Middy and Polo

"That hardly matters, when it was my fault your life was in danger in the first place..." I frowned, but did not feel like arguing right now. I jumped as I heard the gun shot, and looked up to see what Laiko was aiming at. He hit the top of the airel, snapping it off. I was quite impressed; he had obiously been very skilled with guns. And threats, by the sounds of it. His greateful smile relaxed me, and I felt good again. "I don't know what I was part of..." He said thoughtfully. "But I doubt it involved baking cookies." I was about to smile, but his serious tone made me bite it back. He had definitley changed a bit, but deep down he was still the same Laiko I had met going down the street earlier today. I felt really exhausted now, and I have a few more bumps and bruises from the rough men, but otherwise I was fine, just really tired. I considered him trying to climb back in, but it seemed sort of dangerous... I agreed reluctantly. "If you really want to, and think you can..." I said to him, looking at the window curiously. I instantly warmed up when the subject switched to Max. "I love him so much... I donèt think I could afford to lsoe him." I said thoughtfully. "Do you want us to go around to the door, or wait here?" I asked him. I shook Max lightly and he got up, looking very sleepy from the medication. "Max had saved your life twice so far." I said for no apparent reason. "The second time, you were on drugs and tried to jump out a three-storey window." I said, recalling the memory. I remebered closing my eyes real tight, and then seeing the two on the floor. "He pounced on you before you jumped, and you both went to the floor. I had some... difficulties getting you home, thats for sure." I said with a laugh. "They said you had a rare blood type that didnt mix well with your drugs - remember when yout got shot? And, well, you can probably guess what happened then." I chuckled lightly at the memory.

"I'll give it a try." Laiko agreed with a pleasant smile, glancing up from his spot beside Max, then looking down at the dog again. He shook his head in response to her words. "I don't think you could." He agreed solemnly, gently stroking Max's golden fur as he spoke. "He's one-in-a-million, this dog." Laiko grinned and patted Max cheerfully on the back before straightening slowly, suddenly aware of his wounded side again as the excitement and adrenalin wore off. Needless to say, leaping out of the window had ripped the wound open again... "Huh?" He asked, jerked out of his thoughts by the question. "Oh..." He thought about it for a moment, then replied, "This place gives me a dodgy feel. Probably best to go round to the door..." He muttered thoughtfully, shrugging vaguely and accepting his hesitant decision. Nowhere was safe, so what did it matter, really? He glanced at Ada in surprise as she mentioned Max saving his life, his bright green eyes instantly daring to the dog, filled with sincere gratitude. "Good boy..." Laiko murmured in awe, reaching down to stroke Max's head softly, caressing the golden for with his fingers. "That sounds like me." Laiko agreed with a sheepish grin. "I still remember the time last year when my friends convinced me to go to a party..." He scratched his head thoughtfully, trying to remember accurately, then went on, "Unfortunately, I didn't stop to consider that the drinks there were alcoholic..." He frowned slightly at that thought, then shrugged and gave a brief chuckle before concluding, "I didn't remember anything after the first bottle, but the stories going around..." He shook his head, laughing at the memory. "Now I know the reason." Laiko concluded with a grin. "Though I hope I didn't give you too much trouble getting home... I can imagine I was quite a nuisance... Well, more than usual anyway." He apologised, seeming rightfully ashamed at first, then switching his expression to a goofy grin. "Looking after me really is a full-time job." Laiko commented suddenly, "I can see why nobody wanted to do it." He added with a wink before giving Max a final pat, then glancing around. "Best get back into that house then..." He muttered, half to himself. He flashed Ada a sweet smile, then walked back the way he thought he had come, heading back to the house.

I nodded. "Yeah, he really is." I said, nodding. He appeared to be hurting; I slapped a hand to my forehead for I had completely forgot. "Maybe you should not try the window; you probably re not supposed to be climbing into 2-storey windows after just being in the hospital for a gunshot wound." I said, grinning slightly. I smiled as he told about his party story. "I have never drank alcohol, actually." I said with a smile. "You actually weren't that bad on the road - you were to distracted by the stars and other random thngs most of the time." I said with a grin. "I think you scared half of the hospital staff though." Soon, Max and me were following Laiko to the apartment. When we finally reached it, me and Max hovered around the back of the house where the window was. I had a feeling both of us wanted to be there if he got hurt... "Well, we will meet you around the other side. Maybe the door isn't even locked..." I said to Laiko, walking to the front and waiting on the step. I jiggled the house door and sighed. I had a feeling those men were not coming back anytime soon, but still... Max's whine broke off my thoughts. "I know, boy. You want to go in and sleep now. Its alot of work being a full time hero, huh?" I said with a smile. My thoughts wandered to the first time I had come here. It had been late at night, and I had been standing just like this, trying the door and finding out I had the wrong key. We were both too tired to go back and get the proper key from the landlord, so we had ended up sleeping outside on the porch and getting it in the morning. The landlord had pitied us and gave us the key, and we finally got to explore the house. It had been everything I had ever wanted; neutral colors, open layout downstairs, with two bathrooms and two bedrooms. It had been perfect to suit mine and Max's needs. I remembered how he slept on the end of my bed because I couldn't afford a bed for him yet, or even proper food... it ahd been then that I got a job at a diner close to our home. It had been hard work, adn there were days when I had to skip classes, but I still managed to hold on. Me and Max were doing pretty good then. I thought about how I would soon have to get another job, and sighed. Oh well, it was better than the streets I used to live on...

