CHAPTER SIX: A COUNTER TO NEVER FORGET

As the sun dipped low in the sky, two mysterious figures dashed into a tight alley.

The alley was squeezed between tall brick walls covered in climbing plants.

Its path was bumpy, made of old stones, and echoed with their quick steps.

These buildings leaned in close, blocking out the stars and turning the alley into a hidden and secretive place.

"yo Lola, you ready," Paul yelled while running down the alley .

"Sure," Lola said running with Paul.

"Good!," Paul yelled, exiting the alley, and as we zoomed into the middle of a bigger alley intersection, a familiar face appeared on top of several beaten-up boys, holding a bat.

Spotting the face, Paul tried to intervene, "Alen, don't worry, we're here to save yo..."

"Oo Sh*t, we're late again!," [annoyed] Paul said as he came to a quick stop frustrated.

"What's wrong with you? Couldn't you have saved some for us? Geez!," he exclaimed, while Lola stood behind him, equally annoyed.

Paul looking around noticed some delinquents frozen in a punishment pose nearby.

"Yo Paul, what you doing here," [tired] Alen said to Paul as he jumped down from the pile of beaten-up bodies.

"I heard you were being rounded by the northern district boy, the hmm what their name again, hmmm..," Paul replied back.

"The Northern Blade," Alen said as his eyes started to feel drowsy.

"Yes yes those weak idiots, I was even just close to feeling sorry for them when I heard they tried to attack you," Paul said.

"Then why the heck did you even come with although knowing I could handle it, I am happy you care enough to come, but I would have been more annoyed if you had come with the entire gang," [annoyed] Alen said.

"come on bro you know me and Lola want a piece of some action too and [said with a quick change in tone] secondly we came for the you know what," [intensely gleering] Paul said to Alen.

"Yeah, yeah, I get it already. Well, for the second one, nothing really came out, the kept refusing to spill out information," Alen explained with a sigh.

"I kept hitting them repeatedly, but they refused to talk. I don't know if it's their loyalty or what, but it's like they'll never spill, I would have used my method of doing things, but I guess am still prohibited from doing it," Alen said with an annoyed look on his face.

"Hey, you guys, I think thisone's talking!," Lola suddenly yelled.

"What? How the heck...? How did you even do that?...., sigh, Whatever, what's he saying anyway?,"[confused] Alen asked, surprised by Lola's sudden success in getting the knocked-out person to speak.

"You wicked monster! How could you beat us like this?," the guy on the floor said groaning in pain. "I can't even feel my hands again," he said as he tries to move his hands.

"but, Do you really think this is going to make me talk? More of us will come, and there are only three of you. How do you expect to even wi—," the boy on the ground said laughing weakly

Alen, losing his patience, interrupted abruptly, delivering a series of punches to the man's face.

"I'm not in the mood for, so just get straight to the point. Do you have any useful information? Yes or yes. Speak!," Alen demanded, delivering repeated punches, emphasizing each word with a hit to the man's face.

"aghhhh, ok ok ok, I will talk I will talk please just get me away from this monster," the guy pleaded from the floor, wincing in pain.

"ok hmmm oo yeah the gang leader just got a new motorbike, hmm, the western and southern districts are at war," stammering and trembling under Alen's furious glare. the boy on the floor said.

"Ugh," Alen grunted in frustration.

"And I just heard just recently that Elsa is being released from juvie, it suppose to be information of top priority,so no one is suppose to know about it. I'm sorry, but that's all I've got!," The boy yelled in fear, cowering on the ground.

"Wait what" Alen and Lola yelled while Paul's expression froze in disbelief at the news. He stepped closer to the boy with his face rigid with a menacing tone.

"Is what you're saying true? Because if it isn't, I swear I'll make sure you're physically incapable of speech,"

"yes it's true"[scared] the guy said to paul

With eyes in fear and shock as if he was holding onto dear life.

"shit, it's way earlier than expected [wispering], everyone let's disband, will deal with this later, it seems I have to make another correction to the plan," Paul said as he scratches his neck out of fustration.

"How the heck is this even happening now, Elsa of all people," [concerned] Lola said out with a trembling voice

"Elsa the ice dragon, a crazy delinquent tyrant infamous for her unhinged methods and the ruthless dominion she carved within her gang, steering her gang close to the height of dominance within the city's shadows, Yet, a moment of recklessness led her being sent to juvi, or so the world thought,

Elsa, however, is no ordinary delinquent, her actions always carried a deeper purpose, shrouded in mystery,

She love to hide herself behind that mischievous mask so it becomes alot of problem identifying her,

But She back now of all times,

This is to much of a complication since we're currently in the ranking she use to be in and she might want revenge since Paul was the only person that as gotten close to winning a fight with her, I just wonder why he never unmasked her that day or how his going to react now," Lola said In thought as her gaze filled with worries moved towards paul

"Well no need overthinking about it, it could be worse, so don't worry I will handle it, see you later guys," Paul said with a fake smile as he fist-bumped Alen and left.

