"I don't just like you; I love you, I adore you. 'Like' is an understatement, sunflower."
...
The drive back to Ayan's house is in silence with him occasionally casting glances at me while I kept my eyes glued outside the window to see the unfamiliar surroundings. It was a half an hour ride from the motel to the house, and as soon as we reach, I get out of the car, ignoring him.
I've barely stepped foot inside the house before I'm getting enveloped in a rib crushing hug.
"Naira! I missed you!"
"I missed you too, Rudy," I say, returning the hug awkwardly. He cries on my shoulder for straight-up five minutes before Ayan separates us, rolling his eyes at Rudy's expression.
"It's only been a day and a half, Rudy," Zubair says, giving me an apologetic smile on Rudy's behalf.
I nod at him and turn to Rudy, "I didn't know I was that important to you..."
"What!?" he says, letting out an offended gasp, "Of course you are important. You're my best friend!"
I am?
Sasha makes a weirded-out face at him and mouths 'I'm so embarrassed to know him' when he isn't looking. I grin, nodding eagerly.
"You!" Rudy points a finger in Ayan's direction, making a disgusted face. "Did you hurt her?"
"No, he didn't," I start before muttering under my breath, "I can't say the same about emotionally though."
Ayan bends his head in shame. He definitely has an exceptionally sharp hearing.
"So..." Sasha asks, trailing off, "Did you kill him?"
I frown at her, afraid that I didn't hear the question right.
She frowns in return.
I blink.
She blinks in return.
Before I can answer, Ayan beats me to it, "No! She didn't kill him. She's not a murderer! What kind of a question is that!?"
She gives him a stern look, "You're telling me that that son of a bitch stabbed her and got away with it alive?" Then turning to me, she orders, "Don't let him get away next time."
Next time?
"There's not going to be a next time, sis, and not all fights are won with violence," Emily interjects.
"Whatever," she grumbles and walks away.
"Sorry about her," Emily smiles at me, "Are you okay? Is there anything I can do for you?"
"No," I smile, refusing politely, "I'm fine. I just want to meet Tara. Where is she?"
...
I head upstairs and stand at the door outside Ayan's room, quietly watching her draw something on the bed.
I enter the room, and Tara looks up before smiling from ear to ear and running to me.
"Hey, girl."
I bend down to her height, and she buries herself against my body in a bear hug. "Why did you disappear? N-nobody t-told me anything."
"Shh," I pat her back, "I'm here now. It's okay. I won't go anywhere now."
"Pwomise?"
I stand up, glancing at her, unable to keep the smile off my face. She always stutters whenever she's nervous.
"Wanna shake on it?" I offer her my hand and when she nods her head adorably, I shake her hand. "I promise, Tara."
"Do you- do you want to see my drawing?" she asks, trailing off with a nervous smile.
When I nod my head, she shows it to me; she has scribbled five adults and a kid in front of a house behind which is a man coloured in black, supporting a sneer.
"That's my mom, you, Ayan, Sasha, Emily," she says, pointing at all the figures standing under the floating hearts before a look of fear crosses her face, "and that's the evil uncle."
My heart breaks watching her like that. I ruffle her hair and lie, "I met evil uncle yesterday. At first, I was scared, but then I beat him into a pulp! Now he'll never be able to hurt you."
"You did?" She giggles. "I'm going to make a new drawing in that case, and- and I'll make Rudy sit in a pile of poo. He always eats everything!"
I let out a gasp and make a show of covering my mouth to express my shock, "You're a cruel girl!"
...
"Since we're leaving tomorrow, what are we going to do about Tara? We can't just leave her when the cops are still looking for her mother," I say, nibbling my French fry.
After taking a long, much needed shower, and getting into fresh clothes, Ayan had approached me with a peace offering... French fries. I snatched them from his hand, and when Rudy tried to steal them, I gestured towards my arm and pouted, playing the victim card.
Anything for French fries!
"We could leave her here with Mary," Cole shrugs, "That's a possibility. Right, guys?"
"No," Emily shakes her head, "What if there's another attempt at harming her? Mary's old, she can't protect her."
"One of us would just have to take her to their place," Zubair tells honestly.
"And who'll that be?" Rudy asks, stuffing his face with Nachos.
"Let's let Tara decide?" Ayan breaks the silence, "We need to provide her with a safe environment; that's our priority. According to me, she should choose who she wants to stay with."
When everyone agrees with him, he turns to look at me with hopeful eyes, "Sunflower?"
"Sounds right to me," I mumble quickly, not wanting to say anything more to this jerk.
Inhaling sharply, he leaves the living room only to come back later, carrying Tara in his arms.
He places her on her feet, and she walks up to Sasha who is spreading her arms for her.
"Tara, we're all going back home tomorrow. And we want you to come with us. Since we all don't live together, we want you to tell us who you would like to live with until your mother is found."
Tara frowns, looking at Sasha in despair, "Mom is still missing?"
"Police is looking for her; we'll find her soon, kiddo," Rudy says with a mouth full of Nachos. We all cringe, glaring at him.
Tara sighs sadly before pulling away from Sasha and stopping in front of me.
Her hazel eyes pour into mine, and she asks me in a thin voice, "Can I l-live with you?"