New Neighbors (Part 1)
Three weeks later…
Aaron sat on his roof as the end of the day was approaching and the sky was turning to its purple-blue-ish hue. The teen was relaxing and just staring up as he thought back.
Flashback…
"You're angry. Why?" asked Jasmine, honestly confused. He was fine until he underwent the ritual, did she miss something?
Aaron inhaled. The question angered him, much more than he cared to admit. "You want to know why I am like this?" asked Aaron as he adopted a furious expression.
"THREE DAYS AGO, MY LIFE WAS JUST NORMAL, YOU KNOW? LIKE, DOING MY THING, HANGING OUT WITH FRIENDS. THEN, OUTTA NOWHERE, I ALMOST GET CHOMPED BY SOME DEMON! AND BAM! MY WHOLE WORLD GETS FLIPPED UPSIDE DOWN! AND LIKE, EVERYONE'S EXPECTING ME TO JUST DEAL WITH IT! THEN, I FIND OUT THE GIRL I'M INTO IS ENGAGED TO SOMEONE ELSE! LIKE, HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO COMPETE WITH THAT? IT'S TOTALLY UNFAIR, MAN! YOU WANNA KNOW WHY I'M SO PISSED? 'CAUSE I FEEL LIKE A TOTAL LOSER!" Aaron yelled, frustration dripping from every word. Jasmine flinched at the intensity of his voice. He didn't even care if the whole neighborhood heard him. He was just done with everything.
"I OPEN UP ABOUT MY FEELINGS, AND SHE SHOOTS ME DOWN LIKE I'M SOME SICK PUPPY THAT NEEDS TO BE PUT OUT OF ITS MISERY! THEN I GO THROUGH THE WORST PAIN EVER JUST TO TRY AND FORGET ABOUT HER. AND YOU KNOW WHAT? IT SORTA WORKED! I KNOW I SOUND PATHETIC, BUT I DON'T EVEN CARE ANYMORE. WHY WOULD ANYONE EVEN CARE ABOUT HOW I FEEL? I FEEL LIKE I'M LOSING IT, LIKE I'M GOING CRAZY!" He yelled, his voice cracking with emotion. Jasmine flinched again, realizing she had no clue he was hurting this bad.
The rest of his friends gathered at his room door; they could all hear him. "Aaron…" said Adam, attempting to approach him.
"It's okay to feel this way," Dean continued. Aaron, in his rage, noticed that Michelle was not even among them. She didn't even seem to care how he felt, and that stung.
"GET OUT!" Aaron yelled, causing them all to flinch. He gave them a piercing look.
Brianne wanted to say something, but then she saw the tears streaming down his face.
"I SAID GET OUT OF MY HOME!!!" Aaron shouted, his eyes blazing.
Flashback end…
'I still don't know what happened. But I have been feeling a lot better emotionally lately. My situation, on the other hand, is still confusing,' Aaron thought as he sat up. 'Thinking about it is going to give me a headache.' He jumped off the side of his roof and landed on his feet. 'I will never get used to that,' Aaron thought as he yelled.
"Mom! I am going for a walk!" He waited for a response until he heard her respond.
"Don't be back late!"
He started walking and he couldn't get it off his mind that he hasn't spoken to either of them since the argument. He avoided them as best he could at school, but he could tell Adam still shadowed him somewhat.
He walked around his neighborhood and sighed at the end. This walk had done nothing for him but maybe confused him more.
'I need to talk to them…I should apologize…I really should say sorry to Jas…' He continued his stride but stopped nearly instantly when he saw a moving truck drive up and stop directly in front of the house next to his. Curiosity got the better of him and he walked up to the truck and looked at the house. To his surprise, there seemed to be new people living there.
'How did I not even notice new people are living next door?' wondered Aaron before remembering his recent new lifestyle. 'Oh right,' Aaron thought sarcastically as he stood on the sidewalk and watched the movers knock on the front door. He saw a middle-aged man open the door. A brief look of confusion on his face was replaced with recognition, and immediately he started conversing with the man. Soon his wife came out, they signed some paperwork, and then they started moving the boxes.
'Well, I guess I have nothing better to do,' thought Aaron as he walked up to the middle-aged man until he saw the man pick up a big box on his own. 'Hold on…' thought Aaron. A brief period of recollection passed. 'Oh right…there are supernatural creatures that exist with super strength.' He contemplated just turning around and leaving; he had enough super creatures in his life.
"Come on dear, that box has virtually nothing in it. Leave it to me. You go and help them pick up the heavier stuff," said the woman, her husband with a hearty laugh before responding. "I guess you're right." He handed her the big box and she carried it in with ease. Aaron stopped.
'Would you look at that?' he thought as he smiled. 'Finally, some normal people.' Suddenly feeling motivated to help them, he walked up to the man and greeted him with a smile, one he hasn't had for a while. Who knew normal would have felt so…amazing.
"Hello sir," greeted Aaron as he extended his hand for the man to shake, which he did. "I am your neighbor and I just couldn't help but notice that you moved in," said Aaron as he shook his hand.
"Hello, yes. My wife and I moved in last week. I am assuming you must have been busy if you didn't notice," said the man. Aaron nodded and immediately picked up on the English accent.
"Yes, I was…quite busy," said Aaron as he looked at the truck. "I was just wondering if you needed an extra hand at moving the stuff into your new home?" offered Aaron. The man looked at Aaron as if musing over whether or not he should let Aaron help.
"Yes, that would be appreciated," said the man. Aaron turned and walked towards the truck, picked up two boxes, and walked towards the man.
"Sir, where do I put these?" Aaron asked. The man raised an eyebrow at the boxes Aaron seemed to be carrying and smiled.
"You can call me Mr. Tailor, and you can put those boxes in the first room to the left," said Mr. Tailor. Aaron nodded and turned to leave.
"You must be quite strong to pick up those boxes on your own," observed Mr. Tailor. Aaron looked at the boxes in confusion. 'They aren't that heavy…' until realization dawned on him. 'Oh right, the ritual made me stronger,' thought Aaron as he froze. A cold shiver ran down his spine. A bead of sweat ran down the side of his face as he turned.