"Oh God... how could you not call the police?" I grumbled angrily at Tunisha's mum, making her cry even harder.
Just as I said that, a dark jeep arrived outside her house and I ran down towards it.
"Sirs, pardon me for saying this but, you have no time to be standing here doing nothing! We have to go..now!"
The police grabbed me by the arm and sat me in the jeep.
"Look girl, we understand that you have trouble and things but you can't just barge in here and interfere in the investigation."
"So! You don't care about what happens. You'll file an FIR and move on. It's not personal."
"Actually. It is. I'm her uncle. Okay?"
I took a step back aghast. The same beard, those same beady eyes. And that awful gruff voice. I pulled my dupatta over my face. I don't think he realised who I was, and he shouldn't, otherwise, he would get rid of me.
"Sorry sir, I'm just worried about my friend," I said "I'll stay out of your way."
I moved closer to Sidd and he put an arm around my shoulder. I hid my face near his arm until the police man passed by. As the second police man passed by, he pressed something into my hand.
I nodded my head in a thanking way and drove home with Sidd. In the car, I opened the little note while Sidd and Abi dozed off. The crumpled note (mixed with sweat from my hand.) had runny handwriting on it. I could make out the policeman's name Ruhan Lleyton but, thanks to my sweat, his number had run. I saw his local police station scribbled at the top and I made a note in my mind to visit the police station.
After a while, the car came back and I jumped out, running down the road to the police station. I hid behind a pillar and the police officer I'd seen earlier walked down the stairs.
"Sir...it's me! You'd given me a contact number. It kind of ran and I couldn't make out the numbers but I've come to see you."
"It is not safe here, please come down the that tea shop over there."
I ran all the way down to the tea shop and spilled all the details to him about the kidnap and waited for him to go before I walked back home. A whole bunch of cars passed by me but, they were all a blur in my eyes. All that mattered now was Tunisha coming back home. Even if I didn't like her, I didn't want her to go through the pain of being kidnapped. Just then, I remembered the warehouse where I had been taken and hailed an auto. I have him 150 rupees to take me to a small shop near the warehouse. As soon as I got down, I ran to the warehouse and using a small flashlight on my phone, I found my way into the room where I could hear Tunisha's screams. I hid behind a group of boxes and saw that her uncle wasn't there. It was just a bunch of built men and her. She was thrashing around in the chair she was strapped to and she was screaming through the cloth that they had stuffed in her mouth.
"Omg, LEAVE ME ALONE, WHAT DO YOU WANT?"
"Shut up you little idiot, you will stay here until your unsuspecting mama gives the money."
"DONT TOUCH ME,"
I closed my eyes and could feel her hurt through my own skin.
"Uncle, please... what have I even ever done to you! I always side with you instead of mama. I always cover for you when you go out to smoke. Uncle... I've always loved you, please.
"Tunish... SHUT UP. you only do that since I buy you this and that. Repay me. Huh? Repay me!"
"Fine uncle..take it, I done care anymore," I heard her say, before I heard a blood curdling scream.
"OH DAMN DAMN DAMNM I THINK SHES GONE.."
Suddenly, I remember that Ruhan had written his number down on my hand again. I called him and whispered into the phone that it was me and I gave him the address I was at.
I could hear the men pleasing with Tunisia, as I stumbled behind and struck a rock. My foot started to bleed, and I kept praying that Tunisha would be okay, and just as Ruhan came, I ran up to the scene.
Ruhen had brought his supervisors with him and Tunisha's uncle was taken away. I could see his beard eyes narrow and Tunisha's head sink in shame.
"Why did you cut yourself?" Ruhen asked sternly examining her arm.
"I would have rather died, than have him claim he didn't love me."
Ruhan just patted her back as she leant against him. My foot bled more and more and I held back tears, as I reached forward to tie my dupatta around it. As she heard that noise, Tunisha turned back, her eyes wide with shock.
"S..s...sorry,"i began,
"Thanks," Tunisha said holding out her hand to Ruhan.
"She's the one you need to thank," he said pointing at me,
She came walking over to me slowly, and put her arms around me in a wide hug. She smelt like cardamom, my favourite smell.
"Thanks so much, I'm so sorry," she said tears pouring down her face.
"It's okay, it was nothing," I said blushing "you smell like cardamom, I love cardamom." I said being even more awkward.
"Hahah it's actually Sidd's,' she said chuckling , as I stiffened against her grip.
"Don't worry, Abhi let me borrow it," she said gently cracking a smile.
"I ship Siddhika, so I'm totally on your team!!" She said squealing.
"But I thought you hated me..." I said trailing away, not meeting her eyes
"Sorry, it's a test I go through for all of Sidd' girls because, a lot of them break his heart. I hate being the bitch but I knew I liked you straight away!"
Ohh no wonder Sidd stuck up for her all the time, they were just best friends!!
She noticed my silence and immediately grabbed my hand.
"Lets go out for coffee, I like Starbucks! My treat!!" She said leading me out of the warehouse.
