Chapter 9: Where Is My Safety Zone?
The morning sun comes quickly especially today, as if I don't want to give the body inside the blanket rest even for another second. The body inside the blanket moving around struggling and rejecting the idea of waking up, but do so anyways.
The boy slowly supports his body and turns into a sitting position, his eyes still closed, and his hair still untamed. His skin makes friction with the fabric while he is trying to step out from the bed, the more his skin makes contact the more he feels heavy to go from the comfort of his bed. But, his body and his will to move forward strong enough to continue and leave his slumber fate.
Therefore his day continues like a broken cassette that repeats the same chorus of the song again and again. But he never minds this mundane repetition, the more boring the better it is then to have any kind form of problematic event. That reminds him of the event that happened lately, especially with Kristin, such a day full of regret.
In the end.
Despite telling himself to sit down and let whatever happen to happen, he still ended up jumping from his seat and did something that he actually regretted. There are many occasions that he prays for his heart to turn cold and be careless with people, and oftentimes his body did something he can’t even comprehend.
But what happened has happened.
He kept washing his face with cold water, but pain and the disappointment kept on living and grew each day. It is scary to think the more he grows old the more he can’t hold it. The cruel fate that keeps hunting him someday will come back and he needs to be ready when that time comes.
The past scar will open again.
And if that time comes, he needs to become a wolf that is able to eat another wolf too.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The smell of the grass that grew beside the roadside of the hall can be smelled for every step I took. The flower was already withering for a couple weeks ago, regardless, some still trying to survive and not yet fall for hibernation yet. Sometimes the lesser type of flower has more will to live than any other flower.
The wind playing together with the grass and the flowers that still survive, as if they are trying to give encouragement despite the inevitable end. The weather is already cold, but the water is still flowing like usual, I can see it flowing in the university canal. Despite the sad atmosphere this autumn is still a beautiful season after all.
I can hear people cheering and shouting at the field, there is some kind of friendly tournament. There is a lot of enthusiasm spreading and emitting from people that circling the field. I slow my step and pace, trying to see what they are playing there.
Is that soccer?
Is that football?
Is that basketball?
This campus has too many clubs at this point I do not think I even bother to follow up what kind of sports club is available, even I am not going to surprise if there is a less known and more obscure club that exists here.
But whatever that is actually playing right now sure seems to attract a lot of attraction. But I admire their will, to be able to do sport in this kind of cold weather definitely not easy. I walk to the crowd slowly, the curiosity taken over me, like a broken cycle. Despite how packed people gather with each other, I am still able to see what is happening on the field.
Bunch of man crushing to one another.
Tackling each other's legs.
Trying to steal the ball that constantly passes it around.
And the more time passing on, the louder the cheering becomes. And the more noise people make, the more aggressive all the players become as if the yelling becomes boosting their morale. From here I can see the whole player, and they all rough up, dirt on their body and some of them perhaps have some wound too. My eyes constantly jump from one player to another following the ball they are trying to dominate, until my eyes landed on someone.
It is the buffalo.
Chad.
His big body looks really intense, his face looks mixed tired and angry, probably because of how intense the game is. He wiped the sweat that fell down from his temple, his eyes still focusing on the game. I never expected he would have this part of him, I thought he was just a clueless buffalo that did anything basic on instinct.
Chad's eyes abruptly stop and it seems both of his eyes ball find me.
His facial expression changed immediately.
His usual smile covers his face and he starts waving at me. People get confused while looking at him, and I immediately facepalm myself. Does he really stupid? He is in the middle of the game, you can’t throw away your focus like that. He started yelling my name and getting more distracted with the game, his teammate started ganging up on him and trying to make his focus on the game again. An older man in his 40s seems yelling at him too, and now they are all trying to line up his view and they all meet with me, even people that are standing near me start recognizing me.
I feel really embarrassed and scared.
I immediately turned around and tried to run.
My foot stepped hard on the innocent grass, stomping hard without looking anywhere carefully. My mind occupied with the thought of running away, I know I’ll just become a distraction and clown in front of all these people.
