Ch.2, Part 1: Fate on a Collision Course

(Note: I don't have a definite update schedule (mainly because I am horrible when it comes to deadlines!), so you may get three updates in a week, and then none at all for a while. Just letting you know.)

(With that...!)

 From what I heard, Shark ended up living on the upper part of town for a while, by himself. You know, where those computer geeks lived? 

I think one of them became a werewolf, or something. I don't know, when most of your neighbors suddenly turn into supernatural creatures, it's a bit hard to get used to what's probably becoming the new social norm. 

But that's not really the point here. The point is being Shark getting settled into his first home on his own.

(Camera angle makes the house look bigger than it actually is)

It was one of those weird houses that look like the sides got smashed in and made it all narrow-looking. Apparently, to Shark, though, it was perfect.

Anyway, he said that after he got settled in, Shark decided to go and make some new friends in town. 

Honestly, it's hard to remember how many people he met that day, but I do know, obviously, that at some point, he wound up at my place. 

He remembered asking Amy if she knew any interesting people, and she pointed right across the street from her house. So, she took her suggestion and ran with it.

And, well...that's where he met me.

(Shark reverted to his pre-nerd appearance shortly after he aged up)

Goodwin wasn't home that day. I think he might've been out working or buying groceries or...something that's not important now.

I don't even remember what I was doing in his room when Shark came over. But now that I think about it, it didn't really matter.

Shark just started making small talk with me, apparently not realizing I already knew who he was.

Or...not caring we were talking next to some guy's bed. He just kept chatting about what he was doing, and asking if I knew anyone myself.

The whole time, he was just smiling, like he knew some amazing secret and was desperate to tell someone.

He looked so happy to be making a new friend, even if it was with a local criminal. The whole time, I just kept nodding and listening, still not believing it was him. 

This was the kid who was bawling his eyes out from so long ago. He had to have been, what, in his late teens? 

Well, he was old enough to live on his own, that's for sure. 

After he went home for the night, I thought that that would be it, that I'd probably never see him again.  

But he kept coming back, and kept spending time with me and Goodwin, mainly me. I guess I really was interesting to him.

Eventually, he started staying the night at our house. He was basically living with us, more or less. He was pretty good company, actually. Never made a huge mess or anything too drastic. 

He was better at holding a conversation than Goodwin, that was for sure.

Then came that day. I figured I'd take the day off, and Goodwin was -where else?- at work. Shark wanted to talk to me. 

He was acting all awkward, which really wasn't like him. I told him that whatever was bothering him, he'd better spit it out and get it over with.

Well...he did.

He told me two things. 

The first was, plain and simple, he wanted me and Goodwin to move in with him. He wanted a few roommates, since he was starting to feel a bit lonely in a house by himself. It explained why he came over to spend the night so many times.

And the second? Well, he told me, right then and there, he wanted to get closer to me, because he thought he was falling in love with me. 

Normally, most people don't ask someone they're in love with to move in with them, and in turn, have the annoying roommate come with as well.

Back then, I was still pretty much on the outs with Goodwin. I still saw him as an insufferable people-pleaser who kept secrets. 

Yeah, believe it or not, he got that girl Jenni knocked up. He always said he'd take responsibility, but I never saw him do it. 

But Shark told me, "the more, the merrier," and he set up another bed for Goodwin and everything. 

It was strange, since Shark didn't talk to him as much as he talked to me. When the two of us moved in, I was wondering why Shark wanted him there at all. 

...

And later on, after...what happened, I wondered why Shark asked me to live with him in the first place.

(A/N: End of Chapter 2, Part 1.)