Laiko chuckled slightly at her answer as he walked back to the house. When he reached it, he stood and looked up at the open window, suddenly aware of how high up it was. He had jumped from there?! Was he crazy?! Actually, he probably was, but he didn't have time to worry about it at that moment, as his saviour seemed pretty keen to enter the house. He chuckled softly, ruffling Max's fur affectionately before glancing back at the window. "Okay..." He began, releasing a deep breath and loosening his neck. "Let's hope I can do this." He announced with a devious grin. He shifted his feet, then balanced his weight onto his back foot before bursting into a sprint toward the wall. The first leap would determine whether this was going to be easy or difficult for him. As he found his takeoff point, Laiko leaped at the wall, grabbing at the first storey window frame with cat-like actions as he collided with the hard surface of the wall. He fought the desire to wince as pain knifed through his side, reminding him effectively of the wound that was ailing him. He took a moment to get his bearings, then hauled himself up onto the ledge outside the window pressed flat against the wall. He glanced up at the next window, the one he had to get to, and almost fell back in despair. How the hell was he supposed to get up there?! Finally, he decided to throw caution to the winds and just rely on muscle memory to pull him through. Looking at his destination, he bent his legs and jumped, feeling layers of skin being ripped from his forearms as he grazed them against the wall. Without planning it, Laiko felt his body flip in mid-air with the lithe movements and accurate precision of a gymnast. His hands found the window ledge, and he pressed against it, somehow managing to shoot himself in through the open window. He didn't understand how on earth he had done that, but he wasn't about to stop and think. Clutching a hand to his now heavily bleeding side, Laiko slowly made his way down the stairs, wincing with every step, then found the key and fitted it into the lock. He unlocked the door, then swung it open and glanced around for Ada and Max.

Me and Max hadn't been waiting long when Laiko came. I sighed as I looked down at his bleeding side. "I should have known," I muttered under my breath. "Are you okay?" I asked, concerned. I hoped that I wouldn't have to take another trip to the hospital; that would pratically kill me if it was anything like the last trip. Still, if Laiko was hurt, we had to get him back there... No matter how tired I was. I had to stop being so selfish, especially when he was the won suffering. "Nice job," I said with awe. "Whatever you did, you must have been one of the best." I said, looking him over. He had a couple of scrapes here and there, but nothing serious. "Do you need ice, or a cloth, or..." I stopped talking. I had never learned much about medical aid; school had been my only resource for learning, and I rarely even attended that. I sighed, thinking about how I would get up in the morning and dread the day ahead of me. My self-esteem had been drained long ago, and I had learned not to say anything during school time and ignore all the nasty comments I recieved. Coming back to the present, I let me and Max in and closed the door. The light was still on, but the house still seemed gloomy. I yawned. "Well, me and Max are going to get some rest. You should, too." I said, then added, "Especially if you are leaving so early in the morning. And don't send me any money, I will not take it." I stated. "Anyways, let me show you your room." I began to head up the stairs, Max following. I opened the door to the spare room, walking in. The room was quite plain, with a nightstand, empty wooden dresser, and a bed with white sheets. There was a window with the view of a small alley; there was nothing much to look at. "There are some old books and stuff in the nightstand drawer if you get bored," I said. "Wait! I forgot to get your bag." I hurried back down the stairs, grabbing the bag with Max still following me. "Here it is," I said as I made it to the top of the stairs. I handed him the bag. "The bathroom is the door on your left at the end of the hallway, and I'll leave a light on downstairs. Don't forget to-" I cut off my sentence, deciding it was too selfish and sounded needy if I asked him to say goodbye before he left next morning. I would just have to try and wake uo early... "So, yeah. Good night." I headed into my bedroom, flicking on the light and closing my window. I still felt scare to be in here, but having Max made me feel a bit better. Everything in my room was untouched; you wouldn't have even thought someone had been in there. I flopped down on my bed, making room for Max before closing my eyes and thinking over the day before I slept. I wanted to stay up a while longer in case Laiko needed something... I didn't want to be a bad host.

"I'm fine." Laiko replied with a smile, deciding to keep it simple and not bother saying any more, since Ada seemed tired now, very tired, and he didn't want to keep her up longer than he had to. "Thanks." Laiko replied simply, smiling slightly and shrugging off her compliment. It seemed wrong to acknowledge it... Like he was taking credit for somebody else's work. It was as though he was in a second-hand body, and was benefiting from the training its previous owner had done... Okay, now that was crazy. Ada was right, he did need to rest, otherwise he'd be seeing flying pigs next... "Yeah, good idea-" Laiko began to reply, but then broke off. That was right... He'd promised to leave at dawn. He had nearly forgotten, but she had held him to it, it seemed. Was she that keen to be rid of him...? Well, why shouldn't she be? He was taking up room in her house, leeching away her college fund on medical bills and putting her life in danger. He was damn lucky she hadn't kicked him to the side of the road and left him there to freeze to death... He should never have brought all this upon her. She deserved better... Laiko sighed softly, cutting off his thoughts. He couldn't change what had happened. All he could do was make sure he got away the next morning... Then he could leave her peace, and she could live safely. He gnawed on his lip worriedly as he followed her up to the room. His lips creased into a smile as he saw the room. It was small and simple, but somehow welcoming. Just the sight of it warmed him considerably. "It's amazing..." He murmured softly, turning to face Ada, only to find that she had already run off. He bit his lip, glancing down at his feet. Had he scared her with what he'd done in the alleyway? Was that why she was distancing herself from him? Or was it simply that she was scared and angry that he'd put her life at risk. That would make perfect sense... Laiko turned around, fixing a friendly smile onto his face as she entered the room. "Thanks!" He exclaimed with a grin, taking the bag from her. It would be useful to have some provisions with him when he was back on the streets... Then she was talking again, and Laiko simply smiled and nodded, taking in all the information.
'Don't forget to-'
Laiko frowned as she broke off, and was about to inquire about it when she bid him a hurried goodnight and turned to leave. "Goodbye." He whispered softly after her retreating back as h watched her leave the room. He was going to miss Ada... He didn't know why, but he would miss her like anything. Her and Max both... They had become perhaps his closest friends during the short time he had spent here, and now, all too soon, he would have to leave them. He knew that once he left he would probably never see them again... He suddenly wished that he had rushed after Ada. That he could have hugged her and thanked her again and again for all that she had done for him. But it was too late now, and all he had spared for her was a goodbye so quiet he doubted she'd even heard. He considered himself pathetic and ungrateful, but what could he do? It was his time to go. How long he would last after going into hiding, only time would tell. He just hoped that Ada would be in no further danger after he had left...

