"A Second Late" is a prequel story for Chapter 23: Lost

“Lay is old enough to be responsible for his actions.” Krystal insisted. “You can’t always be there for him saving his sorry all the freaking time.” Krystal added, irritated and fed up.

Every time their date got interrupted by a call from Lay, asking for Henry to fetch him, because he was too drunk, or a call coming from the police stating that Lay got into a fight in some bar, and got arrested, and Henry needed to bail him out. And tonight, Krystal thought, should be the last time Henry will be solving Lay’s problems.

“You know Lay, Krystal. He’s troubled and I am the only one he trusts. I am the only one that is there for him. I need to help him. We’re brothers. He’s the only one I got.” Henry reasoned.

“Pull over.” Krystal spoke. “What?” Henry asked, confused, and continued on driving. “I said stop the car.” Krystal spoke again.  Henry stopped at the nearest sidewalk, and Krystal immediately stepped out.

“Lay is old enough to man up.” Krystal pointed out, before shutting the door. “And it is the time for you to let him be on his own, without you, taking care of him. Talk to me again, when that happened.”

Days have passed of Krystal ignoring Henry’s phone calls, and focused all her attention in practicing. Krystal walked towards the exit of the dance studio, when she heard a loud thud. She ignored it for the fact that she was already too tired to care, all she wanted was to go out of that building, and rest on her comfy bed back at her dorm. It was a very tiring day since the University’s Annual Show is just days away. She was already at the door, when she heard a loud thud again, and decided to check what was actually happening.

“What are you doing?” She asked upon seeing one of her classmates, a fellow dancer, considered one of the best in the University and from the looks of it, a struggling injured dancer. “You shouldn’t be forcing yourself.” Krystal insisted.

Amber just ruffled her hair in frustration, and gave out a loud sigh, as she was limping her way to get her bag from the other side of the practice room.  As soon as Krystal saw Amber limping, she rushed to Amber’s side and offered the dancer her much needed help. Amber just jerked her arm away from Krystal’s grip and didn’t say a word, and just picked up her bag and went towards the exit.

“Amber!” Krystal shouted at her. “Just for once, swallow that damn pride of yours, and ask for help.”

 Amber just continued on walking, holding on her injured leg. Krystal heard Amber swear upon opening the door. It was raining. And it was way too dangerous for Amber to just walk outside because of her injury.  Still, Amber was not in the mood to talk to anyone else, and just went outside, and didn’t even care if she got soaked in the rain. She was pissed. She was in great deal of pain to care. Amber rested for a bit on a nearby bench. She looked up and saw an umbrella shielding her from the rain.

“Would you let me help you now?” Krystal asked. Amber smiled and nodded. “Finally!” Krystal teased, and both of the girls laughed.

“Where are we going?” Krystal asked, as she noticed they aren’t near any of the University dorms. “A place where we can have fun,” Amber replied. “I sense that you badly needed a drink, if you are up to it?” She added. “Oh, I could drink. You’ll see.” Krystal complimented herself. “And I know the perfect place.” Amber mentioned. 

“Two Tequila shots please.” Amber instructed the bartender, as the two sat on the bar stools. “I never knew you had it in you.” Amber spoke. “Here you go, Amber.” The bartender handed over their drinks. “Leave the bottle” Amber mentioned. “You seem to be a regular here.” Krystal noticed. Amber just smiled, and spoke, “Ready?” and held up her drink, as the two bumped their glasses together. “Cheers!”

Amber bit the slice of lemon, “I badly needed a drink.” And immediately grabbed the bottle and filled up their glasses. Krystal inhaled, as she finished her second drink. “Take it easy,” Amber insisted.  “You said you could drink.”

“Well, tonight is quite unusual.” Amber noticed. “Why?” Krystal asked. “First, I never knew you’re this much fun. And you usually have someone fetching you after practice.” Amber replied. “Oh, him,” Krystal spoke, as she filled up their glasses.  

“We got into a fight, so we are not actually on speaking terms right now.” Krystal frowned. “Oh. Sorry I brought the topic up.” Amber apologized. “No, it’s okay. We needed some time apart.” Krystal told Amber. “Cheers to that, then.” Amber spoke sarcastically, and lined up their drinks. “Most definitely,” Krystal sarcastically spoke as well.

