The Criminal Diaries

      The next day, on another sunny and warm day, Edward accepted Peter’s suggestion to take their roller skates from the closet and skate somewhere in the city. Both of them took a small backpack with a pair of comfortable sneakers, a bottle of water, and some other things that they would probably need. Despite being silently pronounced a crazy hothead, MacClife, Jr. decided to use a helmet, armbraces, and knee pads to avoid some serious traumas. But Rose feels much more confident and thinks that he does not need it because he can skate perfectly, even if he did not refuse to take all of it with him and put them in his backpack.       The men smile a lot, thrill with a laugh, and joke a lot as they skate on their roller skates at beautiful, unpopular places where nobody can stop them from having a lot of fun. The youngest members of “Against The System” try not to think about anything bad and are just enjoying a together pastime, sometimes thinking about Terrence and Daniel, who did not join them for different reasons. They are skating after one another, having short competitions for time and speed, and have to apologize to people, whom they run into accidentally.       It seems like Peter did not lie when he said many times that he could skate perfectly. Because he is really holding on very confidently. But at first, he has to hold Edward under his arm since the guy is afraid to fasten and moves as slow as a snail with the thought that he is about to fall. It’s impossible to say that the guy fears roller skates, just like his brother Terrence, who refuses to skate categorically after the head trauma that he had in childhood. But thanks to the support of the blond, MacClife, Jr. starts feeling much better at some moment, even if he is initially not sure if he can stand on them because he can skate, but he does it once in several years in the best case. His character lets him know about it again, and he starts literally running from one side to another like a hurricane, making Peter a little surprised.       When they find a perfect place where they can have a lot of fun and skate on the straight asphalt surface all alone, Peter shows Edward some easy tricks and dance movements and dares him to repeat them. He does some of them shortly, does something after making multiple attempts, does not find the courage to try something else, and some of them are too hard for the one not to be an experienced roller. However, MacClife, Jr. is not worried about it at all and just lets himself have fun to the fullest. And a little later, Rose chooses a song on his phone, turns it on at full volume, takes the guy’s hands, and pulls him after himself to dance along with the music with him. Well, Peter does not even have to convince Edward to do this. They are dancing so hard along with the energetic music and performing some tricks after the blond shows them to his friend, being perfectly synchronized, thrilling with laughter with him because of some failures and not missing a chance to mock each other a little.       At some moment, their tricks get the attention of some young guys that go by, decide to come closer and watch Edward and Peter, who are really able to dance and skate on roller skates. The blond actually shows some elements that only professionals can perform. Some people are delighted by the unplanned performance of the men, give them their deafening applause after every successful trick, and take their phones to record a couple of videos and take some photos. Someone even recognizes them as the drummer and the lead guitarist of “Against The System”, who do not refuse to take a photo with their fans and talk with them a little about the release of their debut album.       And after they are convinced a little, the friends agree to dance on roller skates for them along with a different song, which they turn on the phone. Maybe, they do not perform some elements brilliantly, but they give a lot of positive emotions to the young guys, the number of who gets much bigger by the time they end it. After they end their improvised show, Edward and Peter give each other a five and share a homely shake and a slight clap on the back or shoulder. While the people leave and focus on their business again, the men being a little tired, trying to catch their breath but feeling happy, sit at one of the stairs, open their backpacks, take their bottles of water, and drink a little from them.       “Damn, that was freaking cool!” Edward exclaims with a wide smile.       “Yay, but you doubted if you should’ve gone!” Peter recalls with his head proudly raised. “But I told you it would be fucking funny.”       “Listen, blond, I didn’t know you could skate on roller skates so well. I am really impressed by your skills.”       “I do love skating in the city on my roller skates. I’ve lately had no time to do this, but I used to take them and was skating where my eyes looked literally every week.”       “Did you learn quickly?”       “I wouldn’t say it happened quickly. I wouldn’t say it was easy. Before I learned just to stand and push. I had to get a lot of traumas. Some of them were mild, but some of them struck me down for a long time.”       “And who taught you to perform all these tricks?”       “Rollers, who I often met in my way. Some of them watched me, invited me to join their gang, and told me about my mistakes.”       “Did you find something to do, so you can focus on it when you’re free from rehearsals?” Edward chuckles, fixing slightly the belt of his helmet under his chin.       “I just love the feeling when you skate super fast on the straight road. When the wind’s blowing your face, hair, and clothes… Ah!”       “I must confess that I liked this feeling, too.”       At this moment, Edward and Peter get up at their feet, put their bottles in their backpacks, put them above their shoulders, and keep skating straightly with no rush.       “I would say it’s even better than driving a car at full speed.”       “Yeah, but you surprised me a lot when you could barely stand on your roller skates,” Peter confesses.       “Oh, the last time I put them on happened literally hundreds of years ago! Even if I bought my roller skates recently. And I haven’t used to them yet. And they’re kinda a little tight for me.”       “Just confess that you’re afraid to skate, just like your brother is.”       “No, Pete, I’m not afraid. I just use them so rarely that I can’t stand confidently. Just a lack of practice and confidence.”       “Oh, I thought a fear of roller skates and ice skates was a hereditary thing for Terry and you.”       “Now I’m a little used and feel more confident. I watched all the tricks you did and stopped doubting.”       “I got it!” Peter laughs shyly. “Because your insecure shy boy fell asleep inside you, and you woke up a harum-scarum cat that would be running ‘till it hits their head against the wall.”       “Your fault!” Edward throws funnily. “You persuaded me to put on my roller skates and made me play a catch with you.”       “I dunno, I liked it! It was super funny. I would be happy to do this again.”       “Aren’t you tired at all?”       “A little. But I need a little time to catch his breath. And then I will be ready to kick your ass again.”       “Yeah? Maybe, I’m gonna your ass?”       “Who cares? The most important thing is that we’ve found another wonderful way to spend your energy reserve. So, you don’t do any stupid bullshit and don’t get in trouble.”       “Have I been doing stupid bullshit lately?”       “Nope. Just because you’re busy with a business.”       “Agree, I’ve got a lot of things to do…” Edward says thoughtfully with a tired sign. “Even too many.”       “Anyway, I’ll surely drop a hint for Perkins and MacClife on another way of getting stupid things outta your mind and providing for your ass’ safety.”       “Aw, it’s so sweet…” Edward snaps with a slight smile.       “Hey, don’t also that Dan can also skate on his roller skates and can do no less cool tricks. If he was with us, we would skate you enough together.”       “But that tough guy decided to leave us and go to the clinic and visit Cassidy.”       “When he and I skate in the city and perform tricks together or with a group of rollers, we always have a lot of people around us.”       “A good way to earn some money, to your information.”       “And we used it when we didn’t have enough money. We played guitars and sang songs, and we also arranged shows at roller skates.”       “I’d laugh from the way the log Daniel, who’s deprived of the talent for dancing, manages to move his ass on roller skates brilliantly,” Edward chuckles kindly.       “Yeah, but he can perform excellent tricks on roller skates.”       “Okay, I’ll believe you. But I wouldn’t mind seeing it personally.”       “Someday, you and I will convince him to walk together in the city.” Peter raises his head proudly. “So, we can show you who the real bosses are.”       “It would be cool to hang out together. Without Terrence.”       “Huh, why do we need to take Terrence if he’s afraid to put on roller skates?” Peter chuckles kindly. “He would be like a ballast! Whine and fuck our brain!”       “Yeah, my bro would rather stay home since he’s such a cowardly boy.”       “But he’s showing off so much all the time: he's sexy he’s hot, he’s imitable, he’s a hero, he’s brave.”       “Yeah, but nobody has managed to make him put on roller skates yet.”       “Even if Perkins faints at the sight of blood, he tries to handle it somehow and fight it if he has to see it. But MacClife doesn’t even wanna try to.”       “It’s okay, Peter, don’t worry, if we have to, we will surely make him make a circle on ice skates or roller skates,” Edward states confidently and smiles very slyly. “With me, Terrence is gonna do this obediently. One magical kick on his ass before my bro is doing triple axes.”       “I would watch this show,” Peter laughs shyly.       “If I really want something, he will do anything.”       “You know, Raquelle is also kicking him so hard. And MacClife is doing everything she says. If we ask her to make your brother put on roller skates, she can do this immediately.”       “And if we play on his nerves together, Terrence can participate in the international competition for the best rollers. He can learn everything for one or two lessons and take all the first places.”       “But I think he hit his head so strongly that this mission is gonna be impossible.”       “M-m-m, impossible, you say?” Edward smiles mysteriously.       “Events that happen to you in childhood leave the brightest print in your life. You can come to yourself after what you have to get through in your adult life. But it will hardly work in the case of your childhood traumas.”       “Yeah?”       Edward turns on Peter and stops slowly, making his friend do the same.       “Let’s bet it can take less than one week for me to make Terrence start skating on roller skates?” Edward puts his head on his hips with his head proudly raised. “Make him skate much faster than a rabbit?”       “And how are ya gonna do this?” Peter smiles slyly, crossing his arms over his chest. “A threat of publishing photos of your brother in his babyhood sitting on his pot is gonna hardly work. Leaking photos of his dick doesn’t make sense, too, ‘cause he’s gonna be happy.”       “Don’t worry, bro, I shall surely find all his weaknesses. I mean, I know a lot of them. So, since Terrence thinks he’s perfect, fearless, and imitable, showing them would be a humiliation to him.”       “You are very cruel to him, romantic.”       “Come on! How could I be cruel to my brother, who I love so much?”       “Even if you magically make Terrence skate on roller skates, he will do such a terrible trick on you that you will have to regret it.”       “He won’t do. Terry will be madly grateful to me for agreeing kindly to help him fight his childhood fears and stop depriving himself of the opportunity to have fun with his friends.”       “Well, I dunno, bro, I don’t…” Peter shakes his head. “The thing is controversial.”       “Do you think he really likes standing aside, while boys and girls are skating on the rink? Does he really like taking photos of girls, who would publish something on Instagram to gain tons of likes?”       “Okay, you won!” Peter raises his hands up. “If you’re sure you can bite this but through, it’s up to you.”       “It’s gonna be okay, you’ll see it.”       “Then let’s do a standard thing: let’s bet a wish? The loser will make a wish for the winner.”       “Don’t beat with the hoof when you see the result of my work.”       “Don’t be upset if your brother is too stubborn and doesn’t succumb to your provocations.”       “Deal, then?” Edward gives his hand to Peter.       “Deal!”       Peter squeezes Edward’s hand tightly and shares a confident handshake with him, while every one of them does not doubt that he is going to be the winner.       “When you’re ready to start your way to your failure, let me know,” Peter says. “So, I can get a pack of popcorn and laugh as I watch your great fall.”       “Save it for me, so I can watch you work super hard as you do anything I want as the loser,” Edward smiles innocently.       “Keep dreaming, pretty boy, keep dreaming. Just relax and enjoy your life and think about nothing.”       After clapping Edward on the shoulder, Peter turns around and keeps moving straightly on his roller skates. The black-haired guy does not stay in the same place and follows his friend shortly, holding the belts of his backpack with both hands.       “Okay, forget it,” Edward says confidently. “You better say how do you feel after what happened yesterday?”       “Good, I think,” Peter shrugs and fixes slightly his thick black choker on his neck that is covering the track of the rope on it.       “I see Sammy found the watch that you thought that bastard stole.”       “Yeah, the idea of telling him to track it wasn’t so good. Daniel came back some time later with my watch that Sammy found a few miles away from his home under one of the bushes.”       “Wow, you were worried you lost it.”       “It’s really cool! They don’t sell anything like this now.”       “In my opinion, you’d better be happy you stayed alive after that bastard almost strangled you. Sammy thought of asking Daniel for help in time. That’s good Perkins didn’t stay at his home and went to help you out shortly.”       “I’m madly grateful to Dan for coming in time. If not for him, I would’ve died right there. And you and I wouldn’t be skating on roller skates in the city.”       “But we made sure that the story continues. That it won’t really be over after the attack after the show.”       “And we have reasons to believe the danger may threaten the girls, too. At least Helene’s in danger for sure!”       “Hey, maybe you’re really hiding something from us and don’t wanna say?”       “Fuck, Edward, I’ve said a million times that I know nothing…” Peter sighs tiredly, running his hands over his face. “I don’t know what they needed from me.”       “But someone got a grudge against you seriously!”       “Yeah, but I swear I don’t know who and why! I would be happy to know everything And if someone needs something from me, I will give it. I will do anything for them to leave me alone, at least.”       “Anyway, be ready that someone may attack you often now,” Edward says confidently. “In any time, at any place.”       “I know. But it won’t make me stay home and shake in fear.”       “It’s not a solution. The criminals may know your home address and even call your home number.”       “I’ve received no calls, I wanna say in advance! And I’ve seen anyone suspicious near my apartment.”       “Anyway, they won’t remain invisible. Marta and Hillary are always watching and literally spending nights at the bench near the building.”       “Oh, even a fly wouldn’t fly near those old ladies. And if an unknown man is walking near there, they will question him with a degree, find out who he is, where he from is, who he needs to visit, why, what he wants to do, what he wants to say…”       “They’re doing something good, though. There’s a chance to know some assholes are looking for you. And even a chance that these ladies would be stubborn and refuse to let strangers in.”       “I guess this is the only thing that can save me. And I would even try to get on well with them if any stinkers didn’t catch me thanks to them.”       “Hey, didn’t they tell you about any suspicious people?” Edward asks. “Didn’t they meet anyone, who would love to come to you at home?”       “Nope, they said nothing. But Marta and Hillary sit at the bench every day and talk for a few hours per day. They only leave just to eat. And give food to the cats. That are still playing on my nerves with their songs.”       “It’s alright, Peter, it’s gonna be over soon.” Edward claps Peter on the shoulder. “A little bit before you’re finally able to move into your own house where nobody can tell you what to do. Where you can do anything you want.”       “Yeah, I need a little before I get the documents for my own gorgeous house.”       “The guys and I stopped hoping you would decide to buy a new place.”       “I was just looking for what would steal my heart shortly. And it was the house that Perkins’ neighbor agreed to sell me.”       “Are you thinking of having a housewarming?”       “Oh, I don’t have time to think about it. At first, I was busy with the band’s work and the wedding, but now I got this shit with these attacks.”       “I won’t stop repeating that it’s gonna be okay. The men and the girls won't leave you and will do our best to deal with all the assholes, who are threatening you.”       “Oh, I didn’t wanna get anyone involved in this shit so badly. Neither the men nor the girls, especially.”       “Daniel and Anna have already told you we would know everything,” Edward recalls.       “I know, but I don’t feel quiet anyway.”       “Stop, Pete, you’re guilty of nothing.”       “I’m praying so hard about just one thing – I want nothing to happen to you, the men, and the girls. Especially Helene. If something happens to her, or I lose her because of those bastards, it will break me down. I won’t just handle it.”       “Dude, I would also be insane if something happened to Natalia. If Wainwright had managed to do what he did to Cassidy or something much worse, I would’ve had no meaning in life.”       “I was delaying the confession of love for too long. I was waiting and believing we’d be together for too long. One-sided, as I thought, love was killing me for one and a half years. I didn’t want to, and I don’t want to see anyone but Helene next to me. She’s my everything. My treasure. My guiding light.”       “I get you, buddy,” Edward smiles slyly, squeezing Peter’s shoulder. “Natalia is my salvation, too. She’s my soul’s savior. Thanks to her, I still have a fire burning in me. Thanks to her love, my heart wasn’t poisoned. I didn’t get mad at the whole world because of my past failures and understood that the problem was only me.”       “Besides, I ain’t sure that Helene is strong enough to handle something shocking. What’s gonna happen to her if one bastard dares to accost her? If someone tries to kill her?”       “As if Natalia, Raquelle, or Anna are as unbreakable as the tough wall!”       “They’ve got a core. The power of will. And Marshall… She’s never run into anything terrible.”       “We haven’t just seen her in a stressful situation. We don’t know how strong she is.”       “I don’t know, Edward, I’m really worried about her. My heart’s tearing apart.”       “Helene’s not alone, Peter. We’re all ready to support her, listen, and help her solve any problem. She proved to us that she changed and became different – a kind, sweet, and caring girl. The one we will remember all our life.”       “Besides, I’m not so sure if she wanna speak if something happens to her. I think Helene’s gonna be silent.”       “Scare?”       “Maybe. She will surely use the moment if there’s me or someone else near.”       “But we would see that something isn’t right with her. Marshall could look scared, tense… She wouldn’t also hide any kind of traumas.”       That’s what scares me. I’m worried ‘cause we may not know what’s going on. Or we may know it when it’s too late to do something.”       “No, buddy, she won’t be silent. You’re our stubborn guy and can get what you want. And you can raise your voice if you have to. If you press on Helene a little, she will reveal it all quickly. And the girls won’t get off her and annoy her ‘till they hear just one confession.”       “It’s the case when I’m really sorry that dogs can’t talk like humans,” Peter sighs tiredly. “If Sammy could talk, he would tell us everything.”       “Don’t worry, buddy, it’s gonna be okay,” Edward assures. “Don’t think about bad things early.”       “Just trying to learn all the turns.”       “You can hardly do this. Sometimes you can count on one turn of events and think you’re armed and ready. But it eventually happens that you have to forget it all. Because what you don't expect at all happens.”       “Gotta agree. And it makes me upset. I wanna make it better for everyone, but I eventually mess up everything to the fuck.”       “Okay, blond, let’s change the subject and talk about something nicer,” Edward suggests confidently. “Or you’re gonna go crazy. Just like I did when I was obsessed with the thoughts about how to get rid of Uncle Michael all day.”       “It’s like fate decided that I didn’t get my ass kicked enough. That I didn’t get enough kicks that I got for my childhood and teenage years.”       “Everything in this world happens for a reason. Maybe, fate puts you under these tests to help you become stronger and much harder. To make your relationship with those, who surround you, better.”       “Or vice versa, it wants to make me fight with them and do something, so there’s a big space between us.”       “I think we’ve gotten through many things. Every event got us kinda closer and ruined the barriers between us.”       “Well… You’re kinda right.” Peter cracks a slight smile. “For example… Maybe, Dan and I had a good but not such close relationship before, but now the situation’s different. Now I can have no doubt when I call him my brother. The one, who’s always near when I need it.”       “What about Terrence and me?” Edward pouts his lips theatrically. “Aren’t we your brothers?”       “Brothers.” Peter puts his arms around Edward’s neck and hugs him tightly on the way. “The best brothers I could never dream about!”       “It’s much better.” Edward ruffles Peter’s hair a little. “It’s always Dan and Dan.”       “We’re much closer ‘cause we’ve known each other for much longer. Because he’s the first person, who I decided to trust one day.”       “Oh, yay, the fans are gonna love the song about the men, who are different like stars, but who end up on the same road surprisingly.       “I’m your shield, you’re my sword, you’re my brother, I’m your guard,” Peter sings with a slight smile.       “We are much closer than it seems, we are united by the same dreams,” Edward continues.       “We don’t regret anything we’ve come through,” Edward and Peter sing together. “‘Cause we’re lucky to have each other as friends…”       The men keep singing one of the songs of their band with no shyness, not hiding their wide smiles, hugging each other on the way much tighter, and not worrying about making someone look at them strangely. And while Edward and Peter are thrilling with laughter and joking about something as they move forward with no rush to skate on their roller skates, they do not notice that the unknown man is watching them from a certain moment after having to spend a lot of time finding a place to hide since the friends choose the place where it would be hard to do.       Even if there is almost nobody around, the unknown man does not find the courage to do something and is just following them, as if he is still looking for a reason to go further. But at some moment, he types a number with a sly smile on his face and starts talking with someone on the phone.       “Yes, Mr. Longbottom, I see him,” the unknown man says confidently. “Yes, yes, he’s skating on roller skates in the city… No, no, not alone. His pal’s with him. No, not the one Luther had to deal with yesterday. The older guys just allowed the younger guys to walk without them, Yes, yes, Rose is now with the puppy you talked about. Oh, everything’s fine! They’re skating with backpacks on their backs, laughing freaking hard, and singing songs.”       The unknown man spends some more listening to everything he is told by the interlocutor tells him, not leaving behind Edward and Peter, who are laughing because of something.       “Are you sure I should do this?” the man specifies. “There are people around. They may call the cops. Maybe, I should just watch them? No, no, sir, come on, I’m not ordering you! Don’t you just think that… Oh, alright… Alright, I got it! I will do what you said. Yes, yes, I will be careful. Yes, I will do it, so that the puppy doesn’t do anything to me. Deal. If I have some news, I will contact you. Yes, see you later!”       The man ends the talk, runs his finger over the screen of his smartphone to block it, and puts it in his pocket. Then he keeps following Peter and Edward determinedly, waiting impatiently for the good moment to do the same thing. And at first, the men do not notice that they are under someone’s close view and are much busier with their talk. At some moment, they stop quietly and decide to drink some water from the bottles that they take from their backpacks to get rid of thirst.       At this moment, Peter gets interested in watching two little girls, who are recording a video of their dance along with a popular song on the camera of the phone that is set up the way they need with everything they have with them. Edward also rates their skills, but he does not watch them for too long because he notices that one of his roller skates is unhooked, squats down, and ties it tighter. Then he briefly moves his eyes aside – where the unknown man is being and watching without trying to hide it. At first, the man does not find anything suspicious, but a moment later, he moves his widely open eyes shortly to him and understands everything quickly.       After swallowing up nervously, Edward, however, tries to keep calm and ties up his roller skate with shaking hands. Then he gets up on his feet and moves his little tense glance at Peter smiling shyly.       “Act like nothing is happening,” Edward says quietly.       “What?” Peter frowns slightly. “What do ya mean?”       “Don’t show that you notice something.”       “What’s wrong, Edward? Why are you so tense? It’s like you saw a ghost!”       But when Peter just wants to look around to find out what scared his friend, Edward takes him tightly by the shoulders and turns him slightly on himself.       “Don’t turn your head, I said!”       “What the fuck wrong?” Peter throws his hands up. “Who did you see?”       “We’re on the hook now.”       “On the hook?”       “One rag is now watching us closely. Very, very closely.       “Come on?” Peter opens his eyes widely with a sense that his heart misses a beat. “Are ya serious?”       “That bastard’s following us so hard wherever we go. I clearly remember that I saw him at the place where you and I started a show for the people.”       “Maybe, it seemed to you?”       “No, buddy, it didn’t.”       “Son of a bitch…”       “If you wanna look at him, you can stand at my place.”       Not hesitating for a second, Peter stands where Edward is standing now, while the guy takes the blond’s place.       “Do you see the man with a burr-headed cut and a tattoo on his arm?” Edward specifies.       “That’s him?” Peter pronounces surprisingly, easily finding the unknown man, who is hiding behind a small bush and watching them closely. “The one, who’s hiding in the bush.”       “That’s it.”       “Oh, shit…”       “Hey, hey, don’t move,” Edward insists with an amazing calm, taking Peter by the shoulders. “Behave quietly. As if nothing is happening.”       “Ha, first, it was an attack after the show, then it happened a few miles away from Perkins’ home, and now it’s a chase.”       “Yeah, it seems like someone ain’t gonna calm down.”       “Tell me how did he know we were here? How? I have no fucking idea of it!”       “You know him? Have you met him before?”       “Nope, I see him for the first time.”       “That’s not the one, who attacked you yesterday?”       “No, no, that’s a different man.”       “Sure? Look at him better!”       “Sure! Even with my myopia, I can clearly see that I don’t know that face.”       “Fuck, it seems like your offender surrounded himself with tons of accomplices. Not one or two people are licking his ass. There are supposed to be many of them.”       “Most likely.”       At this moment, Peter can see how the unknown man hiding behind the bush points two fingers at him and then his eyes, as if he is letting him know that he is watching him.       “He’s showing me something,” Peter says, frowning slightly. “It’s like, yes, yes, guy, I am watching you.”       “Something tells me it’s gonna be hard to get rid of him,” Edward assumes thoughtfully, putting his finger on his lip.       “So, what do we do now?” Peter turns his back on the unknown man and pulls Edward after him. “How do we get rid of that bastard with no consequences?”       “Don’t worry, buddy, it’s gonna be okay,” Edward calms down quietly and determinedly, clapping Peter on the shoulder. “We will come up with something new. The most important is that we should keep calm.”       “We need to find a way to confuse him so that he loses our track.”       “We will do it. And if we have to, we will run.”       “I don’t think it’s such a good idea. If that bastard wants, he will catch us. As well as the other deadbeat caught Dan and me when we decided to get out.”       “Okay, okay, okay, okay…” Edward looks around quickly, glances at his roller skates, and starts taking off his armbraces. “We can hardly run fast on roller skates.”       “That’s right,” Peter nods confidently. “Roller skates won’t be nice for us.”       “Moreover, you aren’t wearing a helmet,” Edward notices, taking off his knee pads. “But any trauma may be fateful for you.”       “I have a helmet in my backpack just in case. As well as armbraces and knee pads.”       “It doesn’t matter now. We should take off these fucking roller skates and put on sneakers before something bad happens.”       “Do this here or find a different place?”       “We can do this here. Since that asshole’s just hiding in the brush and watching us.”       “That bench! We can sit on it!”       Trying so hard to keep calm, Peter and Edward come to the free bench, sit on it, and change quickly their roller skates to comfortable sneakers. When they pack their stuff carefully in the packet that they put in their backpacks, the men get up and fix their little raised t-shirts. While the unknown man keeps watching them, definitely thinking about something bad, and stroking his chin with an evil smile.       “It’s not safe to be here,” Peter says confidently. “Not too many people around.”       “You’re right, we need to go to the center of the city as soon as possible,” Edward agrees. “He will do nothing to us there. He will be afraid.”       “Ha, I think he’s afraid to get in touch with us now! Otherwise, he would’ve come to us shortly, thinking we wouldn’t twist his dick around his neck.”       “Well, I dunno…”       Peter and Edward turn around and just start walking forward in a very slow step, squeezing the belts of their backpacks tightly.       “Maybe, he will do nothing while we’re acting quietly. But if we start faster than a Land Rover, he will run after us, shouting, ‘Stop, assholes!”       “Don’t be afraid, buddy, I’m here,” Edward says with a slight smile. “If that jackass dares to get in touch with us, he will regret it a lot.”       “At least, I’m happy that they didn’t agree to go on missions in groups. Otherwise, we wouldn’t deal with them even with the help of Terrence and Daniel.”       “We can deal even with ten people!” Edward raises his head proudly. “No mercy for those, who dare to attempt our close people.”       “So, MacClife, are ya happy you got another chance to play a hero again?” Peter chuckles kindly, pushing Edward into his hip. “Are you feeling bored when you don’t wear a mask of Super Eddy?”       “Ha, ha, ha, it’s hilarious!” Edward throws gloomily. “I’m laughing fucking hard!”       “No, really, dude! Your eyes filled with a bright gloss when you started to talk about having to get rid of that man.”       “And you peed your pants when I said we were on the hook of that asshole!”       “I would see your face if one bastard tried to stab you with a knife, wound you with a pistol, and strangle you with a rope.”       “I’ve gotten through it!”       “Ah, yeah, pardon, I forgot…”       “C’mon, stop working your tongue!” Edward cuts off sharply and glances aside, seeing the unknown man leaving his hideaway and starting to follow the men. “You better think about where to turn to get rid of that man.”       “He’s following us?”       “Yes, I see him with my side vision. He’s hiding everywhere, but he's following us confidently.”       “Fuck, fucking asshole!”       “He’s really a cowardly folk. Someone like him is brave only when there are no witnesses. When there is nobody, who would beat their faces easily.”       “Can’t I actually leave my home alone now? Will nothing happen to me only in case at least someone is with me?”       “If the situation is so hard, the lads and I will have to talk about having to be with you all the time.”       “But that’s insane!”       “I know, but what can we do? Do we have a choice? Do you know another way to keep your ass safe?”       “No, but…”       “Hey, Rose, I see you are still walking after what happened yesterday,” the man’s loud voice pronounces from behind.       Edward and Peter turn around sharply and see the stocky young man of their age or a little younger with a burr-headed cut.       “Your smelly dog brought that asshole and asked him to help his friend in time,” the stranger adds, getting closer and closer to Edward and Peter, who freeze and round their eyes.       “What do you all need from Peter?” Edward asks rudely. “Why are you the fuck trying to get rid of him so hard?”       “You’ll get the answer to this question when someone decides that the time has come.”       “It’s not funny at all,” Peter says in a low voice. “One attacks me after the show, another tries to strangle me… And here we go again!”       “Do you still think we are playing with you? It’s all just a funny thing?”       “Do you want money?” Edward wonders. “Did you want to get some money and start this show to make it real?”       “Someone wants much more than just some banknotes, baby,” the stranger sneers evilly. “Someone wants to see your friend in the grave.”       “And when will I the fuck know who went so insane?”  Peter puts his hands on his hips. “When will I know why someone is haunting me as if I’m an animal from Red List?”       “M-m-m, how impatient you are… How much you don’t like intrigues and guesses…”       “Stop all this bullshit immediately and leave my friend alone,” Edward demands determinedly. “He did nothing bad and harmed nobody.”       “No, puppy, nobody is going to leave your friend alone,” the stranger says confidently. “His enemy is more determined than you think.”       “If you don’t stop it all, I will have to take measures!” Peter says with his head proudly raised. “I will go to the police and apply a report!”       “Oh, oh, who will you blame? Who will you report about? And how will you prove something?”       “You probably forgot that the video of your accomplice’s attempt to kill me before the eyes of many people is spread throughout the whole Internet.”       “And what? Do you think it will help you?”       “Just don’t make us believe we are powerless,” Edward crosses his arms over his chest. “That’s not the truth.”       “Just because Peter Rose is surrounded by his loyal protectors, who are licking his ass so hard, doesn’t mean we will not find a way to get rid of him.”       “We won’t let you!” Edward hugs Peter tightly around the shoulders. “Nobody will dare to hurt our friend!”       “M-m-m, look, look, how sassy we are…” the stranger laughs evilly. “That’s the kids we have nowadays… They used to incline their heads for older people and do all their orders, but now they started to bark.”       “You know, you look pretty good for the age of fifty. Maybe, you could share your beauty hacks? Huh? What if we need it in the future!”       “Hey, undeveloped ball-scratcher kid, you better close your mouth before I put your whistle in your ass,” the criminal grins, clenching his hands tightly into fists.       “Don’t ask for trouble, bastard,” Edward threatens, literally killing the criminal with his icy look full of hate.       “What will you do to me?”       “Something worse than what one more friend of mine did to your pal. Who, according to the information we received, was limping strongly and holding his balls not to lose them.”       “Yeah, why are the babies walking here without adults?” the stranger looks around. “Where are adults? Hello, everyone, who lose two children? Where are their pacifiers and bibs?”       “I wonder why you all go to do your missions all alone?’ Peter frowns slightly and crosses his arms over his chest. “You’re the third person, but I don’t see anyone, who would accompany you.”       “Indeed, friend, why?” Edward smiles evilly. “Aren’t you scared at all? Aren’t your pants getting wet?”       “The pants of you two will get wet if you keep showing off,” the stranger threatens rudely.       “What will you do to us? Did the yesterday stinker give you the rope, so you could try to strangle Peter again?”       “I see you, kid, do really love asking for trouble and making others involved in it.”       “Oh, man, I would bet who’s asking for bigger trouble,” Edward says thoughtfully and glances at the wrist bandage that he is wearing. “Don’t you understand we’re gonna have an unequal battle? Two versus one! Don’t ya feel you’re about to have your hairy ass burning?”       “I do feel you and your blond-haired friend are getting closer to our death,” the stranger replies confidently.       “Come on?” Edward smiles falsely. “Do you have a gut for doing something right now? Look around, potential witnesses are walking here, and calling the police would be nothing for them.”       “Relax, puppies, people don’t fucking care what’s happening around. They’re busy with their personal problems. They won’t care about the bastard, who must pay for hurting someone, and one of his guards, whose tongue must be cut.”       “I repeat for the hundredth time, don’t dare to hurt my friends,” Peter threatens in a low, rude voice, pointing his finger at the criminal. “Don’t dare to get them involved in this bullshit!”       “They got themselves involved in it when they decided to stand for you for the first time. If it’s so, they will have to pay a high cost for it.”       The criminal takes a jackknife out of the pocket of his jeans, opens it, and comes confidently to Edward, whom Peter hides automatically behind his back, with an evil smile.       “Since one bastard was not defeated yesterday, his time will come somehow later. And today it’s time to kill the most annoying bastard from Rose’s brave gang.”       “Hey, get this thing off him now!” Peter demands confidently. “Get back, I said!”       “You better leave, Rose. Or it will be worse.”       “Did I the fuck say something unclear? I SHALL BREAK YOUR HEAD IF SOMETHING HAPPENS TO MY FRIENDS!”       “Don’t worry, your time will surely come. When your henchmen aren’t able to protect you.”       The stranger comes confidently to Edward to try to wound him with the knife. But Peter pushes the man strongly off his friend, who, however, does not look scared and is standing in the same place quietly with his head proudly raised.       “I said, GET OFF HIM!” Peter explodes.       “You will not stop me, freak!” the criminal roars. “YOU WILL ALL BE DESTROYED!”       After one more attempt to get closer to Edward, the stranger has to start a hand-in-hand fight with Peter, who takes his backpack carefully off his shoulders, grabs the knife tightly with both hands, and tries to do it not to let it get through him. However, MacClife, Jr. does not stay in the same place and does not blink. He joins the fight, getting rid of the backpack on his back and pushing the opponent off with a powerful hit of his foot in his jaw. Then the criminal getting red from anger and getting obsessed with anger attacks the black-haired guy, who gives him strong hits with his hands and feet with incredible easiness. At some moment, a slight smile shows up on his face, as if it says he is happy to get one more chance to defeat the evil man and play the role of the hero, who is so determined to protect his friend.       “Why are you smiling, idiot?” the criminal resents and tries unsuccessfully to hit Edward in the jaw. “Are you happy you will die soon?”       “I’m happy I have a wonderful chance to protect my close people and friends,” Edward says confidently and gives his opponent a hit in the face with a quiet growl.       “Waving your wings like a chicken doesn’t mean protecting someone. You’re just satisfying your ego and pretending to be a superhero.”       “Thanks to this hero, many people’s lives have been saved,” Peter adds, using a chokehold for the criminal from behind.       “HA-HA-HA, SO HILARIOUS!”       The stranger gives Peter a strong slap in the face and wants to him with his fist in the jaw, but Edward grabs his hand immediately and holds it tightly.       “Call just one name! Call at least one person, who did not become someone’s victim!”       “Sorry, dude, but this list is so long that we will call the last name in the late evening,” Edward smirks evilly and twists the criminal’s arm behind his back by force. “But we have no time to deal with some fucking shitty assholes.”       “Or it’s so short that it doesn’t have any names,” the stranger snaps.       “True heroes don’t tell about what they do at all the corners,” Peter says with his head proudly raised. “They just do their work quietly and go to save the next people.”       “It seems like your moms and dads didn’t kick your ass enough in childhood. So, I should give the kids a couple of education lessons. Since they didn’t learn anything from those, who must have done that.”       The criminal tries to get the knife sharply in Peter’s stomach with an irritated growl, but the blond magically grabs the gun when it’s two meters away from his abdominal cavity. Meanwhile, Edward grabs him rudely by the hair, pulls him aside by force, and gives him a strong slap in the face. While the criminal is rubbing his burning cheek energetically, MacClife, Jr. hits his foot against the small of his back and strikes him down with a hit on his spine, making him how the pain echoes in every part of his body and makes him double over with a loud cry.       “Ha, I think this is the most boring fight in my life,” Edward laughs evilly, shaking something invisible off his hands. “I didn’t even get a little scar.”       “I can do much more so that an ocean of blood appears here,” the criminal growls with evil. “Yours and your pal’s one… This fucking cockroach that we can’t catch… Because of his henchmen…”       “Yeah, you will have to kill us to get what you want.” Edward steps on the criminal’s chest with his foot and grabs him by the collar with both hands. “But don’t think we will give up so easily. That we will give our friend to you without a fight.”       “What's meant to be is meant to be, puppy.”       “Do you think I will give up to you so easily?” Peter wonders falsely, rounding his eyes, and hits his foot against the criminal’s groin, which makes him double over much stronger. “That I wouldn’t pee my pants if there’s nobody around me? You think I can’t stand up for myself and would cry like a girl?”       “If you stop rejecting the real you, you will understand you are actually weak,” the stranger replies gloomily, biting the bullet. “A pathetic coward with a lot of psychological issues that you will have until the end of your life.”       “It’s none of your fucking business, fucking dog.” Peter gives a strong slap in the face to the criminal. “You can’t talk about MY psychological issues!”       “It’s fine, Rose, it’s fine, you will have to take off your mask soon.” the criminal clears his throat quickly. “You will have to look in the mirror and see the one you are trying to bury so hard. The one, who wants your death, will make you open your eyes. Make you feel like an unprotected boy.”       “I repeat, you, brainless pig, if one of you touches my friends with a finger, I swear I will not be responsible for myself. And if my girlfriend suffers because of you, I will find all of you and bury you all personally. Every one of you. Alive. DID I SAY IT CLEARLY?”       “We will talk about your girl a little later. But now our main subject is the question about what to do to your friends.”       The criminal pulls Edward sharply by his leg – that’s why the guy cannot keep his balance and falls painfully to the asphalt. Then he takes the knife that is lying not far away and tries to get it into the heart of the black-haired man, who, however, grabs the gun tightly with both arms and starts resisting as hard as possible. Peter comes to help him out shortly by taking a middle-sized rock from the ground and hitting the opponent strongly on the head. Which he grabs with a loud shout full of pain. Meanwhile, MacClife, Jr. takes the cold gun lying near him and applies a lot of effort to break it into two parts. And when he manages to do it, he gets up in a jump and shakes the dirt off himself a little carelessly.       “Hey, Edward, how are ya?” Peter asks after he runs to Edward.       “Better than ever,” Edward replies with a slight smile. “What about you?”       “I’m fine.”       “Watch out, Peter!” Edward raises his voice, glancing aside and seeing the stranger getting up to his knees, taking the rock, with which he got a hit on his head, and getting ready to throw it.       Edward pulls Peter aside one moment before the rock that the criminal thinks should get into his temple gets thrown much further and falls to the asphalt.       “Resilient assholes…” the criminal hisses through his teeth. “Which holy spring did you the fuck swim in? WHY HAVEN’T YOU THE FUCK DIED YET?”       “My friend did warn you not to get in touch with two tough guys while you are alone!” Peter recalls.       “These bastards cannot be with you all the time!” the criminal gets up slowly on his feet, rubbing energetically the back of his head. “Someday, there will be a moment when we’re able to catch you without problems.”       “Now we will be seriously talking about the need to be with Peter and his girlfriend twenty hours per day!” Edward says confidently. So, no assholes don’t catch them.”       “Surround him with hundreds of bodyguards! We don’t give a fuck about what you decide to do. It will not help you anyway.”       “We will see it!” Peter throws gloomily.       “Yes, yes, yes, together you are the power, you are stronger together, and other blah-blah-blah…” the criminal rolls his eyes. “Which you love singing in your songs about.”       “Alright, you got us exhausted!” Edward waves his hand sharply. “We’ve got so much to do, but we’re having to deal with you.”       “Yeah, when the leader of your gang decides to show up, explain the reason for this bullshit, and agree to fight with me face to face instead of telling some bastards to go for him, you can find me,” Peter agrees. “And I have no time, strength, and wish to play these stupid games. I do hate any kind of hints and suspense. I need clearness.”       “Let’s go, Pete.” Edward claps Peter on his shoulder. “Staying here doesn’t make sense.”       But when Edward and Peter turn around and want to take their backpacks from the asphalt, the criminal runs to them from behind, grabs both of them painfully by the collar and, not letting the guys understand something, pulls them sharply on himself.       “Oh, no, you will not get off me so easily!” the stranger says with a smug smile.       “Hey, doesn’t your face hurt enough?” Edward smirks evilly. “Don’t your balls barely hang from pain?”       “CLOSE YOUR FUCKING MOUTH, LITTLE ASSHOLE!”       “It’s fine, we’ve understood that there are some special folks that only know the language of force,” Peter replies confidently. “Who get orgasms from scuffles.”       “Just like your pal does,” the criminal sneers evilly. “He has finished multiple times while pretending to be a hero and jumping here like a horse.”       “I can show you a couple of things,” Edward says confidently. “For example, a cool tornado kick that can throw you a few miles away.”       After turning on the criminal sharply, Edward smashes his fist against his jaw. Then he does a full backward spin on his arms and does a tornado kick, hitting the opponent powerfully against the same area with his toe. That’s why the man doubles over sharply and squeezes his nose which is literally burning from pain and starts bleeding so that he thinks something may be broken.       “Get outta here!” Edward addresses Peter. “Grab our backpacks and run!”       When they take their backpacks from the asphalt and put them quickly on their shoulders, Edward and Peter move off and start running as fast as they can.       “STOP, YOU, FUCKING BASTARDS!” the criminal screams at the top of his lungs, still holding his nose with his hand and wiping his own blood off his face. “I HAVE NOT DONE WITH YOU YET!”       Taking the pieces of his broken knife and putting them in his pocket, the criminal rushes to chase Peter and Edward with an irritable growl, not going to leave them alone without harming them seriously. The men are just running straight with the hope that they can run to the place where there are supposed to be many more people. They almost strike down someone but keep moving on after they jab something like, “sorry”, not paying attention to judging lectures. And their offender does not even turn back when he pushes off strongly the girl at the age of six or seven, making her skin her knees strongly and cry bitterly because of this.       Edward, who is running a little further, watches Peter so that he does not leave him behind or lose his track and takes him under his arm at some moment and turns sharply aside. They have to get up and get down the stairs and run through a small crowd that came to listen to the street musician, who is performing a classic song on a cheap synthesizer and trying to earn money. And at some moment, the men climb up over a small railing to shorten their way somehow.       “Quick, Pete, don’t sleep!” Edward jabs excitedly when Peter just jumps over the railing, leaning on it with one hand.       “It seems like that asshole decided to run us as well as his pal did it to Perkins and me yesterday,” Peter assumes.       “It’s fine, we will reach the center of the city, and he will get off us.”       “I kinda doubt it. He is super determined.”       “Don’t worry, buddy, we will get out of this bullshit!” Edward assures and turns aside sharply. “I shall do my best to make it happen!”       “Oh, fuck, he’s getting closer and closer. Not leaving us alone.”       “He can do this. He will get tired and leave us alone soon.”       “RUN, BABIES, RUN!” the criminal shouts. “YOU WILL GET TIRED SOONER! SO, I GET RID OF YOU WITHOUT A FIGHT!”       “If only that bastard knew I could easily run more than ten kilometers during one workout,” Edward smirks evilly. “And I recently joined my dad, with whom I run every day in the entire neighborhood.”       “I ain’t tired at all yet,” Peter replies. “So, he can keep dreaming of it.”       Edward and Peter spend some time running from the criminal, who is not going to give up and remembers that he should do someone’s order. The men help each other climb over something jump over something, and avoid slipping on some pool of dirt, feeling much more confident while they are together. Even if they do not avoid mild wounds: MacClife, Jr. skins his knee slightly against the stump in the ground, and Rose scratches his stomach painfully against a dry stick. However, it does not break their fighting spirit, and the friends keep running away fast from the criminal, who is fighting off all the sticks that want to get into his eyes and scratch something. But he manages to shorten the distance between them and himself when Peter’s foot clings to the stick, and he hits the back of his head against the ground when falling, and Edward helps him get up by taking his hand tightly and holding him with a second one.       “You will not run away from me,” the criminal smiles slyly. “YOU WILL NOT! I SHALL DESTROY YOU! YOU ARE DEAD!”       “Don’t stop, Edward!” Peter jabs. “Don’t sleep! Run!”       Some time later, Peter and Edward end up in an unpopular place where there are no people as they are running fast straightly. The criminal does not leave them behind and keeps chasing the friends, who look back at times. The guys fasten quickly enough again and have the opportunity to turn somewhere and hide somewhere as they are very close to the center of the city where they think they can be absolutely safe. But their plans do not come true because Edward’s foot clings accidentally against something, and he falls to the ground like a stone, hitting his elbow painfully and skinning his second knee.       And while Edward, wincing strongly, holds the painful area tightly, Peter does not notice it and keeps running so hard away from the criminal. Who pushes MacClife, Jr., so that he falls off the small slide into the hole that is not too deep. And when the guy gets up on his feet carefully, climbs up, and looks around, he opens his eyes widely with the thought that his heart stops, losing track of his friend and his offender. After hesitating a little, Edward decides to run to the opposite side, even if he quickly understands that this is the wrong direction, and decides to come back and think a little again.       Meanwhile, Peter keeps running where his eyes look for some time. But he stops sharply when he turns back and does not see Edward, who has been literally swallowed by the ground.       “Edward?!” Peter rounds his eyes, breathing a little heavily and leaning on his knees with his hands. “Edward! Where are you?”       Not thinking too much, Peter decides to come back on the way he was running on. But at some moment, he stops sharply and, taking his breath away and feeling like all his muscles tense, starts going back slowly when the criminal stands in his way with a sly smile and is coming to him confidently.       “You are caught, pretty boy,” the criminal laughs evilly. “Your friend lost you, and there are no witnesses around…”       “For a while, respectful,” Peter raises his head proudly. “My friend will find me shortly.”       “Well, while he’s running here and looking for you, I will manage to do the order of my lord, who has already gotten a couple of flowers to put them on your grave.”       The criminal shortens the distance between him and Peter sharply and tries to smash his fist against his face as strongly as possible. But the blond turns aside in time, takes off his backpack, answers with the same hit, and attacks him with fists. They share strong hits on all the parts of the body with their hands and feet, having almost the same physical data. Although Rose is breathing a little heavily after such a long cross, he is biting the bullet and making himself hold on to pay his opponent back, who does not give up even after many failed attempts to give him as much pain as possible.       “Give up, Rose, waving your wings can’t help you,” the criminal sneers evilly and gives a strong slap on Peter’s face. “You will die anyway.”       “No way!” Peter throws rudely. “I will not give up out of spite! I don’t want to let bastards like you and some of your henchmen take a victory.”       “Okay. If you want to make the pleasure of my lord longer, I will say it to him.”       “I wish someone gave me pleasure and killed that bastard. Who I don’t even know!”       “It’s alright, you will meet him soon. And you will know so many interesting things.”       “I doubt I’m gonna be interested in it.”       “You will, blond-haired. Early or late, you will know everything. Of course, if you stay alive thanks to your ass-lickers and their strong wish to save you.”       “They’d tear anyone apart for me!” Peter grabs the criminal by the hair strongly and smashes his fist against his groin as strongly as possible. “As well as I would destroy anyone, who would dare to harm them!”       “Right! Because you underhand you are shit without them. A pathetic, cowardly deadbeat that takes an example from this little puppy and is pretending to be a hero.”       “Without my brothers, this world is shitty. A boring, lonely world I don’t need.”       “Ah, yeah, sorry, I forgot you are our orphan boy,” the criminal laughs evilly. “The orphan, who everyone gave a fuck about in his childhood.”       The criminal gives Peter a couple of strong hits in the jaw, while the guy grabs him tightly by the hair and pulls him from one side to another. They start a cruel hand-in-hand fight again, and the blond is doing his best to push his opponent off him and get out. And it should be noticed that he manages to do it later when he gives him a powerful hit with his fist against his jaw and one more hit against his spine when his opponent doubles over. Not wasting a second, Rose moves off sharply and starts running straight as fast as possible, while his offender is chasing him as he is getting over the pain in his whole body. He keeps running until he ends up in front of the long stoned stairs because the criminal catches him at this moment and uses a chokehold on him from behind.       Choking from a lack of air, Peter tries to get out of the trap for a few seconds and slaps his opponent on his arm, while that man is squeezing his throat tighter and tighter. And luckily, the blond breaks free thanks to stepping on his foot with his sneaker. Wincing slightly in pain, the criminal grabs the painful area sharply, and the blond pushes him rudely off himself and hits his foot against his stomach with a loud growl. Making the opponent shout loudly in pain that is echoing in his whole body and fall to the dirty ground like a stone.       “Ha, pathetic and cowardly, you say?” Peter pronounces surprisingly with a heavy breath. “The puppy that can’t do anything?”       “Waving your hands and screaming like a hysterical folk doesn’t mean being brave,” the criminal sneers evilly.       “I wonder how much your lord pays you and your henchmen to ruin my life? I doubt you would tear your ass off the sofa for some pennies.”       “It’s none of your business, asshole. NONE OF YOUR FUCKING BUSINESS.”       The criminal gets up sharply and attacks Peter with fists again with a loud, irritable growl, sharing painful hits with hands and feet on all parts of the body. Sometimes they manage to turn aside, but sometimes they have to bite the bullet to overcome the pain with a great reluctance to give up on their opponent. All this time, they are close enough to the edge of the stairs and completely understand it, trying to save themselves so hard and pushing their opponent off them.       “Ar-r-r, creeping bitch…” the criminal growls irritably, applying much effort to push Peter off himself, while he is trying to push off him.       “Said by the creeping bitch,” Peter hisses through his teeth.       “It’s really not going to be an easy thing. Killing you will be much harder than the lord thought.”       “What a pity I won’t give him pleasure to rejoice over his victory.”       “Don’t be so confident, Rose. You won’t be able to do anything to save yourself. To protect your friends. And your girl.”       “If you harm her, I will do anything to protect her. Even commit a murder. A fucking MURDER!”       After sharing strong slaps in the face, Peter and the unknown man keep fighting cruelly hand in hand and try to find a way to get off the one they hate so badly. And at some moment, the blond moves his eyes aside and can see a little blurred male silhouette not too far from here, at some hill even with his not very good vision. And he easily realizes that’s Edward. Who runs to the edge of the hill, sees what’s happening a few miles away from him, and, begging his friend to hold on silently, starts looking around in search of a way to get down to him and help him out.       Edward’s appearance encourages Peter much more and motivates him to give his opponent much stronger and more painful hits on anything he sees. But the criminal does not give in at all and is going to go until the very end to reach the goal that he got from the one, who started it all.       “Aren’t you sick of getting your ass kicked?” Peter smirks evilly. “Maybe, you will get out and leave me alone?”       “Oh, no!” the criminal throws determinedly. “Before I beat your face, I will not leave!”       “Is this the order of your lord?”       “I can say so.” the criminal smashes his fist against Peter’s jaw. “But instead of him, I wouldn’t waste time and kill you with no chance of surviving.”       “We will see who will kill!”       “Yeah, yeah, see. See which your words are going to be. And who will come to your funeral.”       The criminal fights Peter for a few seconds hand in hand before Edward shows up somewhere afar, who is running here super fast to help his friend. But while he is coming here, Rose’s offender chooses the moment and pushes him off himself as strongly as possible. At this moment, the guy is sitting near the edge of the stairs and cannot do anything when he starts getting pushed down. The pain grows with every hit and gets through every part of his body that is falling fast off the high stoned stairs. While Edward stops sharply, opens his eyes full of horror widely, and grabs his hair tightly.       “No-o-o!” Edward screams at the top of his lungs. “Peter!”       The criminal turns sharply on Edward’s voice and smiles slyly. He decides not to attack the guy, who has appeared here and starts running to him, and starts getting downstairs after Peter, whose body rolls down at the high speed, rolls for two more seconds, and gets absolutely soft. The hands of the guy lying motionlessly fall powerlessly near him, his fingers move slightly and freeze, his eyes close tightly, a little bit of blood shows up on his face, and bruises show up on almost all the open parts of his skin. After going down, the criminal moves his eyes full of hate to Rose lying on the asphalt and smiles slyly as he sees the guy is unconscious after this cruel fall from the long stairs and a strong enough hit against one of the stoned stairs with his head.       “You are done with waving your wings, freak,” the criminal says in a low, rude voice. “You didn’t pretend to be sassy for too long. Didn’t hold on for a long time without your pal’s friend.”       The criminal smashes his fist against Peter’s solar plexus as strongly as possible, but the guy does not react to this, and his body just shakes slightly. Maybe, he would keep beating the unconscious guy in anger, but he is stopped by the loud of Edward, who is going downstairs as fast as a meteor:       “Hey, stop, you, bastard! Stop, I said! Hear me, you fucking parasite! Stop!”       Not thinking too much, the criminal gets up on his feet and starts running fast straightly, while Edward starts chasing him determinedly. But at some moment, the guy stops and just watches the stranger running further and further and hiding in the corner with a heavy breath. Then MacClife, Jr. swears under his nose, rushes to the unconscious Peter, takes his backpack off his shoulders, and gets down on his knees in front of the blond.       “Hey, Peter, Peter!” Edward jabs excitedly, shaking Peter by the shoulder and then clapping him on the cheek. “Peter?! Can you hear me? Peter! Hey! Say something! Rose! Rose, fuck!”       Edward glances at the stairs, which Peter fell from cruelly.       “Fuck, it’s so long… He was falling too cruelly…”       Breathing a little heavily, Edward tries to wake Peter up again by clapping him slightly on his cheeks.       “C’mon, Pete, say something… C’mon, dude… C’mon… Don’t dare to die here… Don’t dare…”       At first, Edward checks out the pulse on Peter’s neck and wrist and then his pupils.       “He's alive, got a pulse…” Edward exhales with relief and bends at Peter to check his breath. “And he’s breathing… Yes, breathing… Of, fuck…”       Edward breathing heavily runs his hands over his hair, thinking so hard about what to do. Then he takes his backpack, opens it, takes his bottle of water, pours a little on his hand, and claps Peter on the cheeks with cold hands.       “C’mon, Peter, wake up… Come on…”       But after Edward pours carefully some water on his face, Peter winces slightly, makes a deep and slow breath, and moves the tips of his fingers at first and then his feet and hands.       “Thank God…” Edward exhales sharply.       At this moment, Edward puts his hand on his forehead with a slight dizziness and the thought that probably all the parts of his body hurt. Turning his kind of heavy head on Edward and opening his eyes slowly is a hard enough thing for him now. His friend’s face is a little blurry, and any words and sounds reach him like through the deaf wall.       “Hey, Peter, can you hear me?” Edward asks anxiously and clicks his fingers in front of Peter’s pale face. “Hey, I’m here! Say just something!”       “Oh, Edward…” Peter pronounces faintly and squeezes the bridge of his nose slightly. “You’re found…”       “Fuck, I was just fucking scared!” Edward runs his hands sharply over his hair. “You were lying here unconscious and not moving, but the hospital’s nobody the fuck knows where!”       “Did I… Pass out?”       “That bastard pushed you off the stairs, and you fell down. When I went down to you, you were unconscious.”       “He’s here yet?”       “Nope, he got out.”       “Oh, finally…” Peter exhales slowly with closed eyes. “It’s so cool to wake up… And hear your enemies got out.”       “How are ya feeling? Something hurts?”       “You better ask me what doesn’t hurt.” Peter winces strongly when he tries to move his body a little. “It seems like I hurt everything I could hurt.”       “Feel nausea?”       “I dunno… I think, nope. But I feel a strong dizzy… And my head’s kinda heavy…”       “Okay, you’ve gotta go to the hospital shortly. Make sure you don’t have any serious traumas.”       “No, don’t need to go to the hospital…” Peter winces slightly, rubbing his face with his hand and bending his feet at his knees.       “Seriously? You hit your fucking head when falling off the stairs! And you passed out!”       “It’s fine. It’s gonna be okay now.”       “No, buddy, I will not get off you so easily,” Edward says determinedly. “We will spend some time sitting here, so you come to yourself a little, and then we’ll catch a taxi and go to the hospital.”       “Playing a caring daddy?” Peter asks with a false smile.       “Playing a caring friend, who must make sure you’re really okay.”       “Oh, yeah, you’re doing this well, while Perkins and your brother aren’t here.”       Peter takes a sitting position very closely, not caring about his weaknesses and dizziness, while Edward is holding him under his back and by the shoulders.       “Alright, Rose, breathe deeper, come to yourself, and go to the hospital,” Edward says confidently, clapping Peter on his knee. “And then we will go to your home.”       “Oh, I won’t handle another race like this,” Peter moans quietly and, doubling over, rubs his forehead with his hand. “I will not handle…”       “Hey, drink some water.” Edward his bottle of water to Peter. “It should help.”       “Hey, where did you disappear?” Peter asks, opens the bottle, and drinks some water, while Edward is rubbing his back with his hand energetically. “When I turned around at some moment, I didn’t see you.”       “I stepped over something and fell cruelly. Then that bastard pushed me into the hole. And when I stood up, got up, and looked around, your track was missing.”       “Fuck, I was almost strangled yesterday, but today I was pushed off the stairs. My life is fucking beautiful!”       “I know… It seems like someone wanna get rid of you so badly.”       “Is this shit gonna happen every day? Will some bastards want to kill me or at least harm me if I just go outside?”       “Be happy you’re alive.”       “For how long?” Peter puts the closed bottle aside and runs his hand over his hair. “Now I don’t doubt that it’s gonna be worse next.”       “And as you said earlier, that’s not the bastard, who tried to strangle you yesterday. It’s someone else.”       “Yeah, one asshole surrounded themselves with a lot of henchmen. I guess they probably pay them lots of money for every attempt to kill me.”       “I don’t think they’ve got a mission to kill you now,” Edward assumes. “They just wanna scare you at the moment. Make you afraid of any noise and look around with fear.”       “So, they can get rid of me being morally exhausted with the hope that I won’t resist?”       “Bingo!”       “You know, MacClife, I’m fucking overwhelmed by the three attacks.”       “Now you must not surely stay alone. Someone should be with you all the time.”       “It’s insane!”       “I know, but you have no choice! Because next time, you won’t be pushed off the stairs, you’ll thrown off the roof or a mountain.”       “Fuck, it’s like I was dreaming of dealing with this shit so badly!” Peter throws irritably, putting his hands on his forehead. “Dreaming of fighting with some bastards and moaning from having pain in everything about my body.”       “We should contact Terrence and Daniel and tell them what happened as soon as possible. The girls should be aware of it, too.”       “I doubt we’ll be able to reach someone now.”       “It’s okay, we’ll just leave a message in our chat, and the guys will contact us when they have time.”       “Yeah, but it all started so well…” Peter exhales sharply. “We were riding in the city on roller skates, having fun, talking with a couple of fans…”       “The most important thing is that we’re both fine and got away from that bastard,” Edward replies confidently. “I mean, he got out after he pushed you off the stairs.”       “Got out shortly?”       “Yup. But if I hadn’t shown up here and started to chase him, he would’ve stayed and practiced in cooking a chop on a human.”       “Lucky…”       “Listen, Pete…” Edward pronounces hesitantly, moving his eyes aside for a second. “You… I’m sorry about losing your track and letting that bastard push you.”       “No, no, don’t apologize, Edward, you’re guilty of nothing,” Peter replies with a slight smile, clapping Edward on the shoulder and squeezing it slightly. “You did everything you could in this situation.”       “If I’d been near, you wouldn’t have fallen off the stairs and hit everything you could.”       “I should’ve been careful. I did see clearly I was standing on the edge and could fall at any time, but…”       “If I’d had a little more time to run here, everything would’ve been otherwise.”       “You know, Daniel didn’t also manage to help in time when that asshole squeezed my throat with a rope. But you two kicked those scums out and didn’t let them finish what they started.”       “I know, but I’m sorry anyway. I shouldn't have moved my eyes off you at all.”       “Don’t worry, buddy, you’re our hero anyway,” Peter comforts, hugging Edward around the shoulders. “Even if you were called a cowardly puppy again, you held on really confidently and hit the bullseye.”       “Well…” Edward shrugs with a thoughtful face. “At least, you’re sitting here with me alive. It’s a wonderful reason to be proud of myself. With the thought that my mission of protecting you has been successfully completed.”       “Hey, the tornado kick you made was freaking impressive! I really liked it!”       “I wanted to learn to do it a long time ago. I spent lots of time trying to do it, but I just learned to.”       “Cool. That was really cool.”       “Thanks. But you held on well, too.”       “To be honest, I’m much more afraid this time than when we were fighting Wainwright and Potter.”       “I get it. There are cases when you’re not scared to run into something that threatens your close people. But when you’re in the middle of the chaos yourself, you feel like a lost child.”       “Yeah… Solving someone’s problems isn’t as scary as solving mine.”       “It’s okay, bro, the guys and I have no reason to be afraid this time,” Edward replies with his head proudly up.       “We can start to get ready for the next round in advance.”       “I’d be fucking happy to beat the face of anyone, who wants to do anything to you.”       “I bet one hundred dollars that your brother’s gotta go to fight in the next round.”       “Terry can handle this. I do believe in my brother and don’t doubt that he’ll protect you.”       “Anyway, thank you so much for helping me,” Peter smiles shyly. “Just like yesterday, I would’ve been dead if I had been here all alone.”       “Even if I’m the youngest one of us, no asshole dares to avoid problems in case they dare to harm my bros.”       “What would we do without our little hero? The hero with a lion’s heart! Nobody else can protect us much better.”       “Glad my efforts are worth it.”       Peter says nothing and takes Edward in a tight hug with a shy smile, while the black-haired man claps him slightly on the back. When they step away two seconds later, the men ruffle each other’s hair with a quiet laugh.       “Hey, do ya feel better now?” Edward expresses anxiety.       “Yup, much,” Peter nods confidently. “My mind’s a little clearer now. I didn’t the fuck understand where I was, who I was, and what I was…”       “Nevertheless, we should go to the hospital and make sure you’re really okay.”       “I’m really fine. I ain’t feel sick, my vision isn’t blurred… I just have pain in my body.” Peter massages one of his wrists a little. “Well… Maybe, my hand hurts a little…”       “So, the doctors will see if your hand is okay. Your head, which you hit when you were falling.”       “It’s surprising to hear these words from the one, who was jumped as if nothing happened after a strong hit on the head. Who aimed to run somewhere and do something when he barely woke up from anesthesia after the gun wound.”       “I’m allowed to,” Edward smiles slyly. “But my friends and close people must take care of themselves.”       “Huh, you’re fucking sly!”       “Alright, stop talking!” Edward claps his hands on his laps. “If you’ve come to yourself more or less, we’ll get up, go to catch a taxi, and go to the hospital for a check.”       “No, we will go home.”       “I said everything, Rose! We will go to the hospital – that’s out of the discussion!”       “Oh, oh, how threatful our boy is!” Peter raises his hands with a kind chuckle.       “If the doctors say you’re fine, you’ll go home and have a rest. I shall make sure you go to your home without problems, then call Helene and give you to her caring hands. Under Sammy’s close control.”       “But, Edward…”       “Stop, Peter, shut up!” Edward raises his hand with his palm on Peter. “We’ve talked about it, and I’ve decided on it.”       “Ar-r-r, alright, fuck you! Go to the hospital!”       “That’s good. I won’t have to bring out the heavy artillery as Terrence and Daniel. The older folks would kick your ass for the way you treat your health.”       “C’mon, get off! And stop acting like both of them: pretending to be a dad like MacClife and playing on my nerves like Perkins.”       “I’m silent about the way you three are playing on my nerves.”       “You know, MacClife, sometimes you’re also the pain in our asses.”       “Alright, Rose, really, shut up! You better get your holy ass up!”       “Hey, where’s my backpack?” Peter frowns slightly as he looks around. “Didn’t ya see it?”       “I think I saw it upstairs.” Edward gets up sharply. “Sit here, while I get up and take it.”       Edward gets upstairs quickly, finds Peter’s small backpack shortly, and takes it from the ground. After he shakes the dirt off it, the guy goes downstairs and gives this thing to his friend.       “Oh, thanks a lot,” Peter thanks and puts his backpack on his shoulders. “I forgot I took it off when that bastard attacked me.”       “That’s good we thought of putting on sneakers instead of roller skates.” Edward takes his bottle of water and puts it in his backpack that he takes and puts it on his shoulders. “Otherwise, you would’ve had much more serious traumas.”       “Nah, it’s okay, we had a cool time anyway,” Peter notices cheerfully with a wide smile. “We should repeat this race later again.”       “Yeah, I’ve never had a great love for skates, but today, I liked it so much.” Edward gives his hand to Peter and pulls him on himself when the blond takes it. “I really loved it.”       “I hope you’re gonna stand on them much more confidently next time.”       Peter puts his hand on his forehead with a sense of slight dizziness and leans with his second hand on the shoulder of Edward, who grabs him with no questions.       “Can you reach the road?” Edward asks. “Or would you prefer to wait here while I catch a taxi?”       “No, no, let’s go together,” Peter protests. “Go.”       “Don’t worry, we will be walking slowly. And if you feel too bad, we will sit down somewhere.”       “Okay. You’d really better stay near me. Since I still don’t feel too good.”       “Hold on, dude, hold on. We’ll fix you now and put you in order. Tomorrow or after tomorrow, you’ll be running and flying like a butterfly from one flower to another.”       Edward and Peter start going slowly straightly. MacClife, Jr. is holding his friend tightly and asking him regularly about his well-being as he does not move his eyes off him and does not leave him alone for a second. While Rose feels a little weakness, dizziness, and pain in his whole body, but tries not to complain and not to seem like a whining boy to his friend. He completely trusts the guy and tries to do everything he says, not hiding his happiness about the fact that he has not been alone all this time.       

***

      Today, Raquelle and Terrence decided to stay home, go nowhere, and do some homework they did not have time to do before. Even if they have helpers, who could do this, the soon-to-be spouses do prefer to put their room in order and watch the cleanness on their own. They spend some time washing the floors and detergent with an amazing smell, changing the bedclothes, and getting all the dirty clothes. They are not bored as they are cleaning, and the young people talk about something funny and interesting, deciding not to think about anything bad and to enjoy the together pastime that they have lately been able to dream about since they are too busy over the past few weeks.       “M-m-m, I do love sleeping on new bedclothes!” Terrence notices with a wide smile, fluffing the pillows after changing pillowcases on both of them. “It’s such an amazing feeling…”       “The smell of the new conditioner is really incredible,” Raquelle replies, cleaning the floors under the furniture in the room with the mop. “Isn’t it?”       “I agree, I’m grateful to Violetta for such a wonderful recommendation. I will tell her and the other ladies to buy it all the time.”       “Yeah, it’s time for some changes. To be honest, I’m a little sick of the previous smell, I wanted something new.”       “Okay, we’re done with the bedclothes!” Terrence announces with his head proudly raised after smoothing down the sheet.       “And I’m done with the floors,” Raquelle smiles shyly, cleaning the floor under the writing table. “It’s clean now.”       “Of course, I’m not a fan of cleaning, but it’s really interesting and easy with you.”       When Terrence wants to put on a big blanket with a changed duvet cover on the bed, Raquelle puts the mop aside and helps the man do this, smoothing the surface.       “Together homework improves any relationship, to your information,” Raquelle notices funnily.       “Hard to deny it,” Terrence agrees.       “What about together cooking? Choosing a recipe and having a dinner for both of us?”       “You know I’m for anything when the case is about food. Especially delicious food.”       “Ah, yeah, pardon, I shouldn't have even asked you about it. I didn’t think I’d have to cook all alone, and you wouldn’t even share it with me and would eat it yourself.”       After tucking a strand behind her ear, Raquelle takes the mop and goes to the bathroom. Terrence chuckles kindly at first, and then he takes all the dirty bedclothes and leaves the room to carry them into a laundry room. The girl leaves the mop in its place and washes the rag that is black from dirt and dust. When she does it, she washes her hand with liquid soap and cools her face a little with cold water to get rid of a sense of heat. After looking in the mirror the last time and fixing her hair brushed in a ponytail, Raquelle leaves the bathroom and returns to the room where she sees Terrence, smiling slyly as she looks at the man from head to feet and notices silently that his wide, tough naked back looks really sexy.       “Listen, you and I are a really great team!” Terrence notices confidently. “We did it faster than I thought.”       “Yeah, excellent job, pretty boy,” Raquelle replies with a wide smile.       At this moment, Terrence and Raquelle give each other a five.       “It couldn’t be otherwise!” Terrence crosses his arms over his chest. “I can do anything: tightening the screws, fixing the faucet, changing bedclothes, and washing the floor ‘till the gloss.”       “I must confess that you look freaking hot with a mop and a rag in your hands,” Raquelle smiles mysteriously. “I was really busy watching you when you were wiping dust off on high shelves.”       “You know, the role of a caring housewife fits you well.” Terrence caresses Raquelle tenderly on her cheek.       “M-m-m, is this a hint that I should be home and please your precious ass all day long?”       “You don’t have to, but you drive me crazy in this role not less than in the role of a fateful seducer from a photo and a runway.”       “Yeah, I forgot to say that our mixer barely works.” Raquelle caresses Terrence's face and then puts one arm around his neck, still caressing the man’s face with another hand and looking into his eyes closely. “And the microwave isn’t okay. Though I’m so scared when it sparks and makes sounds.”       “The hit is gotten, beautiful,” Terrence says confidently. “I’ll check out everything, fix everything, and solve everything.”       “Thanks, sweetheart,” Raquelle thanks and kisses Terrence sweetly on the tip of his nose. “You’re just a gem.”       “But when I do it all, I want to get a delicious dinner that consists of my favorite dishes from you.”       “I recommend that you make orders in advance, so I can finish them in time.”       “As you wish, honey.”       “So, since you and I worked so well together, we can relax a little and have some rest.”       Raquelle steps away from Terrence slowly and looks around.       “The floor’s clean, the bedclothes are changed, everything’s put in order… It’s much nicer to be in the room.”       “Oh, I’m enjoying it, too…” Terrence agrees, cracking his fingers and stretching himself up.       “I completely understand my grandpa, who cleans his home with love and care. I have such warm feelings after I see the perfect cleanness that I make by myself.”       “Yeah, but Mr. Cameron has a lot of time to do this. And you and I are busy people. When do we work on this when you have regular shootings, and I’m getting ready for the album release with my boys?”       “I know, but we’re very lucky today. I’m free, and you didn’t go anywhere.”       “I hope my fools won’t do anything stupid, while I don't watch them.”       “Still playing a severe daddy?” Raquelle chuckles kindly and comes to the dressing table to fix her hair a little.       “Shouldn’t I?” Terrence comes to his half of the bed and puts the stuff he has on the table near it in order. “When I barely weaken the grip, they start doing some bullshit.”       “So, are you our right guy, who doesn’t do anything bad?”       “Of course, I am! Because I’m a mature, responsible, and wise man, who must watch some kids carefully. Even if they do really love playing on my nerves.”       “Well, while your boys love doing bullshit, my girls are always behaving well,” Raquelle says with her head proudly raised. “I don’t have to run after them with a mop and teach them life, as the oldest one of us.”       “Lucky… I’m suffering.”       “My ladies are fine fellows. If they have to, they kick the ass of their men.”       “M-m-m, it seems like I’m starting to understand who encourages them to be untamed,” Terrence smiles slyly. “I see why my boys have to suffer.”       “Ha, let me ask you, why did you the fuck decide that we’d be sweet and obedient?” Raquelle wonders, rounding her eyes, and turns on Terrence. “When did it start?”       “Learn the history, babe. Girls have obeyed men, who could not be deprived of the title of the home’s head, in all times.”       “We aren’t your family yet. So, don’t open your mouth too widely. And don’t hope to do this even after the wedding and the birth of children.”       “Well, everything is clear about you. You were a harmful and headstrong bitch a few years ago, and you still are. Nothing has changed!”       “Glad you started to understand it after almost two years of our affair,” Raquelle smiles innocently.       “It’s okay you’re playing a bitch, but don’t make my boys’ girls the same.”       “Why do you think I make them the same?”       Raquelle comes confidently to Terrence, looking into his eyes with a sly smile.       “The girls can do anything they want to their men. It’s none of my business. I’ve gotta deal with my miracle in feathers.”       “But when do they complain the girls are pretending to be hard to reach and love driving them crazy for hours?”       “So, can your boys do this, but my girls can’t do this?”       “Yes!”       “Don’t you all wanna go to hell?”       Raquelle turns around sharply, comes to her half of the bed, sits down, and moves slightly some things on the table.       “Alright, let’s leave these idiots alone,” Terrence suggests, jumps on the bed and lies comfortably behind Raquelle. “Let’s better think about how we can have a funny and interesting time today.”       “I can ask the servants to go to have some rest and give you a bucket and a rag,” Raquelle replies. “So, you wash the floors in the whole house on your knees.”       “What? Manually?”       “What? You wouldn’t have to go to the gym glass! It would be a good alternative for an intense workout!”       “Wanna torture me the way Rose tortures Perkins when they go to the fitness club together?”       “Beauty requires sacrifices, honey. If you wanna keep yourself in good shape and have a beautiful, trained body, you’ve gotta work hard again and again.”       “My body is absolutely fine!”       Terrence claps on his stomach with both hands, walking proudly in just long black pants on an elastic.       “You just look at this miracle! Isn’t it better than Apollo himself?”       “Oh, Terrence, here you go again…” Raquelle rolls her eyes.       “Starting the end of August, this masterpiece is gonna belong to you officially. You will be the bitch, who everyone’s gonna be jealous of, for all my fans.”       “Aren’t you afraid I may get sick of this beauty before the wedding day?”       “Why should you?” Terrence opens his eyes widely.       “Isn’t it so hard to put on a t-shirt? Or a hoodie? So, I rarely see you half-naked! And don’t count the number of cubs on your stomach all the time!”       “Actually, I’m at my home and can walk in anything I want. Even one underwear or without it.”       “And they say girls do love provoking men with explicit dresses.” Raquelle chuckles nervously. “As if you don’t use the chance to give yourself to us.”       “By the way, it’s a very gorgeous offer. Which has always been super popular. Missing which would’ve made you an absolute fool.”       “Sometimes I ask myself if I wasn’t an idiot when I didn’t piss off this ‘gorgeous offer’ at all.”       “You made one of the best decisions in your life.” Terrence kisses Raquelle sweetly on the cheek, holding her by the shoulders. “Which made me as happy as never ever before.”       “Listen, MacClife, if you don’t stop dropping hints at your wish to be taken now, you’re gonna be in great trouble,” Raquelle threatens with a sweet smile.       “And what should I do?”       “Dress up!”       “What if I don’t want?”       “I don’t care what you want!”       “I actually feel hot.”       “Turn on the air conditioner.” Raquelle closes her eyes when Terrence grabs her tenderly by the throat and runs his lips over her auricle. “But don’t get a cool while you’re cooling yourself down. I don’t wanna get infected from you. I’ve got so much to do.”       “Well, you infected me a long time ago,” Terrence replies in a much lower voice with a mysterious smile. “You infected me with the illness called ‘Love.’”       Terrence leaves a short kiss on Raquelle’s shoulder, which he also caresses tenderly, playing with a tiny strap of her top.       “Stop asking for trouble,” Raquelle says in a soft, quiet voice. “Can you hear me?”       “I have no idea of which trouble you’re talking about,” Terrence purrs and leaves a tender kiss on the nape of Raquelle’s neck with a blissful smile.       “This trouble!”       Raquelle turns on Terrence, lies him on the bed with one sharp movement, sits over him, squeezes the man’s wrists, and presses them to the bed.       “The one you won’t be able to get rid of so easily.”       “Whoa, whoa, easy, tiger!” Terrence smiles widely with a gloss in his eyes. “I wasn’t ready!”       “As if you come to me and start to feel me up and lick me at a good moment.”       Raquelle brings her face to Terrence’s lips for a slow but super exciting kiss, during which she moans sensually.       “M-m-m, that was hot!” Terrence exclaims with a smug smile.       “I told you not to walk in front of me like this,” Raquelle says into Terrence’s lips in a low, seducing voice. “I told you, ‘Dress up, Terrence, dress up…’ But you didn’t listen to me.”       “And something tells me I did the right thing. Because you cooked a super delicious dessert for me.”       “I hope you don’t mind anything spicy. Because it’s gonna be freaking burning. So burning that you may take your breath away.”       Raquelle leaves a couple of short kisses on the area behind Terrence’s ear tenderly, with no rush, breathing on it with hot or cold air.       “Oh, yay, babe, kiss me everywhere…” Terrence makes a moan full of enjoyment with closed eyes. “Show me everything you can do.”       “Don’t rush, Apollo,” Raquelle says confidently and runs her half-open mouth over the auricle of Terrence, whose heart stops for a moment due to the tender whisper that echoes in his temples. “I just started it.”       “You can undress yourself now and give yourself to the real horse. And spread your beautiful legs. I wouldn’t mind it at all.”       “M-m-m, someone’s about to finish again after just one innocent kiss.” Raquelle tickles playfully the area behind Terrence’s ear with the tip of her tongue and smiles slyly. “Judging by the way your tough penis is getting into my stomach.”       “I don’t need much time to feel like drunk. Charmed by my gorgeous lady vampire.”       “I’m sorry, Terrence, but your pleasure is gonna last long. Very long.”       Raquelle bites Terrence's ear tenderly and pulls it slightly.       “No matter how much I want to attack you and tear these fucking pants and underwear, I will not rush. Because I want to enjoy the moment fully. Enjoy your body. Enjoy every single centimeter of it.”       “I’m all yours, babe,” Terrence says in a little hoarse voice with a blissful smile and exhales loudly when Raquelle runs her lips over the curve of his neck and bites slightly the skin on it with her teeth. “Do anything you want to me.”       “I don’t need your permission to do something. I am a free bird that decides what, when, and where everything is gonna happen.”       This time, Raquelle gives Terrence a more assertive kiss that is still full of tenderness, however, during which the girl caresses, pulls, bites, and licks his lips. While the man himself tenses every single muscle of his body and has to breathe much heavier and deeper. The fast heartbeat echoes in his temples, and any touch of the lady’s hands is like an electric wave, which makes his skin cover with slight goosebumps.       “Pur-r-r, I haven’t seen you so heated for ages,” Terrence bites his bottom lip.       “You aren’t the only one to be able to feel me up anywhere you want,” Raquelle smiles mysteriously, grabs Terrence’s chin tenderly, and leaves a short kiss between it and the front of his neck, hearing his defeating moan. “I wanna play and tease you a little, too.”       “Want me to give up on you shortly? Or do I pretend to be an inaccessible girl? That loves showing off and saying something like, ‘No, no, don’t do this!’ While her body is literally screaming about how much it wants to be in the strong and trustworthy arms of the real man.”       “You decide who you’re gonna be today. Since it doesn’t change all my plans.”       After leaving a few kisses on his collarbones, Raquelle starts going down and down and pays attention to Terrence’s naked torso which is literally spreading the heat, running her soft hands over it and caressing every part of it with her lips. She does everything very, very slowly, being deeply busy with this process with a wish to enjoy what’s happening and breathes in the natural skin of his body that possesses the lady’s mind more and more and gets her attracted to the owner of it like a magnet.       “Can you clarify how long you’re gonna torture me like this?” Terrence asks.       “When you, bastard, start to howl louder than a hungry dog,” Raquelle says determinedly.       “Don’t ya see I’m burning? How much I wanna possess your body?”       “I see…” Raquelle runs her finger playfully over Terrence’s chest. “But it’s not enough. Not to even think about trying to turn back.”       “Okay, then just let my hands go, so I can caress your body? Why are you the fuck still holding them?”       “Yeah?” Raquelle leans on Terrence’s forehead tightly. “What else should I do for you? Let you get into me?”       “Oh, yay!” Terrence provokes with a challenge in his eyes. “I want you to death.”       “When you want me much more, we’ll talk then!”       Anyway, Raquelle lets Terrence’s hands go and starts caressing his face and pulling his hair slightly when their lips connect for a tender, continuous kiss. Of course, the man uses it, running his hands confidently over the girl’s arms, shoulders, the curves of her waist, and her back and squeezing the lady’s buttocks with pressure. To add some fuel to the fire, she lets her tongue get into her fiancé’s half-open mouth and runs it over his palate slowly as if she is feeling the ground. That’s why the man’s body shakes, and every part of it gets filled with tormenting tension.       “M-m-m, I already feel how tense you are…” Raquelle smiles smugly.       “If you keep doing the same, I won’t be responsible for myself,” Terrence warns in a low, quiet voice.       “I don’t belong to myself anymore. You charmed me like a vampire.”       “I can’t wait for us to get married, so you become mine officially.”       “Are you still thinking naively that something’s gonna change after this?”       “I’d like to believe it.”       “Okay, keep believing if it makes you feel better.”       Raquelle leaves a few exciting kisses on the curve of Terrence's lips with quiet, sensual moans and caresses another ear of him a little since she has not given attention to it yet. The man’s arms are pressing the girl as close to his body as possible, and his hands are sliding chaotically over her back, while the lady’s hot lips are examining his half-naked body to find all the most sensitive areas. And at some moment, Raquelle kisses Terrence on the lips again and gets so busy caressing them that she does not notice how he lies her on the bed for one moment and raises himself above her, taking control of the kiss, despite his fiancée’s moaning protests.       “It’s much better now!” Terrence smiles widely. “You see, you wanted to give orders here!”       “Yeah, my sweetheart, you have zero patience,” Raquelle laughs shyly. “We’ve been training it for so long, but nothing is working yet.”       “Damn, babe, which patience are you talking about when I have such a stung cutie by my side?” Terrence covers Raquelle’s neck with short, impatient kisses, making the girl make a deafening moan, bend her back backward, and lean her head back with no problems. “Do you actually think when you say something like this?”       “I’m kinda able to hold myself down, even when you walk almost naked in front of me and pronounce yourself the lord of male beauty?’       “Hey, isn’t that the truth?” Terrence runs his lips over the curve of Raquelle’s neck and pinches the skin on it tenderly. “Would you dare to say I’m not perfection?”       “Oh, yeah, you’re perfect! Perfect at self-praising! Nobody can do it better than you. Your friends are trying so hard, but nobody can do this.”       “Because nobody, who could replace me, has come to this world yet. You will never find my twin.”       “Yeah, I haven’t met anyone, who would love themselves with such true, deep, and real love.”       “Oh, c’mon, Cameron, shut up! You’re wasting time! You better relax and enjoy everything I can give you. Everything you wouldn’t get if you didn’t choose me.”       Terrence brings his face to Raquelle’s lips for a cheeky and assertive kiss, grabbing her by the hair on the top of her head tightly in passion. While she presses him much closer to herself by the back of his head and runs her free hand fast over his whole male torso, enjoying the feeling of every tense muscle and smooth skin on it. Voluptuous moans get out of their mouths by themselves, their hearts are working at maximum capacity, the mind is clouded with feelings is focused on just one thing, and the body shakes and is covered with goosebumps due to the intolerable desire to get much closer to each other.       “Oh, MacClife, you’re just imitable…” Raquelle whispers with a blissful smile and rolls her eyes when Terrence caresses her ear with his lips, breathing on the area behind it, and leaving a couple of tender kisses on it.       “It’s been so long, but you’re still as sexy as you were on the day we met for the first time,” Terrence notices in a low voice. “My mind’s still blowing freaking hard…”       “Yeah… Nothing has changed since then… You’re still the same asshole… An insolent and selfish penguin.”       “And you’re still the annoying bitch that has never stopped playing on my nerves. But who drives me crazy with just one look.”       Terrence leaves a few short, impatient kisses on the curve of Raquelle’s neck, running his hand over her breasts, which he massages with pressure. That’s why the girl biting her lips painfully makes a much louder moan and squeezes the sheet with the fingers of one hand.       “It’s so good we’re having a free day,” Terrence purrs with enjoyment. “Good not to be in a rush and enjoy every second. I can play with my wild cat enough.”       “I see someone really wants the wild cat to scratch his gorgeous face with her claws,” Raquelle smiles slyly.       “And she’s dreaming of me tearing her fucking top, taking off her shorts, and spreading her long slim legs.”       Terrence raises Raquelle’s top sharply to see her flat belly that he caresses with his warm hands and covers with short kisses, making the girl feel an all-embracing ecstasy and making her bend backward with the thought that her heart is kind of beating on her temples.       “If you try hard, I shall take it all off at my wish…” Raquelle pronounces in a low voice. “At my wish…”       “Would you have a choice, baby?” Terrence chuckles, running his hands over the curves of Raquelle’s waist. “Of course, you will take it off! Of course, I will do my best to see you naked!”       “M-m-m, what a self-confidence!”       “As always! Everything’s stable for me in this case.”       Terrence goes down and down and runs his hands over Raquelle’s thighs and laps, noticing silently how silky the skin of them is.       “It’s already hot between your legs,” Terrence notices with a smug smile, running his hand over the inside of Raquelle’s burning thighs. “Very hot…”       Terrence touches Raquelle’s crotch with the tip of his fingers.       “And how wet my girl is… M-m-m…” Terrence runs his hand slowly but determinedly underneath Raquelle's shorts and stimulates her clitoris with tender, teasing movements, seeing that she starts breathing much deeper and heavier with closed eyes and moving her thighs smoothly. “It seems like you’re gonna break the record of getting excited. It’s gonna be enough for me just to touch you with a finger, so you’re ready to finish.”       “Ar-r-r, you’re a bastard…” Raquelle growls quietly with enjoyment.       “Quiet, quiet, Raquelle, don’t be so nervous,” Terrence whispers with a sly smile, still working his fingers in Raquelle’s vagina. “I’m doing nothing special yet. Nothing…”       Terrence leaves a couple of kisses on Raquelle’s abdomen, squeezes both of her breasts with his hands, and stimulates the lady’s tough nipples with his thumbs, enjoying the way the girl is expressing her pleasure loudly, without shyness.       “Yay, babe, keep doing this…” Terrence nods slowly, leaves a couple of kisses on the open part of Raquelle’s breasts, and runs his lips over her collarbones. “Keep doing… I do love watching the way my wild cat is bending. And hearing her moan. It does make me fucking excited…”       At this moment, Raquelle presses Terrence sharply to herself, putting her arms around his waist, leaves a short, assertive kiss on his lips, runs them over the curve of the man’s neck, and bites the area under his chin strongly enough.       “Hey!” Terrence shakes sharply and slaps Raquelle playfully on her nose. “Biting isn’t allowed!”       “I’m allowed to do anything!” Raquelle says confidently and bites another area on Terrence’s neck.       “Raquelle! I’m gonna get a bruise now!”       “I just mark my property.”       “That’s how?”       Terrence leaves a bite on the front of Raquelle’s neck and pinches the skin on it for two seconds, while she is thrilling with laughter and hitting him slightly on his arms.       “Hey, lemme go, it’s tickling!” Raquelle demands playfully. “Terrence! Hey! Get off! Get off, I said!”       “Since you’ve marked me, I wanna leave my mark on you, too,” Terrence says confidently and runs the tip of his tongue over the area on Raquelle’s neck.       “I am covered with your marks! Made with your lips, your hands, and your tongue!”       “Marks don’t happen much!”       When Terrence squeezes her breasts like a boss, Raquelle grabs his face tightly and, squeezing her fiancé’s jaw, kisses him on the lips assertively. In passion, she presses the man much closer to herself, runs her free hand through his hair, and pulls it strongly, while MacClife, Sr.’s fingers sink into the lady’s buttocks. The burning wave of the heat is spreading through over the body exponentially and getting stronger just like a hurricane, and every kiss and every touch makes them close to falling into the abyss of bliss.       “Maybe, we should stop before it’s too late?” Raquelle suggests in a whisper.       “Are you serious?” Terrence wonders and pulls Raquelle’s lips tenderly.       “I’m losing control of me… If it keeps happening, I’ll fuck everything off.”       “Don’t pretend that you don’t want me.”       “I want…” Raquelle runs her tongue over Terrence's palate with a sensual moan and presses herself much closer to his body when their tongues contact, as if electricity gets through every single cell of their bodies. “M-m-m… So badly…”       “Then close your mouth and get all these stupid things outta your head ‘cause I will ignore it anyway,” Terrence says into Raquelle’s mouth in a low voice.       “Terrence…”       “I told you to shut up, bitch!”       Terrence covers furiously the front of Raquelle’s neck with assertive kisses, disarming the girl easily and making her melt like wax from all his persistent and insolent caresses and choke on the wave of emotions that possesses her.       “That’s what I want to see you like,” Terrence smiles widely. “Being ready to give up to me… Dying of the desire to be as close to me as possible…”       “Okay,” Raquelle pronounces in a low voice. “I got it… You made your decision… You decided to do ‘till the end.”       “You know that I always get what I want. And this time is not an exclusion.”       “Yeah, but you stopped me at the most interesting moment.” Raquelle sits up slowly and raises Terence’s face by the chin, holding it with one finger and literally looking through his soul thanks to her close glance into his eyes. “You didn’t let me end what I started.”       I won’t let you mock me for a few hours.”       “You know, pretty boy, I ain’t gonna tolerate your tricks forever.”       “Don’t worry, Cameron, I know you can’t really want to work your mouth enough.” Terrence runs his thumb over Raquelle’s lips. “But I promise you will get this opportunity soon.”       “I never asked you for permission for one or another action, and I won’t do this.”       After putting her hand on the back of Terrence's head, Raquelle presses him sharply to herself and gets him involved in such a passionate kiss that everything stops inside him, and he feels a strong dizziness.       “And if I want to throw you on the bed, undress you, and make you get an orgasm, you will have to play this game with me,” Raquelle says confidently. “You, asshole, will have to finish. So, that you can lose your voice.”       “I guess I shouldn't have gotten in touch with such a crazy lady,” Terrence laughs playfully.       “Just let me know, so I give you back the ring that I’m wearing on my wedding finger.”       “Oh, no! Soon, I shall put one more ring on it, so you become my by all the laws.”       “Then, shut up and get ready to have something spicy soon.” Raquelle runs the tip of her tongue over Terrence's auricle and the area behind it. “Soon, I shall release the bird from the cage and let it fly as high as possible. High, high.”       “The bird won’t fly high alone, it will do it with one more bird.” Terrence leaves a tender kiss on the curve of Raquelle’s neck, taking the elastic off her hair and running his fingers through it. “A very attractive birdie…”       “May the passenger of the board give a sign of being ready to go to the unforgettable erotic adventure.”       “He's always ready!” Terrence pronounces with a wide smile.       “Is he warned that he can’t come back if he changes his mind?”       “He won’t change his mind.”       “So, we’re moving on…”       Coming back to her original tactic, Raquelle gets Terrence involved in a very tender and slow kiss on the kiss, during which she caresses his face, head, and shoulders. The man presses the girl as close to himself as possible and gets “infected” with her tenderness and does the same things, even if it does not stop him from narrowing the zone of caresses and still lets himself caress every part of his fiancée’s body. However, she does not also limit herself, running her hands confidently over his naked back and chest, sliding to his thighs and knees, and touching his penis as if accidentally. The lovers make quiet moans when they feel the goosebumps running over their bodies when their tongues contact and start fighting one another. There is no shyness in their eyes, their bodies do not show any signs of insecurity, and all their actions are determined.       At some moment, Raquelle and Terrence break the kiss, look into each other’s eyes full of bright fire closely, and swallow up loudly, literally begging each other not to stop and to let this unforgettable pleasure last longer. Begging that nothing stops them from satisfying this special sense of hunger and breathing like sprinters after a long and intense race. The girl puts her arms around the man’s neck and wraps his waist with her legs, sitting comfortably between his legs and sticking her breasts proudly up, while the warm hands of her fiancé are holding her by the curves of her slim waist or sliding over her naked back that she bends unconsciously. A heavy breath burns the lips, on which their half-closed eyes are set, the mind is getting more clouded due to the special small that every one of them spreads, and irresistible affection takes a prize in this battle.       When they get sick of playing this game and decide to let their passionate character take control and dominate, the lovers connect their lips for a much hotter and more assertive kiss with heavy inhales and exhales. It looks like this is a truly desired breath of hair for them, and they lack it now so badly. Their hands slide chaotically over each other’s head, neck, shoulders, arms, chest, and stomach, they sometimes make quiet moans or some unclear phrases, and a blissful smile shows up on their faces and says everything for them.       Terrence does not have time to realize how Raquelle takes control over him again, lying him on the bed with just one push, lies over him, and starts pulling, biting, and sucking his lips assertively. She is letting her thighs rub the man’s groin slowly but confidently to make him suffer from a tormenting tension and wild fantasies that he is creating in his wild mind. She exhales loudly after every kiss that she leaves on the neck of her fiancé, reaching his wide shoulders, muscled arms, his chest that is rising and falling heavily, and his tough stomach.       All this time, Terrence is lying on the bed and smiling blissfully as he sets his bedroom eyes up to the ceiling and shakes sharply after every contact of Raquelle’s soft hands with his skin with the thought that his head goes around, and his heart starts dancing wildly. He understands he would be really happy to take off his pants and let out what tells clearly about his sexual tension so hard. He would not be able to hide it at all, even if he really wanted it. It possessed MacClife, Sr.’s whole body that is under the control of the fateful beauty, who does not doubt what she should do to make her sweetheart moan and make him beg her to stop this unbearable but such sweet torture.       

