Until The Very End

CHAPTER 2: Friend or a Foe?

            As the next school day arrives, Matt was well-prepared. He had an amazing breakfast cooked by himself. In Me, Guarda was surrounded by silence each day. It may seem lonely and appeared to be a tedious place to be, t’was the sign of living in peace, trouble-free for him.

            Yesterday’s fight between him and Zander and the argument he had with the professor was a total distraction to him and an embarrassment to the whole campus. Simultaneously, the letter from his locker keeps him indefinite and uncomfortable. Yet, he was happy to read the one-sentence written in the letter. You seem brilliant!

            “You seem brilliant!” he repeated the sentence with a manner as he reads it once more that morning. “’ Course I am.”

            Just the moment he folds the letter in half, his phone rang.

            “Hello, uncle,” he answered. “Just in time, you called.”

            “Just in time?” his uncle echoed and added, “No news for me about yesterday?”

            “Yesterday was an absolute disaster. No need to ask about what happened. Total mess.” Matt replied seriously.

           “By the looks of it, I think I should have to know what happened,” the uncle responded.

            “Uncle, I have something to tell you and I need your word on what shall I do about it. I’m a bit uncomfortable doing this without your consent nor words,” he tried to change the subject. It worked.

            “What is it?” his uncle asked away.

            “Yesterday after class, I received a torn letter from unknown,” he explained first.

            “A letter from unknown? No names at the end to whom the letter came?” asked again the uncle, sounding befuddled.

            “Well, basically, there is.  But, I have no idea what is the name of the person. It says here, R,” he said, unfolding the letter.

            “Then what does this R wrote to you?” the uncle questioned excitedly.

            “Uhmmm, this person wanted to meet me. I don’t know if I should go or not,” he stared at the letter for a minute, examining.

            “It could be your date or somethin’. Go on with it,” the uncle said excitedly.

            “No, uncle!” he exclaimed. “No date or girlfriend. Plus, I have been thinking, maybe this letter wasn’t meant for me.”

            “Why called it a mistake when you brought the letter home?” the uncle wisely asked him unexpectedly.

            “Should I?” he questioned back.

            “Listen, there is a reason why that letter was in your locker. By accident or not, without any doubt, give the person a chance to meet you. Maybe it is a friend. We don’t know.  But, I assume this one is a good person,” his uncle answered him with words of pure kindness.

            “Thank you, uncle,” he smiled at the letter, hoping it is a good person.

            “No worries. Aren’t you running late?” the uncle said.

            “No. I’m on my right time,” he replied and hanged up.

            Only phone calls or when he talks broke the silence of his house. It is time he goes to university.

            “Open the garage’s door!” he muttered loudly inside the house.

            He walked passed through the kitchen hall and living room to a birch door and opened it. The room was fancy, filled with branded sports cars in different luxury designs.

            The room was shining along with those expensive sports cars. He heard a thud outside, the garage was opened. He picked up a random car key fob to the nearest fibreglass shelf and pressed the button. He got into one of the cars then drives out of the garage.

            The journey to university was fast. No traffic, hindrances or any reason that could make him stop driving.  That made him arrive early at the university. He parked his car on the corner side.

            When he was in the hallway of the locker and opened his, there was another letter. He immediately opened the letter and bewilderedly read the only three words written.

                                                                            See you later!

            “Wow,” he murmured in disbelief. “You should have written your name just to have an idea of who you are.”

            Gender. He was referring to it. Once he knows what is the name of that person, he can tell whether the sender is male or female. Anyone could do that, but an exception with unisex names, of course.

            He folded the letter and put it in his pockets when a locker door slams in front of his face.

            “Hey,” a familiar voice started. “About yesterday, ho…”

            “Oh, I see your ass is seeking another fight?” Matt said, straightening his head up and meeting Zander’s eye.

            “ ‘Course. Who doesn’t want a rematch? How about it?” Zander grunted.

            “No, I have done enough yesterday,” he said.

            “Coward. You haven’t,” Zander gritted his teeth.

            Zander pushed Matt with his shoulder as he walks away. His friends followed him and did the same thing. He stood there, watching them marched away.

            “I’m sorry for them,” a voice whispered in his ear.

            “What?” he asked.

            But before the voice could respond, here comes Zander. Again. “You are apologizing, Rodolfo?”

