James Walker : Life Lessons

PART 2 : BETRAYAL

The next day I met up with Ryan and apologised for Reyna's behaviour towards him. " No problemo! " He said , " You don't have to apologise for her . I am a tough guy to be displeased " he said . Suddenly he flew backwards and landed on his butt . He groaned and I froze with fear . There is only one guy in the whole neighbourhood whom l dread .

And that is Charlie !

His full name is Charles Jackson but no one calls him that because he hates that name and was bound to kill anyone who called him that . He is a modern giant . He is heavily built and looks like a wrestler . Me ! I look more like a horse than a wrestler . I am athletic and always win a race. Lately I had been developing quite an impressive physique and muscles, because of my rigorous training, but they could not yet compare to those of Charlie and I did not want to harm myself more by irritating him.

I was just pondering on how to make an escape when he pounded towards me , took hold of my collar and pushed me to the ground . " What the heck are you doing ?! Get off me or else I'll complain to your parents . " I cried 'cos he is only afraid of his dad and no one else.

" Oh ! You wanna tell my dad what I do in the neighborhood ? Huh? Go right ahead and we'll see if you come back alive. " I am not a brave person so I remained silent and after a good beating he left me alone.

I picked up my broken self esteem and went back home.

I did not have anything to do so I just opened my iPod and tuned up some songs. My father was not yet back from work so I just sat on the couch , listening to the songs in my playlist. When he got home, we discussed the events of the day with each other which we normally do.

But I did not tell him about me getting thrashed by Charlie or he would have gone straight ahead to beat the daylights out of Charlie and he, in turn, would have done the same with me. We had a quiet supper and I went off to bed early.

I did not go instantly to sleep. I chatted a long time with Ryan on instagram. We discussed the proceedings of the day for a long while. I wished him night and went off to sleep.

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After a few days I was travelling by the subway , when I thought I saw Reyna with some boy. I got suspicious and followed them to the station where they got off. I had to go home early to help my mother so I took the next train home but I memorized the route they had taken and decided to follow them some other day to be sure.

I went through the same route for at least one week but could find them again on that route. I was very disappointed.

I tried to talk about this topic with Reyna but she always avoided it and put it off by distracting me with some other talk. Lately she had grown distant from me. She talked to me all right, but not as she used to.

Then came the inevitable. I was walking down the street when I saw her cuddled up in a library with a handsome guy who was way handsomer than me. All the nerves in my body fired up at that sight. He was not very strong looking so I decided to let him have it.

I barged in the front doors, took hold of him by the neck and hurled him at a bookshelf. " JUST WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE? HUH? " I yelled at him " CUDDLING WITH MY GIRLFRIEND LIKE THIS ! " I picked him up by the collar and launched him at the nearby chairs. I no longer had control over myself. A monstrous rage had taken over me. Reyna stood up, rushed towards him and sheltered him behind her.

" What are you doing?? Are you completely out of your mind throwing him around like a rag doll !? Don't you dare come towards him " she said but her words didn't mean a thing to me. Nothing else mattered to me, at that moment, than beating the pulp out of the boy. I pushed her aside and went straight for his face.

I lashed out at him with my knuckles and broke his nose. Unconsciousness hit him in seconds after that. I walked up to Reyna, grabbed her hand and led her outside. " Who is he ? " I questioned her calmly or as calmly as I could at that moment.

" Why should I tell you?? You don't have a say in my affairs. DO YOU UNDERSTAND!? " She yelled at me. I could not contain my anger any longer and I returned, " I have EVERY FUCKING SAY in your affairs. AND YOU'RE GONNA TELL ME JUST NOW who he is. Do YOU understand!? "

" We're through. " She said softly. " What did you say ? Could you please repeat ? I don't think I heard it right. " I said. " We're through. You asshole ! You fucking shit !! " She repeated and then stormed away leaving me alone in the alley.

I returned to the library and saw him slowly regaining consciousness. I made sure he was alright and then headed home.

I did not meet anyone, after this incident, for two whole days. I even skipped school even though it was in it's last stages. When questioned by my parents, I told them that I had a fight in school and did not want to go. I could not believe that Reyna had broken up with me.

After a couple of days, I returned to school and met up with Ryan. I avoided Reyna as much as I could. She had started going out with that boy, whose name I came to know was Harvey Norman. I could not bear the sight of them together. I became very angry after that. I stopped playing base ball even though I loved playing it, I stopped going out with my friends, due to the fear of the outcome of a fight between me and  Harvey. Altogether, I just stopped associating with any one.

And then one day my luck changed.

A new girl, Althea Finchley, who had joined our school this semester, proposed to me. At first I thought it was all a joke, but she kissed me then and there. I started going out with her but I was not happy. I just wanted be with Reyna. She was my first and only love.

I envied Harvey, whenever I saw him with her. I wanted to be with her so bad, that sometimes I even called Althea by her name. She guessed that I had a fascination for Reyna so whenever we were near her she always tried to start a fight with her.

However hard I try I can never forget the incident that took place after this.