The Kingdom of Guhya

CHAPTER 8

"Welcome to the team, bro," Matt said as he hugged me after he announced that I was accepted into the school's football team. I was fifteen at the time when I applied to the team.

"Of course, all for Beauty." I shrugged my shoulder with pride.

"What?"

"I read her message. She's looking forward to seeing you play football." I laughed as Matt's eyes went round in surprise.

"Hey, that's an invasion of privacy," Matt remarked.

"She'd be pleased to see her future husband play football, too," I replied, dismissing his words.

"Hey, I haven't approved of you yet," Matt bantered and playfully messed up my hair.

"Why? I grew up to be a good boy."

Matt giggled and put his arm around my shoulder.

"Fine, but only when she turns eighteen."

#

Another year passed, and I always wish I could turn back time. I was so excited that she turned eighteen, but everything changed in a snap. I just want us to be sixteen forever, even if that means I will only love her from afar. Just so Matt stays with us.

It was a beautiful day. The calming sound of crashing waves filled my ears as I lay in the sun lounger, enjoying the ocean that extends beyond eternity. The sky reflects the hues of orange, yellow, and purple that hint farewell, all mirrored in the serene waters below as the sun is about to set. On my side is the sandcastle, standing strong and tall, reminding me of a wonderful memory of our solid and beautiful friendship. The salty ocean breeze gently caressed my skin. I took a deep breath, inhaling the delightful scent of salt and marine life. I saw Matt approach me from the side. With each step, he sinks softly, leaving trails in the fine white sand. Despite having been in Scotts' secluded resort countless times, I still could not stop but fall in love with its beauty over and over again.

"Are you thinking of my sister again?" Matt quipped as he sat in another sun lounger beside me.

"Sort of," I bantered. Matt showed a faint laugh.

We stayed silent for a few minutes and enjoyed the splendid scenery in front of us. Later, Matt cleared his throat which caught my attention.

"I guess things will change a bit that I am now of legal age," he started. I observe him breathe heavily. His eyes are still focused on the ocean. Matt just turned eighteen yesterday.

"Are they pressuring you to follow in their steps?" I inquired.

Matt moved his lips and showed a faint smile and eventually answered, "Yes".

"Do you not want to?"

"It's not like that. I am just…" Matt glanced at me and defensively replied, but he failed in his attempt as he was unable to complete his sentence. He took a deep breath and regained his composure.

"I am scared, Damon," Matt admitted. We stared at each other, and I saw the honesty in those sincere eyes. He is truly scared. He had been like a big brother to me, so I know him well. We know each other very well and it also bothers me seeing him torn like this. I reached out to his arm and lightly tapped it as a gesture of showing support.

"Hey, we've always known you're a competent and responsible man. You can do it," I said, trying to comfort and uplift him. Matt, again, showed his faint smile as a sign of appreciation.

"It's complicated, bro."

I understand Matt. The Scotts are one of the most powerful in the field of business worldwide. This is because they have entered various markets, especially in terms of modern inventions. All of this is not out of luck but because of the hard work and brainpower of Alfred and Fe Scott, their grandparents. Señor Alfred and Madame Fe are feared by all the people. Aside from their power, they have a reputation for showing no mercy. They fight with anyone who gets in their way. I would not be surprised if they would disown Matt, Beauty, and Lorde if they rebel against what they want. Even so...

"It's your life, Matt. Choose what makes you happy. We will support you all the way." We would not want Matt to be miserable his whole life for not following what he truly wants. He is selfless. He deserves the best.

"I have people to protect," Matt replied with a sound of finality. Just like that, we kept silent. We spent half an hour enjoying the waves like a piece of music to our ears. I let Matt be lost in his thoughts because I knew he needed it. After a while, Matt spoke again.

"Since I was a child, I have always longed for mom and dad – on graduation day, family day, and any other event. But not once did they come. They'd come home at most twice a year," Matt said, careful not to break his voice. I kept my silence, willing to listen to whatever he had to say.

"I needed a mom to cook for me. I needed a dad to read me some stories. But none of the three of us experienced that. I could not even understand why they chose to have Beauty live abroad. No matter how much I think about it, I could not understand their decisions." This time around, Matt's voice broke, and his tears started to fall.

"I was mad, bro. At a young age, I wanted to rebel just to get noticed by them. But as I saw Lorde growing up, fear overwhelmed me. He rarely speaks. He rarely smiles. He didn't have a friend. That fear motivated me to be a good brother to him," Matt said between his tears. He wiped his tears with his shirt before he continued.

"So, when Ethan introduced himself to me as Lorde's friend and when Ethan told me one day that Lorde protected two boys at school, I was extremely happy. I felt like I raised him right. I raised a good human. It inspired me even more to be a good person." Those words made me smile genuinely.