I always wondered to myself how it felt to get knocked out.

Getting punched the living daylights out of you as you fight another person for some reason. Then, when the inevitable climax of the fight comes, the end will be either someone getting knocked out or killed. From the movies i watched that was usually how it goes.

In the movies, there was at least some sort of dignity when fighting the other opponent, so backstabbing or trickery, only relying on pure skill in battle. As a man, it’s the coolest thing you can do. But in my situation one of the two things is happening. It’s me knowing how it feels to get knocked out, but there was no honor in it.

“Wake up.”

A splash of water woke me up from my unconscious state. The world was still blurry in my mind as i try to make sense of what was in front of me. And what was in front of me was a dark-colored mask men. Some were holding bats, and some were holding whatever they could get their hands on.

I try to move in my condition but i cannot as i felt the tightness of something binding me to my chair. I had my arms tied behind my back with what I’m guessing was rope, but for some reason, my legs we free from being shackled as i at least could move them around.

The place i was in was the school rooftop. Before they placed me here, i think i can remember going here because i heard Lorelai was kidnapped here. Well, kidnap is a strong word, but hell, i was the one getting kidnapped in the end. There was a bit of relief in my mind due to it.

“Oh, don’t relax yet, Malik. It’s just getting started.”

A fist slammed into my face as i lurched a little to the side. The pain was indeed unbearable but i did not react as i wanted to keep cool in this situation. I also didn't want to give them the pleasure of seeing me in pain.

“You sure are tough aren't you Malik, must be the reason why Lorelai liked you so much.”

I raise my head to see who was the one who hit me. But i couldn’t see their face as a dark mask also covered it. Though there was no need to. I already know who it was and i was surprised.

Even though Bradley is a fucking asshole and a bit sociopathic, i cannot understand for the life of me that he’s resorting to crime. I thought that my opinion of him couldn’t get any lower, yet he’s good enough to prove me wrong.

“Stop staring at me, Malik.”

I felt a kick to the stomach as the pain almost made me unable to breathe, yet i made no reactions. I refuse to give in to their stupidity.

“Still not reacting huh, well its fine. We’re just getting started.”

A masked person set a chair opposite to me, and Bradley sat down at it. I glared at him with no hint of anger or even emotion, with Bradley doing the same except he had a grin on his face. A look that seemed to say he’s won.

“So this is how it’s going to work, Malik.”

Another masked man punched me in the face as Bradley finished his words, with some blood dripping from my mouth. I tasted blood in my mouth and felt some teeth becoming loose. I look up at the masked man who was the supposed Bradley and said.

“I know who you are already, so stop playing supervillain and take that damned thing off already.”

The masked man didn’t react and just smiled at my response, but in the next second i felt a fist slam into my abdominal. wrenching me forward due to its impact.

“As i was saying, Malik, this is how it’s going to work. Look, it’s rude to cut someone off when there are in the middle of talking.”

I looked at Bradley with an indifferent look and whispered something. Bradley didn’t seem to hear me so he came closer, and when our faces were a few inches apart, i spat at his face, covering it with blood.

Observing to see my work of art, i admired at it with a look of glee as i had a wide grin on my face. The moment i spat on his face, his underlings already jumped on me in the next moment.

Tilting my chair backwards as i crashed to the ground, followed by kicks and punches everywhere in my bloodstained clothes. Damn it, i still had to dance with Lorelai.

Unable to resist, i let them attack me as i held in the scream begging to come out of my mouth. Their pain travelled throughout my body as i gritted my teeth, holding on for dear life, literally.

After a few minutes of what felt like eternity, the crowd forming on my injured body finally died down. Seeing that they parted like the red sea and Bradley, with his new clean mask, came to me. He sat me up from the ground and we then seated from the opposite of each other.

I had an indifferent face throughout this whole ordeal, but i feel my limits drawing near from this amount of one sided beating I’m experiencing.

“See, it didn't have to be this way. You could’ve just listened to my proposal first, instead of being beaten into the ground like a dog.”

I gazed at Bradley’s blue eyes reminiscent of Lorelai's, yet the moment that thought came into my mind i felt pure disgust. Disgusted at the fact that i dared to compare the wonderful and beautiful Lorelai to this monstrosity of a human. Ill give her extra head pats later than atonement.

Thinking of a proper response to Bradley, nothing came up as the mere act of speaking with this person disgusts me. So i just said the first thing that came to my mind when i see Bradley.

“Fuck you.”