“So…” Krystal said, as she watched Amber drank up her 9^th glass of alcohol. “So?” Amber asked, after she some salt on her finger. “What is up with your attitude lately? You have been ignoring everyone.”  

“I am used to not talking.” Amber replied to Krystal. “Okay. But you haven’t spoken to anyone for a week and a half now. All you say was ‘Sure’ and ‘I’m fine’, something like that.” Krystal commented. “As if you could not talk to for like a month,”

“I remember that one time, Mom told me about what happened to me when I was a kid. Mom is actually my godmother, a friend of my parents. She took care of me when my parents died. I was in that same car with them, I survived and they didn’t. I stayed in the hospital because I just stopped talking for a like month, or even more than that. They said it was because of what happened to me. I was too young, and too traumatized. After that event, people are extra cautious towards me because I was a sensitive kid.” Amber narrated, while she drank her 10^th and 11^th.

“Then what happened after?” Krystal asked. “I just spoke after I heard a kid playing the violin, a boy older than me, who was in the same ward as I was. He kept on playing his violin so gracefully.” She smiled as she still remembers the tune.

“After I could talk and again aware of what was happening around me, I heard that he lost his parents too and he was just 6 years old, a year older than me. That playing the violin reminds him of his parents, his ever-supportive parents. He was booed when he just started joining recitals, and his parents will always cheer for him the loudest, especially his little brother. They didn’t miss any of his recitals since that incident. Sadly, there was a car accident in the freeway. There were two cars involved, mine and his parent’s.”

Amber remembered every detail simple because that day in the freeway changed their lives forever.

“Before he heard the news, he saw people finally giving him a standing ovation, and his 5 year-old little brother was again the loudest one that was cheering his name, but he saw that there were two empty seats that day. “When they told him what happened, he kept of all his emotions to himself as he kept silent for days, and slowly became sickly. He spent most of his stay in the hospital playing when his brother brought his violin to the hospital.” Amber recalled, while she drank the remaining Tequila in the bottle.

Amber definitely knew so much about this kid. They both view silence as something which could always be there for them and won’t ever leave them.

“I tried to talk him. My last days in the ward, I spent those days trying to talk him, and listen to him play. And Mom kept on insisting for me to sing for the patients and staff. Then I was discharged soon enough since I was fine. So I never saw him again. ” Amber spoke.

Krystal realized that she shouldn’t drink too much since Amber was already too drunk to go home on her own, but drank a decent amount of alcohol since Amber kept on offering her.

“Hey, it seemed that you haven’t answered what was up with the attitude lately.” Krystal noticed, as she stopped Amber from drinking another shot from their newly opened Tequila bottle.

“Mom is sick. She didn’t tell me, I just found out about it on my own. Her days are numbered, and chose not to tell me, for my sake because I was a sensitive kid. I have learned to bottle it all up, for her not to worry about me anymore.” Amber explained, touched her injured leg.

“I am losing my scholarship.” Amber spoke. “What?” Krystal shockingly replied. “Why? I thought your leg will heal soon enough.”

“I thought so too. But the doctor said a week ago that even if my leg healed up. My leg could not withstand constant dancing. And the Dean was already aware of this. So she said this upcoming recital would be my last.” Amber spoke, disappointed.

“You could auditioned again, and apply for another scholarship. You could sing right?” Krystal suggested.

“I guess I could do that.” Amber responded. “For my singing career and my dead dream of being a dancer,” Amber raised her glass, and Krystal followed. “Cheers to that!” Krystal said sarcastically, as she ignored the incoming call from her boyfriend.

“Hey, Amber that guy is checking you out?” Krystal noticed a tall blonde guy looking at Amber.

Amber looked at whom Krystal was referring to, and laughed as she took a sip of her drink.

“You got to be kidding me.” Amber spoke, a bit pissed off.

“Ooo…a sense something is going on between the two of you.” Krystal teased, a bit tipsy.

Amber just pointed at her and chuckled. “It was all in the past.”

“We’ve known each other since we’re kids, even before ‘I am sensitive kid’ happened. We’re like two peas in a pod. And along the way, we fell in love, and then we fell out of love.” Amber said. “If I could not talk for like month, I guess I just found out that he could too. That’s our story.” 