            Both of them jumped in shock. Zander heard what Rodolfo whispered.

            “No, I was cursing him,” the guy named Rodolfo excuses.

            “I heard you are sorry,” Zander said with his anger burning.

            “You heard different.” Rodolfo finished and pushed Matt to the locker doors as hard as he could with all his force. “Let’s go.”

            Zander let out a little chuckle and walked away with his friends. Matt saw that Rodolfo turned his head with a downhearted face. Well, a friend of an enemy is an enemy. He went on his first class.

            The class was nothing more than a dull, totally basic. It was much worse than he had expected. Listen and write. So, what he did to avoid the presence of boringness in him, he grabbed his Airpod from inside of his backpack, place it on both ears, plays music, and fell his head on the table. He’s asleep.

            One hour before the end of the class day, an announcement came across every class. It is the fourth subject of the day so, he was definitely in another classroom. Unlike the first class that was a total tedious, this class seems interesting, and he was paying attention.

            “To whoever owns the black Lamborghini Vereno that parked at the university’s parking lot, please go directly to Mr Cauffman’s office. Bring a key for a proof that the said car is yours.”

            Everyone started to mumbled and whispered to their friends about the announcement that came from a speaker above. Matt’s whole body froze to death after hearing the announcement. It was like a lightning had struck him. The idea of bringing such luxury cars slipped out of his mind earlier. Now he and his car were in a total mess. He hated to let everyone know that it was his sports car. The announcement repeated for the last time.

            “I repeat. To whoever owns the black Lamborghini Vereno that parked at the university’s parking lot, please go directly to Mr Cauffman’s office. Bring a key for a proof that the said car is yours.”

            The professor of the class continued, but everyone was whispering about the car. He regretted bringing one of his sports cars. Now, his mind is full of thoughts on how he can drive that car out of the school without anyone noticing. Suddenly, without even seeing that coming, he raised his hand.

            “Yes?” the professor asked him.

            “I – 'd like to go out,” he excused honestly. “May I? Please?”

            “Sure. Go ahead,” the professor replied, extending his arms in the direction of the door.

            Matt grabbed his backpack the moment the professor faced back the chalkboard to write. He did not want to see his professor do that because he was planning not to go back from his class. He went directly to the office of Mr Cauffman with a cap and mask on.

            “Good day,” he approached a man in his forties as soon as he opened the door of the office.

            “Please, I hope you are not one of those thousands of students who came here claiming that it was theirs’, but when I ask for proof, they stood like a slice of dead meat ready to grind,” Mr Cauffman greeted him exhaustedly yet shocked for what he was seeing.

            “If we could be alone, then I’ll show you my proof. Please?” he asked Mr Cauffman for a moment with only two of them sincerely.

            Mr Cauffman stared at him for seconds. After a moment, he gestured his head to the two professors and to one young-looking lady to head out for a moment with only two of them. As the door behind closes, he raised a key fob from his pocket. Mr Cauffman had fixed eye contact on the key fob, flabbergasted. Seconds after, Matt pocketed it.

            “I’m sorry for the trouble it causes,  but I need your help,” he said as if he was whispering.

            “Students in this school gathered at the parking lot to take photos and wait for the rightful owner of the car to see who the cars belong to, which destroys every class that they should have been attending to right now and you expect me to help you?” Mr Cauffman said almost in a tone of anger.

            “That is the point of me apologizing,” Matt replied, words were hard to catch because of the mask that covers his mouth to his nose.

            “Why brought it here in the first place?” he asked, playing a coin on his desk.

            “What else I have got? I forgot that such cars rarely appear in universities. Look, I am sorry. But, if you help me, I can get this car out of this campus safely,” he tried to explain and persuade the professor.

            “What else have you got?” he repeated while eyes were down on the coin. “Why don’t you just go out, kick their asses out the way and just drive out?”

            “I can’t,” he replied briefly.

            “Why not? It’s yours.”

            “I just can’t. I’m afraid to be known as the owner of the car. And I hated it”

            “Sorry, boy. I cannot help you.”

            “You shall help me.”

            “Shall? Are you commanding me?”

            “Aren’t you a shareholder of m – “

            Before Matt could finish his words, the door burst open and the young-looking lady before came running to his desk. She was desperate to catch air to breathe.

