt as if I might puke. Sonny the vigilante really was a criminal.

Next Update: Maybe another chapter later on today. Thanks for reading