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Chapter 3: A New Start

The following day, Keanu woke up from bed and did his morning routine in the bathroom and then to the kitchen for breakfast. His father already cooked and dressed up in his police uniform. He's now in the dining table, drinking his coffee mug. A plate of scramble eggs, bacon and buttered toast is displayed for Keanu. While eating, his father already left and reminded him to close the house's main door when Keanu leaves. The arctic wolf-boy wonders if Hunter is already by the station. For the first time he's expecting someone to wait for him at the station. But he doesn't have his phone number to find out.

After locking the door with his spared key, now outside from the building. He walks through the walking path and upstairs of the pedestrian bridge above the streets. Stopping in the middle, walks down the middle stairs towards the small station where morning passengers are waiting their next train. Looking around, no wolf-man in sight. He must have assumed he came too early or missed the train.

"Hey, good morning." Keanu heard a voice from behind and a brown-furred hand rested behind his shoulders. His white-furred face points towards it until his whole body turns around.

"H-Hi, Hunter..." Keanu stand back one step after he had forgotten how tall he was. "Morning..."

"Huh, new mobile phone?" Hunter noticed Keanu's right hand. "I remember you using an old fashioned one."

"Oh... It was a birthday gift from my Dad." Keanu remarked.

"Your birthday was yesterday?" Hunter surprised. "Well, happy birthday, little guy!" He cheery said and tapped twice his shoulder, it felt a little heavy.

Keanu blushed, "Uh, thank you. I've turned eighteen yesterday." He said and rubbed his shoulder.

"Eighteen? I thought you skipped a few grades and made it to college at a young age." He teased.

Keanu couldn't tell if he was teasing or saying what he actually thought. He said, "No, that's not the case. I didn't skipped grades..." Keanu paused, looking at the wolf-man in front of him. "Well, and you look kind of older. Are you graduating this year?"

Hunter laughed, "No, I'm in second year and only nineteen." He stated. "So, eighteen, huh? That's the year that you're now a grown up." I better stop treating youngsters like little kids, thought Hunter.

"I thought turning twenty-one is when you're now an adult."

"Nah, that's when you're legal to drink and gamble." Hunter remarked.

"Oh... So, uh, I'm taking science class at 8:00 and art class at 10:00 like I told you yesterday and I..."

"Ah, of course. After your lectures, we can meet up at the cafeteria." Hunter filled it up for him.

"Sure." Keanu replied. The street car arrived at the station. The two fellow college students boarded in.

Once arriving at 7:45 AM at the Rexville Campus Station. Keanu then asks where the science lectures' building and the art lectures' building are. Hunter instructed him on where to go, telling him that science and physics are at the 500 building and art class at the 300 building. The two canids went to their separate ways to their respective classrooms. Hunter has his dedicated engineering lectures at this hour period at the 700 building that dedicates in technology engineering.

After science class, Keanu proceed to his intriguing art class. He considers it as the most stress-relieving class as he enjoys drawing and coloring pictures. Coming in at the 300 building that dedicates theater, music, paintings, sculptures, and drawings. Keanu enters classroom 305. A few students are there present. This time Keanu didn't come up late nor early. Just on time. Since this is the first week of the semester, it's going to be the same as yesterday; introducing themselves to their professor.

The classroom was so typical, surrounded with easels and other previous students' works on the walls. The classroom's bay windows have a nice panoramic view of the coastal campus. The class started and Prof. Zamora, a middle-aged female human in a colorful hippy-ish robes, came into class and introduced herself to her students. The class will be talking about the body of the individual of either human or beastmen and that how sacred is about a persons' soul in it of the art of body; its movements, characteristics, environments, emotions, and facial expressions. Prof. Zamora explains to her students that this isn't some biology class nor medical anatomy of sorts as the person's body played an important role in the arts and culture that dates back in ancient Rome and the Renaissance. Before class dismissed, she gave her students a list of basic materials for their class. Such as a big sketch pad, pencils of different shades, black carbon, and eraser.

Now that Keanu finished his today's lectures, he's now free the entire noon and afternoon. He's really glad he met someone like Hunter. He had spent his entire summer at the house and never gotten a chance to meet him by any chance. Their paths really never crossed back then. Hunter, of course, spent his summer in Rio with his family, and by that fact that they both live separately in each building.

