You Could Be The One That Saves Me <<Kayden>>

[Williard Thoth R4]

Jeremy silently sprang up and settled into his lap, purring and gently rubbing his warm body against his owner's abdomen and chest. Williard smiled and settled deeper into his thickly cushioned chair, allowing the vibrations from his cat to course through him. The fireplace had a wonderful fire going that made the Common Room nice and warm, and he watched the flames dance in his cat's light green eyes. He was so incredibly happy and relieved to be back at school and away from all the dysfunction back in Chesham. Here at Hogwarts, he was allotted peace; a luxury that had long since been forfeited at his home. Home, he thought sighing. He chuckled to himself and grabbed a licorice wand from a box on the table. He bit off a piece and stopped Jeremy from making a move for them. "Home" was actually everything but that, and he supposed he only called it "home" out of habit. He couldn't lie to himself; his family had been happy and stable for a very long time but as of the last year and a half after a secret of his mother's was let out, they had all fallen apart. Williard used to be close to both of his parents and now he barely spoke to either of them. His mother kept attempting to repair their relationship, but all of her attempts failed. At the discovery of having a son that he knew absolutely nothing about, his father was only focused on forming a relationship with him, and in turn absent-mindedly ignoring Williard, who didn't take to kindly to being put on the back burner. There was something else going on in Williard though...something that he couldn't understand...something that made him easily angered and so much so that the dynamic between he and his cousin had completely changed.

Williard ran a hand through his long, soft brown hair refusing to think about it anymore. He wasn't there, he was here. He would just be glad and thankful, and leave everything at that. But of course, being here still didn't mean all that much. If he were honest with himself, he would admit that for the past two and a half years he had been lonely; not for lack of people trying, but for Williard subconsciously and purposefully isolating himself. He decided a long time ago that he just wanted to be alone and not have to "deal with people." He supposed he hadn't exactly intended on becoming almost completely antisocial, but at the same time he didn't stop it from happening. It was just easier to keep to himself and not worry about anyone, and it stuck.

It was then he noticed that the Eagle Knocker was speaking, and then someone walked into the Common Room. He didn't turn to look or make any movement. He wasn't exactly close with anyone in his House; mainly due to his new attitude, and he was fine with that by all means. But, he heard an abrupt stop, and felt eyes on the back of his head. What are you looking at, he thought. He squinted his eyes a bit and was about to turn and look, but then the footsteps resumed and he listened to them go upstairs to the dormitory. Okay, he thought. Williard shrugged it off and closed his eyes, running his fingers through his cat's fur. But then he couldn't help but wonder who it was that came in and apparently had a problem with him.

[Kayden Anders R4]

He stopped dead in his tracks, shivering, and thoughtfully looked at the ajar, great golden twin doors. He supposed it was a good idea seeing as how he was considerably cold at the moment, so he went into the Great Hall and sat at the very end of his House table. There were some people scattered about but not many, and he guessed most of the students were in their Common Rooms and dormitories swapping stories about the holiday; not that he cared; the less people who were there the better. Before he knew it, a vanilla-colored mug appeared in front of him, steam rising from the rich hot chocolate that filled it to its brim. He was too cold to take off his gloves so he left them on, and proceeded to sip his drink. So thankful he was as the hot liquid hit his tongue, he wished that he could take some with him, and a new mug appeared only it was taller and had a matching lid. He didn't have to pick it up to know that it was full of more hot chocolate, and after hitting his current beverage with a minor cooling spell, he drained it. Now that he felt a little better, he realized why he was so irritated and picked up his drink and left the Great Hall.

Kayden made his way through the castle ignoring the looks of fellow students who attempted to speak to or greet him, and all the while remembering the pointless trip he had just made to Hogsmeade. How Zayden could stand being around those people for more than five minutes he didn't know, but he promised himself that no matter how much his brother begged him, he would never accompany him on an outing with them ever again if he could help it. Kayden had already pulled off his dragonskin gloves and scarf and was working on his jacket but he was still freezing, and unnecessarily so at that; if only he had refused his brother. But by the time he reached the entrance to his Common Room, the castle and hot chocolate had already successfully warmed him up a bit. Telling himself to get over it and try to have a peaceful rest of the day, he walked up to the Eagle Knocker and watched it come to life.

"What does man love more than life,
Fear more than death or mortal strife?
What the poor have, the rich require,
And what contented men desire?
What misers spend, and spendthrifts save,
And all men carry to the grave?"

