Crowded Silence

24 | Together We Will

"He was following you," Johann spat. He knows me?

"I wanted to talk to you..." The other man began. "...and don't understand what's it to this motherf*ck___" I grabbed him by his jacket and kneed him on the stomach. He stumbled back, his hands clenched on his stomach.

"Whoever the f*ck you're, mind your tongue, you b*stard!"

"Hanna, it's me," He managed to straighten up.

"Tobias?" It was him. "Why come after me? What happened 5 years ago wasn't enough for you!?" He steadied himself. "I don't want to hear anything from you and this whom you were cursing at is my husband." I walked to Johann and led him away from there.

"Wow! You can handle men too? I'm impressed." Johann said. "But I really wanted to break his ribs,"

"He has some broken by me from back during high school,"

"Why?"

"Teen hormones got to his head, he tried to take me down when I was alone after sports practice," I looked at Johann, worried. He was calm, I smiled. "I expected you to run for him and knock him out," He frowned for a second then let out a laugh.

"Teen hormones." He shrugged. "We all need help keeping them under control; as for him, you were there," I laughed now.

"Hanna, wait!" Tobias called out. Not again. I turned around. "I just wanted to say sor___"

"What do you want to say? That you were a hormonal freak and were thinking only with your d*ck and now you're sorry for that? Fine! Leave me alone already!"

"Not the exact words, but yeah. Also, I wanted to thank you for taking me to the hospital and not telling my parents the truth..."

"I can't possibly leave you to die there. As for your parents, they didn't need to suffer more than they already did because of you."

His parents were often called for because of his jerkiness. I've seen them being disappointed, but he didn't care. I didn't want them to think their son was now roaming around, taking advantage of girls, so I'd told them he missed a stair and fell from the very top.

"After I gained consciousness, I got to know about what you'd told them. Soon after, I told them the truth. They got the formalities done and never visited me once in the whole week that I was hospitalized. That made me realise what kind of a son I've been..."

I was about to say that he be nice to them hereafter, but Johann overtook me, I was happy that he was not mad.

"The world thinks that children are a blessing, truth be told, parents are the greatest of blessings that any child can have. Never disappoint them." His eyes were glossy. I ran a comforting hand on his back.

"I apologise to you too," Tobias lent his hand. Johann took it and gave a gentle shake before letting go. "I see why she'd fallen for you. You're just as understanding as her,"

"So mature coming from you Tobias, you've changed." I smiled.

"I guess. And you've too. Back then, you took me to the hospital after beating me to death and now you didn't even care?" He held his chest dramatically. "Ouch,"

"She measures her punches and kicks, man. She knew you'd not survive on your own back then," Johann laughed.

"All right," I said. "Okay Tobias, we need to leave now, take care."

"Yeah man, take care." They bumped fists. We then headed our ways.

We took a taxi and headed for the campsite. We went trekking first, then at around 10 pm started setting up the tent. After that we made a campfire and sat down.