Chapter 24 - what life in the hood taught me.

Sylvia and Steward decide that she will stay in Geoffrey’s house. I however wanted to practice my shooting its been a while, me and Hana learning the Quran, Mr Haqib has return from his duties. After the class I meet Mr Haqib

“Mr Haqib?”

“Yeah?”

“I going to ask a stupid question”

“What that will be?”

“where I could practice shooting”

“………..”

That is expected, he must assume something already

“Its impossible to get that kind of practice…”

“Yeah never mind about it Mr Haqib sorry for asking”

“But there is a place but you need to keep it a secret”

“Huh?”

“There is an old man who is a former soldier but I’m not sure he is still alive though but you could ask him since that incident you need to build up your shooting skills”

“Got it”

He wrote the address, I will keep it but I had to go to school since its been a while. I haven’t check my email yet and a message appeared its from Natalie seems Damien is spot on. She did not wrote the message but she has picture with a guy.

I replied her back

Dear Natalie

Nice looking guy…

Love Alex

That is all.

I head to bed for tomorrow. I couldn’t help myself what Damien told me indirectly. But I know that Damien is looking for something.

The next morning, I went to school like usual, Mr Rahman is busy with the festival. While Mariam and Amin is busy with the event they all prepared. Priscilla and Melissa is busy as usual while the basketball team is moving forward without my help. That is good at least I’m not going to be involved.

But I’m not in the mood. During lunch I head to the podium since Hana had friends playing with him. I close my eyes just listening the sound of the wind. It's really peaceful, having an emotional roller coaster ride makes me losing all that juice. All the people that I help have really move on with their lives.

Hazlan, Melissa, Priscilla, Mariam, Amin, Frederica, Sylvia…why the hell I look at her suddenly. Whatever is just feelings.

Is this what we called boredom? Or just I don’t want to do anything at all. I look at the basketball court, I went there and played basketball.

Dunking the basket. Taking the shot from three points. It went out. Looks like I’m really not in my game in the moment. Maybe because I just let out all that frustration few days ago. But the look in Dad at least he know not to mess with me. But if Natalie finds outs I’m dead.

Someone is calling me. Its Hazlan

“Hey Alex!!”

“Yo whats up?”

“What are you doing here?”

“A bit bored…”

“Well the festival is about to finalise but only left the (LMS) that is another story, I really hard doing it”

“Well, you like it right?”

“Yeah…but…something is missing?”

“I’m not good with computers”

“Yeah…but looking at one more features”

Tama is calling me

“Hey Alex!!”

Hazlan is blushing

“Hey don’t tell me…”😏

“Shut up!!!”

“Hey Tama!!”

Tama head to us while Hazlan is frozen🥶

Tama look really cute with her pinafore. While Hazlan I’m pretty sure he like her.

“Uh….Ta…ma….how…are….you….?”

“ah..?…and….you…are?”

“Ha..a…a.z..lan….”

“She is living with us now, mom adopted her, she is my little sister”

“Hah…that means…”🤩 now Hazlan is another guy is going on a phase

“Hey Alex, Sylvia told me that I have to join a club but what is a club?”

“Huh did she explain about clubs?”

“i ran off finding you, to find out” that means 😑

“Hey Tama!!! Stop running off!!!” She did huh

“Hey Tama, at least listen to Sylvia first will ya”

“uh…but Alex could explain to me right?”

“A club is an association of people united by a common interest or goal” she will not understand that bro

“Huh?😐

“Uh…Tama😅 is like going to a new class okay?”

“Uh…okay😄”

“Let…show…you…Tama?”

“uh…okay…Hazlan…”

Hazlan has been struck with an arrow of love

He instantly pull her arms

“Come on!! Follow me!!!” And there they goes

Sylvia giggle

“He’s like a little kid”

“Yeah..😓”

“Alex this weekend do you have anything to do?”

“Uh..I have a weekend job at night though”

“Huh since when?”

“Uh…working with William in his cafe”

“But are you free in the mornings?”

“Nothing in mind why?”

“This sunday after my church session during lunch could you bring me to somewhere?”

