“Stop staring!” I groaned. She was getting onto my nerves. I didn’t like her staring at me with defiance.

“Or else?” She challenged me, fucking witch.

“Or else…” I pressed her more and shook her. But then Nate came in between again.

“Guys, guys please. Black leave her” He ordered me, he fucking ordered me.

“Black!” He shouted. “What!” I yelled back, pushing her away.

“Just come with me, I need to talk to you. Vinni I am so sorry for all the trouble, I’ll see you later.” Nate said and dragged me away with him.

“No, please. I don’t want to talk to any of you.” She yelled, frowning at me.

“I am going to kill you! Just get the fuck away.” I screamed almost growled at her, however Nate held me as I was bolting towards her.

“Just get the fuck away from me.” I thrusted him away. “What’s your problem? What were you trying to do there? How dare you tell me what to do? Have you forgotten why I punched you yesterday? I don’t like people interrupting my work, you know that don’t you? Then how dare you came between us.” I confronted him in fact I was harassing him.

“Shut up just shut up for once okay. You douchebag! Don’t you realise what could have happened if I hadn’t stopped you. I mean why does that girl affects you so much, I know you are planning to seek revenge from her but have patience bro. You almost told her what you have planned for her. Everything could have been fucked in such one second. Instead of you, she’s fucking your mind, did you even realise how instantly she got you riled up.” He shouted but was yet again right. And albeit I knew it I couldn’t accept it. I have no idea how to deal with her, she drives me crazy. Every time I try to control her, she gets even more intractable. I like my toys under-control, but she, she keep testing my patience.

“I don’t want your suggestions. I can handle everything. Just stay the fuck away.” I retorted.

“The fuck you can! I saw how you almost succeed.” He taunted.

“So, what do you suggest we do huh? You tried, didn’t you? What did she do, kept shooting you with questions? And have you seen the way she behaves. We’re the Gladiators. People fear us, they can’t even look us in the eye. And this obnoxious bitch she always tries to mess with us. Every time I see her face, those wretched memories surface in front of my eyes. Even after what she did, she has the guts to face me. Let’s just get done with her. I can’t stand that virago.” I was overwhelmed. I lost it. The way she behaved refreshed all what happened eight years ago. She hadn’t changed a bit, same feisty attitude and short-tempered nature. I couldn’t stand her.

As I tried to leave Nate tackled me again pushed me back.

“Stop right now , Black. You keep saying that you function on pride and not anger. Then why are you being impulsive today. You will waste all the hard work we had put in the past eight years. And just by the way, I had convinced her to join the internship, But you had to come in between and piss over it. She is already so sceptical; I had induced her after extreme struggle. And you! What’s wrong with you? Couldn’t you just stay patient.”

“I ruined it? I? she isn’t so innocent as you think she is. Vinni is a clever witch. I have seen her playing her cards well. You know this self-respect card that she uses, it’s all a charade. She wanted to hang out with you, to know about you. But she pretended to act tough so that you go after her. And that’s what happened. And after that about your company, she pretended to not be interested in the offer, even though she was dying to work in your company. I had seen her desperation to work there, she only applied in your company and not any other. She just kept hassling you to prove how disinterested she is. Don’t fall for this pretence. It’s just an act.” I elucidated even though I knew how strong and sceptical Vinni was. Especially after the downfall of their business she had become more practical and detached. But her cleverness was her innate talent, she had always been a player, playing mind games. And I would make sure that this time she doesn’t get away with her games.

“Why do you care huh? Even if she was trying to be tough and playing hard to get, what’s the trouble. That’s bloody normal, every girl does that. And to be honest, I didn’t feel she was pretending, in fact her questions were sheerly genuine and logical. You tell me what’s pricking you her attitude or your failure to entrap her?” He mocked me more than questioning me. But I held his mouth in my hand and….

“Don’t act smart okay? And don’t you ever forget who is your master. I don’t care what you think but dare you make any more plans with her without concerning me.” He pushed my hand away but slowly.

“Dude, this may be your plan and we are helping you in this. But we all are the same, no one dominates anyone, remember that. However, I would still say, just have some patience for I am on your side. She is your enemy not me, so hit me all you want. But never try to master me.” He warned me while also advising me. He was right, our gang was a gang of equals. And we never boss each other, but I also wouldn’t let anyone fuck this plan of mine. Because if anyone did, I wouldn’t mind going on a murderous spree.

“Forget about dominating you, I’ll even kill you if you tried anything stupid again. I know you have the hots for her and as I have said, you can have her after I am done. Till then id you did anything stupid then you know me, Nate.” I said scrunching his shirt in my hand.

