it was nearly evening and we are here, standing behind the wooden wall, waiting for lash's sign.
me, ivonne, polla and missy are assigned to be the lookout while the remaining boys are standing two meters away from us while preparing their baseball bats, swiss knifes and pieces of wood. lash and richton, as our leaders are talking to the leaders of the other brotherhood as well, klaus and nemesis and up until now, they are not yet done.
i'm already losing my patience.
i rested at the wall and took one stick out of my jacket's pocket. missy and polla moved away while blowing the smokes away. i almost rolled my eyes. girly things.
i lazily looked down at ivonne's hand in front of my face."can i have one, please? just wanna calm my tits, i'm also losing my patience. what's taking them so long? seriously?" her frowning face gives me vibes.
"here," i gave her one stick.
"thanks, dear." she gave me a flying kiss. but her forehead creased when she looked down my right hand."wait, what happened to your hand?"
i sighed at her question and stared at my knuckles. i remembered that scenario inside the cafe again.
"it's nothing. just a small fight."
she seemed to believe it though.
"ugh, i'm starting to have cramps here..." missy suddenly groaned like she's in pain.
i rolled my eyes exasperatedly."stay quiet. klaus' group is just everywhere. they might here you!" i whispered firmly.
ivonne nodded at my side. missy just grunted after she gave me a roll eye. polla remained silent while biting her nails. ugh, if i were lash, i wouldn't accept these girls to join the hood. just by looking at them, i can't define what are their capability or are they even aware about the rules.
i shifted my weight when i saw lash started wearing his cap. that's the sign we're waiting for!
i faced ivonne, missy and olivia. we nodded at each other and i wore my cap, threw the cigar away. i went in between and raised my glowing hands---i made it possible because of the pen ivonne applied to it, and since it was already dark, the boys see the sign immediately. moments later, they are now running towards the entrance of the hall to crash klaus' group in every corner of the place.
and the real war started.
lash was fighting klaus who looks shocked after realizing that our founder successfully tricked him. richton was fighting with nemesis, me and the other girls are fighting klaus' girl members while dublin and the other was fighting klaus' boys.
kicks there, kicks here. punch there, punch here. whack there, whack here. everyone is busy fighting each other and the whole hall enveloped with different wails, shouts, cries and groans.
i gave my current enemy a flying kick. boom, bullseye. i smirked when he fell because of dizziness. another enemy jumped out of nowhere and it was too late for me to realize that he's holding a knife!
"v, careful!" dublin's voice echoed.
my eyes widened but i'm more fast than the loser, i kicked the knife on his grip and gave him a whack. i punched his face a multiple times and kicked his 'most treasured' part.
"ahhh!" he cried in pain.
i smirked devilishly and i didn't stop until he bleeds hard and lost his conciousness. i took his swiss knife and rolled it.
"still the badass," dublin was smiling as he commented.
i just winked at him.
but maybe i wasn't really fated to make it.
"amelia, dear!" ivonne's horrified voice echoed.
it was already too late for me to realize that someone's behind me and that someone was holding a big hard stone. it's like, my world literally stopped as my breath hitched. the last thing i heard was lash's shouts before i felt a bang on my head and darkness filled me.
•°•°•
i slowly opened my eyes and i saw the unfamiliar ceiling. it's all white and i can smell the scent of chemicals... i can hear the ticking sound of a life machine.
i'm starting to have a hint as i surveyed the whole place i'm currently in. then, i noticed the familiar broad back of someone. i can't adjust my sight properly but i can recognize him by staring for too long. innov seemed to notice that i'm staring at him, he turned to me, with his sorrowful eyes and worried face, he walked closely.
"glad you're awake now..." his voice was serious but the concern was evident.
i tried to make a response but i'm shocked because i can't even open my mouth to find my voice. he looked at me sadly.
that's when realization hit me.
"you've been admitted here for almost 2 weeks because of severe head injury and according to the doctor, you need to stay here until you recover completely." he explained.
what i could only do is to blink. i tried my best to move my hands with dextrose, i also saw it being covered by gauze. i held my head and i realized it was covered by gauze, too. recent memories came back to me.
i was with the brotherhood, and we're fighting klaus' hood.
i was being hit by the big stone in the head.
i closed my eyes firmly when a sudden pain attacked my head. it's so fucking painful!
