Unanticipated Turn

SIXTEEN

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Aurora hadn't been at school the next day, just like she said she wouldn't be. She wondered if she really was sleeping off the weekend or if she was trying to hide the same thing that she wished she could have hidden.

Though, Meenah highly doubted Aurora bruised as easily as she did. With a black eye and bruised nose, she was the talk of the school.

The kids at school had been interested, almost too intrusive, about her escapade with Aurora. Fariq was absent too, so she was left with the twins, Evelyn and Hanan. Word spread around and everyone assumed they had gotten arrested when they were in New York City, resulting in the bruising around her face. She didn't correct them and only let them think Aurora had to stay home from school because she got the short-end of the stick. Let them amuse themselves and think whatever they wanted. She was sure they would find just as much excitement over the truth, that her father had slugged her across the face.

After track practice, on her way to her car, she was finally able to shrug off the stares. Coach Jones had been on her back all day because she skipped practice on Friday and because she was having a hell of a time running today. She hadn't felt it today. The normal passion she felt with running had been absent, along with jet mind. There was a hazy film that seemed to addle my thoughts and emotions. No matter how hard she tried, she wasn't able to shake this grim shadow.

Adjusting her backpack across het shoulder, she came to an abrupt stop when she saw a familiar man leaning against her car.

Despite the spike of excitement and adrenaline, she really wasn't in the mood for him now.

In a sad attempt of concealment, she angled my face in order to hide her bruise from him.

With a resigned air, she approached him, finding that she wasn't as frightened of him as she should be. There should have been some anxiety, considering he was a large part of the gang, considering he was a large part of the muddled emotions she felt, but she couldn't find herself to be scared of him. He looked lethal and carried himself with a dark aura, but he was still just Muneer Fawaz, the man who wanted a break from his everyday duties to have a burger at the diner, the same man who wanted to play hide-and-go-seek in New York City.

"Did you enjoy Wyoming?" Muneer inquired casually, pushing off her car to meet her halfway.

It was entirely unsurprising that he knew where Aurora and her had spent the weekend."I did have fun, maybe too much of it." She nodded tensely with a bitter grin. There was a thick air between us."Did you enjoy watching me?" She inquired spitefully.

Muneer grinned, tipping back his neck to stare at the sky for a brief moment."Sadly, I had one of my men keep tabs on your location. I couldn't linger after our run-in at New York. There was some work I had to take care of back here."

"Work," she repeated, rolling the word around with deep contemplation."I'm sure it was very important. Weaponry, torturing... anything along those lines are ultimately important." She then noticed the wrapped gift in Fawaz's grasp."I really hope that isn't any illegal substances. I'd rather you keep it."

"And how do you know it's for you?" Fawaz lifted his brows teasingly, but then shrugged off the act in favor of turning serious."Aren't you going to ask me something? You started asking me in New York, right before your little friend pulled the fire alarm at the hotel. That was a fantastic ploy, by the way."