Two Crashed Hearts on Wheels

Chapter 9

"I can't believe you recognized me with this mask on; I thought I was quite hidden," I say in a small, teasing tone.

"Well, you can't miss a person like you. White hair and blue eyes, I think your the only one I know with those features," Langa says, shrugging. Then came the awkward silence again. I felt him staring right at me with no awkwardness and a slight smile. I was looking away, not wanting to make eye contact in this silence.

"Sooo... is that where the race starts?" I ask. I say, pointing across from us, where people were crowded.

"Yeah. They make bets, then race, and whoever wins has to do what the other one says. It's like gambling with skateboards," Langa says, holding his crutches tightly and then sighing.

"Something wrong?" I ask him, confused. 

"I was, uh supposed to skateboard today with someone, but...," he says, looking at his crutches and then back up at me. The guilt I felt before started rushing back to me. I immediately bowed. 

"I'm literally so sorry!" I say, feeling really bad.

"It was an accident; it's okay," Langa says, holding my shoulders back up. 

"It's not okay! I'm the reason you can't skate today. Now, you basically have to forfeit and lose whatever bet, and people are going to laugh at you and think you are pathetic when you are not pathetic because you are a really great person, but they don't know that, but I do, and ITS ALL MY FAULT," I began yapping nervously and quickly to him. I looked really concerned, and Langa was surprised. Before I could say anything, he took one of his hands and pressed it against my lips. I could smell his scent from underneath my nose, and it made my cheeks fluster.

"Chill, Asuke! Why are you worrying so much?" Langa asked, surprised, and kept his hand on my lips.  "I didn't even think of half of what you said."

"Then, what are you going to do? You can't skate in this condition and it's all m-," 

"It's not your fault, okay? It was an accident," Langa says, moving closer. I still had guilt in my eyes as I looked up at him.

"Besides, why would they think I'm pathetic when I have a literal wounded leg? It's more of, I have a logical reason to forfeit," Langa says.

"Bu-," Langa didn't let me finish. Well, he didn't say anything but his actions left me speechless. He places one hand around the upper back of me and pulls me into a slight hug while trying to keep his balance.

"You seem really stressed; maybe this hug will help." He asks. My brain was cringing badly, but my heart had that non-painful but annoying feeling again. I kept telling myself to push away but I couldn't get my hands up or my mouth to open.

After 2 minutes, he lets go of me and smiles. Before we could have another conversation, Reki came to us running and panting.

"Yo! I was looking everywhere for you! You just disappeared after I turned away for two seconds!" Reki says after finding Langa. 

"I.I thought you said Reki went to deliver some skateboa-," I couldn't finish what I was going to see. 

"Okay! When is the race starting?" Langa says with a forced smile. I guess he didn't want me asking that, so I stayed quiet but curious.

"First of all, why are you with her. she abandoned you after she was the one who killed your legs," Reki says, glaring at me. I felt guilty again as I bit my lower lip. 

"Reki, it's not like that...," Langa says and begins explaining to him how I ended up taking him to my house and how my uncle saw us. 

"Woah, that's a lot to process! So you are a good guy?" Reki asks, looking at me. 

"I never meant to be the bad guy," I say, shrugging. 

"I'd love to let you guys continue your 'understanding-each-other moment, but I think the race is about to start and I gotta be there," Langa says. 

"Well, you're not skateboarding!" I say. 

"I think I can take his spot," Reki says. I nodded, and the three of us walked to the skating rally. Well, I stood in the front as the two went forward. Over there, there was a boy who reminded me of a cat and was waiting for the two.  He seemed very young to be in a place like this...

"What the hell happened to you? You were supposed to verse me!" He says this, frowning at Langa and Reki.

"He got into a small accident, but I'll race you!" Reki says confidently, But I could see a slight fear in him. Not to be judgmental, but why is he scared of versing a little kid? 

"I don't want to verse you! You suck," the kid says. Wow, that was straightforward. I just kept watching them; it was low-key entertaining.

"I'm way better than Langa! But we aren't forfeiting! There's no way I'll be your little dog," Reki says, getting offended. Oh, so the bet was on who would be each other's dog. 

"Fine fine, I'll pick someone in the replace of Langa. Someone I haven't seen....someone who's good," Miya says, lowering his voice slyly with a smile. I wonder who he's gonna pick. Does Langa know anyone else here? I kept watching from a distance until the kid pointed at me. All eyes went on me and I felt goosebumps appearing everywhere. 

"I want to verse Snow's girlfriend!" The kid demands. 

"Who's Snow?" I mouth to Reki. He points at Langa. Wait! Did he just call me Langa's girlfriend? Hold up, more importantly, was I just challenged to a race?

"She's not my girlfriend," Langa says, as his cheeks flush. 

"Whatever, I saw you two hug and act all disgusting. More importantly, you!" The kid says, coming towards me. "I saw you skating on the obstacles and they are quite impressive for a female like you." I didn't like how he was being sexist. What's so surprising about a woman skateboarding? I was going to take the challenge, but then remembered my uncle telling me not to.