“Uh..will think about it”

“Yeah don’t forget ya this sunday” I have not agreed to it!! 💢, she need to listen better

She left to school. I had to be back to class but I felt something I forgot what is it anyway?

I head back to class and Mr Rahman called me to his office. I head there and he look serious

“Alex we have a new development”

“Not my problem”

“There commotion at the Siti Aishah All Girls school”

“Are you listening!? Not my problem!!💢”

“Seems the next door neighbours wanted to join the festival as well”

“Not listening, and not my problem”

“I need you to check the school”

“i said not my problem, you need to see a doctor!!💢”

“You will work with Priscilla”

“I said not my problem again will you listen to me!?”💢” he is really wanted me to that job again I need my peace and quiet for a while

“Melissa and Priscilla will check the details soon, be ready Alex” are you even on the same page!!?💢

“……..I’m ignoring you Mr Rahman I’ve got a lot need to catch up!!”

“We need you to prepare for the festival as well discuss with Melissa”

“Bye” I’m walking out

Next another person is calling me and its Melissa

“Get ready Alex”

“Not interested and not my problem”

“Tomorrow after school you need to be here”

“Bye…” I just walk out

“See you tomorrow” are you even listening 💢

Now is Mariam and Amin

“Hey Alex don’t forget our training session!!”

“What training session?”

“Kukuku..you forgotten eh?” Don’t tell me that acting rehearsal

“Yeah, you now are Juliet! 😈” 🥶 oh dammit that is what I have forgotten the theatre show.

“Uh…is it okay that I could change my role?”

“Nope everyone agreed” but not me bitch !!💢

“Aww but everyone is excited to see you in a girls dress😈” its only you that is interested, stop teasing me!! Will ya!!!

“Give it up Alex you now the main star of the show” shut up asshole, just because you manage to escape don’t make that kind of excuses!!💢

“Asshole, Mar what is Amin’s role?”

“Kukuku…he is Romeo…we have a new show as well, and its…”

“You not going to like it”

“SNOW WHITE!!!!” I run away as fast as I could

“See you at the rehersal!!!”

I reach to class and Mr Rahim’s class today and he said there will be exam for the mid terms

“All of you have to complete this topic and focus on this only got!! Unfortunately the question is from Borneo college so be alert for any changes”

At the moment all academic assessment must gone through Borneo College which is impossible to achieve or predict due to their advantage. Mr Rahman is still discussing on the matter.

Most of the topic is still on the stone age and antiquity which I’m familiar at but not sure about the others. We continued class without any interruption or any funny things. Because we are preparing for exam.

Amin and Mariam did not even fooling around they really into the class. After history, Bahasa Malaysia is taught by Mr Rahman himself, where most of us international background struggle to learn.

Mariam’s turn to practice speaking it

“Walau bagaimana pun mereka telah tinggalkan peralatan di pusat sukan sekolah…”

“Not bad Mariam next is Alex read the passage in page 29 line 58”

“"Hikayat Hang Tuah" merupakan sebuah cerita hikayat Malayu…”

“It’s Melayu…”

Uh ok…Melayu yang menggambarkan dengan terperinci keadaan semasa sewaktu tersebut.…”

“Hmm still not there yet but you need to improve the tone of the malay tongue”

“Got it”

At least Mr Rahman teaching is easy compared to the elite class session that I took. After class Mr Rahman ask us

“The exam we will make a new changes in the format and will be notified until further notice…”

“What!!!”

There must be changes in the exam

“Hey if there is new change then the format that Borneo College provide will not going to be valid then…”

“Aiya, i have practice that format does need to be change at all?”

“maybe to balance it because the format of Borneo College is really difficult”

“Ah cha then we will need to study again, darn it”

“Hey Alex, what are you doing now?”

“I got practice today…”

“What practice ?😄”

“None of your business…😁”

“Kukuku…😈”

“Hey Alex, we going to practice our music performance later will talk okay?”

“Got it”

I meet Hana and ask her to leave first in the bus

“I’m going to another practice you go on ahead okay if there is no one just stay at teachers house got it?”

