Chapter 53

“5516”

The stylized font on the front gate made Yukino smile as she admired the house number and how sleek it was integrated with the rest of the gate’s design. Feeling curious she goes on to stand on her tippy toes to try and peek beyond the gate, but she could only get a glimpse of the shrubbery just past the metal doors.

‘Nica? How long are you gonna stand there? I mean… isn’t this your house?’ She asked a nervous looking Nica Robbie as she found herself standing frozen on the road where Yukino’s chauffeur had dropped them off.

‘Oh.. right..’ She muttered and stepped to her side to activate the retina scanner.

‘Wow… your dad pulled some strings. We don’t even have that kind of security.’ Yukino responds after seeing Nica peep through the scanner to undo the locks. In comparison, the gate at the Loran household was electronically operated but still relies on an operator to open and close the gate but in the Robbie household, it was all automated.

‘Hi Nica and hello Yuki, I’ll be with you in a bit, we’re just finishing dinner but you can come in. Just wait for us by the living room.’ Nica’s mother said through the gate’s intercom as the two walked through the gate and into the small, but lush courtyard in front of the house.

‘Isn’t this a security risk having this much plant life? If I was a bad guy I could find a lot of different hiding spots to ambush my prey.’ Yukino pointed out as she scanned the courtyard’s surroundings.

‘My dad’s already told my mom countless times but she just can’t help it. It’s just her thing. All of our previous addresses ended up the same way… Though my dad once attempted to thwart it by getting a house without a garden and my mom hated it so much she threatened to leave us cuz she didn't want to “suffocate”. Nica responds.

‘Wow… I guess people with green thumbs always yearn to be in their element huh?’ Yukino answered while her eyes began to wander around her lush surroundings as they drew close to the main house, which, while making their way through the shrubbery and into the clearing, found the entry to the place perfectly framed within the flowering plants below and the vines and branches above the trees.

‘Wow… Can we hire your mom to do landscaping?’ Yukino asked whilst in awe.

‘Yeah you can… She’s a licensed Landscape Architect. I’ll ask for her calling card for you later.’

‘W-wait what? Seriously?’ Yukino replied, looking flustered. ‘I was just joking. I didn’t expect her to be an actual professional in these things… I thought it was just a hobby of sorts.’

‘Oh no, she's really serious about this thing.’ Nica adds. ‘So… you're still going for her contacts?’

‘Yes please!’

Nica opens the sleek black door that separates the lush chirping of the outdoors to the quiet but cozy interior of their home. Just like the Gate and the exterior of the house, its interior also shares the same 1930’s bauhaus design cues that made the atmosphere feel ‘solemn’.

But inside of her heart, there was a raging storm of emotions that are trying their damndest to escape as her body tenses up once more as she hears the calm commotion in the kitchen, where she assumed where her parents were.

‘Nica. I’m here.’ Yukino whispers to her ear, placing one hand on her shoulder to assure her and another on the small of her back, to push her into moving. ‘I won’t let this end in vain.’

Nica looks back and nods, as she takes a deep breath and ushers Yukino towards the living area where they were told to wait.

They rested their bags on the elegantly designed sofa and took a seat on the flanking sofas at each end of the coffee table. Sitting there in silence as Nica continues to worry about her future whilst Yukino tilts her head around, admiring the interiors.

In her mind she couldn’t help but fidget on her seat as she tries her best to keep the thoughts out of her mind. Yukino had done a good deal of calming her down but the prospect of her parents making a decision for the worse was more likely, knowing how paranoid they have become after years of running, even more so since that attack on their home during the raids. Which not only resulted in damages in their home, but also with her father getting a heart attack.

Deep inside she wishes that the situation would improve with Yukino’s assistance. She hopes that whatever she might say would be the end all be all for her troubles, and that it would go away and she could selfishly live her life the way she had always yearned for. Sadly, years of disappointment had only made her a realist. She’s just thankful that in the very end, a friend was this much willing to fight for a chance of normalcy in her life, even if she knew it was futile.

She lays her back onto the firm softness of the sofa and closes her eyes, hoping that her sad gray thoughts would flutter away and her mind can recall other more “uplifting” memories.

But none come to mind. It was blank.

And this was her trying her best to think of anything else besides what was about to happen.

‘I just wanna be free…’ She thought to herself.

-Free-

-Free?-

-Nothing in this life is Free-

-No one sells a Free item-

-No one runs a free shop-

-Free shop?-

-No one runs a Free bar-

‘Wait?..’