Kayden sipped his drink, thought for a second and spoke. "Well, man loves nothing more than life and fears nothing more than death. The poor have nothing and the rich require nothing. Contented men desire nothing, misers spend nothing and spendthrifts save nothing. Men carry nothing to their graves, so my answer is going to have to be....nothing."

"Correct."

The door opened and Kayden walked in, not being able to help the smile that came to his face after seeing and feeling the fire that was going. He noticed someone sitting in a chair in front of it, unfortunately, and tried to make out who it was. He couldn't quite tell, so he just resumed his path and went up to the dormitory to drop off his things. As soon as he opened the door and entered, an excited and overbearing noise hit him like a wagon. His roommates were horsing around, but stopped at the sight of him.

"Hey Kayden," one of them said laughing. He didn't know which one of them had spoken as he defiantly walked across the room and placed his stuff on his bed, but then it didn't really matter. "Good holiday?"

He didn't answer right away, but took the time to pull off his boots. Clay appeared from under his four poster, purring and pressing his paws into his shins. Kayden gave him a small smile. His roommates really weren't that bad, or, they didn't really annoy him rather. But they were still hardly company that he wished to keep. So he decided not to answer as he put on a pair of slippers and went to exit. He heard one of them call him a name and stopped with his hand on the knob only to let them know that he had heard them, and then continued walking. He had just as bad a temper as his brother, which they knew and even experienced, but they also knew he wasn't as hot headed as his twin, so they could get away with a little more.

"I just wanted to thank him for the gift."

Kayden stopped walking. He was only three steps away from the door and had completely forgotten that he had given away all the gifts that Zayden's idiotic friends gave him. Clay continued down to the Common Room.

"Maybe it wasn't him," came another voice.

"It must have been. None of us did it, and Williard said he didn't do it."

Kayden continued walking before the conversation continued. Feelings of guilt and self-loathing crept up, but like normal, he didn't let them. He took a deep breath and put it out of his mind which only years of practice and experience enabled him to do. So it was Williard who was sitting in one of the chairs. Kayden didn't really know him, but based off of what he saw of him so far, he was a loner of sorts. He was intelligent, or always had something intelligent to say when he was called upon in classes, but outside of the classroom he never heard the other boy speak. He really wanted to be alone in front of the fire, but then he thought about his brother and Stephanie. Anger, and admittedly, jealousy formed in him, and with resolve he walked over and sat down in a chair beside Williard, but did not speak. He settled in, only really wanting to get warm, but he looked over at the other boy and gave a nod. He wasn't the most social person, but he knew how to make friends when he wanted to. And if he had to choose from those in his dorm, then just based on observation, Williard would definitely be his first choice. Zayden was now going to be "preoccupied" to say the least for a while. He had to do something....

[Williard Thoth R4]

"Jeremy what's wrong with you?" His cat twisted and squirmed, and unable to keep him in his lap, he raised his hands and off Jeremy sprinted. "Alright, see you later then," Williard said sighing. He grabbed another licorice wand and stuck the end of it in his mouth as if he were smoking a pipe, and before he could get back to enjoying the heat a figure suddenly crossed his line of vision. Merlin, he thought. Couldn't he just sit in solitude and enjoy being away from home? Did some idiot have to come and join him, probably hoping to make friends or something? But before he could feel any real type of annoyance, a familiar scent caught him; his father's cologne. He went slightly red as the scent resurrected many memories, and it wasn't until the person sat down and the fire illuminated their face that he saw who it was looking surprisingly friendly and welcoming. Kayden Anders nodded at Williard, who barely moved his head in response before laying back against his backrest wishing that his mind would settle and stop recounting. What were the odds that Kayden Anders and his father both wore the same cologne? He hoped it wasn't physically evident that he was trying to get himself together but knew that the Gryffindors could see the gears in his brain working all the way from their tower. He crossed his feet and couldn't stop his leg from shaking.

He thought about all the family trips, all the father and son outings, all the stories, all the laughs, all the heart-to-hearts, and a new found hatred formed in him as if someone had injected it straight into the pit of his stomach. His father was his everything and always had been. Williard hated his mother, and still did all this time for his father and because of what she did to him. Williard didn't speak to her because he didn't speak to her. He ignored her because his father ignored her. And how did his dad repay his devotion? By completely disregarding him and treating him like he was an old toy that he had tired of, which eventually led Williard to resent his new brother, and he hated it. Williard loved Dylan even before he found out that they were related. Even though Dylan treated him like a pest at best, he couldn't help but admire the older boy. There was always something that drew him to Dylan and through all the hurt, he was glad that he had Dylan for an older brother....until recently. There was still admiration and definitely respect, but Williard felt as if his brother took his father away when he needed him the most.