“Fine, I won’t do anything stupid but I won’t even let you do too. Because I know how much you have suffered because of her.” He said. I was enraged but as he agreed I also didn’t push things further. I was growling like a lion; I hadn’t even checked if anyone could hear us. If she heard us. But the court was empty, she must have left in the same rage.

 
“No! No! Mom!please somebody help me. She’s alive, dad, dad please help her. Call the doctor.” I yelled. I was freaking out seeing the floor pooled in blood.

“Mom, mom please don’t leave me. I’ll save you, just hold on” I kept yelling but no one came to my rescue.

The blood kept flowing from her hand incessantly, I tied a cloth to break the flow but the it got completely drenched in blood. I was trembling with fear and tears kept welling from my eyes.

I was shouting at the peak of my voice but I don’t know why anyone wasn’t coming to help me. It was like I was dying with each passing breath of her’s.

I called the ambulance yet again. They had said they were reaching, 20 minutes ago. But they still hadn’t come.

“Where the fuck are you guys, my mom’s dying. If anything happened to her, I’ll sue your hospital.” I shouted while crying with fear.

“Mom, just hold on please. We will save you.”

After five minutes the ambulance finally reached. The ward boys came into my room and put her on the stretcher. She was barely breathing; it was as if I was losing her but couldn’t do a fucking think. I had never felt so helpless in life.

They took her down the stairs taking her into the ambulance. I sat with her. The doctor in the ambulance tended to her wound, removing the bloody cloth and giving her first-aid. The monitor manifested that her heart rate was dropping. Those dipping sounds were killing me. She was trying to say something but couldn’t muster the strength. I went near her, trying to listen.

“Mom?” I asked taking my ear near her mouth. Removing her oxygen mask a little, I positioned myself.

“I……I……. LO……. V. E y…O         .” Teehee! the monitor blinked. And there was silence, stark silence. My mother was gone. She was dead!

“Noooooo” I jolted up from my horrendous nightmare. I was sweating and panting heavily. I had tears in my eyes, and I was still shaking. I had been seeing this nightmare for the past eight years on loop. I can’t help it, no matter how much I struggle. I tried sleeping for a few hours but my demons never leave me. 

I love you. These were the last words that she spoke to me. I hate those three words. Never in my life I want to hear those words.

I slept for only an hour and that too with the fucking nightmare. Ever since that night when my mother left me, every night had been excruciating. I still have those moments vivid in my memory. My dad had sad that he was out of town, therefore he couldn’t help me. Even though he tried but he wasn’t a least bit affected by her death. In fact, he had girlfriends just after two months of her death. Anyways I didn’t hold that against him because they never really loved each other and they both weren’t happy together. I hate him for not being there that day but he wasn’t the culprit, someone else was. Hence, I decided to divert all my hatred in that direction.

I took a shower and geared up for my basketball session. It was 6am in the morning and even though I hadn’t slept at all, still there wasn’t any sign of sleep.

I approached the college basketball court which was uninhabited. Taking the ball in my hand I dribbled it with force. Every time I feel restless or infuriated take it out by playing. As the ball went into the basket, I felt euphoric. I kept thumping the ball on the ground and striking it in the basket. This went on for two hours straight. I was drenched in sweat, but kept playing non-stop. Just as I threw the ball to basket another basket ball hit it and it went into another direction.

“What the fuck!” I yelled

Vinni was standing in the middle of the court opposite me. She didn’t even know what danger she had walked into. After yesterday and that nightmare was fuming, and she was to blamed for all of it. She was here now so instead of thrashing the ball I could use her.

“What? Only you can play?” She glared at me. I walked towards her. She was wearing black tight shorts-and a white tank top with a black pullover. Her long lean legs were slightly plumpish. Her skin tone was pale yellow and her hair dark black and long.

“You want to play basketball?” I asked standing in front of her.

“Why? I need to seek your permission?” She said taking a step closer narrowing her eyes at me.

“Oh absolutely not. You are welcome to play. But this is my territory you know, and everyone who comes here has to go through me.” I stated folding my arms. Suddenly I was all charged up.

“Excuse me? Are you serious? I mean this is the institute basketball court. You can’t obstruct me here.” She argued but I was ready for more.

“Yeah, but what would you do if I didn’t let you play? I mean you can play all you want, if you beat me. This whole court is yours’s only if you could overtake me and make a basket. Just one basket and I will never block from coming here.” I offered her because I knew she couldn’t play basketball that well. She was a volleyball champ. And especially in front of me she would be vanquished.

“I don’t care. I’ll play do what you can do.” She sneered.

“Fine” I shot back. “ Fine” she repeated.