Dispel Negativities

Western Command Zone - Military Base

Hugo spotted the cigar he accidentally dropped on the ground and picked it up. He dusted it off from the dirt it accumulated as it kissed the earth.

"Lighter," Hugo's left hand suspended in the air, waiting for Zoey to hand him the golden torch. He puffed and blew the smoke up in the wind, his lips pursed into a thin line and complained, "The last one was better."

"I think so too," Zoey agreed with her friend before she inhaled another smoke. Meanwhile, a giant was fuming by the sidelines. How could Zoey and Hugo not invite him last time? Moreover, all this time, he thought this was his and Zoey's special thing too.

"Zoey, stop smoking, that is bad for your health," Grant's voice was dark and dense, full of threat.

"But you are the one who told me to steal one," Zoey raised her eyebrows at the idiot before her. How could this giant cut her trip to heaven short after all the trouble she went through today?

"I said, boooorrow, not steal. We have to return it," Grant's fingers snapped, urging the lithe girl to follow his command.

"I don't want to put it back. Daddy won't even notice if we took half of it."

"Really? Then can you take one more stick for me?" Grant's eyes glimmered at the thought, forgetting his earlier threat.

While the two were busy chitchatting, Hugo savored every inhale of the brown hand-rolled stick in the background like a running engine, utterly oblivious to his surroundings.

"Are you guys done? Let's head back. Big Brother Lucas must be home by now," Hugo took a quick look at Zoey and Grant before strolling out of their hideout.

Grant pulled the hoodies from Zoey's arm, covering her with her hoodie, then proceeded to put on his own. They rushed to catch up with their friend, who walked abnormally faster than most people do. 

"Hugo, I have meant to ask you why you walk so… fast," Zoey huffed, unable to catch up with Hugo's strides.

Hugo abruptly stopped in his tracks, his book pinned to his chest as he thought of the reason why. It was the first time somebody asked him about it, and it made him ponder too. Grant accidentally bumped into Hugo's back; his nose crashed right on Hugo's skull, leaving a dent on it.

"Ouch!"

Hugo and Grant said in unison. The former rubbed his fractured head, and the latter cried like a baby who tripped for the first time, in front of Zoey.

"Zoweeeeeeh! Look at it? Is it bleeding?" Grant whimpered, begging for Zoey's tender loving care, but she only squeezed his nose. "You should be asking about the damage on Hugo's head," she said, her finger pointed at the back of Hugo's head. 

Hugo felt a hot liquid drip at the back of his head and wiped it with his handkerchief thinking it was sweat. The smudge of pink over his white handkerchief alarmed the trio.

"The f*ck have you done, Grant?" but before Hugo could get his answer, the chicken ran back to its coop.

...

Wan Household - Military Base

Jenny and Lucas were almost at the Wan Household when they saw the admiral's car flew past them. Lucas blocked her chest with his arm on reflex, caught off guard at the speed that his father's car was running inside the military base.

"I'm fine. Look, I have my seatbelt on," Jenny reassured Lucas. They were both puzzled why Admiral Wan was driving recklessly towards the Wan Household.

Little did they know, Madam Wan called the Admiral and asked for a doctor, narrating what happened to Hugo's head because of Grant.

The pair arrived a few minutes later and was greeted by a tandem of military doctor and nurse that was about to leave the premises.

Lucas stayed outside to have a word with the military doctor while Jenny welcomed herself into the Wan Household only to be surprised at the sight of a bandaged Hugo who just got out of the powder room. 

She turned her head to her right in the direction of the home office's direction and saw a kneeling Grant with outstretched arms, palms facing up before an angry Admiral Wan, who was pacing back and forth with a rod in his hand.

A helper closed the door, censoring the whole ordeal, but the sound of the whip hitting flesh could still be heard from the outside. Jenny and Hugo recoiled each time, yet no yelp or word came out from the Giant's mouth. 

Jenny stealthily walked towards Hugo when the atmosphere started to clear. She hugged her injured friend and checked if his wound is anything severe, but before she could get her answer, Hugo hugged her tightly and silently cried on her shoulders.

