Lost

Chapter 98: "Played?"

Anne shook her head, giving up on the call and pressing her fingers to her eyes. She was pale and panicking, Sarah realized, she had probably been crying.

"Don't ask me. My head is spinning!" She cried frantically, "I just saw him myself, I have no clue!"

"What?!"

"He said it was a boy name Arethas Grace, a business man in LA who ran a sports academy for kids!" Anne continued, "I can't believe the scale of his lies. I should have taken Will seriously when he – wait! Sarah, where're you going?!"

Sarah had suddenly jumped to her feet. The young girl's eyes were spitting fire. Anne had to grab her arm to make her stay put.

"To yank that piece of trash out of her room and drag him down all the way to dumpster in the next block!"

"No, you can't –"

"Yes, I can!"

"Sarah, there're guests in the house!" Anne hissed.

"Then I'll use Asim's window!"

"Sarah," Anne said in a firm, low voice, "You're doing none of that, you hear me?"

"But –"

"None of that," Anne repeated, "A scene like that in front of everyone will embarrass both Salma and her father and I will not tolerate my niece being made the talk of the town, you understand? So sit tight while I work this through."

Sarah gritted her teeth after getting lectured by the Female head of the Mosque like she usually does when she tries to discipline the judgmental bigots there with her fists. Anne didn't understand, Sarah fumed to herself. Having been in contact with Zayn, she felt personally responsible for his trick. She wanted to get to meet with him while her anger still remained.

"I'm trying to get my husband on the phone." Anne bit her lip as she dialed the number again. "They'll be here any minute. I really don't want Asim near this house –"

"Anne!" Sarah fumed, barely managing to restrain herself, "Salma is locked up with that beast! She could be –"

"Oh snap!" Anne pale, staring at a text her husband had just sent, looking horrified, "They're here!"

She jumped to her feet and fixed her scarf around hastily.

"Anne, Salma needs –"

"Please don't do anything stupid!" Anne requested, before dashing out of the kitchen towards the front. She had to stop Asim, Dawood and his mum from entering the house. If they met the supposed Arethas Grace before a prior warning, she was sure Asim – or maybe even Dawood – would throw a fit and possibly get into a scuffle in front of everyone.

"Anne, Assalamo'Alaykum," Asim greeted the moment he got out of the car and spotted her, "What is this madness? What is dad doing?"

"Wa'AlykumAsalam, Asim, to my house," Anne instructed frantically as she turned the kid around. She noticed her hands were shaking badly.

"What?! Why?"

"Anne, what's going on?!" Salma's mother asked.

"I'll explain," she said quickly, "Just – just go, will you?"

She pushed the boy towards her house while her husband and Aliya exchanged confused and panicked glances.

"Aliya, come with me. Dawood you too – no, Asim will you just listen to me?!" she scolded the young boy who kept inquiring what was going on, "I said get inside and I'll explain!"

Scared, confused and now angry, Asim stomped towards his uncle's house, banging open the door a little harder than was necessary. Anne sighed as she lead the two adults to follow her. Asim took a seat on the couch and turn to his aunt, furious at being treated like a brat.