"I wonder what's going to get you killed first; Your naivety or your blind trust in people."
Dysfunctional family, lack of friends, self hatred, a small fraction of what makes up Autumn Hall. Growing up as one of the heirs of her family's conglomera...
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After the waitress took our order, I pulled out my phone to text Daniel to tell him I might be running late to work. The restaurant was fairly empty as a couple of people sat around. I enjoyed the calm atmosphere in contrast to the more expensive restaurants. Silence drifted between us as Zack tried to start up a conversation.
"How long have you been practicing martial arts?"
"Around ten years or so. My mother had me train in a variety of different types to have a better sense of protecting myself." I explained, taking a sip of my water. "And yourself? You put up a pretty good fight. It was definitely not your first time.."
"I've been training in boxing since I was in elementary. During middle school, those were my prime years." He replied.
"And now?"
"Not so much. I still train but not as intense." His eyes glanced towards the table. "Hey...I know I act like an asshole but do you hate me?" It took me a couple of minutes to rationalize his question as his head sank.
"No." I simply replied. Raising his head, his midnight black eyes were drowning in regret. "I like to think of you as a budding rose, waiting to fully blossom. Meaning that you'll eventually learn to break down the walls you put up for yourself."
Before he could respond, the food came out as my stomach growled. The aroma of chilli peppers and green onions filled the air. Taking a bite, the mixture of a spicy and sweet taste filled my mouth as I continued to eat. It was definitely going to be a place I'd come back and visit again.
***
After changing into my uniform, Zack offered to walk me to the convenience store. It was getting dark outside as the streetlights were beginning to turn on. The streets were empty for the most part as we walked together.
"Did you really mean what you said? With the rose and all?" He asked as I shoved my hands into my sweatshirt pocket.
"You're rough around the edges but your heart's in a good place. Maybe the right person will come around and give you a little push in the right direction." His face grew red at my comment before the rubbing the nape of his neck.
As we got closer to the store, a loud voice echoed outside as we ran over. Yui stood near the counter with a disgusted look on her face. A taller man hovered over Daniel, his fist nearly touching his face.
"Hey!" I barked as the pair turned to me. "Put your fucking hands on him and I'll make sure to send you to an early grave."
"Who the fuck are you?" The man growled, glaring at the both of us.
"Babe, they're just some kids in my class. It's not that big of a deal." Yui tried to calm him down. I narrowed my eyes at her as she trembled under my intense gaze.
