Chapter 8

Until now the girls who've spirited me away from everyone haven't still let me go. I was still being dragged away in this stampede of girls for a while now and this only left me more dumbfounded. Up ahead I could see the exit going out of the school and the girls started to drag me faster than before. I was out of school and the girls finally let go of me. I landed on the pavement and felt my knee in pain.

I was sustaining the pain in my knee when I caught a whiff of smoke. It's weird, teachers are forbidden to smoke in school and students wouldn't be stupid enough to smoke out in the open where everyone can witness it. The principal made it clear that anyone who smokes in school grounds would get punished no matter what the age, gender, and occupation. So who is smoking?

In front of me, I could hear girls shrieking at something. I looked up from where I was kneeling and saw nothing so I stood up from the pavement to see but nothing changed. The girls are still in the way. Ugh, I don't know which hurts more, my knee from being scraped on the pavement or my curiosity which is growing in me the more the girls scream.

"Did you see that guy?! He's so HOT!"

"Where's my camera?! I need to take a picture with him before he leaves!"

"Did you see it?! I think he looked at me!"

After the pain in my knee subsided I got up and looked at the crowd of girls that gathered. It's impossible to push my way to the front and from the looks of it seems the girls are shrieking because some sort of hotshot appeared. Well, now that my curiosity is solved, I should hurry back to where Russell, Lin, Steven, and Daniel are before they get even angrier than before and maybe Russell will really punch me.

I dusted myself off of any dirt that came on me and went my way back to where I believe where everybody is, in the classroom. I pushed away some of the girls who started to gather as well and walked away.

"There you are." A deep voice sounded from the shriek of girls which has turned silent. "I was starting to get tired of waiting for you."

That voice, so irritable and familiar, that it left me with a reminder of what a real mobster is. It couldn't be, could it? Hesitantly, I looked back to the crowd of girls where there they've moved away to the sides, giving me the chance to see who they were all fawning over. It really is him, without a doubt. Even though I saw him once, I could never mistake that black hair of his and his detestable attitude for anyone else.

Across from me, through the empty space which was made by the girls, I could see Jason looking coolly at me. He's here at my school. When did he get here? And what is he doing?

Since there was quite a distance between me and Jason I could hardly see what he was doing. As I focused on it, I could now clearly see what he is doing. He's leaning on a black motorcycle and in his hand is where the smoke was coming from. He's holding a cigarette in his hand and using it.

I was speechless. Not only did he just save me from explaining everything to Russell and the others, which I will never thank him for as long as he doesn't know, but he came here looking like the hoodlum he is with a black motorcycle and cigarette in hand which only makes him more of a hoodlum.

"...Those girls are weird," Jason said from across. "I simply asked where you are and they started running to find you like crazy."

He threw the cigarette on the pavement then started to walk to me. As he passed through the crowd the girls would shriek at him with excitement. He kept on walking coolly until he stopped in front of me. He stared down at me from where I stand while I try to act like I don't know him.

"Who's the new guy over there?"

"Don't know. Could they be friends?"

"I know that other guy, maybe we should hang out with him so we could know more about the hotter guy."

Oh great, rumors started right away just because he started talking to me. He doesn't seem bothered by it but he kept on looking in every direction. I was about to ask him why he's here but he suddenly grabbed my wrist and started pulling me.

"You've kept me waiting long enough," Jason said to me. "We'll need to leave this place right now."

He didn't give me a chance to protest when he started to drag me away. Before I could take one step I felt another hand grab for my other wrist. I looked and saw Russell drenched in the sweat dripping onto my wrist. Jason must have known someone was holding me in place because he came to a sudden stop and looked back to whoever was stopping me.

For a while, Russell and Jason glared at one another. I could feel both sides getting more intense with whatever they were doing like they were having a match using only their glare. I wanted to stop them but I was too paralyzed by their actions to do so. Russell was trying to yank me out of Jason's grip but he wouldn't budge. Jason just stood there holding onto my wrist with force as he looked coolly at Russell trying so hard to get me away from him.

Russell looked tired while Jason just looked at Russell trying his best. Russell's grip on my wrist started to slip then he stopped pulling but he didn't let go of my wrist. Jason took this chance to pull me away from Russell's grip and pulled me to the black motorcycle. Jason's sudden pull made Russell stumble to the pavement.

I wanted to run to Russell to check if he was okay but Jason didn't let go of my wrist. He took a helmet sitting on the motorcycle's chair and passed it to me.

"Put that on." He said as he started the engine. "We're going to HQ."

Jason got on the motorcycle and left space for me to sit behind. I didn't get on right away. I looked over to Russell who was looking back at me. This is a chance to run to Russell and get away from Jason.

"Think about what you're doing." Jason said, "Do you really want to involve him in this situation when you're not even capable of controlling your own?"

What he said does make a point, an extremely harsh one. It's true that I want to help him but I can't if he's in the exact situation as me. I do sort of have a bodyguard protecting me right now but what about Russell. I don't think that the mafia will even help him when he gets involved. He might even end up dead because of me.

