Chapter 5
He looked to see who it was.
[It's him. What a coincidence. The first guy I meet is him.] Bryan noticed the person.
It was Eddie Green. The guy lived in the same dorm as Bryan, just next door.
In the last life, this guy had ended up leaving the dorm early in the semester. He did not see him after that.
[Is he sick? No, it smells like pot.] Bryan thought.
Bryan saw Eddie was looking at him. No, Eddie was not looking at him but the burgers in his plate with his eyes which perfectly explained his weird behaviour.
"You look high, bro" Eddie spoke to Bryan.
[Is he a mindreader? There were no superpowers right?] Bryan thought.
He continued chewing the food, ignoring Eddie.
"Why don't you let me have one? You see the line, I am getting the munchies, you know the feeling right. My order won't be here for some time."
[Fine, he lives next door. I should help him. It's good to make friends.]
He passed his burger to Eddie. He continued wolfing down on his food. His mind was finally getting clearer as his hunger was getting satiated.
"I thought you didn't get high. Did I not invite you yesterday. Why are you getting high without me?" Eddie spoke again like he was jealous.
[High. I was at the top of the world and I was only half way up.] Bryan thought.
"Just resurrected, don't mind me. Actually, I don't remember much."Bryan replied.
Eddie did not even react as he ate his burger. He made himself comfortable as he took hold of one of Bryan's cola cans. He drank it before speaking again.
"Was the stuff that good?" Eddie said.
Cough!
Bryan almost choked on air.
[It's true. People who smoke don't judge others.] Bryan thought.
"Do you have anything left?" Eddie asked.
Bryan was still eating at the time.
"Please. I will pay, don't worry." Eddie pleaded.
"I don't have it." Bryan replied as he calmed down.
"You need to bring me next time. I had to listen to music and stay in those disco lights to even feel a little high and then it was all over." Eddie requested.
Bryan nodded.
"Anyway, What made you change so much in a day? You were so against weed yesterday?"
"Death Experience." Bryan said.
"Oh, it's called Near Death experience. Was it that good, I want the stuff even more."
Bryan just nodded after hearing Eddie's reply.
"You know my dad. He said when he met you on the first day that I needed to stay close to you. You had the scholarship and better grades. If only he knew." Eddie laughed after speaking.
They continued eating and Eddie offered a burger back which Bryan ate.
Screech!
Everyone at the food stand heard the sound of screeching tires. Bryan looked in the direction of the sound to see a beautiful girl who was dressed in shorts and had butterfly tattoos walking out of the Suv. Then, another guy came. He looked a little different with his tattoos and sunglasses at night.
Two more guys followed him and directly jumped the line to order the food for the 'main' guy while he stood with the girl.
Bryan did not remember such a guy. He looked towards Eddie who was showing no signs to stop staring at the girl.
"That's Kevin Juana. He isn't a fresher. He is rich, really rich and really dangerous." Eddie said, a little annoyed.
Bryan already knew he was rich. Poor people did not drive 150k cars. Kevin had come out of a big Merc Suv.
Bryan almost wanted to unlock that armored car but remembered his bank account.
He came back with his order observing the crowd and especially Kevin and his girl with the tattoos.
Bryan saw a policeman pulling his car and parking it next to Kevin's Suv. Maybe, others could not see in the night but he saw the slight exchange between the cop and Kevin. The cop went ahead and picked up a brown parcel from Kevin's dashboard.
[It should be a bribe but for what. What is your secret, Kevin? Does Eddie know?]
"He has been in college for years, more than 4 years actually. My father knows his dad." Eddie spoke without anyone asking. He was best guy to get any info from.
"Oh, isn't it the little Liar?" Someone spoke but it was not Eddie.
[Is this Eddie a liar? What's the catch?] Bryan thought as he saw Kevin looking at Eddie.
Bryan found Kevin walking towards them.
"You look like shit." Kevin spoke to Eddie.
