The frightened expression on Simon's face reduced, seems like a savior had arrived. And best of all, the savior seemed like his age mate and was also carrying a backpack. The man halted from opening Simon's backpack, stood up, stared directly into James' eyes, and inquired,
"Are you sure of what you are saying?".
"I am f**king sure, I don't wanna use a curse word, but I'll have to use a curse word...you guys are a bit of moron".
The man and other people's facial expressions converted into a perplexed one, how could this young boy be insulting them? James continued with his statement,
"You guys didn't even bother to check the facts, this guy over here accused him of pocketing the money, and you all believed him just like that. He was the one standing at your back, but he accused the person standing at your front of stealing the money, and you wanna start searching the accused immediately. You should have searched the guy you suspected at first before searching the person he accused....."
James spoke with so much seriousness on his face and tone of voice, he was angry at their dumbness and sense of reasoning. By now, two men had already held the boy tightly so he wouldn't run away...who knows, he could be the one that truly stole the money. James strolled over to where the boy was being held and continued speaking,
"He's the one that pocketed the money, I came into this coffee shop to get a cup of coffee, but due to the long queue, I lost the enthusiasm to drink coffee, so I decided to walk out. But as I was about to stroll out, I sighted this guy over here dipping his fingers into your pocket. Then he successfully took out the 10 dollars from your pocket and kept them in his left pocket. He thought no one was watching him, but I was,
Now, to confirm that I am telling the truth, search his left pocket, you'll see the money there, I promise you".
"When I search his left pocket, and I don't find the money there, what should I do to you?". The man questioned James.
"Whatever you like".
"Okay then".
The man strolled over to the boy in an attempt to search his left pocket, people's eyes were fixed on what was happening. The boy tried releasing himself from the two men holding him, but he couldn't, their grips were too tight.
"You don't have the right to search my pocket". The boy let out.
"Yes, I do". The man said dipping his hands into the boy's pocket.
The next time the man removed his hand, the currency in his hand amounted to 10 dollars...the amount of money he was searching for. Simon's happiness knew no bounds, he was free from the accusation laid upon him...he had been redeemed. He couldn't help but keep staring at James, his savior.
"So you were the one that pocketed my money? then you laid false accusation on someone else?". The man queried the boy with an audible and harsh tone of voice.
The people interested in what was going on kept on staring at the boy. Then a lady walked forward and said,
"It's best to hand this boy over to the cops, he looks like a swindler. He must have been pocketing people's money like this without getting caught, but today was unfortunate for him".
People nodded their heads in agreement, that was the best thing to do. The man strolled over to Simon, placed his palms on his shoulder, and uttered,
"Young boy, sorry for the false accusation. We really acted dumb, I acted dumb, if not for this young boy over here", He placed his palms on James' shoulder, "Our attention would have been focused on you and the real thief would have escaped. Sorry once again".
After apologizing, the man voiced out once again, "And as for the baristas in this coffee house, sorry for the little commotion. You've lost some customers due to this, but stuff like this do happen".
After making that statement, he strolled over to the boy, told the two men that were gripping him to let go of him, and they did. Everyone was waiting for the man's next action, abruptly, the man grabbed the boy's shirt collar with force and uttered,
"To the cops we go".
Then he began dragging the boy out of the coffee house as people followed from behind. Simon strolled over to where James was standing and uttered,
"Thanks, man, without your testament, things would have happened".
"No prob, just did what I needed to do".
The both of them didn't say it, but they were feeling a sort of close connection with each other. James was with a backpack, Simon was with a backpack. James was 15 years old according to the real owner of the body, Simon was 15 years old according to the real owner of the body.
Simon took his backpack from the ground and wore it.
"You're wearing a backpack just like me, are you heading somewhere or are you coming back from somewhere?". James asked Simon.
Simon didn't even know what answer to give to James, he wasn't heading somewhere and he wasn't coming back from anywhere...he was just a homeless dude. He'll just have to tell James the truth since he was his savior.
"I'm currently homeless".
James' brows raised, the guy was homeless, and he was no different from him, he was f**king homeless too. The connection he was feeling towards Simon increased, he spilled out,
"I am homeless too".
"Seriously?". Simon questioned with a bewildered facial expression.
"Yeah, I'm homeless too".
"How did yours happen? How did you become homeless? Are your parents dead or something like that?". Simon inquired of James, he wanted to know all these about him since he was feeling this type of close connection with him. They were just too similar in many ways. They were age mates, they were both carrying backpacks, and they were both homeless.
James scratched his head a little and retorted, "It's a long story, in fact, it's a long and confusing one".
"I wanna hear that long and confusing story, I want us to relate". Simon uttered, "If you'll permit, let's go outside of this coffee shop and discuss".
"Okay then, if you say so".
With that, both of them sauntered out of the coffee house and began searching for a chair they could sit on to discuss. After some minutes, they found a chair, and it was just perfect for them, it was long enough to contain just two people. They sat on it, then Simon glanced at James and voiced out,
"Now, can you tell me that long and confusing story of yours? I am willing and patient to hear it. It's just so surprising seeing a guy with so many similarities as me".
James sighed deeply, glanced at Simon, and uttered, "You'll most likely not believe what I am about to tell you, but it truly happened".
"Say it, am all ears".
"I died and transmigrated into the body of another person, this soul isn't mine. This person you are seeing and speaking with right now isn't the real me, the real me is dead and have been buried".
Simon thought they were similar in many ways, but it seems like they were the same person. They weren't just similar in many ways, they were more like brothers. No wonder he was feeling this connection towards him, stronger than the one he felt for the guy in California that had the same passion has is. Simon had a type of expression on his face that made James think that he didn't believe him.
"I know you wouldn't believe it, but it's the truth. I and my parents were murdered in cold blood by a close relative I didn't expect would do such a thing. My father's brother, my uncle, shot me and my parents dead in our parlor. But I was given the chance to live again, I transmigrated into the body you are seeing now".
"I believe you". Simon uttered.
"You believe me?".
"Yeah, I believe you 'cause I also died and transmigrated into the body of another person. Just like you, this isn't the real me, my soul is dead".
James opened his mouth in awe, he couldn't believe what he just heard now. This guy sitting right next to him also died and transmigrated into the body of another person? Why were there many similarities between them? No wonder he was feeling this strong connection towards him. Were they meant to become friends?