The shuffle of a foot brought Williard back from his thoughts and he remembered where he was and who he was with. He didn't know much about Kayden but knew enough to know that he wasn't someone he cared for. He had a twin in Slytherin House if he remembered correctly, and Kayden often hung out with the Slytherins. Both of them were exceptionally vile as far as the way that Williard saw them treat others, but he had to admit that most of it came from the brother. A lot of girls liked them and through involuntary learning, Williard knew that Zayden at least had quite the track record already. Other than that, he never dealt with the boy. Although, he would give Kayden one thing; he was brilliant, which in a way made him seem even more ominous than his quick-tempered brother. To Williard it would be easier to deal with a hot-headed person who isn't so bright as opposed to a smart person who had just as bad a temper but could hold it in better. At that last thought he looked back over at Kayden, and judging by his expression which was mildly interested, he had been staring at Williard for a while, which he didn't like. He sat up straight, met his gaze and ran his tongue against the back of his teeth. "It's not too polite to stare at someone. Your family is rich, right? You grew up with a silver spoon in your mouth. One would think, or hope, that at least some of the money that didn't go to spoiling you went to some type of social etiquette lessons." He didn't mean to sound so harsh, and the familiar voice in his head that scorned him for not watching his words sounded but he ignored it. Kayden Anders was a prat. He and his brother walked around like they owned the school and they were better than everyone in it. If he thought that Williard was going to give him the special treatment he probably expected he had another thing coming entirely.

[Kayden Anders R4]

He squinted his eyes a little; the "gesture" that Williard gave was so indistinguishable that Kayden couldn't tell if his greeting was given a response. He leaned forward resting his elbows on his knees and held his hands out, palms toward the fire. That was kind of rude, he thought. He had always thought Williard to be one of the quiet, laid back and nice types. Did he really just ignore him? That was something that Kayden just wasn't used to and he didn't like it. He was indeed one of the most popular boys in their Year, not that he really cared or wanted to be, but that usually made it easier for him to socialize when he wanted to. Maybe he was being over analytical. Maybe Williard just wanted to sit here by himself and felt intruded upon. But this was after all the Common Room. Anyone could use it or be in here if they wanted to. If he wanted to be alone then he should have sought out a more private place. Surely Williard knew he was not the only one in Ravenclaw House that was cold and would want to warm up in front of the fireplace. Relax, came a voice in his head. Kayden looked at his feet; pride could be such a nasty trait and he had plenty of it. He took a deep breath and stopped his mind from further rambling. Apologize, he thought. It was basic manners to ask before intruding on someones personal space and he did not bother because he didn't think he needed to. He returned his friendly demeanor and looked at the other boy but didn't speak; Williard looked as if he were light years away. Kayden narrowed his eyes again.

What is he thinking about, he wondered. He stared into Williard's eyes, which he realized were a warm brown, and tried to read them. It intrigued him to watch people get lost in their own thoughts. He could always tell what his twin was thinking so when he caught other people in these moments, he liked not knowing and not being able to read them so easily and effortlessly. It must have been something deep for him to seem completely oblivious, plus his leg was going forty miles an hour. Though he was kind of enjoying it, Kayden slightly dug his left foot into the rug and made a shuffling noise. Williard looked at him almost immediately. An apology came to his lips but didn't get the opportunity to be spoken. He kept his face neutral though his mind was telling him to rip Williard's head off. He licked his lips and turned toward the other boy a bit.

"That was completely and utterly uncalled for especially seeing as how you know absolutely nothing about me," he said venomously, trying to stay as calm as possible. He wasn't Zayden; he wouldn't tear into him though he had to admit he wanted to. Yes, he did grow up being showered with unnecessary "things," but he never asked for any of it. He hated it when people assumed that he was spoiled just because his brother liked to show off. Their upbringing had two different effects on them and Kayden was in no way, shape or form a brat by any means. "Clearly, given how you just zoned out as if someone stupified you, there is a lot going on in that head of yours that's causing you to act like a typical teenage, smart-mouthed prat and that is not my fault, mate. I willingly admit that perhaps I should have asked your permission before sitting so close to you but that hardly gives you the go-ahead to act like a damn......"