[kiss]

Nica suddenly sits up wide eyed with a glitter of sweat on her brow, as if she had just awoken from a nightmare.

‘Woah what’s up with you?’ Yukino thoughtlessly asks as she stares questioning Nica’s sudden burst. Also for some strange reason, her face was beet red.

‘Keeno?’ She asked all of a sudden.

‘Hmm?’

‘Just so you know… If this fails… I think… I think it’s okay.’ Nica said with a straight but reddened face.

‘Girl, what the fuck?’

Crash!

The room fell silent as everybody stared in shock at the scene unfolding before them.

The person they were gasping at was a pretty popular presence in their group, but at the moment his look was not looking so pretty as he had just got beaten up by a big muscular brute.

And that brute that stood menacingly in front of him.

Is Pete.

‘Have you forgotten who the fuck I am? Pete?!’ The man on the ground said threateningly as Pete walked towards him with each and every step, echoing like thunder across the room.

‘I know who the fuck you are. Why do you think I’m beating you up?’ He answers dryly.

The man’s vengeful eyes quickly turn into fear as he senses the calm in Pete’s tone. It was now clear to him that this attack was premeditated with cruel intent in mind.

‘M-My father! My father would hear about this!’ The man squirmed as Pete continued his slow threatening march towards stomping his face to a pulp.

‘Remo… You’re a college senior. Why you acting like a bitch?’ Pete ridiculed him with a sly grin on his lips.

‘Shut up!’ Remo shouts back. ‘It is YOU who’s acting like a bitch here! You’re gonna march into this sacred frat house, scream stupid accusations about sum stupid dweeb I don’t give a fuck about and then sucker punch me for no apparent reason?

FUCK YOU!’

‘No! FUCK YOU! FUCK YOU REMO and FUCK YOUR BITCH ASS MOTTO!

You think I’m stupid to not suspect you being behind all this?

You and your “Weakness is trash” mantra that you’ve been spreading around this dumbshit frat?!

Omega Epsilon already lost enough members with that shit you’ve pulled over a year ago and now this?

FUCK YOU!’

Pete protests as the people in the crowd cower at the power of his voice. Although in the midst of all this bravado, there are a couple of people watching in the sidelines who are starting to grit their teeth at what they are hearing.

‘Hah! I miss those days. Those days when you were still Omega Epsilon material. Unlike now… acting like a whipped bitch! Shouting HER brand of justice instead of ours.’ Remo snapped back.

‘Say what you want, but what I say is right! At least her brand of justice never sent anyone to the hospital.’

‘And that’s why we shall identify those who dared wrong us and send THEM to the hospital!’ Remo responds as it triggers Pete, sending an immediate signal to his brain. Giving Remo a swift kick to his side as he rolls around clutching the part where his kidney should be.

‘Identify who’s weak and show them your superiority if you want to join our cause… What a bullshit policy… It’s nothing more than justified bullying.’

‘Did that-- argh-- come out of - your bitch’s fuck hole -- of a mouth?’ Remo blurts out as Pete gives him another swift kick. This time he hits squarely on his mouth.

‘Sounds like you don’t have enough shit in your mouth. Good thing I stepped in dogshit on the way here… looks like fate wanted me to pass on this gift for your gab.’ Pete quips as some of the people in the crowd chuckled as Remo spits out blood from his now bleeding lips.

‘I’ve said it before and I'll say it again!’ Pete shouts as he looks up to address the people in the crowd. ‘You college people might not know this but there have been rising cases of bullying across all of the highschools in the greater metro area and I’m not talking about your run-of-the-mill harassment here…

The stupid fucking kids are going around with knives and modded BB guns.

It’s borderline gangbanging.

The worst part is that people are starting to take measures due to this extreme bullshit. And Omega Epsilon hopefuls are getting hospitalized one by one, either getting beat up or getting shot at by store owners.

This isn’t the same shit hazing that you’ve done in your era. It’s straight up power tripping-’

‘FUCK YOU PETE YOU FUCKING HYPOCRITE!’ Remo shouts as he cuts him off.

‘Catch your breath already?’ Pete jests.

‘Look at you speaking like champ… As if you didn’t enjoy the pledge process yourself… In fact, weren't you in the first batch who enjoyed the policy?’ Remo said with a smirk as he exposed Pete in front of the crowd.

