Fighting history (Threequel to 'Lucky 13')

Chapter 15: A stranger, a boy

Emily's POV

The next day, at school, I couldn't help but feel nervous. I was standing by my locker, looking at Miss Keller's office door. Jennifer...

I kept looking at the door, hoping and wishing for it to open somehow. I wanted to see her again, I wanted to talk to her again, and I wanted to kiss her again. Oh, those lips... I want them on mine again.

I shook my head a bit as I felt a bit weird for drooling over her like that. I closed my locker and started walking to class. I noticed the hallways were pretty empty, classes must've started already...

I was walking through the hallways when I suddenly saw a group of students. I walked closer and noticed them ganging up on a boy.

"Hey," I said, making them all look at me. "What are you doing?"

One person stepped forward, a guy who pretended to be very strong and dominant. "Why do you care?"

I raised one eyebrow. "I care about that boy," I motioned to the one boy they were clearly bullying. "Leave him be."

"Why? Is he your boyfriend?" They all started laughing even though it was clearly not funny.

I rolled my eyes before pushing them all aside. And, as I was naturally stronger, they all fell to the ground. "Hey," I said as I got to the boy. "Are you ok?"

He gulped as he looked at the students I had pushed down.

I looked at those students and noticed them being confused by my strength. "Go!" I stepped forward, but they all fled. I looked back at the boy. "Are you ok?"

He nodded. "Thanks," He gulped, he seemed very shy. "I've never had someone help me."

I raised an eyebrow. "Has this happened before?"

He nodded. "Many times, though not all here."

"Why don't we get something to eat?" I wrapped my arm around him and led us out of school, going to a nearby snack bar.

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"Here you go," The waitress said as she served us two sodas. "Enjoy." She walked away, to serve other people.

I looked from her to the boy again. He looked worried, scared even. It's as if he was alert constantly, ready to flee.

"Hey," I said, pulling him out of that trans. "You're ok now, they're gone."

He slowly nodded, though still shaking a bit.

"So," I took my soda, taking a sip. "What's your name?"

He gulped before saying: "Julian." He then looked down.

"Well, I'm Emily," I showed him a smile, at least I was trying to. "It's nice to meet you, Julian."

He looked up at me and smiled a bit, a very shy smile. "T-Thanks, y-you too."

"Why did those idiots bully you?"

He shrugged, taking his soda closer to him. "I've been bullied many times before without ever knowing why," He looked down. "There must be something wrong with me."

"That's where you're wrong," I said, gaining his attention. "There's something wrong with the people who bully others, not with the victims."

He once again smiled, it got brighter than before. "You were so strong and brave to stand up to them," He looked away a bit. "I've never seen anyone do that for me."

"As I said," I took another sip from my soda. "Those were idiots, I simply made that clear to them."

He nodded and looked down.

"So you're new at school?"

He nodded slowly.

"I am too," I smiled a bit, trying to cheer him up. "Perhaps we can stick together?"

He looked up at me again though, this time, he seemed surprised perhaps even shocked to hear what I had said. "R-really? You'd want that?"

I smiled. "I'd love that."

He smiled too then. "Me too," He smiled more. "You'd be the first friend I'll ever have."

"Really?" I paused. "Were you bullied at your other school too?"

"Yeah," He sighed. "I've been moving schools because I was bullied at them. For a second, I thought I had to move schools again," He then looked up at me. "Then you came." He smiled.

"We'll keep idiots away from us," I leaned closer. "Together."

He nodded.

"So," I took yet another sip. "Tell me something about yourself."

He seemed taken back by my simple question. He looked down, seemingly getting nervous. Then I remembered he never had friends, he never had gone through the process of meeting people, this must be terrifying to him...

"So I'm Emily," I started, immediately gaining his attention. I could see he was confused. "I'm 17, I have been homeschooled until now..." I rolled my eyes, I was still not agreeing with that. Though I had met Jennifer because of it... Perhaps it wasn't that bad. "I have two mothers, I live in a big house with my grandparents, aunt, and uncle."

He nodded. "I'm Julian, I'm 13," He said, repeating in the same way as I had started. "I live in a house with my mother and father."

I nodded.

"What are your hobbies?"

I was surprised to hear him ask me these questions, pleasantly surprised. "I..." I then stopped. My hobbies... What did I like to do?

"What do you like to do in your spare time?" He helped me out.

I looked away then. My spare time... Whenever I had time at home, I either practiced with zaezzes for my role as future Superior, or I learned about our kind and the humans. "I like to read," I settled on that answer as it was partially true. "I like to be informed."

"It's good to be informed." He then looked down, as if thinking about something sad.

"How about you?" I asked, trying to avert his attention. "What do you like to do in your spare time?"

"I like to explore things."

I raised my eyebrows. "What do you mean by that?"

He shrugged. "It's like you said, I like to be informed too," He then paused before adding: "There are so many things in our world, so many undiscovered places and truths. So many misconceptions that are begging to be discovered. I like to explore those things," He smiled. "I like to be informed."

I nodded as I smiled. I realized that this guy had a layer underneath the nervous and shy boy he appeared to be. It truly fascinated me, in a good way. "Well Julian," I leaned in closer, showing him a smile. "You are one of the most interesting people I've ever met."

He smiled a bit and looked down. He was feeling flattered. "You too," He looked at me. "I'm happy we met."

"Me too."