Into The Future

DENIAL

Angie was enjoying a melodious Hip-Hop song that was playing in George's car. George realized something was wrong with her and turned down the music so he could talk to her.

“Oh, no. Dad!” Angie screamed at her father, who had just ruined a pleasant moment for her.

“What's the matter with you and Ian?” her father inquired.

“No! Dad, I beg you. Not that, don't ask me about Ian."

“Are you avoiding yourselves?” He asked.

“No, no, no, no. Dad! Why can't you stop mentioning Ian's name?"

“I'm just saying that if you'd like to...” George said and was cut off.

“Dad, could you please drop me off here? I'd like to take a taxi.”

George said nothing else but shook his head in pity and drove on.

***

In Jeremy's car, Ian hitched a ride. They lived next door to each other, just a few blocks apart.

While riding together, they discussed a variety of topics, including Ian's return to the team and how ecstatic the team will be to have him back. How critical it is. They go on and on about the fans. Since he left the team, their fan base has shrunk. They've dwindled in number. They also discussed how he spent his time in a foreign country visiting his mother. The best friends had a good time together and kept each other up to date on their lives. It was the same as it had been before.

Jeremy said, “Seriously man, mend fences with her.” He was referring to Angie.

He packed the car as he turned his wheels. They'd made it to the school grounds.

“Ok." Ian got out of the car and said, "I'll try."

They walked towards the school as they discussed.

“Can you tell me why Coach wants to see me?” Ian was the one who inquired.

“It's clear, my friend; I believe he wants you back on the team. Coach is always looking for a way to win, and you are his winning card.”

“What?“ Ian said this as he came to a halt. His gaze, fixed on Jeremy.

“What?” Jeremy exclaimed. “Do you think Coach will simply forget about his best player, his celebrity player like that? Or have you forgotten that if anything less, you're a bit of a celebrity around here? At the end of last semester, your t-shirt did quite well. Even if he doesn't want you, do you believe the school will allow him to compete without you if you're present? “Take a look around, take a look at your fans,” he advised.

When Ian turned to look around, he noticed a few people wearing t-shirts with his image and some write-ups on them. Ian, Captain Ian, the greatest, goal king, football lord, and so on. When he saw Kelly and her friends, they were waving at him.

Jeremy concluded, "They're all waiting for your return." “When you left, we lost a lot of fans. I believe it is past time for you to reclaim them for the team.“

Ian was astounded by what he saw. He had no idea he had so many fans. He hadn't paid much attention to what was going on around him.

He was disappointed when he realized how many people he had disappointed. He wondered if he had made a mistake by leaving before the final. He knew he'd made a snap decision, but he hadn't expected it to have such an impact. He made the decision that if he is truly needed, he will return.

***

Ian had noticed a girl dressed in a polo shirt, black trousers, and a black leather jacket when he was returning from the airport after visiting his adopted mother. He only caught a glimpse of her. Because she was staring in his direction, he assumed she had seen him as well.

That girl drove straight to a mechanic shop after that incident. A repairman emerged from the shop, and she came to a halt. He was her adoptive father.

She approached him after getting out of her car.

“What, another failure?” Her adoptive father inquired. Glen was his name. He had raised her since she was a child. He had never considered her a daughter though, and She too had grown up to stop seeing him as her father. They were just living together, striving to achieve their various objectives.

She nodded in frustration and exhaustion when he asked the question.

“Come on, you could have been wrong...” Glen started to say but couldn't finish.

“I'm not,” she stated emphatically. “I'm sure I'm not. What I felt was something I'd never felt before. I know I'm getting close to finding him.“

“All right, whatever you say. Just make sure you find him as soon as possible because this mechanic work is killing me. I can't be filthy rich and work as a mechanic at the same time.”

“Can you tell me what you're planning?”

“I want to own a business and live a happy life. Not rushing from one location to the next like a homeless person. Do you recall when we flew out of the country in search of a single boy who doesn't want to be found? I'm fed up with it all.”

“Let me be clear about something. Until I find him, you won't be able to own a business. I won't allow it."

"Well, if you have another one of your strange connections, or whatever you want to call it, and it leads you away from here, that's fine." Just know that I won't be joining you.”

“Whatever, I'll see you later,” she said as she returned to her car, trying to give herself some encouragement in the face of her adoptive father's lack of assistance. She took a moment to remind herself of who she was. Zoe was her name. She is the princess of Azar. She isn't going to stop looking. Nothing will be able to keep her from finding her brother. She'll track him down. She will find him.

***

Mr. David's office door was gently approached by George. He braced himself, standing there. He let out a sigh and knocked. Inside, he heard a voice say, "Yes, come in."

When he walked in and he spotted Mr. David and he smiled. It was a phony grin.

Mr. David said, "Sit down."

Before George, he was seated in a chair on the other side of the table. He extended his hand in front of him and indicated to a chair.

George sat down quickly.

“George, what brings you here?” Mr. David came up with the question.

“Uh... yesterday, someone made an unexpected transfer to my account. I assumed it was a bank error, so I went to double-check. I asked everyone I knew, even the other staff, and they said it wasn't from them. That is why I have come to you with the same question.”

Mr. David fixed his gaze on him. “What were you looking for money for? I heard you applied for a loan at the bank?”

“Sir, yes. There's this small project that I and a few other coworkers are working on. It appears to be quite promising. We will all make a lot of money if everything goes smoothly. “Double or quadruple our money.”

Mr. David fixed his gaze on him. He pondered his next words for a long time before speaking. “I just thought that if one of my employees needs assistance and I can provide it, why shouldn't I instead of allowing him to take out bank loans?”

“Oh! Sir, thank you very much. I'm extremely appreciative. ” George thanked him enthusiastically. He was overjoyed to have finally figured out where the money came from. Even still, he couldn't believe Mr. David had such a large heart.

“Sir, thank you very much. I'm extremely grateful.“

Before passing judgment on someone, it's sometimes necessary to get to know them.

Mr. David remarked, "Oh come on, stop that." “When you get the money or your project thing works out, you can pay me back.”

“Sir, thank you very much. George expressed his gratitude by saying, "I'm really grateful."

George spoke up after a brief pause.

“Can I host you for dinner today as a token of my appreciation?”

“Come on, you don't have to do that. But it will be my pleasure if you insist.“

George finally left after the two men exchanged another smile.

Mr. David gave him a thoughtful stare when he left, as if he had planned the whole thing.