I sighed, silent tears streaming down my face as I opened my eyes. Why did I have to be like this? A purple-eyed freak. A selfish burden. No wonder nobody ever stuck around; anyone able to even get past my eyes would never get past my selfish additude. I dried my tears, knowing that crying wouldn't help and that it was just proving myself right. I began to pet Max absentmindedly. I wondered where Laiko would go now; he would probably rather be out on the streets than stuck with me. Max began to whine, and I sighed. "It's going to affect you, too, isn't it?" I said sadly. His ears perked slightly, but he kept his gaze fixed on the door. I knew he was longing to see Laiko; he must have felt the change in the air. Remembering I still had to get changed, I closed my bedroom door and opened my dresser, pulling out a pair of comfy pants to sleep in. I knew from my time on the streets that jean shorts were not the most comfortable thing to wear sleeping. I undressed and folded up the shorts, adding them to a pile on the floor. I would have to run to the dry cleaner's tommorow; the stack had almost all of my clothes in it. I sat on the edge of the bed and sighed. Max whimpered and after a few minutes of thinking, I got up. "Come on, Max." I said quietly, then opened my bedroom door and knocked on Laiko's door, hoping he wasn't already asleep or getting changed. I needed to say sorry, and thank him for staying with me. I needed to say goodbye. Max whined, clawing at the door and leaving a few small marks in the paint. I groaned; the landlord was definitley one of those people who would make me pay for the smallest things. I would have to get a job tomorrow...

Laiko spun around as he heard the knock, instantly flung into a sate of panic. What was wrong? He flung open the door to reveal Ada standing on the other side. "What's happened? What's wrong?" He asked quickly, frowning in concern. He had become far too tense, and far too edgy about everything. Nothing had worried him before, but now... Laiko suddenly found himself chuckling as he thought to how ridiculous it must have seemed to instantly assume that the only reason Ada might be knocking on his door was to inform him that the world was coming to an end, or something of the thought. Now that he thought about it logically, if it was such an emergency, she would most likely not have had the peace of mind to remember to knock, but would have barged in instead. As such, his reaction was truly preposterous. Though that brought him to his next thought: Just why had she come knocking at the door? "Sorry," he apologised with a sheepish grin, "I'm starting to leap to conclusions." He explained with a chuckle. Laiko thought for a moment, wondering how he ought to have greeted her, and what he was supposed to say now. What greeting would be appropriate? Since he didn't know what this was about, he couldn't tell... What if she was going to tell him to get out now? No. She wasn't like that... Now he was just over thinking it terribly. "Hi." He added suddenly, a silly grin creeping over his face a he held out a hand and offered a handshake.
Well, that was more like him. Silly and senseless. It was about time, too... He had been far too gloomy for his own liking since the incident in the hospital...

I jumped as he flung to the door. "What's happened? What's wrong?" He asked quickly, and I laughed a bit. He began to chuckle, probably realizing how paranoid he was being. "Sorry," he apologised with a sheepish grin, "I'm starting to leap to conclusions." I nodded, smiling faintly. I tried to think about how I was goign to word this without breaking down or seeming clingly or needy. "Hi." My thoughts were interruped by his greeting and goofy grin. I grinned back, then took a deep breath. I had a feeling this was his prompt. "Just wanted to say thanks, and goodbye. I'm sorry for being so... you know, out of it." I laughed lightly. "I can understand why you are probably in such a rush to leave, but if you ever need a palce to stay..." I squrimed nervously. "Well, just give me a call. Um, well, goodbye." I said. Why was I suddenly feeling so awkward? It was my own home and I was saying goodbye. Why did it feel so... weird? I sighed. I had a feeling it was probably because I was really going to miss my (almost) first human friend. My attention turned to Max as he jumped up on Laiko, giving him a whole bunch of sloppy kisses. I smiled. "I guess that's his way of saying goodbye." I said as I helped to get Max down. "My number is 435-6607." I turned to leave, quietly mumuring another thanks and a goodbye. "C'mon, Max." I said, and we headed back to my room. I pushed away my thoughts and feelings; I really didn't want to seem clingly and needy right now...

