Broken Light

~ Prologue ~

I fall hard onto the hot concrete in front of me. My head hurts and I can't stop myself from spitting the salty, bitter taste out of my mouth. I rub my hand against my lips and see it return with dark patches of red.

So this is what blood tastes like.

"Oh, I'm so sorry newbie," the boy behind me says. I try hard to remember his name. Jordan? Mike? Whatever his name, I didn't like him a tiny bit. Looking at his fake smile and bent arms in an attempt to look older than the immature 10-year-old boy that he is, I fight the urge to punch him straight in the face.

"Next time, newbie, maybe move to the side so other people can pass by," Mike rambles on. "I know it's probably hard with the extra meat you have on you, but hey, that shouldn't stop you from trying." Other kids start to make their way over, smirking in the background.

For the hundredth time this week, I wish to go back in time and stop my stupid family from moving to Vancouver. None of this would have happened if we had stayed in Edmonton. I would have had a few friends and never known of the horrible taste of blood.

Mike is about to open his mouth again when the sound of another boy breaks the silence from across the field.

"Mike, just drop it," the voice says. Mike hesitates and looks back. He opens his mouth but no words come out. A deep grimace comes onto his face and he shakes his head before strutting off, leaving me in the sight of the burning sun. I hide my chubby face with my hands until the boy steps forward and becomes illuminated by the rays that viciously stung my entire body seconds before. The light makes his jet-black hair look shinier and his blue eyes look brighter than natural. He smiles and extends his hand to me.

"I'm Alex," he says, probably in the friendliest voice I've heard since we moved to Vancouver. "It's short for Alexander, but you can call me Alex."