Lost

Chapter 55: What's the Catch?

"I'm sure you don't want me trying that on you, so tell me what happened before I actually go for it," Zayn finished, a certain sternness to his tone.

Salma felt a cold shiver run down her spine, urging her to put as much distance between her and Zayn as possible, however, she clenched her teeth harder and worked against that invisible force. She refused to give him the satisfaction that she had heard any of what he said. It was not hard. All she had to do was replay the two words he said to her the other day, over and over and over again in her head, to help her stand her grounds.

Zayn pinched the bridge of his nose, exasperated.

"I get it, alright," he said, his frustration evident. "You're mad at me, but you don't get to do this! You don't get to act like you've not been deliberately provoking me. I am equally mad at you, if not more!"

Then what are you doing here? Salma countered in her head, Pick your butt up and leave.

"Bee! I'm serious --"

Salma jerked and pulled away when she felt him grab her hand. Perhaps, she had calculated wrong. Perhaps he was not bluffing when he said he was willing to use more ways than one. Anger surged through her at his audacity. She almost snapped at him. Almost.

One glare at his angry face and Salma knew the best response was silence. Absolute, cold silence that was riling him up better than any words ever can, or ever will.

Salma caught a mop of brown hair in the space between two book shelves. She bit back a gasp realizing it was William hurrying towards the reception. Not wasting an instant, Salma grabbed her stuff and shot up from her seat.

Her head exploded when Zayn mirrored her moves and stood in her way.

"I told you I'm not known for giving up." Zayn arched a brow.

Salma hands shook as mad fury overwhelmed her. She knew he was not joking this time. He was going to be a mule about it.

Neither am I! She countered him in her head.

In one swift move, Salma sat on the small table, and slid across it to the other side. Not turning back to see what Zayn was doing, she hurried to the front of the library.

"Will!" Salma called her cousin the moment she caught sight of him.

"Sally! Thank God!" he exclaimed, sounding massively relieved. "What happened to you?!"

William quickly closed the distance between them. The poor guy looked horribly shaken. Salma did not know what Alex had told them but she could tell from the look in his eyes that he was borderline panicking.

"I . . ." Salma bit her lip.

"Come on, let's go!" He brought an arm around her but was mindful not to touch. "Someone called me earlier. They said you'd collapsed in the middle of the mall. You weren't picking up your phone. It really scared the living daylights out of me!"

Salma frowned as she walked out of the library. She realized Alex has left it on her to share the information with her family. She deemed it fit to hold her tongue on the matter.

"What happened? You didn't mention getting any dizzy spells." Will frowned at her, concerned. "And why was your phone switched off?"

"I'm fine," Salma replied. "My phone ran out of battery."

Will held the door open and that's when it hit her. She was counting on Asim or her father to come and pick her up, not Will. Salma suddenly felt her back burn under a fiery stare.

"Is something wrong?"

Suppressing the urge to turn around, she looked up into Will's questioning face.