[Way too short 0_o]

Laiko blinked in startled surprise at Ada's words; barely able to comprehend what she was saying... She was thanking him?! And wait... She was sorry?! What on earth was going through her head?! Had she not seen everything that had happened because of him? And here he had thought that she might be angry... That perhaps she hated or feared him... Meanwhile, she just... Didn't want him to leave? Was that even possible...? Was she crazy? Was he crazy? Pobably the latter, but all the same... He stood in a daze as Max licked his face, petting the dog absentmindedly, while his shocked gaze remained locked on Ada; his mind barely there. He couldn't believe this... It was unbelieveable. For a while he just stood there, staring after her with a blank expression on his face while his thoughts swirled around in a tangle. Then, suddenly, reality struck him. She was walking away. No, he couldn't let her walk away after that... Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Laiko dashed after her. "Ada, wait!" Laiko called, rushing up to her, then going past and having to skid to a standstill. Wheeling back to face her, he acted impulsively without even pasuing to think. Gently grabbing her shoulders, he gave her a light hug before taking a step back, his hands still rested on his shoulders. "Ada..." He frowned slightly, then shook his head in obvious incredulity, dropping his hans to his sides. "Are you crazy?" He asked with a soft chuckle. "You're thanking me? Apologising to me?" A bark of laughter escaped Laiko's lips, and his face cracked into a grin. "Take a look around you, girl. I got you kidnapped, I used up your college fund on medical bills, I'm taking up a room in your house..." He trailed off, then chuckled as he added, "Honestly, my name should be in the dictionary as the definition for 'pest'!" he shook his head at his lame joke, smiling at Ada with an unreadable expression of mixed emotions. "Look, I just don't want to put you in danger." He explained gently, placing his hands lightly on her shoulders again and gazing intently into her eyes, his concerned gaze searching her face. "You know I'd never forgive myself if you or Max got hurt... And it's just as well, or you might be stuck with me here forever!" He finished with a soft laugh, releasing her again and taking a step away, hoping that he had managed to clear things up. But now what did he do...? He wanted desperately to stay with her, but what if something happened...? Yet if he went out on the streets, he'd probably never see her again. He wasn't sure he could handle that either... Even if he didn't fully understand why, he had come to treasure her as a close and true friend. She was honest, loyal, kind... He honestly failed to comprehend why she put up with the likes of him. She deserved better.

"Ada, wait!"
I turned to see Laiko rushing after me. I sighed. I already knew he hadn't agreed with what I thought. But then again, maybe I was crazy... until I began to think it through. It wasn't his fault I had gotten kidnapped; it was my own for not having the realization hit me. Had I even wanted to go to college? I already had everything I needed... what courses had I even wanted to try? I had figured to just wait until it came upon me, and then decide... it would have been too late if Laiko hadn't got hurt, because then I wouldn't even realize what a waste of time college would have been for me. And what would I have done with Max? I doubted they let dogs on campus, and even if they did, he would have nothing to do all day. Tears brimmed my eyes as he grabbed my shoulders and his arms encircled me. I was shocked at first; I had never been hugged before, and it felt so comforting. Then he took a step back and began speaking again. "Ada..." He frowned slightly, then shook his head in obvious incredulity. Are you crazy?" He asked with a soft chuckle. "You're thanking me? Apologising to me?" A soft sigh escaped my lips as he went on. "Take a look around you, girl. I got you kidnapped, I used up your college fund on medical bills, I'm taking up a room in your house..." He trailed off, then chuckled as he added, "Honestly, my name should be in the dictionary as the definition for 'pest'!" His gaze searched my eyes, and I broke off the gaze. I wouldn't cry, not now of all times. As far as I could see it, most of his points were wrong. Couldn't he see that he was my greatest (almost) friend that I had ever (almost) had? Or maybe he was my friend now, I wasn't sure... "I wouldn't mind." I said quoetly, my gaze on my feet as I replied. And I wouldn't. I had a feeling that these chances only came around every once in a while; though forever could be a long time... I sighed. "You're forgetting something, Laiko." I looked up at him. "I have never had a friend before, but I'm pretty sure you must be one of the best someone could have." I told him. "Which is why I am so lucky; after all, I am a clingy, moody, purple-eyed freak..." I had a feeling that was a wrong move; but I was too upset to care. He was going to leave anyways, so why worry about what I said or did? I would probably never see him again, unless... I pushed the thought of hearing about him in the news, found dead and possibly murdered by the ones who were so intent on killing him...
I couldn't cry. I wouldn't cry. I could leave my feelings bottled up for now, and release them when I was alone.

"Hey! That's not true and you know it!" Laiko scolded her, frowning in mock disgust at her words and shaking his finger reproachfully at her. "Seriously though." Laiko began, dropping his teasing act for a more serious expression. "You've got to stop telling yourself that, Ada. Whoever put that idea in your head was wrong, and you need to accept that. I could give you a list of all your good qualities, but it would probably mean we'd still be standing here in the year 3000 with cobwebs on our faces and really long white hair and-" He broke off then, thinking for a moment, before adding with a sheepish grin, "But that isn't really the point." Laiko cleared his throat and straightened an imaginary tie before putting on a posh lecturer voice and contiuing his speech, "The point, my dear friend, is that you are simply wonderful, and you need to get that lodged into your brain." He concluded, playfully poking her in the forehead with a goofy grin plastered on his face. "Cheer up." He encouarged gently, putting a hand on her shoulder and fixing her with a kind smile. "You should know that I'll stay for as long as you want me to." He added quietly, "We'd just have to be extra careful..." He trailed off, letting his hand drop to his side again as he became lost in his thoughts, his bright green eyes sliding out of focus slightly, their colour seeming to dim slightly without his usual humourous spark. Was he doing the right thing...? If Ada didn't want him to go, then of course he didn't want to upset her... Besides, he didn't want to leave himself... But what if something happened? If they used her to get to him again...? It would be all his fault if she got hurt. He would needto be vigilant... Perhaps apply for a gun license so he could defend himself? Then again, would he have the heart to shoot somebody...? If Ada was in danger: yes. This thought startled Laiko slightly, and a frown creased his cheerful face as he considered it. Him, shoot somebody...? It was most unlike him to even consider the thought... But he knew automatically that he would do just about anything to make sure Ada wasn't hurt. Why? He wasn't sure... Perhaps it was simply that she'd been so good to him all this time, and he felt he needed to make it up to her...?

