Middy and Polo

~My character
Name: Adia
Called: Ada
Age: 17, soon turning 18
Gender: Female
Looks: The first thing you notice about Ada are her unusual purple eyes. Her skin is snow white, even in the middle of summer. The doctors diagnosed her with Alexandria's Genesis disorder when she was born, so she has always been an outcast. She is slim and long, standing at 5'9. She usually wears jeans or jean shorts with a T-shirt, usually shorts and a tank top lately.
Pic: (This really only works for her hair and height ) http://blogs.hairboutique.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/taylormomsen789_250h.jpg
Other: Is going to university across town after the summer.

Ok, are you going to use your new charrie Polo?

((Yup! Hehe! ))

My character:

Name: Laiko
Age: 17
Appearance (undetailed): A little over 1,7m tall, he is pretty much average size. His weight is also average, neither thin nor chubby, though he is reasonably muscular. His hair is a dark, golden blonde with natural dark highlights and his skin has a slight brownish tinge, as though he had once had a pale complextion, but it had been tanned out of him. His eyes are a dark forest green with a yellowish tinge, and with some flecks of lighter shades, yet their colour seems to change slightly from day to day.

I was sitting on the couch, looking at houses and apartments for university. My unusual purple eyes scanned the paper in my hand. Written on the paper were the names of three places I was considering, along with their cost. I rubbed my forehead, letting out a sigh as I stared at all the zero's on the ends of the prices. The university was expensive enough, even with all my scholarships; how would I be able to afford this? I jumped when I heard a bark and a whine. Turning my head, I relaxed when I remembered it was just Max, my Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retreiver. "Walk time already, boy?" I said with a groan as I got up. Max barked excitedly in reply, jumping up on me. "Down, Max," I said with a laugh as I put the papers on my current apartment's table. I grabbed Max's leash, clipping him on before opening the door. I had been neglecting Max's walk routine a bit lately, so I knew what to expect. Sure enough, he bolted down the street. I laughed as I ran with him, racing to keep up. "Max!" I tried to protest through my laughter. After about half a block, I finally had him calmed down and we were walking normally down the street. Or more like he walked normally down the street as I struggled to catch my breath. But that was one of the things I loved about Max; he always brightened up my mood. It was warm outside, and I was dressed for the weather in jean shorts and a thin T-shirt. We walked through three blocks of our neighborhood; whenever I saw a person, I kept my gaze lowered to try and hide my eyes. Soon, we were on our way back home, walking even slower now.

"Please sir, just this once!" Laiko begged, leaning forwards and placing his hands on the desk in front of him, pressing so hard in his desperation that his knuckles turned white. His bright green eyes were beseechingly searching those of the man sitting opposite him, a tall, well built man around his fifties, with pewter grey hair and a bald plate stretching upwards from his forehead. He wore a stylish pair of black-rimmed glasses, and his smart, tidy grey suit demanded respect. His baby blue tie exactly matched the colour of his eyes, showing that he had definitely put time and effort into dressing himself. In front of him on the desk, a little black sign with white writing was propped up on the rick, oak wood. The text on it read "Principal Hayden". The man sighed and ran his hands through his hair, messing up the parts that had been gelled perfectly flat before. "I'm sorry, Laiko, but you know the rules." He replied, his tone not unkind, but firm enough to allow no room for argument. "But, sir-" Laiko retorted, his desperation clear in his voice now as his golden blonde hair fell down in a messy curtain over his forest green eyes, shielding the pleading expression on his usually cheerful face. "No buts, Laiko. We are doing renovations on the boarding house over the Summer, and nobody may stay there. I'm sorry, but that's just the way it is." Principal Hayden stated firmly, folding his arms and sitting back in his chair, his body language making the statement final. "I'm flattered that you like it so much here, Laiko, but if you can't go home, can't you at least crash with a friend until next term? You have enough of them." His tone became slightly softer as he watched the boy sympathetically. Laiko stared down at his hands for a moment with a subdued expression, then raised his face with a pleasant smile and replied in a light, casual tone. "All right then, Sir. I'm sure I can work something out. Thanks for trying." He shook the principal's hand energetically, a cheerful smile plastered on his face, then he leaped to his feet and left the room, walking quickly through the school. He maintained his cheerful smile, determined not to let the problems of the near future get him down in the present, and before he knew it he was off the grounds and walking next to the street.

Max and I continued home, our pace quickening when Max smelled a person ahead. "Be good, Max," I reminded him as we got closer to the person. It was a blonde boy around my age with dark highlights. From what I could see, he looked pretty average; average hair, average height, average weight, he was even tan like every other person. I hated having Alexandria's Genesis; it basically ruined my social life after grade two. That was when it started to matter if you had pale skin and purple eyes all year round; I lost my friends and was set as an outcast. As we passed the boy, I kept my grip on Max tight as he whined loudly and strained to jump up on the person. "Be good," I muttered quietly to Max as we passed the boy. I looked up, spotting our apartment just a few blocks away. "C'mon, Max," I said withn a smile as we broke into a run for the apartment. All I wanted to do was go in and go back to sleep, though I already knew it probably wasn't going to happen. A few minutes later, we reached the apartment. By now, the sun was shining brightly through the clouds, and it was even warmer out. I searched my pockets for my key. When I didn't find it, I was confused. I searched my back pockets, and again didn't find the key. "I left them in the house, didn't I, Max?" I said with a groan. Max just looked up at me and wagged his tail, his brown eyes dancing. I tried to open the door, but found that it was locked. "And I don't even have my cell phone to call the land lord!" I said, half to Max and half to myself.

