Tanzania Princess Casino, 2020
Isla’s eyes were wide open. The color drained out of her face. Everyone around the pool table went silent. It looked like they had never seen anyone staking someone’s life before. The Indian man was licking his lips. A smile from ear to ear covered his face.
The Indian man moved closer to Isla as he inspected her from head to toe. He raised his hand to touch Isla’s waist—
Leo extended his hand. “She’s still in my possession. Don’t dare to touch her.”
The Indian man smiled, gazing at Isla erotically. “I’ll add five hundred thousand for the beautiful girl. I’m putting 1.5 million at stake.”
Leo smiled. “I’m in…”
“What the hell are you doing?” Isla snapped.
“I’m about to save two women I care of.” Leo whispered in Isla’s ear.
“The man has never lost before. You sure you want to put this girl’s life at stake?” Kamal said.
Leo chuckled. “Take a deep breath Kamal, and just enjoy the game.”
“Leo you fool…” Isla shouted.
Leo looked at Isla. “Everything will be okay.”
“I will never forgive you!”
“To have faith is like to trust yourself to the water. When you swim you don't grab hold of the water, because if you do you will sink and drown. Instead, you relax, and float.” Leo said, “Have some faith Isla.”
The male croupier took Isla. Isla and a bag of 1.5 million were placed closer to the high table. The men at the high table placed their bets for the game which was about to start.
Leo took the cue stick and so did the Indian man. The Indian man looked at Leo with a smiling face. Leo didn’t smile back. He knew if he lost the match, he’d lose two women. He never smiles in those kinds of situations.
“You better ran while you still have a chance kid.” The Indian man said.
Leo smiled. “If your brain is not very good at memorizing then at least write this. I have no reason to lose and I won’t.”
The two stared at each other. After a coin toss, the croupier signaled the Indian man to start.
The Indian man started the break shot. He was the hell of a player. He was talented if not gifted. The way he pocketed the balls amazed Leo. He pocketed all his seven solid balls. The girls around him shouted happily. Leo’s stomach was growling. Only one black ball was left for him to finish the job. In the world of pool table, that kind of victory is called super. You pocket all your seven balls with the eighth black ball without your opponent playing.
The Indian man rotated his cue stick as he was focusing on pocketing the black ball. He looked at Isla and licked his lips. Leo closed his eyes. In his whole life, he had never been beaten super.
The image of Isla and his mother appeared in front of him. He knew he made a reckless decision. I’m sorry, tears slowly dropped from his closed eyes.
He could hear the sound of a cue stick striking the ball. He lowered his head, his eyes still closed. Half a minute passed, no one was shouting. The place was as silent as it was before the shot. Leo opened his eyes slowly.
He saw the Indian man clenching his teeth. Leo’s mouth dropped wide open when he turned to the pool table. The black ball was just a few inches from the pocket.
If somebody is gracious enough to give me a second chance, I won’t need a third. Leo picked his cue stick. He looked at Isla. Tears were seeping through her cheeks. She didn’t even know what was going on.
Leo started pocketing his striping balls, one by one. The only people who were smiling were those at the high table who betted on his side. After pocketing six balls, he knew he was in trouble.
His seventh stripe ball was few inches behind the black ball which was few inches from the pocket. If he struck recklessly, he will pocket the black ball before his seventh ball. That would be a foul and the Indian man will win. And if he won’t pocket these balls correctly, he will give the Indian man a second chance if not a heaven-sent chance. He was in trouble.
He looked at the Indian man. He was smiling ear to ear. The girls behind him were shouting. The noises confused Isla who didn’t understand what was going on.
Leo took a deep breath and firmly held his cue stick. The Indian man smiled because he knew in that kind of situation, only angels would win.
Leo pressed his cue stick hardly to the seventh stripe ball. The pressure caused the ball to jump in the air. Everyone around the pool table covered their wide opened mouths with their palms as they watched the ball swinging in thin air. The ball slowly dropped down and entered into the pocket.
The men who placed their bets on Leo rose from their chairs and started shouting as Leo finished pocketing the black ball. The Indian man’s eyes were wide open. His hands were on his waist.
Leo looked at the Indian man. “I am not going to say I told you so, but I did.”
Leo ran to Isla. He took the bag with 1.5 million and held Isla’s hand as they ran out of the casino.
As they got out of the casino, a white Nissan Leaf stopped in front of them. Leo grabbed his bag tightly. His body started trembling when he saw Isla’s father, the dean coming out of the Nissan. Isla ran towards her father. Her father inspected her face. Two young muscular men came behind Leo. One was short and the other was tall. They came from the casino.
“She used your daughter’s life as a bait.” The tall one said.
“He almost lost the game.” The short one said.
The dean clenched his teeth, he was snarling. “How dare you fool?”
Leo lowered his head, the hand holding his bag was shaking. Dean raised Leo’s head and gave him a heavy punch on the face. Leo groaned. After throwing three more punches, the two young men held dean to prevent him from beating Leo even more.
“I will kill you.” Dean shouted as the two men escorted him inside his car, trailed by Isla.
Isla stared at Leo before closing the Nissan’s door. “I hate you, Leo!”
Tears were dropping off Leo’s face, a fake smile accompanying the tears.
“When you come to school, you will find your letter of dismissal.” The dean said as he drove away.
I’m sorry that nothing I do is good enough. Leo’s eyes escorted the Nissan Leaf as it disappeared from his sight. His face was too heavy. He could feel the pain without even touching the face.
As he stood, staring at the darkness, something heavy hit his head.