A/N: Okay, to make up for Chapter 11’s sogginess, I’m updating fast. Read and review, okay? Don’t forget to leave a comment about this on my blog. Thanks.

Oh, and I’m trying a new format of the paragraphing by justifying to the middle. Please tell me whether you prefer this format or the previous, kay?

Chapter 12: Hitches on the Road

“I’m telling you, Arsenal won’t stand a chance against Liverpool tonight!”

“Oh yeah, how much do you wanna bet that Arsenal’s gonna score 2-nil, at least.”

“Can you both give it up already? No matter what, MU is still 6 points ahead, and neither Arsenal nor Liverpool can catch up.”

Benedict and Jimmy Lim then grabbed Peter Lee by the neck and began to strangle him playfully.

“I don’t care about MU! Arsenal may not win the Cup but 2nd place’s definitely better than 3rd!” Jimmy said.

“Ack! Okay, okay, I give!” Peter rasped, struggling out of the vice-like grip.

Then Ben’s grip loosened as he looked up front. “Hey, isn’t that Jason chasing Leon around the football field?”

Peter and Jimmy looked up too to see Jason hurtling lightning bolts as Leon. “Ah, must be another misfire by Leon,” Jimmy commented, the other 2 nodding in unison.

Then Benedict saw what appeared to be someone punching another person in the face, and winced. “Whoah, what’s with the fist-fight?”

It was after seeing the person who got punched falling backwards, then did he notice who it was.

“OhmiGod. Is that Chris??” Benedict, quite aghast.

“Shit, it is!” Jimmy said, then running towards the scene, Ben and Peter following suit.

“Who is that, anyway?” Ben asked as he heard Michelle Lee shriek out –for a good reason. That unknown boy punched Chris again.

“Dammit, James!” Peter hissed.

“So his name’s James, huh?” Benedict asked. They were almost there, almost within the distance to help Chris out. Whoever this guy was, Ben knew that he was going to get it for attacking a friend of his for no apparent reason at all.

Hang in there, man. Hang in there…

*

Chris couldn’t believe it. James just punched him in the face like that, after he merely greeted him with a “Hello.”

He knows. There’s no other reason for him to do this. He knows.

The first punch almost threw him off-balance, but Chris managed to stay up. He raised his hands halfway openly, trying to calm James down. “Listen, James, we don’t need to do-“

Chris couldn’t finish the next sentence as his face was then forcefully slammed to the right once more by an unknown force. It was when he felt the searing sting a second later did he realize that James had punched him again.

He heard screaming, but couldn’t tell who it was from. It definitely wasn’t Vivian’s. She was still in one of the lecture halls at this time.

This time Chris almost fell down, but tried to stay upright. Before he could even fully get up, he felt the greatest pain he ever experienced before, a jab to his gut.

James had kneed Chris in the stomach, sending him to the ground as more girls shrieked, covering their eyes.

“Get him!” Leon roared, several boys running to grab James, who was already ready to take them on.

“S-Stop!” someone yelled, and they all froze. Jason, who was almost ready to drive a fist into James’s face, looked down to see Chris outstretching his arms.

“Don’t hit him, don’t!” Chris coughed, trying to get up as James backed away.

“Don’t??” Leon and several others asked back in utter disbelief. “He just sucker-punched you 3 times, Chris!” Leon growled.

“I know, but this is between me and him, okay?” Chris asked, getting up. He wiped the red raw mark on his cheek and held a hand to his stomach. No matter how much he tried to hide it, that had to hurt.

“If you guys beat him up, that’ll make no difference from what he just did to me,” Chris continued, wiping his mouth.

He then turned around to face a slightly shaking James. Jason knew he wasn’t shaking out of terror. It was out of anger.

“Now James, what’s this all about?” Chris asked. Leon’s eyebrows disappeared beneath his fringe. Was Chris trying to feign innocence?

“Don’t gimme that bullshit, Hoh. You know why I’m here,” James growled.

“No, James. No I don’t,” Chris replied, gaining some more of his posture back.

“Don’t fuck with me!” James yelled, throwing his fist down. “This bastard! This bastard right here is a liar and a backstabber!” he yelled, pointing at Chris.

Most of the others gasped. Chris wasn’t like that to them.

“Whoah there, cowboy,” Leon said, raising his hand mid-length. “Where’s all this bad mojo comin’ from, eh?”

“Shut up, this doesn’t concern you,” James bit back.

“It does now,” Leon said, summoning his M4. They were all now outside the Training area, so if Leon fired, James would go down permanently.

But Chris held out a hand to stop Leon. He shook his head once at him, a silent warning.

