A Perfect Player -C4

CHAPTER 4

We strolled to school at a leisurely pace. A lot of guys grinned up at me with blood-hate in their eyes as Liz and I went for biology lesson. We sat comfortably beside each other. While Mr. Green was teaching, I kept stealing glances at Liz. I had no idea why I got a feeling that I would lose Liz. These feelings really indeed puzzled me. In spite of my bewildered heart, I had to camouflage it with my loveable smile.

“Liz Parker, you are to come to the principal’s office contiguously now.” Mr. Cage, my principal announced.
Liz rushed out of the class without hesitation.

“Liz, I sorry that your dad is in Elizabeth’s hospital. I have heard that he was in critical condition and demanded to see you.” Mr. Cage mentioned solemnly and gravely.

Liz ran out without hesitation and took a cab to the hospital immediately. Liz did not even bothered to take the changes from the driver and ran into the hospital asking the nurse for the wardroom that her dad was in. She scurried up by the crazily slanted and ill-lighted stairwell instead of taking an elevator. She saw her vulnerable dad lying on the bed with tubes put onto him all over like a Christmas tree full of decoration. Liz was devastated to see her dad in this shape. Liz saw her dad breathing so scarcely with the help of oxygen tank. Liz held onto her dad’s wrinkled but soft hand. Her dad was awakened promptly.

“Liz, I do not have much time left. Death was beckoning me. There’s this diskette in your late mom’s favourite painting. Read the diskette and you will understand why your mom and I are facing death. Never be scared of risking; as that’s the only chance to survive. I love you honey. Follow your heart, girl.” Liz’s dad was taken away by the innocent and chaste guardian angel after he finished his last words.

Torrent of tears flowed down from Liz’s comely eyes to her cheek. She went back home with I waiting at her balcony for her. The moment she saw she went hugging me and sobbing on my broad shoulder. Her tears wet my shirt totally but that did not bother me. What was bugging on my mind was what had actually happened to her. It was not long before she calmed herself down and sat on the deckchair. I poured Liz a glass of icy water hoping that it would calm her down faster. Liz drank the glass of water slowly to soothe her dry throat.

“Max, I’m going for a bath and I need some moment of being alone.” Liz whimpered disconsolately.

I kissed Liz goodbye before I left her house. I was still dreading over her as I left her house. I reached home to see that Jasper was back home.

“So, how is your day?” Jasper asked.

“Not that good, my girl is downhearted and I am worried about her.” I confessed.

“So you have a girlfriend when I’m not around. She need time to calm down and think about things. Give her the space and support she needs from you, Max.” Jasper advised me.

“So, how’s your trip?” I asked finally.

“Alright, I supposed. By the way, is there a girl in your school called Liz Parker?” Jasper asked.

“What about her?” I prodded.

“She’s your next target ordered by your dad. I give her dad one stab that sends him to have an instant conversation with God. Her dad had held certain evidence against your dad. He was believed to have taken one of your dad’s goods, money and a very phenomenal watch that meant something to your dad. I believe that he told Liz something. You know what to do don’t you, Max?” Jasper instructed.

“Oh yes. All these killings got to stop. You didn’t give people a chance to explain before you kill didn’t you? Is death such a good scene for you? Have you people known what’s life and how vulnerable is life? Do you know what’s love and passion? You know what, Liz Parker is my girl and now I know that I was the one who caused her all the pain indirectly. I’m not gonna killed her and I swear to God whoever try to send her face to face with God instantly will be the first to be sent to have dinner with God instantly by me.” I blared.
Jasper stared at me speechlessly.

“Max, I’m sorry what had actually happened. Since that’s the case I’ll be the killer then this time.” Jasper responded.

“Well don’t presume that I’m not taking my words gravely.” With that I ran up to my room and packed my bag.

Jasper locked my door thinking that I can’t get out of the house but he was wrong. I jumped up of my window landed on the soft patch of grass. Liz was taking the diskette from the painting. She put the diskette into her notebook and clicked to open to see what was in it.

