CHAPTER II

(THE HERO’S DAMSEL)

‘We need, in every community, a group of angelic troublemakers.’

----- Bayard Rustin

“I am,”

With the heavens desire, yet somehow not, a ringing voice and a wondering past whispers in that dire, but destined planted and even plotted scene. To the little boy who held his hand reaching out. The other little boy’s world changes at that moment and turns in every bit he never expected of. 

“You are?”

His name is then being asks with the confidence, yet sweetest smile that brought the unexpected light and warmth to his cruel, dark, and cold world. He slowly reaches his hand accepting his, now holding each other with his smile and words, simply introducing himself.

“SKY!” 

Andrea screams in panic, taken in surprise and worry with Bea in two after falling in the moment that she didn’t expect. Turning the night into sour and for worst if she didn’t think of a way out and for good.

“This is not good.”

“You think? We will be in trouble even after this.”

In the troubled turn out of events. Bea scolded her and a bit. For her rebellious attitude leads to something unexpected and brewing dark scene. With the unwanted hero came and somewhat saves the damsel that pins to be her, yet should not be for she did not request to have it in the first place. 

“Tsk!” smirking, Sky could not hide his disappointment and fuming anger.

“In the rate of one to one hundred, how troubling is this Bea?”

“One hundred.”

Bea’s direct answer to Andrea’s whispering question. With the two of them looking beyond alarm and worried for what is happening. Especially with Sky’s current temper and right now sober Andrea and somehow slaps her of her of what she did because of her stubbornness.

“Let go.”

“Make me.”

“Tsk!”

Sky and the ‘hero’ to call short exchange, but both dropping the atmosphere that is screaming trouble and danger that Andrea and Bea is in a panic of what to do and how to stop it. With the brewing misunderstanding and a heated starting argument, the moment's hero and the villain instance brewed the connection that is making the night and every scene into a hot mess. 

“That’s.”

“Who?”

Andrea is suddenly taken a back after taking a glance towards her ‘hero’s’ face after the sudden light of the club flicker towards them. But only for a few seconds. Which makes Bea asks and immediately who, yet Andrea couldn’t answer her directly for she is somehow having the second thoughts if what she just saw is the same person.

“That’s not the way of a gentleman.”

That titled hero whispers. With his distinct blue eyes and strapping grip of a built body is all that Sky can picture of him from those seconds and glimpse that somehow was allowed for them to see him.

Wearing a white inner polo shirt top with a blue long sleeve folded up to its elbow, black leather belt, and white pants. ‘HE’S’ build is traced unto its tight shirt leaving it open by its unbuttoned top, warning.

“If the lady says she did not want to go, let her.” Asking a fight as ‘HE’ nails a conviction of a fairytale prince in front of Sky.

He smirks moving his face close towards Sky, now with the scrimmage is knocking for a bell. 

Sky who is already at the edge, smirks back and move forward. Faces the acting prince, and now inches away from each other, he firmly replies. “Mind your own business.” Grabbing Andrea’s hand dragging her out, ‘HE’S’ hand blocked his way confronting him once more.

In his world, ‘HE’ faces the arrogant guy who somehow happens to boil the steam out of him. “Let the lady go. If she does not want to come with you, let it be.” Knowing only half of it nor he had something to do with the other’s business.

A force out of nowhere is making him put himself to that said business. In his tipsy mind that is asking for the unnecessary gesture of a knight. Sticking his nose to someone else problem he knew he should not, but his urge tells him in an unknowingly why, ‘HE’ demand.

“Be a gentleman, will you?” 

With the clear trouble in front of them, Bea pinched Andrea’s side, making her jolt and snapping her out complaining.

“What?”

Sarcastically asking, Bea signs in silence, condemning her for what is happening and about to happen that she is at the very fault. Yet, she shakes her head for she does not want to come in between a heated argument between two men. 

Irritated, Bea gasped. “If something might happen that will surely be a mess, you are the only one to blame here, Andrea.”

Bea taunts her with the facts and once more. She fell into the doubts and mix of fear for the worst. Bea then added and with a firm tone this time.

“You started this, your stubbornness leads us here, now act right and take responsibility.” Shivering in annoyance, she wanted to stick her finger in her best friend’s head to wake her up for the trouble is about to explode. 

Sky smirks back and once more. With a fumed flare, yet thinking for the right thing to do. He calms himself, elucidating.

