Realistic Thoughts

Chapter 1

Zaegan

Zaegan thought he was just an ordinary teenager, until one-day when he met a man that would change his life forever, his father!

"Zaegan!" Andrea Woodford cried happily running over. "Zaegan!"

"Hm?" he questioned her, confusion in his large black eyes. Eyes filled with pride that hid the bitterness of death.

Andrea shuddered inwardly. It had been five long years since she had been able to meet those eyes. Ever sense his mother had died.

"Um…Mr. Portocolize is after you again."

"Same as usual?" he asked in a bored voice. "'If you don't clean up your act you're gonna get kicked off the team.' I've heard it many a time my friend. Many a time."

Andrea smiled at his playfulness.

"Truth is I really don't think he can afford to let me go." Zaegan continued, smirking at her ignorance. "I'm the best player on the team." He boasted.

"'Pride shall come before the fall.'" She quoted.

"Don't you go preaching to me." He snapped, but then he winked at her. "You know it goes against my ethics."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

(Dream sequence)

Blood, so much blood. Pouring, gushing, weakening. Faces, who's face?

"Andrea…" he spluttered. The tangy sent of blood had summoned a large amount of vomit to his mouth.

He spat the vial stuff out of his system. Shock overcame him when he saw she was in tears. His mother's words came back to him. The last words she had ever said:

[Flashback]

"Mommy…don't go. I need you!"

It had happened when he was only a child. Ten years old was not a great time for your mother to die.

"Zaegan…everything has a time to die." She whispered before slipping into the arms of the Black Angel of Death.

[end flashback] (end dream sequence)

Zaegan sat bolt upright in bed, shaking, and shivering. It was just a dream. Just a dream.

"Everything has a time to die." He whispered. "But now's not my time."

Life was so confusing right now. What should he do? What could he do?

"Mother…" he moaned, "why? Why did you leave me?"

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The next day at school Andrea met Zaegan at his locker.

"Where were you at Flag Solute?" she demanded.

"Busy." Was all he said in reply."

Andrea knew that tone. That topic of conversation had just been closed.

"Zaegan…tomorrows Bring-Your-Child-To-Work-Day." She announced nervously, afraid of what his reaction might be.

He was silent for a few seconds then, "Great." He grinned, false joy making the pain in his pure black eyes. "Looks like I'm getting a day off."

He opened his locker and removed his Geometry book before closing it again and walking off.

"Mr. Anderfield." The principal called out gently grabbing hold of Zaegan's shoulder/

Zaegan turned to face him.

"Ah…Principal Portocolize…to what do I owe the pleasure?" he asked nervously.

"My office, now."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Zaegan angrily threw himself into a chair in Mr. Portocolize's office.

"Look. We both know why I'm here, so why don't you just punish me and let us both get on with our lives." He snapped.

"Patience Mr. Anderfield. Your punishment will come soon enough. But before we get into that I want to talk to you about your behavior."

"What behavior?" Zaegan asked in mock innocence.

"Among other thing that nasty little habit you have with mouthing off." The principal replied dryly.

Zaegan rolled his dark eyes. This was going to be long, and boring.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

When Zaegan arrived home, a very unexpected visitor greeted him.

"Who are you?" he asked the man harshly.

"My name is of no importance to you. What is important is my roll in your life. For which, I am sorry to say, I have been mostly absent through."

"And what 'roll' might that be?" Zaegan wondered dryly.

"Father." The man answered simply.

A tinge of pain stirred within Zaegan.

"My father is dead." He informed the man shortly.

The man snorted with laughter.

"Heavens no boy. Your father, myself, is far from dead, merely exceptionally busy."

"You've been busy for nine years?" Zaegan asked unbelievingly.

"Sadly so."

"Alright then…tell me your name!" he tried again.

"I already told you-"

"But it is important…dad."

"Very well." He grumbled. "I am Jonathan Anderfield."

"Okay then…um what's your profession?" Zaegan wanted to know.

Jonathan was quiet for a second before he replied.

"Heir to the throne of England." He said softly.

Zaegan starred for a second. He took in Jonathan's features. It struck him for the first time how different he looked from his dad. While Jonathan's eyes were a deep, navy blue, Zaegan's were as pure black as the midnight sky itself. And his own reddish-brown hair, while very lovely and admired by all the students at school, was nothing compared to his father's dark brown. So dark it was almost black itself.

"So you're a…prince?" Zaegan asked in shock.

Jonathan laughed in amusement.

"Me? Royalty? Far from it I'm afraid."

"Then how-" Zaegan began.

"I met the queen one day and found out she had no heir to the throne. She took a liking to me and well…here I am."

"Yes…I suppose you are." Zaegan agreed, although still rather skeptical.

Storm clouds moved in bringing the gift of rain, this change of weather caused Jonathan to stare at the sky in disgust. It finally dawned on Zaegan how rude he'd been.

"Um would you like to come inside…dad?" he invited.

"Better than being out in the rain." Jonathan replied, glaring at the sky. "Terrible stuff. England's full of it."

Zaegan starred at his father for a moment. So that was their difference in opinion.

"I like the rain." He murmured. "It feeds and neurosis the earth."

Jonathan smiled at his son.

"You really love nature, don't you Zaegan?" he inquired.

Zaegan nodded.

"Then I have something for you."

He reached into a small bag he had with him and produced a baby turtle.

"For me?" Zaegan wanted to know. Innocence gripping him as it sometimes did. He was, after all, still but a child.

Jonathan nodded.

"Zaegan…I can't stay long but I really want to make up for lost time…"

"And?" Zaegan urged.

"I want you to come home to England with me."

To be continued…