Chapter Text
"STOP, SHE HAS A BOYFRIEND IN A GANG!"
I gawked at my wounded friend, processing what nonsense he had just spewed randomly.
"Lay a hand on her and find out." The white-haired boy said weakly in exhaustion he felt from enduring the kicks and fists of the towering figure he tackled by the waist.
The bigger boy grabbed the weaker boy by the back of his uniform and tried to peel him off from his waist but to no avail, the boy stayed firm in his position. The bigger boy grew more angry, reinforcing his friends, they began to drag him harder, all hands curled into fists and pummeled toward the weaker, lonesome boy.
I felt useless, weaker than any of them but I couldn't stand the sight of my friend getting beaten into a pulp anymore. With my heart and mind racing fast, I repeated the same lie Taiga had told.
"He's right my boyfriend is in a gang!" I declared.
The boys paused in their places, all eyes were on me until they boomed into laughter.
"You sweet little liar!" He said, still holding Taiga by his uniform and my friend glaring daggers at him.
"Why don't we invite your boyfriend over for a tea party, shall we?" One of them teased with an ugly laugh.
"Oh please," I began, spreading my arm in an attempt to showcase. "He's six feet tall."
I don't know where those words came from, but I'm spewing all sorts of nonsense that landed on my tongue and I blamed my nervousness for it.
"And he probably can beat you five into a pulp before you land a single scratch on him!" I continued, hiding my scardy cat self in a facade of someone who acted confident.
All the boys burst into laughter again. I folded my arms while showcasing a poker face, protecting my act.
I opened my mouth to spew more nonsense but a familiar rich voice cut me off.
"Cool!"
I faced to see a red-haired girl standing by the terrace door, her eyes sparkling. At the sight of her, the boys dropped Taiga to the ground with a thud. I hid my judge-y facial expression because of the ridiculousness of how quickly these shallow boys shifted their manner for a girl they drooled over 24/7.
Hina approached us cheerfully, her class representative badge glinted in the sun. She stopped in front of me, looking at me right in the eyes.
"Boyfriend from a gang you say?" She asked, clasping her hands together with a giggle.
Even though today's my first day in this high school, I thought to myself how familiar I am with girls like her, your typical beautiful meanie who hypnotises the boys under their spell and toys with people lesser of their status.
"Ah-ha," I replied bluntly, setting an unfriendly demeanour that is until I realized she could be a good help. My manner changed drastically into a friendly and a cheerful one that matched her.
I nodded with a newfound burst of energy and a smile. "Yes, yes, that's right!"
"That's so cool, [NAME] can I meet your boyfriend one day?" She held my shoulder and shook me back and forth followed by another giggle.
Damn, its sure one damn of an annoying giggle but I followed her and let out a bigger one than her.
"Sure, sure I'll totally introduce you to him." Another fake giggle.
"I never took you for someone to have a boyfriend." She said.
I hid another offended expression behind my facade of all sunshine and rainbow.
Her words sparked jealousy among the boys who instantly sneered at us.
"Oh yeah, a boyfriend from a gang like geez nothing to be proud of." Their leader said, running a hand through his blonde messy hair as he placed his feet on Taiga's back.
I snickered at his ego.
"Oh, why is that so Ryo?" Hina asked with a melodious voice, hand over her mouth.
"Hundred per cent bet we can take him on a fight." Ryo shoved his hands into his pocket, avoiding Hina's eyes and gazed at the horizon ahead instead.
Hina laughed sweetly at him. "Oh you, geez."
I looked at Taiga who tried to slowly, steadily pick himself up, I rushed to him and held him there, searching for more bruises of his.
"Oh yeah? Want me to prove it." Ryo suggested with hands still in his pockets.
"Sure, why not!"
Damn it.
"Hey, you!" Ryo pointed at me and I gave him an annoyed look. "Bring your so-called gangster boyfriend here by tomorrow night."
Damn it, damn it.
"And If I don't?" I pressed on while putting up a bored expression.
Damn it, damn it.
Ryo kicked Taiga once more, his face meeting the ground again.
"Or you and your little side chick finds out."
He gathered his group of empty-headed friends and with his back on us, they entered the school without ever looking back.
After they were out of sight, Hina approached the door but spared us one glance.
"Hope you aren't lying about your gangster boyfriend, someone really needs to teach Ryo some manners."
┉
"ATTICUS MY GOOD BOY, I MISS YOU SO MUCH, LOOK AT YOU SO PRECIOUS AND HAPPY, TELL ME, WERE YOU A GOOD BOY TODAY, WHO'S A GOOD BOY?"
I aggressively petted and stroked Atticus as he became more jumpy. He circled me, tail wagging, before howling and crying.
