Chapter 1: The Price Of Being Seen

“Get the fuck out of my gym!”

“Wait! But I thought—”

Slam!

“…..gyms were supposed to help you improve….”

His voice barely rose above a whisper. The sun hung high, forcing a squint as he trudged toward work, his mind replaying the humiliating moments he was shoved through the doors while being labeled, ’Too gloomy’

“Get out of the way!”

A large shoulder crashed against his as he tried to navigate the store where he worked part time.

He ignored the man and turned left at an intersection, his eyes glancing uninterestedly at the cracked watch.

“I’ll be late again.” Aden muttered. “And that’ll mean no money for food”

His shoulder slumped further down as he trodded down the path to the store. A heavy wind blew against his overgrown dark hair, revealing a pair of blue eyes that’d lost their shine.

Upon entering the store, his eyes traveled steadily and rested on a loose table head.

’That’s broken’

The smiles on the children’s faces dimmed a little upon noticing him. Parents subtly hid their kids behind them like he carried a plague and judging by how he walked behind the counter, it would seem it wasn’t the first time this was happening.

“You’re late for your shift again, Aden.” A female voice spoke and with it carried poorly hidden scorn and condescendence.

Wearing an oil–stained apron with a tired expression, Aden answered, “I had a bit of trouble coming down here—”

“I don’t want to hear it, just get to work,” The clacking of her heels halted for a moment as she turned her head slightly, causing her blonde hair fall off her shoulder. “And for Pete’s sake, put on a goddamn smile on that face of yours. You’re ruining the customer experience”

Aden listlessly tied his hair into a bun and began taking orders from the overly excited kids and tired parents.

“Table 12, your order is ready.” Aden’s lifeless voice sounded.

Three yellow–haired boys and a pink haired girl with a blown out bubblegum came with jeering smiles on their faces, amusement written all over their faces.

“Well what do we have here?~” The girl spoke, barely hiding her amusement. “Is that you, Aden?”

“Oho, I couldn’t tell…he looks like a totally different person with that new hairdo.” One of the boys added amidst chuckles.

Eyes of some people had already fixed on the show that was quietly unfolding in their midst— a show that was obviously planned by the boys and girl.

“You ordered 3 big macks and two cheeseburgers, correct?” Aden asked, his hands quietly clenching the service tray he held.

A brief moment of silence ensued amongst three boys as they looked searchingly at him. Still determined to find trouble, the girl replied:

“Yeah, that’s ours. What? Are you surprised we can order that? Well, unlike you, we have parents.”

A hush fell over the place as those words left her mouth and even the manager who scolded Aden for coming late knew things had gone too far.

Before she could begin walking over, Aden replied. His eyes were still lifeless, his voice nothing but a mere mutter. Still a glimmer of fierce intention flashed across his eyes as he spoke:

“I do apologize, but I don’t think I am fit to be an anchor for your insecurities and disgusting need for superiority. Please find someone else to stroke your ego.”

The girl’s face shone red in anger and embarrassment at his words but the three boys managed to salvage the situation before it escalated:

“Let’s go, Cherry. He’ll know the consequences of his actions at school”

Without waiting for her response, the boys took Cherry out of the store knowing Aden had won this round.

The store returned to it’s adrenaline filled nature as the show ended and more orders passed through the counter to Aden.

“Order 13, your order is ready—”

A loud crash stopped his words, his head turned towards the direction of the exit and in front of it stood a burly man with a black pistol hoisted in front of him.

“Everyone get on the ground and don’t try anything stupid while you’re at it!”

The screams of children caused Aden’s nerves to nearly shut down as he crouched under the counter, his heart beating hard against his chest.

“Mommy, I wanna go home!” A boy cried as he struggled against her mother’s desperate grip. “I don’t like this show anymore, let’s go home!!”

The mother begged the child desperately to keep quiet and wiped her tears and his with the best smile she could muster at that moment.

The robber was obviously displeased at the constant interruptions at his raid and walked menacingly towards the duo.

