First off, Eid Mubarak to everyone celebrating 🥰🤗. May Allah accept our ibadah this Ramadhan and shower His blessings upon us all. Ameen.
Next, a shout-out. Thank you to SyedaM RAhmed for becoming a Patron by joining the "College Stress-fighters" level. I'm grateful for your support. Lots of Love to you! Hope you've enjoyed the early update.
Lastly, the update 😁
Vote and Post comments, folks. I'm losing the will to write quicker updates :/
Zayn was quietly driving behind Jason. He was trying to work things out in his head, and also, making sure the junior would not go running back to Salma and double cross him. The nerdy red-head walked into a familiar looking library, just around the plaza. Zayn decided to head home. He was almost out of the block when Alex rang him. Zayn ignored her the first couple of times, mad at her for Lenny's conspiracy against Claire, but something made him pick it up the fifth time.
"Leave me alone, Alexandra!" He yelled the moment he picked up. "What the fu-"
"Drive to road two, next to the food court!" She cut him midsentence, "Salma would need a ride!"
"WHAT?!"
Bee?
"What are you're talking about?" Zayn asked bewildered.
"You heard me, kid!" Alex barked. "Just do as I say if you want her alive!"
Zayn had turned around before Alex could finish her orders.
"What is going on?! What you mean if I want her alive?!"
His heart was beating madly against his chest hearing Alex's frantic, bossy tone. He was panicking and clueless. What had Salma got to do with anything? He had just seen her at Cody's, why would she be at the completely opposite end of the mall? When Alex called, the worse that Zayn imagined happening was Lenny going too far once again to make him feel bad for treating her like a trash can - and that was the only reason why he picked up the call.
"She got - wait! I got info coming. . ."
Zayn could hear someone talking to Alex at the other end of the line. Their tone seemed rushed and urgent.
"Head down the road towards Macy's!" Alex informed him as Zayn turned towards road two. He thought he heard gunfire, making him jumped out of his skin in fright, "I'll call you back in a few!"
"Alex! No, wait! Tell me what is going on?!" Zayn demanded to know as he sped down the road but Alex had already cut the call.
Not a second later, he saw a veiled figure in a long beige dress stumble out of the Alley way next to Macy's. Zayn recognized Salma as she stopped in the middle of the road, looking around her in a scared, crazed manner. Speeding up, the tires screeched as Zayn halted to a stop in front of her.
"Get in!" He called out to her.
Salma looked around with panic stricken eyes, trying to make sense of the words in the world around her. Her eyes zeroed on the sleek black vehicle in front of her. Zayn threw the door open for her.
"Bee! Get in, now!"
Salma did not need telling a third time. She jumped into the car just as Zayn saw two men emerging out of the alley behind her. One of them had blood trickling down the side of his head. Zayn stepped on the gas immediately. People screamed and jumped out of the way of the speeding car.
Zayn maneuvered his car through the crowded city center. He saw the two men chasing after them.
"Come on! Come on, move out of the way!" Zayn honked at the people impatiently.
An explosive crack tore through the air and the back window shattered. Salma screamed, horrified. Another shot hit the car. Zayn cursed out loud. He immediately reached out for her, making her duck.
"Down, now!" Zayn shouted, "Put your head down!"
Everything became a chaotic mix for Salma. It was just a terrifying mix of shots getting fired, people screaming to take cover, tires screeching and the honking of the horn. She was a crying mess, gasping for breath, her hands covered her ears trying to block out the terrifying sounds.
"Dammit!"
Salma screamed as her balled-up body shot out of her seat towards the dashboard. Zayn gripped the steering wheel, aghast. A toddler had shot out of nowhere in front of the car. While the panicked mum picked up the child, Zayn was only able to glance towards Salma to see if she was hurt by the impact with the dashboard. A shot exploded the air with a blast. Before he knew it, Zayn had already rammed on the gas pedal again.
Salma swerved to the right as Zayn turned sharply to avoid hitting a blue car that was blocking his path. Zayn was barely holding on to his calm. With the guns continuously aiming bullets at his car, he tried his best to stay focused, as he sped and zig-zagged, trying to make it hard for the shooters to take him out. Zayn heaved a sigh of relief when he turned to the main highway.
His phone started ringing again.
"Alex! What the hell is this?!" Zayn yelled.
"Don't slow down! My team just saw them load the blue corolla you passed by and it turned to the main highway."
"Oh, So it's a damn chase now?!" Zayn barked.
"I'm trying to get a plan on the ground to give you a window, but for now, it's all on you!
"How fu-reaking beautiful?!" Zayn said through gritted teeth, checking for a blue car in his rearview mirror.
"Listen, I know you're freaked out but-
"Freaked out?! You're kidding me, right?!" Zayn shouted, as he switched lanes. "I have a few freaking murderers on my tail, Alexandra!"
"Just keep a calm head, Zayn, it's impo --!"
A bullet hit the car, making Zayn duck for cover. He heard the roaring engine of a racer bike. Stepping on the gas, Zayn took a look in his side mirror to see the glaring headlights of a bike drawing close. The man behind the rider raised his hand and took aim. Zayn ducked and swerved the car to the left sharply to avoid his head or the tires receiving the bullet.
"- okay, so I know -"
"No, you don't know shit!" Zayn snapped, "Bee almost died because you thought you knew what you were doing. She could still -"
"Zayn, listen to me --"
"There is a bloody racer bike involved!" Zayn yelled. "Did you know that, Miss Wickfield?!"
"What --?"
"To hell with you, Alex!" Zayn growled into the phone, watching his death approach on two wheels, "I never signed up for this shit!"
"Wait, Zayn --"
Cutting the call, Zayn sank lower to avoid getting shot and weighed his options. He knew he could outrun the car. The worn out, old trash was no match for his ride, but there was no way he could lose the bike behind. Zayn took a few more sharp turns, weaving in and out of the traffic, trying to make it hard for the bikers to take a good aim at him. He watched in the sideview mirror as the bike started catching up on him. Lighter, smaller and faster, the two-wheeler had less problem maneuvering through traffic then Zayn did.
Speeding up was not an option.
Zayn threw a quick glance at Salma as he prepared for his next move. He realized she was not wearing her seatbelt. If he were to go through with plan, she could get seriously injured. When the roar of the bike's engine got louder, Zayn made up his mind.
Taking a sharp left, he made a grab for Salma when she was thrown towards him. Holding her close against him, and before Salma could protest, Zayn quickly checked that the bike was right on his tail before stepping on the brake.
The tires screeched, skidding on the rough road. There was a deafening explosion as the bike rammed into the car. The car lurched forward and the shattering glass rained down on them. The two felt the jerk towards the windshield. Zayn's back hit the leather of the seat as the seatbelt restrained his forward movement.
A deafening silence followed. Salma had slipped out of her seat, but was otherwise sheltered from harm by Zayn's arms around her head and upper body. Zayn could feel her small frame shaking like a leaf as she cried. Her hands were covering her face in fright.
"Bee!" Zayn breathed out in relief, "Oh God, Bee!
Zayn let out a sigh. His head seemed to be spinning. Tightening his arms around Salma he placed his forehead atop her head, letting out ragged puffs of breaths.
They were safe.
She was safe.
Oh God, they were fine!
Zayn was mildly aware of the attention the accident had started to attract. Cars had started pulling over to take a closer look. He lifted his head off, resting it on the head rest. He knew he had to get some help to get out of here. He might as well have committed a bloody murder with that stunt of his.
Zayn pulled Salma up, settling her in her seat, but not letting go. She was still crying into her hands, not saying a word, not looking up.
"Are you alright?"
Salma did not respond. Zayn doubted she had even heard him.
"Stay with me Bee," he whispered nonetheless. "Please, hang in there."
Zayn heard people outside gasping and screaming. They had started calling the police. He heard a few taps on his window asking him if they were alright. Zayn decided to ignore them and call Alex. He was just thinking of searching for his phone, when he heard a very distinct shout over all others.
"Get out of the way, Bozo!" The said person growled, honking his horn, "Don't make me put a bullet through your head!"
The threat was followed by a couple of gun shots fired into the night. As people screamed and scattered, Zayn abruptly pulled away from Salma and settled her back. He fidgeted with the belt as he buckled it in place around her this time. All the commotion behind them could mean only one thing.
The car packed with murderers had caught up to them.
Shifting into drive, Zayn slammed his feet on the gas again.
***
"Sir!" Darren cried in alarm. "Are you alright, sir! Should I --"
"I'm fine, Darren." Zayn waved him off stepping out of his wrecked car. He felt a bit disoriented so he grabbed the door to steady himself. It was only then that Zayn realized his hands, and probably his face was decorated by a mesh of scratches and cuts. The tiny glass shards crunched under his shoe as he shifted his weight. Darren eyed him worriedly but he knew better than to ask any more questions. However, the old man cared too much to not offer his help.
"Sir, anything --"
"Just take the car back into the garage later," Zayn said, absent-mindedly dusting his shirt and shoes to shed any remnants. "Also, tell Nick to keep a keen eye on the gate. I don't want any unfamiliar faces near the house."
"Yes, sir!
"Good man."
Patting his shoulder, Zayn walked around the car to Salma's side. He opened the door for her. She sat huddled in the car seat, frozen in the same cowering position that she took the criminals caught up to them.
Alex had called again a little while later. She directed Zayn to take a different exit from the main highway and to drive her to his place.
"Bee?" Zayn said softly, approaching her with caution, "Bee, we're here. Come on, let's get you inside."
Salma looked up slowly, her eyes swollen and red rimmed from crying. She looked exhausted and was barely conscious. The dead look in her eyes told Zayn she was still too traumatized to function normally. Zayn stepped aside to not crowd her. Still shaking and numbed by shock, she reluctantly complied and stepped out of the car.
Salma stumbled; a tell-tale sign of her being light-headed and weak on the knees. Zayn reached out to steady her but paused when she eyed his hand with distrust. Although too tired and slow to move out or swat his hand away, she would not approve of it, Zayn knew. Withdrawing his hand, he watched her steady her trembling figure against the car door.
Zayn watched her trembling figure holding herself steady against the car door.
It was already a struggle for him to hold himself back but seeing her vulnerable and weak made it twice as hard. Not trusting himself, he turned to his greying driver.
"Darren, help her inside please."
"Yes sir," the old man quickly came forth to offer his help. He put his arm around her, holding her by the shoulders to support her shaking frame against his. Zayn let out a sigh of relief when she did not push him away.
"Come on, miss," Darren muttered, leading her towards the house.
"Darren, is Claire home?" Zayn asked, closing the door and locking his car.
"No, sir," he answered, "Miss Anderson and young master Flintoff went out earlier."
"What?" Zayn scowled. "Where?"
"I don't know, sir," Darren responded. Zayn cursed under breath. Stepping ahead of the two, he held the door open for them.
Settle her into the couch," Zayn instructed, "then please make something warm for her . . . Cocoa would do."
"Yes, sir," Darren replied, helping Salma onto the couch. Zayn saw her eyeing her surrounding with a blank stare.
"Would you like some yourself, sir?"
"I'm fine," Zayn muttered, frowning at Salma's dazed look before running upstairs to grab some blankets.
Salma was still shaking like a leaf and he wanted her to stay calm. Her absolute silence was freaking him out. Zayn had an idea that her silence could be the result of her shock and trauma that must have reduced her blood sugar, but he was still anxious.
She gave a start when he draped a blanket around her shoulders.
"Relax," Zayn reassured, squeezing her shoulder a little despite himself, "and keep warm."
His phone rang again. It was Alex.
"Zayn, report."
Zayn rolled his eyes. Had he not been exhausted and worried sick, he would have snapped at her for treating him like one of her subordinates.
"We reached my place safely," he informed her as he made his way to the kitchen.
"Did anyone follo-"
"No, no, I don't think so," Zayn replied. He heard her sigh in relief.
"Alex, did the bikers survive?" Zayn finally asked what had been bothering him for a while now. He was dreading her answer.
"One of them jumped off the bike before the impact so he is mildly injured. The other is critical, but alive," Alex responded, "The FBI has taken over the case so don't worry, it'll be alright,"
Zayn nodded, even though he knew she could not see him. The smell of chocolate wafted towards him as Darren poured the steamy drink into a mug.
"How is she?" Alex asked, probably trying to change the topic.
Zayn glanced at Salma sitting stiffly on the couch, mute and tensed.
"In shock," Zayn replied, pinching the bridge of his nose to ward off the headache that had picked up. "She's gone completely quiet. Haven't uttered a word since a freaking panic attack where she screamed her head off."
"It's normal. The shock and trauma must have lowered her blood sugar and blood pressure."
"I figured." Zayn rolled his eyes again.
"Get her something to eat," Alex advised, "She'll be fine. I know it is not your forte but holding her would help ease her nerves. Its best if goes to sleep -"
Zayn snorted.
"Cuddle her?" He scoffed, "She wouldn't even relax into the couch or blink an eye, scared that I would get an inch closer to her while she's at it."
"Tough luck, for the both of you," Alex replied, "Anyway, I'll call you after we have combed the area around her house. Until then, have fun!"
Zayn scowled at the phone when she hung up on him. Too tired to find the right word to express his displeasure at her teasing, he pocketed his phone and left to calm down the traumatized mess of a girl perched on his couch like a granite statue.
***
The moment the warm drink passed down her throat, Salma felt her head clear a bit. A painful ache in her muscles registered in her mind. She figured she was tired and stiff, but also that she could not rest or sleep. Her eyes felt heavy with drowsiness and yet they were wide open and unblinking.
She blinked a couple of times when the images in front of her stopped swimming. Her eyes wandered over her surroundings. Moving in and out of focus was a slightly familiar room. She figured she was not home but she felt like she had been in this place before.
"Miss, you should drink some more," said a masculine voice, making her jump in alarm.
Salma jumped in alarm at the masculine voice next to her. Turning to the source, she was surprised to see a graying old man, standing by to her left. He was obediently holding a mug with something warm in it, judging from rising stream. He pushed the mug towards her. Chocolate, Salma thought, as the sweet smell of hot coco wafted towards her.
Still muddled, she reached up for the mug. The kind old man held it steady for her while she took another sip.
"A little more, miss," the man encouraged. "It will do you good."
As her vision became more focused, her hazy mind sharpened. A movement in the periphery caught her attention. She thought she heard a man talking. A strange sense of uncertainty and unease coursed through her body. While she obeyed the old man and took another sip of the chocolate he offered, she tried to work out the feeling.
A man was around her.
A man . . ?
A gasp escaped her lips when realized what was wrong. Her now much sharper stare returned the old man.
A man.
Pushing the mug, Salma quickly covered her face and moved away.
What in the world was she thinking?!
"Miss?" The old man frowned, staring at her trembling figure edging away from him. "Miss, you need to finish this."
Salma pulled the warm blanket closer around her shivering body. She was cold. Cold and scared, in a place she has not quite identified as safe yet. The old man stayed rooted to his spot, eyeing her worriedly.
She felt a movement behind her.
She felt a movement behind her.
"Everything alright, Darren?" Salma turned towards the familiar sound of his voice.
The room had started spinning again but she was able to focus on his warm golden-brown eyes.
"Young miss did not finish the drink, sir?" he replied, sounding of unsure of what he did that threatened the girl.
The dark haired boy came closer. She knew him but she was not certain if she trusted him. He crouched next to the couch. Impulsively, she back away from him. His features registered in her mind.
Zayn.
"Bee, you should drink this," he said softly. "It will help you calm down."
Salma looked at him but she did not respond. She was not entirely sure if she knew how to.
"Give me the mug, Darren," Zayn asked, taking the mug from the old man.
He lifted the mug towards her but Salma pushed away uncertainly. Zayn paused. Staring at her for a while, he sighed.
"Wait, let me fix this for you,"
Salma watched silently as he got up to his feet and entered the kitchen. She shivered within the warm covering, trying to get a grasp of what was happening when she heard the opening and shutting of the cabinets and the beep of a microwave oven from the kitchen. A few minutes later, Zayn returned. He was stirring the contents of the mug and something was sticking out from its edge. On a closer inspection, she recognized it as a straw.
"Here, now it's easy for you." Zayn smiled at her, removing the spoon and handing it to the old man.
Salma hesitated for a while but then reached out of the drink cautiously. Zayn held the mug for her as she sipped on the chocolate. Her vision got more focused, and her shivering eased up a little with each small gulp that she pushed down her throat.
Salma waited for her buzzing head to clear completely. She sat stiff and wide awake, frowning when instead of becoming more focused, she started feeling extremely drowsy. She was exhausted, and wanted nothing better than to curl up on the couch and go to sleep, but a feeling warned her against it. The quiet calm around her told her she was in a safer environment but something told her she was still in danger. She knew she needed to be vigilant and aware.
***
"You can leave, Darren."
