I kept on thinking about it. How could someone fearlessly shoot a person when the law would get him hanged? And what was in that drive that he wanted it so desperately? Plus the other guy got himself shot because of it.
After arriving home, I directly went upstairs to my room. I was not okay.
Not okay of what Mia did to me and then the incident, the gunshots banging in my ear. My mind could not endure more. So I quickly took a warm shower, got changed, and was about to hop on the bed when I heard a
knock on the door. I knew it was Mia so I ignored it. Then another and then she finally opened the door. By then I was fully covered with my blanket. I pretended that her presence didn't bother me, so I didn't say
anything. She stood there for some time, after a while she called my
name but I obviously ignored that too.
She then quietly closed the door and then walked to the other side of the room in order to use the washroom. Not long after, she came out and soon lay on the other side of my bed. My back was facing her.I felt as if she must be regretting all of it now.
Soon I drifted off to my la-la land...
~
I didn't go to the college today. Of course, I got a scold from dad but still, I managed it somehow. I was sitting on the terrace to get some fresh air as the weather was so good today, It was sunny and a little bit of cool breeze, just perfect for refreshing my mind. I tended to enjoy my coffee but Mia came and sat beside me. Didn't she leave yet?
She must have noticed the frown on my face so she stood up and leaned to the wall at my left.
"I am going to leave in a while." She cleared my confusion.
"Aren't you going to ask anything?" she asked while examining my facial expressions which I had put to mask my curiosity.
"About?" taking a sip from my coffee, pretending to know nothing
"about yesterd-"
"Don't!" I literally smacked the mug on the table.
"Just don't remind me that!. The answer is a big NO.I.AM.NOT.INTERESTED!!...not anymore!" With that, I stood to leave but she pulled my arm.
"Ayze. Listen to me!. It's not wh-"
But I jerked it off immediately. With a scoff, I walked into the lounge and threw myself on the sofa. With one hand I covered my eyes and put the other on my stomach, sighing heavily.
"Hear me out for god's sake! Just once!"
She only got silence from my side, and probably a chance to continue.
"He..." she swallowed hard and then took a sigh as if to buckle up herself to continue.
"he was a Facebook friend I had added years ago without knowing he was attracted to me...I promise I didn't know it till he told me last year. Out of nowhere. he just texted me a confession message... I thought it
was a prank and ignored it. But, as days passed by he started taking steps ahead like calls. I had to meet him Ayze.. in order to get rid of the confusion that had spread so wildly. And when I met him, he was
a very" she began thinking as if to find the right word to say but with a very confused face.
"...very... 'nice' person...I had known till now" By then I had sat up and was listening with full concentration. She was playing with her fingers as she continued.
"So... I started talking to him...I just couldn't hold myself.. after all, he
was a nice guy and 'respects me'... a lot." She said at last looking at me with teary eyes. I gulped and looked down at the floor for a minute.
"What was the point of hiding it from me?" I said while keeping my gaze on the rug in front of me.
She gave me a silent stare... then she averted her gaze and whispered looking at her fingers again.
"I...I don't know. I guess I just couldn't find the right time to ."
flashbacks of her trying to take me to sides every time she got the chance to and wanting to say something, but she always would change the topic in the end, came rushing to my mind. I didn't find it suspicious then. But now I know why.
I went up to her, wiped her tears, and hugged her tightly.
"I am so sorry," she said between her sobs.
"It's okay" rubbing her back and wiping my tears, I consoled her
"But that doesn't mean you hide something from me 'AGAIN'! Don't you
dare!"
She sniffed and nodded after that.
"I won't, ever." she smiled at me.
" So now we are all good?" I gave her a wide smile
"Yes, I hope so"
"Plus, you are not going anywhere, at least not today!"
"But-"
"No buts PLEASE." I shook my head and my index finger at the same time, clarifying the fact that she had to listen to me. It had been decades since she last time stayed over.
We made some more coffee as we had a lot to talk about.
~
"I realized it late but I have to appreciate his looks," I said slightly blushing.
"Don't tell me Ayze, you were thinking this when your life was in danger just a few minutes before that! And I am still in the shock, despite knowing such incidents happen quite often there, but I guess you were the victim this time maybe that's why."
"The way he consoled me was everything for me. Nothing more than that"
" I see," she said in a teasing tone. I rolled my eyes
''come on-''
I was cut off in between by a door knock
"Mam? there is a call for you." Mr.s Magda peeked her head
"Who is it?" I said while getting up from the bed.
"Don't know mam." She said while giving me the phone (cordless
landline ). I nodded and gestured for her to leave.
"Hello?"
"Hello. Is this Azalea Parker speaking?" A familiar voice spoke from the other
side.
"Yes?"
"Right. This is DCI Noah Xander speaking. I would like to inform you that you are called to the station as a witness to a crime scene that occurred yesterday night around about 9:00 pm. We would like you to cooperate with us and be here on time. The address and the timings would be sent to you in a while. Thank you for your cooperation. Plus, we would need your phone number to text you the further details"
huh? it took me some time to understand
"Oh!Yes, sure."
I gave him my number and that was when he hung up, leaving me dazed.
I placed the phone on the side table still confused.
"Ayze? Who was it?"
''An officer, he told me I need to be at the police station as a witness to the crime scene,"
"Cool then what are you thinking. Go! You might help them."
"you think?" I asked her with a thoughtful expression.
"Yes of course"
A message popped up on the screen of my phone. I knew it was the station. I quickly opened it and read it. And it said that I had to be there in an hour.
~
I glanced at my phone to check the time one last time before getting out of the car. Mia followed soon. I sighed out of nervousness. I looked at Mia signaling her to move forward so that we could go inside the station. it was a busy atmosphere there. All of the officers were busy working and some were talking to people sitting ahead of them. It was our first time in a police station. So we really didn't know what to do next or where to go. We just stood there waiting for someone to notice us but it was of no use. We had to go to one of the officers. we told him that we were called here as a victim to the scene of yesterday night. He gestured us to follow him. He took us to a more quiet area. We waited for a while when they told us to enter the room they were pointing at. Plus only the witness was allowed to be there. I glanced at Mia and she tapped my shoulder to go forward. I clenched my fist and took a deep breath.
It was a dimly lighted room with two chairs and one desk.
An interrogation room.
I stood there examining the room, not wanting to move forward. It was a creepy environment so I turned around to go back but the door cracked wide open, pushing me back. I shut my eyes to the thought that I am going to meet the floor, but was stunned when my arm was pulled back. I did fall but only when my destination was the floor, now I fell forward, more like I smashed my head on something or someone. I unbolted my eyes and realized it was someone's chest indeed. I looked up immediately. I was startled as it was no one but him. He was already looking right into my eyes, with one eyebrow uplifted.
ugh embarrassing