[Very bad post *hides* sorry, hope it doesen't effect your post ]

Laiko raised his head as he saw a girl and dog coming toward him. He smiled pleasantly at them and raised a hand in greeting, but the girl didn't bother looking up and his gesture went unnoticed. Unconcerned, the smiled fondly at the dog's enthusiastic antics as he walked past, then shrugged and forgot the incident, walking onwards through the empty street, the soles of his sneakers grating against the hard, black asphalt as he dragged his feet lazily. The weather was reasonably nice today. The sun beat down on his back, but there was just enough breeze that it wasn't unbearably hot. Clouds fluttered merrily across the sky, driven by the gentle wind that fluffed Laiko's messy hair with its playful antics. He walked cheerfully on for a while, then paused as something caught his eye. He came to a standstill and dropped his green gaze to the ground, his eyes soon detecting a flash of colour on the black road. He bent down, and it soon became apparent that the colour he had seen was a key strap which, as its name suggested, was connected to a keyring and a few keys. He picked it up, frowning at it in slight confusion as the silver metal glinted in his palm, reflecting the stray rays of light that escaped the cotton-wool clouds. He turned around and watched the distant figure of the girl and dog melting into the distance. He stared uncertainly after them for a moment, then made his decision and broke into a jog. After he'd taken a few steps, he quickened his pace slightly, determined to catch up to the girl before she went too far. He wasn't that fit after all... Sport had never been his passion, so he was seldom motivated to get properly fit. In fact, the only reason he had joined any sports at all was because his friends had asked him to. A stitch was starting to strike pain into his side when Laiko finally saw that he was nearing his quarry. "Hey!" He shouted breathlessly, trying to get her attention. He raced up to her and skidded to a stop beside her, holding up the keys in his hand. "I think you dropped these." He gasped between panted breaths, struggling to find enough oxygen to fill his lungs. After his heartbeat had slowed slightly, Laiko suddenly became aware of his surroundings. Since the girl was standing outside a door, this was probably her house... He instantly felt guilty for trespassing on her property, but he supposed she wouldn't mind, since his intentions had been innocent. Still, it had been most impolite of him to just dash up behind her like that...

"Hey!"

I jumped, whirling around quickly. I relaxed when I realized it was just that boy, but tensed up instantly. Had he seen my eyes? There had been times when people had chased me like this, just to interrogate me about my eyes. "I think you dropped these." The blonde boy seemed out of breath; he obviously wasn't very fit. My gaze fixed on the object in his hand; my keys! "Thanks," I said, smiling faintly at the boy. Forgetting about Max, I watched him jump up on the boy. "Max, down!" I scolded him lightly. "Sorry, he's pretty energetic," I apologized. "Thanks for finding my keys, they must have fell out of my pocket," I said, looking up at the boy. His eyes were a forest green, and they weren't clouded my sorrow or anger. He seemed like a generally happy person, but I still wondered what he was thinking about my eyes and pale skin. Max barked at me, clawing at the door. "Well, thanks." I said, putting my hand out for the keys. I was wondering if I should ask him in; I didn't want to come on as rude. "So... where do you live?" I asked, looking down to pet Max. His big brown eyes stared back at me. He cocked his head slightly, sitting down as he panted. "Are you thirsty, boy?" I asked, taking the keys and opening the door. I turned back to the boy. "You're welcome inside, if you want. I could get you a drink..." I offered helplessly, unsure of what else to say.


[Gah, another bad post ]

Laiko chuckled as the dog jumped up at him, instinctively dropping to his knees so that he was at the dog's eye level, and scratching it behind the ears enthusiastically, a pleased grin on his face. "Don't mention it." Laiko replied, turning to glance at the girl for a moment, then looking back to the dog and giving him one last pat before slowly straightening. "He's a great dog!" Laiko commented, looking down at the dog fondly, "Max, right?" He confirmed, turning once again to glance at the girl. He dropped the keys into her proffered hand, but frowned slightly at her question. That was his problem right now... Oh well, no point burdening her with such useless information. He was sue to ind somewhere to go... Eventually... "I'm in the boarding house up at Hayden High." Laiko replied with a polite smile, not bothering to go into further detail. That information would have to suffice. He let his eyes follow her as she spoke to Max, his face cracking into a fond smile again as he watched the dog's antics. He really was a cute little fellow. Laiko glance up in surprise at her question, finding the sudden invitation rather unexpected. Was this what people did, out in the world? It was hard to tell when most of his life was spent at the school... "Oh, I wouldn't want to impose..." Laiko mumbled uncertainly, not sure as to whether it would be better to accept or decline. He simply could decide. "I- Wait, wow!" Laiko exclaimed, suddenly noticing something that, for reasons he could not even imagine, had evaded his sight before. His observational skills really were shocking... "Your eyes..." Laiko began, staring curiously at her. "They're... Amazing. What a great shade..." Laiko suddenly became aware of the face that he was staring, and leaning toward her slightly, and he instantly pulled back with a sheepish grin. "Sorry. I mean, are they colour contacts or what? It really suits you... " He went on, watching her curiously. He had never seen anything quite like it, but the more he thought about it, the more he realised that the unusual shade complimented the girl's pale complexion brilliantly. In fact, it made him feel rather dull by comparison. He felt a little guilty of his curiosity, but at the same time, he knew he had to ask, else he'd have been staring the entire time...