            “DADDY! There was – there was – a student who’s attempting to jump off the building!” the girl shouted, shattered and shaking in fear.

            “What?! Honey, wait,” he gasped, looking appalled. Then turn again to Matt and continued while standing, “You are asking me about sharehol – “

           “Daddy! We have a suicide attempt here that needs more attention!” his daughter yelled, blocking Matt.

            “Stay here,” he ordered Matt. “Let’s go, honey.”

            Both of them stormed out of the office. He could hear the stamp of every student running. A second later had passed, he ran outside of the office. But, instead of going to see the attempted suicide situation, he went to the school’s parking lot. To his surprise, it was dead empty. He took it as an opportunity to escape and drive away his sports car from the campus.

            “What a lucky day is it,” he said to himself as he passes the main gate of the university. He removes the mask and the cap he had been wearing all along at Mr Cauffman’s office.

            He passed the City Bridge and look for a parking lot. When he already parked, he went for a walk at the park. He could think nothing but his luckiness in driving his car without anyone noticing him. He was so thankful for that attempt suicide situation, but at the same time sad if that person did kill himself. He did think about it as he sweeps himself at the park, greeting the breeze.

            The time of meeting R at his favourite restaurant had come. He managed to go to the said place, Nanny’s, on time. After class. He marched inside the restaurant and look for one person sitting. There were, indeed, people sitting alone, but they didn’t seem they were waiting for someone. He examined the place once more and gave himself a seat when no one has waved their hands or gave a sign that they were waiting for him. He thought that this R was on their way or probably still at school.

            After 15 minutes of waiting, he was tired of waiting. He was so impatient that he marched already outside of the place. It came across him that maybe it was a trick. Maybe Zander inserted that letter purposely. The moment he opened the door, a fellow student block him from his way.

            “Wait, going so soon?” a familiar voice talked in front of him.

            “You? No, wait, what?” Matt questioned back, puzzled.

            “Let’s have a seat, shall we?” the same voice asked him kindly with a smile on their face.

            “You are R? You sent me those two letters?” Matt asked him once again, not minding what the person had told him to do. Have a seat.

            “Yes, I am. R, the first letter of my name, Rodolfo,” he tried to smile as he remembers pushing Matt earlier at the locker hall.

            “But, but you are an enemy. One of the saints. Did you bring them here for a rematch?” he asked, balling his both hands out of anger.

             “Hey, relax. I came here alone. No one else,” Rodolfo replied, lowering his voice to calm Matt.

            “Thanks for wasting my time. You can tell your leader to stop sending his saints to me,” Matt pushed him away from the door just like Rodolfo pushed him at the locker hall.

            “Please, just hear me out,” Rodolfo pleaded, he had no intention to fight back.

            “After pushing me earlier?” Matt asked after a couple of steps outside.

            “I said sorry,” he replied.

            “Before, not after,” Matt corrected him, highlighting the word before.

            “Right,” he realized. “I am sorry, but I have to act like I am an enemy. I didn’t mean to.”

            “Why?”

            “I’ll tell you inside, come on.”

            “Forget what I ask, I’m going.”

            “But, if it wasn’t for me, you wouldn’t be here. At this place.”

            “Of course it was you. If you didn’t send me those letters, then I would not be standing here.”

            “That is not what I mean. If I didn’t climb on that building and attempt to jump off, you wouldn’t have an opportunity to escape and drive your sports car without noticing by anyone at the campus.”

            “It was you? Why?” Matt asked, stopped dead.

            Rodolfo let out a deep sigh and began talking, “Because I wanted to be friends with you. When I saw how you attacked Zander yesterday, I was quite happy that you defend yourself. You see, I was also Zander’s victim back in our middle school. And like you, I fought back. But, every day, he managed to get more thugs that could side him. That makes it difficult for me to fight back since then. There were too many of them. I was forced to join his team, but I never bully anyone. Unless he told me to do this job. I hated it. I never meant to hurt innocent people. I never meant to hurt you before. I’m sorry. For years, I have been looking for someone who was bullied by Zander and dare to fight him back without losing. I told myself when I find one, I would do everything to be friends with him and leave Zander’s group. At least two is powerful enough to fight. And, I found you.”

            Matt couldn’t say anything. He tried to open his mouth to respond, no words came out. After a minute of staring at Rodolfo’s face, he came closer and smile at him. It was a true smile.

