My Lethe

PT... PTSD?

When Qiang found out his father wanted him to attend the dinner party with his colleagues, he knew exactly what his father was trying to do.  Provoke him.  For two years, Qiang's father wanted Qiang to study abroad in America.  But due to his mother insisting he stayed, Qiang was able to push it off.  But when Qiang got into a club fight, Qiang's father said he had one more time to get in trouble and he would be sent abroad.  Qiang's father knew that Qiang would cause a scene at the dinner, and knew he would be able to send Qiang away.  Qiang knew what his father was thinking.
Qiang refused to let his father win, so he contacted a friend who contacted a group of thugs to crash the party.

Qiang arrived to the hall wearing an expensive suit.  Qiang was a handsome boy.  He was tall and built nicely.  His classmates loved him and even the older women did too. 

Qiang walked inside with his best friend, who was dressed in a suit Qiang let him borrow.  He wasn't wealthy like Qiang, but Qiang still allowed him to live the life of someone who was.  That's why he's always be been been there for Qiang, and why he got together all the guys he could to ruin the party.  Qiang didn't know how they were going to do it.  He felt the less he knew, the more innocent he was.  He told his best friend Roy "Just get it done" and that is all he needed to say. 

Qiang and Roy sat down at a table that was empty.  As soon as they ordered champagne to the table, a group of girls came and sat in the empty chairs.  Qiang was handsome, he was used to it.  And he was wealthy.  Every girls dream.  But he wasn't interested.

"Qiang that suit looks amazing on you! What's the designer's name?"

He looked at the girl speaking and took a sip of the champagne.  Even though he wasn't interested, he was in a mischievous mood that night," I don't know.  Why don't we get out of here and we can see," he said.  Roy spit his champagne out.  He couldn't believe Qiang would suggest it.  Qiang was never one to hook up with someone so close to status in him.  He thought most rich people were snobby.   Not his type.

"Right now?" She responded. She began to gather up her things.  Qiang took another sip of his champagne.

"Yeah.  I'll meet you there.  It's the only car on the roof of the parking garage." He said.  She quickly got up and her friends followed.  Roy looked over at Qiang who hadn't moved.

"You're not going, are you?"

"Would I ever fuck someone so tacky?" Qiang asked.

Roy took a sip of his champagne," You're an asshole, Qiang.  You know that?" Qiang shrugged his shoulders. He didn't believe he was asshole.  Maybe he had the tendency, but he thought he had more likeable tendencies than he didn't. 

Suddenly there was a loud sound that came from the loud speaker.  When Qiang saw that his father was now on the stage, he took his phone out of his pocket.  He had the sudden want to speak to Zhang Wei. He looked through his phone contacts and sighed when he realized he didn't have is phone number.  That would be his next goal.  But now, he didn't have anyone he wanted to speak to so he put his phone away and looked up at his father.
His father was the true asshole.  He loved him, but he was an asshole.  It's been years since the two of them bonded or got along, and he doesn't even miss it anymore.  He doesn't like to deal with him anymore.

"We have built this business from the bottom to the sky.  It took years to reach the clouds, but finally it has.  And because of that, our children and their children will never have to worry about pain or sadness.  They can only know great fortune and happiness. And seeing that reminds me that all the friends I lost making this legacy, and all the blood that was shed is-" the sounds of loud gun shots cut his father's words short. Qiang quickly jumped onto the ground and pulled Roy under the table with him.  The table cloth was able to hide them both.

"We don't want to kill anyone. We want all your mooney on top of the tables.  We want your bank account information with it," Qiang heard a man shout along to the sound of tables flipping. 

Qiang was breathing heavy, and even though he was tough, he was worried.  Someone must have found about the dinner and decided to-

"Roy," Qiang glared at Roy who was looking through his cellphone ," You fucking told them to shoot up the place?" Roy tossed Qiang his phone. There was a message typed on the screen that said "I didn't fucking tell them to shoot up the place!  I said something small like crash it!  Get drunk and accuse someone of something! Fucking thugs! "

"Fuck" Qiang whispered to himself," Well do they at least know not to kill anyone? And are they really going to steal the money?!" Roy shrugged his shoulders.  Qiang was beginning to regret ever asking Roy for the favor.  Roy had his back, but Qiang wasn't sure if he wanted him to.

"Well Roy you need to get out there right fucking now and call it off!  Tell them it's the wrong dinner hall!"

"Okay, okay.  I'll be right back," Qiang said and crawled away.  Qiang listened carefully, praying that Roy can fix it as soon as possible. Suddenly, he heard a gun shot and Roy's scream followed it," Fuck!"
Roy flipped the table over and looked around. Roy was shot.  He couldn't believe what was happening! He wanted revenge, but not this way! 

He saw Roy on the ground, holding his leg and ran over to him," Tell me this is just apart of your plan," He whispered. 

"You fucking owe me!" Roy shouted.

An hour later Qiang was finally able to go home.  But he could barely even think.  Roy took a bullet for him, but he wasn't aware of why.  He would have never suggested that Roy did that.  He wished he could go back and take back ever asking Roy for his help.
When Qiang returned home he took a long and warm shower.  He was still shaking.  For a few minutes, the experience was traumatic for him.  He was still a child and he still got afraid and especially in a situation like that.  And when he was afraid or upset there wasn't anyone he could go to.  He couldn't go to his parents, and even his best friends because they would only suggest him get drunk.  He needed someone that could excite him, tame and relax his soul.  Badly.

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Zhang Wei sat at the dinner table.  He wasn't hungry, and the awkward silence made it especially so.  He wondered if he did something wrong, but he couldn't imagine what. 
He looked up at Yong and Liling who were picking at their food.  He knew that there was something that they needed to say but couldn't.  He took a deep breath and decided that he would go to his bedroom.  If they were uncomfortable with something, he could take himself out of their way.

"I'm going to my room," he says and slowly gets up.

"No, you should sit down," Yong says.  Zhang Wei nods and sits back down.  He was beginning to get nervous.  He wasn't sure what he had done!  How could he apologize if he didn't know what he did wrong? "There's truly no correct way to say this, Zhang Wei, but we think you need help.  We realize that your PTSD is not something that can be left alone.  You need to go to therapy. What happened to you is clearly hurting you deeper than we expected, and what's best for this family is you getting treatment."

Zhang Wei listened to him talk.  PTSD? He wasn't even sure what that was and he had it? He looked up at the two and nodded. He wasn't sure if he was even in a position to decline.

"PT... PTSD?" He asked. 

And Zhang Wei listened as they explained to him just what PTSD was.  He listened and wondered could that possibly be him? He wasn't aware of the dreams he was having.  He felt embarrassed that they witnessed him like that.  He felt like his dignity was taken away.

"I've never even been to a proper doctor." Zhang Wei said.  And now he wasn't sure how he could sit with a therapist.  He took a deep breath and finally got up from the table.  He was shaking as he placed the dishes in the sink.  PTSD?  Could he really have that?  "Thank you both" he said and went into his room.  He fell asleep quickly only to have the same dreams he had been having every single night.

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Qiang needs Zhang Wei but doesn't know it yet. ^.^