(6) Gym Class

As Adalin and Owen take their seats Mr. Dawson paused from teaching mathematics to ask if everything went alright.

"Yeah nurse checked me out. Said I'm okay." Owen explains and the teacher nodded going back to his lecture.

"So eight to the fourth power can also be written out as eight times eight times eight times eight... To get 4,096." Dawson goes back to writing on the chalk board.

Adalin sees Gregory sound asleep in his chair drooling as Keith is struggling to not fall asleep himself while taking notes. Even Owen gets comfortable in his seat and picks up his book and puts on his face going to go to sleep to Adalin's horror.

Adalin takes off his hat and whacks Owen as he takes off the book to look at him confused as Adalin looks at him with a face that can only be described as an angry puffer fish. Owen flashed a smile and puts his book down as he stands up in his desk.

"Hey teach! I was curious if you let our new student here explain how they use math over in their country!" Owen chimed making Keith stir to attention and elbows Gregory awake nearly making him fall out of his desk.

The teacher looks at Owen confused as Adalin tried to hide inside his hat looking embarrassed, "I don't see why not. Alright mister Pompey. Will you please come up front for a bit." Dawson explains.

Adalin shoots a look that says you're going to pay for this later as Owen just chuckled. Adalin shyly stands in front of the classroom looking at the bored and tired seniors who look like they want to be anywhere, but here right now.

"Uh..." Adalin wasn't sure how to start as Dawson takes his seat in his desk and drinks some of his coffee to stay awake himself.

"You got this! How do you guys use math in your everyday lives?" Owen asked happily.

"Well... as a sailor... math is very vital to us to find our ways home and figure out where we are positioned in the vast sea. There's no landmarks to go off sometimes, but you can always count on the stars and constellations to be your guide..." Adalin begins to explain shyly.

"Yeah... but where the math come to play in all that?" Owen encourage and Adalin had half a mind to beat him with his hat again.

Adalin takes a piece of chalk and begins writing on it and slams his hand against the board starling a few sleepy students.

"Don't rush me! I take this very seriously! Because out there on the sea this is what's going to save you from getting lost for years on end and starving to death when your supplies depleted due how many days you've all been lost at sea!" Adalin insisted gaining the students full attention now as Owen just smiled widely looking like he was loving this.

"The sun and stars are our guide! From the sun's position alone we know the time of day, the season and even what direction our boats are heading!" Adalin points to his drawling of the sun going around the planet with a little ship on top of the planet.

"We can even calculate our speed and what distance we'll be traveling if the ship is sailing or drifting out of control to at least steer her away from dangerous areas and get her to come to shore safely!" Adalin was very passionate about this as he began explaining a bit of the mathematics behind speed even going so far to explain how fast certain anchors will slow certain boats.

Owen just couldn't help, but watch his mate explain how to find latitudes and longitude with just the sun's position and knowing the depth of the sea. The students were eagerly writing it down and taking down notes finding it more interesting that just knowing what numbers does what changes to another number. To them they were seeing practical uses of math in play that they could use at any point of time they on the sea or even lost in the woods.

The bell rings as Adalin was in middle of explaining how to use the sun's position to figure out the angle of the ship's head and how to adjust it.

"Very good mister Pompey." Dawson clapped softly as Adalin goes quiet and blushed.

"Sorry sir... didn't mean to steal your class." Adalin explains as the other students began to leave.

"Ah don't be. I work two jobs and around this time I'm much to tired to think properly and come up with more engaging ways to teach the class. My brain just all burnt out. So it's nice to just have a change of pace. I'm sure they appreciate it too." Dawson nodded.

"Teach will all what Adalin talked about be on test?" Keith asked.

"Sure why not." Dawson nodded.

"Yeah this test going to be wicked!" Gregory looks pumped up as the other students head to their next class.

"Alright time for my favorite class!" Owen starts stretching looking ready.

"Have fun Owen." Dawson sighed as he went back to his coffee and his papers.

"He's very laid back huh?" Adalin explains as they walk to their next class.

"Dawson's always been pretty chill. I like him. He tends to freak out if you injure yourself though. Once I was playing the.... Uh..." Owen covered his mouth blushing.

"The what?" Adalin asked.

"Let's just say I was showing off and hurt myself. Made poor Dawson faint." Owen chuckled rubbing his head.

"What did you do?!?" Adalin cried in horror.

"I drew blood. Not meaning to. Uh... my own don't worry!" Owen waves his hand in panic.

Adalin made some incoherent sounds, "Drawing your own blood isn't okay either!" He cried.

"Rather it be mine than..." Owen looks away turning a bit pale.

