Mysteries of Riverwood

Chapter 18 :- Street Fight

As I continued walking, the school building gradually came into view. I entered the premises and headed towards my locker, eager to retrieve my books for the day. With my textbooks in hand, I proceeded towards my classroom, anticipation coursing through me. However, upon entering, my excitement was dampened by the sight of Dwayne, who had taken it upon himself to occupy my usual seat. Dwayne, much like Alice, had a tendency to follow me around. His lips curled into a mischievous smile as he greeted me, "Hey, hey, hey."

Ignoring his attempt at playfulness, I approached him and curtly requested, "Hi, Can you move, please?"

His expression faltered, disappointment etched across his face. "That's how you greet me first thing in the morning, Vinny?" he lamented. "Not even a good morning? Where are your manners?"

Sighing inwardly, I relented, "Good morning. There you go. Now, can you please move?"

Dwayne pouted but eventually acquiesced, taking a seat in the chair adjacent to mine. I settled into my own seat, relieved to have reclaimed my usual spot. Dwayne asked "Hey, where's your girlfriend? Didn't she come with you?"

I shook my head, "She's not my girlfriend, at least not for now. And unfortunately, she has a fever again."

Dwayne's face lit up at the mention of the possibility of a romantic relationship, but his enthusiasm quickly waned when I added, "She has a fever again."

"Again, huh?" he mused, concern evident in his voice. "Why not take her to see a specialist doctor?"

I sighed as I voiced my frustration to Dwayne about the exorbitant fees of the doctor "It's not easy, their fees are so high that we can't afford it," I complained.

Dwayne nodded sympathetically, his memory serving him well. "Yeah, I know. You told me a few days ago about it," he replied.

I clenched my fists tightly, frustration coursing through me, and uttered, "I wish I could do something about it."

Dwayne, placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. "Chill out, bro. You're just 15 just like me. Focus on your studies for now. You can think about it when you get older," he advised.

Though his words were meant to console me, I couldn't help but clench my fists in frustration. "I know that, but still... I wish I could do something about it. I want to help them." I trailed off, unable to fully articulate my concerns.

Dwayne's grip tightened slightly as he offered reassurance. "Trust me, things will get better. You just have to hold on," he said with conviction.

Reluctantly, I nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I guess so," I replied, trying to find solace in his words.

Dwayne's smirk hinted at a mischievous thought. "Yeah, okay. Now that I've comforted you, tell me, when are you going to ask her out for real?" he prodded.

Uncertainty filled my voice as I responded, "I'm not sure. I don't know."

Dwayne's tone became more urgent as he urged me on. "Dude, come on. You both love each other. Ask her out before she finds another guy," he insisted.

Maintaining my composure, I calmly replied, "I will. Don't worry about it."

Dwayne expressed his concern, "By the way, I heard that you stopped taking lessons in Karate, Martial arts and Kung Fu. Why did you do that?"

I replied, "It was due to the financial struggles of our orphanage. I had to prioritize and stop taking the lessons."

Dwayne sympathetically said, "I wish I could ask my parents to pay for your fees or if I had a job I would've paid for you."