“Fine,” Leon said, withdrawing his rifle. “Let’s see if our boy can handle this bastard by himself,” he said aloud, the rest moving back.

“Listen, James, this isn’t the best place to work this out,” Chris said, trying to calm James down.

“No, we settle this here and now. Maybe your friends would like to know how much of an ass you really are, huh?” James seethed. Chris had never seen him so angry before.

“James, enough. We both know that fighting like this wouldn’t solve anything. Even everyone else knows that, right?” Chris asked, looking back at everyone else.

Some murmured an agreement while others roared it out. “Make love, not war!” Terry yelled to much laughter.

James backed up a little as he realized that the crowd was siding with Chris. This was not going to be easy for him.

“Meh, this battle’s good as won,” Jason said to Eric with a smirk.

“What battle?”

Jason practically jumped when he heard that oh-so-familiar voice ask from behind him.

When he turned around, what greeted him almost made his heart jump.

“V-Vivian!” Jason stuttered, Leon turning back so fast he almost cricked his neck.

Oh damn…he thought as the girl crossed her arms.

“What’s going on here, Jason?” she asked, narrowing her eyebrows.

“Uhh...Nothing, nothing whatsoever,” he said, giving a toothy grin.

“I’m not falling for that, Jason. Now tell me, or else…” she growled.

“They’re fighting over you,” Leon simply said, pointing at Chris and James as they continued to argue.

“What?” Vivian hissed, pushing Leon aside as she made her way over to Chris and James.

“Oh this is bound to get interesting…” Eric said as he crossed his arms.

“Ah, Vivian, perfect timing,” James said as Chris’s jaw fell slack. “Vivian?”

“James, what is the meaning of this?” Vivian asked, quite outraged.

“I’m just about to pulverize Chris for stealing you from me,” James said, leering daggers at Chris.

That stirred some conversations between the students. “Chris stole Vivian from James?” one of them asked. “Oooh, scandalous~”

“He’s too stubborn for me to deal with, Viv. He just won’t listen,” Chris said to Vivian, completely ignoring James.

“You shut the hell up! You don’t get to talk to her. You have no right!” James yelled, startling almost everyone again.

“James, that’s enough!” Vivian yelled, making him stagger back several steps.

“Haha! James got owned, again!” Terry said, some of the boys laughing along with him.

Biting back a retort, James crossed his arms. Things weren’t going so good for him.

“It doesn’t matter. No, we’re going to settle this once and for all,” James said, summoning his weapon. It was a golden trident, its edges curving to form a rather strange crescent

“Boy, that’s one huge fork…” Peter commented, Leon laughing.

“Well? Where’s your weapon, Chris?” James sneered, swinging the trident dangerously once.

But Chris didn’t make any motion to summon Highwind. Instead he merely shook his head and said “Shame on you.”

“What?”

It wasn’t just James saying it. Some from the crowd joined in the confusion.

Even Vivian was looking at Chris with a quizzed expression.

“How dare you challenge me to a fight? What’s the prize for the winner, huh? Vivian? She’s not some prize that can be won over, you fool. She’s a human being,” Chris said, genuinely leering at James with such disgust.

That caught everyone by surprise, especially Vivian.

“Y’know, he’s got a point…” Jimmy commented, rubbing his chin. Some of the others agreed.

Jason couldn’t hide his smile. Chris was winning this by playing nice instead of retaliating. Now there’s a lesson to be learned.

James gritted his teeth, quite lost at what he should do next. Chris just proverbially cornered him good.

“So Vivian,” Chris said, looking at her meaningfully. “I hate to make you bear the responsibility, but it’s your choice.”

“Huh? Wait, what?” she asked, taking a step back from Chris.

“We can’t make the decision for you, Viv. You have to choose between us,” Chris said softly, not trying to pressure her. But wasn’t that rather redundant?

Vivian exchanged glances between Chris and James, looking indecisive.

“I…I can’t make a decision this monumental…” Vivian said, struggling.

“Remember the promise we made all those years ago, Viv,” James said sternly, making her gulp.

“Don’t pressure her with something like that!” Chris hissed.

“Pressure her, or you? I just found a leverage and I’m using it, Hoh,” James said, withdrawing his trident.

Chris couldn’t find a retort to that. Even if he could, he didn’t want to further make a mess of things. He just asked Vivian to decide between them in front of his entire class.

“I remember the promise…” she said quietly, Chris’s heart beginning to falter.

She closed her eyes as she breathed in and out, her heartbeat ringing in her ears. This was all too sudden. All of this was too much for her.