Adalin sighed and shyly wraps his pinky around Owen's pinky, "Ever hurt anyone?" He asked.

"A little bit but never ended anyone... but it's like a constant fear of mine." Owen admits.

"Than it won't happen." Adalin smiled as they go through double door by the cafeteria to walk to the stairs of the catwalk and down to the gym floor.

"I'm a hunter. It will happen. There's no doubt about it. It just depends on when and how badly..." Owen winced.

"Owen you are a good person! There's no way in heck you'd end someone intentionally!" Adalin stopped to glare at him.

"What if it's a bad person?" Owen asked.

"That doesn't count!" Adalin protested.

"Tell that to the marked hunters who made that mistake." Owen sighed.

"Marked?" Adalin looks confused.

"It's like... I'm not really sure. But it's really bad! It happens when you end someone your not supposed to... Dad's not a hunter so he's not good at teaching me hunter things... He said that I'm the only one in the family that's become a hunter... he's struggled at lot with learning things for my sake... he said he didn't even notice I was a hunter... he just thought I was more sensitive to others about sounds..." Owen sighed.

"When did you know.... When did you both realize you weren't human." Adalin asked.

"I got hit by a bus saving a dog that crossed the street." Owen replied causally.

"You what?!?" Adalin looks at him in horror.

"It's kinda funny thinking about it now... I don't think we would of figured it out if I hadn't jerked away from father and ran out into the street to save the dog from the bus that was trying to stop in time... The dog was simply following it's nature chasing after a cat that crossed the street when you're not supposed to cross the street..." Owen sighed.

"How are you alive?" Adalin cried.

"Cuz I'm a hunter... any normal person probably would have a few broken bones and get hospitalized, but it was survivable. Me though... I just kinda hit the bus frontwith my side and it knocked off my feet into the ground with the dog in my arms. Yet not a bone broken or scrape or bruise on my body..." Owen chuckled.

"That's terrifying! I am mean... I bet your father was in tears thinking he lost you." Adalin explains.

"Yeah he was beyond shocked and the dog just kinda licked me and I told it to go back home and leave the cat alone and it listened to me." Owen blushed.

"You were taken to the hospital right?" Adalin asked.

"Yeah... and the hunter's guild found out about the incident and met us there. They were the ones who told us what I was. They tried to get dad to forfeit custody over me since I was like at least twelve. Father wasn't having it." Owen sighed smiling.

"Can they do that? Just take you into custody?" Adalin asked.

"They can." Owen nodded, "The laws involving hunters is very strange... the hunter's guild kinda acts like it's own government... coexistent on a council with the other species their governments." Owen explains.

"How did your dad fight them?" Adalin asked.

"Because I wasn't about to leave with them. I rather died. They actually managed to take me away from dad for a time to the guild. At first... I was just scared... they scared me. I wouldn't let anyone near me. I would even ask my spirit guide to fight them if they dared to come near me. Even the hunt masters couldn't get near me." Owen explains.

"Than how are you out of the guild?" Adalin asked.

"I got a bit crazy. I escaped the guild using my spirit guide to fight them off." Owen winced.

"Geez Owen!" Adalin gasped.

"I... I denied I was hunter. I denied that I belong with them. In my mind... I belong with my dad and they just evil kidnappers... I couldn't understand at the time they honestly were trying to help me... So technically Rufus is wrong. I have been registered with the guild and they keep their eyes on me. I'm just not actively participating in their training." Owen sighed.

"What happened?" Adalin asked putting his hands over his heart.

"Hunt master Riku brought my father in to see me the day I was trying to escape. I ran straight into my dad's arms crying like such a baby. He's the one who pitched my case to the council and got them to decide to let father keep me despite me being a hunter." Owen chuckled.

"That's nice of master Riku." Adalin smiled.

"Riku is something else. He's an outcast even by hunter standers. He's the one and only marked hunt master allowed to actually be a hunt master." Owen explains.

"What he's marked?" Adalin was surprised by that.

"Hey! You two! Get over here! Class has started!" The gym teacher shouted.

"We'll continue the story for another day. Let's just say Riku helped me stay with my father." Owen winked and they headed over to stand with the rest of the class.

"So... Owen's hurt people in the past out of fear and misunderstandings... Maybe that's why he's so scared of himself." Adalin thinks sadly.

"Alright welcome to gym class. It's pretty simple kids. You gotta play some sports, stay active and exercise. I don't want to see anyone slacking. You see someone slacking you get them to join your game with your friends. So just go ham." The gym teacher explains.

"And I thought Dawson was a lazy teacher..." Adalin thinks in horror.

"Hey you two! Let's shoots some hoops!" This guy with ginger hair passed the basketball and Owen immediately catches it.