            “Thank you,” he muttered. “But how did you know it was my car?”

            “I usually leave my house early and just killed my time at the school’s parking lot. During lunchtime, break time, or any leisure time. It sounds crazy, but it is the only way to lessen the time being with Zander. He hated the parking lot. Plus, I can hardly see any college students there. Except for those having a good time snuggling. I saw you get out of that car. I was pretty amazed by your arrival. And back there at the locker hall, I tried to warn you about your car after I apologized, but Zander interrupted. I can see that most of the college students are anguished to see a real sports car or have one. I know that your car will be the start of the chaos. So, I tried this crazy idea to get their attention. I’m glad you are smart enough to grab the chance.” Rodolfo explained with a little chuckle.

            “Well, one last. A friend or a foe?” Matt asked him without breaking eye contact.

            “I’m telling you, I could be your brother as well. I’m a friend,” Rodolfo met Matt’s eyes.

            “Matt,” he introduced himself, extending his arm forward, indicating a handshake. His uncle was right about the person behind the letter. The person was, indeed, kind. “Matt Williams.”

            Rodolfo looks at his face to his hands. Without hesitation, he took Matt’s hand for a handshake. After so, while holding his hands, he pulled Matt’s hand closer to him and hugged him with both arms, muttering, “Rodolfo. Rodolfo Petterson.”

            They hugged for a minute. Matt noticed a red-stain on Rodolfo’s right back shoulder. His eyes grew bigger as soon as he saw the blood and wound. Clothe were torn apart.

            “What happened to you?” Matt asked worriedly, turning around to have a closer look at the wound.

            “It’s nothing,” he said restlessly.

            “Incised wound,” investigating Rodolfo’s wound. “What was it? Knife? Shards of glass? No. This is definitely caused by broken glass.”

            “How could you possibly know about wounds?” he asked, lacking in belief.

            “I was reading this book titled Medical-Surgical Nursing,” he answered, figuring out how he gets wounded so badly.

            “Wow! It’s nothing. It’ll heal soon,” he turned back to face Matt.

            “Seriously, what happened?” Matt questioned him, pulling out a clean handkerchief, gave it to Rodolfo, and began undressing the long sleeve he was wearing.

            “While I broke that window on the highest floor to attempt suicide according to my plan, I missed that falling large broken glass pane and slid off to the back part of my shoulder,” he explained curtly and awkwardly, accepting the handkerchief, totally bemused. “What are you doing?!”

            “No way,” Matt responded finally undressed. “Give me that, hold this for a sec then turn around”

            He grabbed the handkerchief from Rodolfo’s hand and handed him his long sleeve. Rodolfo did not turn around, so Matt sweeps himself to Rodolfo’s back. He began folding the handkerchief a bit bigger size than the size of the wound.

            “This will prevent bleeding. You already lose enough blood, and you decided to meet me first?” he told Rodolfo as he places the folded handkerchief to his wound.

            “I can’t let you wait. Plus, I don’t want to lose the opportunity of having a true friend,” he replied with a voice of pain.

            “You could’ve sent me another letter, then,” Matt snapped, getting his sleeve from Rodolfo.

            “I can’t. For sure, you wouldn’t show up, thinking I was only playing at you. Since, I didn’t come,” he snapped back. Matt was trying to arrange the long sleeve into a  long clothing line with one hand. The other was holding the handkerchief on the wound.

            “That would probably I do no matter how excuses you’ll write,” he replied, tying his sleeve around Rodolfo’s chest to cover and hold up the handkerchief. “We need a hospital now.”

            “But it’s nothing. Look, I can normally move my shoulder,” he responded while he rotates his shoulder and arms sideways.

            “Shut it. You helped me escape earlier, now it is my turn to help you treat this one properly,” he stopped him. “Let’s get in the car.”

            “But there will be no – “ he tried to persuade him but was cut off.

            “This needs medical attention more. 3 stitches are needed, at least.” Matt replied, disregarding Rodolfo’s words.

            “What? No. I don’t have enough money to pay for hospital bills,” he contradicts Matt’s idea of going to the hospital.

            “Don’t worry. I’ll take care of it. Please, just this time, please, let me help you,” Matt pleaded him. “Into the car, now. Let’s go.”

