I kept her a secret

Run. That was the only thing playing in his mind as he ran through the dark ally with his mind playing the scenes that unfolded that morning,,,

*****Flashback*****

"Jayden wake up it's time for your breakfast" he heard the voice of his mother and couldn't help the groan that escaped his lips..

"Mom, really?" He asked perplexed cause he was awake now. One thing he hates about himself and one rule that keeps him actively punctual and kicking.

'If you hear mom's call, it's time to wake up'.

He ran his hands through his hair due to fustration and the constant bickering of his Mom.

He heard footsteps at his room's door before it opened revealing the person behind it. One guess, his mom.

The only person bold enough to ever come into this dark room of his.

With arms folded across her chest, she began scanning the dirty, littered room of her handsome son still laying in the bed.

"Really?..., Seriously?,,,that is all you are going to ask me?" She paused while taking a dramatic stance. "No good morning mom?" She raised an eyebrow while stating at her son.

"Good morning Mom" he replied in between chuckles.

"Young man, I did not remember training you this way. Last time I remember, I told you to always thank me anytime I yell out your name to wake you up. Is this my thank you?"

"Mom you are being dramatic right now, you know?"

"I still can't hear my thank you,,,,where is it?" She said and placed an arm over her ear while leaning in closer.

"Ok, fine" a tired sigh left his mouth. "Thank you"

"What is that? I can't hear you, could you be louder and use the word, mom?"

He sat upright on the bed while raking his hair with his hands. Another sigh escaped his lips. This woman...

"Thank you very much, mom. You happy now? You taking those words out of my mouth makes you happy doesn't it?"

"You have no idea son. You have no idea" she grinned stupidly at her son.

"I still don't get why you of all people, the most elegant of the elegants, have to yell in order to get her son to wake up. I mean, you have maids practically moving around aimlessly and all you had to do was tell them to wake me up"

"Well dear son, if I had sent a maid here would you even listen? Hmmm?" She hummed mockingly at him.

He only let out a nervous chuckle while scratching the back of his neck. He had already turn red with embarrassment.

"I see now. I already have my answer, even with the look of your room I can already tell that a maid has never been here before." She scoffed at him while taking a glance at his messy room again.

"It's not like that mom. I just like to do things on my own and besides, you know I don't like the stares I get from those maids. It's like they all have a wild fantasy going on in their heads whenever they see me. And trust me, those kind of looks scares the shit out of me" he shuddered while making a disgusted face.

His mom saw the look on his face and couldn't help the proud smile that came on her lips. And looking at her son, he was one fine specimen. No doubt about that.it was a fact.

A mother would always be proud whenever they hear their kids being praised because of their looks.

She walked right up to his bed and sat on it. He placed his head on her shoulder and wrapped his arms around his mom while pouting.

"Stupid" she muttered playfully while flicking his forehead.

"Ouch, mom. That hurts" he rubbed his head while glaring at her playfully.

"Oh, come on. I know it doesn't hurt but if you would like for me to give you one that hurts, you could always talk?" She had an evil grin on her face.

"No thanks,,,am good." He quickly blabbed while scooting a few meters away from her.

She laughed at her son's childish act. She is the only one who gets to see him like this and when he isn't acting all cold and reserved.

Sometimes, she wishes he could be like this but,,,sigh. It was tough.

With amusement dancing in her eyes, she also tried to catch him. But the big child she has decided to run to the other side of the big bed.

She stood up still trying to catch him and maybe teach him a lesson by giving him a knock or two. Maybe that would put some senses into his brain.

He too jumped from the bed and onto the floor with a great speed.

Ladies and gentlemen,,that was how the immature, early morning tag broke out between mother and son.

"With exhaustion laced over her face she let out a tired groan." I give up, you win. Now you can stop running am not gonna hit you. Honest"

A smug grin was plastered on his face. It has been a while since he last had this kind of fun with his mom, but it ended too soon for his liking.