“Liz the documents you just see were the evidence to give to the FBI to bust the drug ring my company I was working. Your mom and I died due to what we know. They will be going after you now. Be careful with the diskette. My boss has a son who is a good killer and as well as a terriost named Max McGuire. Run for your life girl to another country. I love you. Ended with love dad.” Diskette read.

Liz took the diskette and packed her bag. I climbed to Liz’s balcony. Liz screamed when she saw me as if like she just saw a ghost.

“Don’t you dare to come any closer, Max I demanded. You are a goddamn jerk. How long to you intend to lie to me. Are you here for my life? Go on and take since you had already taken my parents’. I love you yet you had been cheating on me all day long.” She yelled at me grimly.

“If I have wanted to take your life, you wouldn’t have been here now talking with me as I would have killed you long time ago and would not have waited till now. I love you more dearly than anyone. I am here to protect you.
I’m sorry about your dad but that doesn’t mean I had killed him, as it was not I. I’m a jerk not in your eyes. I am a jerk that kills people’s life in the world’s eyes. I have tried to change their cold-blooded minds but it has gone in vain. Take my pistol now to proof that my love is real and I’m not a villain jerk here.” I exclaimed calmly.

Liz took my pistol and pointed at me.
“I hate you and wished to kill you in revenge with my parents but love can’t bring me to kill you and proof that my love one is here and I was lying throughout that I hate you.” Liz admitted.

I went up to Liz and held her shaky hand. I had never in my life looked at the sumptuous sad eyes of Liz. I knew sad eyes never lie, I just knew but I don’t know how. Still I knew I loved Liz as it was just from my heart. Out of the blue, we heard the loud screeching sound made by a car and in an instant I knew they should be my dad’s men. I held onto the cold hand of Liz and hinted her to run away. We had a narrow escape from the balcony. I knew time was running out fast and swiftly but I still had to think of an affluent plan to save Liz. It was the beginning of bone-chilling rainstorm. It was mixed with sleet; rain came down hard, driven sideways at times by fierce gusts of arctic wind. It was an inclement weather. I could see a fade shadow from far, I took out my pistol from my black jacket and pointed at the shadow.

“Hi, Max I know you too well. Jumping out of the windows to save Liz. You know the rules well yet you break the rules. I understand how you feel as I had already lost someone I love. This is an unflagging game and scenario we will be having. You know me well that I’ll shoot her with or without you.” Jasper bristled with a rueful smile.

I started to exchange shots of bullets with my best friend, Jasper. It was just a matter of time before the bullets would run out and I knew it yet I shot them carelessly. I saw a black and hunched-back shadow behind me. I felt my breath catch in my throat as I saw my dad with brandishing pistol getting near to Liz. I was surprised and enraged. Liz came eye with eye with the muzzle of an automatic pistol. My dad aimed point-blank at her face.

“Liz I’m giving you a chance now, where is the diskette?” my dad ordered.

“Here is the diskette,” Liz professed as she passed my dad the diskette.

The gun jumped with a roar, like a clap of thunder to the back of Liz’s skull came off.

“You lied, dad. You lied, you lied. She gave the diskette to you yet you shot her.” I scoffed at my dad like an insane man.

I ran up to Liz without hesitation. It is direct in my path that world turned a hot sticky red rare, crystal-clear day. Jasper and dad was gone leaving behind my injured girl, Liz and me. I held her up so that she could lie on my laps. She was bleeding profusely and was in a half unconscious state.

“Liz, talk to me please. Wake up and talk to me. I begged you. I need you more than anything.” I whimpered as my tears started to become heavy and had a need to flow from my eyes to her face.

“I hear you, Max. I’m just tired and had just taken forty winks. Which moron will do such a silly thing by jumping from a window to save his girl? You sweet little guy really touches my heart. Do me a favour please, Max? Sing me a song as I miss your melodic voice box. There’s something I wanted you to have. Take this notebook with you and open the diskette. Start singing to me now, Max please.” Liz requested.