I looked back to Russell, confusion filling his eyes. Looking at him for the last time before departing, I strapped on the helmet and got on the motorcycle. I couldn't look at Russell, not wanting to see the expression he had on his face, I turned away from him. Jason started the engine in one try and we smoothly left everyone with their mouths agape.

I spent my trip with Jason in silence. I didn't have the nerve to argue with him since I was nervously riding for the first time a motorcycle. I was seeing once again the familiar buildings when I left the White Dragons Headquarters.

When he finally stopped the motorcycle in an alley I quickly jumped off the sit behind him. I unfasten the helmet and threw it at Jason just as he turned off the engine. It only took a quick glance for him to catch the helmet in his hands. He placed the helmet on the motorcycle's seat and grabbed for the keys, it's as if the helmet I threw at him didn't even bother him at all.

He was hurrying me to leave school and now he looks like he's taking his time, I'll never understand him. I spent all my time sitting on the motorcycle silently just for this moment, a moment to question him.

"Why were you at my school?" I asked him cautiously. He didn't even look at me when I started to talk. "What's that about attracting attention to avoid suspicions? You came to my school and started to attract girls everywhere. You could have just told me or something."

"And would you have followed?" He finally looked at me with the same expression I saw. "It's easier to drag you away than reasoning with you. You've delayed my time long enough."

"I was trying to reason with my friends when y-"

"It's easier to not have any friends at all." His voice was so deep that it sent shivers through my spine. "It's less the work."

"...What do you mean?"

He looked at me dead in the eye. Seriously, if looks could kill, I would have died already. Instead, he only just sighed at me.

"If, by chance, one of your friends followed you, for example, the guy with blond hair, and he got stuck with enemy guns pointed at him from all directions, would he be able to survive?"

I remained silent. No normal person would be able to survive that. Russell would be no different. If he did follow me and died, then it would be my entire fault. His words were so sharp that it's like I could feel a knife stabbing me.

"...That is why it's better to have no friends at all," Jason said. "You'd only be filled with guilt and regret for not saving them. It's much wiser to either have friends who could understand you or no friends at all. But whatever you pick has nothing to do with me."

I don't know what I should be feeling right now. Anger for Jason to just talk about one of my friends dying or frightened when he actually explained the harm I could cause to everyone around me. He started to walk away from me and out of the alley. I followed him from close behind silently.

We walked to the front entrance of the White Dragons headquarters. I felt nervous just looking at it. I wasn't ready to go in yet when Jason opened the door. The first thing that hit me was the smell of cigarettes and the sound of balls crashing together in a game of pool ball.

I looked in and it looked like a bar. Some of them looked up to see me while the others were all doing what they were still doing. For the ones who are looked up, I could feel resentment in their glare.

Jason walked in casually liked it was his home. I was left standing alone at the entrance. I could still feel all the glares of resentment but I steeled myself, breathed in, and walked in.

Russell P.O.V.

"DAMN HIM!" I yelled which gave an echo throughout the whole warehouse. After Richard had easily left me in front of the school, I, Lin, Steven, and Daniel went to where we would always meet up after school, our rundown warehouse hangout. "I swear, when I see him, I'll kick him where it hurts!"

"Don't worry, Russell," Lin said as she sat on a crate near me. "You're not the only one that wants to beat him up."

After Richard's big getaway, we were left to deal with busy matters all by ourselves. Right now, only me and Lin are in the warehouse. Steven and Daniel weren't with us currently because they had to go to the club we were supposed to perform tonight. Without our lead guitarist, we wouldn't be able to concentrate on our music without feeling something is missing.

We had nothing to do here so I decided to busy myself with breaking the nearby boxes here. I needed something to turn my anger to and what better else than boxes lying around everywhere Lin had nothing to do so she plugged on her earphones to her phone and started to listen to whatever music was there.

When she brought her phone down from her ear and looked disappointed, I went behind her to see what was she doing to make her feel upset. I looked behind her and saw her texting to Richard's number.

"If you're trying to contact him, forget about it." My voice came out low and full of anger. "I've already tried that dozens of times and he hasn't answered any of my miss calls and messages."

Lin knew that I wasn't in the mood to see anything Richard-related. She kept her phone in her pocket and continued listening to music while I went to another box and smashed it with one punch.

Christine P.O.V.

I now stand inside the room where I last had a conversation with my father. I'm here now even though I'm scared is because of him. After coming to the headquarters Jason explained to me that I really have to join those because of reasons and it was ordered from my father.

I'm standing here right now to remind him that he doesn't control my life. After meeting each other for the first time, would I really follow everything he tells me to do so?

In front of me is a chair with its back turned to me. I couldn't see the face but I do know that somebody was sitting there.

"Victor! I know why you brought me here. If it's about the mafia, forget about it! I'll never be one of you people!" I yelled at him. "After meeting each other for the first time and suddenly saying you're my father, it felt like a nightmare that I can never escape. Why did you even marry mom when you'd only be leaving her? You left mom and me to survive all by ourselves. Where were you when mom died? If it's people like you, I'm guessing you were doing illegal things. I won't and will never accept you as a father!"