I nodded as the boy explained that he up at the boarding school. But as I thought about his words, I remembered that the boarding school was overgoing construction; how could he stay there? I decided not to question him. I knew how it felt to be interrogated about something you might not want to talk about. Speaking of that, I realized that he still hadn't questioned my eyes. I was beginning to feel much more relaxed when suddenly he exclaimed, "Wait, wow!" I sighed softly. "Your eyes..." My hand instinctivley reached up to my eyes, then lowered. Now, what sort of nasty comment would follow? 'Purple-eyed wannabe, huh?' Or maybe 'Who are your parents, anyways? Are they as freaky as you?' Maybe it would simply be 'Sorry, but I don't hang out with purple-eyed freaks.' To my suprise, the words I heard were "They're... Amazing. What a great shade..." I had never been truthfully complimented for my eyes; I almost blushed. I was beginning to feel like I was a creature being examined when he seemed to snap out of it. "Sorry. I mean, are they colour contacts or what? It really suits you..." He seemed to trail off after that, and my cheeks reddened. "Well, no, they aren't contacts." I paused for a moment before continuing, "You're going to think I'm a freak, if you don't already. I have Alexandria's Genesis, a disease that seems to carry on through genes. My grandmother had it, as did my mother. It's what causes the pale skin and purple eyes." I paused again, looking up at him. He probably was already bored; why would he want to know about such a disease that effected him in no way at all? But something about his expression urged me to continue. "It's also said that people with Alexandria's Genesis have better eyesight; I haven't really compared against my own eyesight, though." It was then that I realized we were standing awkwardly outside of my apartment door. "Come on in," I urged him, looking up at him. I rarely looked someone in the eyes; it was an unusual occasion for me. I had finally found someone who didn't mind my eyes; for the most part, anyways. I hadn't heard a civil word since my birth; I still remembered the screaming matches me and my mother would have about my grades, usually ending with her blowing up, telling me I was a failure, and me running to me room to sulk and cry. I wasn't about to let even the slimmest chance of having a friend slip away.

[A bit better for quanity, but I feel as if it doesen't have much quality ]

"Wow, that's really fascinating!" Laiko admitted, following her inside almost without thinking. "I've never heard of it before, but it seems it works for you, sooo..." Laiko grinned and offered a playful wink, then turned his attention to the house. He had just started to glance around, when something else that she had said suddenly struck him, and he found himself reacting immediately before he had even stopped to think. "A freak?" He asked, tilting his head to the side slightly, looking almost exactly as Max had done moments before, only completely unintentionally. "A freak?!" He repeated, an indignant tone to his voice. "People would say something like that?" He questioned with a slightly concerned frown. "They really aren't very nice, are they...? You'd swear they want us all to look exactly the same, but really, where would the fun be in that?" He asked, a slight chuckle escaping his lips, and lightening the mood that his uncharacteristic annoyance had darkened slightly. He didn't understand why people would be unkind to each other... It made no sense. At least, not to him. Yeah, so the purple eyes were different... Unexpected... But the looked amazing, didn't they? So what did it matter if not many people had them... It suddenly made him realise just how lucky he was... Never to have experienced any such cruelty. Clearly, his school was a good one, at least when it came to the community within it. He did not often venture into the outside world, so this glimpse into how cruel reality could be was quite a shock for him. Laiko shook off his thoughts, then turned his attention back to the girl. "Sorry, I just never shut up." He apologised with a sheepish grin, not really seeming as ashamed as he should after all. "Oh!" He exclaimed suddenly, slapping his palm against his face. "I almost forgot, how rude of me..." He muttered, shaking his head at his own stupidity. "I'm Laiko." He informed her with a slight smile, "If you don't mind my asking, what is your name? And why haven't I seen you around before? Are you still in school? Which-" Laiko suddenly slapped a hand over his mouth, then dropped it again, grinning again, and this time honestly looking rather ashamed of himself. "Sorry, I really never do shut up... Don't feel inclined to reply to all that, honestly..." He apologised, an awkward chuckle escaping his lips. He hadn't meant to interrogate her, but once he got talking...

I smiled as his compliment. "Thanks," I said as I got Max some cool water. It felt... strange to have another person in my home. "A freak?" I blushed again. His tone suggested that he didn't like me saying I was a freak. "A freak?!" I wasn't mistaken; he didn't like that at all. "People would say something like that?" he frowned; I watched Max thirstily lap up the water. "They really aren't very nice, are they...? " He went on, and I nodded. "Hi, it's Amanda. I wantedn to know if you wanted to meet us at the Cafe... we're sorry about this year." I groaned when I realized it was my voice message. I didn't buy it for a minute, especially once I heard the laughter at the end of the message. I didn't bother turning off the machine; that was probably all my messages anyways. I was hit by suprise when I heard my mother. "I haven't heard your voice in a while... I miss you, baby. Please come home... I'm sorry for all the things I said and did to you. I love you..." My mother. A lump formed in my throat and my cheeks turned scarlet. I switched the machine off. I really didn't want anyone, especially this boy, to know about my relationship with my mother. I wasn't even legally old enough to have my own home; I had lied about my age. I would never go back to her. Ever. I knew she had gotten help, but nothing could take back the hurtful words and beatings, drugs involved or not. I thought of the huge scar on my back from the ironer. All of those days I went to school with a new bruise or cut... the teachers would question, but I would always cover up for my mother, saying I fell or something. Because when my mother was controlled again, she would hug me and say, "Oh baby, I'm so sorry... Mommy's just sick, is all. And when she gets better, we will have everything in the world." After the knife slid across my arm and the kicking and punching, I had had enough. I was 16 then; I ran away, contniuing to go to school. I knew my mother wouldn't call the school, for fear they would find out about her drugs. That was how I spent my so called "sweet sixteen", sitting in an alley shivering. After that dreadful year, I managed to get a job for the summer and rent the apartment. I hadn't seen my mother yet; I didn't even know how she got found out or how she managed to get my number, but she did it. When I came back out of my thoughts my guest was saying, "I'm Laiko. If you don't mind my asking, what is your name? And how come I haven't seen you around before? Are you still in school? Which-" I smiled, even though he probably seemed embarassed. "Sorry, I really never do shut up... Don't feel inclined to reply to all that, honestly..." He chuckled, and I laughed lightly. "I don't mind." It's better than being ignored. "My name is Adia, you can call me Ada. You probably haven't seen me around before because you go to the boarding school, correct? And I went to the high school - I just graduated, and I'm trying to get into college." I frowned to myself. Was it normal for someone to say that much to someone they just met? Oh, well. It wasn't like anyone else would ever give a damn. Suddenly realizing he was probably very thristy now, I poured him a glass of water. "Here you go, sorry," I said, offering him the glass.

