Chapter Two ＊Stranger＊

Ｌｏｒａｎ took the stranger's offered hand and stood up.

"Before anything else happens, calm your dog. I'm going deaf," the stranger insisted.

Loran nodded and stepped over to Aiden. He picked her up, calming her though the stranger was still suspicious to her.

"My name's Loran," Loran informed.

"Isn't that . . . like, a girl's name?" The stranger asked, raising an eyebrow.

Loran held his breath as he turned red from embarrassment. Quickly, he shook his head.

"I mean, a girl can be name Lauren, but my name's spell L-o-r-a-n," Loran stated. "Everyone calls me Loran, but my full name is Loranden."

"Loranden it is," the stranger smirked.

Loran felt heat in his cheeks, getting flushed by the way the stranger had said his name. The stranger only stared at Loran.

"Didn't your horse run away?" The stranger asked.

"Right, uh, I should go then," Loran nodded.

He walked away from the stranger. He felt weird, and he didn't know if it was a good or bad weird feeling. As he walked, he thought about the boy. His hair was a very pale yellow, almost white. His skin was the color white, not the race, but white. The boy's frame was smaller than his, now that Loran thought about it. The boy's eyes were a pale blue color. Everything about this boy made Loran feel strange. Whether it were his eyes, his hair, the pure whiteness of his skin, or his voice, Loran wanted to see it, hear it, again.

"What are you thinking about, Loranden?"

Loran looked towards his right, finding the stranger walking beside him.

"When- were- how-" Loran tried thinking if the right questioned to ask when the boy laughed.

The laugh made Loran question himself.

"You're staring," the boy stated, slightly flushed.

Loran, flushed as well, apologized and focused back on the way home. To his surprise, they had already gotten to the farm. Aiden barked happily from Loran's arms and jumped out off, running off through the doggy door of the front door. Loran smiled a bit and instead of going to his house, he walked to the horse pen. Luckily, he found Walter inside the pen, without the saddle and reins. Whenever Walter ran away, he'd go back home and Alice would instead him and put him back in the pen. Loran was grateful. They walked back to the porch of the house and stopped.

"You hungry?" Loran asked.

The boy was caught off guard by the question. He looked down and slowly nodded.

"Don't go shy on me now," Loran laughed as he opened the front door.

The stranger only stared at Loran, who raised an eyebrow.

"Are you going to go in or not? I'll be making dinner," Loran questioned.

"I don't want to intrude. Your parents-" the boy began but was stopped when he was pushed through the door.

"Bullshit," Loran simply said.

Aiden came running down the stairs, barking, she had gotten used to the stranger. She sniffed the boy's rear, making him jump. Loran laughed and shooed Aiden away from the boy.

"Don't touch that," he told the collie.

Loran stalked from the door to the kitchen, leaving the boy to close the door. As the boy walked to the kitchen, he tried his best to cover his rear since Aiden was following behind him.

"Are you sure I'm allowed to stay? You barely know me," the boy wondered.

"Yes. It's late and you think I'm letting you go alone in the dark? As if!" Loran replied.

"Damien."

"What?" Loran asked, confused.

"My. Name. Is. Damien." The boy repeated.

"Nice name," Loran complimented.

Damien took a seat at the table. Just then, a young girl, Alice, appeared near Damien. He was startled at first.

"L-a-u-r-e-n! I'm telling mom you have a boyfriend!" Alice teased.

"Do not!" Loran argued.

"Do to! Him being here is proof enough for me!" Alice stated.

"He's a friend!" Loran insisted.

"That's not the way you should define your boyfriend, Loranden!" Damien smirked.

"What?" Loran questioned.

"See! Even he says so!" Alice cheered.

"He's just a-"

"Excuse you, Loranden! Don't you dare demote me to just a friend!" Damien interrupted.

"Stop-"

"You stop! I will not be treated this way!" Damien smirked.

Alice laughed and quickly ran out of the kitchen. She had gone to her bedroom.

"What the hell was that about?! I only know your name!" Loran hissed.

"Don't be so grumpy! I was just playing along with the girl. It was hilarious, especially your reactions!" Damien explained.

"I hate you."