Located near by the boardwalks to the beach, the cafeteria is bustling with students bringing their own lunches or looking forward anything in today's menu. There's also a stand for sandwiches and hamburgers. Sometimes they offer some special pasta day. The café also make breakfast for early riser students.

"Nuevo amigo, huh?" Xavier said. A part of him hate himself for rather being a show off with his Spanish to English-speaking citizens as if his language sounds cool towards other foreigners. But on the other hand, it is kind of fun.

"Yeah, I've met him yesterday on my way back home at the station. We're actually neighbors across the street." Hunter replied.

"What's his name?"

"Keanu. He's an arctic wolf, this is his first year."

"Keanu?" Xavier's green eyebrow raised. "I think he's in the same class as me and Milagros in art class." Xavier remarked.

"Really? How was he?"

"How should I know, I was listening to Milagros and other girls in the class talking about a possible sexy volunteer showing off naked and draw them in person." The green parrot bird-man sarcastically excused. "But honesty, other than introducing himself in the class like the rest of us, he's kind of quiet the whole class."

"Then I'll prove you wrong, he's actually little shy and this is his first week in college. Once meeting him he's very kind. He moved to Rexville last summer with his family. Just like me, he and I don't need dorms to stay." Hunter said.

"Lucky you." Xavier replied nonchalantly. "I may be staying in a dorm, but my parents like to come over whenever they want just to ruin my day." Hunter laughed.

Hunter and Xavier brought their lunch on the tray and find a seat. The seats are getting full or they should eat outside where there was still some hot climate in early fall. Xavier maybe a tropical bird from a Caribbean island whom likes warm climate, but he is not into getting a heatstroke by the rays of the sun. However, there are parasols on every table outside. Luckily, the twin coyotes, Sergio and Milagros have reserved their seats.

Later, Solomon, Xerxes, and Broderick joined in with them until not too long the white wolf-boy came after them a little nervous, he's coming to see Hunter. "Hi, Hunter..."

Hunter turned around, "Hey, you made it! Come sit with us, Keanu." Hunter gestured an empty seat next to him.

"Thanks." He seated.

"Hey, I remember you." Milagros mused. "You're taking art class with me and Xavier."

"Oh yeah." Keanu realized.

"Guys, this is Keanu Winters." Hunter gestured him. "Keanu, these are my friends; Sol, Broderick, Xerxes, Milagros, Xavier and Sergio." Every each greeted after hearing their names.

"Hi, everyone." He lightly said with a waving hand. Everyone was kindly smiling at him. Sergio noticed an odd scar on the white wolf's pink-padded right palm. Did he accidentally cut himself? But the scar seems faded as in healed long ago.

Hunter noticed that maybe introducing all his friends was too much for Keanu to handle, so Hunter decided to step ahead. "Keanu here moved last summer, so he's new in town. He's studying architectures at the 900 building. He also just happens to live across the street where I live." He said. Starting with something at least basic about the young canid, so the guys can get to know him a little. They also reminded him of how it was like to be the new kid in town and meeting new people. But these are nothing but new chapters of their lives ahead as Milagros puts it.

When Keanu's center of attention fades after meeting him, the guys moves towards their own business about the day and their lectures. Eventually, Keanu enjoyed the company of Hunter more. Though, his friends seem cool. They are friendly and quite polite. But sometimes they have some odd, funny but crazy attitudes; mostly are boy-talks as there's only one girl in the group, but Milagros doesn't mind if the guys talks about girls if either Broderick, Xerxes and Sergio have gotten laid in some previous parties and/or dates.

"Don't mind too much what they're talking about, Keanu, this is how it is." Hunter said.

"Is this really normal?"

"Yeah, you'll get used to it. Besides, they can be fun." He assured.

"Hey, Hunt, your parents will be out for the weekend, right?" Sol interrupted.

"Yeah, and so as my brothers and sister will be out the weekend." Hunter added.

"We could have our get-together there since most of us don't have any plans. What do you say?"

"Sure..." And looks at Keanu. "Would you like to come, is across the street?"

"Um, that...would be okay...but I must ask my father first." Keanu replied.

