Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ Ai no Natsu ❯ Vol. 8, Chap. 45: Man Up! ( Chapter 45 )

Man Up!

The boys couldn't take this anymore. Serena walked all over him and cut off him from the other tenants. The cowboy looked like he wanted to run away. On top of that, Hallie wasn't doing anything to stop this mess.

“This is too painful, man,” Reggie said.

“I know,” Sadao replied. “She treats him like a doormat.”

“Why doesn't Hallie do anything?” Hal asked.

“Who knows?” Jack asked. “I can't stand it, though.”

“So, what do was do?” Sadao asked.

“What else?” Jack asked, standing up. “Get him to man up.” The other boys eyed him.

“How do we do that?” Reggie asked. The biker glanced over his shoulder.

“By physical force if necessary,” he replied. “Who's with me?” All of the boys stood up and followed him.

---------

They stormed up to Dustin's apartment. Jack pounded on the door.

“Dustin!” he shouted. “Come out here! We need to talk!” He stood back when the door opened. The cowboy peeked out into the hall.

“What are you doing here?” he whispered.

“We came here to talk to you,” Sadao spoke up. Dustin gave his neighbors strange looks.

“What?” he asked. Jack tried to reach in and unchain the door.

“Stop!” the cowboy shouted.

“Just let us in,” Hal said. “We need to talk!”

“Alright! Alright! I'll let you in!” Dustin unlocked the chain. He watched as the boys walked into the apartment. In one minute, they sat in the living room.

“Dude,” Jack said. “This isn't working. You have to dump Serena.” Dustin looked up with big eyes.

“What?!” he yelped.

“She's using you, man!” Hal said. The cowboy shook his head.

“No…” he murmured. Sadao patted him on the arm.

“I'm so sorry,” the priest whispered.

“It can't be…” Dustin whispered. He looked at all of the boys.

“Don't you get it?” Hal asked.

“Look,” Reggie said. “Do you love her?” Dustin gave him a blank stare.

“What?” he asked.

“Do you love Serena or not?” Hal asked.

“I… I…” Dustin lowered his head. “I don't know.”

“What about Hallie?” Wong asked. The cowboy jerked his head upwards, blushing.

“I see,” Sadao said. Dustin's body gave wat to trembling.

“I don't know what to do. Help me,” he whispered. Jack shrugged his shoulders.

“I don't know,” he said. “Man up?”

“But how?”

Jack patted him on the back. “You'll figure it out.”

The cowboy narrowed his eyes at him. “You're not going to help me?”

“You can do it. We know you can.”

Dustin chuckled nervously. Oh dear. I've got a bad feeling about this. The grins on his neighbors' face did little to ease him.

---------

In the kitchen, Serena heard every word. She gritted her teeth as she squeezed the soapy dish rag. I will not accept this! Time to go all out for this.

What Makes the Soul of a Man?