"I'm glad you are sunny now," Hugo said in-between tears. Jenny patted his back and caressed his bandage.

*Ouch* 

"Oh, I'm sorry," Jenny exhaled, ready to pull away from Hugo, but he hugged her even tighter. "Giant bumped on my head, and his teeth scratched my scalp, but I'm okay. He's in trouble because he dropped the cigar when Uncle arrived." The two friends simultaneously chuckled at Grant's misfortune.

"Where are the rest? Thought they would be here." 

"Oh, Cora went to the Capital Military Academy with Reid. He is applying for the waitlisting program."

"What about Zoey? Where is she?"

"Ahhh thaaaaaat…" Hugo pulled away when he saw Lucas enter from the corner of his eye. "Big Brother," he whispered and motioned for Lucas to come closer. "Can you check on Zoey for me, please? It's been a while since she went upstairs to use the bathroom."

Lucas tilted his head and rubbed his temples, how was he supposed to do that? Should he knock on the bathroom door himself or ask a lady helper to knock for him? However, he did not want to disappoint his little brother Hugo and nodded his head before heading up to the second floor.

"Oh my gah. Did you lovebirds arrive together?" Hugo suddenly realized and teasingly stared at his friend. Jenny's face instantly blushed pink when she remembered their short-lived smooching in the meeting room.

"So that's why you're back! I knew it. I knew you'd be okay soon. It's a good thing that Big Brother Lucas is on leave from his military academy schooling. I'm glad you are safe, Jenny. I really do," Hugo hugged his friend one more time, and Jenny welcomed all his warmth too. 

Out of all his friends, Jenny was the person he was closest to, and when he heard the shocking news about what happened at the Olympic Village, his soul almost left his body. 

Up on the second floor, Lucas lazily walked towards the bathroom; his white faux fur slippers glide on the cherry maple hardwood floor. He softly knocked on the bathroom door and called out for the girl inside, "Zoey, Zoey," but he received no reply. 

Lucas could hear the sound of water streaming out from the faucet, so he decided to knock louder this time. The bathroom door opened, and Chaste was surprised to see Lucas for the second time today. 

After Jenny and Lucas left that morning, Auntie Lala dragged her entourage to the Wan Household to play mahjong with her best friend to dispel all the negativities from her daughter's defiance. Chaste froze for a second but quickly shuffled her feet and bowed her head.

Lucas looked inside the bathroom to check if Zoey was inside, rendering Chaste trapped in her spot. Of course, Zoey was not inside.

The door of the master bedroom flung open, revealing the person he was tasked to look for. Behind Zoey were his mother, Madam Wan, and the imperious Auntie Lala, who had a satisfied smirk on her face.

Unbeknownst to the crowd, fairylike steps graced the stairs looking for her wallflower. "Baaaabe," Jenny singsongy called, but just when she landed on the last step, she saw the look on her mother's face at the end of the hallway. Jenny narrowed her eyes at the direction of the bathroom and saw the stupefied girl inside.

"Jeeeeeeennny!" Zoey's high-pitched voice hammered the polar caps that covered the area. She hastily walked away from the madams and grabbed Lucas on her way to the stairs. She locked arms with Jenny as the three of them went down to the main floor.

If there is one thing that Zoey knew, it was how madams like Auntie Lala looked down on a love child like her, which includes Lucas too. And the best way to keep out of trouble is to stay far away as possible from women like her.

Zoey looked at Jenny, who cozily rested her head on Zoey's arm as they walk down the stairs. Her mind ran in circles, trying to figure out how Jenny would escape from Auntie Lala's cunning little ways.

The door of the home office opened; Grant came out with his hands behind his back. His downcast face gave away his feelings, plus his unusual quietness felt surreal. He stomped his foot away from his friends and went straight into his room, not forgetting to lock the door behind him.

How could his dad discipline him when his friends are around!

Admiral Wan just stepped out of the home office when he spotted Lucas by the stairs. He felt another headache coming his way when he saw how Jenny Huang is clinging onto his son. Of all the girls in the Capital, why must he fall in love with the daughter of the imperious Yiu Lala?

"Lucas, son, we need to talk."

Edited by Swaning