"You're such a good boy!" I said, bending down to his height, he started licking my face.
"Uh [NAME]" I looked at Taiga to see him frozen at the door of Dad's cafe.
"Oh...don't tell me you're scared of dogs." I gave him a teasing smile.
"I-I-I." He stuttered.
Atticus, still wagging his tail approached him to sniff him, Taiga not being able to hold in his fear anymore yelped.
"Taiga, no don't run he-"
Too late. Taiga sprinted out of the door, fast as a track runner and Atticus quickly ran after him.
"gonna think you're playing..." I finished my sentences to myself before rushing out as well.
I saw Taiga stepping on a peebles and falling flat to his face where he lay motionless there. Now everyone was gawking at him while Atticus casually sniffed at him.
When I reached his side, I crouched down and flipped his body over to see that he had fallen unconscious until Atticus came and licked his face.
He jerked awake and screamed again.
┉
Taiga sat on the cafe's chair, dabbing ice on his head meanwhile Dad gently brushed medicine on his face which was covered with bruises and cuts from today's fight.
"Ouch." He winced in pain.
"Oh sorry there." Dad gave him a friendly smile.
"I'm really sorry for the trouble I caused today Mr. [LAST NAME]"
Dad smiled. "Don't be Taiga, see Atticus' a good dog, he's just energetic most of the time, that's all."
Taiga glanced at Atticus who stared back at him, panting with tongue out. He slowly and hesitantly stroked my dog's golden curl again with a sheepish smile.
Feeling guilty, I stood up from my seat and offered him a drink.
"If coke is available please" He replied.
"We ran out of coke, I'll get it from the vending machine."
"No, no, no you don't have to-"
I already pushed the door open into the night and decided to buy coke from the next block vending machine. I reached my destination in a minute and was welcomed by a rich variety of soda displayed colourfully under the vending machine glowing light.
I rummaged through my pockets until I finally felt the cold skin of my coins. Inserting the coin, I pressed the keypad for the coke.
Nothing.
I slapped, kicked, and hit the machine continuously but no sign of life.
I blinked before frustration built up on me and I kicked the machine again.
"You ought to be joking!" Another aggressive kick.
"Do you have any idea what my day was like?" Another hit.
"The freak like where would I find a delinquent boyfriend in a short-!" I raised my leg to give another kick but stopped mid-air when a voice disturbed me from behind.
"Yahoo." The person said lazily and rather slowly.
I craned my neck to see a tall boy with coloured sunglasses and clad in sweat clothing. He waved at me with a smile.
"Oh hi?" I replied, confused.
"You scared the children." He spoke with the same tone.
I furrowed my forehead. "What children?"
Two heads peeked from behind him, a boy and a girl who were around the age of six, looking scared while they fixed their eyes on me.
"Oh." Realizing I still had my leg mid-air I quickly drew it down with a sheepish laugh.
He paced to the vending machine, standing right next to me while the two children trailed behind him.
"It broke?" He asked and I assumed his slow-paced speech was his everyday normal tone.
Standing next to him that close, I could make out the forest green of his eyes behind the coloured sunglasses. Beneath the flooding glow of the vending machine, his pristine fair complexion shone as light danced on his dark raven hair. He pulled out a coin from his purse and inserted it, followed by tapping the keypad with his long fingers.
He looked oddly familiar.
"Oh, it really broke." He spoke again. "Should we kick it?"
I opened my mouth to reply and before I could do so, he swung his leg hard against the vending machine, startling both me and the children.
"Bro!" I yelled. "What's with that?"
"Huh?" He said calmly and pointed at the machine. "It took our money."
He drew another kick and it shook the machine harder.
The following minutes consisted of us kicking the machine from every direction as we grew more and more frustrated. Well, I don't know for the boy next to me, his face shows no expression while anger plastered on mine.
My feet accidentally landed on the window and it shattered sound enveloped the place, leaving a rugged hole behind.
I froze there, reflecting on what I had done. Internally thanking there was no one else in the street except us.
"Tsk tsk." The tall boy shook his head before he started picking up soda cans and bottles and cradled them in his arms. The two children scuttled near and started collecting their own share of drinks
"What do you think you're doing?"
"Um...stealing?" He proceeded to do just that.
"I mean yes but-"
"Hey!"
We turned to see the laundry mat owner who had woken from his nap. The boy stared at him nonchalantly while panic grew on me when seeing the large stick he held.
"Hello-" I cut him off by grabbing him by his collar and my free hand dragging one of the kids.
"Run!"
The four of us ran in the opposite direction while the old man, despite his fragile body, was hot on our tail.