3

Laila woke with Hail’s arm draped lifelessly over her. What had happened? She had no idea, only Hail could answer that question. She pulled her self up, he suddenly woke.

‘Where are you going?’

‘Bathroom, you going to follow me there to?’

‘No.’

He looked at her.

‘What’s up with you this morning?’

‘Nothing.’

‘Don’t sound like it’.

‘What happened last night?’

‘Nothing why?’

‘So you didn’t? We didn’t?’

‘Not unless you want me to.’

He pulled himself up.

He placed his lips on hers kissing her.

He pulled away.

‘You better go.’

She smiled as his arm dropped from round her she pulled herself out of bed and to her feet.

‘Where is it?’

‘The second door.’

Laila walked wearily out of the room pushing the second door open walking aimlessly into the bathroom. She fresh end up, and looked in the mirror tears rolling down her face. What had she got herself into? Her friends thought she was dead. She wiped her tears of her face splashing it with water noticing a mark on her neck. ‘Wha!’ She said staring closer into the mirror.

She moved away, opened the door and walked out of the bathroom angrily back into the living area.

‘Alright babe?’

‘What’s this?’

‘What’s what?’

‘The love bite on my neck.’

‘Sorry I got a little carried away it will be gone by Saturday nothing to worry yourself over.’

‘I told you I’m with someone.’

‘That didn’t stop you kissing me last night. ‘

‘That was a mistake I’m with someone.’

‘Not now you aint you’re here with me so deal with it.’

‘And how long are you keeping me a prisoner for?’

‘You’re not a prisoner you can come and go as you please.’

‘So I’ll go right now shall I?’

Hail shrugged his shoulders.

Laila headed towards the door. Hail sprung to his feet and across the room she placed her hand on the door handle pushing it down opening it. Hail quickly closed it.

‘Stay.’

‘I thought you said I wasn’t a prisoner? I thought you said I could come and go as I pleased?’

‘Its not me its Ging if he finds out I’ve let you out he’ll kill us both.’

‘What you scared I might give the game away?’

‘Please Laila stay.’

‘And if I say no?’

‘Just stay we need to sort things out.’

‘Like what?’

‘Whether or not you’re in on our scam?’

‘I told Ging and I’m telling you I don’t know.’

‘Just consider it for me.’

‘What’s in it for me?’

‘I promise when the six months are over you’re free to go.’

‘Can you keep your promise?’

‘Yes.’

‘Okay.’

He smiled, placing his lips on hers kissing her.

He moved away.

‘Come on I’ll get us something to eat.’

He took her hand leading her over to the sofa.

‘Sit down and I’ll grab us something to eat.’

She smiled and sat down he loosed her hand and walked out of the living space into the kitchen banging doors.

He returned an hour later with two plates.

‘Will beans on toast do? I couldn’t find nothing else.’

‘As long as it’s not poisoned.’

‘Don’t be ridiculous.’

He passed her the plate, she took it off him, and he sat besides her. She stared at the beans on toast.

‘What’s up?

She looked at Hail.

‘How did I get up on stage? Cause I know I wouldn’t do it for all the money in the world.’

‘Well.’ He coughed.

‘Ging spiked my drink didn’t he?’

‘It was the only way.’

‘Did you drug the other girls?’

‘No, they were all up for it.’

‘So why drug me?’

‘I knew that we’d have trouble one night. I looked into your eyes then I knew that you wouldn’t be up for it.

‘So how did Ging know?’

‘Ging knows everything. ‘

‘But.’

‘Cut the questions and eat.’

‘What if you’ve drugged that too so you can screw me.’

‘If I wanted to screw you I would, I don’t need no drug to do it now eat! (He said angrily)

She dug her fork in scooping up the beans into her mouth, accompanied by the toast.

‘They okay?’

‘Fine.’

She took more scoops then polished it off the.

‘So why are we sleeping in the same bed?’

‘I’ll sleep on the sofa if you prefer, just thought it would be nice for you to wake up to someone lying next to you.’

‘It makes a change.’

‘So, your boyfriend don’t sleep over?’

‘Not really my flat mate don’t like him.’

‘Why?’

Laila shrugged her shoulders.

‘Who knows she’s weird.’

‘Oh.’

‘You got any lemonade?’

‘Yeah hang on.’ He paused. ‘Finished?’

Laila passed him the empty plate, he took it off her.

He pulled himself up walking away and into the kitchen he placed the empty plates in the sink found out two glasses then filled them with lemonade.

He walked back into the living space and passed Laila a glass of lemonade before he sat down besides her.

‘So you a virgin?’

‘That’s a bit personal.’

‘Well are you?’

‘No. Just cause he don’t stop over don’t mean to say that we haven’t screwed each other.’

‘That told me.’

‘Sure did.’

‘So had many boyfriends?’

‘Not really.’

‘Was he your first?’

‘What’s with all the questions?’

‘I want to get to know you.’

‘Why? You don’t need to. You only want me here for you stupid publicity stunt.’

‘No I don’t. I’ve already told you, I like you.’

‘Yeah what – ever!’

He placed his hand under her chin, turning her to face him. ‘I do. I don’t care what you look like, and as for as that slag goes who’d look at her twice? I know I wouldn’t. I want you, and if it takes six months to get you then so be it.’

‘Bu..’

He placed his lips on hers kissing her. He moved away.

She yawned

‘Tired?’

‘Yeah.’

‘Lye down.’

Laila placed the glass on the floor, and pulled herself up onto the sofa lying her head across his lap. He glided his hand down her face she slowly closed her eyes.

Laila slowly opened her eyes to find her head firmly resting on a pillow. Hail wasn’t there and he was supposed to be where was he? He wasn’t supposed to let her out of his sight.

Hail walked back into the living space from the kitchen.

‘Oh you’re awake.’

‘Yeah.’

‘Shift your legs.’

Laila pulled her legs up, Hail sat next to her she lay her legs over him. He placed his arms over them.

‘Where have you been?’

‘Just to get some stuff.’

‘Oh.

‘Don’t worry Laila I wasn’t gone that long you were fast asleep when I left this morning.

‘You stayed on the sofa all night?’

‘Most of it.’

‘Why?’

‘I didn’t want to disturb you.’

‘Oh right.’

‘Have you decided if you’re going to help us or not?’

‘Geese give it a rest that’s all I’ve heard for the last two days.’

‘I know but Ging is coming over Saturday and he expects an answer’

‘I said I’d think about it, and I am okay! Just don’t keep bringing it up okay!’

‘Okay.’ He paused. ‘I didn’t think living with you would be this hard.’ He muttered.

‘What did you say?’

‘Nothing.’

‘Yes you did what did you say?’

‘I said I didn’t think living with you would be this hard.’

‘I didn’t ask for this. All I want is for you to shut up about your scam for one day.’

‘Okay.’

‘Thanks.’ She paused then added. ‘So why did you choose me?’

‘I thought you didn’t want to talk about it.’

‘I don’t. I’d just like to know why you chose me there must’ve been a hundred girls out there that night better than me.’

‘There were other girls, but you were the only one that I wanted. The only one that caught my eye, the one I wanted for the finally.’

‘But I’m not that pretty. I’m not picture perfect, and I’m defiantly not thin.’

‘Stop putting yourself down you’re beautiful your weight is no issue, you’re perfectly structured.’

‘You’re just saying that to get inside me.’

Hail placed his hand under her chin turning her to his direction so that she was looking into his eyes. ‘Don’t you trust me?’

‘I don’t trust anyone especially those who kidnap me and expect me to do as they say or die.’

‘You’re beautiful you’ve just got to believe that.’

‘What if he goes off with her?’

‘Then he don’t love you does he?’

‘I guess not’

‘Look only a fool would go with her, only a fool would loose you without putting up a fight first.’

‘But.’

‘No buts.’

He leaned forward, she sat their nervously as he placed his lips on hers kissing her

He moved away. ‘Now stop putting yourself down you’re really attractive I think so, so does Ging if he didn’t you wouldn’t have lived so long.’

‘What is he some kind of psycho?’

‘No. Just he like what he sees and he likes you, and so do I.’

‘Is that why you chose me?’

‘We needed a girl with balls and attitude and you’ve got them.’

‘I wouldn’t say that.’

‘We both saw you with that girl and the way you went for her like you didn’t give a shit.’

‘She’d been asking for it for a long time she wound me up.’

‘Look we knew you’d be perfect it’s like a team the three of us.’

‘Where is he now?’

‘He’ll be back come Saturday when it all kicks off he’ll be here almost every night of the week.’

‘Great two psychos’.

‘Hey! I’m not that bad.’

‘You can’t say that your act is normal cause it aint.’

‘It’s just an act Laila just to get the crowed going after a night of mosh.’

‘You’re seriously demented.’

‘Just remember you made yourself the target.’

‘How?’

‘You spoke to Ging.’

‘It would’ve still happened if I hadn’t.’

‘I guess, but I wanted it to be you and no one else, we’d planned it for weeks. Waiting for the right girl to come along, but they never did. Not until you, it had to work we didn’t expect you to get yourself into a fight, your drink was supposed to be spiked at the bar while we spoke, but it had to be changed, everything had to be changed. Neither of us expected you to be out cold for the whole of the performance you were supposed to scream for you mercy, but nothing, but the show had to go on no matter what.’

‘I did wake up I saw you winking at me.’

‘You were supposed to wake before then. I’m not getting any of that shit again. I thought it was weird how your head flopped when I used a toy knife. I used food colouring to make it look like I slashed you to your death no one noticed it was fake they were to busty cheering me on to realise that’s how good I was.’

‘I hate knives I’ve got a phobia I usually pass out as soon as I see one.’

‘You’ll have to try not to cause if Ging catches on he’ll flip a mental.’

Who said I was going to help you?’

‘Please Laila, you’re the best girl for it. Just think about it for me.’

‘Okay, just don’t bug me about it okay.’

Hail smiled.