A New Chance, A New Start (SWR)

Chapter 15: The Signs

A week later, it was nearing the month of April and everyone was chattering about how it was nearing the finally months. Ezra just smiled as he walked down the hall to lunch, his bag safely in his locker. His hair was back in the grey beanie and was wearing his causal jeans, tank top and paid shirt with the exception of his black glasses.
He had just finished English and was 'required' to wear them.

He entered the cafeteria with a rumbling stomach and sighed as he saw the long line. Ezra just grabbed a tray and got his place. 5 minutes later, he had only moved a couple feet when something he hadn't been expecting happened.
The football players that were trying to 'trash talk' a few weeks earlier came over and dumped the lunches pasta all over a girl who was walking by, pushing her to the floor. Ezra's eyes widened and his tray fell to the ground. The smirking teen quickly shouted, "Ezra! How could you?!? She was just getting lunch! I knew you were trouble."
Ezra just stood there with a blank face as a teacher came over with a disappointed face. He quickly passed over his paid shirt just as they stopped in front of him.
She shook her head, "Ezra, I thought you knew better." The teen sighed, "Yeah and I thought jocks were supposed to be able to trash talk. I guess we were both wrong."
A fond smile came over her face as she led the slightly shorter teen out who's body was on show, not believing for a second this child could do that. She glanced out of the corner of her eye at two students she knew cared and nodded softly.
They relaxed as their brother was lead out of the cafeteria and both suddenly glared at the group of boys who were walking away from the trashed girl.
"Sabine, go help tha' girl. Get her cleaned up while I talk to the other guys." She nodded and quickly set off to do her job, helping to girl off the floor and into the bathroom.

They came out of the restroom to find complete silence. Sabine quickly found her older brother who was silently eating at their table. She left the girl to go ask what happened but all she got was, "I tol' them to back off."

After school, they got a nonchalant Ezra who just got in truck. Zeb swiftly pulled out of the parking lot, wanting to complain to Hera and Kanan as quick as possible. Sabine asked nonstop questions but Ezra remained calm and said in reply, "I'll tell you when we get home." Always looking out the window and never once wavering in his gaze, Ezra kept his sight on the forest instead of his sister.

Hera and Kanan were not happy as they heard the story, red blooming across their faces. They looked to Ezra who was staring at his quarter eaten plate and sighed in sync.
"Ezra, can you tell us what happened?" The teen flinched and looked up with slight fear clouding his eyes, picking at the loose thread of a school hoodie. All gazes softened at the soft question he asked, "Promise to hear me out and not go into 'ape mode'?"
Nods were passed around.
"At school, teachers are forced to be bias towards athletes. So automatically I'm going to get the blame but the teacher who took me to the office knew I wouldn't have done such a thing which was a bonus in my book. She grabbed me this hoodie to burrow since we weren't allowed in just tank tops and had to pass me over to the principal. He said that since no one was  'willing' to tell him the story, I had to get a punishment. So this weekend on Saturday, I have to clean the auditorium."
They looked around the table with looks before Zeb said with a angry look, "Karabast! Mr. Sato is a kriffing d-" "Garazeb Orrelios! Finish that sentence and you will't be going to your next game." That shut him up real quickly. The buff teen took a look over to his youngest sibling and sighed sadly. He boy had already fled with his plate and chair pushed in.
'Didn't even hear him. Hope he's okay.'

Saturday quickly came and nobody was in a good mood. Zeb grabbed his car keys but Ezra beat him to it, "Its ok Zeb. I'm going to run there." The bigger teen looked flabbergasted at him, "It's a three mile run there. Are you 100% positive you want to do that?"
Ezra dressed in gym shorts and t shirt nodded with a smile, "I've run farther but hey if you want to be a chump, that's your ... thing?" Zeb smirked, "Oh, I'm a chump? Well I need to go to the gym anyway so I'll run to town with you."
Ezra briefly nodded before walking out to the front door. Zeb followed after, being in the same outfit and both started stretches. After all muscles were relaxed and pulled, they started off at a mild pace, Zeb and Ezra pacing them and breathing deeply. The 17 year old glanced over at the 14 year old, "So how many miles do ya usually do?"
"Um, I used to do about 2 miles when I started using my prosthetic and then built it up to 5 miles minimum."
Zeb nodded with a slightly impressed look.