ADRIAN

GREY HIGH SCHOOL,

CALIFORNIA,

SATURDAY.

RAVEN’S POV

“I thought we both agreed that you can’t hide things pertaining to your safety from me.” Mr. Chi fu said in a very disapproving tone.

“I’m sorry Sensei,” I apologized genuinely.

“Fifteen minutes of the dumbbell step-ups,” he said with no mercy as he sat in a meditation pose.

“Sensei, how many breaks can I get in intervals?” I asked in a low voice.

“You have plenty of time to rest, thirty seconds after every minute. You need more strength in your legs, I’ve been cutting you a lot of slack lately.” He said, turning his back at me.

“Why do I feel like I’ve angered him? I was just a little late, that’s all.” I thought to myself a little sad.

“Get to work and don’t be loud, this is part of your lessons to be more stealth.” he continued in a low voice.

‘’Yes, sensei,” I replied.

I blame the cocktail; I’ll never drink again. If not for the hangover I wouldn’t have had to sleep in late. It’s official, I’m a lightweight drinker. How could I possibly pass out after one … “holy skies!” I muttered as a wave of familiar memories hit me.

“Quiet.” Mr. Chi fu snapped.

I mentally facepalmed in embarrassment as some not-so-muddled memories of last night resurfaced in my mind.

PHOENIX ESTATE,

ADRIAN’S POV.

“Messing things up! That is the only thing you ever get done. Hurry up with whatever it is you said you were doing and come home. Why do you treat me like this? Do you even consider me your mother? You know I let you pursue this silly dream because I thought you’d get over it when you realize it’s a phase but it’s been years already and you’re not even budging. Catherine’s son is doing the barest minimum here and getting credits for all the work you did before you left. Do you intend to stay in the entertainment industry for the rest of your life? I’m your mother, why won’t you just do this for me and your future? Son, I want the best for you. Come back home and help your father with one of his companies.” My mum whimpered over the phone.

She is most likely on a call with Darren “my older brother” ….my only biological sibling too. It’s been three years since he came home. He used to be Dad’s favourite, perhaps it was the great resemblance he bore to him or his baffling intelligence. It won’t be far-fetched to say my brother is a genius.

At the age of twenty, he already made a great contribution to the family. Singlehandedly coming up with a plan that led to a profit surge in the enterprise my father gifted him was the least of his feats when he was still around. A profit surge to one enterprise is a profit to the others under the company. Ridiculously profitable business deals flooded the headquarters of the company at that period. It was simply glorious. He was the pride of the family.

Three years ago, he left.

He informed the whole family at his birthday gathering of his plans to leave and chase his dreams but… it got him in trouble. The crisp sound of my father’s hand on his face is still clear in my head. That was the first time my father ever raised his hands on him in my presence……and in the presence of the whole extended family too. The edging silence in the hall was suffocating.

“How could you decide on that and announce it without consulting me? My father yelled. “Paul, give him a three-month suspension letter from the company and freeze his bank accounts, also you’re grounded for the rest of the week.” He shot at the butler as he looked my brother dead in the eye.

I remember my mom trying to calm both of them, she couldn’t take sides. One was her life partner and the other was her son. Perhaps, she shouldn’t have interfered as she only made things worse. The more she tried to calm my father down, the more riled up he became.

“Are you in on this?” he scoffed at my mother as he yanked off her hands from his sleeves.

“No, no, I had no idea,” my mom said heavily, her eyes shrouded in some emotion I couldn’t wrap my hands around.

“Now listen young lad, if you’re going to be under my roof then you follow my rules.” Dad continued.

‘Your house, your rules. Makes sense.” My brother said slowly, his voice reverberating through the hall room as he majestically walked out the door.

The nonchalant and cold look he shot my father before walking out on him still sends a shiver down my spine to this day. It was something I had never seen on him.

My father angrily announced the party was over and stormed out of the hall room in a rage, his hands tightly gripping my mom’s.

It could be said that the party ended a mess.

I was left alone…. again.

Not that I care so much, I’d rather be left unbothered anyway.

The hall room was silent for a while before it became bustling with mutterings again. I looked around to search for the butler but something else hit me.

Why did a lot of people look excited? What happened right there wasn’t something to be happy about. Few had a look of mixed feelings and left in no time while some other folks couldn’t even bother hiding their excitement. I was in shock to see my “cat and rat” aunties being jolly with each other as though it was not the first time they’d ever agreed with each other. The same ones that never left a family gathering without causing a scene.

It was at that moment realization dawned on me.

….to every man, his cup of coffee…

It was at that moment it became clear to me that there were a lot of things I didn’t know. It was no wonder my brother avoided most of these people like plagues.

The bustling atmosphere became serene again as I walked out of the hall room with a lot of questions on my mind.

I knew I wasn’t going to get an answer from anyone but my brother. He’d at least give me a reasonable explanation about what was going on. Why did he want to leave? Was it just his dreams or was there more to it? Why didn’t he tell me he was leaving? Was it something I did or did not do? Was he angry about it? Or he had other reasons. I had to know.

Anyone who knew me well enough would know I trusted my brother the most. Haha, “anyone” would probably be my shadow.

As the youngest child who had to live up to the set standards … less attention and importance was placed on me.

Through all these, he was the only one who saw me …the only one who saw my efforts and helped me however and whenever he could. Honestly, it was hard to believe he cared about me, I mean he was totally the main character but I felt it, he did care, more than anyone ever did.

The extra effort he forced me to put into everything I did was something I never understood back then, but now I do and I am forever grateful to him. To me, he was and is perfection. And now, I strive to reach him and possibly surpass him.

When I finally got home that evening, he already left.

He left the country or do I say this very continent that same day.

I couldn’t reach him for a few days. When I finally did, the only words he left me with on that subject were “You’d understand soon enough”.

I sure did, the next few months were hell.

****************

“Okay, I know you’re an adult and you can make your own decisions now but would you at least come home for the holidays? Your grandfather and I miss you dearly.’’ My mom sniffed a bit again.

I planted a kiss on her face and waved at her before heading out of the house. Yeah, I’m going back to school today and heaven knows how relieved I am right now. There’s no point waiting for Mum to end her call before leaving. I could bet a hundred million pounds that she won’t be done with the call even in an hour.

“I suddenly miss school,” I thought my heart skipping in bits at the thought of what happened early this morning.

Tsk, tsk, tsk, she’s cute," I smiled foolishly.