Author's Note: Here's the first chapter of my new story, "Abandoned." Enjoy

Jack's POV

My mom had seemed really stressed out lately after some little argument we had over some silly little thing. I couldn't even remember what it was about, but I figured that I should talk to her about it and sort everything out, since we had been having a lot of little arguments lately. Plus, my mom was really the only family I had left. My dad had died before I was even born, so I never knew him. The only cousin I had was Kai, and obviously, I couldn't really consider him as family, and I hadn't really been in touch with my grandfather since I moved to Seaford. So, I really wanted us to be on good terms again, since she was really the only person I loved besides my friends from the dojo, Rudy, Jerry, Eddie, Milton, and Kim. I looked at the clock I had on the desk in my room to see the time. It was 11:30, I was tired, and tomorrow was Monday, which meant I had school, so I decided to go to bed and smooth things over with my mom tomorrow.

(Line Break)

Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! I hit the off button on my alarm clock and groan, reluctantly getting up to get ready for school. I throw on the clothes I had picked out the night before, a baby blue t-shirt, skinny jeans, and my "skater shoes," as Kim always called them. They were really just a pair of vans high tops. After I finish getting dressed, I go down stairs to make breakfast and finally talk to my mom. She is normally already in the kitchen by the time I come downstairs, drinking her morning coffee and reading the newspaper, but she is not there. Something feels wrong about this. "Mom?" I call out. I get no response. I am about to go search the house for her when I notice the note on the kitchen table. I pick it up, and it is in my mom's handwriting. I feel myself relax. She must have just had some early morning errands she had to run or something. I start reading the note:

"Jack, being a single parent is hard. I miss your father so much, and it has been hard on me having to raise you without him here. I feel like as you grow up, it's just becoming harder on me, especially since we've been having all of these fights lately. I can't do it anymore, Jackson. I love you, honey, but I can't take it anymore. Honestly, you're crushing me; you're burdening me, Jack. I had to leave, to get out of here, and I'm not coming back. I hope you can understand Jack. I'm sorry. I love you. Take care of yourself.

-Mom"

I just stare at the note in disbelief. It doesn't really say that. She doesn't really mean it. It's a prank. This is not real. I read the note over again, and I feel tears running down my face. I crumple the note and throw it onto the floor. I run out the front door, not really knowing where I am running to until I get there: the dojo. Rudy's not there; why would he be? We're all supposed to be in school, but there's no way I'm going. I try the door: locked. I pick the lock with a stick I find on the ground. It takes me a few tries because my vision is a little blurred from my tears, but I eventually get it. I walk inside and start beating on the punching dummy with all of my strength. I don't keep it up long, because after just a few minutes the dummy's head flies off, and I know somewhere in the back of my mind that Rudy probably won't be happy if I completely destroy the only dummy we have, so I sit down in the corner against the wall, pulling my knees up to my chest, wrapping my arms around them, put my head down on my arms, and just sob.

Kim's POV

Okay, where is Jack? It's unlike him to skip school unless he's really sick, but I saw him yesterday and he didn't look like he had been coming down with anything. Unless he had woke up this morning feeling ill, which I guess was actually possible, he should be here. I hope he is okay. I ask Jerry, Eddie, and Milton if they know why he is absent, but they have no clue. I go to history class and somehow manage to get through it. The bell rings signaling last period, and thankfully my last period today is free period, so I just pack my books, folders, and binder into my backpack and head to Jack's house. When I get there the front door is open, but there is no car in the driveway, which meant Jack's mom wasn't there. Why would the door be open if Jack was there alone? I walk up the stairs to the Andersons' porch and ring the doorbell. I expect to hear footsteps approaching through the screen door, and for Jack to come greeting me with one of his amazing smiles and explain to me why he hadn't been in school, but the house is silent. I ring it one more time, but there is still no answer. I worry a little bit. If no one were here, the door should be closed and locked. I peek through the screen door and look inside. There are no signs of a break-in, or of any signs of struggle, so it doesn't appear that they were robbed, kidnapped, or something like that. Wow, was I really jumping to that conclusion? All I see out of place is a crumpled piece of paper on the floor, which I don't really think much about. Still, I sense that something is up. I pull out my cell phone and call Rudy. "Hey, Kim, I thought you couldn't use cell phones during class." Rudy answers when he picks up. "Oh, we can't, but I'm not in school," I answer. "I had free period for the last block, so I just left. Listen, do you know where Jack is?" I ask. "He wasn't in school today. I'm at his house right now, and the front door is open, but no one's here. It doesn't look like there was a break-in or anything though," I fill him in. "No, I don't know where he is. Have you tried calling him?" I hadn't even thought about that. "No, I haven't," I tell him. "Ok, well why don't you try calling him. If he doesn't answer meet me at the dojo and we'll think of something. I'm walking up to it right n- what the heck?" he says. "What's the matter Rudy?" I inquire. "The door is unlocked, and I know I locked it – Jack!" he screams. "Rudy? What about Jack? Is he okay? What's wrong?! " I yell into the my cell phone, a little panicked. He doesn't answer, but I hear the door to the dojo open as Rudy walks in, and I hear him talking, probably to Jack, but I hear no response from him, I only hear Rudy. "Rudy?" I ask. He doesn't answer. "RUDY!" I yell. "Oh, Kim, sorry, I forgot you were there," he admits. "Is Jack ok?" I ask, hoping the answer is "yes." "Ummm, he's not physically hurt, if that's' what you're asking. "But he won't talk to me or look at me. He's just sitting in a corner with his head down in his arms and his knees pulled up to his chest." He says this more quietly, like he doesn't want Jack to hear. "I'll be right over," I say, already running as I hang up. When I get to the dojo, Rudy is waiting outside for me, and we walk in together. I spot Jack in the corner, still in the same position as Rudy described he was in. "Has he been here like that all day?" I ask Rudy in a quiet tone. "I don't know, maybe. He won't talk to me, maybe he'll talk to you." I walk up to Jack and sit down next to him as Rudy watches from across the room. I can hear Jack's breathing: It's slow and even, and I realize he's asleep. "Jack," I say, shaking him gently awake. His head slowly rises, and as he looks at me I see the dried tear tracks on his cheeks. It makes me want to cry just knowing that whatever upset him was big enough to make him cry. We just look at each other for a minute, not speaking; then I reach out and hug him. He hugs lamely back, then stops. "Jack, what's wrong?" I ask him while rubbing his back soothingly. He hesitates for a minute, but when he does decide to tell me, I gasp, and he just puts his head back down, apparently done talking. I couldn't believe it; Jack's mother, who I knew was the only real family he had left, had abandoned him.

Author's Note: Well, what do you people think of the first chapter? Review! And might not be able to update for a few days because I might lose power because of Hurricane Sandy. I would have to use my dad's laptop to be able to update because his doesn't run off of wi-fi, and I can't hog it! Hopefully I will be able to write it and get it up soon