I sighed, smiling slightly as he poked me. "Ok, I will. It just easier to believe what people say instead of coming up with your own assumptions. And I would rather put myself down then boast about things..." I said to him. Telling me I was wonderful made me feel warm and happy inside like nobody ever had, and it put me in my place - I was his friend, and would be his friend for as long as he would let me. "Thank you, so much. You are the most wonderful person I have ever met, and probably ever will meet." I said to him. And for me, this was true; I might not know much about people and friends, but I did know that they rarely were this good. "You want to stay?" I asked, suprised. All this time, he had just been worried about my safety? I scoffed. "You need to stop worrying about me," I said, smiling slightly at him. But he couldn't live his life like this; he had to do something about it. Going to the police might cause more trouble instead of helping; but I had no fighting experience and I doubt Laiko would use his if it involved killing people, no matter how dangerous those people were. As he was suddenly quiet for a while, I looked at him carefully. "What's on your mind?" I asked him, searching his eyes. I grinned, poking him. "Cheer up," I mimicked him with a smile on my face. I yawned, feeling my headache come back. "So, I will see you in the morning?" I asked hopefully. Max barked suddenly, making me jump. I had almost forgotten about him, and I had a feeling he could tell. "And you are a wonderful dog, my friend," I said, stratching him behind the ears. My head pounded and I glanced at the bathroom. I would make sure to get some Advil or Tyenol before I slept, and it probably wouldn't hurt to brush my teeth...

"That's true..." Laiko admitted thoughtfully in response to her first comment, "But then again, since when have 'right' and 'easy' been the same thing?" He asked with a wink, his permanent smile still plastered onto his face. He continued to listen intently to her, then found himself dropping eye contact at her next words. How often had somebody said something like that to him? Ada really was a sweet person... He was so lucky to have met her. Laiko felt a hot flush creeping into his cheeks at her compliments, and finally managed to force his gaze upwards again. "Of course I am." He joked in a mockingly haughty voice, "That is, if you don't include my lack of sense, beastly snoring, endless mockery, general peskiness..." He trailed off with a laugh, then fell silent to listen to what she was saying next. "Me, worry?" Laiko asked in mock surprise, "Whatever gave you that idea?" He chuckled softly, then drifted off in thought for a while, losing track of the present as his mind began to wander. "Huh?" He asked a short while later, suddenly jerked back to reality by Ada's voice. "Oh, uh..." He began, attempting to think up a response, but he was saved the trouble by Ada's next actions. He felt his eyes go squint as his dark green gaze followed her finger until it struck him in the forehead. He burst out laughing at the mimicked gesture, Grabbing Ada into a playful one-armed hug before shoving her gently away and stepping past her back towards his room. He nodded at her final question, walking slowly backwards toward his room as he replied, "Sure, why not?" A grin lit up his face and he smooched at Max before finally retreating back into his room, recognising his dismissal. He was glad that they're cleared that up... To think that it had all been a misunderstanding all along... He sighed, chuckling softly to himself at the ridiculousness of it all.

I let out a sigh of relief as Laiko went to his room. It felt better now that all of that was cleared up, and it helped me know where I stood. I smiled, then headed for the bathroom, finishing what you could call my "evening ritual". When I was back in my room I crawled into bed, Max sleepig faithfully at my feet. It was only a few minutes before I was fast asleep, very tired from the day's events.

"Mom, can I have a sandwich?" I asked hesitantly. I wasn't sure what sort of mood she was in; I was only eight and not used to her mood swings yet. When she whirled around I knew I was in trouble. "What!? I just fed you, you should be more thankful!" My mother yelled. She must have forgotten it had been days since I ate, but I didn't dare climb up on the cuboards because I knew it would make my mtoher angry. I screamed as she opened the cellar door, pushing me roughly down the cellar. I could feel myself falling, falling, falling... "Stay down there until you're ready to be thankful!" She yelled, but I had already blacked out after landing on the concrete floor. When I awoke, I was terrified. I couldn't see a thing, and I was scared of the imaginary monster that I was conivnced was living down here. "Mom!" I screamed, searching for the stairs. "Mom!"

"Mom! Mom!" I yelled before realizing it had been a dream. Max was used to it and began to lick me, waking me from the awful dream that had haunted me forever. I groaned, rolling out of bed and landing on the floor. I was still tired, and I had probably woken up my guest... I sighed. Max had been up for a while by the looks of him, and I knew he probably needed to relieve himself. "C'mon, Max," I whispered, not wanting to wake Laiko(if he wasn't already awake). I tiptoed down the stairs and into the kitchen, putting Max out on his rope outside. We had a small yard, but it did okay since Max got a lot of walks. It was already sunny out, probably late in the morning for me. I sighed and turned on the stove, searching in the fridge for something to eat. Hopefully Laiko liked eggs and toast, because it seemed like that would be the best I could do. I stood for a moment, looking at my reflection in the microwave door. I really didn't look very presentable; should I change or would I be fine? I decided to just leave myself as I was, I could change after I ate, anyways.

