Chapter 119: Chapter 119: A New Target (Part 2)
After Don sent his reply to Summer, he walked over to his car and started the engine. The familiar roar of the Mustang echoed in the service shop, a sound that was both comforting and exhilarating.
Just as he was about to shift into gear, his phone rang. He glanced at the screen and saw Samantha's name. With a sigh, he picked it up and answered, "Hey, Mom."
Samantha's voice came through, calm but with an undertone of concern. "Hey, Donnie. Did you manage to get your shopping done?"
"Not yet," Don replied, keeping his tone even. "We got held up at the farm. Aunt Amanda can explain more when you get home. Right now, I'm at the service shop. Just finished getting the Mustang checked out, and I'm about to pick up Summer. I might get the shopping done after that, or maybe with her, but I won't let her know the card I'm using came from you."
Samantha paused for a moment, likely weighing the situation before she responded. "As long as you're okay, that's what matters. I managed to get a few more days off, so I'll be on my way home soon. But listen, since you'll be with Summer, can you try to convince her not to stay out too late? It's getting more dangerous in Santos City these days."
Don nodded to himself, already planning on staying cautious after the attack earlier. "You don't have to tell me twice," he replied.
"Thanks, Donnie. I'll see you soon," Samantha said before ending the call.
With the phone call over, Don quickly saw a reply from Summer and typed in the name of her school into his GPS, placed the phone on the dashboard, and started following the digital assistant's directions.
———
Meanwhile, Summer stood outside the school gate, tapping away at her phone with Sylvia beside her. The stream of students exiting the school was steady, the usual chatter and noise filling the air.
Summer barely paid attention to it, her focus mostly on her phone. That was until the sound of a loud horn caught their attention.
Both Summer and Sylvia looked up to see a large 4x4 truck pulling up in front of them. The truck was imposing, with its black and silver exterior. It was filled with a group of hyped-up young men wearing sports jackets, some of them shirtless, clearly reveling in their victory.
The driver, a young man with short dark hair and piercing blue eyes, leaned out of the window and called out, "Hey, Sylvie! You and Summer coming to the party tonight?"
Summer gave the group a quick, disinterested glance before turning her attention back to her phone, while Sylvia offered a small, polite smile. "Sorry, Michael. We've got other plans," she said, her tone polite but firm.
One of the guys in the back leaned out of the window, clearly more intoxicated than the rest, and shouted, "Come on! You'll have the time of your lives!"
Summer rolled her eyes and shook her head, muttering, "Day drinking, really? Aren't you guys celebrating winning the semis a bit too hard?"
Michael chuckled, clearly not taking the hint. "It's the first time our school's made it to the finals in nearly ten years! We're practically legends already."
"Yeah, sure," Summer replied with a hint of sarcasm, not bothering to look up from her phone again. Sylvia just nodded in agreement. "You guys have fun."
Michael looked like he was about to say something else, but the sound of another car horn cut him off. Don pulled up behind the truck in the Mustang and honked once more, rolling down his window and gesturing at Summer.
Some of the students still lingering around the school gate turned their heads to look at Don, their curiosity piqued. A few of the girls even exchanged admiring glances, whispering among themselves.
Summer glanced up, muttered, "About time," and nudged Sylvia. "Let's go."
As they started walking toward the Mustang, Michael leaned out of his truck again, his expression turning sour. "Who's that guy?" he asked, his tone carrying suspicion.
Sylvia smirked mischievously and shrugged. "Who knows?" she replied, not giving Michael the satisfaction of an answer.
Once inside the car, Summer immediately began complaining. "You could've at least taken it to the car wash," she said, frowning at the slight layer of dust on the dashboard.
Don didn't even glance at her as he replied, "First, remember the deal. Second, you can always walk if you want."
Summer grumbled under her breath while Sylvia, sitting in the back seat, leaned forward with a curious look. "What deal?" she asked before adding, "Hey, Don. I'm Sylvia, by the way—your sister's best friend. We never formally introduced ourselves."
Don glanced at her in the rearview mirror and gave a small nod. "Don. Nice to meet you, I guess. It must be tough dealing with Summer every day. You're either really patient or crazy yourself."
Summer immediately shot back, "Who are you calling crazy?"
Sylvia laughed, clearly enjoying the banter. "Careful, Summer. People might think you're having a lover's quarrel right outside the school."
As if on cue, they could hear some of the students outside making comments—mostly the girls whispering things like, "Oh my god, he's so cute!" and "Is he her boyfriend?"
Meanwhile, the guys were muttering their sympathies to Michael, "Damn, that's rough." "It's always the guys in classics." "He looks older too, there's no competing with that."
Michael, hearing the comments, visibly bristled with anger. His hand shot out of the window, giving the Mustang a middle finger as he revved the truck's engine. The exhaust spat out a thick cloud of smoke, which blew directly toward Don's car.
Summer yelled, "What the fuck!" while Sylvia shouted, "Michael!" in surprise.
Don narrowed his eyes, his patience wearing thin. The long day had already put him in a foul mood, and this juvenile stunt was the last straw. Without thinking too much about it, he focused his telekinesis on the rear tires of Michael's truck, intending to give them a little nudge. However, instead of just nudging them, one of the tires suddenly popped with a loud bang.
The sound startled everyone nearby, causing heads to turn in shock. The truck swerved violently, spinning out of control before ramming into the school's perimeter wall, nearly hitting a group of students.
Sylvia and Summer both gasped in surprise, their eyes wide with shock. "What the hell just happened?" Sylvia asked, her voice filled with disbelief.
Don quickly composed himself and replied, "Tire must've been overinflated or had a weak spot. With the way he was driving, it's not surprising it blew out."
He tried to keep his tone nonchalant, though inwardly he was relieved that the incident hadn't caused more damage or drawn too much attention. The last thing he needed was to expose his abilities this early on.
Not wanting to linger, Don shifted the car into gear and drove off, leaving the scene behind as quickly as possible. He'd have to be more careful in the future—much more careful.