“I think there’s more to it.” Krystal spoke, as the guy she was staring at her a while ago wasn’t anywhere in site.

“I need to pee.” Amber randomly and drunkenly spoke.  “Just wait here.” She smiled llama-ishly to Krystal. “I won’t go anywhere, I promise.” Krystal assured her.

Amber successfully reached the restroom without falling or tripping since she is already too drunk. She went in an empty cubicle, and closed its wooden door.

When she was inside the cubicle, the men entered the said female restroom.

“When is the right time to tell her then? Tell her now. Talk to her. She should know.” Lay insisted.

“I already told her, sort of.” Kris reasoned. “When?” Lay asked angrily.

“Explain our situation to her better. I bet you just gave hints when you talked to her before.” Lay kept on telling Kris.

“I will talk to her, some other time. Not now.” Kris replied. “I know you saw her. And she’s with…” Lay paused what he was about to say, worried.

“Don’t worry. For sure, she won’t tell your brother that you’re drinking again with a very very close guy friend.” Kris teasingly spoke, hugging his worried Yixing.

“I guess so.” Lay said, and chuckled, obviously smitten. “Stop hugging me Wu Fan. I think now you’re even gayer than me. And plus we just barged in a ladies restroom.” Kris just laughed at what Lay just said, about to kiss him when they heard a flush. Lay immediately removed Kris’s hand on his face when he recognized that it was Amber.

Amber seemed too drunk to notice what was going on, watched her hands, and went outside.  But the truth was she just acted that she didn’t hear what they were talking about, and kept silent. If she couldn’t talk for a very long time, she could do it now for the sake of not having the chance to talk to Kris and Lay, whom she only knew that he is a very close friend of Kris. I guess she now knew more about Lay, and the reason why Kris was always with Lay when she and Kris started their “I think we need some time apart” war and Lay had something to do with this said war. “You’re gay, he’s gay. Now it’s out of the open. You don’t need to tell me that now.” Amber said to herself.  

Amber walked towards Krystal, who instantly smiled at her upon seeing her. She drank two filled glasses in front of her. “Hey, what’s going on? That drinks you just drank weren’t even yours?” Krystal spoke, as she paid the two people that Amber stole the drinks from.

Amber signaled the waiter for another bottle of alcohol, and pointed at the strongest one, and just sat on her seat, and just be way more drunk that she was at that time.

"Amber, what happened?” Krystal asked, worried. She kept on asking Amber and Amber just kept on drinking. Amber immediately paused when she saw Lay and Kris again going out of the restroom. “What the…you saw them in the female restroom? He has definitely something to do with this.” Krystal concluded and marched right towards where the two men were drinking a while ago.

“If you guys are thinking of speaking to Amber because I know she saw the two of you a while ago.” Krystal angrily told them over the loud music. Kris tried to not look at Amber when Krystal was talking to them. “You can’t even look at her. Man up….what’s your name again? Kris!” She remembered. “Man up, and look at her. Look!” She shouted again. “I guess you and Lay kept this hidden, whatever this is from my friend. She deserves to know what the hell is happening that’s the least you can do if you still care about Amber. And I think she now knows.” Krystal spoke. “And you,” She stepped close to Lay. “Just tell your brother. Tell Henry. He cares so much. Just tell him.” Krystal spoke, with a disappointed tone. “Just tell Henry. Please.” She spoke again, as she walked back to Amber.

Amber offered Krystal a drink, still didn’t say a word, and Krystal took it from her and drank it straight. “I needed that.” She joked and Amber continued on with her drinking spree the rest of the night, one drink after another.

“Don’t worry. Don’t think too much of what Krystal just said. Talk to Henry when you’re ready. Okay?” Kris comforted his Yixing, as Lay rested his head on his Wu Fan’s long arms and smiled at him. “There’s the smile I wanted to see.” Kris sweet-talked.

Group of men just laughed as one of them told his friends that Lay and Kris were “homos”.

“What did you just said?” Lay grabbed the other guy by the collar. “We are what now?” He spoke, challenging the guy.