And suddenly my foot hit something, I almost fell but my other foot managed to catch my fall immediately. However, whatever my foot hit was, it created an awfully loud and alarming sound, like cracking, like something is broken. And my worry confirmed with a loud voice comes with it shortly after.
“SHIT!”
My eyes looking at the source, the source is a tall man drenched from hair to toe.
And at that moment, no one dared to make noise, not even people playing the game making noise nor moving. The event that really surprised everyone turned into stone, along with my poor heart. The game stopped, the audience stopped, me too, froze in the front of the tall man.
Albern clothes and body drenched with water, and his entire face is cold looking at me that is still crouching and looking up to him. His black suit looked dirty because of the mud that mixed with water. And his white shirt sticks to his skin that can be seen due to the wet fabric. Overall his usual expensive attire no longer looks slick like any other day.
My eyes turn to the slight noise that comes from beside me and him.
It comes from water pressure that pushes water out the university canal. It’s supposed to be turned off, but it turns out my foot was the culprit that accidently broke the handler and made the machine vomit all the dirty gut.
I’m screwed.
And my life is ending right now.
God, do you hate me this much?
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I’m sitting down on the bench inside the looker and shower room beside the campus gym. My palm keeps slapping my face, I want to punch or slap myself as hard as I can, to let this kind of embarrassment happen, this is not an easy thing to just let it go. The sound of water splashing from the shower can be heard clearly, this place is deserted with nobody inside. Maybe because of the game that is happening outside, most people either in their class, watching the game, or ditch the class or whatever they are up to is none of my business.
The wet suit and shirt laying helplessly beside me, just as helpless as me. The sports bag on my lap opened with some stuff inside there is missing. The missing item was brought by the owner cleaning himself right now.
After that incident, Albern dragged me by the hand to this place. He ordered me to sit and throw his heavy sport bag on my lap, proceed to undress himself in front of me, I immediately threw my view to anywhere but him. His hand starts to open his bag and takes something, before proceeding to go to the bathroom.
I can’t focus and hear anything, all I heard was:
“Sit”
“Hold this”
“Wait here”
There is not much words nor interaction between us, but I just figured out whatever I was supposed to do right now based on the incident that caused him to have to clean himself. All I did was nodding my heads, afraid that by speaking any words might make me dig my grave even deeper.
I wouldn’t struggle to my fate, it is my fault too, and I bet everyone that witnesses it think the same. I do not care what he is planning to do, just make it quick. I still cover my face with both of my palms when the slow step comes to my direction.
The step is my appending end.
Each time it grows nearer, my heart drops.
Albern standing in the front of me, his back facing me. He is busy with his locker, and his clean broad back still has some droplet fall. The white towel covers around his lower part. I can’t take this silence anymore, I move his sports bag to the side and stand, my eyes probably at the same level with his chest, this man is freaking huge and tall, as tall as Daniel but not as big as Chad. But his presence is enough to make anyone cower to their life, and it’s not like I’m not scared either, for what I have done.
My palm got wet from the sweat, I tried to run it against my jeans to keep it dry, my feet keep pacing in and out, and sifting weight every second. The man in front of me still didn’t faze me, still busy running a small towel on his head to dry his hair.
I try to clear my throat to get his attention, I’m still nervous but I have to do this.
*cough *cough
Albern slowly turned his body to me, standing side by side and his face somehow still covered with the wet towel. His whole features are a distraction, I can’t really describe how, but maybe because he is not a commoner that is why it’s hard to look directly at him.
I swallow my saliva a couple of times, trying to build up courage to speak to the half-naked man in the front of me. I can see his eyes take a peak on me, and his smile half covered, I can’t read that smile, is that a sinister one? Is that a friendly one? The trauma is enough to make my perspective cloudier.
“I… I a…m… you see…”
No matter how much courage I try to build up, everything seems to just melt immediately whenever I try to voice it out. His face looks distorted a little bit, maybe a worried look? I’m not sure. At this point I just lost all my confidence to clear up the problem at hand right now.
