亚洲综合中美

“So, so, tell me,” inquired a very energetic Ewi, “-where are you from?”

“Originally from Dorchester,” he replied.

“What about Celina, is she shy at home too?” they flipped to give a jestful leer.

“I wouldn’t say shy, there’s a mean streak in behind her cold stare.”

“What cold?” tugged Elm, “-Celina’s the most innocent girl at the whole academy.”

“Stop lying,” interjected Ewi, “-we all know not to approach the honor student. She’s a favorite of the teachers and most of her class ignore her. Sorry to say, brother, the lass is a loner through and through, no friends,” the crimsons lips pressed momentarily, they hovered open for a few seconds in thought and hammered, “-she has Jonia.”

.....

“Jonia Hart?”

“Yes, the rich noble girl,” replied Elm. Therein, a narrative grew within his thoughts, the subjective thoughts the ladies gave were insightful. Along the narrowing passageway of Zong Park, where the trees were prominently haunting and hallow, similar to the willow trees and its hanging foliage, the lack of attention self-made a haunted path. Leaves scatter the pathways; a brief blow of wind rang the branches and pull more onto the ground.

“Celina,” he escaped the sisters’ grasp, “-are you doing fine?” they stood next to a painted iron fence of height taller than the average joe. The honeycombed-shaped iron barriers made for a sturdy transparent wall to lean against.

“I’m fine, it’s fine,” she replied and held a half-empty water bottle, “-I didn’t expect a visit.”

“If everything’s fine, why do I feel a sense of worthlessness. Are you not proud of what your actions have led to?”

“No, that’s beside the point,” her chin lifted and locked forth, Igna followed the line of sight and landed onto the sisters. They were off in the distance interjecting a young couple’s intimate time. The boyfriend seemed awfully flustered; the girlfriend had a less than amicable response. Where sound didn’t travel and was drowned by the adjacent traffic, their body posture, especially her strong sharp movements and stomps, told of a risen typhoon.

“You envy them,” he backpedaled to her face, “-being alone isn’t so bad a thing. Well, a university student should know better,” habit drew the fingers into the inside-pocket, he pulled a shiny container, a press undid the lock in a little ‘pop’. Inside were dark-brown lines of cigars, they call them cigars but were shorter and thinner than what was traditional. They lasted longer than a cigarette and could be inhaled since the smoke didn’t burn one’s throat and lungs, unlike the cigar. Three remained, the furthest away had toppled against the opposite ledge, ‘-I need to order more,’ he thought and lit the brown-line, *puff,* “-you don’t mind me smoking, right?”

“Should have asked before lighting the damned thing.”

“I didn’t know my words would reach.”

“Stop talking in backward riddles, what does that mean?”

“I only suggested Celina be too dense to understand my words. Get it?”

“Oh,” she paused and glanced downwards, “-I don’t really want to party. It’s beyond me, I’d rather stay home and practice. I made a promise to play the bass on stage with you one day.”

“I’m flattered,” he smiled, “-I wanted to play the guitar on stage too, I want to do a lot of things. Honestly, being a guitarist touring the world like Xius and Aceline looks like a lot of fun. I did it once, very long ago, my involvement was forced. There are things people can, and things they can’t. Part of the responsibility to pick and choose rests on us. I’d say, there’s the privilege of humanity, to make mistakes, learn, and grow.”

“But why not?” her expressions were more animated and much focused on the eyebrows, “-the one who brought me here is someone truly powerful and strong.”

“And there’s your answer,” he puffed, “-the powerful have a duty to care for matters beyond an average joe’s understanding. I wish I could do what I wanted, sadly, my name, Haggard, the dynasty, the things we’re involved in, the fate of Arda, everything rests on us, and on me. Cousin Julius is working hard for Apexi, you know, the situation is all over the news. Big sister Eira’s an Empress of a powerhouse of an empire. Lizzie, I haven’t heard from lately, save for her songs being played on the radio.”

“I didn’t see this coming,” the frown dropped, “-everyone has their troubles to deal with.”

“Yeah,” he flicked the half-burnt cigar, “-tis the symbol of one being alive.”

“Brother,” echoed in the distance, “-we’re back,” the duo laughed and smiled obnoxiously, the laughter had a weird ring to the point of sounding akin to a cave-dwelling beast, cackles interspersed with raspy breaths.

“After ruining the couple’s day,” he looked over the shoulder, “-seems about right. The boy’s sat with hands in his palms, the girl’s storms her way to the entrance.”

“Well, excuse my sister,” fired Elm, “-she has a habit of hating overly affectionate couples. And I personally hate couples in general.”

“Who hurt you...” he muffled.

“Did you say something?”

“No.”

“Why’s Celina laughing then,” Elm pointed fiercely.

“It’s nothing,” she hid her face, “-nothing really.”

“A nice sight once in a while,” added Ewi.

“Question.”

“Wait, brother,” she tiptoed and waved, “-they’re here.”

‘Who is they?’ he scanned where she stared, a group of stylishly dressed boys arrived, each had their arms occupied with a lady, the centermost fellow bore the aura of a pop-star.

“Students of the academy,” said Elm. Celina promptly threw her head at the incoming crowd, the silent laughter drowned in a jolt of irritation.

“Elm, Ewi.”

“What’s up boys,” winked Ewi rushing to their side and ignored Celina in the process.

“Celina?”

“Elm...” she stood and moved in-between Elm and the coming group, “-did you plan for me to join the party on Jong’s behalf?” her arms breathed short shots, “-we’re friends, tell me, how could you?”

“Get off the high-horse.”

