A constant ringing in his ear made jaren wake up that morning. He reached his hand from under his blanket and pressed on the snooze button.
Rolling back to his side to lie comfortably, he went back to sleep. Suddenly *BLAM* his door flew open and the door handle slammed to the wall, Jaren jumped. 'You tried going back to sleep didn't you!' Before the threshold of his room his sister stood, Kara.
At 16 years old she was 3 years Jaren his senior. It was not that her eyes were looking down on him, she was simply disgusted, her emerald green eyes able to see Jaren his nasty room. Cups of yogurt lied scattered on the ground, tissue papers all beside his trashcan.
She sighed and finally smiled, a smile that told Jaren that she was not giving up on him, a smile that had yet to be broken.
'Don't think you can skip this day of school too.' she said with a light responsible voice.
Jaren threw his blanket over his body and continued to sleep. A hard yank took it back of and dragged him out of bed.
She opened his curtains, revealing the bright morning light of summer. 'Geez in a dark and messy room like this your going to end up depressed.' That sentence struck a nerve
'What do you want Kara?' Jaren asked realizing how rude he sounded.
He could not bear to look at hear, the guilt crushed him, so he looked to the floor when he spoke.
'For my little brother to not become a bum. I mean look at your shirt, that disgusting chocolate stain, that smell of sweat.'
'Yeah yeah I get it, I look nasty.' jaren interrupted, his head now leaning on his face.
This was not the first time someone criticized his appearance, his parents did it all the time, but he knew they were just worried about his health. But he was getting tired of the worries they had.
Listen I am going to prepare for school, I hope to see you do the same.' his sister said as she walked out of the room.
Jaren sighed About an hour later he was wearing his nicest vest, and his cleanest shoes, ones that still had dirt on them, and cracks. The laces weren't tied that well, but he didn't care anymore.
He stood infront of his door, took a deep breath, hyped himself up and went outside
On the way to school he was cautious, afraid to see them, so he would hug the corners, only walking further if he knew the coast was clear. It was a quit town, only students who went to school, were seen on the streets. The adults went to work a while ago.
When he saw his school in the distance he gave up all of his sneaking and made a run for it, running full speed on the streets.
'He wait, is that Jaren?' the sound came from far behind him, but was all to familiar. In the back he heard a group of teenage boys confirming the question that was asked.
Jaren knew what would happen, he began speeding for his life, stumbled on his loose laces, his legs felt light and weak. He didn't move forward, running in place. He felt his eyes become warm as he got surrounded by the boys.
circling around him, putting him in the eye of the storm.
'I was wondering when you would come back to school, where you avoiding me Jaren?' Newt sat on his bike looking down at the smaller boy. His blonde hair, Blue eyes and wealthy lifestyle made the other kids swarm to him. A calm voice, one that never felt threatened.
His teeth though, were jagged, as if he was a shark, ready to tear his prey apart.
Jaren bit his lips and shook his head telling him no. 'Good, good, then where were you?' Jaren stuttered to say anything but after a shout from Cassie demanding to know.
Jaren softly said:'I was at home, I was sick.' It was like Newt did not listen, he went in on another question. 'How is it with your cute sister?' he asked. The other boys all let out dumb laughter, bumping eachother with their elbow. The crowd started talking about remember this and remember that.
'We all treasure what you did for us. Thank you man.' Newt continued. Jaren did not look at anyone, only grabbing his shirt, holding in his tears.
'But I want to have more than just panties,' Newt grabbed the Jaren on his shoulder and looked deep in his eyes 'I.. we want to see photos.' it sounded like a threat. All the boys began riding away again, newt looked back 'By tomorrow, and don't disappoint. We know where you live!'
Jaren fell to the ground, shaking, and the tears streaming down his face. The rest of the school day he went unbothered, but felt as if the walls were closing in, like his time was limited.