And suddenly he slowly and softly grabbed my hand, which I’m not aware gripped hard on the tip of my shirt. He lifted out the towel that covered his face and put it around his neck, his hand still covered mine, and his other hands started touching my finger.
“Are you okay? Is it hurt? Look there some mark left”
His raspy voice invading my ear, it was rough yet somehow soft. He moved closer to me, I can feel his presence even bigger and greater than before. From this distance I can see his body just a few inches away from mine, his chest moving as he takes a breath, his skin slightly tanned but that sun kissed skin just adds more points to him. His whole body looks sturdy and solid, his frame really a depiction of what man is. His rough palm caressed my hand and each of the fingers.
“It seems everything is fine, here let me help you to ease the mark, and is it painful if I do this?”
His clear and soft brown eyes staring directly to mine. His face is sharp chiseled clean cut, he has this look that is somehow mixed of Western – Asian, I heard one of his parents is Mexican and the other one is Korean, I do not know which is which. I never deny the fact that this man was always admired and lusted by almost everyone in this campus, but to actually witness it? It never crossed my mind.
“Joshua… are you okay?”
His hand wavered in the front of my face, and in an instant I successfully brought myself to reality, and at the same time snatched my hands that were captive of his. I can hear small and soft laughs from his smile, I can see his clean teeth and his eyes almost closed when he smiles like that. I quickly shake my head trying to bring my confidence back.
“I! I mean! The class”
Nothing comprehensible comes out from my mouth at this point perhaps I should close my mouth and walk my walk of shame. He was waiting for me and his smile didn’t go, his face facing me with both hands holding onto the both towel ends that clinging on his neck.
“I mean the class… and the suit”
“Oh you have class? I’m sorry! Yeah you can go, sorry to keep you waiting here”
I facepalm myself, that is not what I want to say for god sake.
“No I mean, how you are going to class with your suit dirty”
His face glared at me, his smile was gone, but he didn’t say anything.
“I… I am really sorry! I know I was the one that made your suit dirty!”
There is no reply from him so I keep talking.
“I really-really didn’t mean it to happen it was an accident, I swear”
His face somehow turned into frowned; he looked at me and moved to his dirty suit on the bench. And suddenly something clicked with him, his face showed something like revelation.
“Ah! The suit! Ah yeah! Don’t worry about it”
His hands rubbed my head and ruffled my hair, I tosh his hand from my head. I immediately felt a surge of anger because he did not even take me seriously.
“NO!”
He is stunned by my outburst. I take a long exhale trying to composure myself.
“I… I’m sorry about your suit, at least let me know how much can I pay back”
His beautiful lips turned upside down and his eyebrow frowned.
“Really, it is not a big deal… do not worry about it”
“I can’t, at least let me handle the laundry then, which is as much as I can do perhaps”
Now this is his turn to let out a big and long exhale. His body turns and faces the locker once again, his hands roaming around doing something, his wide back hides his action from me. And he slowly faces me again, in his hand there is a piece of paper and he gives it to me.
The moment my eyes landed on the scribble on that paper, my heart skipped a beat. The 0 count that was written on the paper almost made me faint, my face went cold and sweat started forming on my temple. I quickly swallow another stream of illusionary saliva down to my throat. My hands start to shake and the note starts getting crippled.
My eyes whipped quickly to meet with his face, look up and gazed directly to his eyes. My teeth are gritted hard, I can’t take this amount of money, and there is no way I can produce this much without any trouble along the way.
“I… I mean… at least the laundry cost?”
“That is the laundry cost”
He answered my deadpan, both his eyebrows raised when he answered me. I was immediately stunned with the fact that hit me. Once again I look carefully at the number that is written on the paper, it doesn’t change, again I rub my knuckle against my eyes, and nothing, and it didn’t change at all. My hands and lips start trembling, god why you hate me this much, why you have to throw me to the hell pits like this.