"here he goes again trying to solve the problem by himself, it feels like he keeps forgetting we are all in the gang together, well I can't blame him, I just wished he could depend on us more, or just see us more than just gang members," with a sadden look in his eyes, Alen said as he looks as Paul walk away.

"Oo shit I thought out loud, let just brush it off," shocked, Alen said in his thoughts.

"Well am off," quickly putting up a cold look Alen said as he walked away.

"Huh, that a first seeing that look on his face," surprised, Lola whispered within herself as she watches both of them walk away. 

"But I certainly don't disagree with what you said," lola said to herself as the surprised look on her face swiftly change to a sorrowfull look, soon after she dashes out of the Alley.

"Paul," a faint blush appeared on her cheeks,

"no, no, I shouldn't think like that about our leader. I need to focus on helping him more and hope that one day he sees us as close friends," Lola said internally, her face now serious, as she sprinted out of the other alley exit.

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Two days swept by like a fleeting breath.

The noisy honking of different vehicles resonated through the streets, ushering in the gentle, refreshing scent of the early morning dew.

Amidst this symphony of sounds, the melodious patter of countless school student's footsteps harmonized, but one set of noisy steps stood out distinctly, a figure dashing along the sidewalk.

"Damn it, I've got to pick up the pace, I can't afford to be late for school again, I absolutely refuse to deal with the Supreme Student Council this morning," Paul muttered to himself, his steps made noise as he hurried forward.

Although Paul's intense speed he couldn't ignore the creamy delight of the ice cream dancing on Paul's taste buds.

"Mmm, early morning ice cream is always just too good," he exclaimed, grinning, about to take another indulgent bite when he spotted a shortcut.

With a swift movement, he swiftly changed direction, moving into the narrow alley.

Like a nimble acrobat, he swiftly engaged in parkour, scaling the building's side with agile flips and jumps, propelling himself from wall to wall until he reached the rooftop.

"Hmmm.. You too, huh?," [laughing] Paul chuckled upon noticing someone else running alongside him, holding their own ice cream.

But his joy was short-lived. "Nooo, my ice cream!,"[surprised] he cried out in shock as his ice cream plummeted from his hand.

"Hehe, that's what you get when you won't shut up," [laughing] Alen joked playfully, reveling in Paul's misfortune.

The duo continued their rooftop endeavors, leaping effortlessly from one building to another.

The school building loomed closer in their view.

With a swift descent, they landed in front of the school, only to find the gates closing.

"Darn, we're late! They're already closing the gate?," [Surprise] Paul said, 

"Hey, Slowpoke, let make a bet, the first one to enter the gate buys the other lunch!," [grinning mischievously], Alen said as he dashed ahead, gaining a head start in the race toward the entrance.

"Huh, free lunch?,"[in disbelief] Paul muttered, his voice tinged with dumbfoundedness.

Suddenly, a realization hit him.

"Free lunch!!!!!!!, Ha ha ha!" he yelled madly, and with a burst of speed dashed forward.

Closing the gap between him and Alen the soon passing him but he near the gate with too much speed and the gate was about to close has he couldn't pass through it.

he had no choice but to make a last-ditch effort, using the gate wall to propel himself over the gate right before it sealed shut.

With a clean glide Paul accended into the air

"Touchdown! I won! Now you owe me that free lunch,"[really happy] Paul exclaimed triumphantly from the other side of the gate.

But his victory was short-lived when out of nowhere.

"You're still late. Take this to the president," the council member handing over a piece of paper to Paul.

"Aw, crap!," Paul blurted.

"ha ha[laughing]," Alen laughed loudly.

"You know your late to right, Whatever this doesn't mean anything you still owe me that lunch," [annoyed] Paul said grumpyly

"Sure sure, you seem to be really In a good mood today seems like that Elsa issue ain't bothering you anymore," [smiling] Alen said,

"why would it bother me, at school after all, that block head couldn't dare stress me out in this high prestige school, so  what could possible go wro...." [shocked] Paul's words halted abruptly as a sudden punch landed on him.

"So, this is the brat you were talking about, huh? Pathetic," [grinning] a vague figure stood, pushing Paul aside after the punch.

"Surprise! I got this as a present for you since we're in a prank war after all," Nicole chimed in, her tone mischievous.

"His going to help take care of you since, I wouldn't dare waste a piece of my energy on a waste like you, do enjoy," she added with an evil smile, walking closer as she observed Paul's stunned silence.

In that moment of a malicious smile, as Nicole and Bucky reveled in their apparent victory, a determined glint sparked in Alen's eyes.

He observed Paul's stunned silence and Nicole's malevolent smirk.

Alen's mind raced, forming a plan of retaliation against this unjust assault on his friend.

Who knows what will happen next, I guess you just have to wait and see.