The coolness of a cold Saturday night blew through the atmosphere, under the beauty of a mysterious sky, the beautiful scenery of a city park was silent throughout New Year's Eve.

Trees rustled softly, and in the distance, the city's faint buzz added to the peaceful ambiance.

Paul's squinched eyes opened up slowly, as he soon witnessed a spectacle that felt plucked out from another reality, as before him was a familiarly unfamiliar face, as with a slowly growing irritation on his face, he looked at the last person he expected to meet at that place.

At that precise moment, he wished he could just have glued his eyes shut, forever sparing himself the sight of a world he wished could disappear.

As the one person he couldn't care less about was inexplicably on him, their lips having just brushed in an accidental kiss.

"What the heck?" Paul's mind exclaimed, his face flushed with a blush that mirrored the same blush on Nicole's face.

As within that brief unintended connection of their lips, an emotional storm erupted within them,

Breeding with that of anger and something far more dangerous than just overwhelming hatred.

"what the heck am I even doing on the ground," Paul whispered to himself as he tried to get up.

Nicole, quickly jumping to conclusions, threw a punch at him without any hesitation.

"What the heck do you think you're doing, you bastard,", Nicole yelled ferociously, blushing furiously as she went for another punch.

Paul quickly reacted dodging the punch like the previous one.

"It's you that's crazy! I was just trying to get up. What else do you think I could possibly want to do?" Paul yelled with a furious expression while still struggling to dodge Nicole's attacks.

"Sheesh, she sure knows how to throw a punch," Paul said internally, trying to understand the entire situation while continuously dodging the incoming attacks.

But soon after Nicole threw a weak kick dropping Paul's guard and immediately without hesitation threw a forward jab punch finally connecting with Paul's face.

During that moment of impact, both Paul and Nicole shared a realization in thought.

"This bastard! I just had my first kiss stolen from me by this f**king bastard!" Paul and Nicole thought their anger rising like a fury that could rival that of a raging tempest and burn through steel.

Paul immediately went for a counter punch filled with the full force of weight in it.

"She's too much of a problem to deal with, I'll knock her out and get out of here," Paul thought, aiming at her chin.

Nicole, ready for it, went for a high kick aimed at his arm.

"You think you're a match for me, I'll f**king break your hands off," Nicole said in thought immediately going at his arm without holding anything back.

"BANG!!"

a loud noise shattering the silence, as all bets were off.

Just as the world braced for the cataclysmic clash, a figure emerged from the shadows,

"Paul, what were you just about to do to her?" the dark figure said in a deep cold voice as he had just stopped the clash, holding both Nicole's legs in his right hand and Paul's fist in his left, struggling a bit.

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"Alen, why the hell did you do that, I hope you didn't hurt yourself, and what else could I be possibly doing other than teaching her a lesson since she could afford to make a mistake of kis__, Well She's the one who wanted to pick a fight, so I thought I'd show her the proper way to have one," Paul said angrily while cracking his knuckles glaring deeply at Nicole.

"Hey watch what you say. I'm sure you know who she is and especially how dangerous she is to us, so get yourself straight, and let's get out of here," Alen said whispering over to Paul.

"I'm so sorry, Nicole, for my friend's behavior just now. I don't know what really happened, but I hope we can forget about it all and just go our separate ways," Alen said respectfully to Nicole his expression as serious as always.

"Whatever… Just get that short thing out of my sight," Nicole said with a mocking smile.

"In your life never utter that word 'short' at me again, unless you crave a very brutal beating, I'd so love to give you," Paul said with a deep cold tone pointing at Nicole as they both glared fiercely.

"Huh," Paul thought as he noticed a little flash of light to his right.

"BANG!"

With his instinct screaming in fear Paul pushed himself backwards narrowly dodging a bullet fired at him, but still leaving a cut on his face.

For that fraction of a moment, a memory flashed in his mind, a blurred face of a little girl, and then it was gone.

"What the hell was that all about?" Paul wondered.

Paul coming to his senses immediately glared intensely with bloodlust at Nicole.

"Shit, to think she had a cover shooter with her this whole time. I must be careful since right now I can't just hold myself back from beating the hell out of her." Paul said with clenched teeth, his fists just craving for action, but Alen's put his hand on paul, calming Paul down.

"Sigh!!," Paul let out a long breath.

"Whatever, just consider yourself lucky today because I promise you next time, luck won't even dare come near you." He said, wiping the blood on his cheek and started walking away with Alen, scratching his neck in frustration, leaving the scene.