Here, Viv. I’ll give you this ring, so you’ll remember that we’re bound by this promise to each other, ‘kay?

Okay~ wow, is it solid gold?

Yeah…it cost a lot, but if it’s for you, it’s worth it, babe.

Hehe, thanks James…

Oh God....Vivian pleaded, trying her best to block out those recurring memories.

I’ll be with you all the way….

I know. You always have.

Oh Chris, I’m so sorry for putting you in this situation…

“Vivian, have you made up your mind?”

“James! Stop pressuring her!”

“Grr…shut up! Both of you!”

That startled both boys as they moved several steps backwards.

Vivian was always someone soft and sweet, so this was quite the shocker.

To hell with all those choices. Vivian just decided that she won’t take either of the 2 paths laid out for her. She decided to make her own.

“I’ve made my choice!” she said, glaring at both of them, who gulped.

Somehow, Chris couldn’t help but replay a clip in his mind of her continuously saying “I pick James,” over and over again, and he hated himself for ever thinking that.

Please be me…please be me…Oh God, please let it be me!

“I pick…” she began, Chris’s heart almost leaping out through his body from the sheer anticipation alone. But it wasn’t just him.

Everyone else was looking on intently, waiting for her answer. Jason was even clenching onto Eric’s back hard, biting his lower lip.

“None of you.”

James and Chris blinked at the same time.

“What?” the both asked, quite not sure what had just transpired from all of this.

“I choose neither of you,” she said, letting the reality of it sink in for a good second or 2 for good measure.

“Look, this whole situation has been out of control since Day 1, and I do not wish to let it continue like this,” Vivian explained, rubbing her forehead for a second.

Chris looked confused, even broken for a second before he smiled and nodded.

“I understand, Vivian. You made a wise decision, and I fully respect that,” he said, James gawking between the both of them.

“You can’t be serious, Viv! What about our promise?!”

“Look, James, you promise means a lot to me, and I know I’m supposed to honor it and all, but this is going way to fast, and way too out of control.”

James looked like he was going to break down into pieces there and then. He tried to open his mouth but nary had a sound come from it.

“And Chris,” she said, but with a notably softer tone. The bespectacled boy merely nodded at her curtly as his expression didn’t betray even the slightest hint of defiance, or downright outrage at her decision.

“What we had these past few days was special, and I wouldn’t trade them for the world,” she began, smiling ruefully at him. Chris replied that smile with his own.

“But I’ll need time to think. I’ll need time to sort this whole thing out, okay? Please don’t hate me for this, guys,” she said, frowning.

Chris shook his head before saying “It’s ok, Viv. I don’t hold anything against you for this.”

“And you, James?”

The boy looked at Vivian for a split second, then at Chris in the next.

“I…I guess I’m fine with it too…” he said resentfully. That had to do for now.

“So…can we just be friends until such a time that I am ready for something more?” she asked.

“Sure, fine with me,” Chris said, still smiling. James nodded with a bitter frown.

“Thanks guys,” she said before walking over to hug Chris, much to everyone’s surprise, and James’s silent, but evident disapproval.

“Whoah, she likes him better already!” Eric said to Jason, who chuckled.

But she let go all too soon, and beckoned for James to come to her.

“Oh, so it was a platonic hug…poor Chris…” Jason cringed.

James reluctantly hugged her before they both let go, sooner than she did with Chris.

Then the bell rang, and the crowd began to thin out almost immediately. As far as they were concerned, this thing was over.

All but a few stubborn ones remained, as Vivian began to walk away.

“So…I’ll see you guys around?” she asked, Chris nodding as James already began to trudge away without even a goodbye. Clearly Vivian’s decision really was a punch to the gut for him.

“Forget about him, Viv. I know you made the right decision,” Chris said, putting a hand on her shoulder. Inside, he wished that this wasn’t the last time he got to touch her. Even if it was, he wanted to make the best of it.

But when Vivian placed her hand softly above his, he almost lit up.

“I know I did. And I knew you’d have my back on this. That’s what I like about you, Chris. You’re always there for me,” she said, smiling ruefully again before walking away.

Chris only stood there, frozen on the spot before he smiled.

*

“Here,” Leon said, handing Chris a drink.

“Thanks,” Chris simply replied, opening the can.

Leon, Chris and Peter sat on the roof’s edge, watching the sky as the sun began to change it from a clear blue to a warm shimmer of orange.

Chris took one sip without even checking out what the drink was, and coughed.

“Beer isn’t really my thing, Leon,” Chris noted, putting the green can of Carlsberg down.

“It’s not mine either,” he said, showing Chris his can. “But it’s fine, once in awhile, y’know?”

