Sun and Shadow

Chapter 2 - The Darkness Rises

Jude was freaking out. One minute he was standing on the beach outside school after trashing three bullies like it was nothing and now he was standing in his room. He was going crazy! He had felt so strong on the beach, he tossed Tyler like he weighed nothing. Walking over to his desk he grabbed the end and tried to lift it but it was too heavy. He could shift it a bit, it should weigh less than a teenager, a stout teenager at that, but he obviously wasn't stronger.

Jude suddenly realized that he was tired...no exhausted. Like he had run a marathon. He dropped down to his bed and in seconds was out like a light.

"JUDE!" he heard Callie yelling as someone shook him awake.

"What?" Jude replied groggily opening his eyes and seeing his older sister standing there.

"He is in his room" Callie yelled out the door. Mariana and Lena both walked in looking exasperated.

"Jude what happened?" Lena asked him. "I waited for you at school and then you didn't answer your phone."

"We didn't even know you were home Jude" Mariana told him. "When mama came in we told her you weren't here. Everyone was getting worried."

Jude frowned. "I was really tired...I just wanted to lay down" Jude told them. "I am sorry mama, I must have forgot to take my phone off vibrate so I didn't hear you call."

"Just send me a text next time honey" Lena told him smiling. "Are you feeling okay?"

Jude was going to say no so he could stay in his room but instead found himself saying "Actually, I am really hungry...starving actually." Jude was surprised as he normally didn't eat a lot, a carryover from his time in foster care. Meals were rarely comfortable and so his stomach was nervous when he was stressed. Though he was mostly over the stress of meals, he still ate sparingly. But now he really was hungry!

"What are we having?" he asked eagerly.

All three women smiled as they all knew, and had talked about, how little Jude ate. Lena and Stef always made sure that there were leftovers and snacks and Jude would eat more alone or when he calmed down, but it was funny seeing him acting so much like a typical teenage boy.

"Mom is cooking burgers. Do you want to help?" Lena asks.

Jude surprises everyone, including himself, by saying yes. "Oh, can Connor come over too?" he asks as he heads downstairs.

"Of course" Lena says smiling as if there was any other answer.

Later that evening

Connor had arrived and he and Jude were outside at the grill helping Stef with the burgers. "I hope you guys are hungry" Stef said.

"Definitely" Connor said with a smile.

"Starving" Jude said. Both Connor and Stef looked at him surprised. Jude...starving?

As Stef pulls the burgers off the grill they head in to the kitchen to eat. The whole family is there except for Brandon who is at Idlewild, but it is a good time. They are all laughing and chatting when Stef notices that Jude is on his third burger.

"Wow Jude, you really were starving" Stef laughs.

"What is that, your second burger?" Connor laughs.

"Third" Jude says around a mouthful.

Both Jesus and Connor stop in surprise. Jude is eating more than they are? Challenge ACCEPTED!

The boys both speed up to get to their third burger despite Stef and Lena trying to get them to stop. But it is now a contest. Normally the safe bet is Jesus, he is a bottomless pit. He doesn't manage to finish his fourth burger, but Connor did...barely. They look over at Jude who is smiling finally feeling full.