“Nah, Big Sis Sylvia and Steward is with us in the bus this time” eh? Then…

“Yep…since his dad is busy with his work he ask mom to use the bus service with Jackson”

“Oh okay…then I’ll wait for them, where is Tama?”

“She will come here soon, big brother Hazlan is with her”

Heh…so…he is fallen for her eh

Jackson arrive first

“How is school?”

“Yeah its really fun but you didn’t at the basketball training yesterday…”

“uh…got something along the way”

“Yeah we will have our first friendly with Borneo College”

“I think you guys could settle it, last time I played with them, most of the don’t have the height advantage…so you guys could easily dunk them.”

“Yeah Frankie is really excited, also Priscilla the captain of the girls team is also made it in forming a team”

Sounds exciting, really wanted to see them

“Yeah, I will join but not playing though”

“But vice captain Frankie said you have to play!!”

“Nope I need to see you guys how well you played as a team before I go in”

“….not sure he will agreed to that though the coach seems pissed that you always available”

“Hey Captain!!! There you are!!”

Ugh Frankie

“We need you on the friendlies match next week!!”

“I could see that I don’t need to be there beside most of your team members is strong enough to beat them”

“But you need to for our moral support!!”

“fine..I’ll go”

“Yeah!!! That’s our captain”

“What is our team nickname?”

“You choose captain?”

Dagger because we not well know but we will be quick like a supersonic jet…like the North American Delta Daggers

“Daggers….the American jet Daggers short but quick”

“Alright Daggers it is!! The coach ask us about it and ask the founding captain”

“But I need to test you guys tomorrow the full team against the reserve I will lead the reserved”

“Got it captain”

Frankie left to his family restaurant and they have arrived at the bus stop where the bus have also arrived.

“Ok see ya Hana”

“Eh darling you not joining?”

“yeah got another practice in school could you look after Hana and Tama ?”

“Ok darling!!” She kiss my cheeks that’s not funny!!

“Yeah!yeah…just go already!!”

Since they have left I head towards the place that Mr Haqib tell me last night. Reaching behind that is close to the hospital within Kopungit hills and there is an old shack. But no one is there.

I sense someone is behind me and its a knife, I raise my hand and tried to talk to him.

“What are you doing here kid!!?” He is really serious about this

“umm…I got this contact from Mr Haqib do you know him?”

“Yeah!! But who are you kid never seen you around this part of town?”

“Ummm…how about drop the knife before someone gets hurt here”

I took the knife and throw it, and does the CQC at the old man, darn it he is huge, and muscular. At least 6’0.

“Come on kid, you started it!! Show me what’s you got”

I know that I’m not going to beat this old man because he is really strong. He could knock me out in seconds. I’ve got to be extra careful.

“If you don’t I will!!” He throws his fist at me damn its really fast I manage to dodge it, but it left me scars

“Hey!! Thats dangerous!! I just want to talk!!”

“We talk with our fist boy!!”

“Darn it!! Come on old man I’m not in the mood to fight!!”

“I’m not listening!!! Soldier!!!”

He throws his punch and hit the wood fence it breaks apart, darn it he is really strong!! Dammit whatever I’m going to bleed again!!

I throw my knee at the old man back and punch him at the abdomen he felt it but its does not knock him

“That is a strong punch kid, I give you that!!!”

“There is many more to come!!”

I constantly punch him and give him my combo

5 punch-kick and knee strike combo!!

He felt it!! And he drop his knee

“CQC that is a military defence move you got there!! Seems Haqib is speaking the truth…”

“Come on old man I not going to push again!!”

“Again!!!”

“You going to regret it old man!!!”

My blood began to boil again, my wrath becomes rage I attack the old man relentlessly

“Like a berserker!!!! Good but not yet there!!!! You are dangerous!!!”

He instantly punch to my abdomen that really hurt a lot, I throw out all what I ate. Shit he is really strong, but I not going to stop here.

“HAHAHAHAHAHAHAA YOU GOT ME EXCITEED OLD MAN!!!!!”