Laiko lay spread-eagled on the bed, his limbs all veering off at awkward angles. The blankets were half-on and half-off of him, having been twisted and turned in a complex pattern that, had it been done to a string, might never have come undone. His mouth drooped open slightly and his hair stuck up at the most ridiculous angles imaginable as he slept silently and peacefully. Then a shout interrupted his slumber. Ordinarily, Laiko would have rushed to see what was happening immediately, but he was not a morning person, and he was far from awake. Groaning and mumbling in response to the noise, Laiko flipped over and buried his face in the pillow. He lay still for a moment, then a soft snoring sound escape him as his sleeping body struggled to draw oxygen through the suffocating pillow. He stirred again as a ray of sunlight fell across his face, illuminating his blonde hair into messy golden glory. He groaned and shoved a pillow over his head, then tried to get back to sleep again. He lay still for a good 10 minutes, but sleep would not come, and instead he found himself gradually starting to awaken as the sun demanded his attention. Laiko removed the pillow from over his head and flipped onto his back again, staring at the ceiling for a moment before sighing and getting to his feet. He tottered groggily down the stairs , stretching and yawning as he reached the bottom. His eyes still only half open, he looked around for the source of the tantalising scent wafting toward him, only to find that Ada was already up and making breakfast. "'Morning." He mumbled through a yawn, walking sleepily over to the kitchen and watching her with inattentive interest. "Can I help?" He asked politely, though he did not expect her to accept his offer. His dark green eyes blinked often and he swayed slightly from side to side, looking as if he might fall asleep on his feet. He was not a morning person... At all.

"'Morning."
I jumped, having not heard Laiko come down the stairs. "Morning," I said cheerfully. By now, I was completley awake and full of energy; looking over at Laiko, I could tell he was not. It was just the type of person I was; No matter how late I was up, I was always awake before ten at the latest. It was nine o'clock now, and Max was still outside as I cooked. I would have to get him breakfast soon, because I could imagine he was hungry. "Can I help?" He asked politely. I looked at him and had to stifle my laughter. He looked ready to trip over his own feet, and his blonde hair stuck up in every which way. "Not a morning person, huh?" I said with a smile. "Well, you could help by sitting down so we don't have to go back to the hospital," I joked, flipping an egg and putting down some toast. "How do you like your eggs? Or would you perfer just toast?" I asked him, turning to look at him again. I cracked another egg, putting it in the frying pan with the other as I got some jam and butter from the fridge and placed it on the table. I wasn't used to having guests and hoped I was doing okay with the breakfast part, even if I didn't have much available. "And don't try to tell me you aren't hungry, because neither of us had any supper and I don't believe I had lunch." I said thoughtfully, thinking of yesterday. Yesterday... what a dreadful day... I sighed quietly, then heard Max clawing at the door and prepared his breakfast, flipping another egg before letting him in to eat.

Laiko groaned in response to her question. "Not at all." He admitted with a slight smile, chuckling slightly at her mention of the hospital. He had almost forgotten about all that... How he'd managed to forget about a lovely big hole in his torso, he would never understand. "Deal." He replied, dropping gratefully onto a stool and watching Ada, his expression gradually brightening as he started to wake up. "Anything is fine with me." Laiko replied with a smile as Ada questioned him about the eggs. It was quite useful, really, not being able to remember one's food preferences. It meant he'd usually eat pretty much anything, since the food he was used to was that at the boarding house, which was pretty much revolting enough to make a pig cry most of the time. Shuddering slightly at the thought, Laiko turned his head to look around the room, taking in his surroundings. His expression was brighter and more attentive now, and it was clear that his mind was slowly beginning to function. He turned eagerly in his seat to match Max enter the house, whistling and speaking a good natured greeting to the dog. "Morning, Max!" Laiko called cheerfully, grinning at the dog affectionately. Suddenly aware of the state he must be in, Laiko flipped his head forward and combed his fingers through his hair once, then flipped his head back again and shook it vigorously. Thankfully, his hair was usually pretty co-operative, and fell willingly into its usual casual untidiness, the golden strands seeming soft and fluffy as always.

"Okay, good." I said with a smile. When the two eggs were finished, I put them on a plate and cracked an egg for myself while I waited for Laiko's toast. Finally, the toast popped and I put the plate on the table, adding a butter knife and fork. "Help yourself to the fridge if you need anything." I said as I put down some toast for myself. Max barked at Laiko, his tal wagging excitedly until he noticed his food. Then he began to eat hungrily, cleaning his bowl within minutes. "Would you like a drink?" I asked, turning back to Laiko. "We have milk, water and orange juice, whichever you perfer..." I said to him, pouring myself some milk in a glass. I picked up the phone when I heard it ring, not even stopping to consider who might be on the other line. "Finally, you answered." I heard a scoff on the other line. "Look, I just wanted to tell you that unless you want me to make your journal spread worldwide, you better come and get it. Meet us at the Cafe in an hour." With that, Amanda hung up and I sighed, making the noise barely audible. I couldn't let Laiko see me get humiliated there... but I was not going to blow him off. I ran a hand through my hair, trying to think as I flipped my eggs. I had no choice, though the thought of what those girls were going to do when they found out I had a "friend" made me burn with shame. They would come up with something pretty nasty, that was for sure. But I couldn't let people see my journal; everything was written in there. I tried to remain cheerful, not wanting to spoil the mood, but it was really hard. I was usually okay with coming up with solutions, but this was over my head. I pushed that thought away. I shouldn't be worrying about my social life when Laiko didn't even seem to worry about his real life. But I still had to find ou what to do... maybe I could just tell him now, but the thought was too humiliating. It would be even more so if he was there while I was pranked and insulted... I shook my head, trying to shake the thoughts. I couldn't think straight like this; I only had an hour!