“Hey! Keep that little worm of yours quiet!”

’That voice….’

Aden’s mind flashed as he recalled a burly man that slammed his shoulder into his a few hours ago.

’Could it be him? What an unlucky coincidence.’

“I’m trying, I’m trying, please don’t hurt my child.” The woman pleaded with tears running down her cheeks.

A wild smile appeared beneath the mask. “If you don’t handle it within two minutes, I’ll be forced to do so.”

This man was a textbook psychopath.

The woman’s face turned pale in real time and the child’s wails grow louder as he deciphered the meaning behind the man’s words.

Aden’s hands searched for the distress button hidden under the counter while the man enjoyed the twisted sense of power he had with the duo.

’Just a little further…’

His clammy, skinny fingers stretched to the red button enclosed under an iron bracket and silently pushed it.

’If all things go as they should, the police should be here within twenty minutes. Hopefully things don’t escalate beyond this.’

“Two minutes are almost up and that dumb gremlin of yours is still screaming. I don’t go back on my words, you know that?”

His deep laughter traveled to the ears of everyone present and they felt shivers ran down their spine.

’Fear dominates the mind and scorns clarity. Be calm…’

Aden took slow and deliberate breaths as he calmed his steadily increasing heart rate.

“Time’s up sweet heart! Your kid can make all the noise he wants in kiddy heaven!”

The gun reared it’s cold face in the direction of the kid, the mother begged hysterically as she shielded her child with reddened and puffed up eyes.

The more courageous ones in the store pleaded silently with the robber while the others held their children tighter.

“Now this kid’s giving everyone the morale to stand against me?”

The man’s eyes grew cold as he savagely kicked the woman away from the child, a wide smile on his face as he exposed the child to the cruel hands of death.

“Let’s see if you’ll be missed little boy”

The gears in Aden’s mind turned as he watched the scene unfold from behind the counter.

’I can’t just stay here….’

’He shouldn’t die…’

Just as Aden saw the gun reach the child’s head, a deep memory resurfaced.

He remembered the figure that had once saved him from meeting the same end as the poor child.

He didn’t remember her face or how she looked as she was encased in the darkness of the night, yet, before he knew it, he was jumping off the counter.

The man’s eyes grew wide at the unexpected charge made at him but he quickly steeled his nerves and moved his arm away from his reach.

“Tryna be a hero, eh? I’ll show you what that gets you in the real world!”

Aden’s body stumbled awkwardly— the whispers of malnourishment gripping his frame, but his eyes remained determined as he threw a table head towards the man and charged once more.

The board crashed into the man’s head and he staggered backwards away from the kid. Aden didn’t stand idly and ran shakily towards the man and struggled for the gun violently.

The mother scrambled towards her kid and carried her towards the door as the sounds of sirens rang close to the store.

“You called the fucking cops? How brave!”

Despite his courageous words, the man’s eyes flitted around nervously as the screams of the woman accompanying the desperate banging of the door gave courage to the others.

“Shit…Fuck this!”

Bang! bang!

Two gunshots silenced the room once more. The crash of glass at the back of the store—shattered as the robber forced his escape—finally jolted everyone out of their shock.

“Oh my God! The kid got shot!” Someone screamed.

Their eyes fixated on Aden’s body as blood flowed out from it.

’That hurts…’

He felt a warmth flow through his body as the ringing in his ears subsided. His eyes studied the faces of the people that crouched above him as they all tried to say something.

’At least I managed to save the kid…’

He felt a foreign sense of pride as he watched the kid place his hands on his face with tears streaming down his eyes.

’Why did I do that though?’

Darkness crept at the edges of his eyes his sensations slowly dulled.

’The robber got away too, huh? I’m sure he won’t get far with the cops on his trail.’

His eyes felt as if a heavy lock was placed on them and his arms felt hundred times heavier.

His brain ceased to function after his last thought:

’At least people noticed me….even if it was for a moment….’

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep