Chapter Three

Tyler curled up on his bed, with thoughts skimming through his mind. The incident with his girlfriend and the teammate replayed in his head again. That thought sent shrills of rage to his heart. He rolled over, peering at the room in a flitting gaze.

His rent will soon be due, and the crazy landlord won't hesitate to throw him out of the room if he fails to pay up on time.

Every shot at possibility turns back against him. It all ends up in shackles and pains. The only thing that feels theraupatic and fulfilling to do is when he picks up his pen to write a journal. For the last few years, Tyler writes down every emotion he feels. He writes these journals in form of letters to his favorite actor and TV presenter - Will Donalds. Tyler sees Wills as a role model, and they seem to have a few things in common. Will Donalds worked as a janitor in a restaurant before fame shimmered its light on him.

Its been a couple of months since the last time Tyler wrote a journal.

He sprang up from his bed, groaned as pains shook his entire body - pertinent to the beating he attained yesterday from Raul and the teammates. He walked to the side of the room, close to a wooden table which had tons of books and a notepad laying on it. He adjusted the seat and sat on it. Breezed escaped the window, causing his hair to dazzle lazily. He grabbed his journal, slipping the pages to the last entry he wrote.

"Dear Will.

I'm sorry it took almost forever to write to you again. Its been a long frail of sentiments and of course - a ton of happenings. Trust me, my heart aches and rejoices with details right now. I don't know where to start from.

I think I'd incorporate one of your golden rules, the one you mentioned on the STAR TV SHOW. 'always pick the stake by the edge'

I guess my flaws and deficiencies is the edge at this point.

I tried finding a job at the electronic store I told you about. But they threw my resume in the trash bin and they told me the position isn't for dumb asses and imbeciles.

Will, I don't know how easy it is for you to deal with rejection, but I cried my pupils out that night.

My new job at the school football team drains me to the bone. A 50-dollar wage at the end of each week may seem like a ship sailing on a bowl of water, but the pain, derogation and shit that goes in line with that job makes me wonder if I've got issues with karma.

First, I have to clean the 400-seat auditorium every goddamn day. That's still a walk in the park. Will, have you ever smelled the ass of a decaying pig? That's an understatement to how these player's socks and boots stink - and I have to wash them. That's still a walk in the park.

Here's a run in the forest. The quarterback of the team, the dude's name is Raul. That guy bullies and makes my life a dying heaven. I don't know if there are different shades to hatred, but the way Raul treats me depicts hatred in its prime.

I really do hate my life right now Will.

Everything seems to be crumbling right under my nose. I've got the worst job in LA. I'm broke and useless all that's left is this heart thats thumping in rage - seeking for change.

I think I've held this stake by the edge. My hand is at the horizon now. Let's talk some good news.

You remember Charlotte? The alluring damsel I told you I had a crush on.

She's mine now.

Will, I know you met your wife in Boston - one of the best places a love story could be told. Just like Lilly and Atlas in Collen Hover's It Start With Us.

Mine with Charlotte started as a game. Yeah, a game of truth or dare. Me, Charlotte went on an outing with a few friends. It got boring at some point and one of us suggested that we played truth or dare.

We did. And in the process, I was dared to date Charlotte for a week. My heart leaped for joy. That week became the most memorable week of my life. It started as a game, but we fell in love in the process. Will, the rest is history.

I don't know how long it'll take to get a better job, but I'd keep basking as a school team janitor, if Raul doesn't crush my balls someday.

I'll write to you soon Will.

Always Pick The Stake By The Edge"

***

Tyler heaved a sigh. A fountain of tears gathered in his eyes. He flipped to the next page - a blank page. He reached for a pen, connecting its brim to the page.

****

"Three months. Three fucking moments Will. Its been three whole months since the last time I wrote to you. Forgive me, because I may sound melodramatic on this entry.

A lot has happened in the last couple of months. I feel drained, hopeless and hurt. Is hopeless the right word to describe how terrible I feel right now? Maybe not.

I regret yesterday more than how long I've been here. Its the worse day on this year's calendar.

I got bullied by Raul and his fellow daredevils yesterday. I thought that was the worse that'll happen on a bad day, until the heaviest wave crushed into me. Charlotte cheated on me. Funny huh? Yeah, she did.

I caught her in the bathroom with some dude from the school's football team. It got under my skin - clouds turned into rain and Charlotte spilled. It wasn't love since the onset. She never loved me. I was just a tiny piece of sausage. She said it to my bleeding face.

I got into a fight with the dude she shagged. Obviously I made one of the biggest mistakes of my life. The dude left my face with series of cuts and injuries. He inscribed 'SORE LOSER' on my shirt.

Will, I don't think we're sad because we get hurt by people we love. The pain is intensified when we get to know that we love them. That love turns to pain the moment they rain on our parade. That's exactly how I feel.

Everyone is like ants - glued to were they can find sweets. No one wants to be close to me just because I've got nothing in my bank account. Just because I work as a janitor. Just because my hair is blonde. Just because I chose to live.

My heart is constricted, with no single space for empathy. I'd deal with them all. they must pay.

Will, I'd keep this short. Until I write to you again. Maybe in another life"

****

Tyler dropped his pen loudly on the table.

His phone rang. He stared at it for while before picking. It was his father.

"Hey Son"

"Good day day" Tyler muttered coldly.

Silenced sprang from the other end.

"Dad...? You there?"

"Y...yes son..I'm here"

Tyler creased his eyebrows "Is everything okay?"

"Tyler, I need to tell you something"

"Okay dad. I'm all ears. Shoot"

A sigh reverberated from the other end.

"I'm sorry I hid the truth from you all this while"

"What truth?"

"We're wealthy!" He paused. Tying to catch his breath.

"I don't understand. Wealthy.??"

"You actually come from a wealthy family. Everything was meant to be a secret until you're of age. And the time is now Tyler"

Tyler cackled in disbelief "Dad you seem to be daydreaming. Cut the crap please"

"I know you won't believe me. I will send you a prove" He hung up.

Tyler flung his phone on the bed. He closed his journal and collapsed into the bed. A couple of minutes later, his phone beeped, a message from the bank. 100 billion dollars had been credited into his account.