(Italics are thoughts or talking in his mind (telepathy)

Alex sat up slowly, leaning his head on his hand that rested on his bent knee. He couldn’t help noticing he was wearing the clothing from his dream, and when his hand brushed through his hair he paused. He jumped up and hurried to the bathroom to look in the mirror. His eyes widened as he saw the singed hair and the burnt spot on his clothing.

“Ha, ha, not so easy to explain it away this time, eh?” Zeltis’ voice said inside his head.

Alex turned around quickly, searching the room for the owner of the voice. “What?! Where…who?”

“Did you forget me already? I’m inside your body.” Zeltis answered with a dry laugh and a cheeky sounding tone that sounded inside Alex’s head.

“I must be going crazy. Hearing things in a dream is one thing, but not in the real world.” Alex said to himself and hurried to get ready, almost tearing off the burned shirt.

“Well, you keep trying to ignore me, but I’m not going anywhere.” Zeltis said, but Alex didn’t answer or acknowledge him.

Alex quickly snipped off the bit of burnt hair, making sure it all looked even, before jumping into the shower. He was a little shaky trying not to think about what the burnt bits would mean. Alex was relieved when he didn’t hear anything more the rest of the morning, so he relaxed slightly as he made his way to school.

As he sat in his first class, on his phone as usual, he couldn’t help but overhear a group chatting not far from him.

“There was another arson last night.” One guy said.

Alex twitched and leaned a little closer.

“Yeah, it was on the news this morning. My dad is always watching every morning.” Another guy answered back.

“They managed to put it out right away this time though, and I heard they even caught someone at the scene!” The first guy said.

Alex’s eyes widened and he looked over at the people talking. “It couldn’t really have happened, for real, could it?” His mind spun in a thousand directions and he was feeling a little sick.

Before he could wonder more about it, the people chatting moved off to their seats as the teacher came in. Alex had a hard time concentrating on the lessons, barely able to stay in his seat before class was finally over.

Alex hurried to the bathroom and splashed his face with shaking hands.

“I have to stop thinking about this. It was just a coincidence.” He grabbed a paper towel and wiped off before heading to the cafeteria for lunch.

Alex wasn’t really paying much attention as he got his food and walked toward his favorite out of the way spot. He was almost to the tree, when he heard a snapped branch behind him and spun around, nearly dropping his tray. Coming up behind Alex was Hugh Patton. Alex put the tray down on the ground near him, not happy with the glowering look on Hugh’s face.

“Hey girly boy,” Hugh said, as soon as he was close enough. He grabbed Alex by the front of his shirt. “I’ve never liked you, but now you’re dead! Why the hell does the girl I like, like such a prissy girly boy like you?” He yelled and punched Alex in the face, knocking him back to the ground.

Alex groaned, holding his already swelling cheek.

“Couldn’t you have dodged that, or are you really that pathetic?” Zeltis chimed in, in his head, after hours of being silent.

“Be quiet, I don’t have time for you.” Alex muttered.

“What did you say?!” Hugh yelled and charged at Alex. He punched him again, this time hitting Alex’s nose, causing it to bleed.

Before Alex could answer back, Hugh hit him again, hitting him hard near Alex’s temple. Hugh’s knuckle had cut him above the eyebrow and blood soon seeped down into his eye, obstructing his vision. Alex dazedly put up his hands in a blocking position and barely managed to deflect another blow. He wobbled to the side slightly and weakly threw a punch, which Hugh blocked with a derisive laugh.

“Do you really take martial arts?” Zeltis said again, and this time Alex didn’t bother to answer.

“What in the world is going on?” Summer’s voice called out frantically, as Alex glanced up barely seeing her with his blurred vision as she ran towards them.

Hugh turned at her call and scoffed. “Another girl hot on your ass, I see. Well, you got off easy this time.” Hugh scowled and stomped off, giving Summer an annoyed glare before he left.

Summer ran up to Alex. “We should get you to the nurse, you look terrible.”

Without letting him argue, she grabbed his arm and walked with him towards the nurse’s office. He saw a few people look at them strangely as they walked. “Won’t you get in trouble with the girl’s if they see you with me?” Alex said a little worried.

“Maybe, but I can’t leave you like this, can I?” Summer said simply.

She pulled him in to the infirmary after her. She looked around. “I don’t see the nurse. Well, we can’t wait around. I know enough first aid to at least stop the bleeding, I’m sure. Sit down.” Summer gently ushered him toward a chair and sat him down.

She first went back and shut the door so that the curious people in the hall wouldn’t bother them, and then hurriedly gathered the things she thought she might need to treat him.

