"Mom broke three dishes," Cherry said, her sea-green eyes settled upon the PC as I jumped through the window of our house, into our room. I had to climb a tree adjacent to the transom, and clutch onto it with my life. I wasn't in a salubrious status, but I dared not to take the main door, given that mom is asleep, and waking her up would be like waking up a thousand-year-old dragon with anxiety issues.

"Well, that's progress," I said as I plopped myself on the couch next to her. My body protested in agony but I winced them off, as my vision kept transmuting. I wasn't tired exactly, but I couldn't move properly with all the bruises intact. "Last time it was five. So yeah, three seems fine to me."

"One of the dishes, had my favorite Winnie-the-Pooh design," She pouted, as she took off her headphones that I am pretty sure, had no music playing whatsoever, and turned to look at me. "Oh wow, you look great."

The sarcasm was dripping in her words. The solitary section of my body that was wrecked to an intensity was the guts. Customarily, I am not a hit-him-in-the-tummy kind of guy, but that doesn't mean everyone heeds the same. My wrists held cuts that were clotted with aprotinin, a drug used to annihilate blood from flowing further. The spine was profoundly bruised and was dressed with prickling chill salve sheets, covering the abdomen along in many layers underneath which narcotics were utilized. But genuinely I was cool about all of this, given that my face was just the same, albeit there was a small cut, it didn't ravish my appearance.

"Oh yeah, about that," I sighed as my body shuddered painfully again. Even though, the night air was stroking me with it's iciness, I was perspiring. "It was a biggie fight."

"I saw that," She said as her mouth twisted into a small grin. She knew that I hated her watching my games, but no matter what I say, she doesn't hearken it. Well, she is ten. And I was ten when I initiated playing, and I never lent an ear to mom ever since. So I couldn't censure her for implying like me. "They censored the part where you pulled it off."

It took me a moment to register what she was talking about. Terrence wore a loin-cloth to the arena, and all I felt like doing then was to embarrass him in some way. Towards the end of the fight, when winning seemed prosaic in his case, I took that as my opening. Well, the crowd reacted in a distinctive way than I conceived they would. They were positively on my side, which was a pleasure, since I didn't have to embrace the fear of dying in view of that fact.

"That's great to know," I smiled as I watched her giggle shaking her head, her unruly wavy russet hair oscillating lightly, as her snow pale cheeks lit up endearing. "Or else, the Nightmare dude would have dug a hole and crawled into it."

"Facts," She grinned as she took the headphone, that was placed in her lap, and proceeded to wear it.

"No," I said, as I took it away from her. "You need rest. Sleep."

"But-"

"No buts. See Cherry, it's almost one o' clock. I need you to be healthy, and also, we can watch the movie together-" I said pointing to the PC's screen which had Jungle Book going on. I never favored binge-watching movies or any sort of TV shows, but Cherry was insistent and every now and then, she has a new preferred actor, and she unceasingly stalked them on internet.

"Alrighty," She pouted again, but this time, positively. She stood from her seat--jumped, to be exact, given that, she is really short. Her head always reached my waist, and I invariably found that adorable. She wore a cute turquoise jazz cheerleading outfit and two socks that covered her tiny feet. She walked up to me, her face beaming under the subtly lit room, and hugged me tightly.

"Owie," I flinched, my voice lingering off as small circuits of pain broke out. It wasn't habitual for me to feel this way, though many a time I was wounded. Terrence was a confirmed pro player and I wondered how I fought him off last time without much effort. Though I wasn't sure where I met him earlier, a small part of my cognizing brain had him in somewhence among other recollections, latent from revealing.

"Oh, I am sorry," She pulled away, her face manifesting concerned emotions, as her cheeks exhibited cute dimples on either of them, lopsided. "Does it hurt, Nico?"

"Kinda," I said smiling, even though that hurt too, I disguised it with a light laugh. "I am fine, honestly. It's just like last week, the impact of fights get to me easily these days."

"That's because you don't practice," She said grumpily, crossing her little arms. "You don't go to the Foundation routinely like how you used to."

