THE BAD BOY OF MANHATTAN
Chapter 41. The Heart of East Harlem

"Emma," called Elric while patting the girl's arm slowly. Her shoulders are still where Emma is leaning. People started leaving the self-service page because the movie was over. However, it seems that Emma has gone far in her dreams.

"Eum!" Elric patted Emma's arm again, this time a little harder.

"Yes? Whats? Wassup (what? what's up)?" Emma jumped in shock. He looked to his right and left and found the seats around him empty. The large screen in front of him has also shown ads again. "The movie is done?"

"Yeah," kekeh Elric.

"Damn! I fell asleep, didn't I (si al, I overslept, huh)?"

"Here ...for an hour and forty minutes." Elric pointed at his shoulder.

"Owh, Sorry." Emma got up from her seat, pulled up her sweater and stepped out of the yard next to Elric.

The heart of East Harlem that night was quite bustling as usual on a weekend night. Food stands, shops that are open until night, street buskers and pedestrians are the average resident.

Actually Emma was not in the mood to linger there. He wanted to immediately curl up on his bed and sleep until morning. But, again, Elric took her for a walk to enjoy the cool atmosphere of the night. Seeing how cheerful the child's face was, Emma did not have the heart to refuse his invitation.

"Want to eat marshmallows? A taco? Chicken sandwich or ...." Erlic looked around, perhaps finding a nice snack that Emma might like.

"Marshmallows? Okay." okay." Emma says.

"Wait here."

Emma's gaze followed Elric's steps toward a candy store that was to his left. The girl wondered why Elric was so enthusiastic about taking her for a walk. But Emma didn't want to think anything. Maybe Elric just needs a friend. That'sthat's all.

Elric walked out of the candy store while wagging a large pack of marshmallows in his hand. "Why do girls love marshmallows?" he muttered while thrusting the pink package at Emma.

"Because it's soft and sweet (because it's soft and sweet)." Emma opened the package in her hand. "Sweet (sweet)," he said as he chewed on one chewy white sweet. "You want to?" bargain it at Elric while taking one more candy and putting it in the young man's mouth.

"See the Manhattan skyline tonight" pointed Elric up.

Emma lifted her head. The sky looked bright, although it was still slightly blocked by air pollution and light pollution. However, it was a fairly rare sight for an area as dense as Manhattan. And the air is getting colder with low humidity levels.

"El, are you still working on Fat Tony?" emma asked as they sat next to each other in a concrete pot that circled the Carpinus tree.

"yeah. If I don't work with him, how do I pay for the apartment rent and other necessities?''

Emma rolled both her eyes. He knew the reason Elric was just made up. "What is your job?"

"A delivery man (courier)."

"What stuff?"

"anything. Mostly cannabis."

"Isn't the job too risky?"

"I like to take risks (i like to take risks)."

Elric pulled the corner of his lips. "That's cool, right (fun, right)?" chortled.

Emma clucking. "It's not fun if you have to end up in jail, or disabled, or the worst possibility is ...."

"Dead," cut Elric. He's snapped. "Life is full of risks, Em. Even when you're sleeping in your comfy bed doesn't guarantee you're risk-free."

Very clever this boy answered. Emma could no longer say anything. Elric's life choices are strange. When he has everything, he chooses to fight from scratch with his own efforts. "Maybe I've asked you this before. But, I'll ask again. Did you stop playing music really because of your father? I mean, you really don't want to be in your father's shadow?"

"I didn't stop. I pull over. I want to break my parents' interference in music." Elric took a pack of cigarettes in his pants pocket and lit a stick. "I love music. It's been a part of my life since long ago. But, if I want to seriously pursue him and make a career there, starting from scratch without my father's involvement is the right choice."

"Why? Wouldn't that smooth your career path?"

Elric smoked his cigarette deeply and exhaled his smoke. Emma sat next to him. "I'm not bragging. But, let me tell you, Em .. I have above average musical ability. I have a lot of ideas. I innovate. And I want people to see me as Elric Bradley with what I've got here." Elric tapped his own head with his index finger. "It's not that they saw my father's big name and all my ways were made easier. It's fucking bullsh it (that's bullshit)!"

"Owh, okay, I see (i understand)." Emma smiled at his smile. For seventeen-year-olds, Elric is great at sticking to his principles, despite making people around him misunderstand.

"If I meet people who are suitable and a frequency with me, whether tomorrow, the day after tomorrow or soon, I will start my band."

"Nice, El."

"It's important you always support me."

"Huh?" Emma frowned. "Me?" He pointed at himself.

"Yes. You're. I need your support, Emma."

Emma who was still astonished looked at Elric full of question marks. "Why me (why me)?"

"Because .. 'cause I live in an apartment with you. Isn't ... In other words we're both like family?"

Emma breathed a sigh of relief. It was indeed the answer he wanted to hear from Elric's mouth. He dispels strange thoughts about the child that sometimes come to his mind, when Elric behaves or says strange things to him.

***

HUNTER SCIENCE HIGH SCHOOL MANHATTAN UNIVERSITY.

"Hey, Rockstar Boy? Where's your bodyguard, huh?"

The mocking sound was heard from the direction of the horde of male students gathered near the entrance of the main building of the school. Elric who knew the taunts were aimed at him, as usual just thought it was the wind then.

"The spoiled son who can't escape his father's armpits." The sentence was greeted by laughter as Elric passed by the young men.

Elric stopped his steps. He clenched his palms holding back furiously. All this time he did not ignore the ridicule of the children of the sek breng because he was lazy to make a scene. But today will be different.

***