LOST II

Chapter 10: "Cold Peace"

Post your reactions as you read 🤗. Y'all are really quiet these days. What's up? School?

January 1st 2021

Salma rubbed her face in an exhausted exasperation as the laptop screen glared in her eyes. Nothing was helping. Focusing on studies was becoming difficult. Taking a stroll did not work and Sarah was busy. She had been fighting the images in her head all day as they kept swinging between what happened the previous day on the Youth Club’s trip, and the night when Zayn pulled a beast on her on the rooftop.

“Trust me,” he had said softly, holding her gaze. “Bee, trust me.”

Salma’s eyes flew open in alarm as her body collapsing onto Zayn’s flashed past her mind. She focused on the silent library setting, trying to get her mind off of the feel of his arms around her when he had held her securely. More often than not, this sequence of flashes morphed into the same man holding her in a vice-like grip, shaking her roughly, causing her face to uncover.

“Bee, trust me.”

Sitting back, Salma stared at the almost blank document of her assignment. She had only managed to write a sentence and a half in the past hour. She took in a deep breath. Her head was messed up. This madness had been invading her mind even during her classes.

“I need air,” she muttered to herself, as she shut her laptop and got up to leave. She decided another walk to the café might help clear her head.

It was a beautiful day. Salma observed the students enjoying the warmth of the sun so she could stay out of her head where one voice and the associated memories kept traveling with her.

“Salma!”

Salma looked across the lawns to the source of the voice. Jason’s red curls were immediately noticeable as he waved her over from one of the canopies near the Biological Sciences Block. Salma smiled and walked over to them, surprised to find him in the company of Louisa.

They were just the kind of distraction  she needed.

“Hey!” Louisa grinned.

“Hi.” Salma returned. “I’m surprised to see you here. I see the two of you have hit it off great.”

Jason laughed, looking somewhat uncomfortable.

“No, I just ran into her,” he said, sheepishly.

“Lies,” Louisa disputed. “I’m certain Dad’s now trying to use the handsome guys from his department to lure me into Marine Biology.”

“Oh, so you admit that you find me handsome?” Jason grinned, leaning forward on the table.

“Nah dude,” Louisa made a face. “It’s y’all that finds pests beautiful. I ain’t into it.”

Jason deflated, making Salma laugh. She took a seat on the bench.

“Mantids aren’t pests!” he defended his favorite insect. “They’re predatory. They feed on pests.”

“Predatory? See? All the more reason to avoid you guys,” Louisa returned, making Salma chortle. These two were really something special to make her laugh on a day like this. “I’ve had enough predators for a hundred lifetimes.”