"Mom,are you getting old?" He decided to tease his mom. Maybe, just maybe he would get her to chase him again.

"W-what?!" She did not hear properly. Did her son just call her old? For crying out loud she was just forty-one. How dare he?

"Did you just call me old, Jayden? Did you really, just call me,,,,old?" She asked while taking small, slow steady steps towards him.

He was just teasing her. But he was not going to admit it to her even if she looked kinda scary and intimidating like she was right now. It was going to be worth it.

"What? Ain't you old ma?" He asked and teased her the more "can't you see it yourself,or should I point it out for you?" He snickered and tilted his head a little while asking that question.

"Why, you little,pesky,rat!,,come here this instant!" She had, had enough of him. She chased him round the room again with a new found strength.

He on the other hand, had finally succeeded in rileing her up. It was worth it.

He was laughing so hard that he actually forgot that his mom was chasing him for the kill. How foolish can this boy be?.

He was not looking at where he was going and so he crashed on a sofa. Finally, she caught up to him and with only a stupid mistake he made.

She was practically heaving as her breathing was unsteady.

He tried to get up but before he could, his mother sat on him bringing him back down and crashing into it while keeping him crushed between the sofa.

"Now, who are you calling old?." She said giving him a murderous gaze. He gulped loudly.

He did not think this through. He never thought his mother would catch up to him and so was unprepared

If thoughts and looks could kill, he sure would have been dead by now. Who knew Mom's could be this scary when they wanted to.

"Talk boy!" She smacked him on his head while still glaring at him. "I said, who you calling old?" She picked up an Australian accent.

"Ouch,,no one, I mean no one. I-i wasn't calling you old?,,,I said, huh,,you running old. Yea-huh yeah. That was definitely what I said."

She was not buying it one bit and sat on him the more using her weight. One thing though, she was not fat but she was what you called,,,shapey.

She had fats in the right places. If you know what I mean.

"Mom,,,y-you are crushing me" he barely got those words out of his mouth. "I think am going to die mom."

He was already turning red and was struggling to get out of his mother's strong holds. ' Rule number two:never call Mom old'.

He just made another rule and he was planning to stick to that rule once he gets out of this shit he put himself to.

"Ok,,,ok, I admit it. I called you old but trust me when I say this,,,I would never, ever call you that again. Just please get off me."

"You could have just said that at the very beginning Jayden and I would have let you go, But your ego was too big wasn't it?,,,now you have to do more than that to convince me.

His feet scrunched the ground as he ran through the dark, noisy ally. Weird noises,,,groans coming from the beat up men who lay on the floor beaten.

His heart played loudly in his ribcage making him almost deaf due to how fast his heart was beating.

He was scared. A foreign feeling for him,all his life he had been pampered and spoilt. He never got hurt or the need to feel scared but now, here he was....

An ear piercing scream came from the darkest part of the ally which ignited a new fear.

He sprinted and ran with a full force. Fear, fustration and anger all fueling him to get the heck my

' how did I get myself into this fucking mess ' he kept asking himself but he already knew how..

*****Flashback*****

With his mom still on him and his reddened face he pleaded with his mom in hopes to get her off him

"Please mom I promise you that, that would be the last time I would call you old. Just please stop crushing me with your damn weight" he breathed all in one

Smack. She hit him again at the back of his head.

"Are you calling me fat, Jayden? Are you seriously adding to what you called me previously?" She questioned him aggressively

If it was possible, she would have added more weight just to keep him crushed.

"N-no I o-only s-s-said to please,,get,,off me" he managed to make a sentence since the air around him was getting small

He was starting to suffocate under his mom's crushing weight.

"That was not what I heard Jayden. I may be old but one thing for sure is, I ain't deaf. You calling me old mate" she said picking an Australian accent again.

"Mom,,please get,,off me." He begged as beads of sweat dripped off him and into the sofa.

She didn't even budge but amusement was clearly dancing in her eyes. Her egonistic son had never begged anyone in his life before,,,well until now.

