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Chapter 9: Last Monday of September

Hunter came back to his apartment home with a slice of pie given by Keanu's aunt. Now that he had left the apartment, Rylan probably locked the door with the chain. Hunter hopes Sally and River are home to answer the door. Just as normal, he unlocks the door with his key until the door is once again ajar. "God damned it!" He shouted.

"Rylan! Open the goddamn door!" He bangs with his fist hard. "Sally? River?"

"Keep your voice down, Hunter!" Hunter turned at the female voice, his mother came back with a small suitcase. "The neighbors can hear you?" Scolding with a composed tone, Mary Montana shushed him. "How are you doing, son?" She came to hug him and kisses him on the cheek.

Hunter calms down and breathes in relax. "Yeah, Mom, I'm fine. Welcome back." He hugs back. "Is Dad downstairs?"

"No, he's still in Florida for the investigation. My two-week-off ended." Then she noticed what he's holding in one hand; a piece of pie in a plastic plate with a transparent sheet all wrapped up. She smiled, "And where did you get that pie, Hunter?"

"Oh! Uh, I was at Keanu's apartment across the street and just hanging out and..." He shrugged along with the pie on his hand. "His aunt made pie."

"How nice. Keanu is it?"

"Yeah, I've met him on the first day, he's really a nice guy." Hunter subconsciously wagged his tail which Mary noticed.

She giggles at this sight of her elder son's inner sense of happiness, she started another topic, "So, how are things while I was gone?"

Hunter sighed, "Rylan is at it again." His tail stopped.

"He is still keeping you outside the house? You should've called me."

"I don't want to cause trouble while you're away, Mom."

"I could've called him and ground him."

"Yeah, right, like hell he'll take it seriously through the phone."

"And how long he's been doing this again?"

"All week, Mom. Too stubborn to answer me!" Hunter really wanted to say homophobe in those sentences, but he doesn't want to admit it to his parents, even if they are aware of his bigotry.

"Hunter, calm down. I'll talk to him." Mary is glad that Hunter doesn't keep things all to himself in a long period of time but keeping it shut for a week is...well, torture.

The door closes and then opens widely this time around at full ninety degrees. The young River Montana broke a huge smile. "I knew I hear voices! Hi, Mom! Welcome back!" The wolf-boy shouted to call Sally and Rylan.

"Does River and Sally answer the door?" Mary asked Hunter.

"If they aren't around the house but Rylan alone," Hunter muttered. The two entered their home and Mary greeted all her children and planned on making dinner for the evening.

The following weekend was as calm as Hunter wanted. Now that his mother is around, he can stop being worried about Rylan locking him out of the house for a short time. As September is coming to an end, first-term exams this week are being held and Keanu is ready to take some ease once he finishes. He hopes he doesn't get another headache afterward by the upcoming weekend. Today is September's last Monday, Keanu readily heads to the station. Destination: Rexville Campus Station. Hunter catches on before the door closes, meeting with Keanu on the same car train.

"Hunter, I think you should adjust your morning schedule if you don't want to miss the train." Keanu honestly said.

"I know, but my brothers can be a little off when fighting over beacon."

Keanu chuckles, "Fighting over beacon?"

"We were short on beacon and two pieces for each of us, but River only got one and complained that Rylan had three," Hunter explained; Keanu laughed.

"That sound like Cousin Jack fighting over everything," Keanu said.

Hunter laughed. "Really? I can tell his behavior."

"Yeah, I remember that time when Dad recorded a video when grandma gave him a video game he wanted for his birthday, but only to find out upon opening the gift that the game belonged to a different console." Keanu holds the tension of his laughter, but his soft voice was well kept. "You should have seen his face. He was trying to access his mind on what to do and what to say to his grandma."

"Did he complain about the gift, didn't he?"

"He was eleven, I thought he was going to cry or complain grandma for her lack of knowledge on video games. Instead, he just made a fake smile and hugs grandma and thanked her. I remembered Uncle Derrick talking to grandma on not to buy video games anymore."

