Repeat and Retribution

Chapter 20

The encounter with Larse made her really unpleasant right now. She just got even more irritated at the man’s sick humor, screwing with someone's else’s girl and then suddenly calling him out.

She couldn’t understand what kind of sick person could do that at a young age, though she knows there are people like those, but they would be in a much older age.

She just let out a deep long sigh as the man continued to tail her behind her, just a few meters away. Not bothering to look back, she kept a tight grip on her books to her chest, making sure to hold the think and heavy hardcover bound ones, as she knew they’d be useful just in case the young man tried anything stupid.

They were on the lush green path, surrounded by large trees, grass. It was one of those very secluded parts of the university, It was a short cut that she knew to get to her destination.

Thankfully Larse kept his distance as they move along the trail, he breath a sigh o relief as she saw the trail just behind some of the older buildings, going to their next class.

She hurried her phase so that she can finally continue her reading, without having to worry about the man keeping such a close watch on her.

“Where is she! Where’s that b***h!” a loud voice boomed as they entered the hallway.

She could not help but halt for a moment, recognizing the certain voice whom it belonged to.

Frowning as she realized what was happening, Crystal puts on her poker face and prepares herself for the what was to come, as she begins walking closer to the loud commotion.

As expected Clyde and Dana were at it again, but this time it was in plain sight and with several students and classmates surrounding all over the two.

“Will you calm down, why are you suddenly making such a big deal about this!” Clyde scolded as he was now holding the girl in both arms.

The woman looked crazed, hair tangled and frizzy, clothes all ruffled and a mess from possibly wrestling with the young man, her eyes glared as she scoured around.

“You!” Dana shouts, pointing a finger upon seeing her.

All Crystal was able to do was raised an eyebrow, seeing as the woman seemed to have lost her mind.

It was then that Dana began tossing and turning around as she tried to escape the young man’s hold.

“Babe stop it!” Clyde hugs her as he kept her feet off the ground.

Yet she kept kicking and fighting to break free. “Let me go!” she screams in a high pitch, as she manages to free her arm, allowing her to scratch the mans face.

Crystal couldn’t help but gasped as blood trickled unto the young mans eye from the cut, that the woman’s claw made.

Though Clyde was in pain, wincing as he struggled to keep his lids open, he was still able to grab hold of Dana as she immediately sped her way to Crystal, barely making it as he grabbed unto her skirt, then her hips and then caging her in another hug.

They were now at arms length of each other as Crystal remained perfectly still in her place and trying to keep quiet about all of it.

“Stop making a scene!” Clyde finally blurted out as he made her face him.

The woman’s eyes were like in flames as she looked at him, breathing heavily as she began hitting his chest.

Crystal was really feeling so bad right now, seeing as the woman was literally abusing the man physically and verbally. Not seemingly even giving a care that the man was bleeding.

“What, your on her side now,” Dana shouts while sobbing.

Though Crystal thought that they were face as she wasn’t seeing any tears and the woman was probably just whining, as he face looked so contorted. Dana tries grabbing her making her flinch to avoid her long nails.

“You f*****g w***e, you stay away from my boyfriend!” she screams, pointing at her making sure that everyone there knew about it.

It was then that Clyde finally came between them, shielding her with his body, blocking any possible action by Dana.

“Babe, will you stop it please!” he shakes her up looking her straight in the eye.

The man’s voice seemed higher, deeper and definitely had a hint of anger as Clyde seemed to be losing his temper.

That came as a shock to Dana, waking her from her enraged state. She was suddenly wide eyed as she looked straight at the man.

Shoving the man’s hands off of her she runs, sobbing all the while. She didn’t even care if she bumped into other students as she ran off.

“Sorry Crys,” Clyde just turns and bows to her, giving her an apologetic smile.

“Don’t worry about it,” she just nods.

After that Clyde rushes to chase down his girlfriend, not even giving a second thought even thought their class was going to start any minute now.

Crystal notices a presence hovering closer beside her, she let’s out a sigh as she notices Larse’s grin as he was scratching the back of his head.

She turns to him, straight face yet with a fierce look. “It seems I have you to thank you for that, I hope your happy asshole,” she says in normal yet indifferent tone.

