I decided I was going to introduce my new friend, Mason, to the rest of the group. I had a feeling that he would bond with us easily. He was a lot like me after all, so if I could bond with them, then so could he.

I walked with Mason to Giampi’s house.

“Don’t you think it’s a little weird to hang out with a senior when we’re 4 years younger than him?” Mason asked.

“He’s cool, I promise,” I said.

“What do you even do there? Do you just read in silence?”

“Well, we used to do that but we started playing music.”

“What kind of music?”

“J-Pop.”

“Seriously?”

“What’s wrong with J-Pop?”

“I don’t think kids our age should be listening to that.”

“Then what should we be listening to?”

There was a long pause.

“Touché.”

We arrived at the house. All the lights were off. It was very dark.

“I’m not so sure about this…” Mason said.

“Don’t worry! It’s fine! The lights are usually off all the time,” I replied, brushing off his fears.

I led him inside and we walked up the stairs. I looked around for the light switch in the living room. I flicked it on. We walked to the library door and swung it open.

“Hey bros, what’s u- OH! We got a new friend!?” Fernando said.

I smiled. “Yeah, I brought my friend Mason, I met him a week ago.”

“Cool! He’s got blonde hair, must be a girl magnet! You can definitely be my friend!”

“You make friends with anyone, don’t you,” Jett muttered.

“Not really. The only friends I have are all of you guys,” Fernando replied.

Sebastian laughed. Giampi gave a smile. That day was the day the whole squad was together for the first time. We talked and talked at the table instead of reading that day. It was getting dark by the time we went home. I walked Mason to the halfpoint between our two houses.

“Did you have fun?” I asked him.

“Yeah, I did. I can tell they are very good people. I’m really glad I came. Now I finally have somewhere I belong,” he replied.

“Still think it’s weird to hang out with a senior?”

“No, not anymore.”

We laughed. We sat there for a long time until suddenly the forest to the left of the halfpoint lit up. It seemed like a couple of people were holding torches.

“What’s that over there?”

Mason didn’t answer. I looked at him. His face was pale.

“What is it?” I asked.

He suddenly grabbed my hand and pulled me. “Let’s go to your house,” he said.

“What, why?”

“I’ve decided I’m going to sleep over, that’s okay with you right?”

“Yeah, of course!” I didn’t mind but I was curious about his quick decision.

He pulled me along. I stopped in my tracks though, because suddenly I felt a weird sensation. It felt like something was pulling at my chest. Our path led close to the forest where the lights were shining. I looked into the forest to try to catch a glimpse of what was happening in there. I spotted figures in those same cloaks dancing around something. What was going on here?

Mason broke me out of my trance and pulled me harder than ever. He started sprinting in the direction of my house. I let him pull me, but the whole time I was wondering why Mason was so scared. What were those people doing, and why?

“Mason, you have to tell me what’s going on!” I said, as we ran.

“I-I can’t! Just...let’s get out of here!”

We got to our house and he slammed the door shut. We were both panting.

“When will you tell me what’s going on?” I asked.

“I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to tell you,” he said. He started pacing around the room.

“Were those men related to the men that broke into my house?” I asked.

“Yes,” he replied.

“Did we stumble upon a cult of some kind?”

“Yes.”

“Are you only going to answer my questions with a yes?”

“Maybe.”

“Are we in danger?”

“...Yes.”

I watched him pace for a very long time, not asking any more questions because he clearly didn’t want to answer them. I put on some TV while he paced. It helped me calm down and relax.

At the end of that night he made me swear not to tell anybody about what we saw. That night was a special night because I got my Rebirth ability from those people.