FIVE YEARS AGO
I ran with all the strength I had.
My heart was pounding wildly against my rib cage and my legs were begging me to stop but my mind screamed otherwise and so I kept moving. The blood oozing from my upper lip stopped in my mouth and the taste of metal was discomforting.
That bastard hit me! He hit me again!
The anger that was building up in me motivated my running and I didn't feel the pain of exhaustion anymore.
I have to do something to make him pay. He really needs to go this time.
I came up the corner that led to the community park where I intended to boil and make my devious plan. It was usually empty by this time of the day and I was counting on that to actually be able to accomplish what I wanted to.
Disappointment and annoyance enveloped me when I got closer and heard voices coming from the slides.
Great! Now I have to deal with these people making noise here as well.
The sight that welcomed me when I approached the slides was unsettling – at least it was for a kid my age.
A little boy with dirty blond hair was lying on the ground with his face a little swollen from all the punches that he had received. His tormentors were standing above him and getting at him, calling him ridiculous names that didn't quite fit the description.
They stopped their jabbering the moment my presence was noticed. I think the boy on the ground sighed in relief as he struggled to get to his feet.
The biggest of them all walked up to me and said: "We are kind of in the middle of something so why don't you turn around and head on home before you get yourself in trouble?"
I stared at his stupid chubby face and felt my lunch come back up.
At least I can use these idiots to relieve my stress till I get the chance to deal with Silas.
"You guys are three gigantic bullies and he's just one little twerp. Don't you feel bad for the kid?"
The one that approached me rubbed his chin before poking my shoulder with his index finger.
"Look man, coming over here to act like a hero isn't going to end well for you. Just leave while I'm being nice, okay?"
His partners muttered in agreement with him and stepped closer to join him in confronting me.
I turned my attention to the boy on the ground and assessed him. He was a little shook up but he didn't seem all that frightened.
"Hey kid," I said and snapped my fingers in his direction. He looked up at me, his glasses a little crooked on his face, and gave a slight nod in response.
"Do you want their faces to look like yours right now?"
At first he was surprised by my question, and his bullies were even more so, but then he relaxed a little bit and responded,
"No."
I was a little disappointed and pissed off by his response. The leader of the chubby gang grinned and patted my head. I was tempted to break his right arm.
"You just got yourself into a whole lot of trouble, young man."
Before I could say anything, the little twerp by the sidelines spoke up.
"I don't want their faces to look like mine… I want it to be worse."
That was the best statement I'd heard all week!
Quickly I grabbed a hold of their commander's arm and bent it so far back a couple of bones cracked. When the other two attempted to attack, I used Chubby's hand to hit the least puffy one and kicked the other in the shin.
Chubby came back for more so I hit him in his little ding dong before he could do anything.
He cried out in pain while Least Chubby went to assist him.
"Give me your shoe," I said to Little Twerp. He stared at me like I was some kind of alien.
"Give me your shoe!" I repeated, this time a little more urgently. "I'm not gonna take off my shoe so give me yours."
The moment his shoe landed in my hand, I smacked In-between Chubby with it so hard his lips started to bleed.
"This is your last chance to stand down," I said as I took off the lace of Twerp's shoe. As expected, Chubby wanted to prove that he was the boss so he did what any boss in his situation would do: he sent his men to their early graves.
The shoe landed on the other side of In-between Chubby's face and he was flat on the ground in record time while I used the shoe lace to encircle Least Chubby's pinky. He screamed when I tugged at it like I wanted to rip it off.
Chubby was kicked in his face and the imprint my shoe made could not be missed and as he fell next to Least Chubby I tied the other end of the shoelace around his thick neck. It wasn't an easy feat but I made it happen.
"Are you guys going to stand down now or do you want me to hurt you some more?"
Least Chubby was the first to speak up.
"We are sorry man. Please, we are."
Aww, he was crying.
It made me feel good about myself when they cried. It means I did a good job whooping their asses.
"Don't apologise to me… " I motioned to the kid that was gazing in awe at the sight before him and he came. "Apologise to Twerp."
"We are so sorry CeCe. We really are."
While they were apologising, I was trying my very best not to laugh.
"Your name's CeCe? I totally get why they bully you now. "
He tried to say something, probably in defence of his name, but I cut him off.
Chubby was beginning to look like he would pass out soon and I didn't want that to happen while I was there.
"You," I said gesturing to In-between Chubby, "Untie them and give CeCe here back his shoe lace."
He did as I instructed and as soon as the lace was untied, they all got up and ran.
"Do you get bullied by them all the time?" I asked as he started to lace up his shoes.
"I get bullied by a lot of people all the time," he responded. For someone who got beat up a lot he sure did sound chirpy about proclaiming it.
"You sure don't sound like a pushover." I snatched his shoe and the lace from his hand since he seemed to be having trouble with it. Then I led him to a bench and told him to sit.
"I'm not. I just have a small stature that makes me an easy target. Before you came I was telling them off for wanting to take my cap and they started hitting me. The thing is I can talk back but I can't fight back."
I nodded in understanding. I feel the exact same way he feels each time I'm standing next to Silas.
I bent down and drew his right leg forward. Then I helped him slip his foot in.
"Have you ever thought of taking martial art classes?"
"Yes, a lot of times. But my dad's against it. He thinks I'm going to use it against him one day."
I finished up the bow on his lace and got up.
"Well that doesn't make any sense at all. Why would he think that?"
"It's probably because he beats me a lot and he's afraid that I might retaliate one day."
My eyes widened at his confession.
"Your dad hits you?"
"Yeah. But it's mostly when I don't get straight 'A's in school. I don't mind though. I kinda find it motivating to do better than my peers."
"You poor soul. You think being hit is normal."
He shrugged nonchalantly and the words I wanted to utter died at the back of my throat when I saw the faint bruises on his arm.
If I get a hold of his dad, I'm going to do the exact same thing I plan to do to Silas to him…
"Hey man, you're bleeding."
I watched rigidly as he moved his hand slowly towards my face and touched my lip.
He was so damn close to me that my heart started racing.
"Did they do this to you? I don't remember them even laying a finger on you. You were so awesome."
I brushed his hand aside and looked away from him, thanking God silently that I was dark skinned and so the blush on my cheeks weren't visible.
What is happening right now?
My nails were immediately in between my teeth and I started to nibble away at them.
"You're a nail biter, huh?"
There was a tiny bit of excitement in his voice as he said that and when I turned to face him, I confirmed that he was indeed excited by the smile that was plastered on his face.
"I was a nail biter too, but I had to stop. My dad said that it's a bad habit that I need to curb before going off to high school."
"Your dad sounds like an angel," I said sarcastically and rolled my eyes.
"Those boys didn't give me this wound," I said after a while. "My tutor did."
His eyes widened behind his already large spectacles and I found that comical.
"Your tutor hit you? Does your mom know?"
I stood up from the bench and walked over to where CeCe laid on the floor earlier. Near the little bush was a black and green baseball cap with the initials 'CC' written on it.
"She doesn't. He's been doing it for some time now but I've had it up to here with him so I'm gonna get my revenge."
I looked at CeCe as he relaxed back on the bench. He looked a little tense and I could tell he wanted to say something but he didn't.
"You got an autograph from Mike Trout? Impressive. Now I know why those kids wanted it."
"It's my most valued possession." The excitement was back in his voice and his eyes sparkled. His hair was pointing in all directions but he looked really cute that way nonetheless.
"I can tell. I wish I had an autograph from Mike Trout."
I handed his cap back to him and adjusted mine on my head.
"What kind of revenge are you planning on taking on your tutor?" he asked as he took his cap from me.
"The kind that'll make him rue the day he was born."
I could tell that the way I said that creeped him out a little and that brought a smile to my lips.
"It's okay though. No deaths."
I took my place beside him and watched him fondle with his cap.
"Don't you feel a little bit hot wearing that?" he asked and motioned to the hoodie and jacket I had on.
"I do, but I have to wear it. It's kinda like my MO. I can't just not wear it even if I wanted to."
He nodded and moved closer to me on the bench.
"Do you want to be friends with me?"
I was really taken aback by that question. I haven't really gotten a friend request in my entire life. At least not the kind that I want.
"You really are straightforward, CeCe."
"That's not my name," he whined.
"It's what's written on the cap after all."
"Look here," he said and pointed frantically at his baseball cap. "It says JCC. You missed the 'J' just like everybody else."
I had missed the 'J' but it wasn't my fault. It looked way too faded to be seen at first glance.
"I would love to be your friend JCC," I said, making sure to enunciate the 'J' when I called the letters. He smiled so brightly my heart skipped a beat because of it.