That seemed to have stopped Larse advancement scoffing in disbelief. Crystal did not bother with him again as she turns to proceed to the classroom.

She ignored the whispers of gossip and talks that were probably about her, shrugging off the weir and funny gazes of several student who saw the whole ordeal.

She didn’t expect that this would happen, seeing as she did managed to survive her college life during her past timeline, though it seems that was not the case this time.

Luckily for her her class that day wasn’t that long and it was the last one that she had. The moment their lecture ended she was out of the classroom, mixing with the other students like nothing had happened, disregarding the sounds of gossip and giggles and gaze of some of them as she went by them.

She was surprised to see Clyde standing in front of the door, looking so down trodden and waiting for her. He immediately walks toward her, avoiding being seen by their professor.

“Crys about what happened, I’m really sorry about that, Dana can be very jealous sometimes,” he says when he was finally right beside her.

They were now walking side by side. “Yeah, I noticed,” she just chuckles as she glanced to her side seeing that once again Larse was just behind them.

She quickly makes a turn for the stairs, hurrying her steps as to make sure that the young man would not follow them anymore. Thankfully he seemed to have been stopped by several of his friends before he could even keep up.

Clyde was all quiet as he tried to keep up with her, still looking so down and broken.

“Don’t you think that she’s a bit overbearing?” she just continues their conversation when she see’s that the other man was no longer in sight.

“No, she’s always been like that, it’s one of the things I liked about her,” He half smiles, lips shaking as he looked at her.

“Really?” Crystal could not help but frown, but she tried to still keep her composure all the while, because of he mix of shock and disappointment. “I mean, why do you allow her to treat you like that?” she just states. Wanting to at least clear things out.

Clyde let out a deep sigh. “I think it’s my fault,” he says.

“Your fault, how is it your fault?” she could not help but asked sensing the regret on the man’s voice.

“We’ll, I have this idea you see, and she’s not really that supportive about it, I think that’s the main issue why she’s been so pissed off lately,” Clyde finally says.

“Oh really?” she could not help her sarcasms.

She already had some thoughts about why the Dana would want to break up with Clyde, but hearing something else from the young man woke her curiosity.

“And what is it this idea that you think is making her act that way?” she smirks, giving him a condescending looks.

That seemed to made Clyde even more down as the man’s shoulder began to slouch. “It’s a business I was thinking about,” his voice low as he said it.

“Go on?” Crystal was even more interested about it, as she didn’t remember Clyde having such thoughts before during when they were together in her old past.

“I was thinking of starting my own little computer shop, you know. Like those that you’d see around campus. I thought that if we began doing some stuff to earn while were students, we’d be better off by the time we’ve graduated. You know, for our future,” He smiles, eyes suddenly wide with life and determination.

“Hey, that’s actually not a bad idea, so what seems to be the problem? Shouldn’t Dana be happy about that, seeing as you’re actually thinking of ways ahead,” she could not help but comment on that fact.

It that had happened during those times that they were slump and trying to make ends meet, she would have still completely supported him, seeing as the man was actually trying to do something. But, alas, it seems that the young Clyde was all so different from the old one that he had.

“Yeah, my thoughts exactly. Though of course she was happy about the future part, but then we’ve talked about were to get the money for it and that kind of caused the whole problem,” His voice began in a high and energetic pitch going down into a sudden weak and beaten tone.

“Oh, how come?” Crystal now had a much more understanding look. Wanting to at least make the man feel comfortable. Seeing as he was now able to tell these things to her unlike before.

“We’ll, you know how much it would cost for those things, so I thought that we could just start with at least one or two computers, then slowly build up in time,” Clyde’s hand was tossing and turning as he explained.

“We’ll that’s how it usually goes.” She says but the man was suddenly silent. “Go on,” she just urges him, as she her mind was suddenly itching at the thought.

“I was thinking that maybe we could pile up our money together to get at least four computers, plus rent fees,” Clyde continued.

Crystal could not help her eyes from balling. “You two have that much?” she gulps a lump that suddenly formed in her throat.

She was now suddenly confused as to how come they ended up so down, miserable in the past if the Clyde actually had money to spare like this.