I relentless punch and kick him down but he is still standing, with that ridiculous muscular body of his. I took out my clothes so it won’t get dirty with only my pants. He looked surprised

“Surprising for a child like you have this many scars in your body”

I instantly throw a punch at him and sweep to his leg, and he fell down to his knee. I used front kick to his face and he hold my leg. I did a spinning kick to his head. But he is still standing, now that is a monster.

“Kid all my years as a soldier of fortune never seen a kid like you”

“Whatever!!” I push my foot to his face, and turn around to take a suplex takedown. He went upside down and my elbow hitting to his groin but he flip back and jump away from it. That is one agile old man.

“Pretty heavy moves for a kid but not as a soldier, yours are only partially”

“Shut up!!” I took a clothesline to his shoulder and he lift me and slam me to the ground. That slam really hurt my wounds and it starts to open back. I started to bleed.

“Still a chick!! Not close being a soldier”

“Shut up old man, I’m not a soldier, I’m just a kid!! Asshole”

“That mouth of yours need some training as well kid”

“Shut up!!!” I really pissed at this old I don’t need that kind of training!! I just need to learn back how to shoot and that’s it. My blood began to boil again, looks like my adrenaline is about to burst open again.

I push him, and he tried to double fist me at my back but I dodge it, doing the CQC and pull his leg and does the a leg lock but his leg is huge, he lifted me easily like it was nothing. And he throw me off like a toy. I landed in some bushes and suddenly my neck is been choke by this old man, I’m not scared is just that I’m really pissed at him. I used my elbow and kick his chicken wing side of his hand and he release his grip on me. I throw my hardest punch at his face and he thrown off the left side. But I heard something broke, I didn’t care, I don’t feel pain again.

“That is some mean punch, you could kill someone with that kind of punch”

“Shut up!!!” I front kick his body but he did not flinch and he did a CQC as well. He turn around my back and choke hold me

“This is the end kid!!!”

I could not breathe, my vision begin to blur, but I headbutt to his head but he did not flinch.

“Not bad kid…but you had a long way to go kid…”

My vision began to darken and I fainted. When I wake up I got patch up, somewhere inside a room. The old man is peeling apples with a military knife.

“Hey kid? That is a lot of scar for youngling like you”

“None of your business …”

“I want to ask why you wanted to learn to shoot?”

“……….” that question even I wanted to ask myself why I wanted, because I don’t want to kill anyone anymore.

“If you don’t want to answer that question, I don’t want to teach you…”

“I was once a street gangster in LA, but my boss is a former US marine and taught me all about being a soldier. CQC and boxing was his way to teach me about survival, I learn to shoot because of the environment in LA, its suicide just to walk around in Compton without a gun. But that was in the past, I have left it…”

“Then why you need to learn again?”

“because….” I really don’t know why I really needed it, I could just find a gun and shoot somewhere. But its really pointless talking to this old man, kinda a bummer trying to learn to kill without a purpose.

“Because of what kid?”

“because few days ago when a group of gangs trying to invade my house, my home where my family is around I could not help it, someone trying to shoot me and I took the bullet, but it ended up me in the hospital…I don’t want myself in the hospital again, I don’t want anyone to cry because of me…because I’m afraid to lose myself again…”

“That is some excuse you come out with but its not enough because you not telling the truth what you really want…”

“…………” what I really want that is a good question, all that shit I talk about I’m a monster but I don’t know what I really want, I know that I want to be like mom but taking this into consideration what does it related to become like mom and I answered him

“I don’t want power because I’m afraid of myself…afraid that I might hurt someone close to me again and I don’t want anything that I have done came back to me and haunt closes to me…”

“That is fear but at the same time what I saw deep inside you eyes is a fire that will never extinguish what I called it wrath, you had it deep inside you that is something you have inside, a warriors true weakness…its powering you but It will slowly destroy you, and that someday if that wrath of your will lose its will, you will be nothing but a shell of yourself”

“I just want to learn back to shoot that is all”

“Weapon is meant to kill kid, simple as that, there is nothing more destructive than that…..I learn it the hard way…going to war…”

“……..”