‘I was… But the question here is… Do you want this to continue? Cuz I’m pretty sure if it does… someone… some hopeful fourteen year old highschool freshman… is gonna get killed one of these days.’

‘So then we kill back!’

‘YEAH!!!’

As soon as Remo shouts his piece to respond at Pete’s claims, the other Omega Epsilon members shout back in full support. A feat that startled Pete as he looked at the faces who supported Remo. Most of them were his former batchmates who had graduated highschool ahead of him.

‘Fucker’s… Well… I tried my best…’ Pete said looking deflated as takes up a last gander at the people that surrounded him. ‘I’ve said my piece. This is the truth of Omega Epsilon Mu. And it’s probably the same for the sister sorority so all you hopeful Theta Sigma girls in this party… Think carefully.’

And with those final words. Pete leaves.

*Knock knock*

‘Come in!’ The cheerful voice of Nica’s mother echoed from the other side of the door as she took a deep breath before grabbing onto the door handle. Yukino gives Nica a pat on the back to reassure her feelings as she turns the lever and opens the door into her father’s study.

Upon entering the sounds of cheering and celebrations were being broadcasted throughout the room as Nica’s father was watching a game on his little alcove at the corner of the room where he had set up a mini living room arrangement inside his study, which as Yukino assumes was for taking breaks. Immediately her confidence spiked a notch higher seeing that Nica’s father seemed to be celebrating with whatever game was on the television, but she asked anyway to confirm.

‘Did his team win?’ Yukino asks Nica’s mother.

‘It seems so. Though I don’t really follow basketball but ever since his team started winning earlier this year I felt like I was being crash coursed into understanding it since it’s all he talks about now.’ She said.

Yukino smiles and nods at her as she takes a peek at the screen. ‘Oh the Raiders won the chip?!’ She enthusiastically exclaimed.

‘Yeah they did! Wait… r’you supporting Oklahoma? I thought Dante was a Lakers boy?’

‘Mehh… I used to, cuz of my dad, but I’ve been following the Raiders’ climb through the ranks for these past years.’ Yukino replies. ‘Damn I can’t believe I missed the season. This is awesome!’

‘Hey… a true fan wouldn't miss this season… Everyone knew the chip was settled the moment Tony boy got drafted.’ Nica’s father argued.

‘Sorry Sir Lucas but I got school duties to keep me company so…’

‘Time management my dear… Time management.’

‘Really Dad?’ Nica suddenly interjects. ‘Weren’t you the one who told me to finish my studies first before slacking off to watch my soaps?’

Yukino looks towards Nica, feeling impressed with her comeback as Nica gives her a wink in support.

‘Ehhh fine… You young ladies are lucky I’m in a good mood today so I'mma let it slide.’ Lucas, Nica’s father, responds.

‘Aww how sweet… after all these years you still see my youth.’ The mother quipped.

‘Sorry Tina… I think I phrased it wrong…’

‘Bastard.’ Tina, her mother, sneered. ‘Anyways… What's this matter you wanted to talk with us Nica?’

Her mother’s sudden shift in topic had caught her off guard as she stammered her would-be-reply. Yukino felt a strong need to step in to help but she knew well it wouldn’t be reassuring to her parents if their own daughter couldn’t even be confident enough to admit the matter to them personally.

‘Come on Nica. You can do this.’ She thought to herself, biting her lower lip in anticipation.

‘I- It’s s-something about sc-school.’ She stutters.

‘Hmm? School you say? Does Yukino know about this matter as well?’ Her Father, who was busy with the game, suddenly gained interest. Yukino nods in response to Lucas’ question but quickly turns her gaze towards Nica so as to not give anyone an opportunity to deflect attention towards herself.

‘S-She… Yu-

…

-sigh-

Dad.

I’ve been a-actively withholding information from you.

A guy from class had been secretly taking pictures of me.

V-videos too…

He’s been apprehended an-and…

Everything is fine now.’

[‘What?’]

Her parents collectively reacted.

Silence had filled the room.

The tension had gradually thickened as the minutes passed by without anyone reacting.

And the person mostly affected by this silence, is none other than Nica herself. As even after bearing her heart out and telling her worries to the people whom she fears the answers from. So far, those people have not given her an answer.

The only cluse she can gather were the looks of disappointment emanating from their faces, and to make it worse, as she looks back at Yukino, she finds her wearing the same expression as she too had kept her silence.

Nica’s expression suddenly turns sour as she remembers it was Yukino who had promised her support, and that now that she needed the support more than ever, she was silent.