"Sure. I don't mind. What team we on?" Owen smiled softly.

"You go with my team. The other one can go with the opposite team." The guy explains.

"Kay. Good luck Adalin. Have fun!" Owen chirped as Adalin nodded heading over to the other team leader.

"I see you trying to cheat by having the hunter on your team." The other boy a guy with sandy blonde hair scoffed.

Owen goes stiff and bites his lips he had a feeling this wasn't going to be a fun game.

"What you scared?!? It's not like there's multiple of them. He's the only one." The kid who's name is Bryan challenged.

"I'm not scared! We'll take him! No hunters going to beat us!" The blonde haired boy named Duncan shouted.

Adalin looks at Owen, who looks a bit stiff and theres this look of deep concern in his light rose eyes.

"Uh.... I think I'll pass." Owen politely hands the basketball to Bryan, who looked at him with confused and angry blue eyes.

"What?!? No! I need you! You're my star player!" Bryan cried.

"I wouldn't be able to play to your expectations anyways." Owen tried to be polite.

"Sure you can! Hell you're a hunter! You're so much stronger than these wimps! You're going to wipe the floor with them!" Bryan chimed happily and Owen sighed taking the ball.

Bryan looks at him excitedly and Owen takes a deep breath and looks at Bryan softly, "I don't think you understand... If I even try to play like actual hunters do...." Owen popped the basketball with his bare hands by pushing them both toward the center of the ball.

The students jump in surprise and look startled and scared. Owen hands the ball to Bryan, who falls on his butt from tripping over his feet.

Owen froze and backed off, "I... it takes a lot of restraint... but I try to play in a manner that's safe and fair to you all... for your own protection..." he looks away shyly.

Adalin rushed over to Owen and looks at him not scared at all, but just worried about Owen.

"I can't play any other way... So I can play any better than you've seen me, before with someone getting hurt." Owen looks at them all trying to Will them to understand.

The couch comes over, "What the heck is going on over here? What was that loud noise?" He asked.

Bryan gets up, "Owen is being difficult! He doesn't want to play with us, because he thinks he's too good for us! Just cause he's a hunter! He thinks we can't handle the macho man!" Bryan scoffed.

"Leave him alone! He's just trying to make sure no one gets hurt!" Adalin protested.

"Calm down! Calm down!" The couch shouted.

"Oh come off it you shirt lifter! We all know you pining for him! You're just defending him to save face in front of him!" Bryan explains.

"Shirt lifter???" Adalin was baffled by the odd insult.

"Now there will be none of that Bryan!" The couch started.

Owen grabs Bryan's arm tightly as Bryan looks at him confused. Adalin tackled Owen to get him to stop. Owen jerks Bryan to turn around grabbing his other arm and pins them both behind his back as he growled twisting his arms a bit to hurt Bryan making him start to kneel to the ground.

"Owen calm down!" Adalin cried.

"You're lucky.... I was really close to punching your face for that comment." Owen released Bryan.

"Mister..." The gym teacher Mr. Lawerence started and Owen snapped his head and growled at him.

"Don't even think about yelling at me right now! I won't have it!" Owen turns away clenching his fist in anger, "Dawson's right... I don't belong here." He takes Adalin's hand and gently leads him away.

"Owen!" Adalin tried to get him to calm down.

"Would of been fine if they didn't start bothering me about being a hunter..." Owen mumbled under his breath heading up the stairs.

"Cl... class isn't over Mister Chiendame!" Lawerence shouted as Bryan rubbed his arms in pain, but was fine.

"Let's go." Keith taps Gregory, who's shooting hoops regardless.

"Huh? Okay." Gregory puts his hands in his pockets and follows Keith.

"Hey you two aren't allowed to leave either!" The teacher cried.

"Than expel us. We going to check up on our buddy." Keith replied as he leaves the gym chasing after Owen with Gregory following suit.

Owen didn't stop until he was outside of the school in the courtyard, because Adalin jerked out of his grasp.

"Where are you even going?" Adalin asked.

"Away... just away...." Owen looks unhinged.

"Owen it's fine! It's okay! Really!" Adalin assured him.

"It's not okay!" Owen gently holds Adalin's shoulders and there's a wild look in his eyes, "I WON'T DEAL WITH THAT!" He snarled his eyes turned a darker color that surprised Adalin, "I won't tolerate that slander! I won't allow anyone to hurt you! Not emotionally! Not mentally! Not physically!!! I'll.... I'll end them! I don't care about me! They do NOT hurt my mate!" Owen was beyond pissed and shaking intensely.

Adalin sighed deeply and gently pulled his face toward him scolding him, "One does it look like I'm hurt to you?" He asked.

