The Girl in The Green Scarf

F o r t y - t w o

We stand on the landing, peer down to make sure the way is clear, and then rush down the stairs and out the back door.

We dive into a drizzle of rain, and I shiver slightly despite my jacket.

"Brilliant," Theo says, swinging his shades on the top of his head. "The rain ought to keep the guards in. Turning the alarms off will be so much easier."

Thank God, things are finally working out our way.

"Okay, I'll wait by for your signal."
Theo round the building to the front, and I yank up my hood, striding to the fence.

It takes him three minutes to ring me, and I quickly pocket my phone, climbing up the railing. It's slippery and cold, but nothing can stop me when I'm this close to freedom. To Hamsa.

I hop on the other side, landing on my hands and heels in the damp soil, and then I run. Away from the fluorescent lights of the mansion, down the dirt way, across the river, up the hill, past the dark houses and towards Hamsa's street. When the house swings into view I slow down to a brisk jog.

The rain makes the air smell wonderful, and I cannot help but smile. I have a very good feeling about this, because suddenly I've figured out exactly what to do.

Before I can reconsider, I'm up the front steps and knocking on the door. I pray that she's the one to answer the door and not one of her parents or worse an older protective brother.

When the door swings open and I see it's her on the other side, I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding.

She blinks at me in confusion, then she frowns and I grin at the familiar expression.

"Sebastian?"

"Hi, Lamees." I wave cheerily.

She lifts the lantern she's carrying to my face, as if to check if I'm really there and then her eyes widen in exaggerated horror. Her head snaps back and forth between me and inside the house. In a second she's out on the doorsteps, shutting the door.

My smile slips as she grabs me by the wrist and hauls me around to the side of the house, which is infested with chicken.

"What the hell are you doing here? Are you trying to get my father to disown me?" She screeches, and then notices she's holding my wrist and jerks her hand away like I'm infected with a lethal disease, jumping a couple of steps back and squealing. "God! Why are you touching me, pervert? AstugufurAllah!"

I stare at her, slack-jawed. "What? You're the one who..." I can't even get myself to finish.

She's palming her hand on her skirt, her face cringed into a scowl of utter disgust. "Ugh! I have to take a long bath now."

All around us fowls flutter their wings and utter shrill cackles, running about.

"Okay, can you stop being melodramatic?" I say, folding my arms.

Lamees sets the lantern down-fine mist falls into its firelight, and she pats her headscarf. "Great and I'm soaked now."

I groan, totally regretting this master plan. And this is before a chicken decides to use my foot as a pecking pad. Charming.

"Your fowl think I'm food," I say, pulling my leg and swatting the hen away. "Who keeps birds roaming freely around their backyard anyway? Haven't you heard of a coop?"

"Shut up, Sebastian." She props her hands on her waist and glowers at me. "You got the wrong house, by the way, Hamsa lives across the street. Go annoy her and leave me alone."

I clear my throat, stopping her as she starts to walk away. "You forgot your lantern."

She returns to pick it up, muttering unpleasant things about me.