Sol chuckles, "Ask your father first? Don't you mean your moth-" The leopard suddenly saw a horrible expression by the looks of his lowered ears on the young wolf. "S-sorry... My bad."

"What's wrong?" Hunter asked.

"Nothing, nothing. I didn't mean to offend him." Sol quickly regain his post.

"Anyways, Keanu, if your father agrees, then feel free to come over at my house." Hunter smiled.

"Thank you."

"So, how about that tour around the campus?" Hunter announced. Keanu lightly smiles.

After lunch, the fellas went their separate ways to either their next classes this afternoon or for Broderick, Sol, and Xerxes in their soccer practice. Hunter leads Keanu around the vast of a coastal campus that is known for Rexville University. With several buildings known by the hundred number per each building of specific lectures and related sub lectures. Everything as Keanu could see is accessible by just walking. Surrounded of rich, tall, tropical palm trees swaying by the breeze. Cobblestones leading countless of directions. The environment here is definitely pleasant as the sunshine gives a good day to go outside. Students everywhere either relaxing the day, studying outside or playing casual sports like frisbee. Hunter leads Keanu a little further and they hear the sound of roaring waves.

The pair walk through the boardwalk waterfront and is adjacent to the beach. "And here's the beach," Hunter said, "a lot of students come here, also." The two stops by the railing next to a stair leading down to the white sand beach.

"Woah, it's been a while since I'd been to the beach." Keanu awed. The wind of the Pacific strikes their heads by standing there, even the waves are making a huge spectacle for the local surfers.

"Where do you used to live?"

"Little Lake town, it's far from the coast. Mostly on the summers, my parents used to take me here when I was little." He stated.

"I see."

"Um, Hunter..." Keanu started, "is it true that there's a botanical garden here?"

"You mean the Palmetum? It's by the south side of the campus, it is just a botanical garden full of palm trees of different types. When I first came there, I didn't know that there were lots of types of palm trees."

Keanu kindly smiles, "We all learned something new every day, huh?"

A sound of a jingle techno sound rings. Keanu picks his new phone from his pocket. It was a text message from his father. Keanu reads it: Guess what? Uncle Derrick and Aunt Sophia had just opened their new coffee shop near by the campus. It's called Winters' Sun Café, you should come by and visit them.

He is free the entire afternoon after all. Keanu looks up at his wolf friend, "Um, do you know a new café called Winters' Sun Café nearby?"

"Ah, I've hear about that place, did they had opened? Why you asked?"

"My uncles are the owners of that business; my dad had texted me that I should go and visit them."

"Alright, I know where it is. I can take you there if you like. And plus, I was looking forward to try that place out." Hunter stated. "Hey, do you think your uncle could give us some 'on the house' since is their grand opening?"

"I guessed that could be possible." Keanu replied. "But don't you have classes this afternoon?"

"I do, but just one for the day. I have plenty of time." Hunter stated. "Come, I'll show you."

The Winters' Sun Café has the banner sign "opened for business" in display and a sign offering opportunities for college students for part-time jobs. Locals and students curiously wander inside the new shop for some simple examples or rich coffee and pastries. They also offer sandwiches and brunches or a quick light snack. The canids sight the near crowded shop with almost every table occupied.

"Welcome." Said a white graying wolf-man with a common brown apron.

"Uncle Derrick?"

"Huh? Keanu!?" The voice was unexpectedly loud. "Hey! Happy birthday! How are you, my nephew!?" He welcomingly hugged him.

"Just fine, thank you. Dad texted me to come and see you."

"Really? How nice of you." He said. The wolf is the older brother of Kendall. He also moved from Little Lake Town with his wife, but some of their children, those already grown up and graduated from university, stayed in town, but their youngest son and daughter are still in high school and were transferred to Rexville High school. "So, how's your father doing?"

"He's fine, doing police work. So, how's the business going?"

"Just excitingly great, we knew opening near by the campus was a good idea and we can offer shifts for the students. There's even student applying for a job now, your aunt is doing the work." The older wolf then finally noticed the other brown wolf still standing beside Keanu. "And who's your new friend?" He smiles.

"Oh! Ah," he quickly glances at Hunter and turns back at Derrick, "Uncle, this is Hunter, we'd just met yesterday since we are now neighbors across the street." Keanu explained. "He'd shown me where to go since he had heard about your business." And concluded.

