Chapter 3

Walking along the beach, with my stomach full, I didn't think that I could be any more satisfied with the current moment. I take a look at my watch. 11:00. I think I'll go to the hill that looks over Beach City, "I love that place" I think to myself. So pretty. So peaceful. Just so perfect up there.

After making the long walk I take a seat on the edge letting my legs dangle off the sides. A strong breeze makes me shiver, I don't mind though; I've always preferred the cold to the heat. Thinking of the cold makes me remember how I ended up here. "I probably should have never even came to Beach City" I think, "Things would be better for everyone here if I never showed up."

Steven and me have something in common. We both lost our mothers to childbirth, and got their gym when they passed away. Steven received the quartz and I got the emerald. Our mothers were both very good friends and I was told by my father that Rose helped both of us out tremendously after my mother died. Years passed, and Rose finally had her own son, only for us to be hit with the terrible news that she had suffered the same fate as my mother. Greg was devastated, I remember him feeling like life could not go on any further. My father and I helped out as much as we could; we were tight on money so there wasn't much we could do.

Two years passed when Greg finally got a grip back on life and was able to move on, and so were we. We moved up to a small city up in New Jersey, and lived up there for many years. Everything was working out perfectly. My father held a great job and we were doing great financially, I was going to school, and for fun I was learning a variety of martial arts and became very skilled at it.

One day my father became deathly ill and was unable to work, leaving me to earn the money. I had to leave school and find work. I knew with my gym powers, gym strength, and my many years of martial arts training I could get into any line of work and make more money then the "typical" job. I did many things that I wasn't proud of and betrayed a lot of people. I never robbed banks or convenient stores or harmed innocent people, I would never sink that low but I infiltrated gangs and collected debts from people who owed to much money for too long. Eventually, I had enough money and didn't need anymore to keep my father and me in good financial condition for years, however I got greedy. I enjoyed it and I was good at it.

One day I was given a mission by two men that kept there faces covered. I never worked with these men before, but was up to any work that I could get. They told me that it was a typical debt-collecting mission. Easy enough…so I thought.

When I got to the place where I was suppose to collect the debt, I found out that I couldn't do it. These people in debt were just a needy family. They reminded me of me. The father was sick and it was up to the rest of the family to take care of him. They only took this money to help him out, and now they cant afford to pay it back. I couldn't go in there and take their money…it just wouldn't be right. That's when I decided I need to turn my life around. I went back to the masked men and paid the family's debt out of my own pocket. The men would not take it.

"We know that this is yours, and that you didn't collect the debt." one of them said

"Yeah? And?" I say puzzled "Moneys money, there is no way they can pay back that debt. This is it; I'm done with this bullshit line of work. I've made to many bad decisions. Just take this money and leave that family alone."

"Its not that simple." said the other one

"That wasn't the deal, you get THEIR debt, not you PAY their debt." said the other one "either you get the money that they owe us, or we will personally go over there and collect it ourselves."

"That's not going to happen" I say looking right at them still not being able to see their faces.

"You honestly don't know who your messing with right now," said one of them evilly

"I don't know who I'm messing with" I ask sarcastically and couldn't help but laugh

"No, no, no YOU guys don't know who your messing with" as I continue to boast

Long story short, I made myself look like an idiot. I was no match for them. They beat me half to death bloody and bruised, all I could think about was the family and what they would do to them.

As I lie their blood dripping from my mouth and open wounds never in as much physical pain ever before, one of them walks up to me.

"We're going to give you one last chance, get that damn money from those people, and we'll forget that this ever happened" and then they walked away just leaving me there.

"There's no way that's going to happen" I whisper as I sat up and spit out blood

I ran to the families' house and explained everything. I told them how I tried to pay their debt for them and when they wouldn't accept it I tried to stop them and couldn't. I explained how I had sympathy for them because I can relate to their story. I urge them to leave and gave them money to leave. I finally convince them, help them pack up their stuff and they went on their way. I haven't seen them since.

I wasn't done yet though. Now I had to worry about my father and me. I had to get us out of here. There was no time. These people were dangerous and could come and kill us at any point. My father and I, grabbed our money, some clothes, and left and knew exactly where to head. Beach City.

Beach City was the ideal place; my mother knew the gyms so we could fit right in. Even if those men attacked us again, I knew that Garnet, Amethyst, Pearl and myself would handle them with ease. Also the warm weather would be perfect for my father.

Part 2 of Tom's story will be in the next chapter