Go Somewhere Alone

Chapter 1

From his house, Alfred F. Jones watched a family unload their things from a large moving truck. 11 year old Alfred smiled broadly, climbing off his bed, slapping the bedroom door open, and racing downstairs.

Something hard ran into Alfred as he went downstairs and he looked up and saw his older brother, Matthew (who was 14!) rubbed his arm where Alfred probably ran into. Matthew looked over at Alfred and raised an eyebrow fondly. "Where you going Alfie?"

"Where's mom?" Asked Alfred looking around Matthew who was tall compared to Alfred. Matthew shrugged, making sure his question was kept on track.

Alfred scratched at his neck impatiently. It was an odd habit he formed last year. He always did it when he was impatient, or nervous. "I saw a new kid move in," he moved and went around Matthew to the door.

Matthew let him go, and waved as Alfred left. Alfred called out, making sure his mom, Mrs. Jones heard, "I am going to meet the new kid next door!" And left the house, quietly closing his door and darted down the steps.

Looking around, Alfred's eyes landed on the boy that was his age on the curb. His bare feet slapped across the hot concrete and he poked the boy on the shoulder. The boy turned around and Alfred got a good look at him.

The boy had short black hair, and brown eyes. He had slightly chubby cheeks and small little hands clutched at a Pikachu stuffed animal. "Huh?" He blinked.

Alfred held out his hand excitedly, shoving it in the boy's face. "I am Alfred F. Jones!" He introduced.

The boy stood up and bowed, to Alfred's confusion. "Konichiwa," he greeted and shook Alfred's hand. "I am Honda Kiku. Or in the west, Kiku Honda. Just call me Kiku."

"Are you not from here?" Asked Alfred, curiously poking at Kiku's cheek, who recoiled.

Kiku shook his head. "No. I am from Nihon. Or in English, Japan."

Alfred jumped up and down excitedly. "Awesome! Nice to meet'cha! I am glad you didn't react the same way my friend Artie did when he met me," he said. "I've never met someone from Japan, and my friends are from a lot of places...well if you can call them friends."

Before Kiku could reply, in another language a woman called him over. "I will see you later," he said and ran off to a tall woman with long black hair tied back in a ponytail wearing a kimono.

"Bye!" Alfred yelled as Kiku followed the woman, who Alfred assumed was his mother, into his new house.

"Is Artie my friend?" Pondered Alfred out loud as he went back to his house and went inside.

Matthew was leaning against the doorframe, texting on his phone. "Hi," greeted Matthew distantly. "Mom is asleep," he informed.

Alfred tried to see who Matthew was texting, but couldn't see over Matthew's arm blocking the screen. Mischeif danced in Alfred's eyes. "Ooooh. You texting a girlfriend?"

Nearly dropping his phone, Matthew held his phone up to his text defencively. "Certainly not!" He snapped.

"Then why can't I see?" Persisted Alfred. Matthew huffed, and didn't reply, just went back to texting.

Changing the subject, Alfred sat down on the fuzzy carpeted stairs in front of them. "Why is Mom asleep so early?" He asked.

Matthew looked up from his screen a second, an unreadable expression crossing his face, but went back to his phone. He made that, "I don't know," sound.

Alfred frowned. "When do you think Dad will come back?"

Their father was always on some business trip. The last time Alfred saw his dad was two years ago, on Christmas.

There was a stricking resembelance between Matthew and his father. They both had long-ish blonde hair, they both had blue eyes that had a slight purple tint to them. Even the beauty mark on Matthew's jaw was on his dad, too! Matthew wore round glasses, nerdy glasses. His father wore contacts instead.

While Alfred looked like his mom, unlike Matthew. His mother and him both had the golden blonde hair and both had a strand of hair that wouldn't stay down. They bot had electric blue eyes and always smiling. Alfred had dimples however, his mother didn't.

Footsteps carried through the hallway and Alfred saw his mother walk down. "Hey boys," she said tiredly. She always sounded tired. "I heard you met a new friend," she said to Alfred.

"Yeah!" Alfred said. "He's from Japan, and his name is Kiku Honda...Like the car!"

Mrs. Jones smile softly. "Like the car, huh?" She looked at the door, a waiting look on her face but turned around. "I am going to make dinner."

Alfred followed her. "It's 4:00 though," he said.

"I won't be home for a week, so I will be making a lot of leftovers. Matthew will be putting them in the microwave for dinner," she informed and started taking out ingredients.

Matthew who came out of nowhere, rested his hand on Alfred's shoulder. "You never told me, and I assume not Alfred either," He said.

For some reason, Matthew and his mother never got along. Matthew is one of the sweetest people you could ever meet. Good looks, smart, and polite, he has them all. However when it came to his mother, he hated her. Matthew always told him, "You'll understand when you're older." But he's been told that since he was seven.

Alfred watched Matthew go up the stairs to his room, slamming thr door shut. "Bye Mattie!" He called and turned to his mother, who was cooking.