“Ditto,” Peter said, taking a small sip. He wasn’t one for finishing a can of beer in one go.

“You guys didn’t have to come here for me, you know that?” Chris asked, Leon patting his shoulder.

“You just indirectly broke up with Vivian today, Chris, and we know better than to leave you alone just like this, man,” Leon said, taking another sip.

Peter nodded, looking off into the sunset.

“Oh c’mon, you think I’ll do something stupid like jump off the roof? I’ve got my whole life in front of me,” Chris said.

“It’s not that. Look, when Vivian said she wouldn’t choose either of you, I know that had to hurt you somewhere, even if you didn’t show it,” Peter said, taking a swig.

Chris didn’t have to admit that Peter was right. Both Leon and Peter knew that it was a fact.

Chris decided to take one sip of the beer, and cringed. The mix of slight bitterness, fizziness and that small tang of sweetness was something foreign, but strangely enough, wasn’t unwelcome.

He took an even bigger sip and found that it actually worked. He was beginning to feel less down about it already.

“Chris, you were doing the right thing by sticking up for her, y’know that? You could’ve been selfish like James was but you didn’t. You acted like a true gentleman out there,” Leon said.

Chris knew they were al just comforting words, but they truly held some meaning to it.

“Thanks,” he replied.

“Hey, you really did a good job out there. Even if she wanted to remain neutral, you did pull her over closer to your side,” Peter noted.

Suddenly, everything seemed much brighter for Chris.

“Yeah, maybe I did…” he agreed, looking thoughtful.

“Hey, you’re not the only one going through thing like this, Chris. All 3 of us are experiencing unrequited love, one way or another. But hey, at least you got to be with her for awhile, right?” Leon asked, smiling wistfully.

Chris laughed for the first time in awhile, albeit it was a weak one.

“How true, how true…” he said, shaking his head. “Speaking of which, how’ things with you and Ms. Choong, eh?”

Leon only laughed as Peter turned slightly pink, scratching his cheek.

“Well, it’s still quite a standstill, really…” he said.

“Hey, you’ve gotta push forward with her already, Pete. It’s been what, 2 years now? You practically cried from happiness when she transferred from our high school to our college by mere coincidence,” Leon said with a chuckle, Chris almost bent over from laughing.

Peter didn’t leer at Leon, but smiled sheepishly instead.

“God really has a way with things, doesn’t he?” he asked, looking up into the sky.

“Speaking of which, how’s things going with you and her, Leon? Got your first kiss from her yet?” Chris asked.

Leon, who was taking a sip of his drink, sprayed it out in a fine mist as both Peter and Chris exploded into fits of laughter.

Coughing, Leon then showed a rude finger gesture to Chris, the bespectacled boy patting Leon on the back.

“I’m just kidding, bro. Don’t take it so seriously,” Chris said as Leon wiped his mouth.

“You’re lucky we’re doing this to cheer you up, you bugger,” Leon said, still coughing a little.

“She still not looking for a boyfriend, I gather?” Peter asked.

Leon only scoffed.

“Both of them aren’t looking for a boyfriend yet. They’re just too busy and dedicated to have one. Not that I’d blame them for it. They’re independent gals and all…” Leon ranted, smiling at some thought.

“You still can’t decide between them?” Chris asked, Peter looking thoughtful.

“Liking more than one girl at once isn’t a wise thing, Leon. It’ll tear you apart in the end,” Peter said sagely.

Leon only frowned, slapping his forehead.

“I know! Argh, my mind’s a freaking mess about this…”

Chris only laughed some more, patting the boy’s back.

“Same old Leon. Always indecisive ‘bout the important things in life.”

Leon only brushed off the hand and took a sip of his drink, almost choking again.

Chris chuckled once more as he looked at the sky, which was now the same shade of golden orange as on the day he and Vivian shared their first kiss.

Looking back on it, this roller coaster of a relationship was worth all the trouble it cost. Sure, now Vivian was just a friend again, but in the end, he was now closer to her more than ever before.

She even looked at him differently during the confrontation with James. He could see that sparkle in her eyes, the same one she gave only when they were both a couple.

All that matters was that he now had a fair chance to win her heart. No cheats, no lies, no secrets.

And he wouldn’t have it any other way.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A/N: There. The 3-chapter plot arc about Chris Hoh has ended with a twist that I bet you all never saw comin’, didn’t y’all?

Hehe, thanks for all the support and ideas regarding this plot arc. Credits go to Peter Lee Voon Keong, Jimmy Lim Hui Chiang, and last but not the least, the star of this arc, Chris Hoh Wei Yei!