“You’re rubbing the wrong way here, as I don’t want trouble.” He asks signing to let them pass before everything could get messy. 

But the said hero took it to be a threat and somehow with a tipsy mind snapping a screw out, ‘HE’ retorted challenging back.

“Neither do I.”

He grabs Andrea's hand. Pushing Sky off that made Sky bumps into the waiter spilling all the drinks, and breaking the glasses that took some of the crowds’ attention. Sky had enough, snapping his cool and a fight finally breaks. 

“Oh My!”

Bea screams while Andrea was stunned in her place being grabbed by the turn knight while everything falls the worst and all the way around. 

Deep breath, Sky tried to avoid making a scene or putting himself into disarray, yet his patience is dwindling gone.

“I’m sorry.”

He apologizes and helps the waiter up. Stopping for a second to hold his anger. He looks back with an act, taking a step and grabbing that ‘hero’s’ shoulder landing a direct punch on its face. Jaw drops, shock plastered to Andrea and Bea’s faces. Everyone stops and the music pauses, now looking in their direction with the ‘Hero’ in the scene is now on his knee and wiping the blood on its lips.  

Sky them screams, fuming with anger and didn’t at all care who are watching them and just how things are turning out right now.

“Back off!” threatening, he had enough. “And stay out of our business.” He added and the first that he ever lost patience and was eaten by anger. 

“Andrea!”

Bea snaps her out from her stun-shocked moment, and immediately earns her the guilt of her stubbornness. For she just drags his cousin into a fight that Sky never dwell on before. With its world shut to anyone and the life philosophy of being alone all to himself away from anything and anyone he cannot and would not want to trust. She realizes that she just put the foul icing on the perfect cake with a rotten cherry on top.  

“Sky.” She calls him, trying to calm him down, yet Sky grabs her hand and immediately.

With a firm hold, Sky didn’t look back her way and commanded. “Let’s go.” 

“Tsk!” clicking his tongue ‘HE’ wipes the blood on his lips. Then crumples his fist and shouts, “Hey!” he stood up, taking a step forward grabbing Sky’s shoulder and gave Sky a hard punch back. 

“Sky!”

Andrea screams together with the few ladies who are alerted by the glasses shattering to the floor. 

“This is not good,”

Bea whispers, scared for they are about, no, they are into and currently in a haywire of trouble that is about to get worse than it is currently right now.  

Sky stands up, wiping the blood out of his lips. Burning with anger and too much trouble from the mess that just presented, he clenches his hands and looks at the guy with a death stare. The crowed beams with the flag and a sign of trouble. A group no, companion of the hero came rushing and tries to cool them down.

“Whoa!” with loud and deep voices that rush in between, and hold them off.

An arm spread wide in front, with the other two that are tightly holding them away from each other. Taking a deep breath and stepping in on time.  A guy wearing a fitted white and black striped long sleeves shirt, green pants, and a black belt call out ‘His’ name,

“Clay.”

Clay smirks, for his cousin just drops his name with a warning glare. He then nods, leaving the one grabbing him behind who is wearing a white collared inner shirt top with plain gray long sleeves and pants to let him go favoring his name.

“Kean.”

Now looking back, calming himself assuring with a nod, added, “I can handle this Dylan.” Proud, but in a misfit this time, Dylan gave him a stare of a no. 

Arms cross giving the losing screw look with his cousin's out-of-character actions. He smirks and delivered his argument. “Then what? Make a mess?” He sarcastically retorted back, then looks at the other side, nudging the other wearing a black inner shirt and red polo with blank pants and belt to let go, calling the name. “Ian.”

With a nosy nature Ian walks past him. Observing with a bit of a menacing look before taking Clay’s side and tapping his shoulder with an ear-to-ear smile saying, “Chill, boss.” Naming his pen name while Clay’s sight still pins, and sending daggers towards the other side, his ever-nosy brain pulls one’s brain up. “Look, we can always do this in a civilize way right?”

They nod in agreement while Kean observes the other party and noticing Andrea and Bea who immediately took Sky’s side. Hiding from the back of him with Andrea’s face plastering a mix of guilt and scared one in the middle of shock. He then figured out half of the entire plot nudging a sign to Dylan and back. 

Dylan looked at the both of them and immediately proposes, “Ian is right, why don’t you both settle the score by a game?” smirking, and confident upon bet and games is his forte.

