Peace the Savage

"I CAN NEVER CHANGE, GUYS. Besides, there is no need to do that." Peace said with a chuckle. "I’m not the villain here. I'm the good guy." “Oh, yeah? Roy asked. “So, who is?” "We are not saying you are bad, bro-" Benny answered. “We are not?” Roy put in. Benny ignored him and continued. "We’re just saying you need to control yourself and your impulses." "Impulses, huh?" Peace said handing James a measuring cylinder. They were in the senior science laboratory cleaning and arranging the apparatus where they belonged. The task had started almost an hour before but the boys were really taking their time in order to avoid being given another task. There had been no learning today since morning except working. First of all, they had to take record of all the apparatus, clean them and arrange them. The task was simple and easy but so boring. But it was either that or sweeping the whole laboratory and the junior science lab too, and clean the windows. "Dude, you surprise me," Roy said. "My mom used to admire you a lot, what happened to you?" "Guys, why are you saying this to me right now?" Peace asked. "You know," James told him. “Somehow this is your fault.” “My fault?” Peace enquired. “What is?” “This,” James said gesturing around. “You do know that this is a punishment for what happened yesterday when your phone rang in the lesson.” “No, its not,” Peace argued. His phone had rung during the Chemistry lesson and the teacher had promised to revisit that issue after no one sold Peace out. Now that he had considered it, it sounded like it was really his fault. But guys, what are we really talking about because before James, I thought we were talking about something else. So, is anyone going to tell me what the hell we are talking about?” Roy shrugged his shoulders as he carried two tripod stands to the back of the room. “I was talking about Esther. I dont know about the others.” “Me too,” Benny said as he washed a beaker at the tap. “What?” James asked. “I heard Benny talk about bad deeds and thought we were talking about how we got into this mess because of Peace.” “It’s not my fault, come on, James,” Peace said. “This is not even a punishment at all. Us sweeping the Arts and Commercials classrooms – that would have been a punishment.” “Ok, so what do you call this?” James asked. “Sir had to attend a meeting and had to leave us with something to do,” Peace said with shrugged shoulders. “It’s more of a lesson.” “Sounds like punishment to me,” James said. No, Its not.” “Tell that to the girls who are sweeping and cleaning the windows because of you, James said carrying a tray full of clean apparatus towards the back of the classroom. Now, do something. Dont just stand there.” "But on a serious note, homeboy, what you did to Esther was not cool,” Tanaka said earnestly. “You didnt even give her time to explain herself. Even lawfully, you can’t fire someone from work like how you dismissed Esther." "What did she do?” James asked. “Actually, nothing,” Roy replied. “Esther was innocent. Peace, here, saw an opportunity to get rid of her and took it.” “Damn, man,” James said with a grin. “That was so cold and heartless.” "You think it was cool?" Roy asked. “Yoh, Roy,” James said with a chuckle. “Peace is your bad guy, not me.” “But Roy you do know the reason why I had to do what I did,” Peace pleaded. “You supported my decision.” “Dont try to justify your actions by involving me in them, dude,” Roy laughed. “I told you to do whatever you had to but I didnt say I supported you. I dont condone such actions.” “Are you really seeking validation from Roy right now?” Benny asked with a laugh. "Besides, it’s not like Esther is the first girl you have mistreated,” Roy said. “You do that to all the girls you get involved with. You always leave them crying and hurting. You never learn.” “But why do you do that, homeboy?” Tanaka asked. He was a religious, self-righteous, do gooder who always wanted to see good in people. He believed that there is always a reason for people to act the way they do, especially when they went rogue and acted inhuman. That was simple logic to others but Tanaka took it to the next level of consideration. Devine level. He also had never had a girlfriend. “I actually dont always have a reason for all that I do, Tanaka,” Peace said good humoredly. “I just do things and that makes my life pretty interesting.” “Just tell the truth, dude,” Roy said as he washed his hands on the table. “Dude watches too much romantic movies. He believes that silly staff about ‘hurt or get hurt.’ He believes nothing good comes in love. Dude is a pessimist all the way.” “But seriously, those girls are terrible,” Peace put in. “They always have an ulterior motive for everything they do – for getting into a relationship. Once that is fulfilled, she takes off and pretends you never existed.” “Did that happen to you?” Benny asked. “No,” Peace answered proudly. “I’ve avoided that from happening to me so far.” “Always expecting the worst,” Roy chuckled. “Such a pessimist.” “Not everyone is bad, Peace,” Tanaka said. “Some are good and genuine. Esther, for example. I believe she was one of the good ones. And you hurt her. She is a human being, man, with feelings. You stab her, she feels pain.” Roy nodded in agreement. “I talked to her. She’s really hurting. You can’t be going around hurting people because of your insecurities.” “I dont have any insecurities,” Peace argued. “Seems to me like you do,” James said as a matter of fact taking a seat on one of the stools by the door. “Not everyone’s like you, all blessed with a heart made of rock. Real people feel. You have to learn to respect that." Roy said. "Guys, you’re making me feel bad,” Peace laughed. “Is this still about Esther? Because if this is still about Esther then I have to believe that one of you likes her. This is how Ive always been like with girls but you are making a fuss about me breaking up with her, why? Tell me now. Who likes her?” "What?" Roy gasped. "We’re making it a big deal it because of all the girls youve been with, Esther is the one that suffered more. Two months ago, you cheated her with her friend; about a month ago, you cheated her with her sister and then two weeks later with her cousin. Dont you have any shame? Who does that?" “You did that?” James said jumping to his feet with a weird grin on his face. He walked towards Peace and fist bumped him. “My man.” “Stop congratulating him, James!” Roy yelled. "You have to go and apologize to her," Benny suggested. "But I can't get back together with her, you know that," Peace said lowly. "It's not about getting back together with her," Roy said. "And it’s not about Esther alone. It's about doing what's right. It is about you changing for the better.” “It was better when James blamed me for having to do this punishment,” Peace said. “Now you agree that this is a punishment?” James said. “Good boy.” “You know, I never expected such a lecture from my peers, Peace chuckled. “I thought we all shared the same opinion about how terrible love is, but, yoh! You are a bunch of the oldest people I’ve ever known.” Fuck, you, Roy said. Language, brother, Tanaka said. ***