“Do you want that?”

“……no……”

“Good answer….what you need is guidance from a soldier to another soldier and that’s what I will teach you…”

“Then…”

“Remember this 1530 every Friday come to my place and I will show you but for now let us start the basic, I need to know more from you”

I stand up and I look at him in the eye.

“You had the same eye as me, no fear of death just mayhem”

I could feel the ominous powerful feeling inside this room the feeling that want to kill. Its been a while since Darrel taught me this, but not Damien.

“I ask one more time, with this teaching do you want to become a soldier?”

“I’m not interested being a soldier because is not me..what I want to become is like my mother…”

“What is your mother then?”

“A badass anthropologist, who is really strong that protect me and my sibling. Even though she had no strength in punching but she stand up against all. That is what I want to become”

“No wonder, Haqib recommended me to this boy”

“One more question” another one, what else he wanted to know me about? This is getting serious all of a sudden.

“I know in your eyes, and your hand is stain with blood…”

He’s asking me if I had kill someone that means

“Yes, I have lots of them”

“Don’t you felt remorse?”

“No, even after I shoot that guy to its death I don’t feel anything”

“That is something really dark in you.. even a harden soldier will felt its remorse, mentally torture for years to come until one day it haunts it…”

I never think about it, for me is all about to survive the ridiculous game of life that I have been.

“Kid….I really want to teach you, it is time for you to become someone that wanted to protect right?”

“Yeah…”

“Then you come to the right place let us start and you call me Instructor got it”

“Got it instructor”

“Good let us begin”

I started with a physical training with 100 push up, 100 sit-up, 100 squads, lifting 50kg of weight for 5 mins. It really hurts a lot but its worth while for me to prepare myself again if anything happen to my family.

Then he showed me again the CQC, how he was train in the military.

“I also a former army Rangers that involved in Iraq 1985 but after the end of service, killing people is what I’m good at and that is something not practical in the real world. So I become a soldier of fortune, traveling around the world offering my skill to anyone that need it.”

He explain to me that his job included assassination, bodyguard, and even training other soldier. Then he ask me again

“Which school you’re in?”

“SIGMA institution”

“Never heard of it..”

I explain about the school and he become fascinated with it

“Maybe I could be a teacher there, any physical teacher teaching there” I’m pretty sure everyone is terrified to see this old man standing, or maybe it could work at least I don’t need to be here often. Maybe I could counter offer him.

“If I’m going to ask the principal there, would you be interested to join and how about the training with you?”

“In school then…”

“Isn’t that obvious? Because they will find it suspicious?”

“Nope I will teach the basic physical training in school but for you will be special”

“Got it..”

“Well then let us continued back, I want to see how you box?”

I show my boxing skill at him

4 punch combo, 5 punch combo with upper cut, 1 right hook.

“Simple but it could improve with that kind of punch you could knock out some boxers.”

He showed my some moves to fight and he said this style is without gloves. But I got to ask his name

“Can I know your name instructor?”

“Marcus Kane and you are?”

“Alexander Imran”

“Strong name, Alexander meaning in greek is protector of mankind”

Never knew that name been that obvious but that’s what grandpa and grandma give me

We train a bit more, in 3 hours of relentless training, I’ve gone tired.

“We should stop here, basic military training will start next week but I know you could pull it because how muscular you are kid”

“I’m not going to become like you….you too huge and intimidating”

“HAHAHAHAAHAH, you’re a joker, but I really like you kid, okay soldier carry out”

“Got it”

“Oh one thing please introduce me to your principal because I think we could get along, I started to like that school already kinda wanted to be a teacher once”

“I’m pretty sure he will be delighted to have you”

He give me his phone number but I said to him

“Come tomorrow instructor to the school is just next to Borneo College”

“Got it”

I walk back to the bus station, on the way back I saw someone’s there in a park, the student of Borneo College talking to some gangster, and offering drugs to them, but there is also someone is being bullied there. I head there and its a student of Borneo College as well.

