Chapter 14

I stepped into my bedroom and shut the door behind me. As usual, TreFual was lounging on my desk. "Hey jailbird, how's tricks?"

"Not bad," I should have figured that he would know "I brought you a steak back." I said gesturing with the Styrofoam box in my hand.

TreFual jumped off my desk and suddenly he was my size. "How do you do that?"

"Easy, the same way you shape shift. I'm able to do more with what I've got." Taking the box from my hand, he returned to my desk and sat.

"Why do you stay 8 inches tall most of the time?"

"Mostly, I think it's funny. Now, shut up and let me eat."

I grabbed a novel off my bookshelf and spread out on my bed to read while TreFual ate. Finally, closing the box he dropped it into the wastebasket. " Did you enjoy it?"

"I like my steak more well done but I enjoyed it. Thanks, kid." Lighting a cigarette, TreFual kicked back in my chair." You did alright today. We're fortunate that the girl didn't die."

"Karen?"

"Nah, I couldn't give a shit about her. I'm talkin' about the one you hit. If you had hit her harder she would have died and that would have been bad."

I sat up "Why?"

"Bad publicity. You can't be associated with any killing. It goes against the image we're crafting. It's ok that you hurt her, but killing is a no no." He paused for a moment "Tell you what kid, you did so well today, I think you deserve a little R&R so I'm canceling training tonight. Go out and have fun or something."

"Cool, thanks!" I had still had questions but I swallowed them. Because, if I asked a stupid one TreFual would cancel R&R and give me twice the work as punishment.

I immediately went down stairs and told mom I was going to get Marty and drive over to John's Burger Shack. She agreed. I jumped into the Pantera and drove to Marty's. Mrs. Jenks answered the door. " Hi Mrs. Jenks, Can Marty come with me to John's and grab a burger?"

"Sure John, Come inside while I get Marty." I stepped into the living room. Marty came in a few moments later.

"Marty, do you have enough money?"

Marty checked his wallet. "Yes Ma'am I've got enough."

He gave Mrs. Jenks a quick hug and we left. We were no sooner out of the driveway when he began asking about the fight. I gave him a run down while we drove. He couldn't believe that I had been arrested.

We arrived at John's Burgers Shack. Parking the car, we went in. Man, the place was packed! Linda Snively, the head cheerleader, was there with some of her girls and their boyfriends. They waved as we came in. Marty and I found a booth by the window. Our favorite waitress Cheryl had gone to get our drinks, when I saw Randi get up from the booth that she shared with her boyfriend Kirk. She walked up to us. Her face flushing and hugging herself with her arms.

"Hi John."

"Hi Randi. What's up?"

"I heard what you did for Karen." Her expression became stern. "Don't take this wrong. I still don't like you ... You did a nice thing helping her, and as much shit as I give you it's only fair to tell you the good as well."

Damn, to say this is shocking is an understatement. Randi Wheeler is being nice to me. I wanted to cry. Instead I took a breath and looked into her eyes. I could see the contempt she held for me, as well as a grudging respect. Looking at her with my other senses I could tell that she was afraid. Afraid that I would spurn her overture as she had spurned so many of mine. I smiled. "Thank you, I really appreciate you telling me that." Randi nodded once, turned on her heel and left.

Marty made a big issue of looking out the window "I'll be damned, I just looked and Hell hasn't frozen over yet."

I glanced out the window "Maybe not, but it sure looks like frost." We cracked up. I looked up to see Randi glaring at us. Fuck, she thinks we're laughing at her. Damn it.

After we ate, I dropped Marty off at home and headed to the house. I saw my mom as I walked into the kitchen. "Hey beautiful, what's happening?"

"Well sir, I just got off the phone with the lawyer and he suggested that you take tomorrow off from school."

"Is there a problem?"

"No, He's just being cautious. Since you're off tomorrow I think that you should go visit that Karen girl at the hospital. It would be a nice thing for you to do."

"Okay, I guess."

"Dress nice in case you meet her parents. Take a small present or something."

"I'm not dating her, mom."

"You never know."