All The Arts That We're Not

Chapter 7

Zeke

"Are you sure you're gonna be okay?" He asked his mum just after he helped her settle on her bed.

They just left the hospital after almost two weeks since she's got admitted. And although the doctor says she's okay now and is feeling better than these past few weeks, Zeke still can't be quite settled.

"Honey, I'm okay now. I'll be taking care of myself so you have nothing to worry about. And besides, Jeric will be taking care of me too."

"Then where is he?" She paused just her son questioned him. It's not that she had no response to that, she's just had to think of how she'll put it.

"He's busy." She looked down and heard Zeke sniggered. "Zeke, why don't you just stay here? You know you could live here, so we can be together without worrying for each other."

His mum's tone went soft this time and which makes him unable to think of what to say.

"I'll go now." He told her instead as he grab his bag before leaving.

As much as he wants to say he loves to, he knows that's not gonna turn easy. Just the idea he'll stay with someone he can't get along with annoys him already.

The next morning as he settled on an empty table at the cafeteria, and was waiting for his friends, his attention drawn to where he saw Arkin.

He still haven't spoken to him since the last time and he starts wondering if he would still show up.

Just when he's about to ignore him, their eyes met. And the expression on Arkin's face dropped serious as he make his way to   where Zeke was sitting. By the time Zeke raised his glance up, Arkin place a hand on the table with the same serious expression on his face.

"Just so you know. I'm not gonna give up on what I've started. I'll make sure I'll be part of your gang." Zeke didn't get to think of what to respond the moment Arkin left.

At this point, Zeke wasn't feeling shocked after hearing those words from him. He's just surprised how driven it really made he become.

.

For the past days Arkin he had been working on with himself, he believes he's doing some progress. And Tim was really a huge help.

As Arkin continues throwing punches and back at Tim, he started gasping for some air as he looked down to where he sent Tim. It felt like he already gave the remaining strength left in him. But just after he thought he'd beat him already, Tim yank him by his knees and the next thing he knew is he's on top of him now with his fist ready to punch him. They stared at each other before Tim broke into a fit of laughter and lay beside him and begin looking up the ceiling.

"What does you friends says about this?" He asked him as he remained looking up at ceiling.

"They don't know about this."

Arkin immediately looked his way and realize he was really serious about his answer. "Seriously?" He asked, and Tim chuckled.

"If you know them, and if by any chance they heard about this, I probably wouldn't be here." He told him which brings him confusion. All these time he thought his  friends knew about this.

"Is it bad thing?"

"Probably even worse." Arkin was clueless about what he's supposed to mean by that and how he should take that into account.

"Then why do you decide to do this in the first place?"

"It's because I see myself in you." He told him after a few moments of silence. Arkin sit up while Tim remain on the floor, contemplating why he really decided to help him.