ROMEO TRISTAIN'S PAYBACK

Chapter7

Romeo sprinted into the dark alley, his sneakers pounding the cracked pavement, the flickering streetlamp casting long shadows. The girl’s scream still echoed in his ears, sharp and desperate.

 He skidded to a stop, his amber eyes narrowing as he spotted her,pinned against a graffiti-covered wall, her black eyes wide with fear. A burly man loomed over her, his smirk dark and menacing, flanked by two others gripping baseball bats.

“Hey!” 

Romeo shouted, his voice booming. 

“Leave the damn girl alone!”

The leader spun around, his face twisting in confusion. 

“Who the hell are you supposed to be?” 

He sneered, sizing Romeo up.

 “Oh, wait, don’t answer. Let me guess,Superman?” 

His two men burst into laughter, their cackles bouncing off the alley walls.

Romeo’s head dipped, his gaze falling to the ground. A slow smile crept across his lips, small at first, then growing. He started laughing, a low chuckle that matched theirs, his shoulders shaking. The men stopped, their laughter fading, confusion creasing their brows. The leader’s face darkened.

 “What’s so funny, punk?” 

He growled, stepping closer. 

“Stop laughing, or you’re gonna make me mad!”

Romeo kept laughing, his eyes glinting with something fierce. The leader’s patience snapped, and he jerked his head at one of his men.

 “Get him!” 

He barked.

The thug charged, his baseball bat raised high, swinging it left and right with wild, heavy arcs.

 “Hold still, you punk!” 

He yelled.

 “I’ll smack that laugh right off you!” 

Romeo dodged effortlessly, his body weaving like water, each swing missing by inches. The man’s eyes widened as Romeo’s hand shot out, catching the bat mid-swing with a firm grip. 

Before the thug could react, Romeo spun into a martial arts stance, his leg snapping out in a crescent kick that sent the man crashing into a pile of trash cans with a loud clang. He slumped to the ground and passed out cold.

The leader’s jaw dropped.

 “That’s impossible!” 

He sputtered.

The second thug, gripping his bat tighter, turned to his boss.

 “If we both go at him, we’ll beat his sorry ass,” 

He said, his voice shaky but determined.

“Alright, let’s do it!” 

The leader growled. They charged together, bats raised, their boots pounding the pavement.

Romeo stood unfazed, his eyes sharp and steady. As they closed in, two feet away, he shifted into a low stance, his body coiled like a spring. The leader swung first, but Romeo ducked, his fist rocketing upward in a single, precise punch to the man’s stomach.

 The leader gasped, his mouth opening in a silent scream, the bat slipping from his hands and clattering to the ground. He crumpled, clutching his gut, his eyes rolling back.

The last thug froze, his face pale, sweat beading on his forehead. He dropped to his knees, his bat rolling away. 

“Please, man, don’t hurt me!” 

He begged, his voice trembling.

 “I’m sorry, I swear!”

Romeo stepped closer, towering over him, his gaze hard for a long moment. The man flinched, expecting a blow. Instead, Romeo walked past him, his voice calm but firm.

 “Take your friends and get outta here. Now.”

The thug scrambled to his feet, muttering.

 “Thank you, thank you!”

 He grabbed his boss and the other man, dragging them down the alley, their groans fading into the night.

Ryan George burst into the alley, panting, his blue eyes wide.

 “Romeo, what the hell?” 

He gasped, catching his breath as he saw the retreating thugs. He turned to Romeo, who was already at the girl’s side, his voice soft.

 “Hey, you okay?”

The girl, her hands trembling, nodded.

 “I’m fine.” 

She said, her voice shaky. 

“Thanks to you.”

Ryan’s eyes widened as he stepped closer, squinting in the dim light. 

“Wait, Debra Dwayne? That you?”

She nodded, brushing her dark hair from her face. 

“Yeah. Thanks to Romeo here.”

Romeo’s brow shot up, a quiet mutter escaping his lips. 

“Debra Dwayne? Didn’t even realize…” 

He hadn’t recognized her in the chaos, but now her shy smile and black eyes clicked,she was the quiet girl from class.

Debra straightened, her voice steadier. 

“I gotta get home. My parents are probably worried sick. It’s late.”

Romeo nodded, his expression softening.

 “Mind if I walk with you? You know, till you find a cab?”

Ryan let out a sarcastic cough, smirking. 

“You mean *we* walk with her, right?”

Romeo chuckled, catching his friend’s hint. 