***

      Natalia, Helene, and Anna decide not to stay home and feel bored all alone, and they met in the city to walk a little and breathe in some air. Marshall did not leave her doggy Sammy alone and took him with him, and the girls did not mind it at all. At first, the friends spend some time playing with the pet, which they have been so attracted to since they met him. And then they go to the popular park where many people of different ages are usually walking here in daylight, succumbing to the temptation to buy ice cream after passing by a small store. And even if they agreed not to think about what’s been lately happening, they come back to this at some moment anyway.       “No, no, luckily, Sammy is fine,” Helene says with a slight smile, holding a wafer cup with vanilla ice cream in one hand and the leash, with which she is controlling Sammy, in another hand. “He lied a little, ate, slept, and felt great in the morning.”       “He suffered a lot because of that stinker,” Anna replies with sadness in her eyes, yanking Sammy by his ear as she is holding a chocolate popsicle in her second hand. “Sammy even had some blood on his hair and nose.”       “Yeah, it was a monster…” Natalia throws gloomily, eating pistachio ice cream with milt in a plastic glass with a small spoon. “Someone doesn’t mercy people and beats animals…”       “And Julian and his father! You should’ve seen how strongly they pushed him off themselves with their feet when he was trying to protect the lads and me!”       “Edward was right when he somehow said there were people, who only understood the language of force.”       “Anyway, Sammy is a fine fellow,” Helene replies confidently. “He didn’t get confused and did everything he could do.”       “Yeah, what a smart dog!” Natalia exclaims. “He understood he should’ve asked for help immediately.”       “It’s partly good everything happened not far from the house of Daniel and me,” Anna notices. “Otherwise, Peter would’ve become a victim of that man.”       “You say Perkins brought him in a terrible condition?”       “Yeah, when I saw him, I was really horrified! Peter could barely stand on his feet and was breathing heavily and coughing, and there were bruises on his body. And that track from the rope on his neck…”       “Can’t believe the case is much more serious than we thought,” Helene sighs heavily. “I hoped nothing would happen until the very end.”       At this moment, Sammy moves his eyes to Helene and barks quietly with sadness in his eyes.       “It seems like someone surrounded themselves with a lot of henchmen if different people attacked Rose in both cases,” Natalia assumes.”       “Yeah, if we have to ask Mr. Johnson for help, we’ll have to describe the appearance of many people,” Anna agrees.       “Anyway, the chance to find the leader of the gang is zero now,” Helene notices with sadness in her eyes. “These henchmen didn’t drop any hints at who it was. And whether Peter knew them at all.”       “What if Peter does know what’s happening?” Natalia asks hesitantly. “Yes, he says he knows nothing, but what’s if it’s otherwise?”       “Oh, I dunno, Natalia… I’m starting to doubt that Pete really hides nothing from us.”       “But he does completely understand that he can’t do it all alone!” Anna protests. “He does know he won’t be able to hide anything since we know everything. The guys were witnesses to the first attack on him.”       “Remember, we barely made him tell all the truth when he tried to kill himself,” Natalia recalls. “Before then, the blond refused to talk about his problems.”       “No, girls, Peter doesn’t lie to us. He really knows nothing. He doesn’t know why some scum tried to strangle him a few miles away from Perkins’ home.”       “Anyway we will know the truth early or late.”       “Yeah, but what do we do before someone gets sick of it?” Helene wonders. “I can’t guarantee that they will leave Rose alone someday. Can’t be sure they won’t decide to deal with one of us.”       “Honestly, I’m a little scared that the man was near the house of Daniela and me,” Anna expresses anxiety. “And I wouldn’t be surprised if he’d seen where Perkins and Rose went after everything ended.”       “Didn’t they say someone watched them at that moment?”       “Nope, the guys said nothing about it.”       “Yeah, it’s really bad,” Natalia agrees. “In this case, Perkins is gonna be on the hook. And you.”       “And these people wouldn’t miss a chance to get rid of the best friend of Pete,” Helene adds.       “That’s what’s bothering me,” Anna replies and bites a piece of her ice cream. “Now I don’t feel safe, and I’m a little afraid to stay home alone.”       “I get it, sweetie,” Natalia pronounces softly.       “But I can’t get Daniel to be with me all the time. It would be wrong. And you know he hates any kind of limits.”       “Anyway, you’re living in a very good neighborhood where almost everyone knows each other. Even if the neighbors of Dan and you see someone suspicious near your home, they will call the police shortly.”       “I know, but I’m scared anyway.”       “As if I’m not scared…” Helene sighs tiredly. “I won’t protect myself and help my grandma in case someone finds us. Yes, our neighbors and we get on well, but they’re all busy with their business and wouldn’t watch all the suspicious people near our apartment.”       Sammy gives his very important opinion by barking confidently multiple times.       “Why else do you need Sammy, honey?” Natalia wonders. “Do you think he wouldn’t tear the ass of any stinker, who would just love to look at you badly?”       “Yeah, as he barely managed to protect Peter, everything’s gonna be not so easy.”       “Of course, Sammy loves our blond very much, but you are his owner. He would bite anyone’s head for his owner. For her, the doggy would be fighting for death.”       Again, Sammy barks very confidently.       “Sammy did everything he could do in this situation,” Anna says softly. “He didn’t leave Pete and did his best to save him from that stinker. And he pushed Daniel out of home and took him with him.”       “Even if Sammy can’t do this on his own, he can always find a way to get someone’s support,” Natalia assures. “If robbers start breaking into the apartment of you and Mrs. Marshall, he will call all of your neighbors, so they take measures.”       “And it’s amazing, to be honest,” Helene flashes a slight smile. “Retrievers aren’t aggressive and weren’t born to protect someone. Some German shepherds would be good for us.”       “Any dog would stand for their owner!” Natalia pets Sammy’s head softly. “Even such sweet and puffy creatures as Sammy.”       “Moreover, you train him regularly,” Anna adds. “You teach him, give him orders, swear at him for his bad behavior, and praise him for his good behavior.”       “I’m madly lucky my boy is so smart and obedient,” Helene replies and laughs shyly when Sammy butts his head with her leg. “When I saw him as a baby for the first time, we got a chemical reaction immediately. Of course, all the puppies were cute, but this one stole my soul and heart.”       “Yeah, Marshall, you took this treasure in time!” Anna smiles widely. “Otherwise, someone else would’ve gotten him.”       “She takes everything in time!” Natalia chuckles kindly. “A few seconds before someone puts an eye on it. Just like in the case of Pete and Sammy.”       While Natalia and Anna laugh shyly, Sammy barks quietly, and Helene yanks him by the ears with the hand, in which she is holding the leash.       “Oh, to be serious, what do we do to this?” Helene asks. “How do we get out of this thing?”       “I wish I knew it…” Natalia pronounces thoughtfully and eats some ice cream.       “Peter was really lucky yesterday,” Anna notices. “Lucky to stay alive after that hell. But it doesn’t mean it’s not gonna happen today or tomorrow.”       “As far as I know, he's not alone now. Edward’s with him.”       “They’re at someone’s home?”       “Nope, they kinda wanted to ride on roller skates somewhere in the city.”       “Can Edward do this?” Anna wonders.”       “I guess he can since he agreed. But honestly, I’ve never seen him on roller skates.”       “But Daniel rides on them like crazy.”       “And Peter is really good at it,” Helene confesses. “They kinda often rode together somewhere in the city and met a group of rollers, who taught them a couple of tricks.”       “Aha, and our imitable and indispensable Terrence is afraid to ride on them to death,” Natalia laughs shyly. “He’s been stuck since he hit his head in childhood.”       “Yeah, our perfect Terry turned out to be not so perfect,” Anna flashes a slight smile.       “C’mon, girls, even superheroes have their own shortcomings!” Helene exclaims, pushing Natalia walking next to her in the rib.       “If someone managed to make MacClife stand on skates and push him on the rink, they would probably get a monument,” Natalia says thoughtfully.       “Well, this hero hasn’t been born yet…”       “But Edward could try to do this,” Anna notices. “I think if he decides to do this, Terrence would have to do anything his brother would say.”       “Maybe, he will try to someday,” Natalia shrugs. “But we haven’t gotten any announcement of the challenge yet.”       “So, we’ll be waiting.”       Sammy barks confidently two times.       “At least, I’m happy Peter is not alone now,” Helene exhales with relief. “With a guy like Edward, you can go even to the place of the beast. Because that guy would deal with anyone.”       “Oh, yay, our Edward loves fighting some beasts,” Anna chuckles kindly. “Someone can’t live without sweet food, someone’s weaned to cigarettes or alcohol, but MacClife, Jr. gets pleasure when he has a chance to beat someone’s face.”       “Yeah, he’d have the pleasure to do this now. This guy lived without fights for several months ‘cause everything was fine before.”       “Edward does it just to protect his friends and close people!” Natalia explains. “He would never attack someone without a reason.”       “Yeah, but agree that he gets a great pleasure from it,” Anna notices.       “You’re right, he loves it.” Natalia smiles widely. “But he’s my cutie anyway! The best man in the world, who I’m madly lucky with.”       “Nobody says he’s bad,” Helene replies. “Vice versa, all of us like Edward. Yes, he’s a strange guy at times, but he’s very good anyway.”       Sammy barks confidently in approval.       “Anyway, if Peter is with Edward now, there is no doubt that nothing’s threatening him,” Natalia says confidently.       “I wish, Natalia,” Helene pronounces thoughtfully. “And actually, I feel much quieter when he’s with someone from the lads. I’m super nervous when he’s alone due to the current situation.”       “Daniel said they’d be seriously talking about the need to be next to Peter by one in case someone else wanna do something to him,” Anna confesses. “Because… The situation is really getting harder and harder.”       “It would be much better if they really contacted Mr. Johnson.”       “What can he do, Helene?” Natalia wonders. “We can tell him one asshole has tried to kill Peter two times. What’s next?”       “I dunno… But the men did memorize the one, who did it on the day of the latest show. And Daniel can describe the one, who almost strangled the blond with a rope.”       “It may not change the situation,” Anna notices. “What if those deadbeats have never been caught in any crimes before.”       “At least, we do know the stinker, who attacked Pete after the show, was taken to the police station,” Helene recalls.       “And nobody knows what happened next,” Natalia replies. “Maybe, he was just questioned, made him pay a penalty, and released him. Threatening their finger and saying, ‘Don’t do this anymore!’”       “It’s kind of good ‘cause that man is on the hook of the police from now on. They do know he committed a crime. It means that man is no longer innocent and good in the eyes of law.”       Sammy barks quietly, still following Helene obediently, while she pets his head softly.       “Anyway, until our men are together and united, they can get through anything,” Anna says with a slight smile.       “Nobody doubts it,” Natalia agrees.       “Yeah, I’m madly grateful to them for being next to my man,” Helene says.       “Just like they’re grateful to you for saving him from self-destruction one day. If not for your love and care, we would’ve lost Pete a long time ago.”       “No, no, I don’t even wanna think about it! Without Peter, my life will have no meaning.”       “Don’t worry, sweetie, the lads won't let anyone hurt him,” Anna encourages, stroking Helene’s shoulder. “Daniel promised to tear apart personally anyone, who would dare to attack Peter.”       “Terrence and Edward will not stay aside, either,” Natalia adds. “Rose has no reason to worry with them next to him.”       “I know, girls,” Helene smiles shyly. “And I’m really happy Pete met such wonderful friends.”       “Think this is his reward for many years of suffering and bullying,” Anna shrugs. “When people treated him like something disgusting without a reason.”       Sammy barks confidently multiple times.       “You and I should be next to him, too,” Natalia notices. “Not just men. Peter is all alone. He doesn’t have a family, and his mother literally betrayed him by preferring a bottle of vodka over her own son”       “And let’s not forget he’s still struggling with his mental issues,” Anna adds. “Yes, Pete feels much better now, but he doesn’t hide that he sometimes struggles with a wish to harm himself as it’s some kind of habit.”       “I’m praying so hard that this hell doesn’t impact his mental health,” Helene sighs heavily. “That our efforts are really worth it. If those stinkers manage to break him down, we’ll literally have to start it all over again.”       “Wouldn’t be surprised,” Natalia pronounces with anxiety. “Yes, Pete has taken a long enough way with our help, but he’s too far from the full recovery.”       “At least, Rose doesn’t deny that he’s still sick,” Anna notices. “He openly talks about his feelings and ain’t shy of asking for help if he feels bad.”       “Nevertheless, the blond can piss everything off and show himself as a very brave and determined man when the case is about his close people,” Helene adds. “Nobody can say he’s cowardly and always hides behind the men’s back.”       “At least, he was awesome when the men had to protect my parents and me from Julian and his father,” Anna notices shyly.       “He did what any truly loyal friend would do,” Natalia shrugs.       Sammy barks quietly one time, while Helene, who has already eaten her ice cream, takes her mobile phone after it makes a loud one-time signal.       “It’s okay, girls, we will be watching Peter closely and helping him with everything we can,” Natalia promises confidently with a slight smile. “This time, he will not be alone.”       “Besides, we’ve always understood that he’s gonna take a long way to get healed,” Anna adds. “Rose would hardly get well for one or two weeks.”       “Exactly!”       “Do you think I’ve healed after everything the Potters did to me? Not at all! I still may doubt something, and I’m afraid of aggression from a man to death. I feel bad when I think about how Julian was mocking me. About how his fist turned out two centimeters away from my face.”       “As if I began to treat what I had to get through because of Eugene Wainwright.” Natalia sighs heavily. “Yes, he’s dead, but the memories will always be alive. And I won’t be able to do anything.”       “But with the help of our men, we can get through anything.” Anna hugs Natalia around the shoulders. “I am sure about it.”       “They’re the only ones to save us from not going crazy.”       Sammy barks determinedly.       “Dogs also do their business,” Natalia says with a slight smile.       “Especially such good and cute ones as our Sammy,” Anna adds.       Sammy barks again, wagging his tail energetically and looking amicably at Anna and Natalia. While Helene opens her eyes widely and gets sharply pale after examining some information on the screen of her smartphone.       “Oh, my God, girls…” Helene pronounces with horror in her eyes.       “What’s wrong, Helene?” Natalia asks.       “You’re kinda pale and scared,” Anna notices, eating the last piece of her chocolate popsicle.       “Peter…” Helene pronounces in a little shaking voice, not moving her eyes off the screen of the phone, “My God…”       “What about Peter? What happened?”       “He was tried to kill. One stinker attacked him again.”       “What?” Natalia and Anna open their eyes widely.       Sammy barks quietly and whines with pity as he looks at his owner, who is barely holding down her tears.       “Again?” Anna wonders loudly.       “Edward just sent a message in our common chat,” Helene explains. “He said one deadbeat caught Pete and him when they were riding on roller skates and stopped somewhere to take a break and drink water.”       “My God, how awful…” Anna puts her hand on her heart.       “Listen, girls, let’s sit down somewhere,” Natalia suggests, looks around quickly, and sees the free bench somewhere afar. “The bench! Let’s go there!”       After taking Helene and Anna under their arms, Natalia comes to the bench, on which they sit, while Sammy sits on the asphalt by the order of his owner next to her, watching her and her friends closely.       “What else did Edward say?” Natalia throws the empty cup of ice cream that she just ate in the trash can. “How did it happen? Who’s that man? What does he need?”       “Now, now…” Helene jabs excitedly, scrolling the page with messages that Anna and Natalia are reading with shaking hands. “Okay… Edward said he noticed someone was watching Peter and him, told Rose about it… They took off their skates and wanted to leave quietly, but that man didn’t let them do it.”       “And where did it happen?” Anna specifies.       “Somewhere in the city where there were fewer people. But MacClife didn’t say where. And at some moment, the guys decided to try to run, and that man ran after them.”       “He's still typing messages…” Natalia notices thoughtfully.       “They wanted to reach the center of the city, thinking he would get rid of them,” Helene continues to read. “But at some moment, Edward stepped over something and fell, and that the man pushed him into the hole. But when he got out of it, he lost track of Pete and that deadbeat.”       “So, he ran after Rose…” Anna guesses. “Used the moment when the blond stayed alone.”       “Come on, Edward!” Natalia exclaims impatiently, shaking her feet nervously. “What happened next! Type faster!”       “He found Pete? What happened to him? What did that man want from him?”       “My gosh, my gosh, I’m scared…” Helene pronounces quietly with wet eyes, feeling how fast her heart is beating in fear.       “Quiet, Helene, quiet, it’s okay,” Anna comforts softly, stroking Helene’s shoulder.       Sammy whines with great pity and touches Helene’s leg with his paw softly as if he is stroking it with the hope of comforting the excited girl a little.       “My gosh…” Natalia closes her mouth with a hand with widely open eyes, reading the messages on Helene’s phone. “That man pushed Peter off the stairs…”       “Oh, my God!” Anna shakes with the thought that her heart stops for a moment.       “Peter hit his head and lost consciousness…” Helene continues in a shaking voice and sniffs quietly. “And when Edward found him… He could do nothing. He wanted to chase that stinker, but he ran away, and MacClife decided to leave him alone.”       “My God, what about Peter?” Natalia excitedly. “What?”       “C’mon, Edward, speak! What happened to Peter?”       “He's okay,” Anna reads another message. “Edward managed to wake Peter up quickly. And even if the blond said he felt well, MacClife insisted on going to the hospital and checking. Because he was afraid that Rose could get serious traumas during his fall.”       “And where are they now?” Anna wonders.       “Edward says they’re now at the hospital,” Helene says. “While Peter is getting examined, he’s sitting in hell and waiting for the doctor’s verdict. If everything is okay, they will go to Rose’s home, so he can have a rest and come to himself.”       While the girls fall into silence, trying to accept the information they received, Sammy whines with great pity, watching every one of them with sympathy.       “Yeah…” Natalia sighs heavily. “We were praying that nothing happened to him so hard. But no, Pete was almost killed again!”       “As I understand, we’re the first ones to know it,” Anna assumes thoughtfully. “Terrence, Raquelle, and Daniel haven’t read the messages yet.”       “Here’s another proof for the reason Peter must be accompanied by someone,” Helene says quietly and swallows up nervously.       “He’ll be super lucky if he breaks nothing and doesn’t get any traumas after falling off the stairs,” Natalia replies. “Thank God, Edward insists on going to the hospital and didn’t succumb to Rose.”       “We don’t know which stairs he fell off. You can fall off two or three stairs, but you can roll off fifty stairs like a stone.”       “If he lost consciousness, the case is serious, then,” Helene notices with anxiety, putting her hand on her heart.       “No, no, don’t panic in advance!” Anna exclaims determinedly. “Let’s wait for the news from Edward first!”       “My God, how long will this keep happening?” Helene asks in despair. “When will Pete be able to exhale with relief? Will they be chasing him until he dies?”       “I briefly saw the mention of the fact that the man wasn’t the one, who attacked him after the show or a few miles away from Daniel’s house,” Natalia says thoughtfully.       “And here we go again, there are no confessions of the terrible things Peter did. Why he must die. Why someone wants to take revenge on him.”       “I guess it would probably be stupid to assume that’s one of his school bullies,” Anna bites her lip. “It’s been so many years since he graduated from school. All those people forgot about it and are now living their lives.”       “I wouldn’t be surprised!” Helene says. “Peter was like a red rag for a bull since the first day of school.”       “No, girls, it hardly has to do with his school years,” Natalia protests.       “What if someone got jealous of Pete? What if someone has reached no goals, and they went crazy because of all his success?”       “Yeah, in this case, Ashley Christensen should’ve ruined the life of Raquelle a long time ago ‘cause our friend built a brilliant modeling career. In case she has no reason to be proud of and is now working at a small café for two dollars per hour.”       “Yeah, the situation is getting harder and harder…” Anna shakes her head. “And it’s gonna be dangerous to go outside soon.”       “Agree, the threat of getting on the hook of those assholes is getting higher every day,” Natalia says thoughtfully.       “When Edward and Peter leave the hospital, we should meet them somewhere and ask them about what happened,” Helene says confidently.       “Yes, yes, we’ve gotta talk to them,” Anna agrees. “And then, the others will probably join us.”       “Listen, girls, let’s call Edward right now?” Natalia suggests. “In his messages, there was a plea to call him shortly when we had some free time.”       “Right, why would we guess? Call MacClife and say we’ll go to the home of Rose right now!”       “Yeah, and we can go to a store and buy something on the way. Something from food, drinks, or drugs…”       “Yes, yes, I will try to call him now,” Helene jabs excitedly and sniffs quietly, checking something on her phone. “We’ve gotta find out everything now…”       Sammy barks confidently two times, and Helene types Edward’s number with shaking hands and puts her phone to her ear, waiting for the answer with impatience. While Natalia and Anna sitting on both sides of her embrace their friend tightly, caress her head or shoulder, and ask her not to cry or panic in a whisper, while they do not know what happened to Peter after that cruel falling from the stairs.       