She was about to lash out at Yukino when her father decided to break the surface tension.

‘This culprit? You say has been apprehended? Right Nica?’ Lucas, not as her father, but as a lawyer, asked her.

‘Ye--’ She swiftly stepped on the brakes as hard as she could to stop her words from zooming out of her mouth. She sees the look her father has on his face as her mind travels back into her past memories, recalling every other moment that she has where her father had worn that look in his eyes.

‘No… we identified him… but he was never apprehended.’ She admits.

‘Interesting.’ Lucas responds. ‘So besides you lying for some strange reason… it seems we’re being compromised again… Honestly me and your mother wanted to give this place a chance after the raids but it seems--’

‘Oh shut it Dad!’ Nica shouts, her hands curled tightly into a ball and shaking. ‘You already told them… haven’t you?’ She follows as she turns to Yukino, her tears already starting to fall as she looks at her with disdain.

‘Nica… I didn’t.’

‘Liar! You promised me!’

‘NICA!’

Her father raised his voice.

‘NO! Shut up!’

‘NICOFRANNE AMARYLLIS ROBBIE! LISTEN TO YOUR FATHER!’

The authority in her mother’s tone had echoed all throughout the room, silencing everyone in an instant. Nica cowers upon her mother’s wrathful ire as her anger swiftly turns itself into fear as she looks at the eyes of a demon possessed, brandishing her horrid wings as her presence crushed any thought of rebellion from her being.

‘Thanks honey.’ Lucas flirts with a cheeky smile.

‘Hmph… can’t even handle your own daughter…’ Tina responds as she swings her gaze away from her husband as he sighs, admitting his own shortcomings.

‘Anyways… Did you really think “you” asking your friends would be enough to keep such information away from us?’ Lucas said, sounding peeved at Nica’s attempt to hide the truth from them. ‘If the school did agree and withheld it per your request, that would just spur us to enroll you into a different, more responsible academy.’

‘Which we all know “now” for a fact that you dread having to do again.’ He continued.

‘Well there you go Dad… You obviously know everything about me now so get to the point already.’ Nica sneered back at him with a look that tells him she was readying herself for failure.

‘We’re moving.’

…

As soon as the words left his lips, Nica fell down on her knees and cried.

There are no words invented in the English dictionary that can describe the dreadful feeling that her cries had emanated inside this room at this specific moment in time.

Even using the word “dread” would be immensely considered as an understatement.

If one can imagine the sound of a heart shattering into a million pieces.

This would be that moment.

…

As despair blankets the air in a manner similar to the billowing smoke of a house fire. A girl who had been observing this whole ordeal, vacated her spot to comfort her friend.

‘This wasn’t the deal!’ Yukino condemns him as she places Nica into her embrace. But as soon as she makes contact.

She pushed- or rather- threw her away in contempt.

‘TRAITOR!’

Yukino felt her chest strangling her, hearing the gravity in her tone.

She couldn’t even recognize her anymore.

In her mind, she was starting to wonder where the cute girl who got drunk in her party went off to. She was not seeing a completely different person in front of her.

It was horrifying.

…

‘I don’t believe the school can guarantee her safety.’ Lucas said. ‘I know my daughter. If she feels the need to lie about the topic, it means she knew the real situation was bad enough to see this outcome coming into fruition.

Nica, it's just pointless…

Because whatever you do, you’d just be prolonging the inevitable.

Don’t blame your friends.’

‘I’m sorry sir for the language but I am calling this bullshit on your behalf.’

‘Excuse me?’

‘As far as the Loran family is concerned it is “you” who have approached us about this matter after learning of this through the school.

“You” had came to us, fully knowing, that I am one of her classmates and a friend.

And you wanted to use that connection to do something about this scandal.

To put it on paper. It was “you” who had used your influence to fasttrack the erasure of your daughter’s images from the forums where it was posted.

Fully taking advantage of my relationship with your daughter to get the aid from my family.

And with that aid I issued you a condition of letting your daughter stay at Saint Rita’s.

And it was not just a request from my family… but as a request from me.

Personally.

And by disregarding my condition to that aid you are directly stepping on the face of Senator Dante Loran’s daughter.’

…

Lucas’ face had turned grim after Yukino spat out the facts from his past actions. But the grim expression only lasted for a brief moment, before a teasing chuckle arose from his mouth.

‘Heh… Say what you want about your family’s influence and power but my priority is my family and job.

