To Live Is To Fight (#2)

Chapter 20

An apology to all my readers who have been so kind and patient with me. I really do love you all and I'm incredibly sorry for disappearing just like that.

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"Bye Nan, love you!" I hugged her tightly, I rarely get to see her so saying goodbye is always painful.

She patted my back and called on one of the barn's helpers to help drive me off on the nearest bus stop so I'll be able to catch a train home. Mom and Dad should be home by now. Tomorrow, my university life strikes a beginning. New friends, environment and experiences to go through. Normal people would be nervous for that beginning but I have worse matters to worry about than the basic things like making friends and getting judged.

Jumping into the pickup truck, Hyla, the person assigned to drive me to the bus stop by Nana, started the engine and drove away. I stuck my hand out the window and waved, watching Nana wave back from the mirror.

I made a quick list of the things I need to prepare for tomorrow in my phone. A bag, files, notebooks; basic stationaries. After typing down the list, I locked my phone and put it away.

"So, starting university soon?" Hyla asked me with a quirked eyebrow with both eyes still on the road. Hyla's been my friend since we were kids. Her parents helps out in the farm as well. Her father's in charge of the stable and her mother takes care of the hens. Collecting theirs eggs and feeding them, cleaning their pen too.

"Yeah," I mumbled in a small voice, my eyes drifting to the blurred landscape outside the window as we drove past them.

"You don't seem too happy? Not excited?" Hyla pried further. I looked back at her, giving her a brief smile before turning my head to the window again. "I am excited, Hy. I'm just tired and a lot's been happening lately that's filling up my time to be excited." Such as one of my best friends turning into a sick psycho perv, the guy I loved being brainwashed into hating me by that best friend and one of my good friends being a spy.

I wasn't exactly in the mood to make jokes or do small talk or laugh about anything by then.

Hyla hummed in understanding and reached out to turn on the radio to fill up the silence. I continued to zone out for the rest of the trip until we reached the bus stop and I switched transports to continue my journey home.

I tried to keep awake the whole road trip but it was getting hard. My body felt worn out after days of training with Mr. Huang. Unfortunately, I still wasn't sure that what I've learnt is enough. I wasn't confident at all that what I've learnt can actually save my life on the ring. I don't need to win the competition, I just need to survive it. Beat that psycho and quit the street fighting life forever.

The problems I have are enough to keep me occupied for a while, which takes up the reasons to street fight. I can just pick off any Dom followers whenever I feel like punching someone. If I was to be honest with myself, I was exhausted with all these dramas and complications and conflicts. I wish that one day, it'll all go away without me needing to fight them but of course that wasn't possible. I needed to face it.

I reached my house at nighttime and made sure to stop by the store for a quick last minute shopping before tomorrow comes. Mom and Dad greeted me with a quick hug and we had dinner, although I didn't stay for long. I excused myself to rest early so that I'll be able to focus tomorrow. I don't want to miss anything during the basic lessons of my course, it would be a disaster for the rest of the study if I didn't understand everything. I have enough distractions to last me my 3 years of higher education so I'll have to try my best to separate my personal life with my studies. Personal life as in all the problems that seemed to pile up every second I'm not paying attention to it.