His sister was cheerful he was at school though, introduced him to her friends. He didn't tell her what happened, she wouldn't understand, nobody would. It was not as of he could talk allot to her anyways, he felt too ashamed.
Like he was absolute scum, knowing what he did and would do.
Back at home Jaren waited till the night came, when it was time to sleep. Infront of his sister's room he stood with a camera 'I am sorry Kara, I am so sorry. please forgive me' the boy was already begging for forgiveness.
He just didn't want to do it, he wanted to be a man and face the beating he would get, but he was to afraid. So many times he was left bloody on the street, ignored by his peers. So many times did he lie to his parents.
With every step he took to the room, the future flashed in his mind.
How his bullies leaked the pictures of his sleeping sister, to how she found out, how she was sl*t shamed by the entire school except her close friends, to how from that day on their relationship as siblings ended for good and he was seen as the little pervert brother.
He remembers it good, the teary eyed speech that she gave on the Hawkmoth bridge. 'I never would've thought that my baby bro would turn out to be such pervert!
I tried so hard to get you some friends, to get you outside, to let you know how much we care for you. But now I get why your so everyone avoids you, because your one big weirdo you assho#le. Don't ever try to talk or come close to me again, or I wil kill you!'
𝐈𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬, 𝐬𝐨 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡.
Jaren opened his eyes again, his tears not stopping, he was in his hut 'I really am a sh*tt
y person.' he murmured to himself.
'What?' Bleux stood at the entrance of his hut and looked down at him, he kneeled down, whipping away his tears. 'You always seem to have such intense dreams these weeks, what was it about?'
Jaren did not answer. 'Was it about me again?'
'What are you talkin about?'
'Never mind.'
-----------------------
It was two weeks ago when the tournament ended. Since then the new goblin(chapter 5, the tournament), fully learned how to speak, he went back to his camp to start connections, an idea started by Bleux. He has gone been since last week.
Jaren and bleux also made sure all of their squad leaders had jobs to do.
Gooba's team, the archers made sure all of the weapons were made, equipping the whole clan with stone spears, shields, sharp rocks and short spears. His group also practiced with bow and arrows the most.
Pipin his group were the ninjas. They had the most important job. They studied the beast in the shadows. Keeping track of where it went, how long it would take before it would come for the tribe.
Boksen his squad was the shield, staying close to the clan, keeping everything that seemed dangerous out.
Eli's squad, the hunters, hunted for the whole group, kept their mouths fed, even finding a way to start fishing. By patiently waiting in the water and stabbing what moved. In their group Kara and Lena were there, healing whomever was wounded.
As as another week went by, Boksen notified Bleux that there was another clan right outside the camp, together with Jaren they went to check out the ruckus.
When they arrived heir was another group of 17 goblins standing infront of them. All of them had wooden spears, their body full with scars. One of them, like Jaren and bleux, was taller than the others, had darkened green skin, his eyes blue.
'This is Jaka the leader of this group.' the armless goblin, Arm, came forward, and greeted Bleux like an old friend. Jaka stepped forward and walked around the two, scanning them up and down.
'Are these the bosses Arm told me so much about?' He asked impertinent, standing back infront of his group 'I am not impressed. You are to clean.' Jaren didn't favor him anymore, it was less than a second and he already decided they wouldn't be friends.
The way that Jaka his first sentence to them was an insult, he didn't like it.
Bleux on the other hand ignored the offence, and started asking Jaka about his group. Without someone like Jaren, they had it harder to organize themselves.
Jaka, never seemed to let go of his spear, his arm seemed fused to it. From when he first arrived he never let is go, Jaren would not be surprised if he saw a hand inmprint on it.
The second clan, was less developed than that of Bleux and Jaren, only using spears. The fact that all of them had major scars on their body, seemed to tell that they attacked everything that lived without thinking. Paying a huge price.
Battle hardened, that was what they were.
When night time came Bleux and Jaka came to Jaren his hut. 'The second clan wants to help us with killing the beast.'