He cut himself off. He didn't trust his mouth because his temper was rising, and he knew why; Williard had hit on a sensitive subject. Kayden had to deal with that stereotype ever since he arrived here at Hogwarts. People assumed that just because Zayden was the way he was Kayden was the same way only calmer and smarter. Those certainly were not the only two distinguishable qualities between the two brothers, But how would people know that, came a voice in his head. Kayden deflated back into his chair. You've allowed people to think that you and Zayden are the exact same so how can you possibly be upset about being labeled when you were the one who put it there? The thought sobered his rage. He moved a blonde lock away from his forehead and returned his attention to the fire. This conversation was over, and he let his body language express that. Clearly this was a mistake, but before anymore thoughts could surface he once again took a deep breath and let it go. It wasn't a big deal. Williard was not the only other boy in his House. True, he had been Kayden's first choice but seeing as how what just happened, Williard seemed to have a lot more problems than what he put out. But then, Kayden carried himself in the exact same way....

[Williard Thoth R4]

Williard slightly tensed up and felt heat rise in his neck and cheeks when Kayden turned on him, his bright blue eyes showing nothing but the cruelest intentions. He had seen Kayden completely tear people to shreds verbally, but he met the other boy's gaze defiantly. He too had a way with words and if it was a war of words that was about to take place then he was more than up to the challenge. But as Kayden spoke Williard had to admit that he sounded more defensive than offensive, which threw Williard off a bit. He was clearly offended and unexpectedly so, and somewhere in Williard their was a tinge of regret for what he said. He didn't mean to piss him off as much as he meant to simply get him to go away so that he could be alone. Kayden abruptly stopped speaking though his eyes seemed to do all the talking for him before he turned his attention back to the fireplace. Williard looked down at his lap. The chill that came from Kayden seemed to overpower the heat that emanated from the fire. Typical teenage, smart-mouthed prat, he repeated in his head. Sounds like something Dylan would say, and that somehow made him feel worse. He pulled a letter out of his pocket and read it for the hundredth time.

Dear Williard,

Hope you aren't too surprised by this letter since you know that I don't do second chances. It has been a long time since I have seen or spoken to you, and at your earliest convenience I would really like to see you. I can't stand the fact that through all of this mess you and I don't have a relationship, especially when I think about how when we had no idea of the truth I couldn't get rid of you. I sent you a letter a couple of weeks ago and never got a response so either my owl Tynan made a mistake, or you just completely ignored me, which I must admit doesn't sit too well with me. But I care enough to send you this letter, and if you choose to ignore this one as well then I will not send another. I know that you have been off lately and walking around with an attitude, or at least that's what Ptah told me the last time that I spoke to him. So if you really are carrying yourself like Kellan, then maybe it's a good thing that you ignore me because I would not hesitate for a second to jinx you if you threw some of that foolishness my way. You are too great of a person to act like that. It's beneath you and you know it.

I really hope you're doing well though, and hopefully you write me back at the very least if you don't want to see me.

Love,
-Dylan

When he first read it, he was conflicted. He was indeed surprised and happy that his brother decided to write him again, but he didn't like the fact that Dylan called him Kellan, which he didn't doubt was done purposefully. He also didn't like it that Dylan seemed to be scolding him, but his words stuck in his head; "It's beneath you and you know it."

He hadn't spoken to Dylan in a very long time. He had tried to spend time with Williard but he declined. Or, he declined and didn't inform Dylan. Williard knew Dylan meant what he wrote and that he wouldn't get another invitation. He would have to be the one to contact his older brother in the end and he still wasn't sure why he wouldn't. He knew he was somewhat upset with Dylan but he also knew that he couldn't truly be mad. If anyone was innocent in the situation it was him. And when he thought about it, Kayden was right. He was acting like a typical, "angry-at-the-world" teenager. No one had done anything to Williard except his cousin, yet here he was acting as if this whole thing revolved around him, and it didn't. Truthfully, he was tired of being angry and bitter all the time. How Kellan managed it, Williard didn't know but it took a lot of energy and he didn't want to give it any more than he already had. But he couldn't help feeling the way that he did. He just couldn't stop himself from saying the things that he said and thinking the negative thoughts that seemed to plague his mind. Sighing heavily, he pulled his wand out of his left pocket and aimed it at the staircase leading to the dormitory. "Accio parchment, quill and ink bottle," he spoke silently. All three items came flying into the Common Room. The quill and parchment landed in his lap while his ink bottle landed on the floor at his feet; luckily the top didn't come off. Williard picked it up and sat it on the stand next to the chair and positioned the parchment in his lap.

