Chapter 4 Chap Let her go

Lying down on his bed, Mark was excited to be in a dance group. He never had imagined that there were still people who wants to associate with him aside parents anymore since they were not even interested in whatever he does in his life. He slept soundly in his room.

As the sun rises up, Mark stretches his arms upward. He was welcomed by the chirping birds on the trees and the morning breeze. He got up from his bed and went to the bathroom and took a shower to freshen up his body.

When he was done bathing himself, he grabbed his blue t-shirt and pants inside his closet. He wore his underwear before putting on his clothes.

He combed his hair leisurely while looking at his face on the mirror.

" It's your time to show off your dance moves, Mark!" He said to himself.

He put on his shoes and went out of his room. Rushing down from the stairs, He was so happy but when he saw his mother, he slowed down his pace.

" Good morning, mom!" He said faintly and glanced at her for a bit.

" Good morning! Just go take your breakfast. I have asked the maid to prepare it for you before you go wandering around again outside. " His mother said plainly with annoyance on her voice.

" Yes, mom!" Mike said sadly. He walked straight towards the dining room to take his breakfast. He ate the sandwich and drank a glass of milk before going out of the house. He carried with him his backpack. As he was walking along the way to the park, he looked around and saw Jade smiling while looking at him. She was sitting in a bench wearing a pink blouse matching up her pink floral skirt and stared at Mark who was walking happily.

"Hey, Mark! Good morning!" Jade said joyfully while looking at him.

"Hi there, Jade! Good morning!" Mark said with an energetic tone of voice. "Where are you going?" Jade asked curiously.

" I'm going to meet the gang today." Mark answered honestly.

"Can I come?" Jade said with a puppy look eyes.

Mark was hesitant because he doesn't want Jade to be distracting his attention. He thought for a second of an alibi so that she will not come with him.

Jade notice that Mark suddenly began to look away from her. She went closer to him and encircled her arms onto his right arm. Mark was startled for what she did and gazed at her.

" I'm sorry, Jade. But you can't come with me. It's a boys thing!" Mark answered hoping that Jade would understand.

Thinking of what Mark wanted to emphasize. Jade thought for a second before she let go of him.

" Okay. But I'll wait for you near the park. I want you to teach me more on how to dance. " Jade said with a bright look on her face.

Satisfied from what he heard, Mark nodded. He left Jade alone near the park. He happily went to the boys meeting place. A group of boys saw him coming near them and they all welcomed him with a great hug and wide smile on their faces.

Meanwhile, Jade was patiently waiting for him at a bench near the park. Then a group of mean children went close to her.

"Hey there, little girl! Are you lost?" One of the boys said with a mean look on his face. He seemed to be the leader among the five boys.

Stepping backward, Jade became frightened. Her eyes where warry. She needed help but Mark was not around to defend her. She felt her knees were trembling and her hands were shaking.

The gangsters went closer to her and surrounded her. No one was around at that time except them.

"Get away from me! " Jade said with a trembling voice but the leader of the boys grabbed her wrist tightly. " Help!" She shouted desperately.

"Oh come on! We just want to have fun with you! Come here!" Another boy holding a baseball bat on his hand said to her with an evil smile on his lips while looking at her.

"Let me go!" Jade said pulling her wrist from the gang's leader. Unluckily, the gang's leader was determined to bully her. He tried to touch Jade's beautiful, smooth face." No! Don't touch me!" She shouted once more as she struggle to let herself go from the gang's leader.

The gangsters laughed at her screaming.

"Mark!!!!" Jade shouted the only name she could think of at that time due to desperation.

"Whose Mark? Your boyfriend? He will never hear you here."The gang's leader said with a mocking face. The other two boys smiled devilishly as they grabbed Jade's arms pushing her to a place where no one can see them. The place were isolated. All around them are just tall bushes and they are behind an abandoned building near the park.

"Just be obedient and you'll not get hurt, little girl!" The boy wearing a stripped jeans said to her.

The boys looked at each other and saw that she is most likely a pretty rich looking girl. They were intimidated and said to her aggressively.

"Give us your money! All of it!" One of the gangster said who is fat and full of -pimples on his face but looked very ferocious.

"But I don't have any money with me." Jade exclaimed.

"No money huh?" The gangster's leader said looking at her up and down. " Well.... we'll just take your clothes then. Your clothes seems very expensive."

"Oh no! Please don't take off my clothes! I beg you!" Jade pleaded.

"Sorry little girl but we need to take your clothes so that we can sell it and have a lot of money from it." The tallest among the five boys who looked greedy for money said to her.

Jade struggled herself from their grasp. She fought hard for herself. She stepped on the feet of the two boys who were holding her wrists. The two boys let out a scream of pain but never let go of her even more.

Then a sharp knife was shown in front of her.

"If you won't be obedient, then I'll have to rip off your neck. You don't want that to happen would you?"

Feeling helpless, Jade gave up and stop struggling. She closed her eyes and started to cry.

But before she was about to stripped off, Mark appeared sweating and full of concern on his face. Mark saw Jade being helpless and surrounded by men.

"Stay away from her!" He shouted angrily yet breathing heavily as a result of his long run.

"Well.... look whose here? A boy playing to be a hero." The gang's leader said while glancing at Mark who was perspiring.

Even Jade was also surprised to see Mark when she heard his voice.

"Mark! Be careful! They are armed!" Jade warned him.

Gritting his teeth with a furious look, Mark decided to save her without any hesitation. He was willing to do everything he could to keep her safe.

Luckily, he learned some martial art techniques when he was 5 years old.

He began to position himself to strike into his enemies.

"You're a fool if you think you can handle us by yourself!" The leader of the gang said boastfully while stretching his hands and clutching his fist.

Without any trace of fear, "Try me! " Mark said with a mocking face.

Then one by one, the gangsters surrounded Mark. Jade was feeling nervous by the turn of events. One of the gangsters attempted to attack but failed to draw a punch on Mark because Mark dodge it so fast. Then two of the gangsters eventually attacked Mark from behind but Mark jumped and threw a back kick at both of them. Both men were thrown backwards.

"Wow! This kid is something! How did he learn to do that trick?" One of the gangsters said with amazement.

"Mark! Watch out!" Jade shouted.

Mark was hit in the head by one of the gangsters. He felt pain and fell down to his knees but he never gave up. After gathering his strength, he fought again and again until all the gangsters ran away from him. Leaving Jade and Mark alone in that place.