“Pardon?”

“Stop acting high and mighty. Don’t you get it, people only hang out to look good in front of the teachers. None’s here for the amazing personality, well there are also idiots like Jong who think with their pants and ignore anything we say. Don’t you get it, they hate you.”

“Hate me?”

“Whatever, Celina,” she trusted forth and knocked her shoulders, “-Hey guys,” said the fading voice.

“Tsk,” her jaws clenched and shone focus on her bone structure, “-what a joke.”

“Calm down, Celina,” said Igna.

“DON’T TOUCH ME!” she fired and slapped his friendly gesture.

“...” returned an emotionless stare, ‘-so much for an independent life.’

“Hey, Ewi, what’s with the dude in the suit?” went across the group, they stopped a few meters from where the siblings waited.

“Who dresses so formally nowadays?” they laughed, especially the boys.

“I admit,” said Shieon,”-he’s sharp and handsome, there’s a dreaminess to him.”

“Oh, come on,” interjected Jong, “-we look far better than the geezer...”

“Take a greater look,” said Yune, “-he’s very handsome, I hate to say it.”

“A good-looking dude with a suit, come on, he’s the perfect package. Isn’t his type the ones you girls swoon over on those soap operas.”

“Celina’s here too,” said Jong, “-I’ll go talk to her.”

“Wait for me,” said Yune, “-we’ll be back, you guys can head to the restaurant already.”

“Right on,” cheered Shieon, “-a night of partying on Yune’s tab, hell yeah!”

“Hell yeah!”

“Say, Jong, are you at all interested in him?”

“No, I only want to, you know.”

“Stop thinking with your c-”

“Boys, no horny talk,” interjected Ewi.

“Tagging with, what of Elm?”

“Not coming. They had a... rough discussion.”

“Who cares,” fired Jong, “-we might as well take her with,” they walked subtly, Yune made a conscious effort to dodge the fallen leaves, clean white-shoes on an uncared path was a disaster waiting to happen. Jong followed and gawked whilst Ewi held her mouth and stepped. The current situation was partly on their account, ‘-we tricked her, doesn’t matter if she’s ignored, we’re scum nonetheless. Elm understands.’

“Pretty brazen of you,” bellowed deeply, “-I don’t appreciate misguided anger. If you had something to say and a person to say it to, why not focus on them, instead, you threw a malicious comment at my face,” he leaned menacingly and glared through her pupils, almost peering into her soul, “-family or not, those who disrespect me will have their sorry selves put into their place. Celina,” he held her shoulders, “-how does it feel?” the terrifying aura vanished, “-my acting.”

“Acting?” she coughed, “-I-I-I.”

“Yes, yes,” he tapped her cheeks, “-I was playing around. The anger, vanished?”

“You’re right,” she gulped, “-the irritation I felt is gone, what was that?”

“When faced with a greater fear, the body reacts to safeguard survival. Anger isn’t a necessary emotion, the earlier one learns of the importance of choosing when to be hyper and how to channel said rage, the better.”

“Hello... Celina,” he held the ‘o’ and brushed past Igna, “-we meet again, don’t we.”

“Jong,” she mindfully side-step, still, the youngling forced himself to wrap his arms around her shoulders. Igna casually entered the frame and halted the advance with a single finger, “-Celina, forget what I said about anger,” the finger clenched into a fist, *WHAM,* he flew into the bushes.

“So much for controlling one’s anger,” she chuckled.

“Yeah, talk about the pot calling the kettle black. Regardless,” he dusted his fist, “-I got blood on my knuckles, what a pain.”

“Hey, hey, hey!” gritted Yune, “-you don’t put hands on my boy like that,” he grandly flaunted his shoulder and headbutted Igna, “-drawing blood from one of my boys, kiss your pretty face goodbye.”

“Right,” he stepped away and undid his suit jacket, “-hold this for me,” it flung onto Celina’s face, “-how about a handicap,” he smirked, “-call-in those guys from earlier, bring guns too, I don’t mind, your party of a gang, I can see the bloodlust in those weak eyes of yours.”

“Oh, you’re going to pay,” he gritted, pulled his phone, and dialed.

.....

“Celina, CELINA!” cried Ewi, “-tell your brother to stop. There’s a reason why Yune’s top of the class, he’s a damned member of the underworld. He’s gone and hurt Jong, the dude’s the son of a local mobster.”

“It’s whatever,” she shrugged, “-brother, here,” she flung a can of coffee, “-drink it while you wait,” she stood next to a bench while he had moved further forward under the sky’s watchful gaze.

“Thank you,” he replied, “-also, it’s alright if I open a can of ass whoppin’?”

“HA-HA-HA-HA,” she curled, “-NEVER AGAIN.”

“WHAT,” he exclaimed

“Your accent and the comment don’t mix,” she laughed, “-don’t do it again, I’m dying,” the eyes watered.

“Right,” he chuckled and stared at the opponent.

“Don’t laugh too much,” the bushes shrugged, “-I’ll kill you, bastard,” said Jong with a pistol in hand.

“Dude, don’t do anything crazy...” muffled Yune.

“Shoot,” said Igna, “-shoot me then,” he marched, “-one who brandishes a weapon must have the courage to take a life,” the closer he got, the more terrified grew Yune, ‘-he’s going to shoot,’ he gulped, ‘-and I’ve called my c-companions... someone’s going to die.’

“Don’t get any closer dude,” the pistol clenched, “-I’m going to shoot, this isn’t a joke.”

“Shoot,” he provoked, *BANG,* the cartridge fell with a twinkle, “BROTHER!”