View of Zayn's apartment from front is in the picture.
Song- Grenade (Bruno Mars)
Alicia's POV
I rake my hands through my hair while sitting on the bed. The chain was missing today but what does it have to do with it. How a chain can be a source?
He's intelligent. There may be something in the chain. Technology knows no bounds.
To find out what it can be, if the chain has to do something with the spying, I need to get it. I close my eyes and sigh. I need to find the chain.
For that, I have to visit the apartment. The home with so many memories...
I gulp down the lump before it could form in my throat and open my eyes.
Tomorrow.
Tomorrow is the final day, for CR elections as well as my time in here.
I have tomorrow in my hands.
I grip the bed sheets as my mind runs wild. Hell, I'm not getting any sleep tonight even if I try.
I can't involve Rick, I can't tell him anything because I cannot trust him enough.
I have to do this alone.
~
It's eight in the morning and I'm sure Zayn is out for college, for gym. After that he'll be busy with preparations and performances.
Means, he's not coming back home anytime soon.
What about Uncle George?
I get ready, determination in my eyes as I braid my hair to keep them intact.
I'll take care of Uncle George at the moment. I note to myself before going out of the room.
A pernicious panic is emerging out slowly in me and I'm fully aware of it. Today he's going to take me to the place I don't know about. What he is going to do with me...I don't know. I just know that I have today to decide, to do.
"Hey, Alicia." Rick walks towards me and smiles sympathetically.
"Rickard, I have today only. Can I ask for something?" I look him in the eyes with a hope.
"Yeah, sure." He softly replies while nodding.
"I want you to let me on my own and not follow me at all. I want to go to college on my own. I need time for myself. I need some space." I explain to him emphasizing on each word. He furrows his eyes and before he could speak I answer his unspoken question.
"Of course I'm not running away. I'm not going to do anything stupid, my family is still held hostage. I can't run even if I want to. So you can trust me. I just need some time for my own." I try to convince him and guess what I succeed.
"Okay, but I would still say. Do not fuck up. The result won't be something you would be able to handle." He warns me looking in my eyes carefully.
"You have my word." I form a small subdued smile before making my way out.
I breathe fresh air in, feeling unrestrained for a moment. I book a cab to Zayn's...our apartment.
Should I meet Uncle George?
No, you will be loaded with so many questions and you don't have any answers with you. My thinking self replied.
I sigh getting out of the cab. Back in my mind I observe something strange. I'm not quite sure but I feel like I'm followed. I ignore it and move forward.
I ring the door bell before hiding myself behind the right pillar.
"Who's there?" I hear George asking.
I stay quiet and wait for him to proceed.
"Anyone here?" He asks again when he sees no one at the door. He gets out of the house to look if someone is there. Taking it as cue, I slide backwards hiding my petite figure behind the pillar.
When he moves to the left, I quickly rush towards the door and enter in. I jog straight to Zayn's room making sure not to make any kind of noise.
You succeeded but do you have a plan how to get out? My thinking self scowls at me.
I shake my head to ignore her and look around.
The chain. I started searching for it, for what I have come here. In parallel, I observe that the room is same as I left it. No change no break here. I smile at the thought that how much he has changed.
The old Zayn would get angry and break things to ooze out his frustration. But this new Zayn is heavenly. I fall more for him every day. He is calm, calmer than ever. He remembers my promises. He is not giving up on me.
This is so overwhelming.
But I don't want him to cry over me. It hurts my insides fully and ferociously.
I bring back myself to work and start searching. I have searched the drawers, bedside, his closet but nothing. I achieve nothing.
Where did he just keep it? I look around.
Or throw it?
I rush towards the dustbin and check.
Nothing.
Bathroom, I go to the bathroom and look around. There it is.
My eyes shine looking at the piece mercilessly thrown in the corner behind the toilet. I was about to make noise but refrained immediately.
Two reasons.
One, Uncle George might come.
Two, master might hear me? If only the chain has been his source of spying.
I slowly walk and take that beautiful piece in my hand. My emotions take me back to the time and I reminisce happy moments attached to this chain.
