Home For My Soul

37|Maintaining Reputation

My whole body was trembling, but I didn't have time to feel trepidation. I took a deep breath, trying to calm my heartbeat. I looked around me without taking my eyes off the two Chika guards.

The woman raised her fist first, I dodged. He tried again, I managed to dodge. His face started to crimson, not liking to see his two punches slip. I knew I was going to let my guard down, because those two eludes alone had left me exhausted.

Escaping, I was clearly losing fast to these two tall and big men. So I retreated slowly, then hid behind a pillar. He kicked, punched expertly, but I used the pillar as a shield.

Her male friend didn't help, so I was lucky. One to one is not a problem. All I'm worried about is feeling tired. As soon as I recognized the sequence of the woman's attacks, I caught her hand as she punched and broke her wrist.

“Aarrgghh!!” shouts of pain soon filled the corridor.

But I'm not done yet. Seeing him off guard, I kicked the part behind his knee so that he knelt on the floor and pointed one of my fists at his face. Chika nags her male bodyguard and tells him to immediately save his partner.

I've definitely lost, but I'm not giving up. No matter he has learned my tricks, I use the pillar as a shield. I was getting tired and my movements slowed down. But I did not stop moving to dodge attacks after attacks from him.

My heart is getting stifling my chest. Sweat began to flow all over my body. My physical signs of protest with sudden exhaustion had to be borne. I have to think quickly if I'm going to take this guy down.

When he stretched out his two hands to hold my hand that was on the pillar, then I stuck my foot on the pillar and stepped on it with all my might so that my body was pushed back and he was pulled forward. He grimaced in pain as his face stumbled against the wall.

I used the opportunity to get the pepper spray out of the front pocket of my backpack. Just as he was moving his hands away from his face, I greeted him with a splash of that poignant liquid on his face. He was stunned for a moment before shouting out pungency.

“No! Forgiver. I'm not gonna hit you. Go!” screeched her female companion as I approached to do the same.

“Goblok! You guys I pay a lot not to lose to that ugly woman!” jerrit Chika.

Seeing that nothing else was going to stand in the way, I hurried away. Chika wouldn't dare to hit me after seeing those two people lose to me. Thankfully, the daily exercise I do is not in vain. I came back agile even though not as fast as Katelia. I can beat them!

Good, Amarilis! You managed to train yourself and fight your laziness! We succeeded! Thank goodness we succeeded! Hopefully Chika won't tell people to hit me again. After my actions, it will take me a long time to recover my strength.

“Lo sure can teach my sister with that condition?” asked Theo from the direction in front of me, making me jump in surprise. “What's up? Why are you so surprised?”

I looked at him who was standing at ease by his motorcycle, and then to the back where I was fighting the two big guys. Are my eyes wrong? He could have witnessed the incident from this point. Then why didn't he come to help me?

My heart that was pounding and my body that was trembling with fear, changed in anger. How can a young man call himself a girlfriend, but be silent to see his girl fight the bad guy alone?

“You see I'm in trouble and just quiet?” I asked while clenching my hands.

Why does he have such a nice body if it is only used as a display? The time he wasn't moved at all to help me fight them? I wouldn't be overwhelmed like this if we shared. He fought the big man and I faced the female.

“Lo is fine, not battered,” he said indifferently.

“Don't you like to help people who are persecuted? Why did you just shut up when Chika told her two guards to hit me?” I still hold back my anger.

“He's a nobody to me, what am I thinking?”

“Amarilis is also a nobody, but you defend her,” I said, reminding.

He looked at me for a moment, then grinned. “Lo think I scolded you first, because I want to defend Amaryllis?” guess it.

“Iya. Is there another reason?” I'm getting less and less clueless.

“Gue advises you as my future wife, for no other reason. If you have a bad reputation and your habit of bulldozing it is smelled by the media someday, my name is also tarnished. So, you misunderstood. I'm not defending Amarylis.”

How could I have just found out there was such a selfish person? All he thought about was himself. Not the victims or me, but his own good name. Ah, naw. He clearly mentioned Katelia's reputation, not just her good name.

“And you don't care about Chika because she's nobody you.” I concluded. I don't know why I'm a little happy to know that.

“Good, if you already understand.” He's wearing his helmet.

“You lied,” I said, remembering the incident a month ago. “When Chika and her two friends forced me to confess in the lecture hall that afternoon, you helped me.”

“Lo is really darn, yes. Come on, we're leaving now.”

He pulled my hand when I didn't want to go near him. I also had to obey and go to his house with him. Aunt Ruth greeted me cheerfully, while Theo took the stairs to her room upstairs.

I used the bathroom for a while to clean myself up. My clothes are shabby and I don't want Matt to feel uncomfortable because of the unpleasant smell of my sweat earlier. I always carry a change of clothes just in case of rain or sweating. After my appearance was neat again, then I entered our study room.

Matt looks so fresh even had time to prank me by giving a cake that turned out to be very salty. Damnit. He had dodged before I could hit him in the head. When we were studying seriously and he let his guard down, then I snapped his head.

Om Azarya did not eat with us, so I was only with her mother and son. I no longer pretend I don't know the etiquette of eating. It feels more comfortable to be yourself. Nor do they seem to care about my eating style which is exactly like theirs.

“Matt, have you given your teacher an invitation to attend the concert?” aunt Ruth asked her second son.

“Already, dong, Ma. One line with you guys,” the answer is relaxed.

“Good.” Aunt Ruth turned to me. “Do not hesitate if you fall asleep during the concert. Theo was always slumbering on the first note his sister played.”

Matt and Theo laughed. I looked at the three of them in confusion. Ooo, I get it. This concert features classical music. Not my favorite kind of music, but I'm not going to fall asleep. My family used to attend similar music events and I enjoyed it quite a bit.

Theo drove me home as usual. The good of this family until when can I feel it? If Theo was officially engaged to a woman of his parents' choice, would they still be kind and friendly to me? What if they find out I'm Theo's secret girlfriend?

Up in front of my residence, the daydream should be spoiled. Theo helped me down, then I opened the helmet and returned it to him. He's holding my hand, not that headguard. I looked at him questioningly.

“Do you have clothes to attend the concert?” tanyakanya.

“I can wear Aunt's gift dress,” I replied casually.

“Gue pick up tomorrow for lunch, then we find clothes that are suitable for lo.” He saw my body. “Lo body weight reduced again, the dress must have been loose.”

“No need. I've already reduced the clothes to the tailor. If it turns loose again, I can wear my best shirt and a long skirt. Beres,” my.

“Lo have a guy appointment tomorrow?” He looked at me not like it.

Why does he even think so? Weekends are my day to make money. I'd rather focus on busking than looking for clothes to attend an event that lasts a few hours. But I don't want him to know that.

“I have no appointment with Brother Jericho if that's what you suspect.”

“Good, then. I picked him up at exactly one in the afternoon. Look out, if you're not here. I kept the fence until you showed up,” threatened him.

This crazy guy. The more violent the day. He was playing hide-and-seek. If in front of people like to be friendly today, tomorrow will be a stranger. He can hold other women, I was forbidden to see my own brother. Uh, the clothes business must be arranged.

But he has a point too. I checked my little wardrobe and found no decent clothes other than that purple dress. Not wanting to humiliate those who paid my services dearly, I sent a message to Brother Jericho. I'm just typing, SOS.