Pure Flames

Chapter 1

"Have a good day!" My mom shouted from the kitchen while putting the breakfast away into containers. We had omelets, which was a treat knowing my mom doesn't cook much. After my dad left, she's been pretty broken up about it. He left before I was born and she didn't take it too easily though she doesn't seem to be mad at him, whenever I asked why he left, she would always say something crazy like him being hunted or whatever. I never believed her though. She really loved my dad and she still does. I don't know why though, especially with him leaving.

I grabbed my backpack and left the house. The school I went to was really close but tricky to get to. I have to go through back roads and alleys to get there. I don't really mind though, it's actually not as bad as you would think with druggies and people like that. I don't usually see people like that during the day though.

As I'm walking through the parking lot of the school to the front doors I see Xander. Xander is one of the only friends that I have. People make fun of me for not having lots of money and my dad leaving, but Xander doesn't do that, in fact, his mom died and he lives only with his dad. So we have somewhat similar situations, though his dad isn't sweet and kind like my mom, his dad always hits him and is just abusive in general.

Xander sees me and runs up to say hi.

"Yo, what's up," he says, "Nothing much, you? "I ask.

"Same as usual," he says. As he says this, he pulls his jacket over his neck.

"Bull," I say sternly.

I walk up to him and pull his jacket down. Covering almost his entire neck was a rash that looked almost like a burn and has probably stopped bleeding only recently. Xander was about 6 years old when his mom died, that's when his dad started hitting him. The abuse from his father wasn't rare at all, Xander has a new injury almost every day.

I could tell Xander wasn't happy I did that but I didn't care. He needs help but refuses to do anything.

"What happened?", I asked him calmly.

"When I came home last night, my dad was making a fire and I guess he forgot that I would come home and asked me why I was back. I asked him where else I was supposed to go, he got mad at me for talking back so he grabbed one of the fire tools, held it in the fire and slid it across my neck, and told me to sleep outside."

I was furious at this, I had told him that my mom was ok with him running away and living with us and that we have a spare bedroom but he always refused saying he doesn't want to be a burden.

Xander was about to say something when the bell for school rang and we had to go to our separate classes. I had math in the morning and Xander had social studies/history. The only class that we actually have together is science which is the last class of the day. Before I went to class, I thought I saw someone looking at me but in the blink of an eye, they were gone. I brushed it off and continued walking to my class.

The day passed somewhat quickly until lunch. I was eating with Xander and kept seeing the guy that was looking at me this morning. Every time I saw him, he was gone within a blink of an eye. This was going on for about 5 minutes before Xander called my name.

"ALEX," He said frustrated. "Are you even listening to me?"

"Yes," I say, defending myself but he just looks at me sternly.

"Are you okay? You've been acting weird since the bell rang this morning"

"I'm fine," I say, brushing him off. He gives me the "That's BS" look that we give each other when the other is lying.

"Fine," I say, giving in. "I just feel like I'm seeing things". The way he looks at me when I say this is saying that he believes me, if I'm not wrong, it almost seems as if he actually knows what I'm talking about which is even worse.