I hear another laughter from him, at this point I just want to lower my head and prostrate in front of him, begging him to let me go. I do not know what to do, what should I do.
People like him must be like it, right?
People like him will be accepting an apology if we prostrate yourself, right?
People like him must want people doing that, right?
My knees are getting weak, and trembling, and at this point of fear I start lowering myself. Tears start building up under my eyes. But before that can happen, his big and warm hand grabs my shoulder, I immediately look up once again, only greeted with his warm smile.
“Hey-hey, what’s up with your face?”
And a light chuckle slipped from his lips. My hands are holding onto the paper near my chest, it’s already crushed in the unrecognized from.
“There is another way, if you don't really mind”
I stand there straight, trying to be strong and waiting for another alternative.
He showed me a phone that he was holding to the front of my face. There is a basic number from one to zero that appears on the screen.
“Give me your number”
I am hesitant, feeling this might just be the start of another problem. But I can’t really afford to pay him back either, I do know what to do. My eyes linger on his, maybe deep down I really need another option, I really want to be left alone and be at my peace.
His lips go upward, his smile small and soft to me, his eyes also become warm, I can see that glimmer of light from his clear brown eyes. In the end I give in, there is no other better option, even giving my phone number to him is a bad idea, but what else is available on the table?
With so much disappointment I picked the phone from his hand and started to punch on my number. I slowly gave it back to him as soon as I was done with it. He wasted no time and started to hit the dial button on the screen. My phone vibrated inside my pocket as soon as the call connected, I pulled out my phone and Albern immediately took it from me. Before I can reach my phone back and protest, his tall figure just stands straight and his hand goes away from me to the unreachable distance.
“Give it back…!”
“Stay still”
After some time, he shows both of the phone screens to me, and I can see what is appearing on it. The other one wrote Albern, and the other one wrote Joshua, now we have each other's contact number. I was just standing there with a feeling of defeat. And Albern smiling with something that I can only describe as winning.
The world really isn’t fair to me.
His big hand traveled to my nape, grabbed it and made it stay in place, which is facing his face. He is now in front of me crouching down, his eyes the same level as me, he is looking directly into my eyes just like me to him.
His finger starts to massage my nape, and while doing so, his raspy voice comes out, but this time, his voice sounds different. It still sounds rough and heavy, but for some reason there is no malice.
Maybe something like happiness?
“Now Joshua, make sure you waiting for my call”
His face passed my face, and his lips just inch away from my ear.
“Be obedient now, my LACKEY…”
I can feel his smile despite not looking at him, I know he is smiling. I cringe, and my nail digging deep into my palm skin, the pain is nothing considered how he just turned me into his lackey. I want to end his life right here, right now, but I can’t.
I’ve made a promise that I won’t cause any trouble.
For people around me.
For their sake.
I quickly pushed him, my teeth grinding each other, the anger that I need to keep is unbearable. He just smiles at me, but his eyes are so different than usual, I know he is no differ than any rich bastard out there. But my heart hurts, it’s hurt so badly.
At the end of the day, it always falls down to me.
I’ll clean this mess, and I promised.
I quickly leave him behind, not even turn my head back, I just go to play his game, as much as he wants. But I promised I’ll get back at him. Albern, you just wait, until I can get dirt on you, you can laugh, but not for long.
>>>>>
The boy walked out quickly leaving the man standing and watching him gone. The man smiles and shakes his head, feeling accomplished and happy for the outcome. He looked back to his phone screen and read the name once again slowly.
“Joshua…”
This time, his smile grew bigger, and there was this proud laugh. Never thought that there is some kind of silver lining in the whole incident. He starts to dress himself up in the sport wear, and readying himself to go to his class, but before he continues to walk out from the locker room, he grabs the wet and dirty suit, throws it into the trash can.
People look at him when he passes the hallway, people never see him wearing something less formal, and perhaps this is a good thing to change once in a while. It’s not like he has to go to the campus wearing a full suit, but most of the time, he is always working, and it is a waste of time to change into something else, after all his class does not last more than two hours at the longest.