The two looked at each other, while the turn silent crowd is waiting for the next scene. Tagging Sky’s shirt, Andrea gestures shaking her head with a no. “Let’s just go.” She whispers. “I had enough for tonight.” Pleading with a sorry plastered on her face and a mix of guilt for pushing her cousin into a pit, Sky nodded. 

Sky calmed down and agrees, ignoring what happened. The three of them walks away only to be insulted by a smirk from Clay basking with his words. 

“Chicken out?” 

Curled with annoyance and spitting an insult. Sky stops while Andrea firmly closed her eyes for a second and two bearing it to be overwhelming. More than thinking for the worst and the fact that this night will not end up good, not at all. 

“Tsk!” Sky smirked, looking back with a threatening glare towards Clay which took its step forward. “What’s the deal?” Heading up, earning a wanting smirk from him, he took the bet with the urge to bring and flop its very face down on the ground that took the cracking nerves out of him. Not just once, twice, but an alarming third chance.  

Wide smile, Ian’s ever nosy soul hits his interest and a bit screaming the classic game that everyone surely knows. “What do you say? You both will be in a fair game of Beer Pong.” Now successfully taking everyone's attention towards him with an ooze of ‘ooh's from the crowd, and with the two not breaking an eye contact sending threats back and forth, he added. “What’d you think?”  

“Game!” in unison, syncing in tone, they both nodded, taking the deal and two.

The crowd cheers in excitement, having the attention, with a bet taking side and two. They move to a side where light is well lit, taking each end accordingly. Placing the cups on each side in a triangular shape filled with liquor. They are both given a set of ping pong balls. Setting the game to begin. 

“Sky.” Worried and scared, Andrea called Sky and pleading with him to stop the game. “Not this game Sky, we never knew what will happen after this.”

She reminded him of the danger not against the other party, but the threat of the liquor could do in his condition, especially with his heart. But Sky is thinking far beyond that danger.

“I can do this.” Sky wouldn’t yield, determine to take the stake.

“This is not good.” She whispers unto herself, blaming her foolishness for not listening and acting way out of the call.

Now not just putting Sky into the most dangerous situation possible, but will earn her a horrific scolding afterwards from her father and aunt. Suddenly Bea leans close and whispers her worry to her.

“What should we do?”

“Do you really think that I am not in a dilemma for an answer?”

“Still, we need to think of something and fast.”

In agony, knowing how dangerous the game is for Sky, Andrea shakes her head, doesn't have an idea how to get out of this mess. Now that Sky took it seriously and clearly pouring the nerve and hate for the night.

“Then we just have to look carefully after him.”

“Seriously?”

“Do you have any idea?”

“How would I dare? Sky is a scary one when it comes to this.”

 They surrender. 

In between and standing, serving as the referee. Ian’s typically nosy and happy-go-lucky nature initiates the start of the game.

“Wooh!”

He raises his fist that the crowd cheered upon and with him. He glances once and back to the two giving the rules.

“The rule is simple, who will eliminate all of the opponent’s cups by landing the ping pong ball to its cup will have to drink it, who will be standing last or have all the cups of his opponents down will win.” Proudly laying the simple rule, the crowd started to cheer and demand the price and bet. “Okay!” shutting everyone by clasping his hand, he nodded, giving the bail. “The bet is simple, but to keep it interesting,” talking like a real gamer. “Whoever loses will have to do three things for the winner.” Looking side to side and back to Sky and Clay, the crowd cheers, and then they both nod in agreement. “Then let the game begin.”

With a thumping beat and the crowd cheers. Sky took the first shot. Missing the first and Clay taking the point. They earn both the boos and applause so loud that they are drowning in the club’s party music with their heated fight is just starting. 

“This is entertaining,” Ian claims, “I don’t know what happened to Clay, but I’m enjoying this thing right now.” He added, sticking his ever-nosy self-joining the crowd with Kean and Dylan shaking their heads in two. 

With the oddest thing and somehow in a puzzling thing to happen especially in a day and event like this. Dylan looked at Clay with doubts for acting way outside its boundary. An odd chance and the first that has been into a bet and even into a fight that he had never done before. Like somehow, he's been drugged of some sort, and everything that is happening now is the side effect of that drug. 

“Odd. Really odd.”

“Andrea.”

