Chapter 20

We got to the skating scene and parked. Once we both got out and made our way to the crowd of people, some people asked if I was okay. I didn't want to answer all of their questions and requests but I did tell them that I was okay. We got over to Reki, Langa, and Miya. Langa was telling him to win and Joe and I told him any advice that would help him out of a difficult spot. 

" Look, it's not like it's guaranteed that I'm gonna lose," Reki replied back. " Well, it's not guaranteed that I'm gonna win either. I just don't wanna be disappointed in myself any longer." Miya sighed and walked away, muttering to himself. 

" I'll be waiting at the finish line," I said. " Push me," I ordered Joe. He sighed and got behind my wheelchair. 

" What happened to Carla?" He asked me, going over to the widescreen that was to show off the beef. Miya waited for us and Langa came after a few minutes. The race was about to start and Adam and Reki got ready. The light turned green and they burst out onto the track. Adam was in first, which was expected. 

" See? He can't put up a fight!" Miya thought out loud. 

" Even then...," I watched as the beef continued, Adam ahead and Reki a few feet behind. Something seemed off. " Reki is going slower than usual."

" Is he hesitating?" Joe asked. I wasn't too sure. I knew if Reki really wanted to fight against Adam, he would go faster than this. We all watched in concentration. 

Adam started off quickly with the Love Hug and people cheered for him.

" He's really doing it?" Joe said, moving closer to see better. It was a trick, Adam's back straightened as Reki passed by him. " Oh shit, he fell right into it," Joe commented. 

" Get away from him, Reki!" Miya shouted at the screen. 

Everyone watched as Adam plunged his hand towards the redhead and threw him off the board. Reki stumbled and fell down. 

" Reki!" Langa shouted, inching forward. He sounded nervous and scared. I could see his hands ball into fists. People muttered around us at the sudden move that Adam did. More and more opinions slid over to Adam's side for the winner. Reki got up from the ground, he looked more serious than ever. 

" Don't stand up, you idiot!" Miya shouted. He really cared about Reki and admired him. I too hope that Reki would be uninjured after this fight. 

Once Reki got back on his board, Adam slammed back into him and Reki fell off again, rolling on the ground. Adam grabbed his arm and spun him around, dragging him along the rocky floor. Reki shouted in agony but he didn't let go. The bystanders were quiet, watching this happen in front of their eyes. Some more mumbles emerged from the crowd. Adam picked Reki up, making them face to face. Adam slammed Reki against the rock wall, making his back slide ruthlessly against the bumpy and prickly wall. Reki shouted in pain. Miya came over to us, fear in his eyes.

" Let's make him stop, Joe!" Miya pleaded. 

" That would be useless," said a voice. Joe, Miya, and I turned to see a man known as "Snake" standing behind us. " Adam won't stop unless that boy is taken out for sure."

" Reki isn't going to simply go down either," Langa's voice replied, his eyes still on the screen.

" Why do you think that?" Snake asked. 

" Because we promised each other," Langa admitted. I could see from his profile that he was serious. He wasn't scared anymore for Reki. He was confident for him. 

Adam and Reki skated side by side, Reki breathing harshly but still fine enough to stand. His face looked rough but nothing he couldn't handle. A corner was coming up in the road and there wasn't a wall to block you if you missed. It was right down.  Adam leaned toward Reki but Reki was getting ready for a plan of his own. Reki moved faster towards the corner, but he wasn't turning.

" Is he planning on jumping off the cliff?" Now it was my turn to inch forward. This was a dangerous act and he could've gotten seriously injured if he wasn't careful enough.

" That's reckless!" Joe shouted behind me. At least we agreed on something. What Reki was doing wasn't smart at all. Especially against Adam. Reki slipped off the side of the corner and whispers and gasps erupted from people around us.

" Go, Reki!" Langa shouted, cheering on his best friend. I couldn't help myself from smiling. 

Reki landed ahead of Adam and continued skating, slipping only a few times. I could tell Adam was in disbelief at this action. So were a lot of other people in the crowd. 

" All right!" Langa cheered. 

" What was that?" Miya retorted, smiling too. " Way far from satisfying." Although he said this, I knew that Miya was excited at how great Reki was skating.

Then Reki did a weird move. He slipped back and--what it looked like-- hugged Adam. Adam just stood there. What the hell are you doing? Reki's body tensed as Adam started punching him in the face and on his back. This beef was going many places and I was getting excited and concerned at once. The crowd's noise vanished and everyone's eyes were watching a grown man beat up a kid on camera. Blood started showing up on Reki's body and skateboard. 

" Reki! You need to get out of there now!" Miya shouted. 

" Not yet," Langa said. 

" What are you saying-"

" Reki hasn't given up yet," Langa explained. I heard a quiet clap of thunder. It was going to rain. Rain wasn't the best weather to skate in. I wanted to see how this would go. I saw Miya move his head away from the screen, his eyes closed shut.

Just as Adam was about to hit Reki with a full blow, the redhead moved away. My mouth was open as I watched. The rain started dripping from the clouds above but I continued to watch. This race was full of suspense and fear. 

" Now he has even less of a chance of winning!" Miya announced as the rain continued. He was right.

 I watched as Adam started slowing down but Reki did the opposite. Adam was slipping up but Reki was focused and straight. Reki started pulling ahead and into first place. People started whispering and cheering on Reki. Langa was smiling up at the screen. The rain continued pouring and I could tell it would go down hard soon.