"Thanks!" Laiko exclaimed eagerly, grinning his gratitude before arming himself with a knife and fork and digging into the meal, devouring it ravenously with an enthusiasm that would have made his rugby coach cry tears of joy, and his hockey coach weep with sorrow. The two were constantly arguing over whether Laiko should lose weight or gain weight, but as he was participating in both sports, yet passionate in neither, he did not really care. Mike had wanted him to join, so he had, and though he had talent, it was clear that with his unenthusiastic attitude toward the sports he would never get anywhere in either. Laiko was jerked out of his thoughts by the phone ringing. He glanced up to see Ada answer it, then shrugged and poured himself a glass of orange juice, downing it in one massive gulp and licking his lips to finish it off. He had never been the tidiest nor the politest eater, but he was not too bad most of the time. He glanced up as Ada hung up the phone, watching her expression closely. Who could be calling her...? Well, it was none of his business, but he was curious all the same. She said she didn't have any friends... She didn't want to speak to her mother... No, now he was just nosy. Bad Laiko. He forced himself to look away, fixing his attention on something else, but the distraction did not last long. When he glanced back at her, he noticed a slight change in her expression, perhaps lines of tension in her face. He had always been rather ept at reading facial expressions... In fact, he had an uncanny ability to read people in general. He supposed that probably had to do with whatever he had done before... Perhaps he had been a stuntman. He had been told a few times that he would make a fair actor... Scratching his head unconcernedly, he glanced casually over at Ada again. "You okay?" He asked brightly, watching her with a searching expression.

I sat down across from Laiko with my breakfast. "You okay?" He asked brightly and I stared at him for a moment. No matter how I was feeling, he could always figure it out. Realizing she was staring quite blankly at him, she looked away for a moment, forcing a smile on her face. "Nothing. Did you want to come for a walk with me and Max after breakfast?" I asked, keeping my tone level. I hoped he wouldn't suspect anything; maybe he wouldn't even want to come. I spread some butter on my toast, dipping it into the yolky part of my egg and chewed, still thinking. Maybe I could dodge the pranks, ignore the insults... just get my journal and leave as quickly as possible. I was startled by Max, jumping up and attempting to eat one of my eggs. "Max!" I scolded, lightly pushing his feet off the edge of the table. He sat on the floor, his ears perked as he watched my every move. I laughed lightly, forgetting my problem and throwing him a piece of my bread. That was what I loved about Max; he always helped to ease the tension. When I was finished eating, I put my dishes in the sink and the food in the fridge. "I'm just going up to get ready for the day," I said, excusing myself as I headed up the stairs, taking them two at a time. I grabbed a pair of jean shorts and a white tank top before heading into the bathroom; I looked around for a minute, putting some of my necessities under the sink where they were out of sight. Then I undressed and got in the shower, enjoying the feeling of the warm water on my skin. After about 10 minutes I got out, drying off and dressing quickly. I still had about another half hour, which was good if Laiko decided to come and wanted to freshen up. I didn't bother putting on any makeup or anything like that, because I knew it would only get me taunted even more.
I headed down the stairs, petting Max on my way. I laughed. "Sorry, I didn't really give you time to answer, did I?" I said with a laugh. "Anyways, did you want to come? I was thinking of going to the Cafe..." I said with a shrug as if it was just a thought.

Laiko frowned slightly at her reply, fully aware that she was hiding something, yet he decided to let it drop, simply fixing a pleasant smile onto his face instead and beginning to reply that he would be delighted to accompany them, before Ada's scolding tone distracted him. He laughed at Max as the dog began to beg, and reached down to scratch him between the ears, enjoying the way his golden fur felt warm against his fingers after absorbing the early morning sunlight. He glanced up at Ada as she spoke again, but she was gone before he even had time to reply. Chuckling softly to himself, he got down from the stool and played with Max while he waited for Ada to return, fondling the dog's soft ears and patting his back heartily. Suddenly, Max jumped up and scampered off, and Laiko slowly straightened his frame, then glanced over to see Ada coming down the stairs. He smiled up at her, then walked over to meet her. "You look great!" He told her with a friendly grin, his tone, as always, completely sincere; showing that he truly meant every word that left his lips. "Sure I'll come." He added in reply, a pleasant smile curving his lips. "Just give m a minute to get ready and I'll be right with you." He finished, throwing her a final grin before dashing up the stairs and into his room. He grabbed his bag, the took a few moments to find the bathroom. He walked in and locked the door behind him, glancing around in awe at the room, which was far more luxurious than the bathrooms both in the hospital and in the boarding house, which, sad as it seemed, were the only ones he could remember using. Shrugging vaguely, he dumped his bag down and rummaged through it for some decent clothes. He didn't have much choice... In fact, he hardly had any choice, as he so seldom left the school campus. Shrugging off the problem, he grabbed an old pair of slightly baggy jeans and a plain white school-style shirt. Laying out the clothes he had chosen, Laiko turned on the water in the shower, undressing quickly and shoving his dirty clothes unceremoniously into his bag before leaping into the shower. He cringed at the sight of the new bullet wound beside the numerous scars of those before it. He was beginning to look like some sort of human dart board... Shrugging off the thought, he tilted his head back and let the tepid droplets pelt his face, enjoying the simple luxury of being able to stand in the shower without Kevin banging on the door telling him to hurry up, or Mike trying to climb in through the window and steal his clothes... He chuckled fondly at the thought of his friends and roommates,then remembered that he was pressed for time and quickly finished off. Hopping out of the shower, he dressed swiftly then glanced briefly into the mirror. The shirt, though plain and unorthodox, suited him rather well. He had left the top two buttons undone, exposing his neck, and the long sleeves were rolled up and held with button straps half way up his upper arm in a way that complimented his powerful forearms, which had been finely tuned by goodness knows what in the past. The stiff material of the shirt accented his muscular shoulders, and suddenly Laiko was seeming a little less weedy, and showing a little more of the uncanny power left over from forgotten uses. Laiko fluffed up his damp hair with his fingers, then stuck his tongue out at his expression before grabbing all his belongings and shoving them into his bag, extracting his toothbrush at the same time. He brushed his teeth quickly, then chucked his bag back into his room and dashed downstairs, hoping that he hadn't taken too long.