"What game console he uses?"

"Jack's a Play Station gamer, grandma bought him an Xbox game that won't work on a different console. So, about the game he received, he gave it to a friend who has an Xbox console."

"Ah, that's cool. So, things just got settled afterward."

"Yeah, and I still got that old video that Dad recorded." Keanu chuckles. "He can be a bit of a brat but not in front of the adults when fighting over everything."

"Hehe, he does sound like River if he were in that situation. Hey, do you still have that video?"

"I think it's still on Dad's old video camera."

"Didn't you publish it on the Internet?"

"Why would I want to do that?"

"Not publicly but privately on your account and share it with your family."

"I don't think Jack would like that," Hunter asked why. "That was one infuriating experience he doesn't want to happen again. Or remember it. Hmm..." Keanu wondered, now he has an interest in figuring out to find those old videos and pictures from old cameras and cellphones.

"I see, you don't dare to mess with other people's past?" Hunter said. He remembers a Friday ago when Crystal mentioned something about Keanu being in the hospital at the same time Jennifer was born.

"Y-yeah, even if it sounds silly."

After a couple of stops, the onboard monotone voice intercom spoke. "WE'RE NOW ARRIVING AT REXVILLE CAMPUS STATION." The street train stops smoothly, and the doors opened for the student passengers.

As usual, they go to their respective morning classes with Keanu for English class and Hunter in calculus.

Time goes its ways, and so as word-of-mouth, Sergio and Milagros heard of Xavier's training as a goalie, so they catch on to see his skill on the bleachers, sitting close on the first-row seats to see the action up close. Xavier and Broderick wearing their soccer uniform of red and blue, each taking a turn as the goalie and Broderick teaching on catching the ball with bare hands while wearing special gloves. The Primeras Twins barely hear their conversation from the short distance, but they equally assume that Broderick is encouraging him to move full-body than standing stubbornly on stage.

"Xavier is moving well," says Milagros, "but he must think quickly when the ball reaches for the goal."

"Do you think he can 'glide' when he jumps to catch the ball?"

"For being feathered?"

"Just a theory." Sergio just wondered his statement.

"Sounds interesting, but really?" Sergio just shrugged. "So." His sister started. "How was your 'sensual' thing going on?"

Sergio's ears stood up, he blushed but smiled. "Just great."

"Do you know what you're doing or what are you after?"

"I'm just taking smaller steps, seeing how I can go so far. I might want to try to do live chatting." His sister gave him the doubtful and concerned face look on him. "Don't worry, I'll just hide my face from the public."

"I hope."

Just then, Sol and Spicer arrived on the field. The two now eyes on the field and see the test of skills. Will Xavier become the new goalie? Other players sat and watch for the truth. Sol is one of the best in tricking on kicking the ball the other way around before the goalie can predict which direction is heading, Xavier must think quick on his feet. Xavier stands in front of the goal, protecting, with both legs spread apart for readiness. With Broderick training him in the weekend, it's now Sol's turn to give him the kick. The reindeer-man hopes he's right and prove Solomon Stone wrong, or is the other way?

The leopard-man stands yards away, half of the field and Coach Soto blows the whistle and the leopard was so focused on hitting the goal as its precious g-spot, he had said that as a joke a dozen of times to everyone. Xavier gets it, but he's now the cock-blocker.

Sol dashes with the ball on his feet, Xavier is on standby position, seeing the leopard zigzagging closer to his objective. Xavier cannot predict him at this rate. He moved to the left before jumping to the right as he saw Sol swinging his leg out, ricocheted the ball at the goal. Airborne in seconds he felt the ball brushing his right flake, he hit the grass and slid no less than a meter. The ball made it to the net.

Xavier stands up in a swift as he checks the aftermath. Kind of disbelief on how good Sol was. Qué golazo,he honestly thought. He never faced him in practice. He's more skilled than he is.