One of them shouted at me

“Hey you!! What are you looking at?” I glared at them with killing intentions, he felt intimidated and called his gang

“Hey!!! You come to this place, you know this is our turf” sorry I don’t see anything but trash here

“Huh, where is it? I don’t see it…maybe this small, I had a hard time to see you know”

“One of the student realise me and scared of me”

“thats….is….hey Basir stop it, he is not an ordinary guy!!”

“Never know him around here!! But he really pissed me off”

“Wait if you want to beat me, let me open my clothes first”

When I open my shirt they all were terrified of me

“That much scar…and its still bleeding”

“Well then, let us start…or I will start…”

“Stop it Basir!!”

He cursing in Malay

“Pukima!!”

I took his punch and I felt nothing

“Is that all?”

“How could he took a hit like that and he didn’t knock at all”

“Come on let us try again…”

He punch me again and I offer him

“I give you 10 more hits and after that its my turn since its already 2”

He continued to punch me again and again but his punching style is like a little kid punching at me. Ah I forgot to count seems like he did it more than 10. And he started to get tired

“Is that all?”

“Monster!!”

“Basir stop it, Alex just let go okay?”

“Ah you know me…how the hell you know me?”

“You well known in school…Basir just let it go okay?”

“shut up Amir, let me give him again”

He used his flying kick and I smile at him, instantly I give him a punch that Marcus taught me and hit to his face I just heard something crack he flies off 6 feet off the air and as far as 10 meters. He did not wake up, he just in seizure, shaking like a dying animal. His mouth is drooling.

“Basir!!!”

They gather around me trying to gang me up

“Then…when are you going.. to….do it….”

“Eyagarhh!!!”

I punch the 1st guy and I heard a crack again he flies off, and landed in the trash bin. They stopped again.

“He is not human”

“That is enough!! Stop it he is dangerous”

I realise something in that short training I never been angry, I just punch it, not even my emotions is affected. I kick one guy to the gut and he throw-up while soiling himself trying to control the pain. He suddenly in a seizure drooling on his mouth. I punch one more 2 people flies off to the grass ground. One guy tries to tackle me but I did not move, I carried him and I have always wanted to do the choke slam at someone.

I slam him to the ground and he vomit blood. I punch another guy I heard shockwave from my punch and that guy flies off and stuck on a playpen. One girl is part of a gang I looked at her with a killing gaze she went down easily but I look at her closely and said to her

“Bitch…I don’t hold back….try to stab me” I look at her, gaze at her with a real killing intention because I really want to kill her. She suddenly pissed herself and fainted. I took the knife and throw at iron pole and it pierce through and stuck there.

“He is not human…” looks like they all are scared. But that student is selling drugs is something that I don’t want to leave it be. I ask the student that have been bullied

“Hey take this coin and call the police…”

“aa..ok..” he ran off to the telephone booth.

Meanwhile I wanted to prevent them from running away I had to take them down without killing them.

“Hey stop it Alex if the police finds out I’m selling this I’m dead!!”

What really pissed me off is that this guy manage to find excuse even try to sell that drugs to people, for me that is shit.

“So what…?”

“Just let me go alright?”

“What about this mess then?”

“I will clean it…so just let it go okay?”

“You what really pisses me is?”

“What is it?”

I punch him

“Is thrash like YOU!!!!”

He flies off and knock unconscious

All of the gangs were knock out and I drag their bodies and gather them together. Then I tied them together. One of the student said to me there is another girl inside one of the playpen.

“She is been rape…”

“Then get her out, you’ll be her saviour then…”

“ah..okay!!” I push him and he manage to pull her out she is also a student of Borneo College.

“Watch out!!”

One of the guy tried to stab me and I pull him out using CQC and pull his arm out, breaking his arm.

“Argh!!! That hurts my arm!!!” He stand up

“He is the one that rape this girl!!”

“Really then let me show him”

“What are you going to do huh!!! Basir will get you for this!!”

“Look behind you..”

“AH!!!"

He is horrified to see all his gang members were beaten

“This is for FUCKING AROUND!!!”

I punch him really hard and heard a crack to the head and he flies off and landed directly among the gang that I gather.