-----------------------------

The moonlight blossoms, leading into the heart of the silent road.

The stars hung low in the sky, like jewels against a dark backdrop.

In the midst of it, Paul's anger could not be checked as his frowned eye brown could tell it all.

"What the heck bro it's almost the beginning of the year and you want to start it by picking a fight again, that gonna be the second time today firstly that guy, and now her?" Alen said, his voice growing louder with concern.

"And worst of it all you picked a fight with her of all people. What the heck even happened?!" Alen said out.

"Let it go already, I get it, let's forget about it, but a sniper cover shot, out of nowhere, she really is that terrifying, Thank God it was a rubber bullet," Paul said with an irritated look.

"Sigh, whatever, just get ready for the coming week. The First year of high school starts soon and we need to be careful if we want things to go as planned."

"Oh, and not everyone in the gang was able to pass the entrance exam for the school. Only me, you, Lola, and Leo. The three others didn't make the cut, but they were able to get into other schools," Alen said while walking beside Paul.

Paul replied "Really? hmm, I don't really blame them, we can just get them transferred next semester. I guess we'll just have to make good use of the four of us till then, let's just quickly get out of here already, it's creeping me out"

"Oooo also let go get that ice cream pack set that just came out, am really craving some now," Paul said touching his stomach.

"Sure, but not too much, we already had ice cream today," Alen said sighing, a smile stretching on his face.

.

.

.

"Who even was that little girl i thought of that time it was kinda really blurry?" Paul thought, scratching his head.

Immediately the scene of the unwanted kiss flashed in his mind again, an irritating look all over his face.

"My first kiss. She just took it away from me." Paul said Internally with a serious look, his eyes igniting with fury.

"Next time you mess with me, I promise I'll finish the job," Paul said internally as he walked away.

------------------------

Time passed by like a wave as a week had already gone.

The sun crept over the horizon, casting a warm, golden hue across the sleepy city.

the air was infused with the crisp scent of dew-kissed grass, blending with the fragrance of freshly bloomed flowers.

Amid this picture-perfect morning, Paul with his backpack in hand, took in the sights, sounds, and scents of the new school day ahead.

He soon moved to check himself in the mirror, then took a deep breath

"Okay, everything's set. Senior year, here I come," he thought in excitement, as he opened the door to the house about to leave...

"Where the heck do you think you're going? Cause it seems like you're forgetting something important," A little girl exclaimed in a cold voice, as she sat majestically behind Paul.

"Ooh shit I completely forgot about her," Paul startled exclaimed internally.

"Ooh, hey, Amanda, I didn't see you there," Paul said nervously as he turned around.

"Wait I hope she doesn't ask about last night," he was screaming anxiously internally.

With her arms crossed.

"If I'm right… I'm pretty sure you were just about to leave without saying bye, weren't you?" Amanda said, glaring.

Paul sighed in relief.

"Well, I thought you were still in the bathroom and didn't want to intrude," Paul said with a calm smile.

"Thank God she didn't find out about last night's ice cream snacking." Paul rejoiced in his mind.

Amanda rolled her eyes saying, "Don't underestimate me, big bro. I can smell your absence from a mile away, so don't test me,"

But despite the resounding warning he received from his little sister, Paul couldn't hold himself from smiling in overwhelming joy from the cuteness of his sister's expression.

"Alright, alright, my bad, I am really sorry about that, but am in a real hurry to school so I hope you can forgive this your prince just this once," Paul said smiling coming in close as he went for a hug.

"Hey watch it, why are you hugging me I didn't ask for that, I'm no longer a kid you know, I'm 10 if you must know, so don't treat me like I'm a kid alright?" Amanda said hugging him tightly too.

"Well, I'll forgive you once again so don't forget to say bye next time alright, see you later," Amanda said letting go of Paul as Soon Paul started walking away.

"See you later," Paul replied running quickly.

Paul left somewhat nervously, moving quickly as if he had stayed a minute longer he wouldn't have been able to predict what would happen next.

"Paul!!!!!!!!" With an angry roar, Amanda's sudden yell broke the silence of the neighborhood.

"Guess she already found out," Paul said while laughing nervously.

Paul rushed away, laughing out, but soon a feeling of worry started bubbling up inside him.

He stopped quickly, sensing something wasn't right around the dark alley he immediately looked, but didn't notice anything.

Just before he ran away,

he glimpsed the shadowy alley again, giving him the chills.

Despite his unease, he kept running.

As the unknown dangers ahead were invisible, the feeling of trouble lingered.