The Beginning (Ku and Cree)

Gabriel let the lip come out again.
"It's just I like hanging out with you till evening! And now I can't!" he sighed leaning against him further.

Jude smiled ruefully and watched the waters spray out splashing into the fountain, "Is it weird that it makes me happy that your so sad?" He paused before shaking his head fast, "Wait, what I mean is..... you like hanging out with me so much, that you get sad when we can't, I have never been, well wanted that much before," Jude kept his green eyes on the water, "It's a nice feeling to be wanted just to ride bikes or eat food with."

Gabriel started silently crying. He didn't answer and so he just rested his head on Jude's shoulder. He tried to control them but couldn't so he finally gave up and let them flood down his cheeks.

Jude looked back at Gabriel as he rested his head against his shoulder face hidden, Jude felt a soft smile take his lips and he just patted the male's shoulder and gave comfort. It was odd, Jude had been a lot more standoffish at first with the boy, wanting to just make up for whacking him, he had been jumpy and frozen when Gabriel had cried or hugged him, not being used to such emotions or contact, but now sitting with the boy, in the nights sky, Jude found he did not mind, Gabriel not at all, he liked him,

In fact, he was Jude's first friend.

Gabriel buried his face in the shirt. He knew sooner or later Jude was gonna notice him crying and then he would well wait he already knew. He sighed loving the contact of the boy's shoulder against his head. He was hitting it off well with the boy. He was his second friend and of course like the others he liked being around Jude a lot. He sighed and looked at the purple fountain. Then he smiled. "You know I bet other people come here! I bet my mom and dad would come here on a well you know"

When Gabriel looked at him speaking, Jude took a moment to focus his attention more on the tears stuck to his cheeks by wiping them away. He tuned in and looked at the fountain a moment before nodding, "Once they discover it yeah, but guess what? No one else comes here at 3am." Jude pointed out wit ha chuckle. Than a thought occurred to him, "Hey, school starts in just a week, we should ride together even if we are in different grades or even..schools? Which are you going? Lannburg? Evermile? SandyOakens?" Jude questioned his eyes intent to know.

"Yh Evermile!" Gabriel said grinning. "Will you come and help me pick out some school stuff?" he asked quickly and urgently. "Cuz I want your help instead of my parents help! Please?"

Jude got an amazing smile spread across his face, he hopped up in his excitement completely disturbing the position, but not noticing right now, "Yesss! Gab! I go to that school!" He stepped back over and grabbed Gabriel's hands tugging him up and gave them both a wild spin along the ground near the fountain, "I can show you the best backpacks, Gab!" Jude's excitement vibrated up his throat.

Gabriel held on thight and tirled along with Jude. "Yes! Awesome!" he yelled. "What grade are you in?" he asked. He twirled faster grinning and laughing wildly.

Jude felt the night air rushed around them in their spinning and laughter, "In tenth grade! What about you? Gab?" Again Gabriel's laughter just fed his own.

""Eleventh grade! My mom pulled me out for a few years, but now i'm back and in eleventh grade! Do you think we could have classes or something together?" he asked stopping and staring into Jude's green eyes.

Jude stumbled from foot to foot a little dizzy before getting his balance back. When he did he looked up at Gabriel slightly with a assured nod, "Yeah, Gab, we could be in the same lunch, gym, and history, math or science." Jude informed with a very pleased look at this information.

"Cool!" Gabriel settled down again snuggling into Jude. "You know it's wrong, but I don't want to go back! Can we stay here for a while?" he asked contentedly. He loved the pool and he loved having Jude as a friend maybe leaning into a best friend.

Jude relaxed back against the ground Gabriel at his side, pretty close again. It was odd having someone this close to him....but it did not feel wrong just a bit uncomfortable for not being used to it, Jude had no intentions of moving away and no want too, his green orbs caught onto the fountain. When Gab spoke a few hushed laughs came from the tawny haired youth,

"if you call this bad, than I am awful, I stay out long passed this most nights," Jude brushed the sprial of bangs away and let himself lean lightly on Gabriel, Sure we can, Gab."

Gabriel took this information storing it in his mental recesses. He didn't press the matter and sighed contentedly. "Ok awesome!" for a while he just watched the fountain his gaze slowly wondering away to observe the whole place before returning to the fountain. He put his arm under his head and just relaxed glad to be with Jude and not have to worry for a while at least when the green eyed boy would be leaving.

The two boys stayed this way for a few hours more and at that point the sun started to peek just over the horizon, it brought a beauty, even if the rainbow colors did fade a bit in the light of the sun, it casted a sparkle to the fresh water. Jude sat up straight and looked over at Gabriel nudging him a little in case he had fallin asleep,

"Hey Gab, sit up and share this pretty site of nature with me," Before I have to go This thought made his heart pinch tightly making him rub at the spot as if he could massage it away.