I was only waiting for a few minutes when Laiko was rushing down the stairs, showered and dressed for the day in record time. I had to admit I was impressed; I hoped he wasn't worrying about taking too long. "You look great," I returned his earlier comment with a smile. "I guess we should go, then." I asked, putting Max on his leash and opening the door for Laiko. The fresh morning air calmed my nerves and the sun warmed my back as we began to walk. Usually me and Max would jog, but I knew Laiko wasn't that fit and the gunshot had to make it worse. Max seemed to be having a good time, enjoying himself to the fullest. Laiko seemed quite cheerful as well, meanwhile I was filled with dread. I looked up as we passed the boarding school. I wondered what it would be like. For me, a boarding school would be plain torture for me, minus my mother. I couldn't imagine what sort of pranks would be pulled on me there.
After a while, I could see the Cafe and dread washed over me again. Even if we were still quite far away, I could make out the sillhouettes of three people on the outside deck. I could only guess that they were Amanda and her two friends. I wondered what sort of prank they were going to play on me now; whatever it was, I would have to be prepared.


As we walked up, I could hear some excited giggles and groaned. So they liked my new friend. I sighed softly as I walked towards them and Amanda spoke. I could see my journal on the table and kept my gaze on it. "Hey, who's that? Did you actually get a friend?" She said in mock suprise. I could see her looking him up and down, obviously checking him out. I hoped Laiko wouldn't fall for these stupid girls and their act, though I doubted he would. "Stumbled in with the freak, huh? I bet you're just dying to get away from her." The girls laughed shrilly and my cheeks burned with embarassment. Amanda picked up my journal, flipping through the pages and then began speaking in a high, pathetic tone. "Amanda is so mean. Why does she keep doing these things to me? I wish she would stop..." They all laughed again and I turned bright red. "Give that to me, please," I muttered, keeping my gaze on my feet. "Did I hear something? Oh, it must have been the pathetic loser over there!" They all began to laugh again and I sighed.

Laiko smiled slightly at Ada's comment, mumuring his thanks, then followed her out of the door. He stood and waited while she locked it, then followed her in companionable silence down the street, watchign Max's playful antics with a smile. He raised his head as they neared the Cafe, sensing that Ada was a little tense but choosing not to comment on it. He glanced around in attentive interest, drinking in the unfamiliar sights and sounds like a toddler on its first trip to the zoo. A cheerful smile brightened his face, though it soon faded as he followed Ada over to a table, where three girls were grouped around a small book. He blinked in vague surprise at their comments, then frowned in concentration, wondering if he ought to reply to that. Before he could think about it for long, however, they had begun speaking again. Thi time the girl spoke directly to him, and Laiko frowned at her words, wondering vaguely what could have happened to the poor girl to make her so mean and needy. Laiko watched th exchange from the sidelines, not particularly sure what he should say or do. On the one hand, he wanted to defend Ada, but he did not want to embarass her further still. He guessed that she probably wouldn't want him to stand up for her in this situation... At least, not just yet. He bit his lip to keep from speaking, and glanced around the Cafe, letting his attention slip back to the colourful chairs and tables, the brightly painted sign, and all the other simple little things he seldom got to see, yet that made it so very beautiful and unqiue. Bored by his thoughts, Laiko turned his attention to his feet, and stared at the ground for a while. His feet were boring, too. Well, that had not been entirely unexpected... He glanced up again, wondering if the girls had given up being so immature just yet. If they didn't soon, he would actually step in, and then they'd be pretty sorry.

"Did you really think I would give it to you that easily?" She said with a grin, waving the book in her hand. "By the way, would you drop the contacts? We're all getting tired of your "I have Alexandria's Genesis and I deserve sympathy act." All the girls laughed. "And what's your name?" The question was directed at Laiko as she walked toward him. "Don't worry, we can save you from the freak." She jerked her thumb towards me. "Just give me my journal!" I said, getting angry. She shrugged. "Come and get it." I didn't trust her; but I needed that journal. I stepped forward and gasped slightly as buckets of icy water were splashed on me and two boys jumped out of the bushes, howling with laughter as I grabbed my book. "Let's go," I whispered urgently to Laiko. Amanda laughed. "I'm not done yet, Ada. Would you like to say hello to all the people watching you?" She asked, holding up her phone. I sighed.

[Super short, have to get off Bye, Polo! ]