Chapter 53: Nightmare
Mai stepped quickly, her eyes occasionally glanced around with wary eyes. This place was so quiet and dark, she had strange thoughts, fear enveloped her heart but she tried hard to get rid of all the negative thoughts.
Her eyes caught a small stall, she felt a little relieved. Thankfully at least she wasn't alone, there were several people gathered there. Pop music sounded from the stall, some people laughed.
Getting closer, Mai realized that four men were playing cards while smoking in the stall. The smoke billows in the air, Mai hates cigarettes, the smell makes her stomach queasy. A skinny man was behind the stall, apparently the owner of the stall. The man's face looked uncomfortable towards the four guests. Naturally, the four guests looked grim, more like thugs.
thugs? Mai shuddered, lest they are thugs.
Mai refused to go past them and chose the opposite direction, her feelings were starting to get worse. Just turning around, Mai could hear the thugs starting to tease her, whistling at her and saying dirty words.
Not intending to serve them, she quickened her pace but someone grabbed her arm so she turned around and suddenly they were around her. Mai's heart was pounding hard, she was starting to get scared.
"Let go..!" he shouted.
"What do you want?" Mai said, her voice shaking even though she tried to calm down. Mai doesn't want them to know that she is scared.
Maybe they want to rob her. The money in her wallet was only 50 thousand rupiahs and that was only enough for the taxi fare.
"I.. I.. have no money," said Mai. If they take the money, Mai can't go home.
"Who wants your money?" said one of them mockingly.
"You're cute too huh." Said one of the thugs.
Gasp, Mai realized her outfit today might be a little 'inviting'.
A broken white dress that is slightly above the knee length and a blue jeans jacket as an outer. Mai doesn't usually wear a skirt to campus, she thinks she will be picked up by her father. One of them touched her cheek even her waist and buttocks, Mai felt disapproved. Their nosy hands tried to touch her whole body, they were impudent. She pushed away one of the hands and slapped one of them.
"Ooh, you dare... fierce too." They feel challenged.
They started laughing and acting more and more impudent. Mai realized they didn't want her money, they wanted her. The men began to drag her, no matter how Mai struggled, it was all in vain. They were stronger than her.
Mai screamed for help but no one was there. The streets are so quiet, there are no passing vehicles. The stall owner even disappeared somewhere.
Fear made Mai's body tremble. What will happen to her? What will they do to her? Oh of course she knows what they want, she's just afraid that what she thinks is right. The girl sobbed, tears starting to well up in the corners of her eyes, making the boys like her even more.
God help me, anyone help me. - thought Mai.
-----
A bright light dazzled Mai's eyes, the sound of the horn deafening her ears. For a moment she thought what she saw and heard was not real but then her eyes caught it. A car was driving slowly towards her and the ruffians were surrounding her.
Thank goodness I can ask for help, hopefully, the driver will help. - thought Mai.
Feeling the courage, Mai struggled and screamed. The thugs weren't scared at all or maybe didn't care. After all, this is Jakarta, where most of the people are individualists, not necessarily the driver of the car willing to help. Why meddle in the affairs of someone he doesn't know at all? Why put yourself in danger for someone you don't know? Four against one is unbalanced. Who is a fool who would risk his life? The stall owner just chose to run away but unexpectedly the car chose to stop right in front of them making Mai and the four thugs stunned for a while.
"How are you?" One of them asked the biggest person who seemed to be the leader.
They turned toward the intruder's car.
"Damn it! Just disturb him. If he dares to interfere, then just finish him!" he said.
Mai turned shriveled.
What? These people are desperate or have gone crazy.
Mai doesn't want other people to get into her troubles but she needs help. She stared at the black car with a resigned look and then realized something. The city car looks familiar.
The Honda Jazz is black and the license plate is a car... Aaron.
Mai's guess was not wrong, it was Aaron's car. For three months Mai did not want to see Aaron. This afternoon she still didn't even feel ready to meet the man again but tonight all those feelings of annoyance, anger, and discomfort disappeared and were replaced with feelings of immense relief. Mai had never been so happy to meet Aaron.
Aaron got out of the car. His brown eyes that used to look friendly and friendly now turned sharp and cold, staring unblinkingly at the people around Mai.
"You don't have to interfere, it's none of your business!" One of them bluffed.
"Go on and pretend you didn't see anything!" Said it again.
Aaron didn't answer and instead walked over to them casually. The bastard thugs immediately put up their horses, they looked a little nervous because the young man in front of them looked defiant and fearless.
"If you let her go, I'll let you go," Aaron said, he threatened back.
His words were calm but sounded terrible to the thugs' ears making them look at each other with nervous expressions. The words can also sound like 'if you don't let her go, I'll make you regret it.
Mai gulped, this is not good. Aaron will fight with them. Aaron was a black belt, he could take on them, but there were four of them and Aaron was alone. Aaron can be beaten up no matter how hard he is.
Why would he want to get involved with me? Aren't they enemies? - Mai feels awry.
Seconds later Aaron was already fighting with them. The thugs attacked first, Aaron just parried and reversed their attacks with ease. The goons look shocked, they are dealing with the wrong person. Two of them immediately fell and Aaron smiled at the remaining two, challenging them.
A person with long hair stepped forward to face Aaron and it seemed that this long-haired one knew more how to fight than his two friends. Aaron couldn't knock him down like he had beaten the previous two.
Mai could see a big person smiling grinning beside her. Mai began to worry.
What if Aaron loses? No, he can't lose! - thought Mai.
Aaron won the student tournament last year. He won't lose easily. But a match is different from a real fight. Mai had heard about it from Nica. Don't think of fighting on the streets like an action movie on television, one person can beat dozens of people without the slightest scratch.
Games have rules, on the streets, there are no rules and lives are at stake. Those guys who grew up on the streets like thugs are more experienced and resilient but... Riven once said that Aaron was more than a thug. Is it true?
Mai cheered inwardly when Aaron managed to make a person with long hair fall. And the big man cursed as he let go. Mai held her arm which had been gripped by a big man, it hurt, it would leave an imprint.
The big man stepped into the arena, together with the man with long hair they attacked Aaron at the same time. Mai bit her lip, she started to worry. The big man and the man with long hair didn't seem like an easy opponents.
The two people who fell earlier rose to their feet and joined in. Four people ganged up on Aaron at once but Aaron didn't seem at all afraid even though Mai could see Aaron was a little overwhelmed. This is an unfair fight. Mai held her breath when one of them managed to hit Aaron right in the face, blood showing from his injured lips. Mai hates him, that's why she doesn't like fights.
Fortunately, Aaron returned to counterattack, knocking two people down again leaving the long-haired man and the big man back. They are more troublesome. The two thugs glanced at each other. The big man was heard cursing, he took something out of his pocket, a penknife.
Mai's face immediately paled, she looked at Aaron with a worried feeling. Her heartfelt like it was going to jump out of her chest. Mai grimaced at the thought that the sharp object could injure Aaron.
Instead, Aaron rolled his eyes and Mai could see a fleeting grin on Aaron's face. It seems that Aaron is happy in contrast to Mai who feels horrified.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
awisantoni
awisantoni Here is today's chapter guys. I hope you all liked it. Let me know what you guys thought. I love reading the comments and I try my best. Quick shout to everyone that votes with power stones. I really appreciate it. Seeing the notification that you guys voted is a such huge motivation booster. Thank you guys for reading and I hope you all have a wonderful day :)
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone