"You're...an orphan?" Alex asks as clarification. He thought he maybe heard wrong.
"Yup. And Tyler and Carol raised me. The kids here are my little siblings. I'm the oldest so I'm their big brother," Brenton looks over at the two adults. "But that's not the point here, I'm worried about you."
"Why didn't you tell anyone?" Alex narrows his eyes at him.
"Enough about me. You're the one hurting...you'll share my room since it has two beds," Brenton replies.
"Brenton. Tell me. Why didn't you tell us? And if you're still here that means you're still not adopted.." a look of pity shines in his golden-blue eyes.
"That's why. I don't want you guy's pity, I don't need it. I don't want anyone to look at me any differently," Brenton replies, then turns around and walks away.
Tyler walks over to Alex a puts a hand on his shoulder. "Brenton...tries really hard to make the most of being here. I know we can't give him everything he deserves...and he helps us so much. He cares for every one of the kids and even us," Tyler begins.
"If you look through the door..you can see that he's started cleaning," Carol points. Alex looks through and sure enough, Brenton's cleaning up the place.
"The older you get...the fewer chances of you being adopted by someone. Brenton always brushes it off when we try to talk to him about it but...I know it's troubling him," Carol sighs.
"That's why he didn't want anyone to know? Because he thought that if they knew...they would make fun of him or look at him differently?" Alex questions.
"Spot on...orphans aren't treated well, if someone knows about it then, well, everyone just looks at you differently," Tyler answers. "But that's not the point right now, we're worried about you."
"You must be tired, I'll take you over to the room," Carol says, then leads the way.
--
"Guys...the police were at Alex's house," Ava speaks into the phone, looking out her window.
"The police? How do you know that?" Urana questions.
"I saw them. Well, heading towards his house anyway..." Ava answers, biting her lip.
"I asked Coach and she said that Sensei is trying to become Alex's guardian since his parents were arrested. Also, Alex and Brenton are at the Love and Care Orphanage," Owen speaks, after a while.
"Okay. How the heck does she know that?" Urana asks.
"Coach and Sensei talk a lot," Owen clarifies.
"At least Brenton's with him...but we should be there too," Ava brings up.
"Ava's right. Let's go," Urana replies.
"I'll meet you two there in ten," Owen then ends the call.
"Don't worry Ava," Urana says then closes the call. Ava listens to the beep for a moment, then leaves.
--
The trio reaches the orphanage. They walk inside and the sweet smell of who knows what fills their nostrils.
"This place looks nice," Ava comments, looking around at the colorful place. Owen pulls his hood, making his face invisible.
"Dude, the kids here are gonna think you're some bad guy," Urana sighs.
"Hello. Can I help you?" A smiling blonde, Carol, stands behind the counter.
"Hi! I'm Ava, the girl here is Urana, and the one with the hood is Owen. We wanna meet our friends Alex and Brenton," Ava smiles.
"You know, we can introduce ourselves," Urana crosses her arms.
"Oh...it's a pleasure to meet all of you! Brenton talks about all of you so much, in fact, they're talking about you right now too," Carol smiles softly.
"He does?" Urana questions.
"They are?" Ava adds.
"Follow me, I'll take you to where they are. I'm Carol by the way," Carol introduces herself, then leads the way.
She takes them to a room with a sign on it.
'Brenton's room. Knock you guys.'
"Brenton has a room here?" Ava questions. Owen and Urana have a guess as to why but don't say anything.
"Brenton? It's Carol. Ava, Owen, and Urana are here," Carol knocks. They hear shuffling, then the door clicks open, with Brenton standing in the doorway and Alex sitting on the bed.
"What are you guys doing here?" Brenton narrows his eyes.
"We came to see you two. Is that a problem?" Urana asks, stepping closer.
Brenton sighs. "What can I say? Just come on in I guess," Brenton moves out of the doorway. Everyone then walks in, Carol whispers something to Brenton, then leaves.
"Alex! Are you okay?!" Ava rushes over and hugs him. Alex hugs back, tears coming back.
"Sorta...I guess," Alex replies, sniffling.
"Glad to hear it," Urana smiles, patting Alex's shoulder.
"Are you sure you're okay?" Owen asks, he takes off his hood, and a small shine of worry lights up his green-brown eyes.
"Yo...did Owen just take his hood off?" Brenton questions, in disbelief.
"He did.." Alex's voice trails off.
"Oh c'mon! Don't act so surprised," Owen grumbles.
"Sorry, it's just that you've never taken your hood off when we're with you," Ava let's go of Alex. Who holds onto her hand.
"I'm honestly surprised...you've only ever taken your hood off when we're alone," Urana says, looking a bit confused.
"Oooo, 'when we're alone'? What does that mean Urana?" Brenton teases. But his voice sounds heavy and forced.
"Dude. Not cool," Owen throws a glare at Brenton.
"Now why don't you tell us why you have a room here?" Urana brings up. The happiness on Brenton's face disappears. He takes a deep breath and closes his eyes.
"I'm an orphan...this is my home. Carol and Tyler raised me...the other kids here are my little siblings since I'm the oldest...making me their big brother," Brenton explains.
"It's really sweet how he takes care of everyone here," Alex comments, now lying down on the bed.
"Why didn't you tell us?" Ava questions, looking hurt.
"Because...I don't want you guys to look at me with pity...or any differently," Brenton looks away. "And this isn't the problem. Alex is who we should be focusing on."
"Brenton, we wouldn't do that," Owen puts a hand on his shoulder.
"But you are! I can tell you're looking at me with pity already!" Brenton lashes out, a flame burning on his spike.
"We're not! Stop thinking that way!" Ava calls out, getting up.
"We're supposed to trust each other. If you can't trust us to not look at you differently...then who will you trust?" Urana asks, her facial expression softens.
"It's hard for me to believe that okay? I know you're not but-" Brenton stops talking.
"But what?" Alex gets up.
"But nothing. I know you guys are different...that you all aren't like them," Brenton adds quietly. "Forget about me, Alex, are you really okay?"
--
Amy texts Brenton, knowing that he's with Alex.
A: Brenton, how's it going?
That was the message she sent a while ago, and she still didn't get a reply.
"What's going on?" Amy knits her eyebrows together in confusion. She then texts Alex.
No reply.
Amy then proceeds to text Ava, Owen, and Urana.
Still no reply. Of course, it's been a while since she texted all of them.
"Ughhhh, why doesn't anyone ever reply to my texts?!" Amy punches the punching bag next to her. She puts her phone down on the side table, then walks back to the punching bag and starts to kick and hit it. Amy's hand glows green.
"I just hope nothing's wrong," Amy mumbles, punching the bag so hard that it flies up for a moment. "Bleh, these bags are so less heavy than the ones back home," Amy sighs, the bag then pops, its filling falling onto the ground.
Amy turns around, wide-eyed. "Oh COME ON!" Amy cries out, mumbling to herself, she goes over to the storeroom and grabs a broom.
Mumbling more things, Amy starts to sweep the mess. All the while looking frustrated.
--
"Wait. Back up, you're an orphan?" Amy questions, looking over the teens. Ku is sitting next to her, stroking his beard.
"Stop stroking your beard! It's irritating!" Amy swats at his hand.
"Calm down. What has gotten you all tied up in a knot?" Ku rolls his eyes.
"Forget that-" Amy turns her face back to the teens. "Explain what you're saying."
"I'm adopted. You heard my usual speech. Alex is safe now and everyone knows about me and about Alex," Brenton summarizes.
"Okay, that makes more sense than your gibberish earlier," Amy replies.
"That wasn't gibberish!" Ava cries out.
"Just us talking...at the same time..." Alex's voice trails off.
"Whatever the case. The police say I am your legal guardian now. So you will be moving in with me. That is why we are all standing outside of your house," Ku explains.
"That makes sense," Owen mumbles.
"Well, let's get going then," Urana stars to head for the door.
--
It took only an hour or so to pack up all of Alex's things.
The house was a mess on the inside though. Blood marks are hidden in random areas "Looks like they didn't have time to clean..." Alex notices.
"Is this all your stuff?" Brenton asks, putting down the third box.
"Yup! That's all there is," Alex answers, walking over to the boxes.
"Why'd you need all of us?" Urana asks, taping up one of the boxes.
"Just because," Ku answers, looking through the house. He then goes upstairs and motions for Amy to follow him.
"Be right back," Amy says, then runs up to follow Ku.
"Whatever their deal is," Brenton waves his hand. Owen grabs one of the boxes, Brenton, not looking, walks over and puts the box he's carrying on top of Owen's.
"Just hold onto it for a sec," Brenton then leaves.
"I guess a sec should be fine," Owen struggles to keep the boxes balanced.
Urana grabs the last box and puts it on top of the other two boxes. "I'll be right back," she says then leaves.
"Hey wait! I can't carry all three!" Owen struggles to keep his balance.
"Wow, look at you. Carrying all three at once," Ava compliments, obviously aware of his struggling but choosing not to do anything about it.
"Oh Ava hey listen-" she then smiles and walks away.
"No! Come back here!" Owen cries out desperately. Ava laughs, at him. Clearly enjoying him panicking.
"Ava!" Owen cries out.
"Okay, okay, hold on," Ava laughs, she walks over. First, she adjusts the boxes to make them balanced. Owen stopped fighting to stay balanced.
"Thank you," Owen breathes.
"No prob dude," Ava pats his back.
Which was a little too hard...
And Owen came tumbling down.
Ava couldn't hold back her laughter. "Ava I swear I'll get you back for this!" Owen mummers, lying face-first on the floor.
"Sorry! Sorry! It wasn't on purpose!" Ava helps him up. "Buuuuuuuuut, you have to admit it WAS funny," Ava offers a kind smile.
"To you, it was," Owen grumbles.
"Thanks," Owen says once he's up. They both pick up the boxes.
"You know, you have super strength," Ava casually says.
"I do?" Owen questions, looking surprised.
"Ya, you can carry more stuff than us and all. Did you really not notice? It looks like it only happens when you need it," Ava giggles.
"Cool," Owen smiles a little.
"Did you just smile?" Ava rubs her eyes.
"No," Owen's smile quickly fades.
"Today's the first for a lot of stuff huh," Ava muses, lost in her own thoughts.
--
"Sensei, your house is nice," Brenton whistles.
"Thank you, Brenton," Ku unlocks the door and leads everyone in.
"What do you want me to do with the papers and all?" Amy whispers, tightening her grip on the papers in her pocket. Her hands had become wet with sweat from keeping the papers in her palm. These papers...couldn't be lost or they wouldn't get the help they need.
"Take them and store them somewhere you can access them easily and at any time," Ku whispers back. Amy nods, her hands glow and then the papers disappear.
Ku leads everyone to an empty room with a bed. "This'll be your room Alex," Ku jesters towards the room.
"A room to decorate?" Alex's eyes light up.
"Yes," Ku chuckles.
"Awesome!" Alex exclaims, then runs into the room.
"We're happy for ya man," Brenton smiles.
"Yeah. You're in good hands now," Ava grins.
"And don't forget that we're you're friends, you can come to us anytime," Urana smiles lightly.
"We're a team. And we'll stick with each other no matter what," Owen adds, his hood off.
That night, Alex slept with more ease, Ku staying by his side and gently patting the kid's shoulder and listening to everything that Alex wanted to say.