I lost myself in practice when I heard my phone ringing. I went towards my study table where my phone is ringing and when I saw the screen the name 'Link' was on it.
Link..... is the only friend I have since childhood. Even though we are close, I never told him my parents' got a divorce. Why? Cos I don't want him to show sympathy on me, not until I was 15.
He was the one who cared for me and stayed with me in dorms so I won't feel lonely. He knows why I have been and what I want in life, he's the only one who knows about my life completely than my mum.
Where everyone else was scared of my cold voice and stern face, he's the one who can scold me and tried to make me smile. He was the only one who scolded me brutally when I rejected that girl's love letter in school.
-------------------------------------------------------
Flashback...
I rejected the girl who gave me that so-called love letter and went into my classroom. I was studying the topic which teacher's gonna teach us on the following period, sitting at my place. When he came and sat on the seat in front of me and started starring at me. I tried not to get into an argument with him and tried to concentrate on what I was studying but I can't. He was disturbing me.
"I can't concentrate if you stare like that. Speak if there's something" I said trying to put back my concentration again.
Yes, even he's my friend, my voice is the same to him, but unlike everyone, he thought there must be a reason for my coldness. It's been years since I spoke nicely to someone.
"Kiet, look at me." He said standing in front of me.
"I can hear you, Link. Tell me what it is. I'm in the middle of this paragraph." I said turning the page of the book.
I was looking at the book when he grabbed the book from my sight. I looked at him and he was holding the book and was giving me a death glare.
"Why the fuck are you giving death glares? Have I committed a crime or something?" I asked looking at him.
"No, you haven't. But committing a crime will be less painful than what you have done earlier. Why the hell did you do that?" He asked giving me Unbelievable looks.
"What do you mean why? She had that coming. Don't ask such ridiculous questions and give me my goddamn book back." I said and tried to take my book from his hands, but he kept his hands away.
"No, I won't, not until you answer all of my questions." He said keeping the book on the desk in front of me.
I can't overpower him. He's too stubborn to let go of these matters, so I thought it's best to answer his questions first, it's the only way now.
"Ask," I said and sat back in my seat. Link sat on the seat in front of me.
"Why did you reject her brutally?" Link asked looking at me.
"She deserves it," I said in a casual tone.
"Oh yeah, right. What you mean is she deserves to get humiliated in front of everyone cos she loved you?"
He asked with a serious face crossing his arms towards his chest.
Frankly speaking, I didn't have an answer for that, but I can't let my ego down, not in front of him, if I keep my head down then it means I have done a mistake and according to me I haven't. It wasn't my mistake that she loved me and it's never been my fault.
"Yes, so everyone should know what happens when they love me," I said slamming my hand on the desk.
"Have you ever thought of the consequences?" He asked. He's usually a goofy and always smiling idiot, but now... he's damn serious and he blames me.
"It's not the concern of my present self. I will leave this matter to my future he knows how to take care of these." I said looking outside the window.
"It is, god damn it Kiet. What will you do if something serious happens?" He said while slamming on the desk.
"What serious will happen? You're overthinking things." I said keeping a calm tone.
"What if she commits suicide or something cos of humiliation?" He said with a serious tone.
"Don't you think you're exaggerating things?" I said unbelievably looking at him.
"What will you do if she does? Don't you feel guilty?" He asked.
"No...instead, I will be happy." I answered.
"What? Why?" He asked again. I sometimes wonder how many questions he can think of in a second. he sure asks more than any human can ask.
"Cos, she left the horrible world. She would be dead inside if she sees it by herself. It's better to die than to die inside. The people are not like you think Link, you are too naive and innocent to understand them." I replied with a stern face.
I thought Link will nagging about what's right and wrong but to my surprise, he didn't speak anything. He stayed quiet for a while and gave me my book back. I started studying again, but he.... he was lost in his thoughts, I never saw him like that.
He was much of a goofy character and seeing him thinking about something seriously made me feel uncomfortable.
"Link? " I shook him and brought him back from his thoughts.
"What is it that's bothering you? I never saw you thinking about something so serious" I asked in a calm tone.
He saw me for a second and asked me that one question that changed the way I think he is.
"Kiet, are you alright?"
"Of course. Why do you ask?"
"I feel like you're not yourself for the past few years. I thought I was overthinking but the way you spoke just now... you hate everyone around you for some reason I don't know. What happened Kiet?" I thought he didn't care but he cared for me always. But I didn't want him to show sympathy to me so I thought of hiding it.
"Everything's fine, you're just overthinking," I said with a scoff.
"No, it's not. I know how happy and joyful you were back then Kiet. It's not you now, I may not help you but I will try my best to avoid it." He said while holding my hand.
I took a deep breath and spoke.
"It's my mum and dad.... they got divorced when I was 8," I said in a quiet tone.
"What? And you hid it from me since then?" He said in a shocked tone.
" I don't want you to show pity on me," I said looking at him.
"Does my mum know about this?" He asked.
I simply nodded my head in agreement.
"Geez, she didn't even say anything. Anyhow, what was the reason?" He asked again.
"Dad had an affair in Singapore when I was 4. He didn't say anything to us, but mum found out about the reason, they argued for few days and eventually got a divorce. Dad blamed everything on mum, saying she didn't show enough love for him that he found another woman." I explained.
He looked at me for a while and spoke in a quiet tone.
"..... no offense dude but it's the stupidest thing I ever heard. It's probably the lamest excuse to get a divorce too." He said with a small smile.
I giggled and that's when I smiled after a long time.
"You read my mind," I said while smiling.
"I will always be." He smiled saying that.
We both started studying when he called me suddenly.
"Kiet?"
"Hmm?" I looked at him.
"Can you do me a favor?" He asked me with pleading eyes.
"What is it?" I asked back.
"Can you reject your proposals in a bit less rude way? I don't want you to get into trouble because of that." He asked with those pleasing eyes.
I giggled looking at him, he looked funny.
"I will try," I replied with a smile.
"That's a relief, thanks, man." He said and looked back at his book.
He was the one I wanted to care about..... even though we both are of the same age, his mentality is more like a child. He always managed to make me smile and I liked being around him... he was the brother I wanted for a long time.
End of flashback...
----------------------------------------------
I was thinking of the past when the phone ring brought me back to present. I removed my boxing gloves and answered the call.