"Alright, let's get your face some ice and painkillers." Kevin said as he helped me inside the truck.
Getting inside, I looked behind me, only to see a battered Christian and Sarah staring right back at me.
Ah shit, just what have I done.
I quickly look away from them, guilt suddenly washing over my whole body.
I have to find a way to apologize to them somehow.
Turning to my left, I can already see Kevin has placed himself in the driver's seat.
"Let's go" I said, still clutching my side.
F*ck, I think I'm going to die of shock.
It really f*cking hurts.
If only I can cry in front of them, I'd probably already have a few buckets full of tears now.
Suddenly feeling the vehicle's engine bursting to life, I turned to Kevin and saw that he has started driving the truck to god knows where.
"W-Where... *cough* are we going?" I asked.
Kevin turned to me as we arrived at an intersection, before finally speaking.
"To the nearest convenience store." Kevin said as we turned left and started making our way towards our destination.
Nodding my head, I look through the truck's window and observed the urban scenery before me.
Different kinds of buildings lined one by one on each sides of the busy road, while skyscrapers towered high in the sky in the distance, though the city lies beautiful and busy on the outside, it also has many dark secrets kept within.
Corrupt politicians, crooked cops who accepts bribe everyday, mafiosos and gangsters who plagued the streets, poor neighborhoods neglected by the media and government, you name it all.
And I, a humble citizen, am going to do everything I can to survive and protect my loved ones in this harsh and cruel world, even if I had to dirty my hands.
I had no choice but to rise in the top and obtain much power as possible, that way, no one can even lay a finger on me, my friends, and my family.
"Got any smoke?" I asked Kevin as I withdrew myself from the window.
I hear the two gasp behind my back as I said that, not like I cared or anything.
Probably their first time seeing me engage in this kind of hobby.
"Compartment" Kevin said, his eyes still glued on the road before us.
I slowly reached out the vehicle's glove compartment in front of me, once my hand touched the handle, I then pulled it down, revealing various items scattered inside.
DNA test papers, empty pots... and... a cartridge? Just what are you going to do with all these, Kevin?
Sighing, I started rummaging through the items inside, after a few minutes of searching, I finally found a cigarette pack.
Luckily it still has three pieces inside...
Grabbing the whole pack, I pulled two pieces and placed one of them between my lips, while I offered the other one to Kevin.
"Thanks" said Kevin as he accepted the cigarette with his other hand and immediately placed it in his mouth.
After that, he pulled out a lighter from his jacket and quickly lit his before tossing it to me.
Doing the same, I lowered the cigarette from my mouth after taking a puff.
"Shit's nice" I said, turning to Kevin.
"Try Marlboro, It's much better."
"Noted"
I took another puff.
"Your body's messed up, yet you still try to smoke and act cool." I suddenly heard Sarah's voice behind me.
What the hell? you've been quiet since the entire ride.
Turning towards Christian and Sarah, I can see Sarah glaring at me with anger, while Christian on the other hand, is fast asleep, probably because of the beat down I just gave him.
Again, I feel another tinge of guilt and sadness wash over me.
"I mean, what's wrong Albert? why are you suddenly like that?" She added.
Turning to stare at her, I quickly lowered my gaze again, I can't just bring myself to look at her in the eye.
"If you have any problems, you could've just told us-" Kevin suddenly cuts Sarah off.
"Keep your voices down, you'll wake Christian up!" he scolded at both of us.
Sarah clicked her tongue at this and folded her arms as she turned her head towards the vehicle's window.
"What matters right now is that you're all okay." Kevin continued, his hands still on the steering wheel.
"Okay? look at Christian, he's badly hurt because of-" Kevin cuts her off again.
"So does Albert! look at him, he fought for you two and ended up like a corpse!" Kevin yelled, irritation visible on his face.
Hey, f*cking bastard called me a corpse.
"We didn't asked for it!" Sarah argued.
My ears immediately perked up at this.
What did she say?
Placing my other hand on my head, I can feel tears starting to form in my eyes.
