A Girl From the Past

Epilogue

The bustling activities outside didn't manage to disturb a man and a woman as they stayed inside the car.

While the woman's eyes occasionally roamed around; as though she was searching for someone, the man behind the steering wheel would look at her before he followed her gaze. He clasped his hands together to cushion his head as he leaned back in a relaxed manner.

Lucas enjoyed the atmosphere that he couldn't help but close his eyes for a short while. When he opened them again, he turned his head, finding his vague reflection in the car window staring back at him.

His hair had turned slightly white on certain parts while his skin had gotten some wrinkles. He had aged a lot, considering it had been more than ten years since he made that promise.

"What makes them take so long?" The middle-aged woman's eyes still kept on looking out, staring at the high school young boys and girls outside.

Lucas's mouth twitched involuntarily. He already had a premonition of who the culprit was. The image of a certain blonde young boy with his mischievous smile surfaced on his mind. It almost gave him a headache.

"Let's wait for another fifteen minutes."

Savannah nodded heavily at his words.
Lucas sighed inwardly, didn't know whether he should curse that troublemaker or be thankful at him. At least, he and Savannah enjoyed more time together. However, he also didn't like seeing the crease of worry decorating her face.

"Mom!" A sweet voice sounded a few minutes later. The lively young girl appeared a few meters away from where they parked the car. She was dragging a young man, who helplessly let himself be pulled around.

When the girl arrived, she immediately opened the passenger seat and shoved the young boy inside.

Adrian pulled an innocent face, smiling so blindingly that Lucas almost couldn't help to throw him out of the car.

"What happened this time?" Savannah said with a gentle tone as she stared at them.
Adrian scratched the back of his head, not saying anything. Amira narrowed her eyes, then she crossed her hands and pouted.

"Adrian got into a fight..." She didn't hesitate to sell him out.

Lucas glared at Adrian, making the latter turned his head away. "If you like fighting so much, why don't you just tell me?"

Adrian blinked his eyes and shook his head. With a solemn expression, he replied. "It would be called an abuse... a young boy getting abused by his adult uncle."

If it were in the past, he would've truly kicked this kid out of the car. He dared to retort back at him.

However, he knew that Savannah preferred a gentle and caring person. So, for the past years, Lucas's mask of coldness and indifference had been torn off little by little.

He adapted into a better personality. No longer as conceited nor view people as lower than him.

Lucas didn't respond to Adrian's words. Instead, he started the car and began to drive.

Savannah handled the kids much better than him.

"Adrian, is what Amara said true?" Savannah's expression still didn't change.

"Yes." Adrian readily admitted.

"What's the cause that led you to fight?"
"Some boys were talking with unpleasant words about Amara..."

Amara, who was drinking water suddenly coughed. She gulped the water in her mouth. As the cough had died down, she was staring at Adrian with widened eyes.

"Sorry for being angry at you." Amara apologized, feeling guilty.

Adrian shook his head and said with a confident smile. "No, if I have gotten into the fight, causing me to be hurt, wouldn't you be worried?"

"Besides, I have punched them a few times." He raised his chin proudly. "Luckily, we run so fast that the teachers didn't manage to catch up to us."

Lucas sighed as he listened to their conversation. However, he didn't berate Adrian any longer. "How many times did you punch them?"

"There are three curly-haired baboons. I gave two punches at two and three at another one." Adrian said regretfully. "I should have made it three punches each."

In the seat beside the steering wheel, Lucas nodded in approval. "Good. You need to have more exercise. I will teach you, make sure to beat them black and blue next time."

Amara's mouth was parted slightly. Abruptly, she couldn't help but look at her mother, finding her also didn't reject the idea. But, she could see that she was sighing in resignation.

Lucas had been rebuking Adrian, and now his attitude on the matter had taken a sharp turn when he heard the whole matter.

"Make sure not to get hurt. Don't fight if you can." Amara told Adrian rather anxiously.
Adrian obediently bobbed his head up and down when he noticed Amara's worried expression.

This young girl had gotten more talkative the more time she spent hanging out with Adrian for the past years. Savannah was more than happy with the progress.

Lucas didn't want to teach Adrian to use violence on every occasion. But it was such a pity that sometimes badmouthing, which belongs to oral abuse still goes unpunished in some schools.

If he were to be called by the school due to Adrian's fight, at least the other three curly-haired baboons would too.

As the matter had settled, the kids enjoyed their snacks happily in the back passenger seat. Meanwhile, the veil of the darkness had begun to take its reign again.

The beautiful sunset in the west, creating a mesmerizing sight enveloped them. It was such a comfortable feeling.

When the night fully blanketed the part of the earth, a melody of rain suddenly sang to accompany the quiet night.

For Lucas, it was like a tale of the past melting along with the rain. A redemption that was not yet fully achieved, until it was washed away by the flowing water, little by little.

As the silence took place, Lucas had a little wish. He hoped that the journey to their holiday this time would pass smoothly. Just like how humans loved to treasure the small, but the precious time that created the memories of theirs.

The End.

Hi guys, thanks for accompanying me on this journey. When I first thought of this idea, I never thought that the story would have so many reads.

I finally decided to leave an open ending and let you guess how Lucas and Savannah's relationship developed.

Some people may think that them being together is a happy ending, but some may not.

As this story is now finished. I decided to write another one. It's titled The Billionaire's Poisonous Lily. You can check it on my profile.

Once again, thank you!

20/08/2021