I used to like going to the Foundation for practices. But once, when it seemed like winning was typical in my scenario, I elected to quit those workouts and study for my school exams. Learning was easier for me, since I didn't have to fight anything and I appreciated every second concerning it.

"It's okay, Cherry," I said, trying to persuade her, even though it's futile. She perceives me a lot, and is overly protective when it comes to my health. Albeit she doesn't say anything about my games, she hates it when I seem sickly. "A good sleep will do the magic."

She didn't buy it but simply stared at my face with a cynical catechism look. Usually she keeps meme faces as if attempting to transmit my imbecility through them. But some other time, it's this ominous speculation, essentially like she is conceiving. After a wave of ponderous silence crashed over, she sighed. "You are really hard to read, Nico."

"Well, that's good to hear." I smiled, patting her head lightly, but my body demurred anew in anguish and I bit back the pain. The game wore me too well for my own good, albeit it wasn't conventional, I didn't want to worry her anymore, given that, she previously looked like she might cry. "Get some rest."

"You too," She said smiling as she leaned in closer to my face, and planted a kiss on my right cheek. I wanted to return it, like how I habitually do, but I wasn't in a serene humor. "Oh and I have something for you."

She walked towards her PC that was placed on a table, aside which was a jar of choco chip cookies. I flipped my hair bangs backward neatly, as I took a moment to smile at her oneself. If I won the games, I get a cookie. That was a promise we both effected when we were remarkably naive. Although mom doesn't like the whole concept of cookie wins owing to the fact that I almost kill people for a sustenance, she never said anything to hurt Cherry's sentiments.

Approaching me, her hands holding three huge cookies, and a big smile plastered on her face, she handed it over to me, giggling. "A promise is a promise. Congrats for the biggie win, Prince Nico."

"It's an honor, Milady," I grinned as I took the cookies from her. She seemed more content than earlier and I thanked God silently for that. "Now go and sleep. Or else, this Prince might do some pillow fight."

"Sounds awesome," She laughed, her dimples raised up lot more than before, as her eyes brimmed with tears of mirth and the smile tugging her lips broke into a grin. "But this lazy Countess is sleepy, and will listen to her Prince."

As the moonlight sneeked on the mellow icy floor, it's vague and luscious splendor displaying an origin that lit the ghostly dim room, the icy night air permeated with depths of calm ballast, caressing her pastel cheeks, she drifted off to profound slumber as I took the cue of watching her until I couldn't hold the dismal ambiance and cruised to sleep.

I was a blend connecting a morning person and a night owl. Not like I ever aspired to wake up early in the morning--but I was forced to, by my simple cognize, owing to the fact that I work part-time as a cafe server.

I preferred going to my school these days, given that I am operating way too much than I practiced to. Even though my sanity is on the line, I sit someplace tranquil and execute the tasks given to me. My co-workers were nevermore effective either. I had to consistently pester them to make a simplistic coffee. Customer assistance wasn't their order, honestly. All they attended was to get the payment by the end of the month, by complimenting the cafe's owner and spread phony lies about me. Not like I ever considered, but the reality that I did nothing to aggravate them and yet I had to receive all their offense, was bothersome.

Jack and Penny usually hung out around the cafe so that they could use that as an excuse for talking with me. The Foundation never admired us being together because our abilities varied greatly. Albeit Jack was way more skilled than me, nobody appeared to fret much about him. Although he contradicts the point that he aspires better treatment like how I receive, I highly ponder if he is passable in the way they treat him. He doesn't have anything disquieting monetary quandaries like me or any sort of school issues, but somehow every time, he is lost in his own world over something absolutely random.

Penny has a pretty cool lifestyle too. She most frequently kills time with her dad, who chances to run the international gaming company INK. Even though Penny has everything, just like how Jack does, I never witnessed anything in her that is like repletion. She has a remarkably relaxed temperament and is chill even when something critical befalls. She engages a lot in her job, perceiving people even when we are out of our Foundation, and points out their lack of inspiration and why are some pessimistic. She tried helping me out when dad left, but for some reason, that never worked.