" He has wheels for when it rains," Langa explained, referring to Reki. That was a smart thing to make. " They have specials grooves on them so he won't slip." Now I understood the confidence he had for this certain redhead. " But he'll be slower in casual weather."

" So that's why he was slow in the first half," I mentioned. Langa nodded.

" So he wanted the rain to fall?" Miya asked.

" He was betting on it," Langa answered. We all looked up at the screen, now understanding the whole beef better than before. 

Reki and Adam were soaked and I could tell from Adam's expression that he was angry. Reki turned at a corner but Adam picked up his skateboard and ran after the boy. 

" That's," I was in disbelief. This was the second time he had used this technique. Don't take the hit. Don't get hurt. Dodge the board!

" The technique he used on Cherry!" Joe finished my sentence. Joe was in disbelief, I could tell. 

" Don't take that hit, Reki!" Miya shouted. He was so scared. 

Reki didn't move or dodge or anything. He kept getting closer to the man that could hurt him. Dodge it! Just as Adam was ready to hit him, Reki grabbed his cape and wrapped it around the board. The board got stuck and caught the fabric, making it so Reki could get away. Adam's cape got him caught and he slipped and fell. He planted face first in the dirty, muddy ground. People were whispering and muttering. I started chuckling. 

" What do you think?" Joe looked over at me. I started laughing.

" It serves him right," I said. " Defeated by the weather!" I continued laughing. Joe laughed along with me.

" An entire legacy washed away by the rain!" Joe added. I continued laughing and others started too. 

" Alright!" Miya cheered on. " I knew he could defeat the evil overlord!" 

People started cheering for Reki now. Langa was smiling up at the tv as Reki declared his name. Adam started getting up, his clothes drenched in mud and rain. He tripped again and people continued to laugh. I even heard Snake try to suppress a laugh. The rain continued dripping and I tucked my hairpieces behind my ears so they wouldn't stick to my face. 

Joe took me to the car, Langa and Miya following behind. We needed to be quick to catch Reki at the finish line. Langa had his phone out and he and Miya watched it online as we drove down to the end. Once we got there, Joe told the kids to get out before them, not wanting to hold Reki's friends back. We got inside the factory and heard the cheers for Reki. 

" Just a bit more, Reki!" Langa cheered him on.

" You can win this!" Miya added. 

I smiled as I watched the young boy race down the metal bridges and steel bars. Someone said that Adam was getting closer. Reki's wheels started stumbling and Adam was only at the entrance of the abandoned factory. Adam took a shortcut and made his way closer to the redhead. The suspense was dreadful and people were muttering and cheering for different people. The worst part was that Adam was furious.

" What a bastard," I said, watching the two race.

" Hurry, Reki! He's catching up!" Joe shouted out. I hoped that Reki could hear him.

Langa's face looked serious as he watched his best friend race. The two were so close to the finish line. One of Reki's wheels popped off and skidded to the side. They were close to even when they crossed the finish line but Adam was ahead by an inch. They both stumbled off of their board and fell. 

Although Adam won, people cheered for Reki, complimenting him on how smart he was and how great his skating skills were. But Reki wasn't moving. Langa pushed his way through and kneeled down next to his friend. The chanting stopped. 

" Reki, are you okay?" Langa asked. Whispers started but quickly vanished as Reki started laughing. He rolled onto his back and stretched out his limbs.

" Skating is super fun!" Reki announced, a wide grin on his face. Langa helped Reki get up from the ground.

" You had us getting nervous," Joe admitted, smirking at the redhead.

" You really did surprise us like that, Reki," I added. 

" Not bad for a slime," Miya stated. 

He told us how nervous he was but happy he wasn't hurt. But then Adam stood up. He started walking toward our group and Reki and Langa stood up. Langa stepped in front of Reki for protection but Joe walked over, setting his hand on Adam's muddy shoulder.

" Stop it. The fight is over," Joe said in his ear but loud enough that people nearby could hear. 

" Joe said to me before: ' Don't end up alone'," Reki started. " And I'm not."

" You really think a nobody like you could successfully win against me?" Adam emphasized, looking right at the redhead. 

Snake stepped in front of Adam and they spoke to each other but I couldn't hear what they were saying. The rain could be heard from inside the building, the water droplets pounding on the roof. Then Adam looked back at Reki. 

" You said I was all by myself?" Adam repeated. " You're correct." He went on talking to Langa. It was creepy words that he spoke. 

People started leaving and Joe and I followed. The rain was pouring now and went to the car that was parked behind the abandoned factory. He got me inside and put the wheelchair away in the back. He came back into the car soaking wet. 

" You are lucky that I'm doing this for you," Joe said, slicking his hair back. My cheeks went hot for a moment and I looked out the window.

" Thank you, Kojiro," I replied. We quickly got out of there and drove home in the dark, rainy night.

--

hey yall here's an author's note!

I was debating on putting

" He started talk about a world and some Bible verse but I just rolled my eyes. This is like the twentieth time he's talked about this. " 

in the book but ended up not too just because it wasn't like cherry

anygays bye now

Ps. Happy Pride Month 🌸🍵👭👬👫🌈🏳️‍🌈 you are all valid and important ❤ stay safe

- author