Laiko had been so caught up in his thoughts, that he had not caught a word of the messages on the answering machine. He did, however, notice a slight change in the girl, Ada's expression. He sensed that something was not quite right, but he chose to ignore it, and probably for the better. He was just a polite stranger, after all... Not the sort of person one would want poking around in their business, no matter how good his intentions were. He jerked himself out of his thoughts when he realised that Ada was speaking again. She was explaining the reason he'd never seen her around... Well, it made perfect sense, especially considering the fact that he had seen very little of the world in the 3 years he could remember living in it... But now was not the time to dwell on that, since he knew he could think about it for hours on end when he allowed himself to, and it really wouldn't help in the slightest. "I see..." Laiko replied thoughtfully, "That does make sense." He added with a vague shrug. "So you're trying to get into a college? That sounds like a good plan... Which one are you looking at?" Laiko asked conversationally, his tone as pleasant and encouraging as ever. "I'll be graduating next year, though to be honest I'm a little worried... I definitely want to further my studies, but I have no idea how I might raise the funds... Or what I'll do when I have to leave the boarding house..." He gave a faint chuckle, then shrugged slightly. He wasn't even sure why he had told her that, except that it had felt right to mention something about himself on the topic, instead of putting her on the spot by having her do all the talking... Still, he hoped that she would not think too hard about his words, and perhaps begin questioning him... The last thing he wanted was for her to feel obliged to offer him a place to stay. No matter how badly he needed one, he would never want to impose, especially on somebody so kind and genuine. No, he would land on his own two feet, just like ever before. Perhaps he could offer to house-sit free of charge or something... Just to have a roof over his head... Or maybe he could try to get a job, though he had his doubts about that plan... His studies would suffer if he had to use all his time on a job. Besides, how could he afford to pay for lodging and education...? It really was hard to make ends meet when one could not get help from any sort of outside source... Laiko gradually resurfaced from his thoughts as he heard Ada's voice again, this time offering him a drink. "Oh, thanks!" Laiko replied, accepting the glass gratefully. He was still pretty thirsty from the run over, so he was extremely glad of the cool drink. He sipped at it politely, restraining himself from gulping it down with some effort.

"Well, I'm not really sure if I'm going to get in anymore," I admitted. "I didn't have a good attendance, though I was a pretty good student..." I walked over to sit down on the couch in a way that offered him to do the same. I was quiet. I was thinking about Laiko now... I recognized something familiar in him... suddenly, I was pretty sure I had the answer. I thought about all of my lies, and Laiko's unwillingness totalk much about his school. I decided not to mention it yet, though. "So, anyways, where do you live? I've got a car, I could drive you home when you're ready..." I really didn't want him to leave, but I figured it would have to happen soon. Maybe I could invite him over tomorrow, somehow get his phone number... I shook my head. Where had I come up with these ideas? Was that how everyone was with people they meet and want as a friend? I sighed. Yet another thing I could look up tonight. You would be suprised by how much you could learn about socializing on the internet... I would never admit that this was my source, but it still was a good one when nobody would talk to you. I petted Max absentmindedly, feeding him a treat from my pocket. I was still wondering if he had heard my messages... how could he not? But he hadn't seemed to react to it at all, so I kept quiet. "Anyways, how do you do in school?" I asked curiously. I hadn't ever gotten the chance to talk to others very often, let alone question them. Suddenly, I heard the phone ring; it was Amanda again. She had always been my worst enemy; when it seemed like I had a chance of having a friend, she would always ruin it. "Hello?" I said hesitantly. "Come on, Ada. I thought you said you wanted friends. I found one of your little letters!" There was laughter on the other end. I turned bright scarlet. Almost every day, I wrote notes about how everything was going. I still remembered that one: "I feel so horrible today. I just wish I could have some friends; it would make everything so much easier..." I listened to them recite my note on the other line. "Come here, if you want to be popular." I heard one of Amanda's friends. "I'm not falling for your stupid tricks, Amanda." I said. Tears pooled in my eyes as I remembered all the times Amanda had hurt me socially. During the school year, everywhere I went there was hurt; at home, at school, even on the internet. "Whatever, loser. "By the way, did you drop the contacts yet? Your lame disease excuse isn't getting you anywhere." I turned away from the boy, I didn't want him to see my like this. Why was I so sensitive? Couldn't I be a normal teen? Perhaps I was a bit old for this chant, but I said it in my head anyways to calm me down: Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me. Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me. Soon, I was calmed down enough to hang up the phone and face the boy again. "Just a friend," I lied, masking my feelings.