I was so tired but at least the heaviness on my shoulders has lifted. I took my wig off and let my hair fall. I was so tired of yelling at him that I had to take off my wig to feel even the slightest of air wash over my face.

My heart kept on beating fast and it only beat faster when the chair started to turn to my direction. I expected to look at a furious leader of the White Dragons but what I got in return is Michael painfully smiling at me. I was shocked. Why is Michael sitting there? Where's Victor? As if on cue, I felt a hand rest on my shoulder. I turned to look back and saw Victor looking at me. When did he appear?

I was utterly in shock. Michael got up from the chair, and with a smile of pain, left the room, closing the door as he did so. That left me alone with Victor. It's truly awkward and uneasy as well in the room. I didn't get the chance to look at his face when he went back to his chair and sat down.

"I see that I have caused great problems in your life," Victor said, not the slightest hint of any emotions in his voice. "I've already voiced out the reason why I chose you the first time."

The first time I was here he told me that he's finding an heir to the group. I also feel like it's something else deeper than that. He took sheets of paper on his desk and brought it up to his face. Hesitantly, I walked to him while he was still looking at the papers.

I stopped in front of his desk. There were a few seconds before he looked up from the papers and we look at each other.

"Is there something you want to ask me?"

I was about to as him the reason why he chose me. There's Michael who seems wiser than anyone and there's Jason who seems more experienced and really fits the image of a mafia boss, so why me, someone who's known nothing until I had turned 16?

I was about to ask him but my eyes landed on a silver ring on his right ring finger. I scrutinize the ring on his finger and it somehow seems familiar to me. Victor seems to have caught up to what I was looking at and placed the papers back down to his desk.

"This ring," Victor showed me the ring. "Was the ring me and your mother exchanged during our wedding."

No wonder it looked familiar. It's the ring that I've always worn around my neck given to me by my mother before she died. Air caught between my throat and it became hard to breathe.

"I should take it off." Victor suddenly said. "You must feel disturbed when the man who has left your mother is still wearing the ring to prove that we'll always be together."

He was about to take off the ring on his finger when I stopped him. He looked at me with confusion.

"...I don't know why but," I said clearly "When I and mom lived together, she never took off her ring, not even once. I asked her one day and she replied to me that she was waiting for someone to come back to her and as long as her ring and the other are still in the same world, she would never forget the one wearer of the other ring as well. I was young back then, so I didn't understand any of it, but now that I'm older and met people I never knew of meeting, I finally figured out what she was talking about and who she was waiting for."

I reached out for the ring around my neck and unclasped the hook. I opened one of his hands and placed the ring in the middle of his palm. He looked at it full of surprise and in his eyes lay an unknown warmth I've never seen before. I could feel the prickle of tears starting to run down my face, which I knew I would be so moved by this.

Jason P.O.V.

After fetching the boss's son I was smoking in the bar of HQ, waiting for him to finish up whatever the boss would give to the guy. Really, how could the two of them be related? That punk looks nothing like his father.

I was waiting for him when Michael emerged from the door of the stairs. He went in my direction and took a seat next to me. He looked trouble so I offered him a cigarette like I always do when he's depressed. With consideration, he accepted it. And like every cigarette I offered to him before, he didn't light it but instead looked at it in his hands.

I've known Michael my whole life, literally. He was like a father to me when I was a kid while my parents didn't even give a fuck about me. I've never seen him this depressed before.

I'm not the type of person to comfort people so didn't know what to do in situations like these. He must have known that he was starting to worry me because he looked at me with his usual smiles.

"Who'd ever known that the hard-headed kid in the streets 10 years ago would be this emotionless 18-year-old guy sitting next to me?" Michael said to me to lighten up the mood surrounding him. "I'm starting to miss the kid who clumsily drank alcohol, thinking that it was juice."

"...So you still remember that," I said to him, looking at the beer in a cup of glass next to me. "How's the kid? Looks like to me that something happened in the office."

"Just a little argument, that's all... How about you? You seem to care about him even though you ignore him."

"...I just didn't want him to get involved," I remembered back to the time I've willingly joined the mafia so I could leave my parents. It wasn't easy being a kid in the mafia. And from what I've seen, he must still be cowering in fear. "What was the boss thinking about dragging a 16-year old kid into this life? He might even get himself killed out there or worst."

Michael laughed at what I just said. He knows that I was taking this seriously but he laughed it off like it was a joke.

"He may be a 16-year-old who knows nothing of this world, but," Michael said with a smile on his face. "If Richard's anything like his mother, he'll surprise us in the near future. I'm betting all my money that you'll be more surprised than anyone."

"Me? Surprised?" I said as I finished the cigarette I was using and threw it in the ashtray. "I doubt it. Besides, I'm not really interested in finding out about him."

"Just wait and see," Michael said with a never-ending smile. "He is someone you'll least expect like the boss and his wife."

"...What I least expect?" I looked over to the door leading to the stairs where Richard had entered. "What else can he be possibly be hiding? His personality is easy to figure out and so are his intentions. It'll be like reading a picture book."

Michael kept on smiling at me. A smile that only creeps me out but kept me suspicious. "Just wait and see."