But people still looking at him, still admiring his look, every step he made there is a trail of eyes following. He still looks good with the white tank top and sweatpants, despite how over casual it is. For people like him, maybe wearing anything can’t really dismiss the charm they have.
He walked leisurely with his sports bag clinging to the side of his shoulder, until he bumped his body with something as solid as his. The both men looking at each other, Albern looking at the other man feature, piercing, and tattoo colored his skin and his height not different from Albern, to put it simply they aren’t much different from each other.
The other man standing there with eyes as sharp as Albern, both only looking one another not speaking and suddenly the atmospheres around them turn into below 0 degree, people start paying attention and also stop on their track, nobody dare to move nor to breath.
There are no words exchanged between them, only two men staring coldly against each other. No one is willing to bother them, no one dares to say anything. And same with the man that stands there that looks like they both will start a big war.
And in a split second both of the men turn each other back, walking in the different direction.
No words were exchanged.
No blood was spilled.
And people start breathing in relief.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I bury my head inside my arm, I lay defeatedly on the table, my hearts drop helplessly. There is some kind of wave of sadness that keeps whirling around my chest, I never feel like this, at least not for a long time, it’s been a while indeed.
I used to feel this kind of feeling before.
Dejected.
Sorrow.
Grief.
It’s been a while indeed, and the surge wave of melancholic engulf my entire chest, it feels cold. The old and rusty feeling accumulated into one place and it’s getting heavier. My breath is getting short, and it’s hard to ignore the cold pain residing inside me.
The floor and everything I touch now turn into a dark liquid that slowly eats me alive. It's dark liquid turns into hands, it starts to grab me, it's grabbing my skin, my body, my clothes. The touch is cold, it’s very cold, but I can’t fight nor resist it. There is no words can escape from my mouth, there is no sound comes from my throat.
Before I get deeper, and before the darkness closes my eyes, something hits me on the head. I look up slowly, and I see a tall man with a piercing and tattoos. He wears a black tank top with old jeans, he looks very like a street thug. His hand held a book that he was used to hitting me, the other one holding onto his laptop.
“What’s up with you? You look awfully pale”
Daniel walked closer and put his palm on my temple.
“You seems okay”
I grab his hand and throw it back at him. I inhale and exhale great amounts of oxygen, I almost let myself drown into the limbo.
Daniel sat down beside me, he put his bad and his laptop on the table, his eyes still inspecting me.
“You sure you are okay?”
“I’m cool, there is nothing to worry about”
He scoffed hard with my answer. He hit me again with his book.
“Then stop making those face, its looks like you saw a ghost”
This is the second time someone thought I saw a ghost in this school, the last thing I want is the third person will say it and it turns out to be real.
“Is there someone bothering you? Just tell me their name”
Daniel wraps his arm around my neck, locking me on the spot.
“No need, and there is nobody anyways”
I loosen up Daniel arms, and let myself go. I murmured under my breath, it’s not like he can be touched by anyone anyways.
“What did you say?”
“Nothing, let just focus on the task at hand instead”
I might be lashing on him if I’m not checking myself out more. His hand pat on my shoulder.
“You seriously can tell me if you have anything troubled you”
His sly smile painted on his face.
“Let’s hang out with the two clowns after this class!”
His arms lock my neck once again, and his hand plays with my hair. I do not have a will nor strength to fight him anymore.
Sometimes, the rough person can be a real kind inside those scary faces. And sometimes, people that appear like an angel can be actually the devil.
Or…
I just simply do not understand human emotion and intention.
Or perhaps what actually happened, not what it seems?
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“Where are you going?”
Daniel quickly walked to catch up with me, his face still concerned about my worry. Should I handle my emotion better than this, how long has it been? It’s comical and pathetic just because I got stomped by other people I was sulking like this.
“Home… where else I’ll go?”
He looked surprised by my answer.
“Come on now, what is wrong with you”
He hits my shoulder lightly. I admit I look super pathetic, I do not know why, but treated by him like that hurt me so bad. As much as I want to say it’s not affected me, it has.
