"Reuben was a hero. More than that, a friend. I wouldn't expect you to understand, but just think of it this way: your best friend dying because of you. Because of what you've done. The guilt, the weight on your shoulders, I think that's one of the worst punishments that anyone could have."

I look at his poster, and than back to the Blaze Rods. Somehow, I feel stronger. No tears, but strength.

"To end this story properly, heroes can come from the most unlikely of beginnings. Even the simplest of events can turn into the most disastrous. Your actions, what you chose to do, defines who you are. Now the only question is, what are you going to do when everything goes to hell?"

I finish the story like closing a book, my words locked in their brains.

"Now that-" Aiden says admiringly. "-was a story."

Maya smiles widely and applauds a bit. Gil nods and does the same.

"Thank you, thank you." I reply playfully, bowing. Then we all start laughing. "Now now children. It's time for bed."

"But Mooooom-" Aiden replies amusingly. We laugh again and I am reminded dimly of the tree house.

"How about we hang here for a bit, Jesse? We won't break anything." Maya asks, smiling.

"Please?" Gil asks and I chuckle.

"What did you have in mind?"

**************************

The rest of the night was surprisingly fun. We spent the next few hours hanging out and playing games. Maya rocked at charades, and Gil even participated and made some corny jokes. We laughed as time flew, the moon moving across the sky.

"Do you have any...fours?" Gil asks Aiden, raising an eyebrow. The Blaze Rods and I sit in a circle, each of us holding different amounts of cards in our hands. Aiden groans as I smile, taking out a card and handing it to Gil.

"Yes!" He cheers, pairing up his card with Aiden's and placing it on the stack of pairs, leaving him with only one card left.

"Shut up, Gil." Aiden says playfully.

"My turn!" Maya exclaims, turning to Gil. "Any...nines?"

Gil shakes his head. She lets out a quick sigh of frustration and then picks up a card.

Now it's my turn. I look at my cards. I have a three of hearts and a two of spades. I bite my lip and then look at Maya.

"You gotta three?" I ask her hopefully. She takes a look at her cards and then shakes her head.

"Go fish."

I pick a card from the deck; an ace of diamonds. Now for Aiden. He gives me a smirk before asking;

"Any threes, Jess?"

I look at him, shocked and surprised

"You-"

"Hand it over." He replies playfully, using his hand to gesture. I hesitate, and then give him my three.

I don't know why, but I suddenly feel cautious. One thought paces back and forth in my head.

He just called me Jess.

************************

It's not like I didn't like people calling me that, but only my friends did. Everyone else calls me 'Jesse.' The last time someone called me that...I got hit with a poison arrow.

So simple, yet so complicated.

After finishing our game of "Go Fish" (Gil won, and I had to hold back Maya and Aiden from tackling him), we began playing charades again.

Aiden was up, and he was moving his arms back and forth, hands locked around air.

"Sword!" Maya shouts, right before I could.

He nods, and then takes a step forward-his foot gets stuck in a crack in the floor, which makes him fall to the floor and pain.

"Aiden!"

"You okay?"

We rush to him as he grabs his right leg, some blood leaking through his jeans. He groans.

"I'm fine, I'm fine." He says, sitting up and massaging the bloody spot.

"Let me see." I say, trying to fold up the bottom of his jeans so I can see the injury.

"Jesse-" he starts but I'm already done. Near his foot, is a cut. About the size of a pointer finger. Blood is leaking out, dripping down to his shoes and the ground.

I'm about to rip a part of my shirt to use as cloth but Gil speaks up.

"Here," he says, handing me a cloth. "Use this."

I nod in thanks and press the cloth on Aiden's cut to stop the blood from coming out. He sighs in relief.

"What happened?" I ask, a bit confused. "There wasn't anything near you that could've cut you like this."

"It's-I think it's an old cut. It just opened up again." He says hesitantly, still looking at it.

"What were you doing? Playing with glass or something?" I ask playfully, grinning.

"If that's what you think." Aiden replied, shrugging. There's a distracted look in his eyes.

After a few moments the blood stops leaking and I take off the cloth, which was once white and now stained red.

"Sorry Gil," I apologize, holding up the bloody cloth. "You want me to get rid of it or-?"

He shakes his head and takes it from me, smiling sheepishly.

'It's fine, I'll just wash it. At least it served some purpose."

Maya and Gil help Aiden up to his feet, part of his jeans torn and wrapped around the cut in case it starts to bleed again.

"Thanks for tonight Jesse, but I think it's time we go back to our place now." Maya says, looking at me cheerfully.

I put a hand on my hip and smile. I've had time to think, time to decide. So I think it's fair that I give them my choice.

"Sure, but there's something I'd like to tell you all first."

Aaaaand cliffhanger 'cause that's just how I roll 

Sooo, there's some bonding with the Blaze Rods, and Aiden has a little injury. I wonder how he go it... ;) 

Oof I haven't played episode four yet UGHHH

I promise I'll play it on the weekend or something I've just been super busy.

Also, if you ship Lukesse (you probably do if you're here lol), I've made a new story and it's based on it. It's called "Taking the Risk" and it's a high school romance, bad girl/good guy sorta thing. 

Thought you might like it, and I would appreciate it if you would check it out. Thanks!