F I F T E E N | green is the color—

A C R Y L I C

Choices and actions rule our lives. But after seeing the state of my car, I wanted to believe in luck.

I had been fixing my Camaro since twelve noon but to no luck. I knew I couldn't fix it before my date so I decided to call Caprice. I had tried calling her to tell her that I'd be there even without my car but she didn't answer.

After a few minutes, I received a text from her. She told me that everything was fine and that I need not to worry.

What does that mean?

In the end, I stayed in the house and still trying to fix my car. I was close to my limit. And even though I love my car so much, I kicked it out of frustration.

"Damn! What is wrong with you?"

I clenched my teeth and began thinking of the many things that could be wrong with my car. Was it in the engine? Maybe I needed to change parts.

My head whipped up when I heard the clang of our metal gates. Colt strolled in. I raised an eyebrow because I could feel it. Colt was in a good mood. I could count on my fingers how many times he showed a mien of happiness.

I glanced down at my watch. It was almost ten. What was he doing here? Why was he home?

"Did something good happen?" I eyed him. Truth be told, it was creepy seeing Colt with a hint of a smile tugging on his lips.

Due to my question, Colt's face immediately turned taciturn. His black coat waved against the cold wind as he smirked at me. "Nothing."

"Really?" I asked even though I knew that he hated useless conversations. The relationship between Colt and I was dull and boring. People told me that he and I had a lot of common points. I agreed but I guess that fact didn't mean anything to Colt.

For some reason, we couldn't find a mutual ground where brotherhood or even friendship could rise.

Colt scoffed. "It's none of your business."

I shook my head slowly, chuckling because of our situation. How could a bond arise from this? Between us?

Colt scanned my car and his eyebrows furrowed in concentration. I heard him let out a haughty sigh. "Change the coolant of your car."

What?

I frowned. My eyes followed Colt's silhouette until it disappeared inside the already dimmed house. I walked to my car and opened the hood. I ducked down, my fingers tweaking the parts before I turned my attention to the coolant.

I inspected it and saw that what Colt said was true. The coolant concentration was different than that of my car.

Not compatible.

When the fuck did this happen?

I showed up early in the gym, hoping to see Caprice. I texted her several times but it's still a hundred times better to apologize in person. I scanned the crowd that was beginning to form in the gym but I couldn't see her.

I breathed out an exasperated sigh. I really blew my chance.

Then I remembered that Dad assigned Caprice to oversee Colt's training for the competition. She must be there then.

I made my way to Colt's training room while nodding to people who passed by me. They gave me bizarre looks and I wondered if it's because of my face. I was desperate to find Caprice.

There was this tightness in my chest that I couldn't shake off. Like something would happen if I didn't find her.

I received a text from Dad telling me to proceed to my own training but I disregarded it. I accelerated my pace and the first thing I heard from inside the training facility were loud voices. It was Caprice and Colt's voice.

And it was obvious to anyone that they were arguing.

I couldn't make out the words so I entered the room. The scene that was right before me was peculiar. It was strange because Caprice was gazing at Colt with eyes burning with defiance.

My brother countered that gaze with his own stony glare.

They just stood there like that but I could feel that something changed. The atmosphere wasn't friendly but it wasn't hate either.

A few seconds later, Caprice yelled, "Stop using that flashy move, will you?"

Colt rolled his eyes. "I like it."

"It will put a burden on your shoulders! Listen to me!" Caprice turned to Maky, obviously asking for a backup. "Tell him, Maky. Tell him I'm right."

"Uhm, I'm not sure?" the latter answered.

Of course, he wasn't.

Maky, for some unknown reason, was always loyal to Colt. Their relationship was better than ours after all.

Caprice leaned in towards Colt's face. I couldn't hear the exchange between them but I saw the shift in Colt's demeanor. He whirled away from Caprice.

"Fine." He cracked his knuckles and stepped inside the cage again.

My brows puckered. Colt actually listened to someone? Not even dad could have done that. I suddenly felt dizzy.

Is something going on between Colt and Caprice?

Shit.

"Priz!" I called out to her.

Caprice's golden eyes widened in recognition as she saw me. She sauntered towards me with a perky smile on her face. "Hey AC."

I returned the smile. "Hey. About yesterday–"

"Oh no. It's okay. It's absolutely okay." Caprice interrupted before I had the chance to complete my sentence.

I arched an eyebrow, "Are you not angry?"

Caprice looked taken aback. I could detect that she was grasping for the right words. Then her lips stretched into a sly smile. "Uhm, well no. I knew you wouldn't ditch me like that if you didn't have a serious problem."

"Okay?" My eyebrows bumped against each other.

"Well, actually..." Caprice began. "Colt kept me company so it's really okay AC."

I felt my face fell and something massive was suddenly plunged into my back. I pushed down the acid taste that was beginning to rise inside my throat. I gritted my teeth to point that I was grinding them against each other.

Those weird incidents yesterday were all Colt's fault. It was all my brother's doing.

Colt sabotaged my car just so he could make a move on the girl I was pining for. It was no wonder he was in a good mood last night.