"Mom please,,I feel like am dying here. Please" he begged again and it was like music to her ears.

She hit him lightly on the head this time and gently lifted her weight from him but not completely. Just enough to allow air through and stop his reddened face.

At that little gesture his face quickly regained their colour slowly while he breathed heavily.

He was drenched in sweat like a person who just had a nice workout.

"Breathe all you want cause you are free to do that. But I am not letting you off the hook that easy" she hissed

"Why, I already said please isn't that enough already?"

She snorted "if you had said that earlier I might have just considered but now I change my mind" she folded her arms and faced the other way

She looked like a child who was mad at her father for lying.

"What?!" He gwaked at her " you what? You changed your mind?" He stared at her from the corner of his eyes like she was stupid

"Yes Jayden. I changed my mind, got a problem with it?"

"Yes I have a problem with it. He is that any of my business and how is changing your mind affect my predicament" he yelled obvious, he was furious but this woman sitting on him does not give an actual damn.

"Is that how you talk to your mom?!" She yelled also while giving him the killer look.

He seemed to have forgotten that he was at her mercy. She had been fueled by his stupid outburst and so using all the strength and weight she had, she resumed crushing him.

"...Arhhhh...." When she heard him scream was like music to her ears.

"I hope you are enjoying this as much as I am Jayden, cause if you are not,,,well am sorry because I am having one heck of a time"

"...Ahrrrr..it hurts...please...I am ready to listen to you. Just please stop." He thought he was going to have fun with his dear Mom. Just like old times,,,well not everyone gets to experience things like old times.

She rolled her eyes at his stupidity. He should have made things easier for himself and her.

"Take a good look at your room Jayden. What do you see?" She questioned him again like a cop interrogating his or her suspect.

"Damn it mom, I can't see anything besides this sofa and your butt which is currently squinching me"

Smack,,,she hit him hard as she had turned red from embarrassment. This stupid son of hers...he could have just keep shut and not mention her butt.

"Ouch,,,why did you hit me? I only stated the obvious. You have been hitting me for sometime now and I can say that this is the third time you are hitting me. Damn,,,,and on the same spot."

"Could you just be quiet and listen to what I say you dummy? You have been blabbing all morning and you are a man, might I add. You are going to be a father someday and this is how sharp tongued you are?"

He snorted at the mention of the word father. He does not see himself in years to come as a father. He rolled his eyes at his mom's statement...two offences in one. Wow!

"You know, if you keep distracting me. We might never leave this position and by that time, you might have been dead due to suffocation" she commented at his lack of observation.

"I know and trust me when I say that I want to get the hell away from you."

"I would pretend that I didn't hear that." She moved from sitting on his head and placed her butt on his waist."now, back to business. I believe that you can now take a proper look at your room. Can't you?"

"I can Mom, now what is your point?" He asked while placing one hand under his chin to support himself on the sofa. He had a bored expression on. Clearly he was uninterested in whatever his mother wanted to say.

"My point is Jayden,,That I want you to clean up your room and make yourself ready for breakfast. And for the rest of the month, you have to wake up, tidy your room before breakfast."

"Ugh,,," he let out an unsatisfied groan "is that really necessary?"

"Yes Jayden. It is, and that is the only way I am going to change my mind" she huffed

"Fine. I agree, now, get off me" he hissed angrily at his mother and tried shoving her off.

She laughed at his failed attempt as she stood up from him.

He straighten his disheavled clothes while mumbling inaudible words.

"You know,," his mother started "when I came into your room, the only thing that ran into my mind was how to get you off that bed of yours and possibly get you to at least clean up your room. Am glad my plan worked out" she said with our joy evident in her every words

He stopped his cleaning procedures as he turned to look at her straight in the face shock written all over them. How?

She laughed "didn't expect that did you?" He moved his head sideways, indicating a no.