“I just having a bad day, I’m sorry if it’s affected you in some way”
“Stop sulking”
His big arm hanging to my shoulder, he punched my chest lightly this time.
“Let it go, I do not like people that wallowing in their sadness, come on there is so much you can looking forward to”
His body dragged mine to keep walking at the same pace. Every time my foot gets heavier, he keeps pushing me forward. Honestly I just want to go back home and do my assignment, so I can sleep afterward. Even better if I can sleep and not wake up.
I still walk lazily, and smile a little bit on how Daniel keeps dragging me, but it’s not like he took a lot of effort anyways. Kristin, Albern, Chad all are in the same level of strength, maybe. We get closer to the cafeteria, and I can see two humans jumping around and waving their hands toward me and Daniel.
The big one looks dirty and worn out, also his body looks beaten up by someone. But despite that his smile and happy demeanor did not even go a bit, just like any other day, just like this morning. His sticky uniform still warped around his body, it seems from how fresh his sweat is, he just finished with the game recently.
The small one, this time wearing another outrageous color. Her outfit always changes in a way that will hurt people's eyes, not because of her style of fashion, but because of the contrast color that chosen by her. Is it because she belongs to Arts major? But that is an awful stereotype of an Arts student.
“Here! Here! Over here Daniel!”
Maya keeps waving at both of us, she starts to drag out two seats that assume me and Daniel. She is awfully always cheerful if she saw me and Daniel together, I take that back, she acts the same if I were with Chad too, for some reason.
I sat down beside Daniel, and Chad sat down across mine. The buffalo eating like there is no tomorrow. Almost everything on his plate is meat. He eats a lot, but it’s no surprise for me after all. Daniel sat beside me, sometimes talking with me and Chad. While the three of us exchange topics and laugh at each other, I just realized lately Maya is not really being herself whenever we boys talk to one another.
Correction, perhaps she is being quiet if I’m the one being the subject of the topic. I’m afraid we might exclude her unconsciously, but weird enough she keeps smiling maniacally whenever she leaves alone like that, and her eyes follow the three of us, jumping from one person to another.
“Oh sorry, what do you think Maya?”
I try to bring her thoughts to our conversation.
“Huh! Oh-oh! Yeah the game was intense, yeah!”
She chokes on her drink, trying to handle her breath. Her lanky finger keeps fanning her face. I raised my right eyebrow, is she okay?
“What the hell, Joshua managed to be himself again, what is wrong with you now Maya?”
Daniel Jump in.
“Are you sick?”
Chad spoke with his mouthful mouth.
“No! No~ I’m perfectly healthy”
She has both of her hands to us, smiling even weirder and weider.
“I just really like to see you guys talk to one another, you know! Very passionate! Do not mind me! Seriously!”
She waved her hand to us three, as if she was signaling us to continue. And she came back sipping her drink while her eyes once again glued to me. What a weird girl, she is already weird, but every time I meet her, there is always something that makes her even weirder.
“Again Chad, why do you go straight to the cafeteria and not change your uniform first?”
Chad still half focused with the conversation and half focused on his meat.
“I’m really hungry! I can’t take it! After all this is treat by my team mate, they say I did well”
His face beaming with happiness.
“I thought you bought it by yourself, you eat that much every day”
Daniel chimed in, while occasionally biting the snack that we bought together.
“It’s not like I can afford all of this”
Right, I often see him with the lunch box rather than eating from the cafeteria menu.
“Things are expensive here!”
“So, are you in some kind of scholarship? Like Joshua?”
I rolled my eyes when Daniel said that, he emphasized the word scholarship purposely. It’s not like I’m really in one, but the education expense for me has been taken care of long ago by someone.
“You are in scholarship, senior?!”
Chad being gullible as always, just fell directly into Daniel's mouth.
“Do not listen to him, so are you in one?”
“At first not really, but when I was changing my major someone offered me one for sport! So I took it!”