Alex winced when Summer first wiped off the blood and was dabbing some disinfectant on his brow when she suddenly jumped back, her eyes wide.

“What’s wrong?” Alex started to ask, but soon he could feel what she must be seeing. The pain was disappearing.

“The cut on your brow just closed all by itself, and your bruises are disappearing.” Summer gasped. “I can’t believe it!”

“Um, I can explain…I” He sputtered slightly and raised a hand as if hide himself. How the heck could he explain, even he wasn’t sure what was happening.

“You could tell her about little old me, because I’m the reason you’re healing so fast.” Zeltis chimed in.

“She’s not going to believe that you idiot, she’ll think I’m a freak. Heck even I think I’m a freak and now I’m talking to myself. I must be crazy,” Alex said, inside his mind to Zeltis.

“This, this is amazing!” Summer suddenly gushed happily clapping her hands together with a big smile, and Alex’s jaw dropped in surprise.

“You’re not scared or freaked out? Even I am a little freaked out about this.”

“Of course not! Do you have any idea how cool this is?” Summer grasped his hands Her green eyes practically sparkling. “I love stuff like this, anything supernatural or mysterious. I never thought I would get to see something like this for real though.”

“I’ve never believed in the supernatural myself.”

“Really?” Summer’s eyes widened. “Didn’t you know you could heal so quickly? It’s like a super power or something.”

Alex pulled his hands away, and ran his hand through his hair nervously. “Well, it’s kind of a recent phenomenon. You can’t tell anyone about this.” He looked at her earnestly.

Summer shook her head emphatically, her curly black hair bouncing back and forth. “Of course I would never. You might get taken to a lab and experimented on, or even dissected. I’ve read so many books where awful things happen to people who are special. I would never do that to you. It’s better for you to use whatever powers you have to secretly help people or something.”

“I don’t think I’ve suddenly become a super hero or anything. I did just get beat up.”

She laughed lightly. “Well, maybe but still. Healing fast is super awesome. I felt a little nervous talking to you at first, but now it will be easier since we share a secret. We can be friends.”

“Friends, that sounds nice.” Alex smiled at her.

The bell rang. “Ah dang, we didn’t even get to have lunch.” Summer said blushing slightly and turning away to look at the clock.

“Yeah, I better get cleaned up, and we both need to get to class. Um, I don’t know if me doing anything would help, but if the girls bother you about today, I could try talking to them.” Alex looked away awkwardly scratching his nose and glancing at her sideways.

summer stood and smiled back at him. then looked away again. “I’ll be fine. I’m going first. I’ll see you later.” She waved over her shoulder and slid out the door, shutting it behind her.

Alex went into the small bathroom attached to the nurse’s room and washed off the blood. He just hoped that Hugh wouldn’t see him, and wonder why he wasn’t still injured. Well, Alex didn’t have any more classes with Hugh, so hopefully they wouldn’t see each other for the rest of the day.

People were staring at Alex and whispering when he finally came out of the infirmary, but he just ignored them and hurried to his next class. Luckily the rest of the day passed by with nothing else happening.

One thing that surprised him though, was that Alex got an assignment to research his family history. It was such a coincidence that he had been curious about his mother and now he had a good reason to find out more about her. He knew nothing about his mother’s side of the family.

In the car on the way home, the driver glanced back at him. “Young master, I’m sorry but today is the last day I can drive you around, since you have recovered and your motorcycle is repaired.”

“Yeah, I know you’re really my father’s driver. I’m surprised he didn’t have you stop yesterday since that was when my bike was finished.”

The driver’s frown was visible in the rearview mirror. “Well, your father was away on a business trip and only got back today…”

“You don’t need to say anymore, I understand. Thanks for taking care of me.”

“You aren’t going to the dojo today?” The driver said after a long silence.

“No, the classes are only three days a week, so I will just do strength training at home since we have a gym anyway.”

“I see, as you wish young master.”

Dinner was on the table, and Alex noticed that the maid was clearing a plate from where his father sat when he was home. Alex couldn’t help being glad that he had missed seeing him. It would have been even worse than eating alone, to have to listen to his father berating him. Or sit and eat while his father ignored him, or coldly glared at him the whole time. Alex ate quickly and went to his room to change, before going to the gym.

Alex listened to music while he worked out, letting his mind wonder. He was tired and sweaty when he finally finished and let the shower refresh him.

He was just exiting the shower with his robe on, when the door to his room slammed open.

