Lionheart

Chapter eighty-eight

In the street where Vanessa and Greg were...

"So, is that a 'yes' to being friends with me?" Greg plastered a wide grin on his lips and Vanessa shook her head at him again.

"Nope, mister." Vanessa continued walking down the street with her camera in her hand. She spotted a very beautiful flower and she ran ahead to take a picture of it. 

"Wait for me, Vanessa!" Greg screamed, running to meet up with her. She looked back at him and was immediately hit by a man who was coming ahead of her. Her soft body crashed into his hard one and she lost her balance. He instantly grabbed her camera from her and took flight. 

"Hey, come back here! My camera! Bring back my camera" Vanessa cried, wincing in pain.

"Are you alright, Vanessa?" Greg asked, running towards her. He tried to lift her from the floor but Vanessa jerked him off.

"My camera! He has my camera." Vanessa said, pointing to the thief ahead with her free hand, while her other hand gripped her ribs.

"Damn it!" Greg cursed as he saw the thief running far ahead. He ran after him, as fast as he could, pushing away people in his way and muttering "I'm sorry" to them. He spotted a black man coming down of his motorcycle with his helmet in his hands. He ran towards him and said with a smooth voice.

"I'm sorry but, you'll have to borrow me this, man."

"Hey, man! What the fuck! What are you doing with my motorcycle?" The young black man asked, trying to stop him.

"Forgive me for this." Greg immediately hit the man on his neck and the latter fell off. He retrieved the keys of the motorcycle from him and made a screeching sound as he hopped on it. He moved very fast and soon spotted the thief, who was trying to pass through a very narrow place. Before he could succeed in doing that, Greg jumped at him and hit him hard with his fist. 

The thief tried to kick Greg but he failed at it. Greg used his legs to kick the thief who immediately crashed to the floor. His nose bled profusely and Greg retrieved Vanessa's camera from him. 

"Who are you? How dare you?" He snapped but the thief immediately took flight. Greg moved back to where the motorcycle was and he rode back to where he stole it from. He could see the owner of the motorcycle who tried to get up from the floor. He could tell that his head was throbbing. 

"I'm so sorry, man. I had no choice." Greg said, patting the man's chest and he slipped a couple of notes into his pocket. "Take this as damages for the emotional and physical damage." With that, Greg ran immediately from the man, who was trying to hold him.

"Get the fuck back here, man. You're going to pay for this. I'll fucking going to sue you!!!!" Greg heard him faintly and he grinned at his words. He could see Vanessa leaping from where he was. He soon caught up with her and he grabbed her arm.

"Are- you okay Vanessa?" He asked, panting very heavily. 

"I think I sprained my ankle." She held his arm to support her full length and she immediately spotted her camera.

"Oh my!" Vanessa exclaimed, using both hands to cover her mouth and her eyes widened in surprise. 

"Yeah, your camera. Here." He said, handing it to her.

"I couldn't bring the thief but I made sure I left him in a bad shape for-" Greg could not complete his words because Vanessa suddenly gave him a big hug, squeezing him in the process.

"Greg, thank you so much. Thank you, Greg." Vanessa's grip was so tight that Greg almost choked.

"That's- e-nough squeezing, Va-nessa. I can bare-ly breathe." Vanessa finally let go of her grip on him and Greg held his neck. 

"Jesus, Vanessa! I almost bid the world adieu with the way you almost strangled me." Greg giggled.

Vanessa winced in pain again and Greg cursed. "I think you need to go to the hospital," Greg said, trying to scoop her in his arms.

"No, Greg. I'm totally fi-" His hand touched her rib as he tried to lift her and she cried in pain again. He immediately scooped her in his arms and straightened as though he was carrying something very light. 

"You don't have-" 

"Shh." Greg cut her short. "Not another word from you, Vanessa. We need to get you to the hospital right now. Okay?" 

He flagged down a cab and placed Vanessa down gently in the back seat. He moved to the other side of the vehicle and sat beside her. The driver's tyres screeched immediately Greg closed the door and they headed to the nearest hospital.