“Lay, back off. Let go.” Kris tried to calm Yixing down. Lay would always be the one that was first to be affected every time this happen to them.  Lay punched the guy in the face, and threatened, “Now tell me, what is wrong for being gay?” and simple walked away. And the guy punched him back that caused Lay to fall on one of the chairs. So Kris defended Lay and punched the guy in the gut. Lay, Kris and the guy alongside his friends fought in the small bar.

“Oh great! I need to call him. Lay does it again.” Krystal, pissed off because her night was again ruined by Lay even more, and Amber still did not want to talk, called the only person she knew that was willing to always recue Lay when he got in trouble, Henry, the man you kept on calling her that night, and she kept on ignoring his calls and messages.

“Hello, Henry? You awake. I know, it is already late but Lay is in the verge of being thrown out of the bar right now. So come pick him up. He really needs your help right now.” Krystal also told Henry the address of the bar, and didn’t wait for him to reply, and immediately ended the call.

Krystal made sure that Amber was always on her side since Amber was way too wasted, and let her friend sat for a while in a nearby by bench outside the bar, while she handed over a balled up handkerchief with some ice in it that she got from the bartender, for Amber but she thought Lay needed it more and offered it to him. “Here. I think you need this.” Krystal told Lay.

“Thanks.” Lay placed it over his bruised lip, and then to his swollen knuckles.

“He’s on his way.” He concluded that was the reason why Krystal sat beside him. “I called him. He cares for you too much not because he is your older brother, not because you are the only brother he has, but because he loves you, and I know you love him too, so please just tell him. I know that is reason why you are like this, troubled, because you are too scared to tell him. Don’t be.” She advised.  “He deserves to know the truth and it needs to come from you, not from me and not from Kris, not from anyone else but you.”

“I’m sorry for hurting your friend, for hurting Amber.” Lay spoke. “Like Henry, Amber deserves to know the truth as well. But I guess, she already knows it, but she found out in a way that she shouldn’t, not in this way.” Krystal pointed out. “Just look at…” She paused as Amber wasn’t there where Krystal left her to rest. “Amber…” She called, searching for her friend.

“There she is. Quick!” Krystal and Lay ran as fast as they could towards Amber who was ignoring Kris’s help to get off the middle of the street.  “Kris, talk to her when she is sober, not now. Just please.” Krystal spoke. “Amber, I will take you home now. Come on.” Kris just let Krystal help the girl he once fell in love with and walked towards Lay.

“Amber, come on. We are in the middle of the street. A car might drive by.”  Krystal tried to convinced Amber. Amber just brushed off Krystal hand on her shoulder, continued on walking toward the middle on the wide road to another side, and a hand on her injured leg. She began ignoring people again, she was in too much pain and just wanted to go home, and forget what she heard and saw that night.

Krystal followed Amber, and kept on begging for her friend to let her help but she simply got ignored by Amber and yet she kept on insisting to help.

“Amber!” She kept on calling her name, as she was walking towards Amber. “Am....” Krystal called. She got blinded by two headlights blocking her view of Amber. She and Amber were saved by Henry in the brink of time, saving them from getting hit. “Are you guys all right? That was clo…”  

The sound of the tires of a car screeched the empty street that night as a driver was a second late on stepping on the brakes. He didn’t notice the three people that was almost got hit by a van, and now standing in the middle of the street.

“Xianhua! Soojung!” Lay shouted, terrified, as Kris yelled, “Yiyun!”

They fell on the ground, Henry holding Amber close. Henry spoke in pain, “Are you alright, Miss?” as Amber just looked at Krystal, who was badly injured. Among the three, Krystal was the one injured the most. Henry looked at his girlfriend. He reached for her hand, and Krystal weakly held on to his hand.

“Krystal…” is the last word Krystal heard, as she laid lifeless on the street. That’s the last thing Henry saw before everything around him seemed to be even darker, his hand still holding Krystal’s lifeless hand and could feel Amber’s heartbeat under his embrace as she lost consciousness as well. 

I think I need to be more attentive to details. Sorry I just read the chapter 29, and noticed... what.the.actual. did I just wrote.. lol... silly me!.. How could an iPad have a password with letters in it and more than four character.. again.. LOL!