September 2014 - Adrian Cole, 16 years old
Culver City, Los Angeles
Adrian woke up at six as usual. He opened his eyes and the first thing he saw was Shadow at the foot of the bed, asleep.
The cat hadn't moved all night. Before, Shadow would get up at least two or three times. He would change position. He would stretch. He would ask for food.
Now he was just sleeping.
Adrian sat up in bed. "Shadow."
The cat opened one eye. Slowly. As if it were a struggle.
"Good morning."
Shadow purred—weaker than before—and closed his eye again.
Adrian stroked him. The fur felt different now. Less soft. Thinner. He could feel the bones underneath.
Eleven years old. Shadow was eleven years old. That was old for a cat.
Adrian knew that. He had read about it when they were younger. Cats lived between twelve and fifteen years on average. Shadow was nearing the end.
But knowing something and seeing it were different things.
He got up carefully so as not to disturb the cat. He got dressed. He went downstairs to the space near the washing machine.
He worked out. Push-ups. Sit-ups. Stretches.
An hour later he went back upstairs. Shadow was still in the same position. Not moving.
Adrian showered. He changed. Jeans, a black t-shirt, a sweatshirt.
When he came out of the bathroom, Shadow had finally gotten up. He was standing by his food bowl, looking at him but not eating.
"Aren't you hungry?"
Shadow looked at him. He meowed. Weakly.
Adrian served fresh food anyway. Shadow sniffed the bowl. He ate two bites. Then he walked away and lay down on the sofa.
Adrian watched him for a moment.
Rebecca came out of her room, already dressed for work. "Good morning."
"Good morning."
"Ready for your first day?"
"Yes."
Rebecca went to the kitchen. She made coffee. She looked at Shadow on the sofa. "Is he okay?"
"He didn't eat much."
"He's old." Rebecca sighed. "Maybe we should take him to the vet this week."
"Okay."
Rebecca poured coffee into a thermos. "Are you sure you don't want me to take you?"
"I can walk."
"That's fine. Good luck on your first day, honey."
"Thanks."
Rebecca left first. She had to be at work at 7:30.
Adrian waited until 7:15. He put on his backpack. He went over to Shadow on the sofa.
"I'm leaving."
Shadow purred without opening his eyes.
Adrian stroked him once. The cat felt fragile under his hand.
"I'll be back at 3."
He left the apartment.
Culver City High School was a twenty-minute walk away. The building was bigger than his school in Portland. Three stories. Full parking lot. Hundreds of students.
Adrian walked toward the entrance. No one looked at him. Everyone was busy with their own things.
He checked his schedule. First period: English. Building B, room 203.
He found the room easily. He arrived five minutes early. The room was half empty.
He sat in the back corner, by the window. He took out his notebook.
More students came in. Laughter. Conversations. Adrian didn't pay attention.
"Hey."
Adrian looked up. An Asian boy—messy hair, friendly smile—was standing at the desk next to his.
"You're new, aren't you?"
Adrian nodded.
"I'm Tyler." He sat down. "Tyler Chen."
"Adrian."
"Where are you from?"
"Portland."
"Oregon? Cool. Hey, if you need me to show you anything or whatever, just let me know."
Adrian nodded again.
The teacher walked in—a woman in her forties, glasses, a large coffee mug.
"Good morning. I'm Ms. Martinez. Welcome to English 11."
Tyler stopped talking but gave Adrian a quick thumbs-up before turning away.
Adrian looked out the window.
Second period: History. Building C.
Adrian found a seat in the corner. No one sat next to him.
The teacher—Mr. Richardson, gray hair, monotone voice—talked over the syllabus. Adrian took notes without thinking much.
Halfway through the class, the door opened.
"Sorry I'm late."
A girl walked in. Shoulder-length blonde hair, jeans, a band t-shirt.
"Miss Williams, this is the second time this week and it's only Monday," Richardson said.
"I know. My car wouldn't start."
"Find a seat."
The girl—Williams—looked around. The only empty seat was next to Adrian.
She sat down without saying anything. She took out her notebook.
Five minutes later, she whispered to him, "Hey, do you have an extra pen?"
Adrian handed her one without looking at her.
"Thanks."
When the bell rang, she handed the pen back. "I'm Sarah, by the way."
"Adrian."
"New?"
"Yeah."
"It shows. You don't have that 'I hate this place' look yet." He smiled a little. "Give it a month."
He left.
Third period: Math.