Eddie was already trying to look in the other direction as if he didn't hear Kevin.
"Alright, I won't say anything. Actually, I need your help." He spoke to Eddie.
"Help?" Eddie said.
"Of course." Kevin brought his phone out before showing a girl's picture. "You know her right?"
"I know her but I am not telling you shit. I don't want to be involved with you. You know the rules." Eddie refused point blank.
"I am not asking for much. I just want to know who she is. She is in your batch. Just tell me what you know."
"No, I don't even know much about her anyway. She is just an acquaintance and I have only talked to her once. I can tell you that she is definitely not interested in you."
[Haha, not interested in me. Only poor people worry about interest, I already have the money. Such a nice rack for frosh. How can I give up just because you said so.] thought Kevin.
"Haha, we will see about that. Who is this?" Kevin asked Eddie.
"He is Bryan, Bryan Best."
[I like the tone of it. I had almost forgotten that my name in this world had changed.] Bryan thought in self love as he heard Eddie's introduction.
"I don't want to marry him, just tell me if he is in your batch?" Kevin replied.
Eddie nodded and Kevin's eyes lit up.
Kevin looked at Bryan from head to toe before focusing on his eyes. Those eyes seemed like that of a long time drug addict.
"Hey, You junkie. Are you his friend, Do you know this girl?" Kevin pointed at the picture on his phone.
[Fuck, Why do I feel so angry. Is it because of the gene potion.]
[It's a civil world, Bryan remember it. All that was just a dream.]
"Look carefully and maybe, I will pass you something more exciting than the grass both are smoking." Kevin said
[He really does not know when to stop.]
Bryan was still minding his own business like he did not hear Kevin.
Kevin did not stop there. He had a similar packet which Bryan had seen on his car dashboard.
Kevin brought out a wad of cash and held 100$ bill in his hand.
"Take it." He put it in Bryan'ss shoulder pocket.
[Free money. Guess I will keep it.]
Bryan looked at the money as he thought of how to deal with it. The normal method would be just leave. It was not a good thing to fight but a 'would be' King. How could Bryan be satisfied with such a method.
Kevin felt satisfied with the junkie's focus on the money. It meant he could be bought. He just needed to find the right price.
This was Kevin's philosophy.
Problems that could be solved with money were not problems for him.
He took out 2 more bills. It was 300$ now.
[That's more than 1 bitcoin.] Bryan counted the money in his head. .
"Go on." Kevin said.
Bryan did not react.
[Why did you stop? Throw some more money. I really need it.]
Kevin's lackey did not want to see their boss being ignored. One of them walked ahead and kicked away the coke can. The can hit the wall with a loud metallic bang.
"Say something, Junkie." Kevin shouted.
"Sorry, I don't remember much after snorting coke off your mother's tits." Bryan had enough. He knew he would not be getting any more bills. It was fine, money without any work was not satisfying anyway.
Cough! Cough!
Eddie choked on his spit. He did not think that Bryan would say something like that. He seemed so chill a moment ago.
[I had told him he is dangerous. He must still be high. No sane person would say shit like that. I need to help him.] Eddie thought.
[Wait, did he just say that. Haha. It will be fun to see.] The tattooed girl thought.
No one had insulted Kevin like that before, not at college at the very least. He did not know what to say.
Kevin had a serious face as he replied,"My mother is dead." He hardened his fist and rolled back his sleeves showing his intent to fight.
"So?" Bryan replied.
Cough!
"Kevin, he does not know you. He isn't from California. He is also high. He would never do that if he was sober. Please." Eddie pleaded.
[Why is this guy spoiling the fun? What a downer] the girl with the butterfly tattoo thought.
She wanted to have some excitement but it did not seem to be happening. It was the first time she had seen Kevin being disrespected on his face. Usually, they made fun at his expense only if he wasn't around.
She was just with Kevin for exactly the same thing, Kevin had done to Bryan.