“Yeah, *we*. You cool with that, Debra?”

Debra’s cheeks flushed, her voice stuttering.

 “N-no, not at all. I don’t mind.” 

She said, her shy smile growing as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

The three of them walked out of the alley, Debra and Romeo side by side, Ryan trailing behind with a grin. The pedestrian road was quiet, lit by streetlights casting soft pools of light. Debra glanced at Romeo, her voice hesitant.

 “I heard about what happened… the police, your stepmother. You were gone for two days. You okay?”

Romeo smirked, his hands in his pockets.

 “Yeah, I’m fine. Just some family drama, that’s all.”

Debra’s face reddened, and she looked down. 

“Sorry, I shouldn’t have asked. It’s none of my business.”

He shook his head, his tone gentle. 

“It’s okay, really. Oh, and Ryan told me what you did,helping with my exam. I appreciate it. Guess we’re even now?”

 He flashed a playful smile.

Debra’s eyes lit up, and she smiled back, her voice soft but firm.

 “No way. You saved my life, Romeo. I’m forever in your debt. I’ll find a way to pay you back, I promise.”

Romeo opened his mouth to protest, but a loud honk cut him off. A sleek black Rolls-Royce pulled up beside them, its headlights bright. Debra’s face brightened. 

“That’s my dad’s driver.” 

She said.

 “He’s here to take me home.”

Romeo nodded.

 “Alright, stay safe.”

Ryan jumped in, his tone teasing.

 “Hold up, Debra. My boy here’s too shy to say it, but he wants to ask you to be his prom date.”

Romeo’s eyes widened, his cheeks flushing as he shot Ryan a look. Debra turned to him, her smile shy but warm.

 “I’d love to go with you, Romeo.” 

She said, her voice laced with softness 

Romeo grinned, caught off guard but happy.

 “Cool. I’ll pick you up then.”

“See you tomorrow.”

 Debra said, her voice light. She waved, climbing into the car. The Rolls-Royce purred away, its taillights fading down the road.

Romeo turned to Ryan, laughing. 

“Man, you really just threw me out there like that?”

Ryan smirked, mimicking Romeo’s flustered expression.

 “Had to, bro. Your face was priceless!” 

They both cracked up, Ryan tossing out a silly joke about Romeo looking like a lost puppy, their laughter echoing as they walked to Ryan’s house.

At the George residence, a cozy two-story home with warm lights glowing through the windows, Ryan’s father, Mr George welcomed them at the door. 

“Boys, come on in!” 

He said, his voice hearty, his graying hair catching the light.

 “Go freshen up and come down for dinner.”

Ryan nudged Romeo.

 “You can borrow my clothes, man.”

Romeo grinned. 

“Thanks, bro.”

Ryan rolled his eyes, his tone sarcastic.

 “What are friends for?”

They headed downstairs after changing, joining Mr. George at the dining table, where plates of grilled steak and mashed potatoes waited. Romeo took a bite, then looked at Mr George.

 “How’s the city doing, sir?”

Mr George chuckled, setting down his fork. 

“City’s fine, Romeo, but let’s talk about you two. Who’re the lucky girls you’re taking to prom?”

Ryan groaned. 

“Dad, that’s personal!”

Mr George laughed, his eyes twinkling.

 “Alright, alright.”

 He glanced at Romeo, who smiled and took his last bite.

“Thanks for the food, Mr George.” 

Romeo said, standing. “I’m heading to bed.”

Mr George’s brow furrowed, and he leaned toward Ryan as Romeo started up the stairs. 

“He okay?” 

He asked quietly.

Ryan glanced at Romeo’s retreating figure, his face shadowed with worry. 

“Yeah, he’s good.” 

He said, but his voice held a hint of doubt.

In Ryan’s room, Romeo flopped onto the spare bed, the mattress creaking under him. He pulled the photo of him and his father from his pocket, his fingers tracing the faded edges. A small smile crept onto his lips as he remembered that day,the

jet’s roar, his father’s proud grin. 

“By now, Uncle should be back.” 

He muttered to himself. 

“Tomorrow, I’ll tell him everything,Tracey, the necklace, all of it.”

 His eyes grew heavy, and he tucked the photo back into his pocket, his lids closing as sleep took over.

A loud blast of music jolted him awake, the bass thumping through the walls. 

“What on earth is that?” 

He groaned, rubbing his eyes, his heart racing as he sat up in the dark.