Aios: WL

Chapter 57. Wasted.

"You.." That was the only thing I managed to say after the impact. One minute, I was desperately trying to stand up again and rescue Lj despite being fatally wounded and now, I was in awe. She was currently being held by a large man. Carrying her didn't her seem to be such a big deal for him. He was strong. Well, he did break that huge glass container. Yeah...

"I'm glad I was just in time, heh." He said those words as he was turning to face me. That voice. That smug look on his face. " They say the hero always shows at the right moment.  Wow. I must be a hero, then." The otaku-ness. Definitely him.

"Big MAMA!!!" I looked back and saw Donna. Free. She was now clumsily making her way to him. Watching her wince in pain whenever she felt the pain from all her wounds, made me guiltier. What have I done? I hurt an innocent person. I almost killed a girl. Facing them was harder than I thought.....

"Hey." I looked up. He was staring at me. Scrutinizing me. "What happened to you?" Nothing much. I just stabbed myself because I was guilty. After, I made a foolish mistake of hurting my friend. A rash decision that I would carry for life. Even my reasoning behind that was biased. I should have looked for another way. Those were your only options. No. I was not tied up like them. I had more freedom. MOre choices. MOre chances. Yet I.. I gave in to the selfish demands of whoever was behind all this. And now, I had to face them and own up. Be a man.  For once.

I removed the mask just in time so Donna could see who I was.

"J- jackie... How could... Why...?" She was at a loss for words. I expected that. I hurt her. I should be punished. Hated. By her. By them. By Lj, the woman I treasured the most. "I was begging you to stop! You were hurting me! Yet you... Wa- wasn't I... your friend? Or maybe...you were only being friendly with us  because...you only wanted to woo 'her' like the others before you. I..  I treated you as a friend! YOU SCUM!" She was so mad that she walked faster despite her current state. Wincing at every step she took made it clear that she was in pain yet she continued to make her way to me.

"That's enough, Donna." Before she could reach me, he blocked her way. Why?

 "But Big Mama! He..This person..he-" 

"I heard him." He didn't give her a chance to finish.

What are you thinking Big M? I wanted to ask him  but I kept quiet. It was a stupid decision. A foolish mistake made by yours truly. I knew that. I already knew that. I was just hoping that it was the best option. The events that took place after I did those horrendous things made it more clear that I was wrong. Very wrong.

"So, why are you defending him?" She was getting more irritated. The change in her tone of voice proved it.

"He has a reason. Right?" He glanced at me. Yes. I did. No. It was more like... I had. I did it for Lj.  It was to get her out of harm's way. Sacrificing Donna was a justifiable reason because they would be dead anyway if I waited longer. It was better to lose one than both. Donna was a friend I treasured but Lj was...my life. If I had to risk being tainted by sin, I would prefer if it was all to save her. I told myself. I was already prepared to face them. To face their judging eyes. I only wore the mask to give me more courage to do it. I was going to reveal  my identity after I did the act.

I wasn't prepared for  this though. I never expected that something could go wrong. That something would happen and make all my efforts go to waste.

I did this for her yet she was still hurt despite my sacrifice. I wasn't even the one who saved her because I was too incapacitated to do so.

"Whatever the reason, he still did some-" 

"Let him speak." Looking straight at me, he said those words

 He gave me time to speak. So, I did.