7 Chapter 7: I Am Here, You Know

The sun is already peeking, and the streets are starting to become busy and loud again... Crap! Is it almost six in the morning? Already?!

As careful as I can be, the wooden door still creaked loudly as I open my apartment door. I feel like a thief breaking in by doing this! Hwah! I am going to lose my mind!

Rei always visit my apartment during Fridays, and I happened to be beaten up and got stuck in the hospital yesterday. He did not actually stay and waited for me, right? It's already Sunday today... so maybe he lef-

"What the hell do you think you are?!" My soul felt like it left my body! The loud, angry, and sudden roar of a mad man froze every inch of my flesh, I can't move! I think, even my heart stopped for a moment! Then, the immediate slam of a thrown tennis ball on the wall, a second later, completely woke the crap out of me!

Oh my freakin'-! First the surprising question, and now a tennis ball?! It almost hit my face! Sigh, I felt like my whole frozen body melted into jelly... I also feel like I am going to collapse on the floor soon. I don't have enough sleep nor the energy to recover from that shock quickly because I have been busy running from Mr. Smith's bodyguards all night!

"A lady staying out all night...," he muttered while his eyes are rolling, and his hands are annoyingly fidgeting like a nagging mother. "What is she even doing..." he continually murmured.

"Hey! Hey! I should be the one asking you that, old mister! What are you doing in my apartment, again?!" I feel like I am barging in another person's home, yet this is where I live!

Marching forward, Rei grabbed my head with his big, strong hands and roughly ruffled my hair, "You should not answer your elders that," he paused for second, and stared at me weirdly. The lines in his forehead are showing, and his brows look angry, "...way. You! Are you out fighting thugs again? You are a lady, you should not-"

"I should not what? Beat bullies and fight trashy people? Then what do you want me to do? Be an audience, or be a helpless woman waiting to die, maybe!?" Gasp! I felt suffocated! No... I just did not- I, I, I, I did not just say that... I. "Why would I say that," my voice faintly asked...

My mistakes really never fail to surprise me sometimes... I'm such a terrible person! I am so stupid!

"Of course you shouldn't," his voice became gentle again. His rough hands holding my shoulders loosen. "Fights are not for you, look at your face, you have a cut on your ugly forehead again. If your father is here, he-"

"But he is not here, he is already dead." I automatically said that like I don't even care, but I am sure the hint of sadness between my lines can't escape Rei's sharp ears, and his nosy and judgy personality. My dad's dead. He is already dead... He is, and nothing can change that. Wait! "Hey did you just call me ugly?!"

Rei snorted and laughed like an old man! This crazy-! Well, he is an old crazy man! "What the hell do you think you are being dramatic for? Come on, I already reheated up the food. You must've been drained since you look trashed. Did you win? No, nevermind! It looks like you didn't. I should not have asked, sorry."

"Hey! You started it! You are the one being dramatic. And do not change the subject! And, your mouth sounded more like a trash can containing garbage words! And I did not lose!" It is an unfair fight anyway! It is many vs one!

"Okay, okay, whatever you say. Stop saying 'and', and just eat already," he chuckled.

Rei is my father's old friend, at least that is what he told me. Since the news of what happened to my parents reached him, he searched for me immediately.... unlike my mom's so-called family.

"Say, Rei, do you know anything about my mom?"

"Your mom? Hmm, all I know is she ran away from home, and your dad happened to find her. Then you just poof, appeared. Do you want details on how you were made? I can, I can tell you that."

"Ugh! Shut up! Shut up already! There is really no point in asking you questions, huh? No, scratch that! There is no point in talking to you at all!" Laugh all you want old mister, you're really crazy, that's the only explanation!

My apartment in this Sunday morning finally came at peace... Rei stopped talking, and the both of us stared at the food, which I know, is uneaten since Friday night. "You know, Ava, you do not have to beat up every jerk you see on the streets. May it be gangsters or some petty robbers, I don't care. But, what happened to your mom and your dad, it is, it is tough for you. I know that, but I am here, you know."

I sadly smiled, not making an eye contact nor turning my head to face him. I told him that, "I know... I know..." I really do know that, but I really do not need the drama either. This is why I moved out and decided to live alone.

I felt his gentle light taps on my back... It's supposed to make me feel better, but I think that comforting trick is overused.

"Rei, you know that, that is not what I wanted to hear from you, right? I want to know if you found out anything about the man I told you about." That man... The man who is among of the three people that is present that night... the people who killed us three.