Fire & Flame

Chapter 8 : Issues and Tissues

“My father thinks I am a spoiled brat, for your information. Even if you don’t believe me, it doesn’t change the fact that his annoying face is clouding your perceptions about good and evil.”

Konnor pats her head. “I see what the problem is. Your father accidentally lashed out on you one time and said horrible words. Then. you took it to heart and decided to leave your family.”

“No! I am not a sensitive person like what you said-”

“Listen to me, Isabella. A lot of people yearn to have parents who care for them. You, on the other hand, are lucky to have parents who are still here to pour their unconditional love. Sure, they might have said a thing or two that makes you feel betrayed. But we are humans, and humans make lots of mistakes. That’s how we progress in life. The bigger the mistake or failure we make, the bigger the lesson we learn.”

“How dare you lecture-”

“You should go home. Seeing that you have left home for a few days, I think your parents won’t do the same thing again.”

Konnor turns around and walks out of the alley.

“HEY! At least return the purse to me!” Isabella yells.

Konnor turned a deaf ear and headed back to the thrift store, bumping into the lady who’s purse had been stolen. She is a middle-aged woman, wearing a red beanie and a matching dress.

“Hello ma’am. I have your purse with me.” Konnor hands back the purse to her.

The lady received her purse in confusion. “How did you-”

“I’m your guardian angel. You’re welcome,” Konnor winks. The woman stares back, ten times more confused than just now.

“Hello human, have you decided-”

“Shut up scammy robot.” Konnor cuts the robot off. He was still sulky from the incident earlier and kept replaying the part where he almost had the chance to finish his collection. He took more than a decade to collect all the cards.

Almost.

Konnor walked out of the thrift store and decided to wander around for a bit and maybe get some food, until he was pulled into the alley once again. There, he felt a pressure placed on his stomach. It lasted for a second before it was replaced with a yelp in pain.

“Ouch, is your stomach made of steel or something? Why does it hurt so much when I punch you?” Isabella cries. Konnor looks at her, weirded out. Clearly, she started punching him first. Why is she complaining? 

“Isabella, why did you punch me?”

Konnor looked at her tear-streaked face. Her eyes watered and tears streamed down her face. Konnor panicked. He is great in a lot of things, but consoling people isn’t one of them.

“Wait, why are you crying? I didn’t hit you or anything!”

“Your words hurt, dumbass. I have been suffering for a long time, how could you just- invalidate what I said!”

Konnor raised his hands in the air. Invalidate? That was not his intention at all! He was wronged by this lady.

“Hey, I did not invalidate your words. I just gave you advice. If you really didn’t like the advice, then you didn’t have to listen to it!”

“You and your snobby ass, you call that advice? Why do all of you think the president is someone respectable?”

“I don’t know who this ‘all of you’ you’re referring to is, but I am definitely not one of them. Sure, he does a lot of good deeds. However, he is my enemy. If he hadn’t employed more police officers, I wouldn’t have to live my life running all the time,” Konnor rebuts.

Isabella balled her fists and started punching Konnor’s shoulders repeatedly. 

“You are a fucking hypocrite, you know? How could you make me listen to those words when you hate him too?”

This time, Konnor became furious. Firstly, he hated the fact she was punching him. It didn’t hurt, obviously. But it hurt his ego. What would people think if they saw him getting punched by a lady? Secondly, he believed he was in the right here. He merely provided her with his two cents, and as far as he is concerned, this shouldn’t be something against the law.

“Stop being so childish.”

Isabella stops punching him. Konnor thought it was over, but he was wrong. Isabella burst out crying. Loudly.

“Huhuhu, why are you so mean?”

Konnor facepalmed himself. ‘I’m too old for this.’ He was getting annoyed by the second.

“Isabella, I consider myself a patient person. But you are really pushing my limits right now. Personally, I don’t recommend you trying your luck. Because even I have no clue what I may do when my buttons are pushed.”

Isabella immediately stops crying out loud. She knew if she continued, she might end up as a dead person today.

“Konnor, you-”

“Shush. No more words today.” Konnor fanned himself using his hands. He could feel his blood pressure rising.

‘PING’ 

Konnor looks at his wristband. As he expected, it tells him that he is at the 2nd level of anger and suggests that he cool down for a while. He took deep breaths to help him stay level-headed. It was working fairly well until Isabella spoke.

“I’m sorry for being annoying, Konnor.”

“It’s nice to see you admitting your mistakes. Now tell me, why?”

“I was a bit emotional. Pardon me.”

Konnor shook his head. Isabella didn’t seem like she was easily affected by his words.

“Pardoned. I still stand by my words by the way.”

Isabella became irritated. Why does he think he has the right to tell her how to live her life?

“Why?” Isabella asks, frustrated.

“Just because you threw a tantrum, it doesn’t mean I will give in to you.”

“You’re supporting that two-faced monster! You’re supposed to be hating him.”

“...” Konnor was speechless. He didn’t understand why Isabella was being so hateful towards her father. She must have held onto some grudge.

“I’m not going to talk to you anymore. Otherwise I might do something I’ll regret.”