Strings Attached

~Chapter 16~

Lest I forget, I save her number on my cell. Writing Hidayah plainly doesn't really do justice to her, so I put in what describes her best. I type in- 'Damn! Those eyes', and saving it, I put it back in my pocket, pleased with my day's work.

A while later, Hidayah's phone buzzes and she picks up. I hear Poulomi on the other side asking for directions to where we are. And sensing that the girl might not know the place, I take the phone from her hands and start describing the area to her. To say that Poulomi's surprised to hear my voice, is an understatement. She squeals in delight and confidingly tells me that if this is what she thinks this is, she can finally die happily.

I don't bother clearing her misconception.

And as soon as Poulomi reaches us, Hidayah pulls her aside to have a private conversation I can totally guess the subject of. But when the recent joiner of our little party winks at me smilingly, I know she isn't really following anything that the little prick's actually spouting.

I've known for half an hour that Hidayah is trying to wash her hands off us, but I'm determined to not be shrugged off this easily. Some of their conversations floats over to our eager ears.

Apparently, Hidayah is trying to convince P to make us leave but I can see she isn't into the idea, for obvious reasons. And I'm glad I have another accomplice. Now, there're three against one. I don't want the night to end just yet. I'm having too much fun, you see.

Later, P comes up with a plan. The four of us will split up. For security reasons and also, because none of the two girls know their ways to their respective homes. And as it turns out (deliberately so, of course), I shall be accompanying Hidayah back to her place which is nearer and come back for my motorbike, while Seth shall be dropping the other girl home on his own vehicle. Sounds like a good enough plan to me.

But, as expected, it doesn't sit well with Hidayah.

"Are you crazy?! If she sees me coming back with a guy, Mrs. Sykes will throw me out in a heartbeat!" she says dramatically. I thought she was living with the Jabbars...? What happened then?

"You live at Mrs. Sykes' Home?" Seth asks her surprised, and the girl nods uncomfortably, stealing a glance at me. His tone has made me curious, however. "You know the place?" I ask him in turn, raising my brows, and he answers in the affirmative, conveying something with his eyes that I completely fail to catch.

"It's not very far from here. All of us can accompany you if you're not comfortable. The Sykes won't object, I'm sure," Seth assures the girl, and a nerve is ticked off inside me. How dare he ruin things for me! But I'm not able to change their minds as they all agree to the plan. I distinctly hear Hidayah sigh in relief.

That ba*tard. I shall see to him in time.

As we begin walking towards the street he's indicated, I get my chance. I roughly pull Seth back from his collar to interrogate him. "You ba*tard! Why did you do this to me? I could've had her all to myself for a while," I fiercely murmur into his ears, exasperated at a golden chance ruined.

"Yeah. Last time I checked, you weren't even showing interest," he replies sardonically. "I don't care. Besides, you won't understand this fixation," I tell him, finally letting go of his collar. He quickly fixes up his tee and proceeds to comb his hair with his hands.

"As a matter of fact, I do understand this fixation," he answers a while later. "Because right now, I'm acting upon it." His eyes beg me to understand but I fail at it, again. I mull over his behaviour. "What do you mean?" I curiously ask him.

"A certain green-eyed beauty lives there too," he says cryptically and then walks ahead of me. And a second later, I realise that all this while, he had his own interests at heart when he proposed this plan. That clever bloke!

Needless to say, I fail to hold a decently long conversation with the girl throughout the whole way. And she keeps getting on my nerves by addressing me through P whenever I ask her something!

So, by way of punishment, I keep flirting with Poulomi the whole time, as she trudges behind us like a lonely, old soul. Serves her right.

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So yeah, that happened. And much more is left to happen. I hope you're excited!

Don't forget to vote and tell me how I fared, okay? Pretty please :'( 

I'd be grateful, I swear.