Laiko followed Ada's example and seated himself on the couch before beginning his reply, "That's not good..." Laiko mumbled in response, frowning slightly, "But as long as your grades were good, I'm sure you'll be fine." he assured her, adding an encouraging smile to his words. He tended to smile rather a lot, but he found it quite effective, so he used it whenever applicable. Though still, his face fell ever so slightly at her next question, if just for a moment. "Oh, I uh..." Laiko began hesitantly, scratching his head awkwardly and giving a slightly nervous chuckle. He hadn't much wanted to answer that question... He would talk about most things, but this...? How could he answer questions he didn't know the answers to...? "I guess I'm just a bum for the moment." He replied with a slightly shameful grin. "Usually I'd just stay at the boarding house... But it's closed for the weekend, so..." He trailed off, shrugging awkwardly. He just hoped she wouldn't ask where his parents were... Now that would be an interesting conversation. She would probably insist that he was mocking her and chase him out of the house with a broom or something... After all, how is it possible for a person to not remember anything about their childhood...? Nothing at all... Then her next question broke through his thoughts, and Laiko perked up slightly. He liked school... "I've actually been doing reasonably well." Laiko admitted with an eager grin. "Thankfully, Mr. Hayden offered me a scholarship, else I don't know what I'd have done... I've had to work hard to keep my grades up to scratch of course, but it's worth it..." He trailed off as the phone rang, his eyes following the sound, then darting toward Ada as she got up to answer it. He frowned slightly as he detected the distress in her tone, but for once he wasn't sure if he ought to say anything or not. He bit his lip to keep the words in, but they escaped all the same. "Hey, are you...?" He broke off at her reply. "Just a friend." Well, if that had been a friend then he or she wasn't a very good one, to upset Ada so... Laiko frowned slightly in concern, gnawing his lip nervously again, yet he dared not say more. If she wanted to talk to him, she could... But he would not push her to divulge the secrets of her private life. He was little more than a stranger, after all.

I listened to him closely. "I sort of realized there was something up," I said with a smile, feeling better now. "I ran away when I was almost sixteen." I said. I wanted to talk about it so badly, but I felt as if I shouldn't. I took a deep breath before finally saying, "My life is really messed up. You probably don't want to hear it, I'm suprised you're even still here..." Tears sprung to my eyes. "I'm a huge screw-up. I heard it before, and I know it's true." I brushed away my tears, feeling embarassed. "I'm sorry. I just want to let it all out... Sorry." I said. I composed myself, grabbing a drink from the fridge and sitting down beside him. "You could stay here. Watch Max or something for me, and you can sleep here. I have a spare room." I offered. Did normal people offer strangers a place? Oh well, it didn't matter. I knew damn well I wasn't going to college, I'd probably just stay here until I was broke. Then I would hit the streets, get a job, and rent another place. There, I had made my decision. Then I took a deep breath and muttered, "What does it matter, anyways?" Before beginning my story. "My mother did drugs before I was born, as did my father. But once my mother got pregnant, she quit. One day when I was a baby, she asked my father to watch me; she came home to him doing drugs while watching me. They broke up then." I paused to take a drink. "When I turned three, my mother got back into drugs. It seemed that whatever I did, I got hurt. There were many days when I would go home with no sleep due to being up all night with my mother hitting me, then singing and dancing. She confused me a lot when I was little." I looked at him, searching for signs if he wanted me to continue or not.

[Not the best, but I'm hanging on ]

"Yes, I'm not really the secretive sort..." Laiko agreed with a chuckle as she mentioned having noticed his predicament. His permanent smile faded as she began talking and he listened attentively, almost holding his breath at times. He didn't know why he was so curious... But one thing was for sure: If she wanted to talk, he wanted to listen. "Hey, it's all right." Laiko murmured soothingly, gently resting a hand on her shoulder in an attempt to comfort her as he saw the tears slipping down her face. Concern and sympathy left a deep frown on his face, and he felt an unexpected sense of despair at seeing her so upset. The poor girl... It was all so unfair, that life should treat her this harshly... He bit his lip as she got up, thinking over what she had just offered him. It was tempting... Very tempting... But the last thing he wanted was to impose on her privacy, or to sponge off her, like he was forced to do with everybody. Clearly, she had a hard enough time herself, without having him to worry about as well. "I don't know..." He mumbled uncertainly, dropping his gaze and twiddling his thumbs. He left it at that, such a vague, pointless answer, and did not bother to pursue the subject. He already felt ashamed of trespassing on her hospitality this long... Laiko turned his bright green gaze to her face again as she began to speak, listening with a concerned expression, his sympathy getting more and more the longer she continued speaking. It was awful... The poor thing... "Wow... I- I'm so sorry... That's... Terrible." Laiko mumbled as she glanced up at him, soon dropping his own gaze and starting to twiddle his thumbs again. It was a distraction habit, but an effective one, and he certainly needed a distraction at that moment... He felt so sorry for this poor girl that he was feeling a strong desire to give her a hug in an attempt to comfort her, but he was absolutely certain that such a gesture would be highly inappropriate for a stranger... Definitely too weird. Much too weird. Yet still, he longer to comfort her. He wished there was something he could do, but unfortunately he understood what she was saying well enough to know that anything he did would be useless beside such pain. It was just so... Harsh. Poor Ada... Laiko suddenly became aware of the face that he was gnawing his lip again, and released it abruptly when he tasted the salty, metallic taste of blood. It was not usual for him to get this worked up...