“Are you making a patch with the devil? That is some freaking coincidence”
And then Daniel jokingly mocks the coincidence Chad has, Chad only laughs together with Daniel.
“Congrats then”
That is some kind of good luck he has indeed, just recently changed major and got that kind of offer immediately. But he does have good affinity with sport apparently, this morning's game wasn't a joke at all, he knows what he is doing.
We talked for some more, and without anyone noticed the day getting darker. Students left one by one, and at the same time my phone suddenly rang, I felt weird because it is not often to receive a call from anyone except from my mother. Does school need something from me? Any lecture needs my help somehow?
When I took a peek on the screen, my breath hitched immediately.
The name Albern written on it.
“I…! I have to take this”
I immediately stood up and walked further away from the table, only to be met with a suspicious and concerned look by three of the people sitting there. I mustered the courage and take a deep breath before answering the call.
“Hello…”
“That is awfully slow to pick up my call”
His teasing tone can be heard in my ear, and it immediately makes my blood boiling and my skin irritated.
“What is it…?”
I can hear a laugh from the other side.
“Watch it, I practically own you, you know?”
This time his voice trailed off, almost like caressing my skin in order to make me more angered and irritated than before.
“Who said that I…!”
Before I could finish my sentence he cut me, and made me feel like he pushed me and forced me to prostrate myself in front of him.
“I mean you can pay my suit back, ah it’s sticky you know, imagine I have to bring this thing home? It’s cost money too”
I immediately keep my mouth shut, silent, full of humiliation.
“How about I just go on to prostrate myself, will you be satisfied?”
“Where is the fun in that?”
I do not have to see him to know he is smirking over there.
“Listen… be obedient, and be nice too”
His laugh getting louder, at this point his voice alone seems like a mock to me.
“I want you to free your schedule for next Friday”
“Why should I do that?!”
“Ah… this sticky dirt really hard to clean up”
I hear chuckle, almost like a playful one, a sly one. He knows I can’t win against him.
“Send me your full schedule, we’ll meet up when you are done with your class”
“As you wish, happy now?”
“Hmm not quite, I prefer something else actually… but that should do for now”
With that I immediately cut the call. I can’t take it anymore.
I’m stupid.
To entangle myself with him like this.
I grabbed my phone hard and almost crushed it.
Albern, you wait! I’m going back at you!
>>>>>>>>
On the other side of the building, a tall man with casual sportswear standing, his eyes not leaving the figure that stands below the building near the cafeteria. Smile plastered on his face, his finger still playing with his phone, that finger keep touching the words written on the screen.
Looking at the boy from this higher ground makes him feel powerful, and the boy feels like his prey. The boy wasn't aware of his presence, but he was always aware of the boy from up here. Watching him silently, spying on him when he sits down and talking with people he assumes are his friends.
Albern feels so happy for some reason, every time the boy snaps at him, every time the boy resists him, the more he wants to tease the boy. Albern wants to make him cry, as sadistic as its sound, the best moment with the boy named Joshua is when the boy himself feels helpless. Every time Albern saw the frowning lips from the boy, he couldn't help it but he wanted to pinch those lips.
The man also feels confused, why suddenly he becomes a bully? He never was one before, but the boy kind of woke up the other side of him that he never knew. Deep down, he wants to make the boy cry so badly. As much as he wants the boy to smile, he wants to make the boy cry too, this contradicting and polarized feeling he never feels, he wants to explore it.
The suit was no longer with him after all, but he knew the whole incident it’s a good weapon for him to use against Joshua. And he is right, Joshua can’t fight him back. And Albern will keep using whatever on his disposal as long as he can keep bullying the boy.
Albern's eyes keep following the boy's body, he can see his face turn into scowl. And Albern feels satisfied for now, but more yet to come. He never been this happy before, it almost felt like he found something that had been gone for ages. And Albern for sure not going to let go easily either.
However, both the man and the boy are not aware that their meeting already set something in motion, and when the time is right both of them are going to cry, and laugh, and someone is going to cry in despair.