Arina

Chapter Twenty-One

       “What?!” Arina said with aggression; she desperately hoped what D had just said was a typical attempt of stopping her and Haden kissing. If it was, she’d be mad with him, however, she would be even more devastated if it was true.

       “He’s in hospital, Arina. Your step-father is in the hospital,” D reaffirmed. He had an exasperated look on his face to say that he wasn’t lying, and was in fact, being sincere.

       “No, how could he be in hospital? You don’t even speak to him! How would you know?” Arina was in complete denial, firing all sorts of contradictions at D, but, she knew in her heart that was he was saying was true. There was no way D would lie about something like that.

       “You’re wasting time by questioning me, Arina. Come with me, I’ll take you there.”

Arina let herself out of Haden’s grasp, who look quite worried himself, and rushed over to where D was standing. She still wanted to know how D would know such a thing, though, and so continually asked him until he gave her an answer.

       “There’s a lot you don’t know. Let’s just leave it at that,” he said, guiding Arina to the car. They both went in whilst the other girls looked on, wondering where the pair where going. None of them asked though, they could see from both Arina and D’s face that it was something serious.

       “No, this isn’t the time to talk like that. How do you know my Baba is in hospital, D?!” She spoke enunciating every single syllable clearly so it made her question sound more serious.

D started the car, and they began driving off at a high speed- though not a speed high enough for the police to get involved; D had learnt his lesson last time that time.

       “I saw him, okay? He wasn’t at your old flat and there was a note there from him saying he was in the hospital.”

So many questions arouse from the state. If her step-father was so ill, how would he have time to write a note? And what was D doing at her old apartment?

       “What? Why were you even there?” Arina asked, suspiciously.

D sighed, trying to concentrate on his driving.

       “I’ve been talking to your step-father, but you musn’t let Mustafa know.”

Arina didn’t even bother justifying the latter of D’s words by assuring him that she wouldn’t tell Mustafa- it was without a doubt that she wouldn’t do so- but she was far more confused about his first words.

       “Talking to him about what?”

       “Arina!” D snapped. “Enough of asking me questions. Your step-father is in hospital and you haven’t even bothered asking what for. Instead your concentrating on the things that don’t matter, now enough of the questions.”

The atmosphere intensified.

Arina didn’t know what, or even if she should, to say in response. Instead, she held her head hung low and thought of her Baba. Why was he in hospital? Maybe he had an accident, Arina pondered. But he was always so careful. Maybe the apartment had been broken in into?

       “Why is he in hospital?” Arina asked, timidly, after a few moments of silence.

       “We’re here now, I think he should be the one to tell you.”

D pulled up the car to a nearby street, parked in a vacant spot, then exited the car to pay for the parking meters.

       “Come on,” D said, prompting Arina to leave the car also.