"Nice to meet you, Hunter, I'm glad that there's someone like you to help out my nephew around." Derrick handshakes his hand. "So, why not you two have a seat while I'll get to work. And since Keanu haven't brought a friend over since I can't remember, so I'll just give you something nice, it's on the house!"

"Thank you, sir." Hunter gladly said. "Well, what do you know!" He smiles at Keanu.

"He's really easy-going." Keanu excused.

The canids took a seat and Keanu could not help but noticing a lot of customers coming, and most of them are students. Many are commenting about how good the coffee is and good fair prices to afford. Everything on the menu is fresh, not frozen. And some students are considering taking a part-time job here to cover their college funds or other miscellaneous needs.

"Hey, Keanu, I've realized something..." Hunter spoke, and Keanu turned his sight at the wolf.

"What is it?"

"Does your father work as a police officer? Nothing wrong, but, just asking."

"Yeah, the reason we moved here is because Dad wanted to spice up his life, so he reassigned and recruited at the Rexville Police Department." He stated.

"Spice up?" Hunter chuckled.

"That's what he said."

"And how is like to be the son of a cop?"

"At least I'm cooperating at home."

"So, you're a good boy!" Hunter teased.

"Stop it! One would think that I'm living in a boot camp just because my father is a policeman, but it's not." Keanu said. Also, he doesn't like hearing the word 'cop', it's something like a slang term for him. "So, what about you? What does your father do?"

Questioning back, Hunter shrugged and replies with his hands behind his head, the short sleeves of his pine green button shirt slips off, revealing his bulging white underside biceps almost near flexing to hard stone, Keanu blushed little at that sight. Hunter said, "I don't know my father's position, but he works for the NTSB, you know, the National Transportation Safety Board?"

"Yes, I know about it."

"They usually investigate a bunch of plane crashes or other transportation vehicles. Dad doesn't talk about these stuffs at home. I guess is because Dad had seen a lot of bodies and the smell of..."

"I don't wanna know more! Please!" Keanu snapped out of nowhere.

Hunter stood aback a little of the young wolf's reaction. "Sorry... I know it's too much for my Dad to handle, but he does a good job." He assured.

Keanu lowers his voice, "I know, but I don't want to hear about bodies." He paused because of the creepiness, "Okay?"

"Sure, no problem." He raised one thumb up.

Derrick came back and brought two cups of frozen frappuccinos with chocolate syrup swirling around the transparent cup for the canids. "Here you go boys, on the house!" He smiles. The two thank them. "And, Keanu, your father called, and he wants you to stay here and later I'll take you back home together, we're having dinner tonight at your house." Keanu agrees, but he felt down that he won't be enjoying Hunter's company the entire afternoon to the train station as he had expected and hoped. He just continues sipping his drink until it gets him brain freeze. It was painful that also Hunter suffered that same pain in the head. It was a good frappuccino to drink.

It was Hunter's time to go, he has philosophy class this mid-afternoon. "See you later, Keanu. Take care."

"See you tomorrow, Hunter." Keanu waved, after leaving the shop, he exhaled and relaxed on the seat. "Uncle, is there any wi-fi here?"

"Sure, it's free. Just sign in. No password." He shouted back.

"And where's my little nephew?" Sophia Winters sits by.

"Aunt Sophia." Keanu greeted. The female wolf-woman came closer and kissed both Keanu's cheeks. Two red colored lips stained his white fur.

"It's been awhile since last time I saw you." She smiled. "Look at you; you look much better now than sitting on that wheelchair."

"I know. I'm glad that I can walk again."

"So, how's college? Is it going well?"

"Sure, I like it so far. Hunter gave me a tour around the campus."

"Who's Hunter?"

"I met him yesterday and...he was really friendly, so he was nice enough to show me around. He was here for a short while with me."

"Well, that was nice of him. You really have changed since high school."

"Well, not really." Keanu then asked. "Is Cousin Crystal and Jack coming for dinner?"

"Sure, they all coming for dinner tonight to celebrate our business prosperity."

"Sophia, can you help with the customers?" Derrick called. Sophia called back and leaved the table.

Alone sitting on the two-seat table, Keanu was left in thought. Did I really change?