“No! We’ll, if were going to use a bit of our school fees we would,” he corrects.

That somewhat got Crystal back on her feet. “Wait, you mean?”

“Yeah, I mean, it’s just one semester and our parents doesn’t have to know about it, so long as we pay it. And once the shop starts cashing in, there wouldn't really be much of an issue,” Clyde explains.

“Oh Clyde, I think that’s the reason she wouldn't agree with you,” She could not help but sympathize with Dana.

Though she did not like the thought of having the same thought as the woman, there was part of her that did not like that kind of idea, specially since it would cost them to lie and somewhat steal.

“I know, I know. But, I thought it through and computed everything, it should work,” Clyde quickly defend.

“And what if it doesn’t?” she couldn’t help but ask.

That made the man’s face crumple with a bitter look and disappointed smile. “Isn’t that being a bit too pessimistic,” he blurts out.

Crystal just let out a deep sigh, whatever happened to this young energetic and full of Clyde to turn into the one that she had.

Setting that thought aside she decides to at least clarify things with him to help him out. “We’ll, have you thought about other possible stuff that you might encounter?”

“Like?” That somewhat got a bemused look from the young man. Brows raised as his smile became something of like a half one.

Crystal could not help but shake her head, remembering that the man was still a bit green. “You do understand that no matter how much you plan on these kind of things, a business is like taking a big gamble right?” he clarifies.

“Yes! But, if you know how to properly prepare and set a plan the chance of it succeeding increases,” Clyde was again cheerful with the idea.

“Okay, let’s say that is a fact, what plan of measurements have you exactly thought of, in order for the business to succeed? And do you already have counter measures in case it doesn’t? Besides that, did you also account in your budget the expenses you’ll be needing for processing of documents and other such stuff, plus of course the basic necessities?” She implies remembering some things that she learned from Brittany in her old past, plus the new ones she had managed to acquire thanks to her helping out with her parents business right now.

Clyde ended up scratching the back of his head. “We’ll, I thought I’d man it for a few months since I won’t be going to school anyway, so labor is no issue,” he states.

“What about the water and electricity bills and the business permit, not to mention other proceeding documents?” She quickly adds.

“Do you even need one if your just starting up in a small scale,” Clyde just chuckled.

“Clyde, Of course you do, not unless you’re planning on something like a shop within a house, you’ll need to have those things,” she just says in the warmest and most pleading tone she had.

There was a sudden silence between them as the man seem to have realized something. He was suddenly looking away, face deep in thought for a few moments.

“Wow, I never really thought about that part,” he finally says.

In that moment Crystal loses her balance when she steps on something slippery. She did not notice the banana peel that was suddenly thrown at her until it was too late.

She felt her heart pounded as she almost fell to the ground, but before she could even hit, large arms were suddenly grabbing on to her, keeping her steady.

Heat rushed through her face realizing what had happened. Looking up at Clyde, they were now almost face to face, as they were entwined in an embrace.

“Are you all right?” he says, eyes wide in surprise and shock all the while staring straight at her.

“Thanks,” That was all she could muster as she seems to be getting drawn once more with those deep dark eyes.

“Clyde!” The loud shrill of Dana’s voice brought both of them back for the dream like trance that they were in.

“Dana?” The man’s face crumpled looking back to where they heard her.

Eyes glaring, clenched fist the young woman was just a few meters away from them, and seemed to have some company. As there were several girls behind her that seemed to be her classmates.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” she screams stomping her way to them.

“Didn’t you see, she slipped!” Clyde quickly defends after helping her get on her feet.

“She did that on purpose!” Dana hisses hand raised, as she tried to grab hold of Crystal’s hair.

“Babe, will you stop it!” Clyde quickly blocks her.

Seeing as this was going to be the cause of another scene, she decides to let Clyde handle this on his own. She really didn’t want to cause any more attention to herself as is, knowing full well what it could do to her in the near future.

“I think I’ll go now,” she taps his shoulder.

Clyde just nods as he gives her a quick look before paying attention to the still screaming and cursing Dana.

“We were just talking!” She hear Clyde say as she begins making a detour, quickly walking away from the arguing couple.