Guardian

Chapter 4

"Hey, runt!"

I ignored him and kept walking.

"Hey! I'm talking to you!" Nick, my roomate, shouted as he shoved me from behind.

I caught myself, but scraped my hands on the sidewalk. I picked myself up and held my stinging palms close to me. "Can we please not do this today?" I asked sleepily.

"Whoa! Little runt is talking back!" Nick taunted. His little posse chuckled and fained shock.

I turned away and continued walking down the street back to the orphanage.

"Hey, I'm not done with you yet, shorty!" Nick yelled.

I glanced back at them and saw that the whole group started running at me! I started running as fast as I could, my backpack thumbing against my back! They're shouts and pounding footsteps were getting louder and louder!

The orphanage was in sight! I pushed myself to go faster and ran around the side of the house. Still running, I shrugged off my backpack, throwing it onto the porch. I ran into the woods, following the path.

"There! He went in the woods!" I heard one of the boys yelled.

I paniced and steered off the path! Darting inbetween trees and avoiding bushes, trying to put as much distance between me and them.

I slowed down, panting, and leaned against a tree. I slid down against the bark until I was sitting on the ground. I laid my head back, trying to catch my breath.

I looked down at my hands. They still stung a little, but nothing I wasn't used to. Those guys do this to me all the time. They rarely chase me into the woods though.

I stared down at my scraped hands. Why do they hate me? Why do they do this to me? Every. Day.

I pulled my knees to my chest and curled up against the tree. What did I do to deserve this? Why did I servive while they didn't?

A few tears spilled onto my red hands. I want my mom. I want my dad. I want my family!

"Jason?"

I jumped in surprise and looked up to see Dark, standing in the shadow of a nereby tree. I quickly wiped my tears and gave him a small smile, "Hey, Dark."

He walked up to me and crouched down to my level. He tilted his head and gave me a questioning look, "I thought you said we would be meeting tonight."

"Yeah, well, things happened and I'm here now." I looked back down at my hands.

Dark sat down next to me, "What's wrong, Jason?"

I looked up at him, "Nothing's wrong."

He reached out with one long black claw and wiped a stray tear from my face. "You're crying. Are you hurt?"

I sniffed as tears started blurring my vision. I couldn't hold back anymore and wrapped my arms around Dark's chest and started crying. I felt Dark stiffen, but I just kept crying.

"W-why does e-everyone h-h-hate m-me?" I sobbed.

I felt Dark relax a bit and he started patting my head. "Uh, it's okay, Jason. Please, stop crying. I can hardly understand you."

I leaned back a little to look Dark in the eye. "I'm all alone, Dark! I have been for 2 years! My parents are gone, I lost all my friends, all the other kids hate me and the adults pity me or try to replace my parents!"

Dark looked a bit taken aback at my outburst, but then his eyes softened. He wrapped his long arms around me in a gentle hug. "You're not alone anymore," he said, "and you'll never be again. We're...friends, right?"

I let out a sigh as I hugged him back. "Yeah, that's right."

We stayed like that for a little while before Dark pulled away. "Are you okay now?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm good." I replied.

He picked me up and placed me next to him, watching as I wiped my face with my jacket sleeve.

"Sorry about that, Dark." I apologized, "I know we've only just met yesterday, but I feel safe around you. Like I could tell you anything. I guess..." I looked up at him, "Well...I just havn't had a friend in a long time." I smiled up at him, "Certainly not anybody like you!"

Dark rubbed the back of his neck, "Thank you, I think."

"Anyway," I changed the subject, "how are you holding up?"

"I'm a fast healer," he replied, "most of the small cuts are practically gone, but it will take time for the slashes on my arm and my leg to heal. Otherwise, I'm fine."

"Well that's good to hear!" I looked at my watch to see it was about 4:15.

"I should go." I said as I stood up and brushed my pants of any leaves, "I have to get back to the orphanage before Mrs. Keistone starts worring about me."

Dark stood up too, "I'll walk you back to the path."

We reached the path in no time at all. I promised Dark that I'd come back tonight once I had finished my homework. I don't think he knew what homework was, but he just said that he'd be waiting.

I'm just so happy to finally have a friend I can count on again!

**************************************************************************
Wow, 4 chapters in such a short amount of time! That's definately a new record for me!
I really hope you guys like it so far! If you do, please Comment, Vote, and Share!