Forlot - Books 1-3 {Completed}

Chapter Five

I locked my eyes on his, waiting for him to give us a good reason.

A logical reason.

Damian's face was pale, and his body began shaking. He was nervous.

But why?

"Damian?" I said. "What is wrong?"

"I...I cannot tell you my reason," he finally answered.

"Why not?" Nell wondered. "Is it because you are afraid? You are a scaredy-cat like Nigel?"

I frowned at her. "Nell!"

"No!" Damian snapped. He let out a heavy sigh. "Family emergency."

"Family emergency?" Paul repeated.

"My mother...she is at the hospital."

I was in shock. Everybody was shocked. Their eyes widened, and their mouths hung open.

His own mother? At the hospital?

"Is she going to be alright?" the mystery girl piped up.

He shrugged. "I do not know. The doctors said that she has some sort of a deadly disease, and they are trying to figure out which disease that it might be." I could see that he was tearing up. "I am worried about her."

"You should not come to school today, Damian," the bus driver stated. "You should either stay at your house or go to the hospital. You are going through a difficult time."

"I know. My dad said that I could skip school for the rest of this week, but I do not want to. It would be best if I went to school and was with my dear friends. That way, I will stop worrying and think on the good things in life."

I understood what he meant. I had gone through the exact same thing.

When my mom first passed away, I did not feel like grieving. I wanted to get out of the house and go somewhere far away. A place where I did not have to worry much.

And that was school.

The more time that I had for schoolwork, the less time that I had for grieving on her death. Some of you readers agree on that decision, and some of you do not. But it was not up to you.

It was up to me, and I handled it well.

I patted the empty spot next to me, motioning for him to come and sit with me and the unknown girl. He sat down, and I hugged him.

"I am here for you, man," I informed, comforting him.

"Damian, if there is anything that I or anyone at school can do, please do not hesitate to ask," Paul said.

Damian clasped his hands in his lap. "Yes, sir."

Paul started the engine, and the bus was off.

"I am truly sorry about your mom," the girl stated, looking at him.

My best friend narrowed his eyebrows at her. "Who are you?" he asked. "I have never seen you before."

"I am the new girl. Maxine Rogers. I moved to Forlot a day ago."

"Nice to meet you, Maxine," I said, slightly smiling. "I am Nigel, and this is my best friend Damian."

"Nice to meet you too."

"Where are you from?"

"From Madison, Delaware."

"Really? That is where I am from!"

"You are kidding!"

Ten seconds into the conversation, and Maxine and I already had something in common. We were both from Madison, Delaware.

"Hey, Maxine," Damian jumped in. "Have you watched The Angry of April?"

I sighed. Damian loves basketball.

"No, I have not," Maxine confessed. "Is it a show about people who get angry in the month of April?"

"...n-no. What makes you think that it is that?"

She shrugged. "Just a guess."

"It is all about basketball."

"Basketball? Well, that is why I have never heard of The Angry of April. I do not care for basketball."

"What?! How can you not care for basketball? It is amazing!"

"You call it amazing. I call it boring. I am not into sports anyway. I would rather read and write."

"You are a writer?" I asked.

She nodded. "I love to write. When I grow up, I want to be known as a great author. I already jotted some story ideas. One of my favorites was on a girl, and she and her sister go to a mysterious town, and the girl finds out that she is the chosen Monster Protector. However, somebody had the same idea."

"Really? Who?"

"Someone named Ash J. She published it first, so I cannot use it."

"Aw. That is too bad."

The bus came to a halt, and the doors slid open. A boy stepped inside. He was wearing a black jacket, black pants, and black boots. Both of his hands were in his pockets, and his black hair covered a portion of his face.

The boy surveyed the bus, and he grinned. "Hello," he spoke. "I am Shade. Shade Shawn."