Chapter 6 UNUSUAL

AUSTIN'S POV

I was able to get myself and Adrian out of the bush, and we ran to the bar where we knew our friends would be. Throughout the run, we said no word to each other as we both had a lot running through our minds. We just went through a near-death experience, and we barely escaped.

Thinking back to those men, I wished I could report them to the police, but I knew that wouldn't help at all because it would only drag my late father's name in the mud. With the look on their faces, they seemed to be my father's business partners when he was still alive, but they weren't good people, and it made me wonder if my father was ever a good man too, or if all he showed me was nothing but pretense... a facade.

We continued running, and before we knew it, we were in front of the bar, and as we expected, all our friends were there, waiting for us. "Austin!" Kelvin shouted the moment he saw me and ran toward me. He hugged me tightly. "I knew you would be fine. I trusted your luck and decided to wait for you. I'm glad I did." He said this as he rested his head on my shoulder. He seemed to have been very worried, and he was glad the moment he saw me.

I smiled and patted his back. "It was tough, but I'm tougher. Thanks for waiting, buddy." I said it playfully, and I heard Kelvin chuckle, which made me laugh too. "Where is Tine?" I asked because I didn't see him come out of the bar to meet me as Kelvin did, which was unlike him. Did he go home already?

Kelvin smiled. "He's inside." He mumbled, and I frowned. What's he doing inside?

I entered the bar after breaking the hug with Kelvin, and my eyes widened when I saw Tine crying as he stood there inside the bar with his back turned to us. He was wiping his tears and hiding his face, but it was obvious he was crying due to the unusual way his back was moving. My frown deepened as I turned to look at Kelvin, who was standing beside me. "What's going on with him?" I asked, and Kelvin shrugged. "He had been very scared since those guys took you, but I've been assuring him that you will be fine. Maybe he was too shocked after seeing you?" Kelvin asked, and I sighed. It was amusing to see a grown man cry, but I knew it was all for me, and it melted my heart.

"Tine?" I called as I moved closer to him, and before I knew it, he faced me and ran into my arms. "Thank you, Austin. Thank you for coming back to us. I was so scared, and I blamed myself for not being able to do anything when you were being taken away in front of me. Thank you for coming back, Austin." He kept mumbling as he tightened the hug, blocking all my breathing space. Ugh! Won't this nigga end my life now?

I patted his back gently. "It's okay, buddy. You should know how strong your friend is." I said it to him, and he smiled. I broke the hug, and my two friends came to stand in front of me.

"How were you able to escape?" Kelvin was the first to ask, and I let out a deep breath. "It was tough, and the men meant business, but thanks to the harsh training I went through when I was little, I was able to escape," I explained, and I saw the pride on their faces. They looked at Adrian, who was busy catching up with his friends too and moved closer to me. "How was he able to escape too?" Tine asked, and for the first time after we got to the bar, I turned my head to look at Adrian.

Looking at him made me remember how I had saved him back there, and I felt bad. I should have left him to die there. Maybe... Maybe I wouldn't have to stain my hand with his blood, but that wasn't what I wanted. I wanted to kill him with my hands and take revenge for everything he did to my family and caused my father. I was going to make him pay in my way!

"I don't know. He just found his way out and followed me." I lied, as it was embarrassing to tell my friends that I was the one who saved my archenemy from the enemy's den.

"Oh, Okay." Tine believed and nodded. "Let's leave here. Seeing them is making me lose my cool already." He added, and I smiled. "Yes, let's leave," I replied, as I was exhausted too.

Fighting with those skilled men was exhausting, and I had gotten a few cuts here and there that I needed to treat before the pain took over my body. "Let's go to my place," I suggested, as I was the only one living alone in a big mansion among us all.

We all agreed, and we turned to leave the bar. We were just outside the bar when we saw Adrian's men chatting and playing, but we ignored them and continued on our way. "Hey, rats! Where do you think you're going?" Kun shouted and I frowned, but neither of us replied to him. I wasn't ready for any fight, as I was very tired.

"Are you scared now?" Knight asked too, and that was when Tine stopped and turned to them. "Scared? If there is anyone who's scared here, Then it's you because you guys are weaklings who can't do anything on their own. We've got better things to do, and that's why we are leaving here." Tine explained as politely as he could and waved at them before turning to leave again.

"Weaklings? How about we show ourselves who the real weaklings are? You bunch of idiots!" Kun yelled as he moved closer to us, but Adrian immediately pressed his hand on his chest and pushed him back. "Stop, Kun," he said, and Kun turned to him. "What, Adrian? We need to show these fools who the bosses are!" Kun yelled with anger, and it was obvious he was in for a big fight, which Tine was fully ready for too.

Adrian frowned and glared at Kun. "I said, it's okay." He said it, but Kun only shook his head. "You don't need to join, Adrian. I know you are exhausted, and that's why Knight and I can deal with them alone!" Kun replied as he pushed Adrian to the side and started approaching us.

I was still expecting him to come and face us when Adrian rushed after him, dragged him back, and delivered a punch to his face! "Have you lost your mind?" He yelled angrily as Kun fell backward, and I was shocked. Why did he do that to his friend?

I looked at Adrian, who was staring at Kun with a dagger in his eyes, but I wasn't the only one who was shocked; everyone else was just as shocked. Even Kun himself was looking at Adrian as if he were looking at an alien. "Adrian?" Knight called cautiously, but Adrian only glared at him and hissed before walking away, leaving all of us staring at his back with shock written all over our faces. Maybe Adrian has finally lost his mind after what happened today.