Bea whispers, looking at each other with Andrea’s worried face and back to the ever-heated game, and their focus pins on to Sky. Clutching their hands in agony and far worse than the game of winning and losing to be the least of their problem. They are more concerned and focused on Sky’s condition. 

“Don’t worry, I got this.” Assuring, Andrea firmly holds her phone with the emergency number already dialed.

“I see. Got it!” Bea nodded in response, quelling themselves for the worst that might come. 

The game is heating up, slamming the beer pong cups one for once, two, three, four, and five. Exchanging turns, hitting each other's cups, and drinking in a bottom-up, the round just got fired with their both stares locked unto each other, throwing daggers and nonstop. 

Held himself up, supporting his body with his right hand on the table and the other taking the cups landed by his opponents’ ball, Sky is behind with a point against Clay.

“Tsk!” gritting his teeth, his body is starting to get warm, setting its heat inside.

He steals a few blinks and two clearing his slowly blurry eyesight. Taking a deep breath, he whispers unto himself.

“Not now.” Commanding rather than pleading, he pounds his chest thrice.

His heart kicks its long but familiar pain which Andrea and Bea immediately notice, rushing to his side. 

“I knew it.” Andrea claims in a slight panic.

About to hit the call button of her phone when Sky grabs her wrist and shaking its head with a no.

“Do not do it. I can still handle myself.”

“Handle yourself? We do not think so Sky.”

Bea protested, that Andrea immediately agrees and a bit scolding him.

“You need to stop this Sky, your heart might not take this.” Reminding while looking at the area of the scar her cousin once suffers from, Sky won’t back down, pushing her instead to the side. 

“Still on the game?” arrogantly calling out with a smirk, Clay notices something is not right.

When the two girls immediately rush beside Sky after seeing a small gesture of pounding its chest. Yet, taking it as a sign of a slowly drunken one, he put on a smile holding the thought that he securely has the winning ticket.

“Well, you can always drop the white flag.” Deliberately poking Sky’s patience, which earned him a satisfying insulting stare back, he smirks. Taking the rather not amusement, but unknowingly what from the bet he somehow carelessly took. 

With high alcohol tolerance and being used to drinking where he once drowns himself. This is the first after years that he once more took a bet, a game, and a drink this wild after taking that promise from the past, he swears to forget but still lingers. 

“If the crow's feather turns white.” Taking another cup from the streak of Clay’s favor, the crowd surely getting their fair share of excitement, cheering their bet one after another. Sky slams the empty cup down on the table easing the burning in his heart that is slowly rising. “Damn.” He whispers in between his breath when the pain is creeping in.

Clay smirks, rapidly having the rather amusement towards the person, he found irritating, yet somehow is kicking a familiarity the longer he observes him. “Let’s see about that.” Hitting another cup and a point gaining the upper hand, the window of his victory is simply knocking. 

Noticing the redness in Sky’s ears, Andrea read the dangerous situation at hand but knowing the stubbornness that her cousin is acting up right now. Convincing him once more will be futile. Yet she needs to act fast or Sky will end up in a hospital bed for months. 

“I need to do something.” She thinks for a minute looking everywhere and beyond the crowd. “I need to find something. Look after Sky for a while.” Leaving it to Bea signing with a nod, she walks past the crowd heading to the bar. Tapping her palm, taking the attention of the bartender, she asked, “Apple cider.” Requesting the remedy, she knew and always been effective for Sky. She waited for a while when she overheard a name that the two girls had been giggling about passing by her. 

“Could it be? I never expect that the Clayton Aims Wayneright is here.”

Overhearing not an accident, but definitely, a played by fate and worst in luck by destiny. She gasps and deep for that name rings its familiarity towards her. Looking back, she marks a smile to her face. Then a distinct, but clear memory flashes back inside her mind. 

“Tell me honestly Sky, just who is the one you are waiting for?”

With a scheme in mind and a silent giggle that followed. A long run of the plan and searching for years is deliberately being presented in front of her. Then a whispering word sealed the deal. 

“My friend and the one who promises to be back then,”

“Clay.” She whispers the name and did not waste any seconds and more.

She immediately calls delivering the greatest gift this cruise set upon. With destiny finally siding her, she never expected to have the answer to her wish and wants, as the hero in this play becomes the male leads fated one.

‘Love is being stupid together.’

-----Paul Valery