Friends Bond In The Darkest Of Times

Chapter 1: The Fight!

Dalton was thrown into a sharp hit, by a baton his opponent was wielding. After the strike, Dalton struggles to keep standing, but as the kid rushed at him, he managed to avoid the oncoming strikes. The kid goes in with a back kick, but Dalton quickly blocks and uses the momentum of his opponent's kick to flip him. He hits the ground hard dropping the baton, Dalton grabs it and lands a swift, hard blow to his opponent's chest. The coach blows the whistle, ending the battle between the two, then walks over to them, to declare the winner.

"Dalton has executed quick thinking, even after taking hard hits and losing his own weapon early on, Dalton is the winner," the coach says.

Dalton walks over to Brain and thanks to him for the battle. Brian is Dalton's friend from school, they've known each other since they were little. Brian nods his back at Dalton, returning the thanks, sometime after Brian walks over to Dalton.

"Hey you doing anything later, my friends and I are going out to the lake," Brian asked.

"I know your stepdad just passed away, we want to take your mind off of it" he adds.

"I'm fine you don't need to worry, he wasn't my dad, so why should I even care" Dalton responds back.

"Come on man it's a nice, warm, sunny day out, it's the perfect day to just kick back and hang out" Brian persists.

"I can't, I have things to attend to after school, I'll catch you later Brian" Dalton replies hurrying out of the room.

"Yeah, right see you Dalton" Brian replies as Dalton hurries out.

On his way home he walks past Grace, another friend from school, that he's known since he was little. They walk past each other and exchange a friendly nod, but as Dalton is walking away he hears her screaming at someone, getting worried he turns around and steadily makes his way back towards her.

"Get away from me Scott, I said we were over" Grace screams.

"I just don't understand why you're doing this to us" Scott screams back.

"Don't raise your voice at me and you know why" Grace screams back louder.

Scott raises his hand and goes to slap her, but Dalton took it instead. Scott, shocked, not realizing where he came from, goes to slap him again. He hits him hard, leaving a handprint across his face.

"Scott, I won't kill you if you walk away now," said Dalton very calmly.

"Don't get in my way Dalton, this is between me and her" Scott screamed at him.

"She's my friend Scott, this has everything to do with me, I won't stand for an idiotic, imbecile slapping her," Dalton said again without raising his tone.

"What did you say, imbecile, idiotic, you'll regret stepping in the way" Scott screamed again.

Scott swings at Dalton hitting him across the face, stumbling him backward.

"I warned you," Dalton said raising his voice now.

"You just wouldn't listen, I gave you a free shot, consider it your last" he added, raising his voice louder.

Scott laughs at the threat and goes to swing again, Dalton ducks the incoming punch and tackles him to the ground. Scott throws him off, Dalton rolls back to his feet and sweeps Scott back to the ground with his feet. Scott hits face first and rolls over, holding his nose, his hand was covered in blood.

"Come on Grace let's go, I'll walk you home," Dalton said trying to comfort her.

"Thank you," Grace replied.

"Anytime," Dalton said smiling back.

On their way to Grace's, she sighs "You know I thought we weren't friends anymore"

"Why's that?" asks Dalton.

"I mean we don't really talk anymore, other than in science, but that's because we're partners, I don't know, I feel like you just kind of drifted away I guess" Grace replies.

"It's been rough since my mom met my stepdad and now he's gone, it's just hard with my mom crying and me and Cole always fighting" Dalton replied sighing.

"I can only imagine" Grace replied.

"You know I'm always here for you Dalton" she added trying to comfort him.

"I'm fine, you don't have to worry, thank you tho" Dalton says smiling at her.

"Anytime" Grace replied back, smiling.

Dalton and Grace have a small chit chat, walking to Grace's house. When they finally arrived, Nosaes, another friend from school, Dalton's known since he was little, was sitting on Grace's porch, waiting for her arrival.

"We're here," Grace said happily running up ahead.

"Hey, Nosaes how are you," Dalton asks.

"I'm good and you" Nosaes replies.

"I've been better, but I'll be okay," Dalton said faking a smile, to reassure his friends.

"Hey, do you think you could hang out?" Grace asks Dalton.

"I would, but I gotta get home, I have things to attend to, I'm sorry girls, maybe next time," Dalton said before he started to walk away.

"Be safe, let me know if you need anything?" Grace said, waving goodbye.

"See ya later Dalton" Nosaes replied, as they walked inside.

On Dalton's way home, he notices his brother's cop car parked out front. To Dalton, his brother Cole is Mr. Perfect to his mother, while he is less than sub-par, but that's his own opinion. When Dalton walked inside, Cole started yelling at him saying that school ended hours ago, where has he been, things like that. Dalton doesn't reply, he just walks up to his mom to ask her how she's doing.

"Mom, how are you today?" asked Dalton.

"I'm doing alright, your brother was pretty worried about you though, the practice ended almost an hour ago, you know" his mother replied.

"Yeah I know I got caught up at practice, I'm sorry momma" Dalton replied

"I'm sorry Dalton I didn't know you were doing any sports" Cole tried to apologize.
"I'll be up in my room, I love you, momma," said Dalton while walking upstairs.

Later that night Cole comes upstairs to check on Dalton, but when he knocked he didn't get an answer, figuring he was asleep and he returned downstairs.

"He asleep Cole," asked his mother.

"Yeah I guess so, he's not answering the door" Cole replied.

The next day, Dalton's mom woke him up pretty early, telling him she's off to work. Dalton told her he wasn't feeling good and he just wasn't up for school today.

"I'll be home at five, get some rest honey," his mom said.

"Thank you, momma" Dalton replied.

Later that day Brian brought Dalton his homework, but when he knocked on the front door there wasn't an answer. He tried yelling up at Dalton's window to see if he just couldn't hear the door. Brian jumped after hearing a loud crashing noise coming from Dalton's room, worried Brian climbs through the window they kept unlocked by the basement. Brian slowly made his room to Dalton's room, hearing chanting on his way up. When he reached his room he saw the door cracked, Brian peaks in and what he saw, would change what normal lives they had left.