In a taunting voice, I decided to provoke their leader by saying, "Only three scrawny runts left, huh? Is this the best you can do?" I wished I hadn't said that, because they all immediately charged at me at the same time, and let me tell you, the fatso hit like a truck. While I was trying to compose myself, I searched for an opening, ducking and pacing while maintaining enough space to prevent them from surrounding me. Before I knew it, I felt the cold steel wall at my back. They cornered me, and the other runts caught me off-guard, as I attempted to wall kick over them. In that moment, I thought, "Well, I tried," while he two goons grabbed onto my right foot and pulled me down. The fatso punched me in the stomach hard, making me wanna throw up and then he went for my handsome face, making me bleed from my lips. In defiance, I spat blood in his face, further enraging him, and he landed four more shots on my ribcage. In the corner of my eye, I saw the girl trying to interrupt their assault, but I signaled her not to risk it.
But suddenly in a terrified voice, the two goons I had been fighting moments ago quickly rushed toward us. Just my luck, I thought. However, they stopped abruptly about ten feet away, one of them pointing behind me, at the other end of the corridor with a look of fear in their eyes. The chubby guy then turned to look at them and asked, "What's the matter?" They both replied simultaneously with a stuttering tone to their voices, "E...Ethan," while pointing at a shadow slowly approaching. Even the fatso, the leader, became startled and terrified, and I had never seen a chubby guy run that fast in my life.
All because of my brother Ethan—what? I wondered, trying to make sense of it. He is harmless; why would they be so afraid? I pondered. Ethan, now standing a few feet from me, reached his hand toward my head, ruffling it before grabbing my neck. He smirked slightly at me and said, "Did you? Just get your ass kicked, you little runt!" Without giving me time to answer, he just put his right arm around my neck and smiled at me in a jocular way. After playfully mocking me, his eyes shifted in the direction where the five goons were last seen fleeing in fear. He stopped suddenly with a tone of coldness. He said, "Meet up with me later at the new G wing digging site where I work, and don't be late." Just like that, he left in the direction where the five runts escaped, walking like the grim reaper himself.
A sudden voice caught my attention. "Here you go." I turned to the left to see the same blond girl from earlier. She was handing me her handkerchief. I replied with an awkward "Thank you," nervous and afraid I might act stupid. I suddenly blurted out, "I'm Keinan, by the way," reaching out to shake her hand. While staring down, expecting her hand to reach out to mine, I noticed that she just stood there for a brief second, making me slightly panic. I then looked up at her face. When our eyes met for the very first time, it was like watching this serene, beautiful blue ocean. At that very moment, she decided to smile innocently at me with a playful and gentle tone. She replied, "My name is Faith, thank you for the helping me." Our conversation halted as I could not think of a response. She cautiously stepped closer to me within inches. Only a few feet from me, without any warning at all, she just suddenly wrapped her arms around me and rested her chin perfectly on my shoulder.
Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
Did she just hug me? I thought to myself, but surprisingly, I didn't mind it at all. It was gratifying, yet the sweetest hug I had ever felt in my life. A mixed feeling of confusion and sheer delight overwhelmed me. I didn't move an inch; I didn't know how to react since I was only a kid back then. So, in a shaking voice, I said, "Yu... Yo... you smell nice," closely to her ear while stuttering. Then, I discerned her soft giggling laugh, sending her gentle breath across my neck, stirring a shiver right to my innocent heart. It was like Cupid fired an arrow right through me, piercing the core of my heart and making me yearn for more of her nimble touch.
Our sweet moment was suddenly interrupted by the black-haired kid on the floor with a painful expression. He said, "Hello, a little help here, please," while moaning slightly in pain, struggling to get up. He then said, "I can't stand by myself." Faith and I ended our little sweet moment awkwardly before helping both of them up off the floor.
We introduced ourselves, and so did both of them. While standing next to them, I noticed the bruises all over their bodies. Well, to be honest, I didn't look any better than them. The kid with black hair was Ajax, and the average ginger kid was Blaze.
They claimed simply to have been unlucky when running into the five kids by accident. They said that while they were having fun talking and not paying attention to their surroundings, they bumped into the five kids by accident, and that's when things escalated. They continued with their stories of how they were going to visit the new G wing Corridor before the unfortunate encounter with the five goons. But I could tell by the way Ajax interrupted Blaze to take charge of the conversation that they were hiding something. However, I didn't want to make a big deal out of it at the time, so I shrugged it off.