Favorite Toy
Damian
‘Hey!’ One of them called from behind.
The prayer started in my head. ‘Please don’t let it be me. Please don’t let it be me, please.’
The repetition stopped the moment the other two came to stand in front of me. ‘Did you really think you would escape us?’
I lowered my head to avoid the inevitable but as soon as the one who had called me out placed a hand on my shoulder, I knew it was game over for me.
‘Let’s get going damned.’ He said. I should’ve been angry but wasn’t. I had no right to. People like me, the ones with less respect than an insect was supposed to tolerate everything these bullies did. Why? Because that’s the only way you survive the college. You dare raise a brow at them and they’ll make sure there isn’t one to do it next time.
I sighed and took out my wallet only to give it to them. ‘Here, you can have it...please...let me go.’
‘You think we’re beggars or what? Huh!’ He raised his hand, and I covered my face. The bruises will make me an obvious victim and soon professor would be lining up to make me speak against the bullying in the institution. I didn’t want to be a poster boy of anything, so I just plead.
‘Sorry. What do you want me to do?’
‘C’mon man why you are so scared of us? We’re just trying to break the ice between new students and the old ones.’ One of them said. I had no intention of being friends with either of those four but I still let them drag me to a club which was an hour away from the campus.
Some IDs were shoved in the bouncers’ faces and we were easily inside. There were some crazy dancing happening and drinks it seemed were free by the way people were gulping them down. It was all new to me because up until now I was barely of age to come to such places, not to mention my overprotective family. They were still overprotective and would have a heart attack if saw me in this club with a drink which was basically shoved in my hand, I had no choice but to hold it. Mind it I was still holding the glass because the juvenile in me was still debating whether it was the right time or I should wait for next month until my birthday when I would officially be an adult.
‘What’s the point of getting you here when you’re not even going to drink?’ The bullies noticed I was trying to pass the time until they get drunk and I escape. He narrowed his eyes on me and asked, ‘You cannot leave until we do smarty!’Shit! What do I do?
‘No, I wasn’t going to.....’
‘Then drink it.’ He was serious now. It was pathetic that I was scared of someone I didn’t even know name of. But also, the bullies never have a name, they’re described by their personalities. This one was called Victor, not because he won everything but because he makes everyone lose. And yes, there a difference between the two. The first one focuses on themselves and the latter, only wants to make everyone else’s life miserable. He was doing the same with me right now. All my pocket money was going to go down their gut with those drinks they were having.
I tried to be smart and thought of taking a sip to satisfy his ego, but someone didn’t want me to. The glass was taken from my hand and sat on the bar counter with threatening silence. From the corner of my eyes, I tried to look who the savior was but couldn’t get a glimpse of him due to popping lights making him appear to be more of a ghost than a human. It might have something to do with the clothes he was wearing. Apparently, pastels were not his thing.
The guys were now staring him up and down. One of them asked, ‘Got a problem, man?’
The guy who hates pastels answered, ‘He didn’t seem like he wanted a drink.’ Hearing his deep strong voice, I couldn’t hold back and wanted to look at his face but before I could one of the guys took the beer can and opened it right in front of my face spilling the contents on my clothes and my face.
‘Shit!’ I exclaimed and used the sleeves of my shirt to wipe my face.
I think it was then the momentum began. My savior did something which shocked the guys and they stepped back. I wasn’t sure what it was, so I finally turned still trying to wipe my face clean but suddenly it didn’t seem necessary.
There was a gun on the bar counter and a pair of livid hazel eyes were staring the guys who all of sudden didn’t seem to be interested in bullying me anymore.
‘Yo, damned what the heck do you do that you have these kinds of friends?’ I so wanted to tell him I was not damned, but I decided to keep quiet. After all there was a guy with a gun.
‘I’m not his friend.’ The pastel-hating savior with a gun said. ‘I’m his boyfriend.’ All of them now stared at me with wide eyes. Before I could refute came a threating declaration, ‘and I hate to see the one I love, suffer.’
Victor looked at me with shock and asked, ‘Really? You’re dating a guy?’
‘Last time I checked it wasn’t illegal so....’ The gun was picked up and I swear Victor was sweating like a pig. To stamp the horror in their memory forever the guy received a phone call which I hadn’t even realized was there if he hadn’t taken out the phone from his suit’s jacket and swiped his finger on it. ‘Kill him.’ Was all he said, and it was enough for the guy to call it a night. None of them bothered to take me their victim back to the campus with them. Where are the ethics guys? I wanted to ask them.
Both the phone and the gun were settled inside his jacket, and I was sure he was going to leave too when I don’t know why but I said, ‘Can you drop me to the campus?’What?! Why the hell did I just say that?
He turned around and that would be the first time I would be looking at his face completely. It was still dark; the pathetic lights were still making it difficult but the smirk on his face was not to be missed. Great, now even he thought I was pathetic. I mean who in their right minds would ask to be dropped somewhere by a guy who has a gun.
‘Follow me.’ He said. Believe me not, but I did follow him. Why? Because one I am a fool and two, I didn’t have a ride or the money for cab or bus.
