💎 Z A Y N 💎

23

"What if someone is murdered?" she inquired.

"Then they'll find out the reason like they always do and the specific culprits who did the deed and that's it. Doesn't stop the other members. And most of these lot come from unstable homes, are drug addicts and stuff so they can get some sorta leniency. The addicts just tossed into rehab. Both make promises not to do shît again but look, most who murder have already done it before. For it to stop, the whole circle gotta be busted. But for gangs, almost all cases, the person chose to be involved. So really, what's there to do?"

Zayn kind of felt like a hypocrite while saying that.

The canal ended so they walked up the steps at the end. There were a bunch of vandalised abandoned shops, the windows broken and such. Zayn headed into the second last one upon seeing a sage green bandana wrapped around the pole just beside the door.

He closed the door behind them and waited for someone to come. He turned to Syra and made sure her muffler covered the bottom half of her face and that her phone wasn't visible. She wore his hoody and cap pulled low as well. Yet she still looked hella cute.

Footsteps sounded in the corridor. Zayn turned back to front to see a tall guy clad in white clothing approach them. Like seriously, white hoodie, trackies, trainers and beanie. He was also very tall; Zayn had to raised his head to meet his eyes, which was something he was not used to doing. It was always peering down. The guy looked actually pretty harmless, if you could look past his staggering height.

"Zayn, yeah?" he asked, a slightly scratchy voice.

Zayn nodded.

"I'm Will," he said, sticking a hand out, dark blue eyes sparkling.

Zayn went forward and shook his hand a little hesitantly. He was not expecting such a welcome.

"Who is she?" he questioned, peering behind Zayn.

"My cousin. Wanted to learn the ropes too. And to see if her brother was here too," Zayn explained.

They had come up with a back story in case anyone asked. She was his cousin. And they were going to play the part, so he had let go of her once they were inside. But Syra didn't know that they would maybe find her brother here. He had just added that now and he could feel her bewildered gaze on him. He knew she had suspicions, but it was not his place to say anything, or imply anything. He did not know much - he could find out easily if he wanted to - but sometimes ignorance really was bliss. He did not want to be the one to break it to Syra. In fact, he hoped coming with him would make it easy for her to put together. She was not dumb like Ilyas thought her to be.

"Right," Will replied, his eyes glancing up and down Syra, trying to piece her out. Zayn resisted the urge to slap his face away.

"Come. I'll take you to where everybody is. As you are not from this town, you probably already know you have a slight upper hand. But you are not the only one; a few others are not from here either. So what I'm saying is that do not take too much advantage of that, and not so hastily eaither because you will be under a lot of scrutiny, and the fact that you brought a girl with you. Cousin or not. The guys don't bring their girls so they are not recognised and attacked. There are things held for women, but they are kept on separate days, because of some previous... problems. So they are gonna wonder why she ain't there and why she is here. And with you." Will explained as he walked them down a corridor, then opened the third door on the left and took them up two floors on the stairwell.

Zayn kept this route in mind and had muttered for Syra to do so too, but not in English. In fact, their story would include Syra's first language being her native language, not English. Easier to communicate without others interfering.