The cafe, unusually, was not packed. Weekends had the most number of customers, which meant more work for me, albeit I worked nightshift. Cherry didn't fancy me working during weekends but I had to, given that it helps me pay off our school fees, and buy essentials for the house. Grocery was my mom's job, she runs perpetually to the stores and purchases stuffs. I cringed when I thought about mom. I somehow got out of the house without her notice, bidding Cherry a light goodbye, the likewise way I came home the other night. I wasn't assured if she is traveling to be in good humor about it, but I curtailed the solicitude for another time.

Melli, my co-worker and the main barista of Muffins Cafe, waved at me as I pushed open the cafe door, and entered it. I waved back, smiling, as I watched her tug a loose strand of her platinum blonde hair, behind her ears. Melli was the only person in the whole cafe, who could be called as friendly. She despised the others who continually talked about us, behind our backs, even when we could hear all that. Even though she was a year younger than me, she had more maturity than any of the people I knew, excluding my family and friends of course. And she was definitely a reliable person, which was a plus.

"How are you doing?" She asked, leaning towards the counter as I came and stood in front of her. She was wearing the typical work outift--white shirt, over which was a black sleeveless blazer and black pants, identical to mine. Her hair was braided neatly, embellished with faux flowers and they adorned her tanned face, along with the existence of her amber eyes. She was beautiful as a whole, as she resembled her mom a lot. Even though I have only come across Mrs. Jane a couple of times, she was the best person I could ask for a second mother.

"Well, let's see," I said as I took a look at my watch. "It's 7 am in the morning. Perfect time for a cup of coffee. And I have managed to ditch the house without mom's notice. So yeah, I am doing pretty cool."

She sighed as a light laugh escaped her lips. "Not that, ink-head. I meant you, how are you doing?"

"That's what-"

"The games." She wrinkled her nose in a funny manner, and that reminded me of my first grade homeroom teacher. "I saw it. You looked like you might die."

"Well..." I wasn't sure if I should mention the fact that the pain subsided--but never left, and that it still hurts. Terrance had me in a headlock and I had to punch him several times in his arm, striving, half-dangling mid-air, before he left me. Till then, I kept choking as my eyes welled up with tears, because of oxygen divestment. But, on the emphatic side, I never granted him a second chance to revolve the same thing. Even though he did take my guts to an account owing to the fact that I was less defensive about it, I still won--and that's what mattered anyway.

"It's okay," She said, noticing my hesitation in contemplating to tell her what precisely I felt like. "Anyway, did you know that Mr. Reynold is holding an interview with an influential faction of people for some sort of sponsorship?"

"Faction? Like, now?" I blinked innocently as my mind slipped to bottled up memories, trying to recollect if he had mentioned anything like that in the past days.

"Yeah," She smiled, her cheekbones rising, as her eyes twinkled lightly under the cafe's chandelier. "Dunno why. But I overheard Lest and Nancy say that, most probably he is sponsering the next arena match that is going to take place this Friday. Pretty sick, don't you think?"

Mr. Reynold was our cafe's owner, and one of the business tycoons who has ownership over fifty endowments and corporations around the world. Though he never liked me, or Melli, because of Lest and Nancy, our co-workers who constantly talked about us falsely, he nevermore said anything to dissent us anyway. Albeit he does show some uncomfortableness talking with us on payment days, we try to be polite as possible. Every now and then, he bought over huge versions of magnates who would pay to just see the match, let alone sponser it. Though I heavily suspected why he had to be interested in arena matches and players, when running a coffee shop, I simply kept quiet.

"I guess," I said as I flipped my hair bangs backward in a neat hand gesture. "But who are they?"

"Well, he had three people with him who were huge!" She exclaimed, imitating them by throwing her arm in upward direction and trying to express the scary feeling through her eyes, that it almost looked like they were bulging. "They wore suits and each of 'em held a suitcase. Duh, typical bad guys."

"We don't know for sure," I smiled at her innocence, and walked to the small opening to enter the counter. "Also, this may heat up our incomes."

