Chapter 16

The Foes Has Plans

"I have detested that silly boy with passion since he joined the school team,’’ said Martin, clenching and gnashing his teeth as he was touching his lower jaw, one of the prominent places Adrian’s punches had fractured. There was new a sign of manhood on his chin also, looking like a scanty smoked lawn. "And I even loathed him more since we had the fight.’’

The midday was sunny and also dewy at the same time, but it was August break period, so obviously there was not going to be a serious rain. A slight rainy storm was blowing outside, too. The weather was like when rain and sun were having unresolved issue between them on who should take over the atmosphere. Martin and Taj were sitting on wooden chairs in one dark empty classroom; discussing over a bottle of hard drink, specifically whisky, on a student’s wooden desk, standing in front of them.

Martin was looking at the storm through the window, wrestling with the flowers and Melina trees, planted in front of the classrooms block. Dusts, ragged papers and nylons were also not free from the hands of the troublesome little storm. It was tossing and turning everything it came across here and there, and eventually fell all of them apart. At that very moment, Martin became thoughtfully silent. He felt the fury in his own heart was greater than the storm. He wished the event of the fight between him and Adrian rewinds itself, so they could start the fight all over again. Instead of leaving it to keep burning his heart, he wished to display the burning rage towards Adrian.

"This fire ragging inside of me,’’ he said to himself silently, ‘’is of revenge and wickedness. I wish I could bring it out and burn Adrian to ashes!’’

Suddenly, a new vengeful idea sprang on Martin’s mind; he won’t fight with Adrian anymore. Yes. No physical combat anymore, but logical one. He smiled wryly as the storm went still and the weather rainless, leaving the heads of flowers and Melina trees bowed, in defeated conditions. He put himself in the position of the storm and Adrian the flowers and trees. If the plans he just decoded on his mind is hatched, Adrian would become wretched and defeated like the trees and flowers, he resolved finally.

"But Black Scorpion, if I may ask, why did you so much abhor the boy in the first place?’’ Taj inquired suddenly, broken into Martin’s thoughtful silence.

The boy had been known as "T.A.J’’ since his junior class days, an abbreviation of his names: Tamuno Amos Johnson. Many Teachers and students had even forgotten that was not his real name but a mere appellation he had coined for himself. He was a moderately tall, charcoal dark boy with well-built athletic physics. His dimples which looked as if sharpen sticks were stuck into his cheeks would show only when laughing or smiling. He had been an obedient, studious and water-wont-split-from-his-mouth kind of a boy before he met Martin who blended him into his kind. Since he became Martin’s friend, he had been trying to impress him, to make him belief he had been out of the ‘dull boy’ state he had met him.

"I’ve been asking you this same question for awhile now but you kept on posting me over and over again, refusing to give me a sound reply,’’ Taj continued talking, seeing that Martin didn’t reply his question. "Common, hit the nail on the head now so I could know why we’re fighting him. I love fighting but not an unjustified one.’’

"Hmmm…’’ Martin heaved disappointedly, looking into his eyes squarely, "I’ve told you before but I don’t really know why you keep on asking me over and over again. Maybe I didn’t break it down well enough for you. Anyway, now listen attentively, boy. Let this ring a bell from now on, it just happened that the boy gave me injury and took the glory that belonged to me. And won’t let her go scot-free for wreaking such havoc to my happiness and future career.’’

"You mean the injury he mistakenly gave you on the pitch few days to governor cup finals?’’

"Of cause yes! How many times I’m I going to tell you that?’’ Martin ranted, raising his eyes brows, he wasn’t pleased enough with Taj’s utterances. He thought Taj was making him looked as if he was fighting an unjust fight.

‘’But it was just a mistake,’’ Taj said in great amazement. "It was a common mistake all footballers make on the fields and go forgotten as a fairplay."

"You called that a mistake like our other gullible teammates and the coach, but it wasn’t at all,’’ Martin said, his eyes red, face blacken more, looking so serious. "I’m very sure he did that deliberately. My instinct doesn’t deceive me. Adrian injured me so he would be chosen among the national under-seventeen feeders team instead of me.’’

"If that be the case, then it’s justifiable to ban him totally from coming anywhere near the field, even if Mr. Friday is around or not,’’ Taj said, fearing to go against Martin’s stance, even though he knew it was totally wrong. ‘’I mean we should ban him from coming to the field forever. If he thinks he can ruin your football career, we will ruin his first.’’

‘'You seem to be on point but we won’t do that,’’ Martin said, shaking his head repeatedly. "You know he’s a key play in the college team. The principal, coach and teachers might take side with him against us if the issue mistakenly reaches up.’’

‘’What about your strong influence, boss? Have you forgotten who your father is in this school and state at large?’’

"My friend, there are many ways of dealing with a child who offended apart from flogging him. We won’t do that; in fact we won’t ban him from coming to field at all again. I know I could ban him from the pitch and go scot free but it won’t with ease. The school authority loves him. Don’t you know that?’’

"Well,’’ Taj sounded defeated, heaving repeatedly. ‘"I know but…’’

"Common boy,’’ Martin said, hitting Taj on the shoulder, interrupting his speech. "Let’s forget about that sheep for now, we’ll get him. Don’t worry. Let’s puff out the smokes with the worries of getting him for now, okay?’’

They started smoking ravenously more before.