He wasn't sure how he was going to start the letter or what he was going to say, but he knew he needed to try. He twisted the cap off of the ink bottle and dipped his quill. "Sorry about that," he said as loud as he dared. He was talking to Kayden but didn't look up to see if he heard him. He apologized, and he would leave it at that. He sighed and sat up straighter. Maybe a meeting with Dylan is exactly what he needed...

[Kayden Anders R4]

He stared into the fire...trying to get his mind to be completely blank. It was futile, though, but he still tried. It was as if he could numb himself to everything else except this and he didn't get why. The same question always popped up; how come he didn't have any real friends? He supposed there were people that thought of him as a friend but the sentiment was definitely not returned. How come whenever he did actually try to be nice and sociable it often went wrong? He always said something or did something that he didn't mean, and it ended with the person thinking that he was a jerk. Something told him that this particular time wasn't exactly his fault, but it was something that ate away at him because it made Kayden feel as if there were something wrong with him, like he was incapable of being truly liked by anyone other than silly girls or people like his brother and those in his family. He heard Williard mumble something but didn't break his gaze. Five more minutes, and then I'll go get ready for dinner and get the hell away from this-, his thought was interrupted by a thud on the floor; an ink bottle landed right in between their two chairs. He looked back into the fire and held his palms out to the heat once more. His own leg started to vibrate now. He was still angry. Normally he would be able to let things like this go, but it was uncalled for and just downright rude. I could pull out my wand and "accidentally" jinx him, he thought. Smiling mischievously he reached into his pocket going for his wand thinking about the perfect spell, but then he heard something that made him freeze and look back at the other boy.

Did he really just hear that? He looked at Williard dead in his eyes, who seemed intent on writing whatever he was writing. If Kayden wasn't mistaken, that was the absolute first time that anyone had ever truly apologized to him about anything. He wasn't sure what to think or do now that he was torn between anger and surprise. He still stared at Williard but realized he had his wand drawn. In an attempt to cover his real intention, he settled into his chair and concentrated. He made a circular motion with his wand, and a small fire ball separated itself from the flames and made its way over to him. He held out his left hand and guided the ball to it, but just as it settled over his palm it fizzled out. Normally he wouldn't have had any trouble as it was one of his favorite tricks to perform when he was just messing around. But, he was flustered at the moment. He could just ignore Williard and go upstairs. But then didn't you just feel bad about ignoring the guys in the dormitory when they were only trying to thank you? He sighed at that last thought and attempted his trick again. While that had most of his attention, he spoke before he lost the nerve to. "Apology accepted," he said simply. This time the fire ball stayed in his palm, and he sat his wand in his lap. Just as he raised his other hand though, it disappeared again.

It was weird. It felt as if he didn't know what to do with himself, and truthfully, that was the way he felt since he first sat down. He picked up his wand and tried again laughing to himself. He was in another uncomfortable situation for the second time in one day all because of Zayden...

[Williard Thoth R4]

Williard looked at Kayden sideways. What was he doing with his wand? For a second he thought he was about to be hexed, jinxed or cursed, but then Kayden aimed at the fireplace. Williard slightly squinted his eyes at the other boy's trick with the fire. Well it didn't exactly seem like a trick as much as him just messing around, but he still felt uneasy, like he just avoided having the situation go in a very bad direction. Kayden still hadn't spoken or acknowledged his apology, so Williard broke his gaze and concentrated on his letter.

Dear Dylan,

His quill froze on the page along with his mind. What was he going to write? What exactly did he want to say? His nerves started to kick in, and his leg started vibrating in place once more. But Williard bit his bottom lip and forced himself to write and not think, and be as sincere as possible.

I am so very sorry about not responding to your first letter. For some reason unknown to me, I just didn't want to see you. It was nothing you did or said, it was just....I don't know. But, I realize that was wrong of me and that I wasn't being understanding of your position in everything. We have a Hogsmeade trip coming up in two weeks, and if you could meet me there, I really would love to spend that weekend with you.

