The Masks We Wear

Ch. 1

What a bright and sunny day for such an awful event. I watched the parade as it marched down through the city. I didn't want to go, the last thing I wanted was to hear people talk as if they knew him, then again did I even know him. My parents where there watching as his family marched him down the street. They didn't have much money so it was clear that his parents got help from donations and other sources. I was in class as we watched the broadcast live on the projector. No one aside from my parents, in the school or elsewhere, knew I had just lost one of the incredibly few people I could openly talk too. To think that he saved my life and I didn't even know it was him; it left so many questions in my head, so much pain of being lied to and at the same time regret not making him feel like he could tell me. It took everything I had to hold them in. 

"Good riddance," my teacher said out loud," please, I beg of you, never go behaving similarly as this young man who thought he could take justice ... in his own hands. His decisions lead him to his own well-earned demi-," "Mr. Andrew," I cut him off and everyone turned to me.

"It sounds to me like you would prefer I died". It wasn't uncommon knowledge that he had saved my life before. Mr, Andrew realized his mistake and could tell I was getting heated. 

"I'm not saying that but to be fair, you should've known better than to go out at night, to begin with". I immediately shot him a look that said more words than a picture but he didn't react. 

"Yo calm down man," a kid in my class advised but I was already heated. I sighed and grabbed my stuff. 

"It's the last period of the day and we aren't doing anything, I'm out before I snap again". I said as I got up and walked out of the classroom. No one tried to stop me. I went to my locker and got my bag, I then got changed into some jeans, an orange t-shirt, and a grey hoody. I went outside the school and hopped on my bike before riding off. 

I rod about an hour and a half until I got to a completely different school with woods behind it. I had hidden some gear in the back of the woods and kept telling myself I'd move it somewhere closer to my house. All the students who weren't still watching the funeral would be at home by now so I didn't have to deal with any of my old classmates. Once I got deep enough into the woods on my bike I stopped quickly and put the kickstand down as I got off. I walked off the path for a little way then moved some brush to reveal a wooden wagon. It was the first wooden thing I had ever made unfortunately it had to be made with his help. I wonder if he ever wanted to tell me, I thought as I pulled the wagon to my bike and attached it. Once I had done that I hopped on my bike and rode out of the woods green and brown seemed to fly by as I rod until eventually, I got out. I started the route from the school to the paved trail that went most of the way through the state. My house wasn't that far away from the trail so I found it the quickest way to get from one end of the small state to the other. I soon arrived at my home which was a good size, not too big or too small. It perfectly fits my middle-class family. Once I got to the ally where the garage was; I got off my bike and walked it to the backyard. Little did I know what, or rather who was waiting for me in my own back yard. 

 Five familiar faces of people I never wanted to see again and never thought I would, all waiting for me. Two small girls; one skinny, with dark blue hair, pale white skin and boyish clothes on. The other chunky, black wearing a Sailor Moon shirt, blue jeans and her hair in one long braid. The other three were all guys. Two medium-sized, one Asian with long floppy hair down to his shoulders, wearing green blue jeans, a green shirt and a darker green hoody with cat ears on it. The other medium seized male was white as well but a much healthier shade with net blond hair. He was chubby as well but not as chubby as the girl. He was wearing a pokemon T-shirt and shorts. The final and tallest member of this group was a tall white guy about my height; I being six foot eight and him being six foot six. He was wearing a blue winter coat with fur around the hood along with baggy shorts and sandals. The five of them all turned to me and I just looked back at them annoyed and confused. 

 "What do YOU want?" I said to my former friends. 

 "Hey, what the fuck man," the boyish girl said," We came here to check on you!" 

"Yeah, no need to be so hostile," the Asian boy chips in. 

 "What the hell! No need to be so hostile my ass, I know I never told any of you where I live or my address!" I shouted at them in anger. The group of five all turned to each other in silence. 

 "He does have a point," the dark-skinned girl said. 

 "Look, Caleb, we have a kid that's going to be transferring to your school. We just want you to look after him; make sure he's okay," the medium-sized white boy said, "We also wanted to make sure you were okay." 

I glared at them, the second he said that I could tell what he was implying. "I don't need anyone to look after me. Especially not any of you." 

"Well sorry for assuming that you needed to be looked after since if it wasn't for Dark Archer your weak ass wou-," I dashed at the boyish girl and grabbed her by the neck with one hand and stopped my other hand just before it plowed straight into her stomach. I held that position for a few seconds and I could tell by her gasping for air she couldn't get, the message was received. 

"Every last one of you should leave before I make you myself." They all looked at each other and started walking out through the back ally behind my house. 

"Prick," the girl said frustrated, to say the least. Hearing that got me and I decided to show them just how much power I had over them. 

"Oh yeah, Lil' Witch," the group of five immediately stopped when I called the tomboy in her other name. One that no one should be able to associate her with. The girl looked sick to her stomach, I decided to put the nail in the coffin, "Can you please tell Kitsun to stop following me." I gave them a smile, which probably came off arrogant. I then shut the gate behind them and went inside.