            “Okay, fine. We’ll go,” he finally agreed because of Matt’s worried face.

            The time they arrive at where Matt’s car was, Rodolfo suddenly feel temporizing about going inside. Matt had already seated at the driver seat while Rodolfo stands outside of the door, gazing at the seat. He was afraid because he might spill blood on the seat of an expensive sports car.

            “Uhmm, aren’t you getting in?” Matt asked, trying to look him on his face.

            “What if, what if we split? I mean, you go by yourself and I’ll take a taxi to the hospital,” Rodolfo asked back, rubbing the back of his head.

            “You’re afraid that you might stain the seat with your blood, aren’t you?” he guessed, half-smiling.

            “God, I can’t believe you. You can read minds,” he replied.

            “It’s just a car. I don’t care if it got stained with someone’s blood who totally help me.” Matt said, gesturing Rodolfo to come inside. “Come, we shall get going.”

            Rodolfo got himself on the car and the door closed. Matt began reversing the car, turned right and forward. He drove so fast. They had an awkward trip, but deep inside in Rodolfo, he was celebrating with joy and excitement. He had finally one true friend.

            “Uhmmm, so, how old are you?” Rodolfo makes an effort to start a conversation.

            “I’m eighteen,” answered Matt.

            “I’m eighteen too. Is this yours?” he was referring to the car they were riding.

            Matt looks at him for seconds and did not speak for a minute or two. Rodolfo feels shy and stopped asking questions. Then, Matt finally replied, “Yes.”

            “Cool,” Rodolfo responded quickly and avoided asking questions.

            “I bought this year ago, I think. Costs around $8.3 million,” Matt added, keeping an eye on the road.

            Rodolfo made an utter movement of shock. He did not expect Matt, an eighteen-year-old student, to buy the sports car by himself. Moments after, he replied, “You must be rich.”

            Matt chortled and said, “We’re here.”

            Matt parked his car outside of the emergency room. He quickly opened the doors of the car.

            “Now,” he said rapidly, going out of the car.

            Rodolfo got himself out, looking shocked at Matt’s actions.

            “What happened, sir?” as one of the people, coming out from the emergency department.

          “Glass accident. Sliced his back shoulder a bit. But I did apply first aid to avoid bleeding,” he answered, demonstrating how he did the first aid.

            “Sir, please follow me,” they ordered Rodolfo, quivering in shyness but was really happy he was with his new friend.

            Rodolfo followed while we watched Matt run away to the entrance of the hospital.

            At the front desk, Matt gave his complete personal and insurance information. He waited in the waiting area until the stitching is done. He had a little chitchat to himself. He has never felt been worried like how worried he was to Rodolfo. His actions the entire time were different. His thought and mind the whole time was unusual. He was completely strange to himself.

            Everything was done. Rodolfo had got his wound stitched. The hospital bill came and paid immediately. Matt’s over-concerning had come to an end. He was finally breathing normally. They went to the underground parking lot where Matt parked his car while Rodolfo was in operation.

            “I’ll drive you home,”  he said to Rodolfo as they arrive at the underground parking lot. “Your address?”

            Rodolfo gave him the address and they drove out of the hospital. They never had a conversation on the way. Both were too reticent to start communication. They were acting like two lovers afraid to confess their feelings to one another. Rodolfo was looking outside of the window while Matt’s eye was on the road.

            “Well,” Matt began as they get through, “here we are.”

            “Thanks for today, man,” Rodolfo replied cautiously, getting out.

            “See you tomorrow,” and drove off.

            He was too concerned about Rodolfo’s wound that he did not notice himself topless. All this time at the hospital, while he brought Rodolfo to the emergency room, while he was at the front desk, while he was waiting, while he paid the bill, and as to that time he arrived at his house, he was shirtless. That was probably the reason why Rodolfo hasn’t talk nor say a word while Matt was driving him home. Matt acted like he was Rodolfo’s lover, and realized it when he just got home. He feels so stupid and ashamed of himself, but he needed to do what’s right. And it is applying first aid and bringing Rodolfo to the hospital.

            Having these thoughts in his head, Matt had just chilled himself with a bottle of soda, took a shower and wait for the evening to come in the living room watching tv shows or whatever. He needed and wanted to forget how he acted what happened to his new friend.