His driver drove the car to the front of the club, and I was impressed. It was the latest model. So, he was rich...and he had a gun. Was he by any chance...? No, I shook my head, and he turned to look at me in confusion. I waved my hands telling him it was nothing. He went back to giving instructions to his driver which made my ears more alert. ‘Give me the keys. I won’t be going back home tonight. Don’t need to tell anyone though.’
‘Why?’ I said a bit loudly, I realized later.
A sigh later he told his driver to go his way. The latter nodded and was gone faster than the food on my dinner table. What can I say my mom’s a great cook!
‘Sit.’ He ordered.
I hesitated. ’On a second note, I think I will take a bus back to the university.
‘Even if it means being able to attend the class next week.’
‘What do you mean?’ I asked.
‘Those jerks spend all your money on booze. No bus is going to loan you the money so I’m assuming you were going to walk to the university. That would take at least a week to reach there with your stamina.’
‘You know nothing about my stamina!’ I scoffed which I realized I shouldn’t have because he pulled me by my arm and shoved me towards the car. I was now pinned between the gate of his luxurious ride and him. I gulped and asked, ‘What are you doing?’
‘I know a lot of ways to check your stamina.’ He said and I have no bloody idea why the hell did I blush. I could feel the heat on my cheeks. He saw me and then grinned. I averted my eyes only for him to get closer and whisper in my ears, ‘It’s not what you’re thinking.’
My eyes widened and I pushed him away. He let me. ‘I’m not thinking anything!’
‘Are you sure? Because I bet your face is as red as the drink I was having at the club.’
‘I don’t know what you were having but you’re certainly not having me!’ I said and closed my eyes in instant regret.
He laughed. ‘And you say you weren’t thinking about it.’ He ruffled my hair and opened my eyes again. ‘Listen kid, I was taking about something else.’
‘What exactly?’ I asked.
‘Get in the car. I’ll tell you then.’ He said, his deep voice making butterflies do summersaults in my stomach. When I took some time to decide he said, ‘Just get in, I anyways don’t do it in the car.’
Taken aback I said, ‘I never said we were going to do it! You’re the one who keep teasing me.’
‘Okay. Okay. I won’t do it again. Just sit please.’ He said and I finally obliged.
There was nothing wrong and we were on the way back to my university until he took a turn and was going another way. ‘Where are you taking me?’ Panic mode was on.
‘Stop panicking. I said we have different things on our minds.’
‘I never...’
‘Shhh’ He kept a finger on my lips as he parked the car with one hand outside a place whose shutter was down. Trust me there was nothing sexier than the way he parked the car. Did I just say that? I need to have a censor on my mind too, I guess.
We got out and he opened the shutter. Yes, it was down but not locked. ‘Is this your place?’ I asked.
‘Nah! My friend’s mother’s.’
‘Ah!’ A sound came before I could ask any more questions. Then came another sound. Someone was beaten up. Oh no! He was a gang leader or something and had brought me here to take out my organs. Shit!
‘Why are we here?’ I asked, my heart palpating different than normal.
‘To put your stamina in check.’ He said and winked.
My eyes wanted to jump out their sockets. ‘I have to go.’ I said and tried to leave only to be grabbed by him. The only option left was....‘Please let me go. Please I beg you. I’m sorry if I did anything wrong...’ I fell to his feet and was begging for my life. Why was it always me begging people to leave me alone? I was a born victim of the bullies, I guess.
He sighed and grabbed my collar. Before he could say something, someone whistled and went on to say, ‘Whoah! Isn’t he too young to be kneeling in front of you? And not in front of my school man! That’s disgusting!’ The person said and it took me a minute to understand what he meant.
I quickly got up and said, ‘It’s nothing like that.’
‘Ya right!’ The owner of this place said smirking.
Then the one who’d brought me here said, ‘I got you a new student. Train him.’
‘Train?!’ Both I and the owner exclaimed.
‘You got me here to train?’ I asked and he nodded. ‘For what exactly?’
‘Now you weren’t thinking I would be becoming your bodyguard for life, were you?’
I said, ‘I never said you had to.’
‘So, learn to save your life yourself.’ He said and then turned to his friend, ‘Train him. He needs to build his stamina.’
‘I see.’ His friend said smiling smugly. Seriously why did people think something was going to happen between me and this guy right next to me? I mean, I wasn’t even interested in guys...or maybe I am. Hell! I don’t know why he’s messing my head so much. ‘Fine. I’ll take him in on your special recommendation.’ With that I was admitted to what turned out to be a school for martial arts. Yes, all the noises were from the students practicing inside.
I saw the guy walking to his car so I ran after him. ‘You don’t want me to start training right now, do you?’ I was holding his hand.
He looked at my grip and said, ‘I have something important to do. River will give you money to take the bus to your university. It’s anyways not far away from here, would hardly take ten minutes.’ He removed my hand, but I grabbed it again.
‘Why are you acting like a child refusing to leave his favorite toy?’ He asked calmly.
‘The toy is favorite not because it’s nice to play with but because it gives a sense of familiarity and safety.’
This time he removed my hand with firmness. ‘You’re neither familiar with me nor is it safe for you to be around me. So, I’m going to make sure we never meet again.’
With that he sat in his car and drove away to keep his promise and never meet me again. I thought that promise was going to last a lifetime until...that day arrived which changed our fates forever.