“Hey come on let bring her to the hospital…”

“Got it but what about this?”

“You want the police to arrest us?”

“But she is…”

“We don’t know yet if she is been rape”

I only saw her clothes is been ripped but there is no sign of bleeding between her legs usually during a sexual intercourse if a virgin on the hymen will break and started to bleed. What I learn it when I had sex with Natalie.

“Come on.. lets go to the hospital”

We head to the hospital and the nurse were surprised by this I explain to them

“This boy and this girl had been assaulted by a gang nearby, I just arrive to see it happen and I manage to pull out them out of safety”

I tell the kid not to tell about what happen between me and the gang.

“Be the saviour bro, who knows she will fall in love with you..” He begin to blushed

“What’s your name?”

“Devinson…2- Magna… and you?”

“Alex 3-buccaneers, SIGMA institution…keep this a secret between us okay?”

“But you don’t want to be recognise.?”

“I had a fair share of been recognised I prefer not to”

We waited for her and the boy had been treated as well but one of the doctor recognise me

“Alex what are doing here? And you wound has been open again, come on lets patch it again…”

“Ah its nothing..hahaha”

“Didn’t I tell you not to do any strenuous activity, you multiple stab wound and a gun wound as well”

I was treated by the doctor and restitch again. I head out at the waiting bench and I see Devinson is also been treated.

“Hey Devinson?”

“Yeah?”

“Call your parents…”

“Uh…but…if my parents finds out they…”

“Are you parents is an elite?”

“No…but…I don’t want to burden them….”

“……just call, you filled with bandages I’m pretty sure they will ask, and wonder why you are late you know…”

“I….I try to call them…”

He heads to the phone booth and one of the doctor asked me

“She is seems fine nothing to concern about, only slight bruises and there no sign of rape”

That’s a relief, I was spot on it. And Devinson came to me

“I tell them what really happen and they are heading to the hospital now”

“Okay that is good…”

One of the nurses asked me

“Is there someone that we could call her parents we only know her name by the name tag is Sadie”

“Umm its Sadie Benjamin she’s in class of 2-Endeavour in Borneo College…”

“Do you know her parents number?”

“Not that I know off”

“Very well, because to put in our record…”

I waited for them but my clothes is stained with blood dammit, mom is going to kill me again.

Devinson parent’s came and saw him.

“Oh dear god, you safe what happen?”

“I was drag by a senior when I saw one of the student is assaulting her, I tried to stop them but I was beaten….”

“Oh dear, but how did you manage?”

I walk out and leave the hospital, I wave Devinson farewell, as long his parents is there is pretty safe already. I heard a shout

“Kid!!! Wait!!!”

I stop for a moment and he head towards me

“Thank you!! For saving my son, he told me everything and don’t worry I will explain to the police about this”

“Uh…ok but can you not tell what happen involving me okay?”

“Huh…they will surely ask about it”

“Just tell them they fight each other okay?”

“Never seen a kid like you doing like this, just like some hero”

“Nah..just hate seeing people being in trouble that is all”

“Maybe I could sent you back to your home”

“Nah its okay but the girl need help because she is still unconscious”

“Ah its okay I will handle it”

He hugged me and the mother also reach me

“Thank you!!! Thank You Son!!! if you weren’t there god knows what will happen to my son and that girl”

“Ah its nothing…I gotta leave or else my mom will kill me”

Devinson shouted at me “hey Alex, she is well”

The girl went out and said to me “THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!” She cried and hug Devinson good for bro. But I gotta go

I leave the hospital towards the bus stop, I pass-by the place the police is already there arresting them and the student that sell drugs. They still unconscious but I saw Mr Haqib and Mr Faruq is there as well, I better leave quickly or else he will notice.

I reach the bus stop and ride the bus. I reach home only to see Hana and Sylvia is waiting in front of the house and they look really mad.

“Where did you go, do you know what time it is?” Since when you become my mom Sylvia ?

“Big brother….where did you go?”

“Uhh…you know training in school didn’t I tell you that?”