"You bet," She grinned as she opened the desk drawer that was placed next to her, and took out of it a plain notepad and a pen. Just then, the cafe's door opened revealing a couple of high school guys, who were teasing each other about something as they sat across each other, on one of the unoccupied tables. "Seems like we have got a bunch of school dudes this time. At least I am happy it's not some grumpy lady like last time. Man, she gave me a hard time. Whatever."

She went running to the table of boys with her notepad to take their order, her silky hair swaying with the movement.

Lest and Nancy were nowhere to be found. Lest was always the first one to arrive among us, then his pretty girl Nancy the Trash-Talker, and then Melli and finally me. I usually came earlier than Melli many a time, when the games were less violent the previous day. But today was different since my bones ached so badly. I wondered what I would ever say to mom, given that she is really delicate and fine-tuned over immaterial things and throws a tantrum every now and then. I overlooked to mention to her concerning the new game, and Jack assured me that he could persuade her. But neither he, or Penny are to be seen anywhere.

The weather was contrasted to the shiny sun yesterday, as lightning flashed in the area. Rain drops dripped down the sumptuous walls of the cafe, that were adorned with cynosure graffiti and rich nebulae illustrations, and down the glass doors that were encompassed in mist. I preffered rain, more than I did for heat, as it helps me overcome depression for some speculation. I noticed a few cops on the streets questioning civilians. One of the women held a baby and I ached to help her out in the rain, as thunder bellowed in the street. Only silhouettes could be traced to people who stood farther away from them. The light's of the cop cars blinked against the dilapidated buildings, and I pondered if another street fight--those were really common--broke out.

To show some love to the weather, I decided to make some coffee. Taking out some beans from the packet that was placed inside the storage, I grounded it with uniform consistency similar to the granulated table salt. Meanwhile, I placed a filter in the brewer and rinsed it with hot water as it removes the papery residue on the filter and warms up the brewer, keeping the coffee hot for longer. The water should be discarded after rinsing, as it is not of use anymore. Adding the grounds to the filter is a bit tricky since I have to make sure the surface is level, and make sure it stays the same. Heating up the water in necessary intensity, I slowly and steadily pour just enough water over the grounds to saturate them completely, starting your way from the middle and working your way outward. I stop the process before the coffee begins to drip and slowly pour the remaining water in the dripper between three and a half quarters.

After three minutes, I make the best--as I call it--Pour Over.

I watched as Melli came over to the counter, walking slowly unlike earlier where she was running away like a cute rabbit from Alice in Wonderland, and took out a sip out of my delicious cup of coffee.

"Want some?" I raised the coffee cup towards her, in a gesture that meant CHEERS. Not the right one, but I didn't correct anyway.

"No," She said blankly, staring deep down of the floor, as she kept the notepad on the counter. "Four Iced-lattes, Three Expressos, Two Mochas and an Americano."

Noticing the weirdness in the atmosphere as she stood there silently beside me, avoiding all sorts of eye-contacts, I decided to make the first move. "Hey, what happened?"

"What do you mean, what happened?" She questioned me as I felt a slight surge of panic in her voice. Melli wasn't the sensitive one like my mom, or was she a easily-gets-upset kind of girl. She always had that fun perception in her self, so this definitely was an outward material away from personal reasons.

"What happened to the cheerful Melli?" I asked as I poked her shoulders lightly, and she shrugged it away, absent-minded. "All of a sudden, you go on a depressed mood?"

"It's..." She hesitated, gazing downwards as I traced melancholy spreading in her appearnce. "It's nothing."

"Aww come on," I said sarcastically as I caught her shoulders from shaking, which was a bit weird. "Of course there is something. You know I am really good at helping people out-"

Before I could complete my lame sentence, she pulled me into a hug and broke down.

Just like that.

"Hey..." She was crying, not one of those I-didn't-get-the-pony kind of cry. Just painful, slow breaths taken, stifling a sniff every now and then as tears streamed down, without a pause. I sucked at comforting someone in times of need, but this was different. Melli meant the world to me, just like how mom and Cherry did. And seeing her cry, made me feel so weak. Her spindly arms hung around my neck, holding onto tightly, breathing into my shirt, as if that connection would break apart.

