Unexpected Turn of Events

(The hell is their problem. All I wanted was ask a simple question)

Well, that was weird. Those students from the same school as me ran speedily without disregarding that they are bumping the other customers as all of them head out.

"Those students sure are rude, don't you think, Mister?" one of the customers stated.

"Do you mean the college students or the ones who suddenly ran and bump into everyone without even saying sorry? Which of them?" I responded and told the customers that the store will now be closing.

It has already been three hours, but I wasn't able to notice the time because of the unending rush of customers. Not to mention the scene with those college students plus my schoolmates who caused a commotion in the store.

The time is already eight in the evening, and only an hour before the end of my shift, so I'm pretty sure that my boss wouldn't mind that I close the store earlier since I doubled not only the earnings today but tripled it.

Cleaning the store would be a great idea after a long day of having customers. Cause you know, it's also good publicity that people trust your store because of the cleanliness.

While cleaning, some thoughts keep on circulating in my mind. It's already three days since students at our school started to look at me with horror. Then to keep me from being satisfied, all I believed was those treatments I've been receiving were normal.

However, what happened between my schoolmates made me realize that there is something wrong with the way they treat me. It's as if they see a murderer or something related to some sort.

And that when I concluded that I need to end everything fast, I will track down the roots of this problem and fix it with my own hands. Never have I wanted to receive this kind of hate without even knowing the reason.

As I was about to finish cleaning, my boss came back from her errands and still has those teary eyes. She didn't even greet me and just went straight to her office.

(Telling her the situation that happened might worsen her mood, but if I show her the results of the sales today. She will surely be happy)

Before I head to her office, I thought first of everything I would say to make her enthusiastic. From the tone to sentences and length, all of those should be perfect.

When I knocked at the door, you can see from the outside her sadness. She tried to hide everything and faked a smile to face me, but it's obvious, but pretending not to notice is something I should do.

"Can I talk to you for a second? I would like to report something that happened when you were gone," I forgot to add the honorifics as I requested to talk to her.

"Oh, Xavier, it's you. Come in, what report would you like to tell me?" She responded.

"And also you can forget the honorifics. It's not like our age is too far from each other," she also added before I could have the chance to talk.

"I can only report this to you if you come with me to the counter," I responded while trying to be a bit mysterious.

I grabbed her hand and pulled her to the counter, and while she is still clueless about what is happening, I seized the moment and tried to surprise her. While I told her to close her eyes, she tried to resist but later on complied with me.

"I will count to three," I counted while she closes her eyes, waiting for something to appear.

"One...Two...Three..." I counted. "You can open your eyes now, boss," I added and requested while she tries to hide her tears as she saw the screen.

She hid her face using her hands, then hugged me tightly with no regard for the store. Her tight hug and swollen face from crying, seeing that near my face was something that surprised me. And at that moment, what I saw was a woman, not a boss that I follow.

Her hugged lasted for more than a minute, and every second that time flows, the tighter the hug gets.

(She must surely be happy to hug me this tight)

"Do you know what this means to me, Xavier?" she chipped in while crying, hiding her face using her hands. Leaning at the counter-top.

"Ever since I worked here at the counter, I saw the log on the computer, and it seems to me that the store isn't doing well these past few months," I responded.

"And I noticed your face all the time, boss. You tried to hide your sadness and insisted on keeping it all to yourself. I saw how passionate you are at handling the store because of that, I decided to help you without telling you anything," I added while caressing her hair like a baby.

After minutes of comforting, everything I have done for the store and to make my boss happy resulted positively. She couldn't even speak, and I told her that I'll head out cause it's already late.

I changed my clothes first in the locker room and picked up my things, then left the store to come home. As I walk, someone grabbed my hands from behind, and to my surprise, it was my boss.

She pulled my shirt down, reached for my face, then suddenly kissed me on the lips.

"Thank you...Really...Thank you..." she added, then ran back to the store.

(What the hell is happening? Why would she kiss me out of nowhere?)

I've spent the entire night thinking about what happened on my way home after riding the bus. Then for a few minutes, I walked since there are no rides that enter the neighborhood.

When I arrived at our house, I remembered that Augustine said that he'll be late tonight. So I went out for a quick jog, the same routine, five laps, then went to the park and rested.

Sitting at the bench where I sat last time, I lay down and looked at the stars and moon. But I can't seem to forget what happened earlier in my head.

(Why would she kiss me?)

Questions flooded my mind, confused with no one who can answer.

(But is that something anyone would do? Is it normal for someone to kiss when they are thankful)

When I closed my eyes, someone shouted, and that caught my attention. But I didn't bother since it's none of my business, and I just kept on resting while my eyes are closed.

However, the yelling didn't stop, and it pissed me off. Because I was trying to observe inner peace and meditate, then some random group of men shouts like howling wolves in the middle of the night.

"THE HELL YOU LOT YELLING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT!" I responded with a yell.

Then I heard a distant chatter coming from the location of those men, then they entered the park. There are, at the very least, six men, but to my surprise, they brought backup.

As they get closer, I saw some familiar faces, and I can't seem to remember where I met them. But when one of them talked, I remembered that some of them were the ones who I caught shoplifting earlier, plus the three whom I beat last night.

"Bro, he is the one who fought us last night and interfered in the alley," one of the men whom I fought last night stated.

"Yeah, Bro, He is also the man in the convenience store who interfered this afternoon," one of the men this afternoon added.

"Is everything that my dear brothers stated is true?" the one in front of me chipped in.

"Yes, what you heard is right. Teach your brothers to do what is right rather than teaching them what is wrong," I responded. But the supposed to be big boss didn't like it.

"You don't have any right to tell me what to teach them and what I order them to do. Mind your own business if you want to live a peaceful life," their boss replied and ordered his man to leave.

"I cannot let you corrupt the young ones with your violent nature. Are your insecurities that high to the point that you act like a total douche just for people to follow you?" I answered, which made him furious. And suddenly became violent.

They ganged up on me and thrash me. And also, given the situation, I can't fight back since they are too many. Many kept on beating me up while I was on the ground, starting to feel dizzy.

I can feel my body filled with injuries, fractures of some sort, but suddenly my body felt hot, and I can hear voices in my head.

(Xavier...Xavier...Stand up. You can do it, don't let them follow what is wrong and teach them what is right...Xavier...stand up)