Alright, so, this is my first attempt at starting/writing a furry story series (and yes I do think the first chapter is a bit short, but meh, couldn't think of any more I wanted to put into the first chapter). Let me know what you think about it (constructive criticism is loved and welcomed). I'd also love suggestions, and ideas! This chapter is not filled with any sexual stuff, but the story line will eventually become a M/M romance and may eventually contain some sexual content, so please read at your own risk, and if you dislike M/M romance, etc, then don't even bother to read. You have been warned so without further ado here's the first installment to:

The Road of Life

Chapter 1 - Introductions

Life. It is something that has never been easy, and people will usually tell you they have a "horrible life." And on more occasions than not people will always say "you think you have a horrible life? look at the people in Africa who have no clean water, or a roof over their head, consider yourself lucky." But it's not enough to make some people think they have a "good life." People don't quite realize that others have different limits of emotional tolerance and that there are circumstances that occurred before the thing they complain about that make their suffering intensified, I was one of those people who had a "horrible life."

True, I did have a roof over my head, but I constantly worried about being beaten by my drug addict and alcoholic of a step-father. My real father had died when I was just a kid, to deal with loss my mother began using drugs, which led her to hook up with Bob, a heavy set cougar in his late 30's. Life was never easy for me as a kid, at school I was always picked on for having to wear glasses, or for wearing older clothes because my step-father squandered the money we got on drugs and alcohol. The teachers never really seemed to like me much either, I was always showing up late to class, or sleeping during class because it was the only time I was able to get some peaceful sleep without fear of a surprise beating.

But enough about my past for now, I'm Maximus Reks Dreeker, a Fox anthro who is now 18 years of age. I'm currently sitting in the office of my therapist, trying to work out some of my 'issues.' I'm about 5'8", lean built and trying to find my way in life. My therapist is probably the kindest person I know in the world, she's a short field mouse anthro, about 4'6" if I had to guess. She spoke in a very light, cheery tone, and it was the same every session, I'd walk in she'd be drinking a new tea blend, we'd discuss how much I was progressing, try to work out any problems, the session would end and I'd go on with my miserable life.

A few months prior I had finally made the conscious decision to move out of my step-father's place and live on my own, the old cougar was finally glad to be rid of me. After that I sort of drifted from place to place, living on the streets, several months ago therapy had been the last thing on my mind. One day I had the fortune to have a run in with the good therapist, Mrs. Relena Hardy, who saw immediately that I needed professional help. She had given me a card so I could find her establishment, after learning of my financial situation, which was I had no job and lived on the streets alone, she told me not to worry about it, that I wouldn't need to pay her for therapy.

After the session ended I said my goodbyes to Mrs. Hardy and headed for home, which at current was a bench at the park. I wore a simple black t-shirt, some older torn up jeans, and a pair of sneakers that were old and beat up. My brown hair was long, covering my eyes a bit, I was in desperate need of a haircut but that would have to wait until I actually had some money.

I dreaded the coming day, more school, more exams, as if life wasn't hard enough? Actually, now that I think about it, still being in school was a godsend, free lunches, showers after P.E., if it wasn't for that I would probably starve and stink of something foul. One thing about school had never changed, the constant bullying, but I was at least able to fight back a bit now, being beaten every day for most of my life by my step-father had taught me a bit about how to defend myself as well as "fight dirty." More times than not I was sent to the nurse's office with a bloody nose and then sent to the principal's office for fighting. What was it that drove them to bully me? I often found myself wondering, but could never pin-point a good answer.

I have no friends in school, most people tend to not even know I exist, I'm like a social ghost, invisible to the crowd, but only visible to those who seek to make my life more hell than it already is. My thoughts drifted away from the pain and bullying as up ahead on the sidewalk I saw.. him.. Andrew Greyback, a Wolf anthro who stood about 6'1", a bit muscularly/athletically built. You wouldn't think so just by a look at his body, but Andrew was actually more of a book person and an artist, he didn't really waste his time with sports, he was by no means a jock, though he did take track, which could probably account for his good figure.

Me and Andrew had never actually spoken face to face, though sometimes I had caught myself gazing at him in some of my classes, examining his fine body features, 'wait.. is this normal? Aren't all males supposed to like females? maybe I just admire him or something, yeah! that must be it!' I told myself as I continued my approach, though somehow, distantly, I felt as though I was lying to myself. Andrew was a kind hearted person, no one in school really knew just how much. He volunteered a lot at the homeless shelters, usually at the food line, though I usually wasn't around when he was, today would be different though. Today we would finally meet and talk face to face.

I waited in the Shai District Homeless Shelter food line for what seemed like ages, and finally reached the table, grabbing a plate and thanking the volunteers as they slopped up some food on my plate. When I came to Andrew's part of the line and tilted my head a bit, "Hey, you go to West Lake don't you?" I asked him, pretending as if I had only seen him briefly before. "Uh, yeah, I do, have we met?" he responded, raising an eyebrow which had hidden meaning, the first meaning was, 'if you go to my school, why are you getting food from this homeless shelter?' and the second meaning was one of, 'where have I seen you before?' "I don't believe we've met properly.. I'm Maximus, I think I'm in a few of your classes." I said somewhat sheepishly. The person behind me in line was getting agitated with waiting longer than was necessary, "Hey get a move on will ya!?" the older German Shepherd behind me said in a gruff voice. "Oh! S-sorry!" I stated as I continued moving along in the line, "I stop working in about a half hour, if you want to wait a bit we can talk more properly!" Andrew shouted before I got too far. "Yeah! Sure! I'll be around!" I responded, taking my plate of food, to eat my dinner for the day.

Life. It's a funny thing really, one moment it hates you more than anything, deals you the worst cards possible, and expects you to deal well with them. Then the next moment it does a complete 180 and gives you a moment of calm before taking it all away again. I could never predict of the joy in life I'd feel over the next few weeks, and if anyone had told me about it I would call them a crazy old cooze. The one thing I could predict however, was after gaining that joy it would vanish one day, because life is a cruel game, it always has been and always will be. Over time there's more about life that I'd come to realize, more that I would come to experience, more I would come to understand. I'd one day realize why some people are dealt a harder life than others, why some cut out so quickly, why some complain for their so called "horrible life", and why I was even here.

....TO BE CONTINUED....