Arina

Chapter Eighteen

Arina still heard no reply, which was what she was expecting since Natalie was asleep. But she was glad she got her thoughts off her chest. Although she still didn’t feel unburdened, she did feel a sense of relief.

Sitting on the bed now, Arina was fiddling with her fingers, waiting for a customer

And soon enough, there was a knock at the door. Without waiting for a response, the person behind it opened the door.

It wasn’t the unfamiliar face of a customer,  it was D.

            “Hi,” he quickly said before glancing at Natalie on the bed.

She hadn’t really spoke to D in a while. All conversations with him were short, and secretive, which she couldn’t stand. She had gotten over the fact that he had arranged for her Baba to

come back for her; she wasn’t angry with him about that anymore, but she still didn’t know what to think of him. He had far too many secrets for Arina.

            “Hi,” she replied, unsure of what he wanted.

            “I just wanted to let you know there aren’t going to be any customers today.”

The miracle that Arina asked for had surprisingly come. She was relieved.

            “Why not?” She asked, genuinely interested in the answer to her question.

            “I don’t know myself, you’d have to ask Mustafa.”

Arina shrugged, horrified; she’d rather not know than have to ask him.

            “He’s not in, though.” D added when he saw Arina’s horrified expression.

            “Okay. Thanks for letting me know.” She said, then laid down on her bed.

She stared up at the ceiling for a few moments until she realised D was still in the room. She had expected him to go after giving her that piece of news.

He lingered around the room, wandering, looking around the room.

            “Is there something you want?” Arina asked, without meaning to be rude.

            “No, no,” he shook his head.

Before Arina could say anything else,  he started speaking again.

            “Do you want to come with me to drop something off?” He asked. Arina was taken aback by his question.

            “Drop what off?”

            “It doesn’t really matter. I thought it’d do you some good if you got out of here for a while..” He spoke, looking down at his shoes.

            “I’ve been out here on rounds so many times.”

            “That’s not exactly the same thing, is it?”

He did have a point.

            “No offence, but I don’t really want to go.”

D looked a bit shocked.

            “What? Why?”

Natalie shuffled in her bed, still asleep.

            “Everything with you is so secretive... It’s kind of annoying to have a conversation with you.” She felt mean saying it, however, it was true.