Owen paused to look at as his mate and relaxed and went red with embarrassment, "N-no." Owen sighed.

Adalin let's him go, "Two. People are going to get hurt Owen it's part of life. Because we are all social and emotional creatures that have our own way of interrupting the universe around us and it's people. I'm no exception and neither are you. So it's impossible to protect me from that.... But you can stay by my side and help me through it." Adalin holds his hands, "You can be my rock to keep me steady when the life gets a bit stormy... you can hold me down and give me a safe haven to stay in until it passes over." Adalin explains and Owen starts crying as he just smiled nodding.

"I'm sorry. I don't get so mad at folk like that... I..." Owen starts wiping his eyes as Adalin hugs him tightly.

"It's okay. I'm so proud of you for not punching him at least." Adalin snuggled Owen, who snuggled him back, "But you definitely need to apologize. I get that it makes you angry that they don't understand that you try so hard to not hurt them, but you also have to remember... we humans are stupid dare devils. We are going to stupidly do dangerous things regardless.... It's just human nature." Adalin giggled.

"That's true. You all have hunter spirits." Owen chuckled.

"Ah! Looks like little Adel beat us to the punch." Gregory chuckled.

"Gregory! Keith! What you two doing here?" Owen looks surprised.

"Came to cheer up our good friend... but looks like Adel got you covered. So instead. How about a causal game of horse just for fun like we do? Besides we were just improving enough to beat you on easy mode!" Keith chuckled.

"Well... I guess." Owen felt shy.

"We got no ball though." Adalin explains.

"Follow us." Gregory chimed and leads the way to the recesses area that's a playground for the students and climbed a tree to toss down a hidden ball that was stuck in it.

Owen catches it and smiled softly feeling glad he has such an amazingly wise and mature mate and great friends.

Gregory climbs down and they head to the basketball court to shoot hoops together, "Aren't you all scared or mad..." Owen asked passing the ball between the four of them.

"Nah." Gregory shots and misses and Keith has to chase down the ball.

"Honestly don't even care. You're still you and you are our friend. We still going to treat you the same no matter what." Keith passed the ball to Adalin who passed it to Owen.

Owen shots and it misses and he catches it tossing to Adalin, "Thanks. I really needed to hear that. That I won't be treated differently for being who I really am." Owen felt happy.

"Yeah! No problem dude and hopefully you find out how to like I dunno... be a better you I guess. Or just learn it's okay to do things that are well.... Apart of you. Yeah!" Gregory chuckled.

Adalin misses and Gregory has to chase the ball as Owen is smiling happily, "Thank you all..." Owen knew one thing.

He belonged with these people. They were his pack. He wouldn't have it any other way.

Gregory shots and scores, "Wooho first letter! Okay uh... Ham! I want ham for lunch tommarow!" He chimed.

"What what are we even playing?" Adalin felt lost as Keith takes the ball.

"HORSE. It's basically where each hoop you make you get one letter of the word. The first person to finish the word wins. We make it interesting by doing little bets with it. So if we win we also get our bet prizes related to the words. So like O would be oatmeal. R would be I don't know... A rock? A pretty rock. If you win the others have to get you that stuff." Keith chuckled.

"Oh neat!" Adalin chimed.

"It was a huge thing in Hope." Owen bragged as Keith throws and missed and Owen easily catches the ball.

"I'm the horse master!" Gregory bragged.

"The true cowboy!" Keith chuckled.

"I don't know. I'm feeling kinda competitive. I just might decide to go hard on you guys." Owen chuckled and shots a hoop and scores, "How about hugs. I want hugs from everyone!" Owen beamed.

Adalin chased after the ball and giggled, "You only have to ask for that silly!" He shoots and the orange ball goes through the metal rim and through the metal chain basket, "Uh... h.... Uh.... I want... a hamster plushy. Cuz hamsters are cute!" Adalin admits.

Owen chuckled and catches the ball, "I can say the same to you than." He looks at Adalin longingly passing the ball to Keith.

Adalin blushed shyly, "I think after our game... we should all probably all apologize to couch for skipping his class." Adalin explains.

"Eh... just a tardy. Not a full absence. We'll be fine." Keith chuckled, "Besides... I don't think we are in the wrong here." He shots the ball and scores, "Hanky sack!" He declared.

"Still we shouldn't of just left like that. The school is just trying to teach us." Adalin explains as Gregory gets his ball.

"Alright! Alright. We'll all go see the couch after class is over and talk with him." Owen sighed, but smiled.

Gregory missed and Owen catches the ball as they continued their game of HORSE until the bell rang loud enough to be heard outside.