Easy. Adrian finished the problems in ten minutes.
Fourth period: Gym.
The teacher—Mr. Hayes, in his thirties, a former athlete—gave a basic assessment. Pull-ups first.
Tyler, three people ahead of Adrian, did one. Medium.
"One," Hayes said. "Low."
When it was Adrian's turn, he did fifteen. Clean. Controlled.
Hayes looked at him. "Name?"
"Adrian Cole."
"Have you ever done gymnastics before?"
"No."
Hayes wrote something down. "Interesting."
Afterward: running, sit-ups. Adrian excelled at everything effortlessly.
In the locker room, Tyler approached him. "Dude, how do you do that?"
"What?"
"Everything. The pull-ups. The sit-ups. You make it look easy."
"It is easy."
"For you, maybe."
A bigger guy—Latino, muscular, probably a football player—approached him. "Hey, new guy. Do you practice anywhere?"
"No."
"Then where did you get that from?"
Adrian shrugged. "I don't know."
The guy held out his hand. "I'm Carlos. Carlos Mendoza."
Adrian took it. "Adrian Cole."
"Where are you from?"
"Portland."
"Cool. Hey, if you ever want to play soccer, let me know."
"Okay."
Lunch.
Adrian bought a sandwich and found an empty table in the corner.
"Can I sit here?"
"Tyler." With a tray of food.
Adrian didn't say no. Tyler sat down.
"Okay, first day. What do you think?"
"It's fine."
"Just fine? Come on, give me something."
"It's all the same."
Tyler laughed. "You're super neutral about everything. It's refreshing."
Adrian ate in silence. Tyler kept talking.
A girl approached. Black hair, perfect makeup, obviously popular. "Tyler."
"Oh, hey Ashley."
"Are you coming to Brent's party on Friday?"
"Maybe."
"You should." Her eyes shifted to Adrian. "Who's he?"
"Adrian. New."
"Cool." She smiled at Adrian. "Are you coming?"
"No."
"Okay then." She shrugged. "See you, Tyler."
She left.
Tyler waited. "That's Ashley Morrison. Popular. Throws parties."
"Okay."
"In case you ever want to come."
"I don't."
Tyler grinned. "I thought so."
Fifth Period: Art.
The classroom smelled of paint. There were easels, shelves of supplies, and large windows.
The teacher—Mrs. Foster, middle-aged, with paint stains on her apron—smiled. "New face. Welcome."
Adrian sat near the window.
A girl was at the easel next to her. Dark brown hair pulled back, tan skin, sketching something before class started.
She didn't look up when Adrian sat down.
Mrs. Foster talked about projects, techniques, and creative freedom.
Halfway through the class, she told them to draw something simple. To assess their skill level.
The girl started immediately. Quickly. Confidently.
Adrian stared at his blank paper. He didn't know how to draw.
He drew a cube. Straight lines. Then he added shadows. He didn't know why. He only knew where they went.
Mrs. Foster paused at her easel. "Interesting. Have you taken any classes?"
"No."
"You have a good sense of perspective." She smiled. "Let's have some fun."
The girl next to him finally looked up. Her eyes dropped to the drawing. Then to Adrian.
"Not bad."
"Thanks."
"I'm Emma."
"Adrian."
"New?"
"Yeah."
"It shows." She went back to her drawing.
Sixth period: Biology.
Tyler beckoned him over. "Here, bro."
Adrian sat down.
The teacher—Mr. Park, young, freshman—assigned lab partners.
"Tyler Chen and Adrian Cole."
Tyler grinned. "Perfect. We're officially partners."
School ended at 3:15.
Adrian walked home. Twenty minutes.
When he opened his apartment door, he glanced toward the couch.
Shadow was there. In the same position as in the morning.
"Shadow."
The cat lifted his head. Slowly.
Adrian dropped his backpack. He sat down next to the cat on the couch.
Shadow purred. He stretched a little. He put his head on Adrian's thigh.
Adrian stroked him. The thin fur. The visible bones.
"How was your day?"
Shadow purred louder.
Adrian stayed there. Stroking the cat. Looking out the window.
He thought about the day. Tyler. Sarah. Carlos. Emma. Ashley.
New faces. New people.
None important.
Only Shadow mattered.
And Shadow was old.
Adrian knew it.
He kept stroking the cat until Rebecca came home.
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I know it may be too soon, given the stage the story is at, but which character would you like to see as Adrian's love interest in the future, whether it's a real actress or a fictional character he decides to create?