"Anything else, sir?"
"No."
"Good night, sir."
Zayn nodded in reply, not looking away from the deep brown eyes in front of her that were gradually becoming more sharp . . . and skeptic.
"Feeling better?" Zayn asked her when Darren left.
Her eyes zeroed on him when he spoke, making all kind of fireworks burst at the pit of his stomach. He was suddenly too aware of her close proximity, of his hand holding the mug, just a few inches away from her veiled face and her deep brown eyes staring unblinkingly at him. As his breathing became more ragged, Zayn resisted the urge to pull her veil away. Scared of the way his cells buzzed and blood heated, Zayn looked away and pulled his hand back to avoid falling into the trap of his own overwhelming desires.
Having processed what he had asked, Salma nodded ever so slightly.
"Try saying it out loud, please," Zayn requested, just for the sake of saying something to distract himself from sudden warmth that had engulfed him.
Salma frowned in concentration a little. She seemed muddled.
"You're feeling better, yes?" Zayn encouraged.
Salma nodded again. Zayn smiled affectionately. He had almost reached to brush his fingers against her cheek when he restraint himself.
"Try to relax," Zayn adviced. "I'll be back in a minute."
Swallowing uneasily, he got up and left for the kitchen before he would end up doing something he would regret later. He leaned against the counter and closed his eyes.
"What the hell?" he whispered, caught off guard by the crazy pace of his heartbeat.
Zayn took a minute or two to compose himself. His gaze fell over the almost empty mug in front of him. Eyeing the contents sticking to the bottom of the mug, Zayn hoped it would work. He had asked her to relax but he knew her well. So long as he was around, she would never calm down.
As Zayn tried to calm his racing heart, he threw a glance at her in the sitting room. He could see the struggle had already begun. Her eyelids had started shutting down. Frowning, Salma forced them to stay open. Once again, they drooped. She swayed sleepily. Zayn hastily stepped away from the counter.
Salma turned around when she felt him walking over. Her sleep-laden eyes found him. It was obvious that she was fighting to keep her senses alert, but her vision was darkening fast and her world flipping over.
"Relax, Bee," Zayn reassured her. "Take it easy."
Falling sideways, Salma let out a confused gasp. Zayn made a quick move to grab her around the arms, and put her down gently. She tried to resist, but the drowsiness overpowered her.
"Just relax, easy, now, easy . . ."
She finally gave in to the soothing unconsciousness. Shutting out his voice and everything else around her, she settled to welcome the sleep that took over.
Zayn watched her getting limp and relaxed as the effect of the drugs took over. Settling her in a more comfortable position, he adjusted the blanket around her frame. That is when he noticed the crimson dash of blood staining the pure white of the blanket.
Horrified, Zayn pulled the blanket away to see her wound. More shock hit him when he realized his right hand was bloodied. He started panicking. Where was the blood coming from? Seeing the small pieces of glass stuck in the folds of her scarf, Zayn cursed himself for not checking up on her earlier.
Zayn threw the bloodied blanket away. It did not take long for him to find the dark red stain just above her elbow. The cloth of her dress was scorched. With some effort, Zayn pushed up the sleeve to bare her injured arm. His heart jumped to his throat. The gash was deep and still seem to be oozing blood. He felt sick to realize she had dodged death so narrowly.
Zayn shut his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. He was so mad at her, he could not even see straight.
"Why?" He seethed through gritted teeth, as his hand around hers tightened,"Just why did you feel the need to throw your life away like that?!"
Author's Note:
Do you guys make banners and stuff? I need a picture made and I thought I'd do it myself but I barely have any motivation these days - didn't even feel like writing, man. So, does anyone in the crowd make anime?
Also, to the members that don't comment inline (shifa, afra, marfat etc.) I'm sorry if I skip out your feedback. Your views mean the world to me and I read them but they often getting buried in the other notifications and I can't access them. I usually respond by going through the comments that appear inline next to the chapter. I try to scroll through the pile and find your individually but if I still skip through, I apologize. I appreciate the time you people take out to post your beautiful words. Thank you.
Lastly, inline commenters, you have a new winner :P Maria, post 86 and came out first. Onyx stood second with 50 (Get back in the game girl B\) and sleepdeprived_isa got third place (watch out of this newbee :P She's got the buzz!)
Vote, comment and share!
Lots of Love,
J.