Alex jumped back slightly as he saw the glowering anger on his father’s face. He gulped and ran up against the wall in his effort to escape.

“What the hell kind of crap are you doing for me to get a visit from a police officer as soon as I get home?” his father roared.

“I…” Alex didn’t know what to say. “What could it be about. Did someone see me? It didn’t really happen and now I am in trouble, am I?” He was frantic and confused, not sure what was what anymore as he raised his arms in an almost supplicating gesture.

“I didn’t give you a gold card so you could sneak into a club and get drunk and sexed up. I have canceled the card so don’t even think that something like that can happen again, at least not with my money.” His father loomed over him pointing his finger practically in Alex’s face.

Despite the anger Alex couldn’t help the slight relief that it was only something so simple.

“Why the hell do you look so relieved. I don’t know why the hell I put up with such a brat like you. You don’t have the skills to take over for me despite the piddly cash you are making on the market.”

Alex’s eyes widened. “He knew about the stocks?”

“Did you really think I couldn’t find out about something like that? I can learn about almost everything, including your martial arts classes and your nightly jaunts.”

Alex gasped, “Did he have me followed? If he knows…”

“Ha ha, he doesn’t know. I threw off the tail he put on us easily,” Zeltis said nonchalantly in his head.

“There was a tail?” Alex almost said out loud.

“What the hell were you about to say, are you paying attention you damn brat!”

“N…Nothing sir, I’m sorry sir,” Alex finally managed to stutter out.

His father straightens, “you better be. I don’t care what sort of crap you do as long as you don’t use my money or do something stupid.” He turned as if to leave.

“Wait, the police wouldn’t stop by just because I was underage, would they?” Alex couldn’t help being curious.

“Um, why were the police…”

Alex was cut off by his father’s glare as he turned back to Alex then sighed, “They mentioned that they were investigating what happened with a woman they found unconscious in an alley. You were the last one seen with her so they will want you to come in as soon as possible to talk to them. I hope there isn’t anything I need to worry about?” His eyes bore done on Alex.

“5h17! What the hell do I do now? If they find out I, you beat her up…” Alex panicked as he tried to think of what to say.

“Don’t worry, we just have to lie and she won’t have any memory or injuries anyway,” Zeltis said calmly.

“Um, I didn’t do anything to worry about,” Alex said out lamely.

“I hope so for your sake.” His father threatened and turned and left, slamming the door behind him.

Alex collapsed on the edge of the bed in relief. “Man that scared the hell out of me.”

“We’re going out again tonight, aren’t we? We can’t just stay in and not get into more trouble, can we” Alex continued a little pleading.

“Ha, well, are you acknowledging me now? And no I can’t just stay in. I need the energy the demons give me,” Zeltis answered mentally with a little derisive laugh.

“You need their energy?” Alex said with curiousity.

“Heh, you know, I kind of like you but I am not even close to trusting you yet so don’t even think I will tell you all about me just yet.”

Alex sighed, “I guess I understand that. Heck, even if I am crazy, there’s no point in trying to ignore you. I don’t even want to think about what might happen if I tried to visit a shrink.” He ran his hands through his hair and fell back on the bed with a huff. “You aren’t going to stop bothering me anyway, right?”

“Well, you’re right about that. I’m certainly not going anywhere.”

Alex’s lips lifted to one side slightly and he gave a small laugh. “What can I even say to that? I feel like the world has turned on its head and I don’t even have any energy anymore to fight it. I really want you to be a bit more careful though. I really don’t want to end up in jail, ok.”

“No problem, we can always wear a mask or something. It would make us like some kind of super hero like your little girlfriend mentioned,” Zeltis said with a laugh.

“She’s not my girlfriend,” Alex blushed a little, “I barely know her. And you just thought of a mask now?”

“Hey, I’m not from this world, ok. I never had to bother with hiding my identity in my old world, so don’t give me a hard time.”

“Sure but keep it in mind from now on. Um, does it matter if I go to sleep, or can you just take over?”

“Well, I could just take you over, but it is many times easier if you are unconscious.”

Alex shrugged his shoulders and got dressed in something comfortable but presentable to wear outside. He didn’t think he could fall asleep with his shoes on though, so left them off. “It feels pretty strange to lay down with regular clothes on.”

Zeltis didn’t answer as Alex lay down and tried to get comfortable.

“Should I sing you a lullaby?” Zeltis said sarcastically.

Alex rolled his eyes. “Just keep quiet, and I will somehow manage.” It was easier said than done, to try to force himself to sleep when he knew Zeltis was waiting for him to do so. Still, he managed to slowly drift off.