Territorial Dispute

"What the heck man!" Bobby looking at Grand in disbelief holding his bleeding nose in his hands

"I'm fucking serious! Leave Dana alone."

"I'm fucking serious too when I said that the girl is free! And I'm royally pissed off with you right now!

Bobby spit some saliva tinged with blood on the ground. He removed the handkerchief that is always tied on his wrist every time he skates. It comes in handy now in stopping the bleeding from his nose.

"Sorry," Grand mumbles an insincere apology and kicks the ground.

"Man, what's your effing problem? That was an innocent photo, no one will recognize Dana in those."

He spits again in the ground, luckily no more blood and his nose already stopped bleeding.

"The poor girl has a crush on you but you have her played. I mean, we do play around, but don't you think it's too much to give her your WeChat then blocked her?"

Grand furrowed his eyebrows, when did Bobby and Dana get so familiar with each other for him to know such matters.

"How did you know, I blocked her on WeChat?"

"Man, she asked me for a possible reason why you did it."

"She is that comfortable with you, huh!" his lips curled up in dismay.

"She isn't your three-timing first love, you know?" Bobby said in annoyance.

"The girl is genuinely nice!"

"Huh! So you totally like her now?"

"Can't I?" he asked taunting the irrational Grand.

Grand looked at Bobby's nose that started to swell up. He felt a bit guilty but he didn't regret punching him. He knows Bobby, he deliberately posted the photo to anger him. His friend knows him too much, it's sometimes scary. That's what happens when you grow up being best friends with your childhood friend.

They both sat down on the gravel ground not talking, just watching the sky showing the first sign of the sun setting. Loud shouting and grunting from the parking lot would break the comfortable silence between them.

"You might not see me in East City for a while. My parents are pairing me up with some girl." He spoke up first.

"Also we lost the elimination game, I have to spend more time in practice with my team. Dana is a distraction I can't afford right now," he said quietly doodling in the ground.

"Hmm. Call me if you need me, but can you not look for me when you're frustrated and want to vent out? My face isn't your f*cking punching bag!"

"I'm sorry." this time Grand asked for a sincere apology. "You can punch me back if you want."

"Nah, I won't do it. I will use this broken nose to gain sympathy from Dana." Bobby smirk smugly.

Grand gives his friend a dagger look. 'It looks like being punched once isn't enough."

"Go! Your taxi is waiting."

"Don't pressure yourself too much. You're good at what you do, you know." Bobby said, punching him as they walked back.

"Thanks, man! And sorry about that," he said, pointing at his bruised nose.

---

Dana is playing Noches en Los Jardines de España, as requested by Madame Bae. She has started being Madame Bae's in house pianist. She plays for her during parties but mostly at times when Madame Bae's feeling nostalgic.

The truth is she doesn't feel this is a job, since she needed to practice and it's been almost a month that she doesn't have a teacher to oversee her practice. She also got some side hustle at the theatre company where she once played for her aunt Joy musical play. The coordinator would sometimes give her a call when they needed her.

She's already expecting that she'll be able to start University probably after a year. Unlike aunt Joy and Ellise, she isn't gifted when it comes to learning a new language. Chinese is a bit difficult, good thing Bobby would sometimes find her at the coffee shop of his friends, where is now her favorite hang out.

She already moved to Ellise's apartment. She really wasn't joking when she said that all she has to do was to draw what she wants for the house and she'll have someone do it. When she moved there three weeks ago, she barely recognized the place.

Her silent war with Jess has been long over. Still, due to different time zones and Jess being extremely busy with school, they don't have a lot of opportunities to talk. Same thing with Ellise.

She called her mother, but the response is still the same. Come home or nothing. She sighs as she hit the last note on the piano.

"Dear, you are making Noches en Los Jardines de España a gloomy piece with all of that sighing."

"Is something the matter?"

"I'm sorry. I'm just a little sad thinking that Jess and Ellise are busy chasing their dream, while I chased a guy that won't even spare me a glance."

She let out a sigh of despair and said, "I feel pathetic."

"Darling, chasing what you love should never be a cause of forlorn. Even when it doesn't go according to plan. Not everyone finds something or someone worth chasing."

"Enjoy the new things you found than weep over something that felt lost. For they might not be gone, but rather not yet time."

"Like that guy that has been picking you up?" she added.

When she looked around she saw Bobby grinning walking towards them.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

"Just passing by. And also I have some news."

"What?"

"A friend is throwing a party and Grand might be there. Would you like to come with me?"

"Do you think it's okay?" she said hesitating.

"I'm inviting you. It would be just a bonus to see Grand," he said in a serious tone.

"Okay then, thanks for the invite!.... Is there a dress code?"

"No, there's none. The party will be at some bar though," he said clearly making fun of her.

"I'm not a minor." she stuck out her tongue in response to Bobby's teasing.

"I'll bring her home safely, Madame Bae," he said politely when he caught her worried look.

---

The party was already in full swing when they arrived. They ended up being the focus of attention when they entered the place. Looking around she felt glad that she listened to Madame Bae when she said that she shouldn't wear jeans for this kind of event even though Bobby said there was no dress code.

She breathes in a sigh of relief that Madame Bae's chosen black skater-cut mini dress outfit for her fit exactly to what the girls are all wearing. At first, she was doubtful because she feels the dress is too revealing especially being paired with five inches strap sandals, which Madame Bae insisted was the best height to complement Bobby's structure.

"Hey, look who's here!" a man about a foot taller than Bobby wearing a leather jacket, and holding a bottle of unopened Whiskey, scrutinized Dana openly, she couldn't help but blush and grabbed Bobby's arm.

"Xian, It's been a while!" Bobby pulled her closer to him as he greeted the man called Xian.

"This is Dana."

"Hello, Nice to meet you!" she speaks in a squeaky voice due to nervousness.

Bobby bent over to her ears and whispered, "Relax."

Xian smiled at Bobby with a knowing look.

"Sorry, we're late."

"Nah, you're right on time. Party doesn't start until the main man arrives. Happy birthday, Bro!"

Dana twists her body in Bobby's arm when she hears what Xian said.

"It's your birthday?!"

Bobby just lifted his eyebrow and grinned at her stunned face.

---

Grand escaped to the washroom when he saw Li Na arrived at the party, he's contemplating leaving early without seeing Bobby. But remembering the last time they met, he thinks he has to stay and at least greeted him in person.

"Yo, Wei! Looks like you and your best bud are back in the heyday of hunting."

"What are you talking about? When did Bobby stop being in his peak mode?" chuckling he said.

"True man! I mean, that Japanese babe sure is fine!"

Grand feels light-headed upon hearing the description of a Japanese babe. He ignored Xian's babbling and went back inside.

"Hey! But that girl sticking like glue on you ain't less pretty! Where you two you've got those girls?" he said running after Wang Wei who hurried back to the party.

Dana, in such short dress, giggling inside the crook of Bobby's arms brought such rage from him he hasn't known he has in him until now.

Before he could reach the two, Li Na appeared in front of him and is throwing a tantrum on why he disappeared on her, when she's about to introduce her friends.

He pulled Li Na aside and told her in clenched teeth, "I'm not interested in knowing your friends."

"Wang Wei!"

He turned around to face the one calling him and saw the disappointment in Dana's eyes.