Private Finished Catch Flies With Honey

Jae yelped as he was bodily slammed back to the ground and ate dirt for a second time. The teen groaned and spat out bits of grass that got into his mouth. Tears welled in the corners of his eyes, and dropped as tiny blue pearls. Pain flared across his back and stomach, and continued to ache something fierce.

"Uggh," Was Jae's eloquent response to James. He glanced across the field to the lake, but Jae wasn't running anywhere soon. The teen rolled over to watch James with no small amount of trepidation. "Um. . ." What now? More yelling? The demand for more than apology? Jae shifted so he could at least sit up and not feel so vulnerable.

"Nothing broken." Jae answered. He was sore but he'll live, and maybe his aunt will have some underwater remedy to soothe the aches. "Uh, evens stevens?" Jae said, repeating a phrase a friend from Hawaii was fond of saying. Though, Jae did not really see the humor of the situation. "I am sorry," he added, "about earlier. I kinda, well I kinda thought I could pretend nothing happened?"

That. . . hurt to admit but Jae's been stubborn enough for today. This kind of thing wasn't going to happen again. Jae will wait to use his magic until night and far away from town or school. He'll swim to the islets if he had too. Or maybe he shouldn't considering the rumors he's heard.

Jae moved so that he could sit properly on the ground, his legs stretched out before him and pointed towards the lake. James spoke, and the hot-headed teen agreed to call things even. They both overacted, Jae felt, but now all that could be safely settled in the past. Where it will remain unrepeated.

"Oh," Jae ducked his head, "I thought I could make it to the lake. And under the water." Where he could sulk for the rest of the day. But Jae would have felt safer there. In mer form the water was his domain and sanctuary. Doubly so against a fire-powered teenager.

Jae still kinda wished he was in the lake. He always felt more confident in the water. It was probably because of the tail. His fish tail made him feel stronger than he was. How could he not feel great swimming at incredible speeds through the water?

"I'm fine. I'll be fine. My aunt can patch me up." She's sure to have some kind of seaweed and cucumber drink or starfish poultice or something. There was a room in their house filled with various vials and jars that smelled. "Ooh. . . That would be nice. I. . ." Jae laughed, the sound a little helpless, "I havn't made many friends since coming here to Manta Carlos."

Jae took James hand and stood with the other's help. Back on his feet, he pulled his phone from his pocket (unharmed from the fall). It had a simple black case, and was new. The only numbers he had on it was family.

"You can, you can consider me your friend too." He gave his number, and took Jame's in return. "See you around?" He should probably think of getting home soon. His aunt didn't like it when he missed dinner.