“Sometimes I just hold you, too caught up in me to see. I’m holding a fortune that heaven has given to me. I’ll try to show you each and every way I can. Now and forever I’ll be your man.
Now I can rest my worries and always be sure that I won’t be alone anymore. If I’d only know you was there all the time. Until the day the ocean doesn’t touch the wind.
Now and forever I’ll be your man.” I sung so slowly with all my emotions while I caressed her hair and she slept away so peacefully on my laps.

I knew she was having her journey to Netherlands with conversation with the angels. I carried her up to her balcony and see the sun climbed towards its zenith one last time as the rain had stopped. I walked her to the church and asked the pastor a favour to bury her there, as Liz deserved to sleep in peace in a holy place. I thanked the pastor and kissed Liz’s soft lips one last time before I went away.

I took out her notebook and put her belongings onto my haversack bag. I took a fleet flight to LA. I hailed a cab to a low-priced motel. A rat trotted lazily, lousily across the crackled and blistered cement of the street. Streets were ghostly silent. I reached the motel. I was given the room key. I walked along the dim lighted and debilitated staircase. I found my room at the corner. Room was darkened blackout curtains drawn and a pathetic oscillating fan set atop the table. Floor was crackled porcelain; walls gouged tile with thick runnels of decay near bottoms. Rust-clogged showerhead full hot, water ran tepid. I closed the door that gave a creaking sound. I switched on the notebook and opened the diskette and found out that indeed a lot of innocent people died under my dad’s hand and lastly I found a watch. It was an indeed antique silver watch. I kept the watch closed by my side. I went on net and hacked into the FBI files and transferred all the diskette information except for my information. I wanted my dad to be busted. I hid my identity well.

Boredom drove me to window. I had a tiny, pathetic glimpse of fountain. I went of my room and decided to go to the fountain. I sat there looking for cracks and finally found one. Before I did anything I scanned the surrounding carefully that no one was looking at me. I took one of the tiles and put the diskette in and put back the tiles like the original piece.

I went back to my room and looked at the book to check out if I could found any good pay job. I decided to take the job of a teacher in a high school. I went to the same old interview with the principal of the school.

“Impressive, Mr. McGuire that you can start teaching this afternoon. What are you good at Mr. McGuire?” Mr. Thomson the principal asked mildly.

“Well, glad that you are impressed by me. I’m good in literature, biology, art and music. So which subject do you want me to teach?” I mused nicely.

“How about art and music? As that’s what our school is lacked in.” Mr. Thomson requested.

“Sure with me, it’s my pleasure.” I answered.
I was being brought around the school and was given the keys of the school and the materials for teaching. I went for lunch in the cafeteria. I headed straight to the music room. I was sitting comfortably on the armchair waiting for my students.

“Hi, my name is Max McGuire. You can call me Max. As this is the first time we had met each other. We shall have no lessons today but just palaver to get to know each other. Let’s start with the guy sitting next to the window.” I introduced politely.

“Well I’m Jacob and I love music especially Back Street Boys and N’SYNC. I love to play the drums as instrument.” Jacob stated.
The introduction continued until the last girl.

“Well Max, how old are you? Do you have a girlfriend?” Jesse asked.

“Good question, I’m 18 this year and I had a late girlfriend that died yesterday. Well since all of you like Richard Marx’s songs. I shall play it to you guys. The song is ‘now and forever’. ” I announced.

I started playing the song on the piano and the sound just came out so melodiously and smoothly. They were astonished by the way I played just like him. I was so enthralled in playing the piano that I didn’t realise the principal was standing at the door. They clapped after I finished playing the song. The clapping of course includes the principal. The students left inviting the principal into the classroom.

“Well, Max it has been long that I see such a remarkable music teacher like you. Thank you.” Mr Thomson praised.

“Thank you for your compliment. It’s my honour to teach in this school.” I thanked Mr Thomson modestly.