I bat was swung at my sides, hitting my left shoulder directly, causing me to feel the shock travelling through my entire left arm, numbing any remaining feeling i had on my arm. Followed by it was a hit to my gut again, making me wince from the pain of it, with a small groan coming out of my mouth.

“Wow! The seemingly unshakeable Malik finally reacted, but this isn't the end of it, you can trust me on that one.”

My head drooped down into the ground, hair still dripping wet from being splashed with water, with drops of blood running down my mouth, falling into the floor. I tried to feel out my left arm but noticed that it was already out of commission, i can’t move it or even feel anything from it.

“Ready to Listen?”

A whisper came from my back, not noticing that Bradley was behind me. But i didn’t respond. I refuse to talk to this cretin of a human, for any deal or proposal he gives me will be utter bullshit. In fact, even if i heard it, i won’t even agree.

“Now, now, the deal will actually benefit both of us, so there’s no need to deny the validity of my proposal.”

Bullshit no 2. The deal will be advantageous only to Bradley and him alone. I can’t be bothered by this shit.

“Since you aren't responding like a gentleman. Ill be the bigger man and still give you the deal.”

He moved back into his seat and sat down. With his legs crossed and hands clasped against each others on his knees. I may not be able to see his face, but it’s obvious that he was grinning from ear to ear as throughout this entire ordeal. I will remember this.

“This is how it’s going to work, Malik. On Monday and strictly Monday, you will to your mother to tell her that you want to move to another school, preferably out of state, but i don’t care where. As long as you get the fuck out of here.”

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I move my drooping head away from the floor and looked at Bradley with a quizzical expression, i don’t see any reason why i would even do it. There’s no reason for me to follow his bullshit, because i know that even if he kidnapped me and tortured me, i sure as hell know he won’t go as far as to try to kill me. So what then?

“Let me finish Malik, I’m not done. In exchange for you transferring to another school.”

Bradley looked me in the eye and he said.

“I won’t touch Lorelai.”

Rage welled up at the core of my being as i tried to lunge at Bradley, almost making it if not for his goonies forcing me back into the ground. I freed myself from my restraints as he was jabbering away like an idiot, but the moment he said Lorelai's name i couldn’t be patient anymore and attacked him too early. This was not the plan.

“Hoho, i see that you managed to free yourself somehow. Though i don't know how, I’m impressed.”

Bradley sauntered right in front of me, lowering himself so that we were able to make eye contact at such a close distance. The moment he came near, i smiled. I smiled as if i was with Lorelai again with my arms wrapped around her with her head buried in my chest. It’s time.

“What are you smiling for?”

I kept my grin on and made no response. It was already too late. Just as Bradley was about to question me again. The doors of the rooftop was busted open, and who entered the room was the person i was searching for this whole night, Ace.

Pinned to the ground, i made eye contact with Ace, and i noticed that it filled his eyes with seething rage the moment he saw my situation. Everything was going according to plan.

Before the bastards could react to Ace arriving, Ace made a dash towards me, knocked out the person holding me down while Bradley ran away from him. I tried to stand up but i could not as i felt that my left arm was not even functioning the way i want it to.

I was about to say something to Ace but could not as i saw a fist heading towards his way, i was about to warn him about it yet he dodged at the right time and kicked the person who tried ambushing him. He followed it with a fist of his own to another goony as he tried to hit him with a bat, but ace dodged and made contact with the goonies face, knocking him out in one blow.

Noticing that the Bradley’s goons were backing off to the side, Ace helped me to stand back up.

“Thanks for the save ace, i though as i was doomed.”

“No problem.”

Instead of nodding like he usually does, Ace said actual coherent words to me, and i felt a little shocked about it. But there was no time for this surprise, as there were still bastards we need to take care of.

We looked towards the direction where Bradley’s group was yet i noticed that Bradley disappeared. He got out of the situation before it got worse and he seemed to have left his goonies to take care of it. It’s not a stretch to say that his underlings weren’t too happy about this situation.

With our groups opposite of each other, with me and Ace blocking the only entrance to, an invariable tension arose in the atmosphere. Eyes locked in a good old-fashioned wild west stand off. Except there were no guns and only fists and bats as weapons, and among other things.

The wind felt chilly tonight as it blew over, reminding me that we were 4 stories high, with us being overlooked by the stars. I would’ve loved to admire it but i could not in this situation. What a shame.

“Hey guys, what did i mis- Woah”

Neil, with a drink in hand, came in at just the right time, breaking the tension surrounding us which prompting the masked men to charge at us while we were distracted. It would’ve worked if not for the Cops arriving behind Neil.