In that specific order.

The rest can burn.

I admit that I did make the deal and I did use your friendship with Nica. But that condition is only valid if I can see proof that the threat can be neutralized.

But it is not.

So as her father I have full rights to do what I know is best.

We - are - moving.’

‘Then give me a week!’

‘For what?’

‘I’ll give you your proof. Give me a week and I’ll present you the proof right here in this very room.’

‘Oh?’

‘And I’ll also bet a thousand dollars that the Oklahoma Raiders lose to the Lakers for the chip.’

Lucas was surprised by Yukino's sudden bold offer, adding to the fact that she was also waging a side bet unrelated to the topic just to lighten up the mood.

‘Keeno… you don’t ha--’

‘Shut it… I don’t like being called a traitor.’ Yukino cuts her off as she keeps her gaze at Nica’s father. ‘So what would it be, sir Lucas?’

Lucas smiles as he gives his answer.

‘Color me impressed. Dante might’ve spawned two little ladies but they sure inherited his balls. Just promise me you won’t rise up to the level of your sister.’ He said.

‘Still traumatized about that?’ Tina jabbed.

‘You know up until that point I thought you were the only woman who could scare me to death.’

‘So you like her better now?’

‘No! No. no. She’s just… frightening. Anywho… I’ll give you one week, Yuki. If I’m not convinced then consider my decision final.’ Lucas answered.

‘And the thousand dollars?’

‘Really? I thought it was a joke to lighten the mood?’

‘Nope. A thousand dollars Lakers win game seven.’ Yukino said with an air of unbreakable certainty.

‘Deal.’

The car honks its horn just outside the gate as a young lady rushes out of the front door after saying her goodbyes.

The moon was already out and looking like a smile as she ran through the thick vegetation of the courtyard with haste. Noticing the time on the clock, it was clear why her pace was in a dash. They family and her had spent the last few moments to console Nica and calming her feelings down to explain what needs to happen.

Thankfully Nica had already steeled a part of herself for if the situation turns into an unfavorable one, and though it pains her to accept, she knows it can’t be helped.

What concerns her more was the absurd wager Yukino had proposed to her father as she felt guilty of putting additional pressure on Yukino’s already hectic duties. She admits that she had said the words out of emotion and has apologized profusely for hurting her feelings, but Yukino refused and assured her instead.

Reinforcing to her, her mantra of never making a promise she can’t keep.

And thus with that. She had left the house with a smile and a skip in her step as she settled inside the car ride home.

‘I’ve never had a chauffeur as punctual as you before. Usually they’d arrive around fifteen minutes after I called but you were there after I put down the phone.

I mean I’m impressed but at least give me a heads up with your lead time, Simon.’ Yukino said as a familiar looking android looked back at her and smiled.

‘Apologies Miss Yukino. I’ll be sure to take note of that for our next encounter.’

‘Thanks Simon.’

…

The ride was silent as Yukino slouched back on her seat, her exhaustion from handling all the emotions in that room was starting to affect her.

‘By the way madam, was it okay to make such a ridiculous claim like that?’ Simon asked, breaking the silence.

‘Oh you were listening?’ She responds, her eyes squinting, suspicious of the droid’s actions.

‘Yes, I was ordered by your Sister to keep all comms on during your stay.’

‘Wha--? But I wasn’t even going into a boy’s hou-- never mind there’s no winning this and I’m tired…’ She pouts as she reclines back on her seat, looking defeated.

‘But to answer that query… I have a plan.’ She continued.

‘I know madam… I trust that you do… But that was not the question.’ Simon says as Yukino raises a brow, realizing what Simon meant.

‘I’m feeling lucky today Simon, that’s all there’s to it…

In fact, bring up the lottery.’

‘As you request.’

The screens behind his seat activate as he directs Yukino onto the page where the national sweepstakes were being presented.

‘Buy me a ticket for the six fifty- five draw.’ She commands.

‘Numbers please.’

‘Six : Fifty-Five : Four : Twenty-Eight : Nineteen : Eleven’

‘Done.’

‘Judging from the schedule the draw would be next week. So we’ll see all of the results within one day.

Let’s see how many jackpots I can hit till then.’ Yukino boasted.

‘Okay madam. I’ll look forward to it.’ Simon said.

And as the moonlight above disappears behind a single cloud present in the night sky. They too disappear as they drive behind a crest of the road they were taking, as the residents around them turn off their lights one by one, settling themselves to sleep.