Why did it come to this.
Why did I become like this.
"We should've stayed down and kept quiet!"
My eyes suddenly widens at Sarah's words.
"If Albert did just that, Christian wouldn't be like this, and Albert wouldn't be like that!"
I can feel her hands pointing at me.
"He was just trying to protect you!" Kevin defended me.
"Oh stop it, you weren't there to witness how Albert have beaten Christian up!"
"A misunderstanding, a small petty fight between friends." Kevin reasoned back.
I puffed another smoke as I listened to their conversation.
What a shitty day this has become.
Just stop it guys, I don't want to hear you fighting amongst yourselves because of my actions.
But... I can't bring myself to say that, can I?'
I'm guilty, I don't deserve to say that.
And so does Christian.... You can punch me several times if that can make you all feel better, but if you ask me if I regret punching him, to tell you the truth, I did not, and you all know the reason why.
Turning towards both of them, I can already see the two of them yelling at each other.
Not only that, Kevin is so distracted about their argument I can already tell he forgot he's still driving a vehicle.
"Kevin" I suddenly called out, "Eyes on the f*cking road!"
They both looked at me with surprise for a moment, before they finally calmed down.
"Sorry, my fault." Kevin said as turned his eyes back at the road again.
'N-No, it's my fault." Sarah insisted.
Puffing another smoke, I sighed before finally speaking.
"Shut up both of you, we'll talk later." surprisingly, both of them understood my words and nodded their heads in agreement.
After a few minutes of enduring the awkwardness inside the vehicle, we finally arrived at our destination
"Alright, I'll be the one to go." Kevin stated as he parked the pick-up truck on one of the vacant slots in the parking lot in front of the store.
"What are you talking about? I'll be the one to go!" Sarah insisted.
"No, you three stay put in there!" Kevin argued as he stepped outside the vehicle.
"But-"
"No buts!" Kevin yelled at her face through the window outside, shutting Sarah up for good.
"Tsk" Sarah clicked her tongue as she looks away from the window.
Staring at Kevin through the window, he in turn stared right back at me, before giving me a small wink and walking off towards the store.
I see, thank you Kevin...
After a minute of silence inside the vehicle, I suddenly spoke.
"I'm sorry."
Although I was not looking at her in the eyes and was only staring at the front, I can feel her gaze shift towards me.
"I got too angry at...him...or Jamie... or myself, I didn't know... I was just." I stuttered.
Not hearing any reply from her, I continued.
"But I did not regret doing that."
"What?!" I suddenly heard her yell.
"I'm tired, okay?!" I finally turn to look at her in the eye.
"Tired of what?" Sarah made a disturbed expression on her face.
"Tired of being pushed around like a dog, Tired of being weak!" I explained at her as I clutch my side in pain.
She paused for a moment, her face full of complicated emotion, before speaking again.
"If it meant hurting Christian also, then your actions aren't worth it!" she argued.
Even though my body still hurts like hell, I kept speaking.
"I was trying to make him realize his dignity as a human being is not yet over!" I argued back.
She sarcastically laughed at my words before speaking again.
"Are you blind? our dignity are already gone the moment those f*ckers came in our life!"
"I don't want to believe that."
"Then so be it!"
"I've already vowed to stand up and fight for myself and my loved ones, I'm done being a coward, I'm tired of running, and certainly I'm done being the old Albert!"
Agh f*ck, Kevin hurry up, the pain's going to kill me!
She stared at me for a moment, tears now starting to form in her eyes.
Puffing one last smoke from the cigarette before throwing it away on the outside via through window, I endured by waited for her answer, it wasn't long before she finally gave one.
"Tell me Albert, why are you like this?"
Gulping at her unexpected question, I tried to answer.
"Because..."
"Because what?"
F*ck this, she won't understand anything until I tell her everything.
Taking a deep breath, I finally spoke.
"Have you ever felt what it is like when the most closest person to you get molested by someone, unable to do anything because you're too weak."
.
.
CHAPTER DONE!