"It's alright..." I found myself saying, even if I didn't precisely figure out the problem. I softly pulled her away from the embrace, which was not a cool thing, but I desired to know what transpired. Her face was slightly cerise and tear after tear squeezed out of her amber eyes, and her lips trembled as she wept. "Who....did this to you?"

She pointed to the table were the seven guys sat around and for some reason, they were staring at us steady, half-grinning.

"Did they do something?" I asked her, keeping my eyes intact upon them, as they stuck their tongues out.

I turned to watch to see her nod lightly as rivulents of tears, almost like small snowflakes, slide down her cheeks.

So they did.

"Well then, I guess I'll talk to them," I said, a slight vexation seeking into my nerves, as I turned, making my pace out of the counter, when an arm grasped my wrists, tightly.

"It's okay," Melli said grabbing a towel that was placed on the tissue box next to her, and wiped her snot-nose. "I am fine, Nico, it's just-"

"You realize that you are hurt?" I arched an eyebrow as I felt her eyes bore into mine. "And that you are a bad liar."

"It's not like that," She forced a smile, which wasn't necessary since it won't work with me. "I...I don't want you to create chaos like how you always do. I am used to this-"

"Chaos?" I said and my mind flipped two times. Right, I am a player.

"Yes," She said, tracing the edge of the counter with her trembling fingers, her eyes lost somewhere in thoughts. "That."

I gave out an exasperated sigh, flipping my obstinate hair bangs, backward. "At least, I can talk to them about manners right?"

"I don't know, I-"

"It's all good, Melli, I am not going to do anything stupid." I winked, smiling, which she returned with a perturbed expression.

I made my pace towards their table. They kept gawking at me weirdly, without a altercation, and I wondered if they were doing this on tenacity. As much as I resented lying to Melli about the way I resolve on things, and how no one can break them, I kept all the urges to myself. I didn't specifically want to reckon out what had occurred, it's always the same--weirdos who comment, unnecessarily. I never liked associating myself in all their twaddle talks, given that, mom told me to stay away from trouble. Also, I played, which was more than adequate, according to her.

I ceased to a halt, feets away from their table, and they stood in my appearance. They looked the same age as mine, but to scrutinize, I didn't look weird as them or did anything to earn the name of a jerk.

"We gave our orders," A guy with spikey hair said, spreading out his arms, mockingly.

"About that," I said as I took a step forward. Discerning me, they then mirrored the same, except, they took a step backward. "I am here to give my orders."

A pink haired guy with glasses, stepped in front of me, almost as if, he lead the team. "Are you here to talk for that scrawny girl?" He pointed to Melli and sighed. "Well then, buddy, you are at the wrong place."

"Not really," I said, a fake smiled plastered on my face. "She is my friend. And she asked me to step away from you guys, even after whatever you told her--which I am not sure what--so I couldn't stand by and watch her cry."

"Oh, so that's his deal." The spikey hair said, an annoyance sneaking into them. "He want's some personal vendetta, I guess."

"We can sort this out," Another guy said, who had a big smile etched across his face, his eyes alight with glee. "So, you are gonna fight with all of us?"

I flexed my fingers, crazing bones as a billow of mettle wave wavered across them. I hated competing with people who were only a ruin of my time. But this was a whole new scenario. I could almost hark my mind talking to me, compelling me to step out of this game. Melli wouldn't covet this, and I was not the one to intervene in her things.

I turned back to look at her and she was nowhere to be found. Maybe she is staying away, so that she doesn't have to see what I am going to do?

That's good.

I turned away from the counter, as a grin spread across my face, and my fingers itched to get my switchblade, but I threw the thought away, as if it were a secondary consideration.

"Nope," I laughed, which was a habitual thing for me. The whole situation was funny, these guys clustered my territory, and hurt my friend. So, there is no way I was going to stay silent.

"So you are going to fight with us." The spikey hair confirmed, as his face transfigured the smile into a smirk.

"I said, nope," The grin grew larger on my face and I chewed my lips to hold back the laughter. "It's just...I am going to flirt with you."