"hey, hold on." innov guided me."don't pressure yourself. just rest. i'll call your doctor." he stood properly but not moving his gaze away from me.
i can't utter any words. i want to ask him some things. like... how did i go here? who brought me here? where's the brotherhood? are they even okay?
he made a sad smile."don't worry, i'll call your doctor so he could help you find your voice again." he opened the door and left.
so, i waited for him and he said doctor. i closed my eyes temporarily and remain muted. i really hate this place. i hate it, because i feel so weak, and i don't want to be weak. i shouldn't be here if i had been more careful... this won't happen.
the door opens and innov came back with a guy in all white robe. probably the doctor. he went closer and stared at me as if checking something and then, he wrote something on his notepad. he then, put it on the bedside table before he spoke up.
"you're lucky because you woke up this early. you've been into coma and this is a miracle, it should be a couple of months before you wake up but seems like you're strong, definitely a fighter." he said. it's hard for me to process everything i discovered.
i raised my hand and tried to move my finger to point my mouth. i can't stay muted forever! god, i'll cry hard if that's gonna happen.
he nod his head as if he remembered it just by now."yeah, yeah. just focus and think you're about to speak normal or imagine you're about to scream out loud, perhaps. you experienced that because your brain has been traumatized and it affects your speaking ability. just try and try finding your voice..."
i followed what he said. i closed my eyes and took a deep breath before opening my mouth. i think of shouting all my emotions and moments later, i heard my own voice. at first, it was low and tiny but it eventually turned loud.
"i-i can... speak now!" i exclaimed.
the doctor nodded and smiled at me.
"good job, ms. arnaez. now, you can practice so that your voice can go back to normal," then, he faced innov."she's brave, i can tell that. we just have to monitor her. i'm done checking her vital signs. excuse me." he bid.
"thank you, doc."
and i left alone with innov. i don't know but i can't look straight into his eyes. maybe i'm guilty? but i shouldn't be!
"you heard that? you need to stay here. don't worry about school and other stuffs, i already took care of everything." he told me and i just stared.
but even i now found my voice, i can't find words to make a response.
"i also told everything to uncle martin and he booked a flight tomorrow to fly back here with mom and akira."
my eyes widened.
"you shouldn't have told him i'm here! he don't care and won't even bother!" annoyance starting to consume me again. he shook his head disappointingly at me.
"you're now suffering from head injury but you're still hardheaded. listen, uncle martin is still your father. it's not true that he don't care about you because you're his only daughter---" i cut him.
"uh-huh? am i his daughter? when? i can't remember?" i asked in sarcasm.
he massaged his nosebridge."come on, van. stop being a brat, will you? you still have a lot things to explain us. don't you know that i'm so worried about you? everyone is worried about you!" i'm a bit shocked after he raised his tone.
"everyone is worried about me? really..." i burst a laughter full of sarcasm.
"van, when will you ever see it? yes, everyone is worried about you while you're here, thinking no one doesn't bother to care about you," he made me shut up."i didn't know you're still a member of that brotherhood, i thought you already left them months ago. if uncle martin discover this---"
i shook my head."no, no, innov. you wouldn't dare tell him about the brotherhood. why don't you just forget about it? i'm alive and safe! i'm breathing!" i tried to point out.
"are you hearing yourself?!" i almost jump on my bed when his voice thundered. his piercing eyes looked at me."you keep on covering that brotherhood who causing you nothing but harm! look at you now, you got a head injury and you almost died in a coma!"
i didn't talk back. it's the first time i saw him being this mad. i didn't expect this side of him.
"just this once, vanez! just this once, consider yourself!" i can already see veins on his neck.
i nodded slowly to make him stop.
"j-just don't tell dad about them, please..." i pleaded, because i know dad and his power, he can ruin the brotherhood in just a snap and i don't want that to happen.
i looked at innov's emotionless face.
"i won't tell him about them but make sure from now on, you wouldn't come back to that brotherhood again. cut your ties with them." he conditioned that made my jaw dropped.
i was about to disagree but he added something."and by the way, someone wants to talk to you."
"what? wait!"
but he already went outside.
i frowned frustratingly. i still want to know the brotherhood's situation! i don't want to leave them just like that!
plus, who the hell was that someone he's talking about? did i just surpass the coma to face another stressful things?
i watched how the door opens, i'm at the urge of talking, expecting it was innov who entered. but i was taken aback when i realized it wasn't him, but the most unexpected person i never considered meeting again.
"hi, caramel. how... have you been?"
caramel... i only know one person who created that endearment for me several years ago.
"jaguar..."