Chapter 89
"Will you explain why my brother has been talking to himself like a whacko?" He said right after he picked the phone up and I chuckled nervously.
"You might want to sit down for this story."
The next few minutes were filled with me explaining what happened the previous night and the things that Adam had told me. I could tell that Preston wasn't all that pleased when I finally came to the part where I accidentally knocked his younger brother out and called Jake to drive us after dropping Monic off at my house.
You didn't think that I was going to leave the poor dude alone in the middle of nowhere, knocked out cold and defenseless for anyone to rob, did you?
No, I wasn't that mean. No, definitely not. Okay, it might've crossed my mind but the important thing is that I didn't actually do it. He was still Adam and he was starting to remember his past.
I got to the Jones residence for the second time this week to drop an unconscious Adam off at his house. Preston saved the questions and with Jake's help, tucked his brother in his room.
I called my parents and Nan on the way home to tell them I'm visiting my nana the next day for a break. Although they were surprised at the sudden plans, no one objected, so here I was. I think everyone agreed to the plan because we all know that I'm in dire need for some time off to escape reality and gather my thoughts. I had some time off before my next match and I needed some time away from all the crazy.
"Couldn't you have talked him out of it like a civilized person?" Preston asked in an exasperated tone through the call and I frowned slightly at that.
"Hey, I'm civilized! Besides, you know that he wouldn't have willingly listened willingly to me. You were the one who told me he wasn't exactly himself so you're in no position to judge how I dealt with the confrontation last night." I argued.
"Knocking my brother out just because you panicked after hearing him mention that traitor of a childhood friend of yours is barely civilized," He said in a deadpan tone, causing me to roll my eyes even though he wasn't able to see me.
"It's not like I knocked him out on purpose. Like I said, I was using my arms to emphasize how important it was for him to not believe anything Dom said when my arm accidentally hit him on the head and he collapsed. Honestly, I don't think that I hit him that hard," I stressed, defending myself.
I could hear him sigh before he muttered a single okay and the line went dead. I mimicked his sigh, entering the house again and plopping on the couch beside Nana. None of us said a thing until Nana put her book down, took her reading glasses off and shifted so that she could face me.
"What is it, sweetie? Has this got anything to do with that silly activity of yours? What was it again?" She scrunched up her face, distaste clear in her expression.
"Street fighting, Nan," I filled in for her. She nodded.
"Ah, yes. Honestly Case, I don't understand why you're even participating in such activities. It's just going to hurt you. Why would you ever put yourself in that position?" I shook my head mentally. This was why I'm keeping this from my parents.
They wouldn't understand the guilt, the pain and the indebted feeling towards someone who sacrificed their life for you.
I took the wrong path, I understand that now but it felt so right at first. It felt right that I got hit, I felt like I deserved the pain of every punch and every kick given to me at the time and that was why I didn't quit.
I should've done things differently but I realized this too late.
Maybe after all of this is over, I could start anew.
I would be starting school again in 2 more weeks and by then, things wouldn't be any different than it was when I was still in high school.
The only thing that might change is the extreme nerdy outfit. Since this is university now, there's no one who would pay much attention that much toward little old me and it's about time I stopped acting like a pushover. I'm my own person now. It's time that I stopped letting people walk all over me.
"I need help Nan. I'm not strong or smart enough," I confessed to her and she grabbed a hold of my cheek to raise my eyes to meet hers. When she saw my eyes, she smiled.
"You both were always so stubborn, it was probably the only thing you have in common," she mumbled quietly. I gave her a small smile, knowing that she was talking about Bryant.
It was true. I was always the reckless one while Bryant was the rational one. We couldn't have been more different before Bryant finally got through to me as a child.
"Mr. Huang, do you remember him?" Nan asked me and I drew my eyebrows together, trying to dig up some memory of the name she mentioned.
"He was your brother's teacher. He taught your brother basic self-defense whenever you guys would visit. His house is a bit deeper into the woods but you'll find it as long as you stick to the trees that have been marked with blue ribbons. That was how your brother found his way around the woods."
My eyes lightened up. A teacher.
I might have a chance at being better, at surviving the competition.
"Thank you; thank you; thank you!" I kissed her cheek and bounced onto my feet.
"Wait! You are not going anywhere yet. Go tomorrow. You've just arrived and you've had a long journey. Rest, little one," she ordered, her eye twitching a bit and I obediently nodded obediently and grabbed my bag.
The woman's got a point and she was a bit scary with the whole eye twitch. I guess I know where I got that from. I'm honestly glad to know I could scare people with the eye twitching.
"See you tomorrow, Nan," I said to her before going down the corridor. I heard a faint hum in response and opened the second door on my left. I walked in to the room and shut the door.
I hope Mr. Huang remembers me.