Gabriel sat up his heart screaming for Jude not to leave. The sun was beautiful, but suddenly it didn't seem al that enteresting anymore. "Why do you have to leave at dawn." he might have sounded like a sulky child, but he didn't care. Apparently all of Jude's day was taken up by whatever job was in the f district. He stared morosely into those grass green eyes and hoped that just for once Jude didn't have to leave for another 2 hours. He would be perfectly fine with those hours left with Jude. Then when the boy left he wouldn't complain.

Jude looked over at Gabriel before sighing lightly the tightening in his chest not letting up. He forced himself to stand, to walk a few paces away, in order to answer properly, he turned so that gray orbs no longer met his, they were to yearning for him to stay, to hang around, like teens would. But like back at the playground, Jude knew this was not his place right now. He was not your average teen or kid, whatever yet Gabriel had somehow shifted some normalcy into his life, to walk away from it was tough, it was evident by the squeeze he was feeling in his chest, but he had too....

"Duty calls, but don't fret, Gab." Going back and reaching for the boy's wrist he grabbed the lightly giving them a tug, "Go home, get some sleep, play some video games or explore and wa-la, Gab, I will be back again tonight." Jude gave a winners smile hoping his coaxing would lift Gab's spirit's some.

Gabriel smiled only for Jude. He wasn't happy himself. Exploring would be lonely and so he sighed. "Later" he said waving a hand and trodding off. He didn't go home, but hopped a train to third district and settled into an unhappy day.

Jude watched Gabriel head off before taking slow steps to follow towards the subways. I don't know what I hate more, the pouts or the false smiles.... The fifteen year old gave a soft sigh as he waited to hop the f-district. Once he did, he striaghtened his distant and longing features and slipped easily behind Holden and Joel, he kept pace with Wyatt as they all walked down the pavement ready to get these collectables shipped off out of the city were they had been collecting and gathering from different sources. This was done by truck, ship, even airplane. Jude honesty had no idea what it all meant and he did not really care, all that mattered was the doe spilt at the end of the deal, besides even if he did care, Holden would never tell. He just flick his cig and condensendingly roughly Jude's hair as if he was eight and say, "Don't bite more than you can chew youngling." The day passed by, new york never slowed there was always something to do. It soon became the time for the two friends to meet up.

But, Gabriel would be waiting on Jude as the fountain changed colors. And as they flicked over and over on his face, Gabriel would be the only person around.

As time went on, if Gab check his phone, a voicemail would be there. The voicemail would ask if he wish to accept from a payphone, if Gabriel agreed the phone would crackle in his ear, and buzz before breath was heard, than a voice, weak the effort of trying to sound normal,

"Hey Gab, its me, um Jude Harper....I....it taking longer than the boss thought, but...we can meet tomorrow? I wanna show you this really cool place." A nervous laugh, "I say that about a lot but...its cool and.....sorry," A voice grew tighter and Gabriel maybe could almost see the tighter grip on the phone in Jude's hands, "See you, Gab-man, play it safe." A serious edge touch the tone before another bye was whispered and the voicemail ended.

The last week of summer, it went by, but how Gabriel felt is not to be known yet, because during that week, Jude was nowhere to be found. There was no school shopping, no changing room goofing or dragging along the streets, no resterant eating. Nothing. It was as Jude was never there.

Soon it was the very first day of school.

Gabriel felt as that week dragged on like he was going to crack. No visit from Jude, no call, no nothing. He didn't go out anymore just stayed up in his room feeling mostly lonely. He did at the last day drag himself up and get his school clothes and stuff like that.

The first day of school came and Gabriel automatically wanted to skip. With no call or visit from Jude he just felt like going back home. However he dragged himself into the building and sat in the back of the classroom avoiding all eye contact. He felt angry, but kept that well hidden.

The first class of the day Government Class, a history seniors had to take. Even though Gabriel avoided eyes, curious students lingered and flicked at the new kid.

Finally a boy with a mullet and a pleasant demeanor slipped into the seat next to Gabriel, "Yo you new? Nice to meet you, names Chase, how you holding up? Need any help finding classes?" New York's schools were a lot bigger having multiple levels and two large wings east and west that had many hallways.

Gabriel looked up. "Hi Chase yeah I do need help finding my classes cuz my friend isn't here!" he sounded a bit bitter towards the end.

Chase noticed and gave a sympathetic look, "Sorry man, move seems hard, you guys still contacted through skype or something?" It seemed he got the wrong interpretation, but before Gabriel could correct him, the teacher was taking and going over what they would learn.

But soon the class was over. a finger nudged Gabriel gently, "Ready to go Gabe? Mind if I call you, Gabe?"

Gabriel flinched but noticed he called him Gabe and not Gab. "No--no it's fine! Yeah I'm ready!" he got ready then stood up and stepped out into the hall. "Feels like weird cuz I was from MA! My friend has been showing me around, but then he stopped coming around!" he hid the look that crossed his face. "So have you lived here all your life?"