"Don't sweat it, Islas!" Sol said. "You're doing great, there's no rush."

"Not all first round is for beginners' luck." The parrot muttered.

On the second round, Sol did the same technique with the results of Xavier nearing catching the fast-moving ball with one hand but successfully entering the goal. But the third time, Xavier rushes to the left half-airborne but he was way too ahead; the ball made it right pass-through between the spread legs with his feathered tail opened up like a fan almost acting like a barrier, but it didn't, it brushed right through it. Xavier checked his tail and saw he had dented or bent his long plumes, and some have gotten off loose.

"Just my luck." He muttered. Beauty has never been his priority on how he takes care of himself. Sports has always been a dirty activity.

"There is more where that came from!" Sol sneered.

Xavier picks the ball and throws it at Sol. "Then gimme some, Soliado."

"Still calling me Soliado? You know it means sunny, right?"

"Nah, I'm not very good at giving bad nicknames to others," Xavier remarked.

"Then, it is my time to shine as Soliado!" Sol playfully said.

Then I'm gonna give you a thundering cloud over you, Xavier thought.

Another round and Coach Soto blow the whistle. Sol runs with the ball from half the field and Xavier prepares for his lunch. He suddenly stops and kicks the ball in the air, heading right at Xavier. If he catches it and falls back behind the line, it's considered a goal. The only way is to catch the ball while moving left or right and Xavier had just pictured one weird move. The ball is slightly moving to his left, Xavier leaps to the left and let it receive the ball on his stomach and hug it, he spun his whole body like a ball in a fetal position until a second later he found himself upright on his knees...and the ball in his arms.

Everyone saw it and Sergio was recording with his phone the whole time from the first round. Everyone cheered! Xavier couldn't believe it and let out a natural screech of a parrot. But Sol was still on his tracks, he didn't say anything but received the ball back from Xavier, some more rounds began, and the parrot was on now on fire. Catching the ball with bare hands, the young parrot had broken in the inner energy he had collected that never bother to look for is now consuming it in sports. He can now understand why everyone in the whole wide world loves this sport.

After ten successful catches, Xavier has proved his worthiness in soccer. Sergio had caught it on film.

At lunchtime, the whole gang meets up there with great news. Xavier Islas is on the game as the new goalie. Keanu and Hunter saw Sergio's video he had uploaded on the Internet, now everyone in the campus knows. Hunter must have been under the rock as he learned that Xavier joined the soccer club this semester. With the upcoming games next week of October against the West Coasters this year is potentially victorious.

Sol had actually congratulated him; he actually didn't give up on him despite he had doubted him from the start. He always observed every practice on the players and can tell that Xavier has shown great interest in soccer. The agility and stamina he had been looking for were on the hands of a parrot he had not expected to sign up.

As lunch continues with great moods on the table. Exams of this week are what they are talking about. Keanu did it well with English at ease while History of California class was a bit challenging from the start as it all what Prof. Sheehan had only covered the origins and first inhabitants to the Spanish Colonial Period during the month of September. Soon the class will move on to the Mexican rule to the American invasion and many more to come for the class, Keanu needs to be more familiar than what had been taught in school. Prof. Sheehan is exploring deeper and covering trivial facts that the average student hadn't learned. Of course, this is university, everything is more explicit than what it meets the eye.

Xerxes started, "Hey, Xavier, there's some guy in my football team that wants to meet you. He said he knows you."

"I find that hard to believe." Xavier doubted. "Who is it?"

"His name is Julio Rincon; do you know him?"

Xavier did react when he heard the last name, no, it wasn't the name of one of the municipalities from his home country. He does know someone else who bore the surname of Rincon and did have a sibling back then, could this be this person?

"Is s-she, I mean, is he a hawk? A red-tailed hawk?" In his home country, they locally call them guaraguaos. But nobody in this country doesn't know it unless you're Puerto Rican.

