BEHIND THE MASK

Funny how once upon a time I used to believe that life worked like this — only the good-hearted would eventually be rewarded. I had this solid belief that if you worked hard enough, kept your head in the game, and stayed away from trouble, the universe was bound to, at the very least, leave you alone.

But then again, when has life ever played fair with me?

My name is Steven, a twenty-two-year-old final-year university student in the city of Avalon.

I juggled about 3 jobs at a time. The Late-night shift at Miller's diner, the delivery job for BoltCab Express and then finally the shift at the bakery.

With all the many things I always had to do, I barely had enough time for myself let alone pretend I gave double fucks about class.

But what choice did I have? I had to keep going for the sake of my grandma.

She was all I had, and when you've got very little family left, you're bound to work so hard that you don't lose them.....right?

To be honest, I owed her absolutely everything. She was the only reason I had enough courage to wake up and even consider facing another day.

She was my strength, my warmth, and my reason for pushing further despite the darkness that seemed to drag me back all the time.

Her drugs cost much more than what I made, but there was always a way around things. It didn't matter whether or not I had to skip meals. Even if it meant having to borrow from the men who smelled like death. The ones who usually didn't request collateral since what they expected to take was far worse than the moment you default.

And...... I'd defaulted. Today was the final deadline.

I pulled out my phone and looked at the cracked screen as I hurried across campus. I had three missed calls. One of the ladies at the pharmacy, Mrs Adler. And the other two were from..... unknown?

The unknown numbers were never good. I felt my chest tighten as I thought about the loan sharks again.

Oh, dear God. What do I do, what do I do?

"Hey, Steven!!" someone called from behind me.

I turned around to answer, but as usual, it was routine. A group of guys formed a small circle at a corner, exchanging whispers as they looked at me.

Some girls walked past me, using their fingers to keep their noses closed as though I were some rotten garbage. Even the one with pink hair pretended to gag dramatically.

Was this new? Nope.

But did it hurt? Yeah, it definitely did. And it doesn't even help that I'd been going through this since my first year.

I was the guy with torn shoes. The guy who carried a secondhand backpack everywhere. The guy whose shirts didn't exactly fit. Avalon's favourite punchline? Yeah, that'd be me.

It was even worse being in the same school as my nemesis — the likes of Liam Crest.

The university's golden boy. He was everything the girls wanted. Has the looks, enough cash for stupid spending, in short, the bastard had everything that I'd kill to have. The power, the influence, and soon.....my girlfriend.

Alicia. My girl.

She'd been with me for about two years. She'd said I was the best thing to happen to her. Said she didn't give a squat about the money. Said she loved me for me and that she'd be there no matter what happened.

And so help me God, I believed every word she uttered. It wasn't until later on that I.....

The scene I walked into had me freezing in my tracks.

It was just behind the students. It was poorly shielded by a row of small trees.

Liam had my girlfriend pinned against the wall. His hand was in her hair, and she.....she was laughing. She looked genuinely happy.

And before I could even register the scene, he had his lips feasting on hers.

And then, I saw red.

Storming over without second thoughts, I shouted, "Alicia?"

She jumped, seemingly startled as she spun around, and Liam smirked at me.

"Look who we have here," he grinned widely as if there was something funny about the situation that I couldn't see.

I ignored him, focusing on my girlfriend. "Al, what the heck is this?"

I just needed her to tell me it wasn't what I thought. If she'd told me the opposite of what I saw with my own eyes, I swear, I'd have believed her.

But instead, her face twisted as if I were the problem. "Steven, you don't just barge into places like this."

"Excuse—” I laughed in disbelief. "Excuse me, what? You were fucking kissing him!” my voice cracked all the way through.

I couldn't....I couldn't lose her.

Liam, being the bastard he was, stepped forward, his confidence reeking as strongly as his cologne.

"C'mon, Hale. Chill, will ya? She's just trading up. I mean, no offense, dude, but I sincerely think she's too polished to be going at it with a janitor in disguise. An ordinary delivery boy."

The statement was so funny because they both cackled.

"I mean, look at you, man. Are you even wearing any deodorant today?" he spoke loudly, and some passing students heard because they stopped. "You seriously smell like rotten cabbage and wet socks."

I didn't wear deodorant because I couldn't afford it. They cost too much, and Grandma needed her drugs.

My fists curled at my sides, tightening with every laugh that escapes them. "Shut the fuck up."

"Yeah? And if I don't? "he mocked, leaning in. "You gon cry?"

I could swear that I tried walking away, but nope. I couldn't just let it slide. I was fed up with taking the trashy treatment, and next thing I knew, my fist was connecting with his jaw.

He stumbled backwards, shock slapping his face as he wiped off blood from his lip.

"You bastard..."

And I regretted my actions sooner. The dean had me summoned, and Liam filed a report.

The school suspended me for "violent behavior." And Liam? Oh, he got the special treatment as usual. He got all the sympathy and was taken to the hospital.

Alicia spoke against me to my bewilderment.

The day had been nothing but trashy to me. I thought hard about the pathetic life of mine as I walked home with a busted lip and bleeding knuckles.

And the rain just had to start drizzling. It got heavier with every step I took.

Nothing could be worse than what's happened so far.

But it seemed I spoke too soon because the moment I crossed through the alley shortcut, I saw them. Three men are putting on dark jackets.

Even in the dark, I could identify them.

The loan sharks.

"Hey, yo, Steve! It's been a while since we've seen you around," one of them spoke as they circled me. "We missed you! We thought you were avoiding us, so we decided to visit you instead."

I swallowed, forcing a response out of my throat. "I'm not avoiding you."

"What was that, Steve?" another asked, placing his hand on my shoulder.

"I need two more days, please. I promise, I'll get you your money," I spoke fast.

"You see, Steve....we hate being made a fool of. We gave you two weeks. Two extra weeks," the first one replied, cracking his knuckles. "What, you think we run some sort of charity?"

The last one hadn't said anything. I tried turning around to see if he was still there. But a hit landed on the back of my head.

The pain was fast and sharp. Then a blow to the stomach followed, and then to my face. Legs.

I went down, groaning in pain as my elbow scraped against the brick wall.

Snarling, the snatcher snatched my wallet only to find nothing worth keeping. Spitting on my face, they left me bleeding while mumbling something about the next time being a lot worse than this.

★

But it wasn't that bad, because at the end of days like this, you had someone to return home to. Or at least that was what I thought.

The lights were still on. Grandma was probably still awake, reading a book or knitting the huge blanket that seemed never to get close to completion.

I smiled weakly as I approached the front door. I'd make her tea with the last teabag we've got left, and then tend to my wounds in my room and just pretend to be happy so I wouldn't worry her.

Fishing out my keys with shaky hands, I opened the door and stepped in.

"Granny?"I called out tiredly.

I got no answer. Which was super weird. She usually replied on the first call.

The house felt quiet.

Turning towards the hallway, I froze. I became as motionless as a mannequin.

She was lying on the floor, her eyes wide open. She was cold.

No.....I had to be imagining things again.

"Granny...." My voice broke into pieces as I dropped down on my knees. "C'mon, you can't do this to me. Please, wake up. Open your eyes, please. Grandma!!"

I yelled, I screamed the house down. But I got nothing. She still didn't wake up. Didn't even move beneath my shaking hands.

Her body was as stiff as wood.

And the painful reality was ...... She was gone.

And Steven Hale? Yeah, he pretty much died with her.