“Uh huh…MOM!!!!” Shit!! 🥶

“ALEX!! Where did you gone to again!!?”

“Hey I said I had school activity!!”

Mom pulled my ear and said to me

“You know this is already 7pm!!”

“Ah…is not dark yet right?”

“I called Mr Rahman and you are not in school!!”

“Ah…of course he did not seen me!! he is always in the office!! how could he knows I’m there right?”

Sylvia glared at me

“Alex….” Shit that voice is really scary

And she saw something

“Is this blood?”

“Ah just my wound has open so I went to the clinic to patch up okay nothing wrong here okay”

“Don’t…. you…. lie….. to…. me…” she glared like a yandere again. That is scary

“Yeah its the truth!! Why would I lied okay!!”

Sylvia’s dad is here as well. But I did not seen her mom. Mom offer to have dinner together

But mom continued her stern lecturing, and then Hana also give me a lecture, including Sylvia but she is even worst she tried to warn me if I’m late again then she had to tied me to rope and a leash on my neck.

After we had dinner, I took a Maghreb prayers and sat at the stairs behind the house and relaxing. They all are chatting together, I sip mom’s teh Tarik nothing like mom’s drink.

“Hey Alex!! Tonight Sylvia and Steward will stay at our place okay, Steward will sleep in your room got it!!”

“Yeah, yeah!!”

Since Tama, Sylvia will sleep in Hana’s room. Mr George wanted to leave for his job, then he approach me

“Alex…”

“Yeah?”

“Thank you for helping us…I don’t know where to go anymore”

“Ah its nothing, she is my close friend…”

“Thank you son…” I’m not married to Sylvia yet!!

Mr George left to continued his work. While us the kids doing a revision for the exam soon. Sylvia is really smart at teaching Hana and Steward including Tama. While I’m preparing for revision as well. Now its started to be like a family, just us. While they doing revision, I went to the computer and check my email there are 3 message in my inbox, two of them is from Damien and one from Natalie.

I check out Damien first and he is safely arrive in LA, with a picture of him with his dad. Then I check another message from Damien and he said to me

“Homie….I’m sorry but I saw this….”

I saw a picture of Natalie kissed a guy, it broke my heart but I know this is going to happen but then I realise this is part of it, and its not fair for her as well as I had a fair share of girl trouble. Then I open a message from Natalie

“Dear Alex,

I hope you okay, but I know that you meet Damien did he said something to you…yes I did dad wanted me to experience with boys as well, this guy I showed you before is a student in UCLA, he is cool but is not what I wanted to.

Alex I know that you not happy about this, and I know that because this guy had no chemistry to me. Just trust me on this Alex and I trust you as well

Love Natalie,

She had it rough as well though, I understand that situation as well. I did not replied because I don’t want my emotions get the better at it.

I close the computer, and head out behind again, looking at my bike while taking a smoke. Looking at the skies. Mom called me and its from Mariam

“Helo..”

“Alex….I called Nat…”

“What happen…”

“I had a fight with her…”

“Tell me…”

“She did not listen to my advice and she said that she is going to move forward”

“that is normal”

“NORMAL!!? ALEX THATS YOUR GIRL!!!”

“Stop shouting..I could hear well what you said”

“Well you better!! Because I had not yet finished talking to her yet”

“Its okay…”

“Not you also…well I wanted to go back to LA because of an audition in Christmas I want you and Amin with me okay then we will meet Nat got it?”

What a coincidence, I have also wanted to go to LA to find out Damien

“Then I’m cool with it, just tell me the details”

“Got it, Alex just cool with it okay let me handle Nat got it!!”

“Mar, don’t worry about it, I’m fine I knew that this is going to happen soon anyway”

“I don’t want to listen to that because she is an idiot like you as well, anyway I heard Sylvia is staying at your place what happen?”

Darn it she must be finding out about this but its not the right time to tell about it.

“Maybe we could talk about it tomorrow somewhere else got it Mar…”

“Yeah sorry about it. See you tomorrow”

I hung up, seems there is something going on in LA. Dammit Damien, you just forgotten the promise that Darrel ask us…