Xerxes responded, "Yeah! You do know him, right?"

"Sorta." Xavier was still unsure.

"How nice," said Milagros, "you're meeting some nostalgic faces."

"Well, I didn't actually meet him officially..." Xavier gulped. "Will, you all excuse me?" The parrot left the table to the close-by restrooms.

Hunter reacted, "Doesn't look like he's amused."

"Looked nervous." Said Broderick. He turned at the dragon. "Who is this guy, Xerxes?"

"One of the guys on the team," Xerxes answered. "I barely know him but seems a good guy."

"But did you know that in the old times that hawk beastmen were natural predators towards Xavier's kind?" Milagros stated.

"Really?" Xerxes baffled. "I now really regret it!"

"Relax, Xers." She said. "That was in the old times, they now live in peace."

"Hey, Xerxes," Hunter spoke, "did you took care of Terrence?"

"Yeah, he was suspended for the next game. Coach Herrington was angry about it."

Not too long, Xavier came back from the restroom and demanded a talk with Xerxes of the said person in question. Why does Xerxes feel like he's has done something wrong? He didn't mean to but he's just being himself without knowing the consequences and lastly, Xavier hasn't talked about much of himself than anyone in the group. Not even from his home country. The conversation of the two was calming, glad for Xerxes as he thought he had upset the parrot. Xerxes tried to ask a little further, but Xavier classified him on not to intervene. After that, the two ended the subject and Xavier is going to meet Julio Rincon soon.

Back at lunching the cafeteria, Sergio spoke to his sister. "Milagros, have Lenny talked to you?"

"No, I haven't seen him since the breakup. Why?" Milagros replied.

"Yesterday, Lenny came to me while working on my next prank. He seems really sorry."

"Just ignore him, but what did he say?"

"Things like missing you and wants a second chance."

"If he's serious, then why he didn't talk that right in front of me?"

"Can't say, but asking me to consider you to be back with Lenny is so..."

"So unmanly." Milagros' mood turns sour. Remembering what he had did to those first years at a frat party. She met Lenny James from the start of her previous semester. A good-looking coyote-man with a Mexican descent from his mother side and a fading Mexican accent. The guy is energetic and self-motivating and gets along well with Sergio when she introduced him as a friend at first. As a member of a fraternity group that he joined, things were kind of different, not too long he was dating Milagros in spring break. Things where doing fine until the semester was ending, Sergio saw him a bit of jerk occasionally on lousy things to the point of most like his fellow frat members, he thought that was just him having fun and some beer in his hand.

First year's new frat members get some harmless tribe's traditions for joining. And Lenny was among them, Milagros found out the disturbing way when videos were posted on social media, some first years weren't enjoying their treatment. It became scandalous that universities' officials had suspended students who were involved in it. Lenny was the main protagonist of his carelessness. It was so bad that Milagros had put her foot down to declare that it's now over.

Now back being single, Milagros hasn't gotten into dating for a long while. She is afraid of dating another jerkass like Lenny. But now it seems like Lenny wants another chance of changing his ways. This is now the first time they have contact with him since the breakup. But the guy is reaching out towards Sergio rather than Milagros to be back together. Sergio cannot do anything about it since this is Milagros' issue and she'll rather date another guy who is less of a jerk.

As time passes and finishing classes, Hunter and Keanu walk back to the station for home. The day was eventful as soccer was everything that everyone was all talking about.

"So, that guy Terrence won't bother me after his suspension?" Keanu asked Hunter.

"Don't worry about it, buddy. Times has changed to avoid a tragedy." Hunter replied. "Were you bullied before?"

"No, and I'm glad it didn't happen to me."

"Was it because your father is a policeman?"

"Maybe. Probably because Dad dropped me by the school with his police car in front of everybody."

"That just screams 'this is my son, so don't bother him'. You really didn't have any friends back at school?"

"Not much, but I got along with the teachers well."

"That's...weird..."