“Freeze!”

The cops said as they drew their guns at the masked attackers, forcing them to lay down their weapons and drop to the ground. The authorities moved with swiftness as they handcuffed the men responsible for kidnapping me, as relief washed over my blood-soaked body.

One of the cops came near me as she tried to ask questions regarding the incident, but before i could respond. The world turned once more.

…

Hate.

There were times in my life where i did hate things, like the specific ice cream flavors like cheese or avocado. Vile things that should have never been created on this planet. It was humanity’s mistake forever coming up with this abomination of a flavor. Heck, there were even coconut flavors, something that should have never been created but did.

Other things i hate include a romance book i read having a shitty ending or a novel i really enjoyed but the ending was fucking rushed like a bullet train with some dialogues of it becoming repetitive. But in a sense, i don’t truly hate anything except for the trivial things i have mentioned.

Though in my opinion its anything but trivial.

Nevertheless, i cannot put my finger on anything i have ever hated and resented with my full being. That is, until now.

I heard a subtle beeping sound near my body. I opened my eyes and saw that it was a white world, well, almost white if not for the black TV drilled into the wall.

Turning my head, i noticed the device that was making the beeping sound, and from all the Greys Anatomy episodes i watched, it seemed to be a device tracking my heart rate. I can recall what its name was, though.

Someone changed my clothes and replaced them with white clothes. Scanning my body, i felt that there were several things broken that were healing every so slowly, some bandaged up while some were full on cast like my left arm.

Not able to see my face at the moment, i already know that it’s banged up pretty badly with some cuts and slight bruising in some areas. Feeling around my mouth with my tongue, i also notice that i had some teeth missing from their sockets.

Overall, i concluded that i am in bad condition and that now in the current moment, i was in the hospital recovering from my injuries. I just hope Lorelai won’t see me in this condition.

But now that the world was getting clearer, and some feeling was returning to my body, i noticed a warm hand clasped on my own. I turned to see who it was, and it was Lorelai. Asleep with her head laying down at the side of my bed.

She held my hand as i was hospitalized for god knows how long, and a warm feeling overcame me. A subtle yet indescribable feeling filled me that i cannot explain. Maybe it was warmth that someone was beside me in these times, or maybe it was the feeling of being with Lorelai as she supported me through this.

Whatever it is, i don’t mind it one bit.

Lorelai held my hand as tightly as possible, not letting go as the moment i tried to remove it, she held on tighter as if she was having a nightmare. I felt disappointed with myself that i let her feel that way, yet i then remembered why i was here in the first place.

Bradley. I won’t ever forget this.

I wipe it off my mind as i just gazed at Lorelai. Not wanting to tarnish her sleep with my thoughts full of vengeance and hate. He will know my wrath soon enough but for now, i want to take care of Lorelai first.

I can visibly see her face scrunching up with beads of sweat accumulating on her forehead. She must really be having a terrible nightmare, and so to ease her pain, i sang a song to calm her down.

Des yeux qui font baisser les miensUn rire qui se perd sur sa boucheVoilà le portrait sans retoucheDe l'homme auquel j'appartiens

Though i just started singing, i can already see that it was working. Happy that i could comfort Lorelai, i continued.

Quand il me prend dans ses brasQu'il me parle tout basJe vois la vie en roseIl me dit des mots d'amourDes mots de tous les joursEt ça m'fait quelque chose

Il est entré dans mon cœurUne part de bonheurDont je connais la causeC'est lui pour moi, moi pour lui dans la vieIl me l'a dit, l'a juré, pour la vieEt dès que je l’aperçoisAlors, je sens en moiMon cœur qui bat

“Malik!”

Before i could continue, i didn’t that notice that Lorelai was already wide awake, with her eyes showing some redness as she was about to cry, and from my guesses, she was about to cry for the second time.

I was about to say something back, but she lunged at me, hugging me to bury her soft head into my chest. Not wanting to disappoint, i held her deep into my arms as her tears rolled down on her face.

“Malik… Malik… I thought you were…”

“There there Lorelai, I’m fine now, everything is fine now.”

I patted her head as she made whimpering cries that echoed throughout my hospital room. Her overwhelming sadness gushing force like a dam breaking from bearing a great weight.

As i held Lorelai in my arms, i remembered the person who caused this, who caused me to be hospitalized and hurt. Who caused Lorelai to cry right in front of me.

I will remember this.