I bit my lip, then added, "I was locked in a cellar for two years. I got two meals a day, breakfast and supper, sometimes less when my mother was on her drugs. I don't remember much about it, except than when I tried to escape I got burned with a hot iron." I hesitated, trying to decide if I should show the scar. Too personal, perhaps? I sighed. My purple eyes were clouded with worry. Max jumped up, licking my face. "Please stay," I said, my eyes begging him. "I've- well, you aren't quite a friend, but-" I stopped, restarting my sentence. "I've never had someone - a human being, anyways -" I said, smiling down at Max, "- actually be kind to me before. I don't know what a friendship is like, and I don't know what to do. Just please, I know this is being really selfish, but please." I sighed. "I'm sorry, please don't feel like you have to. I managed before you came, and I still can. It's just-" I broke off. I was acting like a total fool, and I could see it myself. I stopped talking, looking down at my feet. I took another drink, finishing my glass. I got up, pouring more water into my glass. "I'm guessing you're going to leave now, huh?" I said with a sad smile. "I've basically driven you crazy. I'm sorry, I'm just not used to this." I thought back to when I loved my mother. "I hate her," I muttered bitterly. It was all her fault, everything. She gave me these eyes; she locked me up; she scarred me for life. And now, because of her, I was making a total fool of myself. I fed Max a combination of dry and soft food, mixing it up in his bowl before sitting down again.

((Getting off now - night Middy. See you tomorrow. *glomps*))

"I- Wow, that's-" Laiko broke off, not even knowing what to say. Dreadful? Terrible? Despicable? Awful? There weren't any words bad enough for something like that... "How could she do that to you?" He asked with uncharacteristic bitterness, glaring simply to release the unfamiliar anger, though not directing his glare anywhere in particular. He did have a suspicious though that, had Ada's mother been there, the glare would have been fixed on her. He couldn't believe that anybody could do something like that... It almost made him glad of his forgotten childhood... If it had been something like that, then he didn't want to know. Laiko was suddenly aware of her speaking again, and within a moment he was convinced that he should stay. Well, if she wanted him there... It would certainly help him out, he had just been worried about abusing her hospitality... "Of course I won't leave!" Laiko exclaimed incredulously as she mentioned it. "Seriously, this is an amazing offer... I'd b out on the streets otherwise." He replied, giving an awkward chuckle. "No, of course I'll stay... That is, if you're sure you don't mind?" He glanced nervously up at her, his intense green eyes searching her face for some hint of doubt. "Really, though... Thank you. It's amazingly kind of you to do something like this for me... I mean, you barely even know me..." He trailed off, smiling awkwardly. This was all rather strange, really... He barely knew this girl, yet she had offered him a place to stay so readily... Whilst his friends hadn't had place for him. Perhaps she was a little like him after all... Only he didn't have a haunting past or scars to prove it... All he had was emptiness.

I shurugged. "She was on drugs. But some winter nights, I almost thought that that dark cellar would be better than the streets I slept on." I thought of the time I snuck into an unlocked building, and miraculously didn't get caught. I looked up at Laiko's expression; I hadn't ever seen him glare or really show any bitterness. "When I was little, I wouldn't ever think of telling on her. Because when she wasn't under the influence of drugs, she would hold me, hug me and say, 'Oh, baby, I'm so sorry. Mommy's just sick, and once she gets better everything will be alright. I didn't mean to hurt you, it's alright.'" I mocked my mother's pretending-to-show-sympathy voice. "I hate her, so much." I said quietly. "And now, listen to this." I got up, replaying her earlier message. "Of course I won't leave!" Those words comforted me so much for reasons I didn't even know. "I don't mind at all, trust me. It's me being the selfish one, really." I said, sitting back down. Max jumped up on the couch; normally, I wouldn't allow it, but today was an exception as I scratched him behind the ears and ran my hands through his soft fur. I decided that I was going to start tommorrow clean and fresh. I wasn't going to make a fool of myself. I was going to be just fine. But for now, I would do what I pleased; the day had already been messed up, so why try to clean it up when It's more than half over? "Thank you," I said, looking at Max. Max jumped up on Laiko and I smiled. "He's liking you already," I said. "Anyways, enough about me. How did you get your name? And what was your childhood like?" I asked curiously, trying to force the spotlight off me. After all, he was a stranger, right?

Laiko shook his head incredulously. "I'm usually all for second chances..." Laiko muttered quietly, "But that's just too much." He fell silent after that. He had nothing else to say... There was nothing to say. Ada had said it all... From top to bottom. No matter what he said, nothing would change, so perhaps it would be better just to let it go now... Then she was speaking again, and Laiko felt his usual smile return quickly to his face at her next words. "Well, thanks." He replied gratefully, "You've really helped me out here..." He shrugged, then turned his attention to Max as the dog jumped onto the couch. He grinned at the fuzzy creature, and ruffled his fur fondly as the dog jumped onto him. Laiko continued to pat the dog, scratching absentmindedly behind his ears as he turned his attention back to Ada, suddenly aware that she was asking him a question. "Honestly, I don't remember." Laiko admitted, frowning slightly. "About 3 years ago I was found passed out in the street. All I had with me was a crumpled piece of paper with the letters 'L.A.I.K.O' on it, so they just started calling me 'the Laiko kid' and it kinda stuck I guess..." He shrugged vaguely, unsure of what else he could say. It wasn't a particularly interesting story, and it was nothing compared to her tortured life, but it was all he had. Perhaps if he knew how he had landed up there, he would have had more to say... If he knew how he had come to be covered in blood... I he knew what those letters really stood for... If he knew why it was that nobody had ever come looking for him. Why nobody ever recognised him... It was as though he had not even existed before. Had he even had parents? If so, where had they been when he'd been bleeding to death in a deserted street? Where had they been when there had been hospital bills to pay, and nobody to pay them...? He supposed they must have been dead, though this thought didn't upset him as much as it might have, seeing as he'd never even known them.