***

      Meanwhile, Daniel is spending time in the clinic where his younger sister Cassidy Perkins has been getting therapy for her drug dependence for several months. One day, his friends and he managed to save the girl from the late Eugene Wainwright, who was deeply weaned to it. Even though she is only twenty, she has gotten through so much that led to numerous psychological traumas. Loneliness, misunderstanding, her parents’ death, rape, drug issues – that’s what broke the young girl, who was getting ready to leave this world without any hope for salvation. But her reunion with her older brother, whom she had not met for many years, gave her hope that she could get through it all.       And Cassidy really survived. Daniel paid for an expensive therapy in one of the best clinics in the city where she met many like-minded people, who got through the same things or even something worse. The girl is always happy when her brother visits her and tells him about what’s happening in the clinic with pleasure and about how her feelings and emotions change as long as therapy lasts.       “Your doctor is praising you,” Daniel says with a slight smile, hugging Cassidy by the shoulders as they walk slowly on the large green territory of the clinic where patients can spend their time. “He says your therapy is doing fine, and it has led to excellent results.”       “I already feel much better,” Cassidy confesses and tucks a strand of her dark chocolate hair that looks healthier lately and brushed into a tail behind her ear. “All the doctors are so caring and nice, and my psychologist is a gem. She’s such a cool lady. I am so delighted by her!”       “Cool, I’m so happy therapy helps you. A little bit before you’re allowed to come back home and start to think about what to do.”       “I’ve been thinking a lot about it, but I haven’t decided anything yet.”       “Decide, decide, sis. I can help you with everything. If you wanna go to study, I will organize it with no problems.”       “Thanks, Danny.” Cassidy presses herself sweetly to Daniel on a walk. “You’re such a gem.”       “A gem that’s gonna treat you much more carefully this time.”       “Yay, you’ve lately grown up a lot. I no longer recognize you as the brainless and irresponsible fool that you were when you were twenty.”       “No, that Dan is gone. There is only Daniel, who’s ready to take responsibility for his life and all his close people.”       “It would’ve happened someday,” Cassidy shrugs. “You would’ve hardly remained that stupid boy.”       “Maybe, I would’ve been. If our parents hadn’t died. If I hadn’t stayed all alone and had to do just something.”       “My psychologist and I talk about Mom and Dad so much. Even if I still keep crying a lot during these talks. And I naively believe I will see them alive someday.”       “Trust me, Cass, I miss them so badly, too. You know how much I want to tell them about everything I’ve reached.”       “They’d be so proud of you.”       “Maybe, we go to the cemetery after you’re released from the clinic? Talk to them, put their graves in order… I haven’t been there for ages, to be honest.”       “Of course, we will! I haven’t checked on their graves since the day we buried them.”       “I will take you with you, then.”       “Oh…” Cassidy sighs heavily and puts her head on Daniel’s shoulder. “At least, I have you bro… This thought calms me down and gives me the strength to aim to get well.”       “Yeah, but do you understand your battle won’t be over even when you’re released from the clinic? You’ll have to apply a lot of effort not to come back to your old way.”       “I know. But I promise I will do my best not to let it happen. I really wanna start a new life. I wanna make up for the lost time and… Make our parents a little proud of me.”       “It’s never too late to do something, sweetie. As you see, my whole world turned upside down at some moment, and I understood I should’ve changed something in my life. I wasn’t ready for a long time. But… I had to wake up… I had to grow up.”       “You were just surrounded by the good people. Who encouraged you to get better and stop wasting your years.”       “Maybe, that’s true. When I communicated with irresponsible fools, I was the same. And when I met people, who treated their lives seriously and reached something, I wanted to be like them.”       “Anyway, I’m really proud of you,” Cassidy says confidently and kisses Daniel sweetly on the cheek. “You’ve done a great work on yourself and reached so much.”       “And I shall get much more. So many interesting things are waiting for me ahead, and I ain’t gonna miss it.”       “As my psychologist said one day, sometimes we need to lose something to start to really do something and change.”       “What happens, happens for the best. I guess I should’ve lost everything and everyone for several years. That’s what helped me realize I was surrounded by tons of rags, counting on who didn’t make sense. They left me when I needed them.”       “But other folks, who gave you a hand and got you outa that deep hole, instead of them.”       “That’s why I’m kinda glad it happened so. And if someone asked me if I wanted to change something in my life, I would hardly agree to.”       “But I’m sorry that we have to lose our close people to learn some lessons.”       “It’s life, Cassidy,” Daniel shrugs. “Pain and suffering are our permanent companions in life, which we have to run into if we don’t want to become something like a fragile flower that doesn’t know about how unfair and cruel this world can be.”       Cassidy says nothing and sighs heavily with sadness in her eyes. Daniel kisses her sweetly on her temple, pressing her closer to himself, and then comes to the stoned fence and sits on it with his sister. While other patients of the clinic go by them at times as they are walking on the special private territory and breathing in fresh air alone or with those they get along with.       “Hey, I see you made friends here…” Daniel smiles mysteriously. “You were so busy talking with someone when I was coming to you.”       “Oh, there are so many cool folks here!” Cassidy exclaims. “And their stories are so different! Someone’s story is like mine, and someone's actually experiencing much worse bullshit. My eyes socked outta my head when some of them told about themselves.”       “And some of them are so young…” Daniel glances aside, seeing a couple of young enough girls, who are talking about something as they are sitting on the clean green grass. “I feel kinda creepy when I think they’re destroying themselves at such a young age.”       “After listening to some stories, I noticed that we were all united by the sense of loneliness. Adults didn’t care about us to some extent, and they were much busier with their business. Some families have several children, who don’t get equal attention. So, it happens that someone’s suffering.”       “Anyway, I’m happy most of them find the courage to get up and ask for help. Glad we have those, who agree to help them stand in the right way.”       “I’ve been a witness to a couple of very emotional talks of some guys with their families that had to get through a lot. When the guys asked for forgiveness and told us everything they felt, some of us were crying bitterly. And how much we all cried at group therapy…”       “I also felt much better when I decided to tell about what was bothering me for many years,” Daniel confesses. “I tried to put it down for years. I tried to succumb to it inside me. I didn’t wanna think about what hurt me so badly. I thought I’d get better. But… I got relief after I revealed it all.”       “And many girls were rapped, just like I was,” Cassidy confesses, looking at her hands. “Someone was raped by strangers, and someone suffered because of their close relatives. Two girls were regularly raped by their stepfathers. One girl said nothing to her mother. And the mother of another girl knew everything but pretended that it was fine. It’s like you had food, clothes, and a roof over your head. So, you shouldn’t complain.”       “How awful…” Daniel winces.       “Oh, I’ve listened to tons of stories for several months I’ve spent here! One story is more horrifying than another.”       “I wouldn’t be surprised if one of them tried to kill themselves at least once or tried to harm themselves.”       “Yes, there is someone! A couple of guys were saved by some kind of miracle. And someone still tries to swallow something. They are also saved by magic!”       “And as I understand, aren’t all these people here at their wish?”       “Nope, some of them are brought here by force by their friends or families. And since they don’t wanna get therapy and refuse to follow the doctors’ instructions, money is just wasted.”       “Yeah… I see you don’t waste your time here.”       “Yup, I’ve got no time to be bored. While you’re busy with your business, I’m getting therapy and trying to support the guys somehow.”       “You get on well even with girls?”       “It’s strange, but yes. The girls are cool here! And I hang out with one of them all the time.”       “Really?”       “Yup. Her name is Ellie, we’re at the same age. She ended up here later than me. She was brought here by her mother and father. As that girl said, she started to take drugs because she didn’t wanna go insane from the hell that was happening at her home. A familiar drug-dependent girl asked her if she wanted to try it, and Ellie agreed. And then everything went wrong: it was light drugs at first, and then she took much harder drugs. So, she eventually got into the deep hole. She sold almost all of her stuff and stole half of what belonged to her friends and relatives.”       “Wow, my gosh…”       “And the last drop for her family was the fact that Ellie was about to be put in prison when the police caught that girl in the attempt to rob a store. Some tough men managed to catch her and not to let her get about before the cops’ arrival. Well… Her father and mother did their best to get her out with a lot of money, paid moral damage to the store for the broken things, and decided to send their daughter to a clinic.”       “Did she want it?”       “At first, she resisted and even tried to run away from here. But one beautiful day, Ellie was brought to the group therapy where I was. The guys and I told each other stories of our lives. And it got her really emotional. I saw tears in her eyes. And when it was her time, Ellie agreed to tell her story. Even if she used to ignore everyone and didn’t try to get along with them. She was just lying on her bed in the room and looking at the ceiling. Well, or she was just sleeping under a sedative.”       “Interesting…”       “Ellie understood she was ruining her life and decided to listen to her parents and start therapy. From that day on, she began to do everything she was asked about. It’s been a few months, and Ellie is also getting closer to recovery. She also got a lot of friends.”       “Good, I’m so happy for her.”       “By the way, I came to Ellie first on the day she was brought here. But she didn’t even look at me and just passed by silently. However, after that therapy, I went outside with my stuff for drawing and started to do it. Ellie went by me at some moment, saw my work, and praised it. Word by word, we found out that she also loved drawing and went to an art school for several years. So, from then on, we started to talk a lot and became good friends later.”       “Well, but you said you didn’t get on well with girls!” Daniel exclaims.       “I just didn’t think girls could be different. They could not only think about dresses from new collections, shoes, ruffles, and other shit. Ellie doesn’t also like all of that and would prefer a look consisting of a soft hoodie, oversized pants, and comfortable sneakers over hundreds of dresses.”       “But as you can see, if you try hard, you can find such rebels as you.”       “Oh, hey, she’s there!” Cassidy points at a small gang that is walking not far from her and consists of some young girls. “Walking with someone!”       “Which one?” Daniel frowns slightly, looking at the gang.       “The girl with a boy-like cut. Who is wearing a gray t-shirt and gray pants.”       “Oh, that’s Ellie?”       “Yup, bro, her!”       At this moment, the gang decides to go by Cassidy and Daniel, and the young girl with dark short hair and light eyes smiles widely at Perkins’ younger sister.       “Hey, Cass, who are you talking here with?” the girl asks. “Isn’t this your big brother, who you told us so much about?”       “He is!” Cassidy exclaims with her head proudly raised and embraces Daniel with both hands. “My best and most beloved Danny.”       “Hey, girls!” Daniel waves his hand shyly. “Nice to meet you.”       “Hi, us too!” all the girls from the gang pronounce amicably.       “You must be Ellie?” Daniel moves his eyes to the girl with a pixie cut.”       “Yup, Ellie,” Ellie nods confidently.       “Cassidy is telling me about you. She said you became friends.”       “Yeah, we’ve got a lot in common. I’m so happy I met such a cool girl.”       “I’m glad she got friends here.”       “Oh, Cassidy is our close person here!” one of the girls says. “And when new people come here, she helps everyone get used to everything.”       “Really?”       “Aha!” another girl confirms. “So, her brother must be proud to have such a wonderful sister.”       “She’s my best one!” Daniel hugs Cassidy around the shoulders. “And the only one I have from my family after our parents’ death.”       “Cassidy said.”       “Hey, Cass, didn’t you forget we’re gonna have group therapy in one hour?” Ellie asks.       “No, no, I remember!” Cassidy nods confidently. “I shall talk to this asshole a little and go.”       “Okay, see ya later then!” one of the girls exclaims.       “By the way, you’ve really got a handsome brother,” Ellie notices with a wide smile.       “He's deeply taken, ladies!” Cassidy says funnily. “So, don’t put your eyes on this treasure.”       “We didn’t even try to.”       “Okay, Perkins, when you talk to your brother enough, come to us,” another girl says confidently.       “Okay, I will come back soon!” Cassidy exclaims.       When the gang of girls goes aside, Cassidy moves her eyes to Daniel, who laughs shyly at this moment.       “M-m-m, I see you’re a star here,” Daniel notices and slaps Cassidy on her nose. “You’re literally a sister to everyone.”       “As you see, I’m not feeling bored here,” Cassidy shrugs. “So, since many people come here every day, I sometimes spend a lot of time welcoming everyone and showing everything.”       “As it turned out, you’re really nimble!”       “I’m gonna be honest with you, it’s gonna be even sad to leave when I’m allowed to go home,” Cassidy confesses with sadness in her eyes. “Because I’m so attracted to everyone here.”       “I’m sure nobody will mind if you wanna come just come here for a visit and see those, who will keep getting therapy after you.”       “I hope, bro, I hope…” Cassidy expresses hope.       Daniel says nothing and just glances aside, noticing silently how well the large territory of the clinic looks, letting all the patients and employees move without problems and do their personal business when they do not have any procedures.       “Alright, stop talking only about me,” Cassidy says confidently and smiles mysteriously. “Let’s talk a little about you and your surroundings.”       “About me?” Daniel specifies.       “How are the girls and men doing there?”       “The men and the girls are doing fine.”       “They haven’t visited me for ages. Even if I miss everyone so badly.”       “Sorry, sis, everyone’s got too much to do. The men and I are getting ready for the album release, and the girls are thinking about the forthcoming wedding.”       “A little time before one and another thing happens.”       “Yeah, but we’re upset ‘cause we’ve got a problem with Peter.”       “Peter?” Cassidy frowns slightly. “What happened to him?”       “Some stinkers have attacked him two times. But nobody knows why.”       “How awful… Is he okay?”       “Yup, he is okay, luckily. But we’re afraid that it’s just the beginning. It won’t end with just one attack.”       “I wonder whom that sweet and fluffy guy could harm?”       “At least Rose himself denies that he did something bad to someone.”       “And you believe him?”       “He doesn’t look like he’s lying. And Pete wouldn’t do this. It’s not his style.”       “And what are you gonna do?”       “We’re just trying to be near him and ready to protect him at any time. In the worst case, we will ask our familiar policeman for help.”       “Yeah… We recently got away from Wainwright and the asshole, who beat Anan to half-death, but now you got a new one.”       “I know… But as we got it, we will do something to this, then.”       “Be careful there, bro.” Cassidy claps Daniel softly on his shoulder. “And warm the lads about it. Just in case.”       “Don’t worry, Cassidy, we can stand up for ourselves.”       “And don’t leave your girls alone. What if some bastard wanna deal with them.”       “Oh, no, we would tear anyone apart for them. Nobody will even dare to look at them.”       “Anyway, whatever is happening to Peter, I’m sure it’s gonna get better soon,” Cassidy says confidently. “And he can handle it. He won’t be cowardly. He won’t fall into a stupor.”       “Rose knows we’re always near to help. We won’t leave him, even if he wanna push us off himself. Because we know he needs us. Because… He is not fine yet.”       “I completely support you. Because… Pete was somehow as lonely as I was. And I fully understand him.”       “I will keep you aware of the situation and tell you any news about him.”       “Not just them but also all the guys.”       “Of course, sis.”       “Okay, let’s not talk about sad things and talk about something nice.” Cassidy smiles mysteriously. “For example, your personal life.”       “M-m-m…” Daniel catches the hint.       “C’mon, tell me how your precious treasure’s doing there!” Cassidy hits Daniel slightly in his rib. “How’s the one, who became the reason you stopped holding down your tears, doing?”       “Anna’s doing fine,” Daniel smiles shyly.       “Is your relationship okay?”       “It’s wonderful!”       “Hasn’t she run away from you, fool, yet?”       “No-o-o… My girl and I are living a good life and complaining about nothing.”       “You’ve been literally blossoming since she decided to give your relationship one more chance.”       “I don’t know what I would’ve done if we hadn’t been together.” Daniel sighs quietly with sadness in his eyes. “If Anna hadn’t forgiven me for what I didn’t wanna do at all.”       “I’m so happy Seymour listened to those, who told her to think better. I would’ve been madly upset if your couple had stopped existing.”       “I know.”       “Anna is the best girl of those you’ve ever dated! And you would’ve been a real idiot if you’d lost her.”       “Anyway, I did everything I could to prove my love for her. I didn’t miss chance little chance I was given.”       “One of the fewer things I can praise you for.”       “I can say she’s the reason I understood I should’ve grown up and taken a much more serious responsibility. Responsibility for someone else except me.”       “Hey, have you already shown her the graves of our parents?”       “Yup, I showed. I introduced Anna to them. And she talked to them. She promised to make me happy.”       “And she’s keeping it, as I see.”       “Our relationship kinda got much better. We even stopped fighting. We learned to agree about everything quietly. For example, Anna no longer swears at me for the mess and things I throw at all the corners. She takes it much easier now, even if she can remind me softly about her love for living in cleanness.”       “What about smoking? Are you still smoking?”       “Nope, I weaned myself away from it. And I got rid of all the cigarettes I had. With Anna’s pretense.”       “Oh, you’re so awesome!” Cassidy hits her fist against Daniel’s forearm.       “You’d do anything for your beloved person,” Daniel sighs with a slight smile. “For Anna, I’m ready for anything. Since she does hate those, who smoke, I had to solve this problem.”       “It’s for your better, bro. That’s the same dependence as drug dependence.”       “I’m really happy I stopped smoking. You’ve gotta solve your problems instead of eating it down, smoking it down, or drinking it down. And my health got much better. And singing is much easier for me.”       “You see how many good things!”       “I know. And I understand Anna just took care of my health and me. Her claims weren’t explained by the wish to take control of me.”       “You know, pretty boy if nobody pulls you down just a little, it won’t lead to anything good. No matter how much you love independence, you need to obey someone.”       “You’re right. If nobody controlled me, I would’ve ended my life somewhere in a den, prison, or a mental hospital.”       “That’s why I completely trust Anna and don’t doubt she can make you a decent man,” Cassidy replies confidently. “I mean, I’m ready to kiss her for everything she’s reached.”       “And I’m glad you got on so well. My younger sister accepted my girlfriend.”       “If a bitch was instead of her, I would’ve immediately made her run and wouldn’t have let her come to you at all.”       “Sorry, Cass, but I’m an adult and can decide who I would feel good with.”       “Oh, no, bro, you wouldn’t date any girl without my blessing!” Cassidy raises her index finger.       “I will be kicking all the men, who I won’t like for one or another reason.”       “What?”       “Yes, yes, kid!” Daniel slaps Cassidy on her nose with his finger. “You’re able to start a relationship with someone after my blessing!”       “As if I’m gonna listen to you!”       “You’ll have to. Or I’ll have to kick your ass.”       “We will see it!”       “Hey, are you gonna argue with the older person?”       “Are you gonna spend time with someone without my permission?”       “I said everything, Cassidy.”       “You’re a real asshole!” Cassidy throws gloomily, crossing her arms over her chest.       “As if you’re an innocent baby!”       “Stop, Daniel, shut up!”       “I told you the truth!”       “Alright, truth lover, you better tell me when I’m able to accept a new member to our little family officially?”       “Huh?” Daniel rounds his eyes.       “Why are you staring, idiot? Don’t pretend that you don’t understand what you’re talking about!”       “Oh, no, I understand…”       “So what, pretty boy? When will I hear the ring of wedding bells? When will you show off for me in a new suit? When will the bride show her wedding dress to everyone? When will finally eat a cake?”       “Hey, hey, stop, stop, kid, slow down!” Daniel jabs. “Why are you rushing?”       “I’m waiting for the answer, Daniel!” Cassidy says determinedly, crossing her arms over her chest. “When will you finally marry Anna?”       “We’re about to have two weddings soon.”       “Who cares? Isn’t it a reason not to think about making such a cool girl your wife? The reason not to accept Mrs. Anna Perkins to our family?”       “Not now, for sure.”       “Are ya gonna keep her in your house as a free housewife that agrees to fuck you in between breaks?”       “Of course, no!”       “If Seymour doesn’t say anything to you and doesn’t tell you to get married, it doesn’t mean she doesn’t want a wedding.”       “I promise Anna won’t live with me without a marriage ‘till the end of her life. And our children won’t surely be extramarital.”       “The poor girl has been waiting for a proposal from you for nobody knows how long! While her friends almost got married to your nimbler friends.”       “I know, Cass.”       “I’m ready to bet one hundred dollars that Peter and Helene are gonna be the next groom and bride. That pretty boy would be much faster and buy a ring for his sweetheart soon.”       “He says he doesn’t wanna think about it until he solves his home issues. And until the MacClifes are married to their cuties.”       “Rose is about to become the owner of the large house. A little bit before he has the keys and documents in his hands.”       “And the situation with attacks? I don’t think he will want to think about marrying while one bastard is trying to erase him from this world.”       “This thing will be solved sooner than you just think it’s your time to get married and make babies.”       “Oh, Cass…” Daniel sighs tiredly, moving his eyes aside.       “I am warning you, Dan: Anna won’t be waiting for you to grow up forever. Yes, she’s silent and waiting. But someday she will want to get the status of your official wife. When she wanna give birth to children with your last name.”       “Do you really think we will keep living without registering marriage?”       “Who the hell knows what you have in your beautiful head!” Cassidy exclaims, ruffling Daniel’s hair. “As I understand, you are happy with everything: the girl is with you and ready to feed you, please you in bed, and clean your feathers at any time.”       “No, Cassidy, you’re wrong,” Daniel protests, fixing his hair. “Don’t think I’m some kind of asshole, who is using the girl insolently and making her clean, cook, and have sex with me all day long.”       “Then marry her if you want to prove you are really serious for her!”       “I will marry!”       “Marry!”       “I will!”       “Are ya waiting for someone to steal her from you? It will happen, hear me! Anna is a beautiful, young, and caring girl… Men would tear each other apart for her.”       “I know.”       “It’s been so long, but you’re still feeding her with fists about living a long and happy life. You’re gonna live happily ever after like a prince and princess ‘till death do you apart.”       Daniel exhales slowly with closed eyes, running his hands over his hair.       “Okay…” Daniel pronounces thoughtfully. “I can share something with you…”       “What?” Cassidy expresses interest.       “I will tell you if you promise that you will tell nobody about it.”       “Of course, I will say nothing!”       “I am serious, Cassidy. Nobody should know it now.”       “I will not say, don’t worry!”       “Promise me!”       “I promise!” Cassidy raises her hand, rolling her eyes. “Cassidy Perkins honestly promises.”       “I am begging you, do what I’m asking you about after I tell you something important.”       “My gosh, I will not say anything!” Cassidy moans tiredly. “Speak out! Don’t pull a cat’s ball!”       “Okay…”       Daniel falls into silence for a few seconds before he moves his eyes to Cassidy with a mysterious smile and says:       “In short, I’ve decided to get married.”       “Come on?” Cassidy pronounces with mistrust.       “Now I don’t have any doubts about it.”       “Oh! Damn you!”       “After Anna and I reconciled, I realized I couldn’t risk like that anymore. I realized that it was time to do what many people told me about.”       “Wait, are you kinda serious now?” Cassidy frowns slightly. “Did you really decide to marry Anna?”       “Yes, Cass. I wanna make Anna my wife and a mother of our future children.”       “And when will this long-awaited and great event happen?”       “When I get the ring that my gorgeous princess deserves.”       “The ring?” Cassidy opens her eyes wider.       “I made an order for an individual design of the ring especially for Anna.”       “Are you really serious now?” Cassidy cannot believe it and rubs her cheeks energetically. “Tell me I heard you right! I’m not really going crazy!”       “Right, Cass, right.”       “And when did you do it, sweetheart?”       “Guess!”       “Did ya go to order the ring shortly after you reconciled with Seymour?”       “Well…” Daniel glances aside for a second with a mysterious smile. “Not quite shortly… But I didn’t waste time.”       “My gosh, Danny, what happiness!” Cassidy closes her mouth with both hands with a gloss in her eyes and squeezes Daniel in her tight hug for a second. “I’ve finally heard such cool news from you!”       “At first, I was planning just to buy a ring at the jewelry shop. But when I went to all the places in the city, I didn’t choose anything. I didn’t like any rings.”       “So, were you greedy, after all? Were prices too high?”       “Nope, I just didn’t find the perfect ring for my girl. They all seemed all the same to me, but I wanna give Anna something special. Something other girls don’t have.”       “And how much did you pay?”       “The price was high enough, I’m gonna be honest. And I have to pay for all the corrections.”       “Corrections?”       “Yup, I’ve asked them to make changes and redo something multiple times. If I left everything as it was, I would’ve gotten the ring two months ago. But I wanna get a perfect result.”       “I take my hats off ‘cause you’re ready to be in your underwear to give the best ring to your sweetheart.”       “Yeah, my bank account was about to be empty after paying for the order. But first, I’m ready to give even the last cent for Anna, be hungry, and walk naked. And second, multiple shows I played with the lads almost covered the cost.”       “A-a-a, Danny, my bro, I’m so happy!”       Cassidy hugs Daniel around the shoulders tightly in happiness and kisses him on the cheek multiple times.       “My God, finally you’ve decided to do it!” Cassidy exclaims happily. “I started to think you’d never marry the girl you almost lost. Because of whom you cried secretly.”       “But I remind you again, it must be between us!” Daniel raises his index finger. “May it be the sibling's secret.”       “What about the men?”       “The men know nothing about it yet. I made the order of the ring secretly from everyone.”       “Didn’t Anna suspect anything when she didn’t see the big amount of money wasn’t on your bank card?”       “Don’t worry, sweetie, she doesn’t watch my accounts. Even if she has the password from my personal account where she can see all the information. But Anna has never used it.”       “But does she take money from you?”       “Yes, I give her as much as she asks without problems. For food, clothes, and home stuff and for just pleasing herself. I give Anna everything and am truly happy with all of her purchases.”       “I see…”       “Besides, don’t forget that I’m a man. And I must provide for her. Since she’s living with me, and I decided to make this girl my wife.”       “M-m-m, it’s some kind of Feng Shui style: the man is working and providing for his family, and the girl is taking care of the home.”       “Nobody has claims! And if Anna wanna work, nobody will ban her from it.”       “You’re awesome, man!” Cassidy claps Daniel on the shoulder. “I’ve been really admiring you in the past few months. You’re acting like a truly adult man.”       “But I'm a little nervous anyway…” Daniel confesses hesitantly. “I’m worried that my efforts mayn’t be worth it.”       “What do ya mean?”       “What if Anna rejects my proposal? What if she says she isn’t ready or something like that?”       “Huh!” Cassidy chuckles loudly. “Are you serious, brother?”       “Who knows what she’s got on her mind.”       “No, sometimes you’re still acting like a stupid idiot. You haven’t gotten your stupidity outta your head.”       “Anna doesn’t talk with anyone about her plans for marriage. And would she love to do what they’ve made her think about all her life so hard?”       Cassidy thrills with nervous laughter for a few seconds before she calms down a little and sets her close glance at Daniel.       “Danny, sweetie, my dearest and beloved brother…” Cassidy pronounces confidently. “Sometimes you’re such an idiot. An idiot without brains.”       “Hey, kid, stop laughing!” Daniel throws a little irritably. “Do you understand how much time I spent making this decision? And how much effort I will have to apply to get down on my knee and propose to Anna one day?”       “You think better, buddy. What girl would be cleaning a large house, cooking hundreds of dishes every fucking day, and acting like a tiger in bed with such love and care? Would the one, who doesn’t need you, do this? Who considers you just a sex toy or an endless wallet?”       “What does it have to do with?”       “It does, my sweetie! It does! Anna is absolutely in love with you! For you, she’s ready to sacrifice anything and do her best for you to feel good. Doesn’t it talk about her feelings?”       “Sometimes people aren’t ready for marriage even if they love someone to death.”       “Oh, who told you this bullshit?” Cassidy waves her hand. “When a girl loves, she definitely wants to put on a wedding dress and show her gorgeous engagement ring to her friends.”       “How do you know this?”       “I’m not a child, Daniel. And I completely understand some things. Unlike my brainless brother, who’s gonna be invited to the club of thirty-year-old pre-pensioners soon.”       “Do you really think Anna will agree to marry me?” Daniel exhales slowly.       “Trust me, that’s the thing she wants so badly. But her shyness may not let her say it openly. Yes, of course, you can come to her and ask her what she thinks about a wedding and children. But Anna will not tell you she would die of happiness if she had a wedding ring on her finger.”       “You know something? Anna told you something?”       “No, bro, your princess told me nothing.”       “But why are you saying it so confidently?”       “Because any girl is dreaming of getting married.”       “Including you?”       “I wouldn’t mind falling in love with a boy. By the way, there are many of them here, but nothing’s jams inside.”       “Anyway, I must try to do this,” Daniel says determinedly. “If I don’t try, I’m gonna regret it for the rest of my life.”       “I do say, tough guy, you can start to think about who you’d like to make your best man and your groomsmen.”       “I won’t have problems with it.” Daniel flashes a slight smile. “My brothers will be the ones. My closest friends, who, just like Anna, are the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”       “But you don’t rush to tell these brothers about your decision to get married.”       “It’s not time yet. And I’m afraid that they may tell the girls about it. And you know what may happen next.”       “Okay as you wish,” Cassidy shrugs. “I won’t change your mind.”       “First, I need to wait for the ring to fit all my wishes. Fit my shy, educated, and caring lady.”       “What does it look like if it’s not a secret? Beautiful?”       “Speechless! You can’t find it at the store!”       “And were you kinda sitting and working on a design?”       “Yes, design is all by me. I spent hours browsing the Internet and viewing pictures of rings, examining the collection of Anna’s jewelry, taking a couple of drawings on paper… And I temporarily stole one of her rings to learn the size. When the consult somehow asked me which size I needed, I was confused and didn’t know what to say.”       “Wow…” Cassidy pronounces with a sly smile. “You even learned to draw for this.”       “Yes, I’m not a good drawer. Much worse than you. But I can copy pictures. Take something from one, take something from another… And you eventually got a cool composition.”       “Oh, you are intriguing me… I wanna look at your creature so badly.”       “I hope I’ll be able to show it to you soon.”       “Take photos at least!”       “I will try to show you the box with the ring and show it personally.”       “Yes, yes!” Cassidy claps her hands happily. “I need to approve the design before the ring ends up on Seymour’s finger.”       “But if you tell someone about it, I will show you nothing!”       “I’m silent, dude, I’ll say nothing to anyone!” Cassidy closes her mouth with an invisible zipper. “Sh-h-h…”       “Don’t make me regret I told you this secret.”       “You won’t, bro, don’t worry. And one beautiful day, your sweetheart will get such a long-awaited proposal.”       “I don’t know when and where it will happen. But I will try to make this moment memorable.”       “Mom and Dad would be freaking happy for you. Anna is the daughter-in-law of their dream. They always wanted to see a girl like her next to you.”       “I’m absolutely sure we’re destined to spend life together. And all I think about now is my future with my dearest treasure.”       “Are you really happy?” Cassidy asks softly.       “I’ve never been as happy as I am now,” Daniel replies confidently. “Next to my princess. The princess of my heart. The queen of my mind.”       “Ah, Daniel, bro…”       Cassidy takes Daniel in a tight amicable hug with a wide smile and kisses him sweetly on his cheek, while he answers it with pleasure and caresses the young girl on the head tenderly. At this moment, the man pronounces silently a thankfulness for bringing him back his younger sister, whom he considered dead for many years. Thankfulness to the fate that led him to Anna, who encouraged Perkins to grow up, become wiser, and do what he would have never thought about before.