bapa: indefatigable love

Bapa: chapter 32 (Chapas Phone Home)

Chapa POV:

I woke up before Bose, slipping out of bed as quietly as I could. The early morning light filtered through the curtains, casting a soft glow on his sleeping face. For a moment, I just stood there, watching him. He looked so peaceful, so different from the chaotic world we usually find ourselves in. But I had too much on my mind to stay still.

After a quick shower, I grabbed my clothes, not bothering to dry my hair, and headed out to the Man's Nest. I needed space, some time to think. I heard Bose stirring as I was about to leave, and I knew he'd wake up soon.

"It's 8 a.m., you're already heading to the Man's Nest?" Bose asked, his voice still thick with sleep.

"Yeah," I replied, not turning back.

"Oh, okay," he said, sounding a little disappointed. "By the way, Miles, Ray, and Mika texted me. They want to buy the newest cellphone. Are you coming with us?"

"No, Bose, you know I'm not buying a new one," I shot back, trying to keep my frustration in check.

"I know, but you can still come with us," he offered.

"No, I'm good. I'll see you later at the Man's Nest," I said, and with that, I left. I knew he was just trying to help, but the thought of getting a new phone, of replacing the one that was stolen, felt like a betrayal to everything I'd been through.

When I arrived at SWAG, I found Schwoz already there, tinkering with some gadget at his desk.

"Hey, Schwoz," I greeted him.

"Hey, Chapa," he replied in his usual accent, barely looking up from his work. "The others will be back soon."

"Yeah, I heard," I said, sitting down heavily on one of the chairs.

"Why didn't you go with them?" Schwoz asked, glancing at me curiously.

"Because I don't have a phone, and I'm not buying a new one when my old one is still missing," I replied, the bitterness creeping into my voice.

"Oh, okay," he said, nodding innocently.

We sat in silence for a while, the sound of Schwoz's tools clicking and clacking the only thing breaking the quiet. It wasn't long before Ray, Bose, Mika, and Miles came bursting into SWAG, all of them proudly showing off their new phones. I rolled my eyes.

"Hey, Chapa, why didn't you come with us?" Ray asked, holding up his new phone like it was the latest piece of treasure.

"Because you guys texted each other? And I don't have a phone," I said, my irritation slipping through. It was obvious.

Miles, ever the generous one, pulled out another phone from his pocket. "I bought two. You can have mine."

"No, no. I don't want yours. I want my old phone that was stolen from me by a boy," I said, feeling the anger flare up inside me. "And when I find that boy, I am going to destroy him, for stealing my phone, my joy, my innocence, and ruining my life!" I snapped, zapping Schwoz's little desk in frustration.

"Aye!" Schwoz yelped, jumping back.

"Okay... so what should we do with our old phones?" Bose interjected, clearly trying to diffuse the situation.

Then Mika, with her usual enthusiasm, introduced us to a weird little robot she called Wasty. "It collects e-waste like old phones and tech products and recycles them!" she explained, her eyes bright with excitement.

We all exchanged glances, thinking it was pretty lame, and soon enough, we were back to doing our own things.

---

A few hours later, we were all lounging in the Man's Nest. Well, I was watching TV while the others were glued to their new phones. Suddenly, Wasty came rolling back into the room, and Mika's excitement spiked.

"Wasty! No, no, don't go off the stairs—you can't!" Mika shouted, but it was too late. The little robot tumbled down the stairs and fell apart on the ground. Bose and I burst out laughing.

As Miles and Mika rushed to clean up the mess, something caught my eye—something familiar. I jumped up, reaching out. "No, wait!" I said, pushing past them.

"What was that?" Miles asked, looking confused.

"You guys... this is my cellphone!" I exclaimed, holding it up with pure excitement. I couldn't believe it. My phone, the one I'd thought was lost forever, was right here in my hands. Bose, overwhelmed by the shock, fainted right there on the spot. With Miles' help, we managed to get him back on his feet.

I pulled Bose aside, concern etched on my face. "You okay, Bose?"

"Yeah, just feeling a little lightheaded. Thanks for asking," he said, rubbing his temples. "Hey, but congrats on finding your phone."

"Yeah, right! I'm so happy," I replied, still buzzing with excitement.

---

After spending a bit more time at the Man's Nest, Bose and I headed back home. The day had been a whirlwind, but I finally had my phone back. I thought I'd feel a sense of closure, but as we walked, the anger that had been simmering beneath the surface all day started to boil over again.

"So, are you still going to hurt the boy who stole your phone?" Bose asked hesitantly as we neared his house.

"Yeah, of course. What do you think?" I replied sharply. "I will make him suffer each minute."

"Oh, okay," Bose said, but there was something in his voice that made me stop. Suspicion flared.

"Why?" I asked, narrowing my eyes at him.

"Oh no, I just think... you have your phone now, and won't you get arrested for hurting someone?" Bose said, clearly trying to reason with me.

I felt frustration rise in my chest. "No, he stole more than just my phone, Bose. Don't take his side now. He stole something from me, and I have the right to hurt and make him suffer," I said, my voice shaking with the intensity of my emotions.

"Alright," Bose replied, but I could hear the doubt lingering in his words.

"Really? You're taking his side? You don't support me at all?" I snapped, the frustration spilling over.

"No, I do, I'm sorry, I—" he began, but I cut him off.

"No, Bose, you don't get this. You don't get what he stole from me. It haunts me every day, and I lived so many awful years because of it," I explained, my voice trembling.

"I know," Bose said softly.

"No, you don't. You don't. I can't believe you don't support me on this one," I said, feeling betrayed. "I'm going to bed. I'm not in the mood for this," I added, turning my back on him.

I climbed into bed, my back to Bose, feeling a mix of anger and disappointment. How could he not understand? How could he not see that I needed this revenge, that I needed justice for everything that had been taken from me? I closed my eyes, trying to push the thoughts away, but sleep didn't come easily.