Damn it.

"Are you okay?" Caprice's eyes were full of worry. For me.

I forced myself to smile. "Yeah, yeah. I'm okay."

Caprice didn't seem convinced with my words. She put a warm hand against my shoulders and moved closer to peer into my eyes. "Really?"

Warmth instantly flooded my heart. I felt the rush of happiness in my veins, the release of serotonin, yet at the same time, I felt uneasy. I knew that Caprice had managed to infiltrate my heart and sooner or later, it would be hers.

And I'm very afraid of that.

I was frightened that the thing that happened several years ago would make another appearance. The thing that could flush out all the happiness in my body.

A heartbreak.

"Acrylic, are you listening to me?" Caprice's voice brought me back to the present.

"Yeah," I replied with another mandatory smile.

Caprice's eyes softened. She smiled and put her small hand on mine, "Let's just go on another date. I'm sure it would go well this time."

I couldn't take it anymore so I pulled her in for a hug. I wanted her warmth. I wanted it to be mine. Badly.

"I... never knew you were a hugging person." I heard her mumble with a few more incomprehensible words before she reciprocated the hug.

A loud bang made me release Caprice from our embrace. Both of our heads snapped towards the source of the noise.

It was Colt. He was sitting on the mat with his left knee propped up. His dark eyes were shooting daggers towards us.

"I'm thirsty." He muttered loudly for everyone in the room to hear. It was supposed to be a statement but Colt's deep voice made it sound like a command. Yup, only he could do that.

What a tyrant!

I heard Caprice took a deep breath beside me. She glared back at Colt, "Isn't there a water jug there?"

"I want Gatorade," Colt said in a flat tone.

The girl scoffed. "And why would I buy you Gatorade?"

Colt grinned with malevolence. He made a gesture of cutting his neck and then pointing to Caprice.

I rolled my eyes at that. Tch.

"Fine! Wait for it, your highness." Caprice said with a conceding tone. "I'll poison you, just you wait."

I chuckled with her last statement, "Do you want me to come with you?"

"Oh, it's okay. I'm sure you're busy," she answered.

"See you later then," I sighed. I wanted to say something more... significant but I held myself back.

I excused myself from Maky and went to change into my gym outfit in the locker rooms. I thought that a few hard punches would make me forget my problem but no, my luck was running out.

I finished one round before I went back to the locker room. I forgot to get my extra wraps. While I was rummaging through my locker, Ravi and Luke entered. They were members of this club and were in training too.

Ravi was a rich kid who studied martial arts since he was little. On the other hand, Luke was Black American who grew up in the slums.

"How's it going AC?" Ravi said. His brows wiggled.

I frowned at him. What was that gesture for? "What?"

"Uhm, the bet?" Luke interjected. He saw my still muddled face that he continued, "Don't tell me you forgot?"

Ravi chuckled. "You didn't right? I mean, you're making your move on Caprice. Isn't that because of our bet?"

Realization washed over me. I felt cold like a bucket of ice was dropped over my whole body. I clenched my jaw.

I completely forgot about that. Damn it all.

I was about to answer, to take it all back because I didn't want to hurt the girl that was making her way through my heart.

But then I recalled that day.

That day that I had let one girl entered my heart. Only for her to rip it into pieces and walk all over it.

Colt was the reason then. She was supposed to be my girlfriend but when she saw Colt, she changed. She said that she loved my brother instead of me.

And it's about to happen again.

Colt could do it again.

In the past, he stole my girlfriend unintentionally. But now? He was aware of it. He was aware of what I feel for Caprice and yet he was doing it.

And then, it would be another heartbreak for me. Didn't I resign myself not to love again?

I let out a smile. "I didn't forget. Why would I forget? Didn't you promise me a new car if I kissed her at the party?"

Luke laughed. "Ravi did. I think, he promised you a Porsche."

"Hey, I promised you a new car, not a Porsche." Ravi retorted with a groan.

I chuckled with their exchange. I have decided. And I wouldn't regret anything.

"But that party would only happen if Colt will win the 'survival of the fittest' right?" Luke said. He pulled a clean shirt from his locker.

"I think he will win." Ravi nodded in agreement.

I saw that Luke wasn't convinced. "But Colt is a little bit...weird. He never fights in contests."

I sat down on a bench and began wrapping my fist into another piece of clean cloth. Their conversation was ringing in my mind. I had my opinion even though...

"Colt will win. He is... incredible." I managed to get out those words.

Ravi's eyes bulged out. "Did you just... praise your brother?"

I shot him a harsh glare. "So what? When it comes to fighting, I'm not biased."

"Well, Colt is surely incredible," Luke agreed.

"Yeah. Especially when it comes to girls." Ravi chuckled. "Lally said they offer him sex, free of charge."

"And who's Lally?" I asked.

"The whore near the church. Colt can freely choose any of them without paying anything. That brother of yours is that popular, AC." Ravi explained.

I smirked.

It's true. No matter how much I disliked Colt, I couldn't deny the fact that he was better than me. Both in fighting and in girls.

He was everything I was not.