He liked throwing money on everything. This is how she fell in love…with his money.
"Hahaha, He is a funny guy, your friend. I am just leaving him because he is your friend and it's no fun when he won't even remember a thing tomorrow. Just make it clear to him that there will be no next time." Kevin spoke.
Kevin looked at Bryan again as he spoke, "You are lucky." as he tried to leave with his girl.
"Am I?" Bryan said.
Kevin did not expect the junkie to reply.
[Kevin was leaving, why did he have to provoke him.] Eddie thought.
Bryan did not think that way. He never let anyone go without teaching them a lesson. He did not become the ruler by showing mercy. Mercy to enemies was cruelty to oneself. Bryan knew that from his dream as well as the vast reading experience.
Bryan stood up slowly as he towered on Kevin and his lackeys. One step at a time he walked close to them.
"Keep your eyes down." Lackey number one came in swinging for a punch right to Bryan's face.
Bryan was faster, he caught his hand to block the punch directly while coming in hot with his own punch.
Shhhhhhhh!
The sound of something fast, that is what everyone heard.Bryan's punch was too fast. Eddie wanted to close his eyes because of the wind that hit his face.
But Bryan did not hit him. He stopped it right in front of his face. The sound stopped as Bryan extended his finger out to knock it lightly on the lackey's head.
THUD!
The lackey dropped on the ground in fear as water spilled on the ground.
Kevin was shocked to see what had happened. He knew he would die if he tried to man fight.
[Why did I leave my gun in the car?] Kevin thought.
The other lackey was focussed on the water which was about to reach his feet as he dodged the yellow river.
Bryan smiled at Kevin.
Eddie did not expect to see the smile. He was ready to call an ambulance for Bryan but a miracle happened.
Kevin knew his strength. It definitely was not fighting. It was his name 'Juana'.
"We started off on the wrong foot. I am Kevin Juana." Kevin extended his hand out for a handshake.
Bryan knew Kevin had gotten the message to not mess with him.
Eddie did not expect Kevin to call for a ceasefire. Bryan had won. A miracle. He rubbed his eyes.
[Fuck! Why did I not record this shit.] Eddie cursed himself.
Bryan went ahead grabbing his hand and going in for a hug.
Bryan delivered the punishment as he grabbed him for a bear hug. It did not look like punishment as Kevin tried to laugh while he felt the pain.
[Huh, they went from fighting to hugging. What a let down. No one wants to fight Kevin.] The tattooed girl thought.
Bryan was not just hugging him. He eyes were on the brown parcel in Kevin's pocket which accidentally fell into Bryan's pocket while they were hugging. It was just a coincidence.
Bryan released Kevin with a smile. He looked at the girl with the tattoos as Kevin tried to stretched to feel his own body and breathe a little.
Bryan took her hand and kissed it almost. He did not kiss it but just stopped before his lips reached her hand. He released it as he winked at her before turning around to leave.
She just got a little glance at his face as she was too shocked by what had happened.
[Did he wink? No, I must be imagining things.] She thought, hitting the nail on the head with the first guess.
Kevin saw the exchange but did not retaliate as he did not see the wink.
[Interesting. Why did I not know about such a strong person] Kevin looked at his lackey. He grabbed the girl's hand and went to his SUV.
Eddie was dumbstruck by the exchange. Kissing Kevin's girl's hand.
"What was that? Do you want to die and more importantly, do you want to drag me with you."
"Die? I can't be killed." Bryan said.
"Oh, please for god's sake, this is serious. Stay away from him. He is up to no good. You have a scholarship, you should not entangle with that guy. If he was only rich, it would not be a problem, but it's the way he got rich. His father was part of a cartel down south. Just stay away from him."
"Don't worry about me. I always keep a low profile."
"Oh, Yeah and you are really bad at it. Just stay away from him, I can't save you every time."
"Save? Is that why he called you a liar?" Bryan said.