Williard wasn't sure what else to say but he was already done writing; he knew that much. He thought about how his brother ended his letter, and his quill hesitated. Love, Dylan, he thought. Love was a very strong word to use, and he didn't feel comfortable writing it down. He supposed he should since Dylan did, but that just made Williard wonder how Dylan could have possibly written that. How could Dylan love Williard when they didn't really know each other? It was at the tips of his writing hand, but he couldn't bring himself to write it, so Williard forced something half-hearted down on the parchment.

Hope you are doing well.
-Williard

Before he could be embarrassed, look it over or feel anything else, he folded up the parchment and pulled out his wand. He sealed it, and then tucked it away inside of his pocket along with Dylan's last letter. Sitting his quill and ink bottle on the floor beside his chair, Williard went for another licorice wand when he heard it. He exhaled at Kayden's acceptance of his apology. He leaned back and bit off a piece of licorice, not really knowing what to do next; he didn't really want to talk to Kayden anymore. He had wrote to Dylan. He was perfectly warm now. Maybe the next step was actually sending his brother the letter, but before he could move a cat appeared in front of their two chairs staring directly between Williard's shins. It wasn't Jeremy, which was Williard's first thought but that didn't stop him from sitting up and reaching his hand out toward the animal. The cat hissed and Williard stopped for a second with his hand still out. Then, the cat slowly moved forward and lightly brushed it's nose against Williard's finger tips. Taking this as a sign, Williard lightly dug his finger tips in small, gentle circles on the top of the cat's head. But then something happened very fast.

In a blur of brown and black fur, Jeremy sprang from underneath Willard's chair and tackled the orange and brown cat. There was a little hissing which made Williard stand up immediately, but then once the cats separated the hissing stopped and they both stood quite still. Unsure of what to do, Williard went to pick Jeremy up and had every intention of taking him up to the dormitory, but the cats stepped toward each other and started playing....or so Williard thought. They were wrestling and trying to pin and bite each other but they had stopped hissing, so he sat back down. He looked over to see Kayden staring at him again with an amused look on his face. "I was worried for a second. Jeremy doesn't really tend to like other cats," he said grabbing yet another licorice wand still eyeing his furry friend. Be friendly, he thought. If he was going to try and change then he would have to start now. "So....do you have a pet," he asked watching the two cats play fight.

[Kayden Anders R4]

He lazily eyed Clay as he stood in front of Williard. At first he payed it no mind but when he remembered the nature of his cat, only his eyes turned back to the scene. He wasn't alarmed; while Williard apologized, he was still somewhat offended by his words. So if Clay decided to attack Williard like he did everyone else, then so be it. His cat hissed when the other boy stretched his hand out. Kayden smirked. But then to his surprise, Clay started forward and before he knew it, Williard was petting Clay. No scratches, bite marks or blood to be seen. He turned his whole head and stared at the scene in amazement.

Kayden remembered when he first got his cat. His father had bought both he and his brother kittens. Of course Zayden took the more lively and playful of the two, so Kayden got the other which he named Clay upon seeing his fur. His father went to pick him up and the cat hissed and swiped, catching his father on the back of the hand leaving a small cut. Markus kicked the box over and Clay went flying under a cabinet full of their mother's family heirlooms. Markus pulled out his wand and scared, Kayden dove to the floor attempting to lure the kitten out and hopefully save it. After about five minutes, the cat willingly walked out to Kayden who immediately scooped him up and put him under his shirt. Both Kayden and Zayden inherited their tempers from their father, and there was no mistaking the look that was in his eyes. But he looked back and forth between the lump under Kayden's shirt and the same eyes that belonged to his wife, shoved his wand away, and walked out of the living room. From that moment on Kayden was the only one that Clay was nice to. He even took a few swipes at Zayden, and Kayden was sure that if Clay didn't belong to him then his brother would've already killed his furry friend.

Hissing brought him back and before he knew it, Clay was fighting some other cat. Not sure what to do, he sat up a little straighter but once Williard stood up, the pets separated. They looked at each other, took a step forward, and before he knew it, Clay was playing with another cat. Kayden squinted his eyes.

"I was worried for a second. Jeremy doesn't really tend to like other cats. So....do you have a pet?"

He met the other boys gaze. "Yes. You just caressed him. His name is Clay. And he doesn't tend to like anyone." He stressed that last word as he leaned forward. Clay automatically started for him but Jeremy lunged and the two started playing again. Kayden felt slightly betrayed.