I nodded. His story was quite interesting; much more than mine was. "I know," I said. "But I think my mother crossed a line, and doesen't deserve a second chance. I would rather break the law than go back to her." I said. "But sometimes on those cold winter nights when the streets were so cold, I almost thought I would rather be in that dark cellar." I said quietly. I began to fondly pet Max. "That's were I found my little buddy here. He was a helpless abandonded 2-year-old. I named him Max bcause I found him outside Maxwell Park." I smiled at the memory as he sidled up to me, seaching for comfort. I had helped him, and now he was helping me. We were truly good friends. I listened as Laiko explained about his past. "Wow," I mumured. I spaced out for a minute, trying to find out what the letters stood for. Leave Angels In Kites Ouside? That made no sense. Lame And Interesting Kittens On? No sense, either. I frowned; this was harder than I thought. Maybe I could look it up; even if that had probably been done already. When I submerged from my thoughts, Laiko was saying, "You've really helped me out here..." I looked up at him. "Though it sounds pathetic, you're helping me out too," I told him. Even if he was still techically a stranger, I felt as if he would soon be my friend. Or so I hoped. "Were you hurt? Cut?" I asked. I don't know why this mattered to me; it just did. I searched his emerald eyes for a hint of sadness, but none was there. I guess he didn't remember his parents enough to miss them.

"I tend to agree..." Laiko muttered, his voice trailing off into nothingness as he turned his attention to what she was saying next. "Poor little guy!" Laiko exclaimed, petting Max affectionately. "Thank goodness you found him." He added in an uncharacteristically serious tone, "I'll bet it was a whole lot easier once you had a friend." He smiled slightly at this thought, wondering vaguely why he hadn't had any friend before... He must have been quite an awful person, now he thought about it. Though none of that mattered now, since he could never prove any of it... Laiko was about to zone out again when her question reached his ears. Had he been hurt? Well, he had an answer to that. "Multiple gunshot wounds and head trauma." Laiko replied indifferently, "The doctors didn't expect me to make it through the night, but... Well, here I am." He concluded, gesturing pointlessly with his hands and giving a vague smile. "I must have really pissed somebody off." He added with a laugh, not seeming at all concerned by the fact that there had been somebody out there who clearly wanted desperately to see him dead. "I should probably go back and get my stuff if I'm going to be staying here..." Laiko said suddenly, glancing out of the window to see dusk starting to set in. "It's getting pretty late, and it'll take me a while to walk there and back..." He trailed off, trying to work out just how long, then gave up and turned back to Ada, smiling affectionately at the sight of her arcane purple eyes. He was surprised how much he had warmed to her in such a short time, but then again, he was generally pretty quick to befriend anybody... Still, nobody had been so quick to offer him help before, not even people he had known for over a year now. Laiko suddenly became aware of the fact that he had been staring absentmindedly at her for a while, and he glanced away awkwardly, his soft blonde hair falling down over his face to hide the slight flush of colour creeping into his cheeks from embarrassment. "Well, I, uh..." Laiko paused to clear his throat, then went on, "I'd best be going then... I'll see you later." He smiled at her as he got to his feet, his bright green eyes dancing with his usual cheerfulness as he raised a hand in farewell and walked toward the door.

He walked straight out of the house, throwing Ada one last smile as he left, then walking on down the street without looking back. It didn't take long for him to reach the boarding house, and when he did he quickly sorted through what he would need. He shoved it all into a light rucksack, and hitched it over his shoulder before leaving the grounds and walking back the way he had come. It was getting dark now, the transition from evening to night having been completed, and Laiko felt a strange sense of unease as he walked down the deserted street, hearing the echoes of his soft soles striking the ground with each step. A strange sense of Deja Vu washed over him, and the unease deepened intensely to the point that some fear crept into his heart. He turned onto the top of Ada's street, and was about to pick up a jog, when the whine of a bullet jolted him to a stop. He had heard it said before, but never had he experienced the truth of it before now... How once one heard the shot of a gun, the bullet had already reached its target. He dropped his bag an fell to his knees, sweat glistening on his brow as he gasped in pain. He had a hand clasped over the left side of his torso, just near the bottom of his ribcage, and blood was blooming like a red rose beneath his fingers. It soaked rapidly through his shirt and dripped over his hands, soon leaving tiny rivers of crimson on the road. Laiko struggled to gasp oxygen into his lungs as he watched his own blood slowly drain from his veins. Within a few minutes, he keeled over, unconscious. His face struck the tar with a dull thud, and he simply lay there, motionless, incapable of moving...