Damn that boy's cute even with the bruises.
"But I must warn you though, girls will approach you just so they can talk to me. It happens way more often than I like."
"So you're one of those conceited types, huh?"
When he giggled, I found myself wishing I could hear it every single day for the rest of my life.
"I'm sorry, it can't be helped. I've gotten way too many compliments to be humble.
He laughed now and it was way better than his giggle.
"I've been told that I'm way more beautiful than most of the girls in my school."
"So you're considered a pretty boy. That must be really nice for you. You must like having all the ladies flock around you."
I grinned. If I'm being honest, I hated being called a pretty boy.
"I'd prefer if boys flocked around me instead."
The rush of colour to his face was immense. It was so red I thought I was looking at a tomato.
I laughed at that. He fumbled with his words and tried to look at anywhere but me but all his actions just made him look cuter than ever.
"The two of us together will really make heads turn. People over at EVH really love good looking people. They can do anything just so they can talk to them."
"I-I don't go to EVH." The fact that he was so flustered made me smile even more. But my smile started to fade when I processed the words he uttered in my head.
"You don't go to EVH? Where on earth do you go? Are you homeschooled?"
As far as anyone was concerned, everyone who lived on the East side near Bay Harbor went to East Valley High. It was the only school that actually mattered there.
"I just go to some school on the west side."
The west side? But that's where those Hollywood lookalike families stay…
Oh my God!
That's when I really looked at him.
He was skinny as hell and short at the same time but the clothes he wore dripped glory. I cannot believe I didn't notice the Jordans he was wearing as well as those cargo pants. That cap was no doubt Givenchy.
"You're from the west side? What the hell are you doing over on the East side?"
He shrugged his shoulders and bent his head like it was nothing. I took that as a sign he didn't want to talk about it.
"Well I guess this just thwarts our plans of being friends." I'm sure the disappointment in my voice couldn't be missed.
JCC stood up and came to stand before me. He stretched out his hand and took off my cap. The protest died in my mouth as soon as he said:
"Damn. You're even more handsome without your cap on."
"It's the haircut. I had to beg my mom to let me get it. She wanted me to let my hair grow out."
My mom was a little sceptical about me shaving the sides of my head and curling my hair in the middle but I managed to convince her by getting good grades and swearing my allegiance to her GOT fan base and promising to watch it when I'm finally of age.
"Here you go."
My own cap was replaced with his Mike Trout's signed Givenchy one.
"What… It's your most prized possession!" I exclaimed.
"If you don't feel comfortable keeping it, you can just give it back to me…when we next meet."
"Are we gonna make plans for this meeting?"
I can't believe he actually wanted to give me that. A part of me didn't want to see him again just so I could keep Mike Trout's cap, but the part of me that wanted to see him every single day for the rest of my life was way louder and more persistent in its argument.
"I like spontaneous encounters. Like today."
"What if I don't have it with me the next time we meet?"
I knew his answer to that but I still wanted him to say it. I wanted to hear him say that he would love to see me again after that too.
"Then you can just give it back when we meet after that."
His smile was breathtaking. Or maybe it was the words he spoke that had me struggling to breathe.
"Make sure you get revenge on your tutor. But no death just like you promised."
He started to back away and I quickly stood up and grabbed his arm, halting him.
"You're leaving now?"
He couldn't leave. He was the first person I was talking to that didn't make me want to punch him or live the rest of my life in a secluded area. He couldn't just leave me after I'd grown a liking towards him.
"I have to get home before my dad gets back. He'll be pissed off if he doesn't find me at home studying like he told me to."
I didn't want him to go but I also didn't want to be the reason his dad hit him again. Dejectedly, I let go of his arm.
"Fine, but you better be back. You shouldn't be away from something you love for too long."
I was actually referring to myself when I said that but I'm sure he thought I was talking about his cap.
"I will." He turned to walk away again and again I stopped him. I didn't know what excuse to give for not wanting him to go as he stared at me expectantly. Thank God for fast thinking.
"Make sure you learn Taekwondo. Forget what your dad said about not doing it because he's scared. Do it for yourself. Make sure that today's the last day that you'd be bullied like that in your life. Do you understand me?"
He nodded vigorously and I feared that his head may roll down his neck if he continued with that.
As I watched him leave, I realised then that he didn't even know my name.
Oh well, I guess I can tell him the next time we meet.