The Rise of the Tamers- Book one

Chapter Four- Roomies and Partners

Tucker woke up in his new bed and looked around. It was still dark out, but he wasn't able to fall back to sleep. He sat up and rubbed his eyes tiredly. He had been in the academy for a few days now and his parents brought him his clothes and a care package full of basic needs and treats. He looked through his package and picked up a picture of his parents and his dog, sighing quietly. He missed his parents, but missed his dog, Gruffsky even more. Tucker spent every day taking care of the old Saint Bernard after he got home from school before heading to his grandmother and after coming home from working on the farm. He even missed spending most of his nights trying to fall asleep on his bed with Gruffsky taking up most of it. He sighed again. "I hope mom and dad take care of you too, boy..." He put the picture down and took out another one. It was his cat, Smokey from his grandmother's house. She was in her teens now, Tucker had her when he was very young and she was a kitten. She was slender and sleek as well as a very light grey color. She also had the most beautiful blue eyes in the world and was a total lap cat. He hung the picture up on the wall and smiled. He missed everyone, especially his pets, very much. His thoughts were stopped by a small sound on the other side of the room. He looked over and saw glowing grey eyes staring back, and he yelped in surprised and held his chest. "Jeez man, don't do that!"

Skellor sat up. "What are those?" He asked in his thick accent, looking at the pictures.

Tucker smiled and showed him the pictures. "They're pictures of my parents and pets. My family sent them to me."

"Do you miss them?" Skellor took one and looked at it.

"Yeah. Especially Gruffsky and Smokey, my pets." He heard Skellor snort at the names and he blushed slightly in embarrassment. "Well, I was a kid when I named them so..."

"Nah, it's cute." He gave Tucker back the picture. "I like your dog." Tucker smiled at the comment and looked at the picture. Skellor watched him and raised an eyebrow. "You seem really fond of him."
"Gruffsky used to sleep on my bed with me. He's a great dog, he loves everyone." He put the picture up on the wall next to the picture of Smokey and smiled at them. They were a nice touch to the room, brightening up the place a little. Tucker laid down again, looking up at the ceiling. He thought about his pets and the animals he took care of and how much he'll miss them. His roommate spoke up again.

"Did you have any friends back where you lived?" Skellor looked at him, expecting a huge speech about a whole bunch of friends, since Tucker seemed more of the popular type. He was surprised when Tucker started shaking his head.

"No..." Tucker said softly. "I wasn't much of a people person. A lot of people picked on me for certain reasons...I eventually turned to the comfort of family and animals instead of friends."

"No friends at all?" Skellor pressed, trying to get a sob story.

"No...No one. Just the animals I took care of." Tucker said softly. He hated school and the public eye in general, especially since he had terrible chronic anxiety. This was the first school he's even been to where he had actual friends that weren't complete animals. Valark was his first actual friend. He was hoping Skellor would be his friend too. "How about you?" He suddenly realized that question was a mistake.

"I as a gang leader in NYC. I was taken away from my friends and family and put in a containment room for a week and all my gang might be dead. I hate this place." He snarled in anger. "I want to rip that Manticore and Griffon limb from limb! They're the reason why I'm here!"

Tucker winced and looked away. Skellor was an angry person with hatred thick in his voice and he had a snarl whenever he finished what he was saying. He was violent on the inside and it felt like he was going to explode at any moment from his rage. Tucker didn't understand. Why didn't he just leave then? Why was he forced to stay? Tucker thought about it for a while and realized that now that he was here, he had to stay as well. Tucker was stuck in the school now just like Skellor was. He looked at his roommate. "Do you have to stay here, or can you leave?"