Lost

Chapter 68: Falling Apart

"Why should I?!" Claire shouted.

She was after all Zayn's sister. Crossing her arms, she stood her ground. Stubborn and angry as she was, she was not to be intimidated or back down from a fight unless she was proven wrong.

"He needs to face the truth instead of controlling me!" She continued, crying bitterly "Just because you blew up, Harris, doesn't mean everyone is like you! Just because your sadistic attitude and evil friends killed grandma, doesn't mean you have any right to make my life miserable!"

Niall gasped at the painful accusation.

"Claire - that's not -" Niall spluttered. He turned to Zayn in shock, but Zayn just looked away from him.

Did he lie to her?

"I'm nothing like you!" Claire screamed, "You are, and always will be a sadistic, lonely bitch!"

Turning on her heels, she ran up the stairs while hysterical sobs raked her frame.

Red flashed in front of Zayn's eyes before he totally lost it.

***

William stared at the screen of his phone in disbelief. This had been the twenty sixth text he received from her in the past week but he was still in denial. The incredulity mixed with anxiety was etched along the lines of his furrowed brow. No matter how long he stared at the message, or how hard he imagined it was his eyes playing tricks on him, the message or the signature did not change. Displayed on his phone, it was a like painful reminder of his horrible past.

*Unknown:

I'll be waiting . . .

Love.

Lenny

xx

He swallowed; wishing the painful congestion in his chest would ease. How? How did his past follow him here? How did it come so distressingly close to his family, the people he loved, to Salma?

William could not believe it was all happening again. He got the shock of his life to see Lenny hanging out with that lowlife that day. He treated her like filth all those years ago and she was still dogging his footsteps? Her psychotic obsession  continued to baffle him. How could she be like that? What was she even thinking? William masked the shock he received to avoid suspicion, but ever since that day he had been under constant stress.

He was already worried sick about Harris circling Salma like a hungry beast ready to tear her apart. He did not know how to approach Salma to warn her of the danger that the devil posed. She was a simple, modest girl and he would probably not be able to explain what Harris wanted of her. William had entertained the idea of going to Harris himself to strike some sort of a deal, but he figured that would only make him realize the leverage he has over William, just by sharing classes with Salma.

William felt frustrated and cornered. He wanted to protect his favorite cousin from becoming yet another victim of Harris's destructive obsession, and he had no idea how to. He was keeping an eye on Salma from his car earlier that day when a girl leaned against the Jeep parked next to him. William ignored her as she pretended to fix the strap of her bag. That is, until she started speaking to him.

"If you want to ensure her safety, stop ignoring my texts and meet up with me!" She hissed, without facing him.

Lenny.

Before William could get a word in, she had left.

I'll be waiting . . . William read the text again.