Friends

"What?... What do mean alphabets, I thought that we were going to start the training today, and you will teach me how to throw punches, how to throw kicks, how to..,how to..,

" How to read and write" Old man says "but I don't want to read or write, I don't need that, I just want to know how to fight." he says pouting. "At least learn how to write your own name first" Old man says trying to convince the boy. "NO... I knew it, I knew you didn't know how to fight, you were just lying to me, I don't want to learn how to read and I'm not going to do it, I will go pick up recyclables instead!!!... He stands to walk out of the room, but before he could reach the door, Old man moved so swiftly that Zairo could not see him but he was right in front of him.

"Wowww, how did you do that, show me how you moved so fast" he says now all motivated. "I was going to, but since you don't want to learn how to write first, there is nothing I can do.... I guess I will not get the chance to teach you the moves I know. I guess I should go back to bed, and when the sun is fully out we will go collect recyclables." Old man says faking a sad voice. Zairo's eyes widened, as if realizing he was wrong runs back to the table and sits down.

"what do we start with? He asks with a big smile on his face.

With that, Old man became his teacher. He taught him how to read, and write not only his name but write anything he needed to. Only three days in the week were book-free. Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, but training happened anytime, anywhere, anyhow. They could be eating and Old man would throw a sneak attack at him and he would defend himself. He was getting really good. They still had to find time to pick up recyclables so they could sell.

{10 years later}

As the years went by, Zairo grew stronger and better, he had learned how to control himself and not hurt people with his powers, he still did not like books he said they gave him headache.

"Zairo! Zairo!!... I brought the bottles, I'm starving do you have anything in the house for me to eat?..." Jato you are always hungry. Check the kitchen I left something for you. I knew you were going to say that you were hungry." the fat boy runs into the kitchen with utmost speed and starts to devour the food....

"JATOOOO, that's not yours, that one belongs to Old man....but it was too late because the boy had already eaten more than half of the food.....What are we going to tell Old man now huh? You are always putting me in trouble..., I shouldn't have helped you that day...,at least I wouldn't have a friend like you and you would be a professional bully and not cause trouble for me all the time.

That's right, our dear Jato was the fat kid that bullied Zairo when he was still five years old. Seven years ago, Zairo was busy picking up recyclables, when he looked across the street, and saw the fat boy who had bullied him three years back struggling, screaming for help. It was like he was sinking into the earth. Zairo who recognized the fat boy as the one who bullied him looked at him and felt that whatever was happening to him, he definitely deserves it. So he decided to walk away.

Then he suddenly remembered the teachings of Old man, that when you see a human in trouble, try to help them, for there is honor in doing good. He tried to ignore these words but they kept on coming to his head like they were on repeat. Nonchalantly, he moved across the street and realized that he was actually being pulled into the ground by someone. It was like a portal to another place. The fat kid was barely holding on. He wasn't really good at controlling his powers then so he had to figure out a way to get the fat boy out of there, and he had to do it fast.

He had earlier found a rope, so he ties the rope firmly to a nearby pole, and throws it at the fat boy who had been screaming all along. "hold on to the rope, I'll try to pull you up." the boy held onto the rope and Zairo pulled as much as he could, but the kid was just too fat and the person or thing pulling him down was too strong. The boy was already almost fully inside the portal, but you could still see his hand holding onto the rope tightly.

Zairo holds onto the rope once again, this time trying his possible best to focus all his energy towards the rope, he closed his eyes tight, pressed his feet firmly to the ground, and held onto the rope as tight as his hands could. Little lightning sparks starts emitting from his body, his hair turning fully red as he screams and pulls the rope with all his might, the portal was almost closing, he pulls harder, and then you could see the head of the fat boy gradually sticking out of the portal, and then his neck and soon the rest of his body follows. The force of the pull makes both boys fall, landing on the floor with a loud thud, as the portal closes, leaving the person down there screaming in anger..

The fat boy who was still crying was very thankful that he was safe. Zairo was breathing very hard, but then he realized that he was still radiating lightning. He sits up, folds his legs together, places his hands on his knees and shuts his eyes close in a meditation pose. Even though he had not mastered how to control his power fully, he had learned how to calm himself down. He did that by quietly meditating for some minutes, but the fat boy would not be quiet. He kept on crying and crying and amidst the tears were words of thanks, and praises and questions..... "would you please be quiet for just some minutes, I need to calm down." Zairo tells the boy in an irritated manner. The boy finally quiets down.

In a minute, the lightning had stopped and his hair had gone back to being black with the red just in front. He stands up, picks up his bag of recyclables and starts walking away.

"What is your name..,where are you from.., oh..thank you for saving my life once again.., I really thought I was a goner..,where do you stay?,... The questions were never ending, they just kept on coming out, and they were annoying Zairo who couldn't understand why the boy was still following him..."a big thank you for saving me..."

"I didn't save you, I just did what Old man told me to do. He said always help a person in need. So I wasn't saving you, I was just following instructions that's all.Left for me I would have left you there alone for what you did to me before, or don't you remember beating me up and calling me a monster, and why are you still following me? Zairo asks, he was really mad at the boy.

But instead of being afraid the boy was actually fascinated and really sorry. "sorry about that time, and that was long ago, and am sorry for calling you a monster. Will you be my friend now? The boy asks innocently. But Zairo could not understand what the boy was saying. "why would I want to be your friend, I rather want to beat you up too but Old man says not to fight a defenseless person. And you already have friends, are they not enough? Zairo was getting really frustrated. " I think I like Old man already.., and my friends moved to another place so I don't have friends anymore" he says sadly, making Zairo feel a little sorry for him.

"Where do you live? Zairo asks him...."l live down down down the other street with my grandma" the boy says "what about your parents"..."they both died in a car accident a long time ago.

Zairo now felt really sorry for him." I live with Old man, and my house is not very far from here, do you want to come over? He asks the boy faking a nonchalant attitude. "yes yes yes, thank you, thank you. So you will be my friend now? The boy asks happily. But all he gets is a "let's go" as a reply. But he was happy enough with that.

"don't talk too much.... Okay I won't,

Don't tell anybody about my powers...my mouth is sealed

Don't come to my house everyday.....I can't promise you that but I will try.... They continue discussing the do's and don't as they walk to his house together. And with that they began a friendship that would get them both through hard times together in the future.