How can he just throw it like this? The old Zayn is still there somewhere. I pout pressing my lips.
I observe it fully. The locket is broken. I turn it upside down frantically to find something. And yes...
My heart stopped for a moment and I hold basin for support.
There is that micro chip I was dreading the whole night. For this unearthly moment, I would praise that evil mind for such an intelligent task. He turned the locket into a nano-recorder by assembling its parts inside the locket body making it a recorder's body.
Thankfully it's broken now. And now I know why he was panicked. He lost track, I was right.
This way he always knew everything about Zayn, what he would do, would speak, what the people near him would speak, everything.
But when did he do that? When did he embed the recorder in chain?
Oh my god, this means the person might have met Zayn at some point of time. Only Zayn can tell from where he got this chain and who bought it for him.
Is this why he's taking me today itself? Because he lost his source to keep watch on us, what if I tell something to Zayn about him?
All my thoughts are put on rest by a gunshot.
My eyes go wide and my chest pains with panic.
"Oh my god, oh my god." I gape and slowly move towards the door when I hear Uncle George screaming in pain.
I peek through room's door lock to know what's happening. My eyes widen and soon the tears start coming out. I backed away playing the scene in my head. Two men around Uncle George in the lobby and he's shot dead lying on the floor.
"Oh my god, I was right, I was followed." I whisper to myself while tears are coming out of my eyes with no breaks.
How can master leave me to myself when he knows his spy is broken? You took him for granted, Alicia.
"What do I do now?" I ask my thinking self ignoring her statement.
You need to reach college and meet Zayn at any cost.
Uncle George is dead. An excruciating pain runs through my body remembering what a gem of a person he was. He was nice and a father figure to me. I cry.
I'm still in denial that he is dead.
Because of me.
I need to get out of here.
I breathe deeply before peeking through the door lock again. My eyes watch the men coming towards Zayn's room. I quickly put the chain in my pocket and rush backwards.
Only one thing on my mind.
I need to get to Zayn.
I get hyper and frantically search for nothing. What to do?
My legs shake as I look at every corner to think something to reach at some good solution. I hear the footsteps approaching the room. I look at the window.
There is nothing else I could do. I have to do it and make it a success.
Yes, you can do it. You are your father's superhero. My thinking self reminds me.
I took help from the curtains, and hang outside I'm happy that I'm underweight. I'm sad that the window is too up for me. I jump making a thud sound.
"There!" I hear one of the men shouting as they run towards the window.
I run without thinking anything else. I got a scratch on my arm from the bushes outside the house. I rubbed it a little and ignore it.
I run. No doubt they are quick. Soon I see them running after me.
I turn into an alley as fast as I could. I'm huffing; the adrenaline rush keeps me moving. I know in the end I would have to give up but I can't before I reach to him.
There is a drum in the corner. I speedup and jump into it. It's full with straw but hell I don't care that I'm allergic to its smell. I pinch my nose not to sneeze as I hear them passing by. Getting out quickly, I run in the opposite direction.
"There she is!"
I quicken my steps and reach the main road.
I see a bus coming on the way. I wave my hand to stop it and it did.
I get in and to my bad luck they did so.
"St. Louis." I ask for the ticket and make my way to a vacant seat next to a lady.
"Two, St. Louis." One of them gets the ticket and glares at me. In bus, they won't dare to do anything. There are people around.
I'm so scared right now, scared for my family. I hope this move won't affect them.
I'm close to St Louis. I'm afraid they won't let me make it to him.
As I see the bus approaching near the gate, I stand up and move to the door. I look back at them. Luckily they are covered by passengers. The moment door opens, I jump. Holding my knees I take a deep breath and then run again.
I run towards our college and his melodious voice starts to vibrate through me. Tears find their way to my cheeks. My legs hurt and my body pains.
He is performing.
Gave you all I had and you tossed it in the trash
You tossed it in the trash, you did
To give me all your love is all I ever ask
'Cause what you don't understand is
"Hey stop!" I hear them and push my body with all the strength I could muster.
"Zayn..." My hoarse voice comes out as a whisper as I drag my feet inside.
Yes. I am inside the college, in the main hall.
I'd catch a grenade for ya (yeah, yeah, yeah)
Throw my head on a blade for ya (yeah, yeah, yeah)
I'd jump in front of a train for ya (yeah, yeah, yeah)
You know I'd do anything for ya (yeah, yeah, yeah)
I find my way to the crowd and look back. I see them entering in and moving towards me. I look ahead and find Zayn on stage. I smile through my tears as I see him looking at me.
Oh, oh, I would go through all this pain
Take a bullet straight through my brain
Yes, I would die for ya, baby
But you won't do the same
I sniff as I listen to the lyrics. I slowly move more into the crowd to hide myself from them. They have slowed down. They won't touch me in the crowd. They would never let anyone know that something unnatural is going on. Master would kill them for screwing up.
No, no, no, no
I move ahead, towards Zayn. His eyes never leaving me.
Black, black, black and blue
Beat me 'til I'm numb
Tell the devil I said "Hey" when you get back to where you're from
Mad woman, bad woman
That's just what you are
Yeah, you'll smile in my face then rip the brakes out my car
I move towards the two boxes placed in front in which everyone is putting secret vote chits one by one.
I'm exhausted.
His eyes, alerted and worried, stare into mine.
Gave you all I had and you tossed it in the trash
You tossed it in the trash, yes you did
To give me all your love is all I ever ask
'Cause what you don't understand is
I too don't leave his eyes, not even for a second. I want him to feel me, to listen to my cries without a word said out loud. I want him to know that I need him the most right now.
I'd catch a grenade for ya (yeah, yeah, yeah)
Throw my hand on a blade for ya (yeah, yeah, yeah)
I'd jump in front of a train for ya (yeah, yeah, yeah)
You know I'd do anything for ya (yeah, yeah, yeah)
"Alicia, thank god you are here." I jump a little as I hear Rick speaking in my ear from behind. "The helicopter is waiting for you. We need to move to terrace right now." My heartbeat races at his words. I look at Zayn while my heart takes million twists and turns inside my chest.
Save me...
My eyes speak for me as my lips quiver in fear and pain.
Oh oh, I would go through all this pain
Take a bullet straight through my brain
Yes, I would die for ya, baby
But you won't do the same
"My family?" I ask Rick never leaving the sight of Zayn. I observe him coming towards me. He knows that I'm not okay. I can see it in his eyes.
My eyes shed tears, heavy and salty.
"They are okay. It's time, we need to hurry."
I look at the boxes ahead. One is named Zayn and another Rickard.
If my body was on fire
Ooh, you'd watch me burn down in flames
You said you loved me, you're a liar
'Cause you never, ever, ever did, baby
Zayn jumps from the stage and stands right in front of me, the boxes between us.
Our eyes meet. If I'm crying, his eyes are wet too. I take out a chit from my pocket and hold it in my hand in front of him. I close my eyes and let the tears flow. I hear him screaming the lyrics in front of me and I take them in, as a token of love.
But darling, I'd still catch a grenade for ya (yeah, yeah, yeah)
Throw my head on a blade for ya (yeah, yeah, yeah)
I'd jump in front of a train for ya (yeah, yeah, yeah)
You know I'd do anything for ya (yeah, yeah, yeah)
Oh oh, I would go through all this pain
Take a bullet straight through my brain
Yes, I would die for ya, baby
But you won't do the same
I open my eyes and put the chit in the box named Zayn. I look at him. My eyes beg him to understand me. They beg him to save me.
No, you won't do the same
I wipe my cheeks as I take a step back. I note confusion in Zayn's eyes.
"Come on, Alicia." Rick's voice rushes and I take Zayn in from head to toe for the last one time.
A jagged breath left out of my mouth as I take another step back. I observe Zayn furrowing his eyes. May be he's trying to understand what's happening.
I close my eyes to engrave his picture forever at my heart. Without taking another look at him I turn and walk away.
I jog before I could lose and fall out.
I bump into a hard body and his arms hold me in place. "Angel, always in rush."
"Louis..." My eyes look at the figure in front of me.
"My family..." I verbalize near his ear before running away.
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Navi 🖤