Chapter Twenty One

< Nina >

“Uh… Gene?” I pale a bit as soon as I hear the phone warning tone informing me that my battery juice is soon going to run out in a few seconds. “I’m not at Luca’s place so we can continue after I charge my phone, okay?”

“...sure.” Apparently, our conversation made it worse for his voice.

Right after we ended the call, the phone battery died. Perfect timing, I must say.

I sigh and I look at the pink shirt that is placed next to me. O-oh, right. I forgot about that. I take off my blazer in a swift moment before putting on the pink shirt. Just as I suspected, it is just like one of my oversized hoodies.

Then I put on my blazer back.

As I stand up, I give a sideways glance to see the restaurant owner who is wiping the counter with a rag.

“I’m sorry you have to witness that.”

“It’s okay. I’m just glad that you cried with your heart’s content because you were seriously lost earlier,” the restaurant owner chuckles as he pats on my head. “Glad you’re feeling better now.”

“T-Thank you,” I say with utmost gratitude. Then, I wonder as I say, “Aren’t your family supposed to be here by now?

“Well, while you were on your phone, my wife called and said that they will be late. They are outside the central city visiting her parents, you see. So I’ll be keeping an eye on this place for the time being.” Then he looks at me. “By the way, it’s 8:15, are you sure your parents aren’t worried at this time?”

That long? I have been talking and crying with Gene for a long time? “Oh, it’s okay, my curfew is at nine.”

“Nine? I can safely assume that you live nearby?”

“I don’t know,” I reply with a slight shrug. “I mean, my place is just a bit closer to my school.”

“Dawn Peak Academy, yeah?”

“Err...yeah?”

“Well, I’m surprised that you’re calm about it, Missy because from here it will take an hour to reach the Academy on foot.”

“Oh no!” I scream and pick up my satchel bag. “Thank you for your hospitality and I’ll come back for your noodles!”

“Sure,” he smiles. “Feel free to come back here whenever you’re in a slump!”

And after bidding goodbye, I quickly make a dash straight back to Luca’s home.

……………………………….

Crap! Crap! Crap!

How big isDawn City, anyway? It wasn’t supposed to be that big! But why haven’t I reached my destination yet?

I should have called or texted Yu earlier while I still have some phone battery left! But I’ve never run this fast before. Because at the back of my mind, I tried my best to avoid being on Luca’s hate list. And it is only the first day and I’m screwing it up!

I keep running until I’ve reached a familiar street: this is where Yu and I ate the first night in Central City! So I pass by the boulevard, without glancing even the slightest, then turn left.

‘Oh, God! Oh, God! Oh, God! I’m screwed!’ Apparently fear is my motivation to run this fast because if it weren’t for the bullies in Liberty High, Clarence’s assault, or Luca himself, I wouldn’t have run like this. Not in a million years.

I caught sight of the old Spanish building and I’m thanking all the deities in heaven that there are only two floors on this apartment. Having almost reached the finishing line, I increased my speed, ignoring the pain of my worn-out legs.

As I am running, I pass by a group near the parking lot and overhear compliments and their comments about my speed. But it doesn’t bother me at all since in my mind I would be dead meat if I don’t get there on time.

Well, I would be dead meat regardless of whether I was running late or not.

I keep running, reaching the stairs which will exhaust me even more but it doesn’t matter to me. And I continue to dash upstairs.

I’m almost there! I thought with each aching step. My legs are about to give up—I’M ALMOST THERE!

And once the door opens wide before I could stop, I catch sight of Luca coming out from the door a few inches closer—

—and I trip.

Why do I have to trip of all times?! I mentally scream on my head before bracing myself for impact but instead of experiencing the excruciating pain of the concrete floor, my arm is being pulled back by Luca’s grip.

I look up to Luca who seems surprised as I am as if something possessed him to grab my arm like that. You can say it was instinct when he did. He finally snaps out that he has been holding my arm for a short while and slowly releasing me.

With that, I try to stand up, forcing my wobbly feet to be back in their position. Unfortunately, the numbness of my legs gives away its last strength and I fall down, landing on Luca’s chest.

If there is a way for the floor to swallow me whole, please do. Because right now, thanks to the numbness of my legs, I really can’t move at all.

Not to mention I can faint anytime with how embarrassing this is for me! I should really, really apologize to him because each encounter gets more and more agonizing.

He places his hands on my shoulders as he pulls me away. I still can’t look him in the face because of my embarrassment. Because dear Lord, I couldn’t look at him even a single second for something I did!

“Your eye...” He says and I look up.

“Sor—” Oh right, it will anger him if I apologize. “Th-thank you.” And I move away from his touch so I can slowly lean my shoulder against the wall.

That’s the time I can finally breathe. My lungs are killing me.

He doesn’t say anything or rather, he never had the chance to say anything because Yu comes out from the entryway.

With him, carrying what seems to be his phone and keys, I can immediately tell that they are planning to go out, looking for me.

“There you are! We couldn’t reach your phone.”

I continue to pant, the pain feels like it's squeezing every air in my lungs but I still manage to say it. “S-sorry, I lost t-track of time.”

“Where were you? We were worried sick.” He scans at my bruised eye and a concerned look immediately plaster on his face. “Really, worried sick.”

“More like he’s worried sick. I’m going now,” Luca says before he moves aside from me.

“Luca!” Yu yells as he grabs on his shoulder. “Te ne vai proprio cosi?”

“Yes,” he replies, nonchalantly. “Ed eccola qui. Ora puoi smetterla di preoccuparti per lei.”

They continue talking in Italian and this gives me a chance to catch my breath. I glance from both sides and it seems that they act like a married couple bickering about their kid ( which is me, duh) but the father, Luca, wants to go out in a bar.

That’s just my assumption though as the scene is being played right before me. But I don’t want to get in the way with Luca if he wants to go out, I need to get inside.

And well, charge up the phone.

But all of the sudden, I feel like my head is spinning, and the feverish feeling erupts my head, making it throb.

“Nina? Are you okay?” Whose voice was that? Oh, Yu’s voice.

I have to tell him I’m okay but my vision becomes hazy and slowly, replaces with darkness.

“Nina!”

I guess I’m just too tired to guess whose arms capture me before I land on the ground, my eyes can't even lift up and the distant sounds of my name echo until I finally lose consciousness.

Today is a tiring day, after all. I just hope Luca and Yu won't notice my damaged uniform later.