Chapter 3: Echoes of Destiny: Awakening [3]

Just as Jonny and his friends were about to pounce on Rey, a sharp voice rang out from behind them.

“Hey! What do you think you're doing, surrounding that boy?”

It was an old policeman, still seated on his motorbike at the edge of the alley.

Startled, the group scattered immediately—but not before Jonny managed to land one last kick to Rey’s stomach.

With a grunt, Rey collapsed to the ground, pain shooting through his torso.

The policeman quickly parked his bike and rushed over.

He knelt down and helped remove the bag covering Rey’s head.

“Hey, kid, you alright?” he asked, his voice lined with concern.

Rey coughed, struggling to sit up. “Yes, sir… thanks for the help. I’m fine now,” he said, forcing a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

The officer, Derry, helped him gather his books and advised him to rest or visit a nearby clinic. But Rey shook his head.

“I’m already late. I need to get home.”

With that, he bowed politely and hurried away, clutching his stomach.

Derry watched him leave, a sigh escaping his lips. Then, he turned and rode off to resume his patrol.

Rey finally reached home at 2:50 PM—twenty minutes later than usual. His eyes settled on the old, weathered house before him.

Just as he raised his hand to knock, the door swung open.

A girl, around 11 or 12, burst out and paused at the sight of him.

“Brother!” she cried, launching herself into his arms.

Tears welled up in her eyes as she noticed his dirty, crumpled clothes.

“Sorry. I got held up with school stuff,” Rey muttered, patting his sister,

Emmy

, gently on the head.

Emmy looked at him, unconvinced, then broke into a smile and pulled him inside, just like their mom had instructed her to.

After cleaning up and chatting briefly with his sister, Rey left the house again at 3:15 PM, rushing toward the convenience store where he’d just been hired.

He arrived a few minutes later and stepped inside, trying to steady his nerves.

Behind the counter stood the manager, arms crossed and an unreadable expression on his face.

Rey hurried over and gave a respectful bow.

“I’m sorry I’m late, sir. I ran into… a situation. It won’t happen again,” he said, eyes fixed on the floor.

The manager, Joe, clicked his tongue and began searching for something on the shelf.

“Rey, I made it very clear during your interview—I run a tight ship. I don’t tolerate tardiness. And I definitely don’t want to hear excuses. Still…” he paused, glancing at the boy.

“Since it’s your first day, I’ll let it slide. But next time, don’t bother showing up. Understand?”

“Yes, sir. Thank you,” Rey replied quietly.

Joe walked away without another word.

Rey let out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding and whispered a silent thanks to the heavens.

He quickly changed into his uniform and got to work.

Hours passed in relative quiet.

As the shift ended, his replacement arrived—a slightly overweight man in his 30s, panting as he entered.

“Heya, kid,” the man greeted.

It was

Leo

—a single guy with a good heart and an easygoing nature. Rey had met him on his first day, and they’d quickly become friends.

“Thanks for covering today,” Leo said after catching his breath.

“No problem,” Rey smiled.

After a short conversation, Rey waved goodbye and headed home.

He arrived at 8:20 PM.

Inside, the comforting aroma of spices filled the air. His mother,

Jasmine

, was busy cooking dinner.

Rey offered to help, but she politely declined.

So, he retreated to his room.

Pulling off his shirt, he winced as he examined a red mark on his stomach—the aftermath of Jonny’s kick.

“It’ll heal,” he muttered to himself and sat down at his desk.

His eyes drifted to his backpack. He opened it, searching for the study guide his teacher, Mr. Peter, had given him.

But it was gone.

Rey’s heart sank.

Then he remembered—it had been thrown into the abandoned factory during the bullying.

He immediately stood up.

Grabbing his coat, he rushed out.

“I’ll be back in five minutes!” he shouted as he passed the kitchen.

Jasmine frowned. “Rey! It’s going to rain soon! Where are you—?”

But he was already gone.

Outside, dark clouds gathered above the city.

Author’s Note:

Hey everyone! Thanks so much for reading Chapter 3. Let me know what you thought of today’s events—what parts you liked and if you caught any mistakes I should work on. Every bit of feedback helps me grow!

Stay safe, and see you in the next chapter! 😊