A Very Twisted Journey

🌹 Memory Lane, A Sudden Invitation🌹

Deuce explained to Lia, Theo, and the other two why he was so determined to become an honor student.

"Back when I was in middle school, I was pretty much the definition of a 'Problem child. I'd skip school for no reason, pick up a lot of fights, cause trouble for my teachers, hang with the bad crowd, bleach my hair; there even been some times I would blaze down neighborhoods with my Magic Wheel and gloat whenever I showed off my magic to the kids who couldn't use it yet. To summarize it all, I was a punk. A total delinquent."

"In other words, you were more annoying before, than you are now?" Grim questioned.

"Grim," Theo glared at him.

"There have been times I've seen you act up. But to be honest, I'm having a hard time picturing you doing all that." Lia said.

"Pikachu," (Tell me about it,) Pikachu agreed.

"That's because I decided to change after I overheard my mom talking to my grandmother over the phone one night. She was trying to hide it, but I could tell, I could tell that she was crying. I heard her crying to my grandmother saying that she thought of herself as a terrible mother and that she never should have tried to raise a child on her own. But that wasn't the case at all! It wasn't her fault; it was never her fault! It was all me, all the stuff I've done was due to my own stupid, selfish choices. That's why on the day the Black Carriage arrived to take me to Night Raven, my mom was so thrilled that I was accepted that I vowed I would never make her cry again. I will become an honor student that she'll be proud of. But, despite all that, I messed up again!" Deuce scolded himself.

"Oh, come on, even honor students have to stand up for themselves to big jerks like that right?" Grim said.

"Huh?"

"If you ask me, I would have pounded those losers to tuna paste!" Grim declared, making gestures of punching someone.

"Pika, Pika, Pikachu!" (Yeah! Those guys were asking for it!) Pikachu agreed also as sparks were flying from his cheeks.

"They're right Deuce, it's okay to get angry and fight fire with fire sometimes. However, you have to make sure that you don't overdo it. We're both lucky that Theo showed up when he did." Lia began to speak up.

Deuce still didn't look convinced. This time, Theo spoke to him. "Deuce, you may have been a problem child in the past, and still tend to let your temper lose. But, knowing now that violence isn't the answer to everything or solve your problems; is a good first step to your goal."

Deuce looked at Theo, taken aback by what he was saying. Theo smiled at him as he placed his hand on Deuce's shoulder. "As you've stated before, this is just the start of a new path you've set for yourself. As long as you feel strongly about it and are really determined, then you'll bounce back on track from the mistakes you've made. So don't sell yourself short and keep it up. And you'll be able to achieve your goal in no time at all."

"Theo,"

"He's right you know." Deuce looked over to Lia, who also was smiling warmly at him. Making him blush just a bit.

"No matter how easy or hard our goals seem, we're all bound to mess up along the way. But if we keep doing our best and keep trying, all those efforts will be worth it in the end." she then walks up to him, "And I don't think your mom was disappointed in you at all."

"What do you mean?" Deuce asked.

"She was just worried for you. Like any other mother, they want their child to have a bright future. It's just sometimes hard for single mothers. They struggle with their goals too. Take my mom for instance, she did her best to provide for me since my dad wasn't around. Believe it or not, I've been into fights, and the other party would look way worse than me." Lia awkwardly admitted that last bit to him.