"Now, do I call this two birds with one stone?" She asked as she stroked her chin "oh, come on Jayden. Don't give me that look. Be happy, I just thought you a lesson and it is, for you to be thoughtful"

"Yea,,,how did I not see that?" He let out a sartistic smile

"At least you inherited it from your father? He was so dumb I tricked him times without numbers." She laughed while removing an imaginary tear from her eye

He snorted at the mention of his father and how gullible he had been.

"Hey,, come on, lighten up. We have other things to do. So, I want you downstairs in the next ten minutes"

"What? How do you expect me to do all of these" he guestured at his room "and get ready in time for breakfast at the expense of only ten minutes. How mom? How?" he continued his rambling

"Oh....I thought you were giving me the cold shoulders. You can talk? Nice, I thought you only snort"

"Mom" he groaned "be serious for once. I don't have super powers here"

"You asked for this, and besides... it's all part of the deal." She said before walking out.

With a tired groan, he sat on a stool in his ever, so luxurious room.

He took a glance around the room remembering all that had happened a while ago before he started laughing.

He laughed so hard he fell off the chair and on the floor he lay, rolling, unable to stop the laughter he had been holding for long.

He remembered the look hiss mother had when he called her old. She was not going to admit it anytime soon that see was old but who cares.

He was not going to say it to her face now,,,but he loved her. She is his mom after all?

Still trying to sobber up from the drama that had just happened, he took a glance at the sofa his mom had crushed him on earlier. Another burst of laughter erupted from him.

He ran through the ally at a really fast pace. Sweating and also heaving he decided to rest using a wall as support.

The tall street lights standing high and proud along the high way could be seen from where he was standing.

He heaved a sigh of relief. Finally, he could see a light at the end of the tunnel.

' I have to keep on moving' he thought for a while and after regaining a fraction of his strength he sprinted. Still looking back and checking if they were still after him.

He looked back and caught the shadows of some of his father's bodyguards.

'No,,,I can't go back to that house. I can't let them catch me'

"Hey,,, stop. Young master,,,,stop! Guys there he is...run, catch him."

"Shit" he cursed and ran with full speed while trying to evade obstacles that were obstructing his way.

"Don't let him get away!! Catch him!"

Due to the energy he had lost earlier and considering the fact that he had been running most of the day, he had begun to slow down as his lungs started to burn.

A guard had already caught up to him and almost tackling him but luckily for him he saw a trash can. Tossing it over, the guard had not expected it and thus, tripped and fell face flat.

More were still coming and yet catching up to him but he was not willing to back down. He could already see the road ahead.

With new found strength, he began tossing this over just to slow them down. He even pushed a begger at them just to stall them a little.

He felt a strong tug coming from his back strong enough to pull him back, glancing at his back, he saw that it was a guard who was tugging his backpack.

He pulled back and with a strong kick at the groin, the guard crotched and began holding his area. Pain latched all over his face.

Without sparing the guard anymore look, he sprinted again. With lights almost blinding him, he cringed and squinted his eyes. Not even caring his blurry vision, he ran down the highway.

Heavy footsteps were heard coming from the pavements. Silence, it was already past midnight and only a few cars were seen.

If anyone had seen this kind of scene, you would have thought that a notorious criminal was being chased by a mafia's gang. But it was all wrong.

He needed to find a cab, a taxi. Anything and fast. He didn't even know how longer could keep up with this running.

With luck shining on his side, he spotted a vehicle approaching from the opposite lane. Without even bothering to look sideways, he sprinted across the road and onto the next.

He flagged down the cab and it slowed down for him. He opened the door and quickly sat down without even minding the look of annoyance on the cabby's face, he yelled "step on it please. I need to get out of here fast"

"You can't just yell out at me? And do you know how late it is?" The man was oblivious to his environment and thus failed to notice the look on Jayden's face.

"Please, just get me out of here. I promise I would pay you, no matter the cost. Just please, drive." They were gaining on him and only a few meters away from the cab

"Fuck" he cussed and ran a hand through his hair. With one last resort, he went to the driver's seat and sat on his laps. He ignited the car and stepped on the gas.