"But just a few acquaintances with school projects and nothing went further. I guess they never dared to ask me to hang out or do something nice to get along, but I guess is my fault for being a loner. I was just..."

"Was school for you was really that tough?"

Keanu looks at Hunter in the eye, Hunter got the feeling he's about to reveal something serious. But he kept his soft voice that Hunter knows. It was calm, but a little in pain. "It...it wasn't easy for me and Dad to live on after my mom passed away."

Hunter stopped his walking as Keanu stopped two steps later to turn back at him. Hunter now remembers on the first day when he first met Keanu at History class, he lives just with his father. His ears were half-lowered. "Oh...so sorry to hear that."

"It's okay, Hunter. I'm fine. I can't believe I started my teenage years without my mom." He sighed at the last sentence.

"And your father hasn't, uh, you know, met other people?" Hunter carefully asked.

But Keanu wasn't sensible about it. "No, not that I know of. Dad took a lot of responsibilities to take care of me. So, as for Aunt Sophia, she took care of me like her own cub. It's been eight years now; Dad and I are just living on."

"I see, so, you're okay, then." Keanu nodded and Hunter pats him on one shoulder and both walk on to the station.

Out of nowhere, the sound a roaring jet appears to be coming-by closer. The students wonder concerned or curious until they all pointed at the up-coming aircraft coming out of a corner from their peripheral vision from south to north. The two-engine jet in almost darkened by the late-afternoon sun flies over the campus.

This is not common, very rare and the students at campus know this. One engine is leaving a trail of sputtering smoke behind. The aircraft heads off northwards where the Rexville International Airport is. While modern jet aircraft tent to be silent when flying-over populated towns, this one odd occurrence just happens to fly way too low to reveal its powerful engines. It gave plenty of time for students to grab their cellphones and either take pictures or recording those precious seconds before the airplane goes out of view.

"Whoa..." Hunter was surprised. He turned to Keanu with excitement, "Did you see that?" The young arctic wolf looks pale with one hand holding onto his chest. "Keanu?"

"I'm okay-fine-well," Keanu responded with a lungful of air. A little shaken though.

"Come on or we'll miss the train." Hunter guides him by the shoulder as Keanu was a little stiffened from the unexpected encounter. Now, Hunter has a feeling that he will see his father soon enough.

Just after making five steps, a huge creepy crawler came out of nowhere from a nearby bush, about a foot long with moving legs that screamed disgusting. Now imagine if that thing could fly in the air and end with someone in a coma. Keanu let out a loud, heavy gasp of terror, backing away from the roach which Hunter grabbed him from running away in confusion. He had already been startled and now a creepy crawler had just made Keanu way too vulnerable. "Easy, Keanu!" Hunter tried to calm him down. "It's just a toy."

"What!?" Upon closer look, he was right. It had wheels under it.

"Sergio, I know you're here!" Hunter shouted without being upset.

Sergio came out from a palm tree with a big, victory smile. "Ha-ha! You should have seen the look on your face, Keanu! Say hi to the camera, man." Keanu awkwardly waved at the camera where Sergio pointed at, still shaking with a poker face.

Hunter picks the cockroach and looks at this weird toy. "Where'd you get this?"

"Internet, duh. I have been using it for a while now, I scared like twenty people today before you both came." Sergio said. "Looks like the real deal, huh?"

"Yeah, creepy..." Keanu replied, still a little shaken. "Hunter, we gotta go or else we might miss the train."

"Sure," hunter turns to waves Sergio goodbye. "See you tomorrow, Sergio."

"See you, man." The young coyote-man saw the canids leaving campus as he turns back to pick his toy prank and camera. He'll do the editing for latter and sooner he'll upload the video online. He does this for fun and makes one video per week, each with different types of pranks, mostly seeing people's reaction when they found out this was a prank or getting the bejesus out of their souls when they saw the unexpected, and Halloween is his favorite time of the month to give a good scare.