I can take care of myself!

Chapter 35

While I sat in the dojo reading a few strategies I could use in my next kickboxing exam, the light in the dojo went off. I stood searching for someone, or my cell to switch my torch on, but before I could do either a bag was placed on my face. I couldn't do much at that moment since I instantly fell unconscious. When I woke up I was seated in an extremely cold room surrounded by men in suits. Had they put me in a freezer? in fact, why was I here in the first place?

My eyes started to open slightly and the first thing or person I saw was opened Saleema…or someone that looked like her standing in front of me dressed in her ballet dress.

"You're finally awake," she said taking out her cell phone, "call him…"

"Who?" I asked trying to breathe a little.

"Call him so he can watch you suffer…" she repeated shoving the phone into my face

"If this is about Zamin I don't have anything to do with him."

"I could care less. Because of you he hardly gave me a chance.

"CALL HIM!"

"Because of me!

"you mean because you're a sicko that's why,

"one who knows that she needed to hire 15 men just to take me down…you could be broken into a twig by the mere wind, make it a fair fight and untie me!"

She slapped me dialling Zamin up, "After hearing that, he'll surely come over,"

"You heard what you heard Zamin…get here.

She ended the call, leaving the area. What in the hell was she trying to achieve from all of this?

I don't remember any training beneficial to me for being tied up. I did, however, find my nail clipper in my pocket so slipped it into my mouth and tried using it to cut the ropes on my hands, one of the men, however, saw me and took the nail clipper away. He tightened the ropes on my hand and feet.

After struggling for hours Omar appeared..

'Zamin'

After receiving the call there was only one thing I could do, send over someone they weren't looking for. All of us knew that Elizah was extremely strong but she wasn't going to do anything to Saleema whose father was already one of the greatest Mafias around. It was something out of my control…I just hoped that this was seen as a good gesture nothing more.

**

We ran as I looked at him tossing something to get us away from all the commotion, how did he appear at the correct place and time? How did he become this knight and shining armour?

The police arrived shortly after and I gave my testimony…but again Saleema had disappeared. No one expects their best friend to become their biggest enemy…afraid I turned towards Omar who sat there with warm water using it to help clean the wound on my wrist. I quickly grabbed the cloth doing it on my own, "thank you," I said standing

He looked at me a little hurt by my action, "Don't do that ever again, what if you died."

"And what if you had died?" he replied even more stubbornly

"Just stay away from me, okay, I can protect myself."

I left the scene as angry as it was. I didn't want him endangering his life for mine.

*

Time passed, and I lost complete contact with Omar, Zamin and Saleema.

I was back to my old self, making it to newspaper covers and dominating the kickboxing world with my new black belt. I eventually turned my studies into part-time and dedicated most of my time to my sport.

Saleema still couldn't be found after the incident. She was still missing and so were her parents. Owais had kept an extra eye on me and Zamin had gone back to Australia.

I still could not get Omar off my mind and sometimes missed him so much that I even started using his perfume brand. We didn't meet at competitions either…which I prayed and hoped that we would.

"Your protein shake," Owais said passing me a bottle

"Thanks," I replied grabbing it

"Looks like you've become a lot like the old Omar since this year has begun."

"Spare me the comedy," I replied answering my phone

I received a call from my mother stating that there's been a robbery at my father's restaurant. I rushed over and it was definitely a crime of passion. I smiled turning towards my phone… still no reply from her.

I had nothing to do with her failures yet I was blamed. I spent the afternoon cleaning up the damage with my parents and Jamal and Owais came over to help.

"You got cut," he said handing me a plaster

"I'm fine," I replied moving to another corner.

"Is everything okay, you haven't been your bubbly self lately," Owais asked locking up

"I'm okay, it's called growing up."

"Omar wanted me to give you this by the way," he said passing me an envelope, "to congratulate you on your success."

I grabbed the envelope shoving it into my pocket.

Later after all the cleaning was done I hired a security company willing to deal with gang break-ins and any other dirty business she may try to pull off.

"You are awfully quiet and moody, which isn't like you," Owais said

"It's not that, this Saleema thing is getting to me."

"You might be free soon, I heard Zamin speak to her."

"Him again, why would he still be nice to me after what I've done to him."

"Give him a chance Elizah, he'll treat you well trust me," he replied moving to the front door.

How, do I give myself to someone I don't love? I would be hurting him even more by doing so, not to mention how my heart has only been yearning for one individual…someone I can't really have due to bad timing, I question if I should move on.

"Your father was injured, he got into a fight with the men at the scene," my mother said

"I'm sorry it's all my fault…" I replied as she pulled me into her arms.

My father walked into the kitchen, "Don't worry, if anyone messing with you, they have to go through us either way, don't apologise for helping me realize that I miss taekwondo."

He said smiling joining mine and my mother's hug. I could feel my heartbreak, yet no tears were insight.