I nodded. "You're right, it always helps to have a friend," I said, hugging Max. I rested my head on his golden furry back, thinking about when I had found him. Boys had been throwing rocks at him and laughing as he whined. I had stormed over there and began throwing rocks at them. "How do you like it when rocks are thrown at you?!" I had yelled at them. When they were gone, I had cared for Max and nursed him back to health. Now, he was a happy and healthy four-year-old dog. I gasped as he told me about his various injuries. "Wow," I said. "You were pretty lucky to survive." I wondered vaugely if that was the cause of his memory loss. Head tramua? Definitley. I tried to imagine Laiko, badly hurt and passed out. Somehow, I couldn't picture such a cheerful person such as Laiko in such a state. Feeling as if he was staring at me, I looked up to meet his gaze. Ok, that was plain awkward for both of us. "Well, I, uh..." I listened to him stammer, smiling lightly. "I'd best be going then... I'll see you later." I frowned; where was he going? Then I remembered hearing something about him going to get his stuff and relaxed. "See you soon," I called out as he went out the door. I booted up my laptop, then looked up L.A.I.K.O. I sighed as I got no results. I typed in Laiko as a name; that got nothing either. Suddenly, Max got up, barking like crazy at the door. "Max, quiet please," I said, still searching the web. He whined, and I sighed. He probably needed to use the bathroom or something; I grabbed his leash and opened the door. Max bolted with force I never knew he had, growling and barking furiously. "Max!" I yelled. I suddenly heard a gunshot; it just barely missed my dog. "MAX!" I screamed. I looked to the street, and a lump formed in my throat as I saw a figure on the ground. It was Laiko. Now I had an exact picture of how he looked on the street. Tears formed in my eyes as I ran toward him. How could this happen when I just met what I thought could be a friend? Max was using all of his 500 pounds of dog-power to take down the person. When he fell, the gun slipped out of his hands. I grabbed it, then contniued my rush towards Laiko as Max stood over the person, a vicious snarl ripping from his throat. I finally reached Laiko; the injury was bad. "Come on, Laiko," I begged, helping him up and grabbing his bag. "Let's get in the house." I whistled to Max. He was at my side in an instant, the figure leaving quickly. I threw the gun onto the concrete. To my suprise, it broke into pieces. I carefully supported Laiko, knowing the shot must hurt like bloody hell. I thought back to the time my mother had almost shot me; it sent a shudder up my spine. A string of curses came from my lips as I opened the door to my house. "Are you okay?" I bit on my tounge to keep from cursing loudly; I wasn't sure yet if he was really the cursing type. I closed the door behind us, grabbing a cloth from the kitchen area. "Take this and sit on the couch," I told him. Max followed, jumping up beside Laiko with a look that said, 'Did you see me pin that guy down? Did ya? Did ya? I was good, huh?' But at the same time, he showed concern. It almost made me laugh.

Laiko came to with a groan as he heard a loud barking nearby, feeling a sense of recognition at the sound, yet unable to put two and two together through the haze of pain. He could feel something hot and sticky seeping through his fingers, but he couldn't work out what it was or where it came from. He felt a hard, rough surface under his cheek, but he couldn't work out where he was... Most of all though, he felt pain: hot, blinding pain that knifed through his entire body, only he could not work out where it came from. Shock and pain were blinding his senses, rendering him incapable of thought. He lay there, bleeding profusely, and refused to move. Then Ada's voice broke through his thoughts, and reality struck Laiko with the force of a ton of bricks. It was as though he had been living in slow motion, and now suddenly everything had sped up. Where he had been barely aware of anything before, adrenalin now made him fully aware of something as small as an ant walking past his face. Everything was suddenly so bright and full that it threw a sense of surrealism over everything he saw. He spat out a thick mouthful of blood onto the already blood-sodden ground as he raised his head, then turned his dark gaze to the source of the voice. "A-Ada?" Laiko questioned, squinting up at her. The light of the rising moon seemed unbearably bright, and he could barely make out Ada's form when staring toward it. A low groan slipped from his mouth, but he soon managed to bit it back, slowly staggering to his feet with his hand still pressed over the deep, gushing wound in his side. Blood spurted from between his fingers with he action, and he winced as he felt the hot, sticky flow dampening his already clammy hand. He bit back a yelp of pain as he pushed himself to his feet with Ada's help. He staggered slightly, trying to carry his own weight, but soon relinquished his efforts as a wave of nausea and dizziness swept over him. He leaned against Ada, moving in a dreamlike state toward her house, switching from having heightened sensory sensitivity to having all his senses shut down almost completely. "I guess... Somebody has something... Against snoring... Huh?" He joked feebly, his voice weak and halting and his words slurred. He continued to lean against her for support as she dragged him the last few meters to the door. "Yeah... I'm fine..." He replied dazedly as her question broke into his cluttered thoughts. A weak smile twitched his lips at Max's antics. "Good boy." He whispered quietly, his eyes slowly sliding shut even as he spoke. He went limp as he lost consciousness, slowly sliding to the floor. Blood was still flowing rapidly from the wound, and a trail of it stretched all the way down the street from where the shot had taken place, showing just how much he had lost. Too much.

I frowned as we made it in the door. He had lost way too much blood; I had to call the hospitial... "Laiko! Wake up!" Max barked shrilly. I grabbed the phone; I pulled up his shirt to reveal the wound. Usually blood made me feel light-headed, but I was strong again, just as I had been on the streets. I used the cloth to apply pressure to the wound, trying to keep from blood flowing. I clicked the speed-dial number. "Hello, yes. My friend has been shot, and he's lost a lot of blood. 45338 Maple Wood Drive." I hung up, turning my attention to Laiko. "An ambulance is coming. Snap out of it, Laiko." I pushed his hair out of his eyes, opening his eyelids. "Laiko!" I said, my tone urgent. Soon, I could hear the ambulance. I began to attempt to drag Laiko out, Max following faithfully. Soon, the paramedics were in with a stretcher. "Sorry lady, but you will have to leave the dog here." Someone told me. Max jumped in before the doors shut, and the paramedic sighed. "He's perfectly calm," I assured the paramedic as we sped to the hospital. Please be alright, Laiko, I thought, heading up to where he was. I longed to see him open his green eyes; I didn't want him to leave so soon. I still had his bag gripped in my hand. "How is he?" I asked anxiously. "He's lost a lot of blood, but we will do our best," A kind lady assured me. I nodded, knowing there was nothing else I could say or do. If only I had listened to Max right away, able to distract the shooter... if only I had of went with him to the boarding school... as far as I could see it, it was my fault that Laiko had gotten shot. Max whimpered, and I had to keep him from jumping up on Laiko. "It'll be alright, boy," I mumured, but how could I sound so sure?