"What are you doing? Get off me and stop the damn car this instant" the driver protested while trying to shove Jayden off him

Looking back and seeing the fustrated looks on the faces of the guards through the rear window, he sighed.

"Shut up man!" Clearly he was angry at this cabby "you almost got me caught and I said I was gonna pay. Didn't you see those men chasing me?"

Looking back, the cabby finally saw huge, burly men all dressed in blacks. They looked like elite bodyguards. With fear registered on his face he looked at the young man sitting on his laps back to the fading silloutetes of those bodyguards.

"W-who,,,are you?" He stuttered a little "you aren't involved in the mafia now, are you?" Fear was evident in the man's voice.

"Please don't get me involved in any of your business, please. I have a family to care for please." The man spoke again and this time with tears dripping from his eyes.

Confused by the words of this man, he glanced at the man he was currently sitting on. When he saw the look on his face, he couldn't help the laugh that came from him.

"Y-you,,, actually think,,am involved in the mafia?" He said in between laughs while trying his best to drive properly and not cash the car because he was laughing.

"Y-you are,,not?" Confusion was laced in his voice and evident in his face.

"Do I look like someone who is cut out to be in the mafia?" He snickered

The cabby was clearly embarrassed as his ears had turned red. He scratched the back of his neck while lowering his head in shame. He should not have acted like that, clearly, he over reacted.

Still chuckling from the man's earlier reaction, he got off the man.

"Hey, here are the wheels am sure that by now, they are far behind and they have gone back."

With the sudden exchange of wheels,the tires if the cars screeched and moved off the road for only a few minutes before coming back to it's normal route.

"Hey, don't kill me because you are still thinking. I am here for a reason and not here to die"Jayden lashed out at the poor man

"Sorry,,,but you didn't exactly give me a warning beforehand" the cabby snapped at him

"Sorry for lashing out at you. Was mad and all"

"It's okay, but can I ask one question since you know,,,you are not a mafia?" He raised and eyebrow asking for permission

"Sure, as long as I can answer it" he gulped

"Who were those men earlier and why were they chasing you?" He quirked. Curiosity was evident in his voice.

He breathed out a sigh of relief and thanking heavens that it was not the question he was thinking about before he answered "those guys were my father's men and they were meant to bring me home because I ran from home" sigh

"Really? Those were your father's men?" He gwaked

"Yes,,,and stop looking like you haven't seen men like that." He chuckled at the man's obvious behavior " I told Dad to change those men but he wouldn't listen" he muttered to himself

"If those were your dad's men, then that means...you must come from a wealthy home" he pointed out

He (Jayden) sucked in a breath sharply. This cabby was going to connect the dots. For once, he was thankful that it was dark.

If it was during the day, he was sure that this man here would have recognized him. He being a really famous person.

He took out a cap from the pocket in his pants and wore it in his head.

"If you don't mind me asking, why would you want to run from your home" he looked at Jayden like he was crazy for doing such a thing.

The man had not noticed when Jayden put on his black cap. He only noticed it when he looked over at him (Jayden).

"Look Man," he looked over at the man as if accessing him before readdressing him. "Sir, not everyone who comes from a rich or wealthy family are happy. Sometimes we pretend that everything is okay. But it's not okay!" He barked

"We Don't get to decide anything for yourself and it's lonely. Everybody wants to get close to you just because of your status. They don't even like you for who you are. They only like you because of what you have and I just want to get away from shits like that"

Never had he poured out so much emotion in a word before. Now he did and clearly, this was his first time.

Shocked by the young lad's outburst, the cabby went quiet only observing him silently and he could have sworn he saw a year drop down from the young man's face.

Not wanting to pry into his life he decided to ask him a different question. " Ok, but,,,where are you headed now?"

They had been driving in a straight line across the highway now for two hours. He had to ask.

Facing out the window he(Jayden) replied "far away from here and into a different country, a place where I can start a new life."

With a tired sigh, the cabby put pressure on the gas pedal and sped off...