Chapter 2 Sample :
Would I really consider this a fresh start?
Hunter thought to himself,
sprawled out on the floor with his eyes fixed on the ceiling.
Unpacked boxes surrounded him, their contents barely peeking out—clothes,
random knick-knacks, and, most notably, candid photos of Jessica, Kenny,
and Kelvin. Each picture felt like a piece of the life he left behind,
now scattered and incomplete.
Hunter sighed,
pushing himself up to sit cross-legged as he took in his surroundings.
His eyes scanned the room—the beige walls, plain wooden furniture,
and an oddly familiar sense of sterility.
"It feels... American," he muttered, frowning slightly.
"Wait a second," he said aloud, narrowing his eyes at the doorframe.
"The whole house looks super common, but the outside is... alien.
Like, what kind of mix is this?"
His tone carried a mix of confusion and mild frustration as
he tried to make sense of the strange contrast.
Shaking his head, Hunter leaned back against a box and sighed again,
his gaze drifting back to the photos.
"Guess I’ll have to get used to it. No turning back now."
As Hunter sat on his bed, his mind raced with questions.
Why did my parents move so fast without even asking me first?
The thought gnawed at him, making the unfamiliar room feel even more alien.
Feeling a weight in his chest, he decided to call Kelvin,
hoping to hear something that might lift his spirits.
After a few rings, Kelvin’s voice came through the phone. "Hello?"
"What's up?" Hunter replied, trying to sound casual.
"Not much. How's it going? Did you make it there safely?"
Kelvin asked, his tone carrying a faint trace of concern.
"Yeah, I made it," Hunter said,
fiddling with one of the photos in his possession as he paced his room.
"I was just calling to see how things are going with you and everyone else."
"Oh man, everything’s chill," Kelvin responded. "Nothing major happened.
I went home, invited Kenny over, and Jessica tagged along.
Kenny left a while ago though."
"Sounds about right, Kenny has strict parents,"
Hunter muttered with a small chuckle.
"Yeah, but get this," Kelvin added.
"Jessica went to the bathroom a while ago and still hasn’t come out.
We were watching a movie,
and I guess she’s just vibing in there or something,
Not sure what she's doing in there, but you know Jessica's on the weird side.
Wanna talk to her?"
"Nah, I’m good," Hunter replied, shaking his head.
"I just wanted to check in. I still have to unpack,
so I can’t stay on the phone too long."
Kelvin hesitated for a moment, then said, "Wanna hear something wild?"
"What’s up?" Hunter asked, stopping mid-step.
"When you left, Kenny and Jessica both started crying,"
Kelvin revealed, his voice laced with amusement.
Hunter froze, confusion and concern coloring his tone.
"What the hell? Are you serious?"
Kelvin burst into a chuckle.
"Yeah, but they’re fine now.
I just thought it was funny as hell. I mean, they were bawling."
Hunter couldn’t help but smile,
a small warmth breaking through his frown.
"That actually makes me happy.
Things are gonna be different with me not being there."
"No doubt," Kelvin agreed. "It’s already weird. Anyways, hit me back later."
"Will do," Hunter replied. "I’m gonna unpack and settle in."
"Shii, alright." Kelvin replies before hanging up.
Hunter stared at his phone for a moment before setting it down on the bed.
His chest felt lighter, though the lingering ache of missing his friends remained.
At least they’re doing okay, he thought,
glancing at the scattered photos one last time before turning
back to the mountain of boxes waiting to be unpacked.
A sudden knock at the door made Hunter jump, snapping him out of his thoughts.
He stared at the door for a moment before walking over to open it.
Standing on the other side was his mother, smiling warmly, her arms crossed casually.
"You’ve got some company," she said brightly.
"A few of your neighbors stopped by to greet you."
Hunter groaned inwardly, leaning against the doorframe.
"I don’t know, Mom.
I just got here, and I’m really not in the mood to talk to anyone."
"Don’t be like that," she chided, giving him a playful nudge on the shoulder.
"That’s so rude. Go out there and talk to them.
It’s important to make a good first impression."
Hunter sighed heavily, his shoulders slumping.
He didn’t feel motivated in the slightest,
but the persistence in his mother’s eyes told him this wasn’t up for debate.
Reluctantly, he nodded.
"Fine," he muttered, dragging his feet as he stepped into the hallway.
"That’s the spirit!" his mother said with a grin,
clearly ignoring the lack of enthusiasm in his voice.
With another sigh, Hunter made his way toward the front of the house,
mentally preparing himself to face the new people who would now be part of his life.
Hunter walked to the front door, where four individuals stood waiting for him.
Among them, he immediately recognized the skateboard girl
he had noticed earlier. Her presence caught his attention,
but his focus shifted when one of the boys spoke up.
"Hello. Do you speak any Japanese,
or are you only an English speaker?" the boy asked,
his tone casual but curious.
Hunter straightened,
deciding to prove his linguistic ability with a
short introduction in Japanese.
"Kon'nichiwa, watashi wa Hantādesu.
Nihongo wa sukoshi hanasemasuga,
omoni Eigo o hanashimasu.
Nihongo wa rikai dekimasuga, kaiwa wa dekimasen."
The group blinked in surprise, clearly impressed.
"Wow," one of them said.
"Well, in that case, we’ll just stick to English for now."
"I’m Prinston," the first boy said, gesturing to the others.
"This is Cho, Mike, and Yukio."
"Me and Prinston are brothers," Mike added.
"Cho and Yukio are newer to the
area—moved here about six months ago.
So hey, you all have that in common."
Cho grinned and leaned forward slightly.
"Wanna come hang with us? We were just heading out."
Hunter hesitated, feeling the weight of fatigue from the move.
"Sorry guys. Maybe tomorrow.
I’d like to unpack and settle in first."
"Ah, okay," Prinston said, his tone understanding
but a little disappointed. "We won’t have free time tomorrow,
but maybe we can figure something out later."
"Sure. I’ll see you guys around,"
Hunter replied, giving them a small wave as he turned back inside.
As the door clicked shut behind him, Cho glanced at the others.
"Is he okay?" she asked.
Prinston shrugged. "Makes sense. He
did just get here."
Hunter, now alone, felt a strange mix of exhaustion and boredom.
He headed back to his room, hoping to distract himself with something, anything.
But as he entered, he froze at the sound of rustling.
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