Thanks to Ally R. Swan for reviewing.

Hello everyone!

Wow! I was so bad with updating during all of 2022. Well. Now we're in 2023. And new year, new opportunities, right? Can't wait to see where this year takes me.

And the first thing this year, such as every year will be working on all of my stories (write 500 words on one chapter. Skip to next, 500 words and so it goes) until I've had all my stories updated in the new year. I am now in the middle of January and haven't had any chapter finished and put up yet but maybe soon.

For just a couple of seconds we were all quiet and the whole world seemed to stand still around us. Then Zach and the others laughed higher than ever before, and span around. Without looking back at me for a single moment they walked up to the school's entrance and disappeared out of my sight. Then it was my and Kenny's turn to just be awkwardly silent for as good as two minutes before any of us could think of something at all to say.

"Thanks" I said at last. "For helping me, to stand up to them I mean."

"Any time!" Kenny said, but not without doubt still in his voice. "We're bro's now. Remember?"

"Yeah…" I couldn't help but smile just a little bit. "Bro's…"

It would have to take some time to get used to though. It wouldn't always feel this awkward in between us.

"Should we… go inside… and try and find an auditorium… I guess."

"Uh-huh!" Kenny nodded agreeing. "I think it might take us a while to… find." We went inside the school where students and teachers out of all ages were going around with their age. "They should really be better at putting up signs… Oh!" There actually were several signs put up along the hallway. "…That direction then…"

"I guess… This direction."

This school's auditorium looked like pretty much any other's. With its lines of chair, teenagers about my age in such big lumps one could barely move in any direction, a principal that stood up with a speech that she thought this would be the greatest class ever. That she had obviously told about twenty times before, before classes and the students of them started being called up.

It was practically the same as any first day, and before lunch with all new books. New lockers and codes to learn to open them along with finally, finally being in high school.

But whatever I had dreamed off I couldn't see right now.

And during the whole day, it was passing in my mind as soon as I saw Kenny by my side, what on earth was Sam and my parents going to think of this?

Zach, Slade and Marcus had been easy. But these three that I didn't even talk to all morning, they had just always been so protective of me and if I and Kenny were friends…

It span in my mind all morning, until at last. During lunch break the seniors arrived for their classes, and so also Sam, who saw myself and the other boy next to me just as soon as she came inside the doors. And I saw her expression turning dark while she stomped over to Kenny.

"Sam…"

"Now, listen here you brat! If you or any one of your friends ever get anywhere near my brother ever again."

"Sa…"

I was trying to interrupt her and catch her attention. But when my sister was like this there was no stopping her.

"They catfished you, they filled your locker with milk. Oh, boo-hoo. For that you could just as well have made him seriously ill or something even worse. And what would you have said then? About revenge or they started it? Or…"

"Sam…" At last, when I heard more obviously about what we had done. I was just so angry at myself for it all. "SAMANTHA?" At last she silent and I quickly had to think about something to say. Because I knew that if I just tried to wave it off and move on it wouldn't help. "Look… I know what you're thinking about. I've been thinking about it too. But we can't go around being reminded of it for the rest of our lives."

"Bu…"

"I know…" I probably had never seen anyone look as confused. "Believe me, I do. But it's been years and… we've just decided today that enough is enough. We don't want to be stuck in a vicious circle for our whole lives like Silver or Kreese. Or for years like dad, Chozen and Mr. Lawrence…. I just want to leave this summer behind us and move on."

"Well, we can never leave it behind and I know you know that…"

At last I just sighed at her, rolled my eyes, showed Kenny to come with me and went to the bus stop. None of us said anything for the whole while we stood waiting but still, I realized I must say something.

"Something happened when I was little…" I sighed- I might as well not make him more confused. "I had some seizures. And I was diagnosed with a type of Epilepsy that lasts for life. That certainly isn't your fault, and not something I thought you should have known. But I can't even go to the swimming pool on my own or lock the door when I take a bath because Sam or my mum or my dad fears I'll have a seizure…"

I waited for a bit, but Kenny didn't answer. His eyes looked as if he was just processing what I had just told him and what that would mean.

"I know what a seizure is…" He said at last. "…But I guess… I just never expected anyone I knew would ever have had them… And it just never hit me that someone could actually… die from it."

Now my thoughts were spinning in my head worse than ever.

All those times I had feared one day I would only become a number out of all…

"Well…"

I hesitated, Kenny didn't exactly need to know my whole life story. But something was telling me that it would be the right thing to do to tell him just a little bit…

And there was something I could do after all…

"I guess you just noticed my sister is quite the protective of me." I said, and while he didn't say anything or nod I saw in his eyes I saw he understood something maybe I didn't understand myself. "A man… a family friend, Mr. Miyagi. The guy who taught my dad karate but that's another story. He didn't drown or any other accident. But he did die from a seizure… and I had my first seizure a bit after his funeral… And then, well. You can imagine!"

"I can see the reason they have…" Kenny nodded slowly. "But She really meant that then. If you had gotten stuck in those bathing rings, or hit your head towards the concrete… we could have hurt you really bad… maybe even worse."

Then, for several minutes we only sat there, I didn't look towards Kenny but I could see him moving in the corner of my eye and it didn't seem he was moving much neither.

"Over some stupid revenge." Kenny suddenly muttered. "Oh well, should we try and find our way to the next classroom?" I stood right after him and when I took the tray after the burger and fries I was reminded of something.

"It's been almost four years since I lasts had a big seizure… it could probably just as well be forty and I and my family would still be worrying…" I was done hesitating. "But every six months I celebrate- have a nice burger or Chinese food or something along with my family and closest friends and celebrate another six months without them… That and my dad buys me another video game. Since the next time is only in a little bit, you're welcome to join us if you want to." I imagined for a second who would be there. "I would understand if you don't want to be near anyone who does karate ever again. But if you're wondering, there will be I, Sam, my parents, Chozen… and you if you want." Kenny still hadn't said anything.

"Seem like a… strange thing to celebrate." I shrugged- not that I was going to quit it! "But sure! I'm in! Although, you might want to tell the rest of your family about me though or something like what just happened with your sister might happen again."

Random fact

I usually plan for weeks in advance what I will be eating those times I'm celebrating. Not that I will be quitting after all.