chapter fifty

You gotta hurry up girl. Everyone's there already." Maya shouted at me through the phone.

"You know you haven't tell me the location right?"

"And I'm already seated in the car. I'm just waiting for you to send me the location then off I go." I added and that was a big lie. I was still in my pyjamas sitting on the counter.

"OK I will send it now. But hurry up pls. I don't want you to miss it." As if she wasn't the one shouting at me forty seconds ago.

"OK. I will be there. But I don't really see the important thing I will be doing there. With or without me,the party will still take place so it won't make a difference if I don't come right?" I said waiting for Maya's answer but got none. O didn't knew I was talking to no one cos Maya just hung up without me knowing. Mtcheew.

I did all I have to do in less than an hour. I picked up my purse which I have the necessary things stacked inside and my car keys then moved outside.

Listening to the Spanish song booming out of my car's radio,I drove slowly to mountain park where the party is taking place.

A call from Maya made me reduce the volume. I found a little space by the road and packed my car there before answering her call.

"Before you start scolding me,I'm already on my way." I said before her.

She laughed before saying "I didn't plan on scolding you,instead I have to thank you for being late. Since you're driving, I want you to stop by at 'all things sweet' and get me popcorn."

"Popcorn?" I asked just to be sure.

"Yes popcorn. Can you imagine there will be a show at the cinema there and they don't have popcorns throughout the whole of the great mountain park?" She hissed and I laughed.

"What do they have then?" I asked still laughing

"Anything but popcorn. There is chocolates everywhere and you know I hate chocolates that's why I want you to get me popcorns strictly from all things sweet." She instructed

"Why from all things sweet. There are literally popcorns at every shop that I can get for you on my way but now I have to go back to all things sweet shop and get you a freaking popcorn. Why?"

"Cos they've got the best popcorns ever. It was named all things sweet for a reason girl." I imagined her rolling her eyes as she said that.

"OK whatever. Just don't expect me to be there early again." I warned.

"You are already late so byeee." And she hung up.

I reversed my car and drove to all things sweet. I don't need location for that one cos almost everybody in the whole of San Fransisco knows that place. OK that will be a lie but they suppose to cos that place got the best of candies, chocolates, biscuits, cakes,popcorns, cookies and just everything sweet. It made sense where they derived the name from tho.

I packed my car at the packing lot there. People where buzzing in and out of the place with giant bags in their hands. I wonder why the place don't run out of sweets with the way huge population of people are coming there 24/7.

I bought two big cups of popcorn and i couldn't help but buy a dozen of cupcakes also. If you got no money with you, then just don't make the mistake of stepping into that place. The way the cakes will be rotating on their stands as if they're dancing, ice creams frozen in the glassy fridge,candies looking at you in the eyes and chocolates cutely pouting at you, you will just have to borrow money and get one of those things. It was just a Paradise of sweetness from the mere look.

I walked out of the place instantly missing the nice smell and cool air on my skin. As if I was instructed to,I looked in front of me where the hospital which was currently under rebuilt was looking back at me bringing back last week's bad memories.

I sadly walked back to my car and dropped everything at the back seat.

'When the hospital caught fire, everybody escaped Alhamdulillah but the chaos was just too much for some people to bear. Some fainted while the chaos triggered some people's illness. Apparently, everyone was seeing and hearing the mysterious person we saw on the TV that day except that whenever one of our names were called,it will crack and smoothen immediately the mysterious person finished pronouncing our names. The cops came to investigate but no clue was found including in the surveillance cameras. Everything was destroyed and there was no way they could retain it back.

Some people said they caught a glimpse of orange hair as I did while some saw brown eyes. The cops tried to get to the bottom of the matter but could they? No cos people with orange hair didn't have brown eyes and those with brown eyes don't have orange hair. The matter is just so frustrating.'

I was jolted out of my thoughts with my phone's ringing. "Hey Maya."

"Khair. Where the butt are you? I'm trapped in the middle of a disaster." Maya worriedly said.

"What happened? What?" I panicked

"Do you know Jayden?" She asked

"Yes. One of the richass seniors. Is he dead? Did he turn to a monster?"

She hissed and asked "and you know Isma'il Yakub?"

"Who's that one?"

"Uncle Haroon's friend." She answered

"Uncle Haroon's got many friends. Which exactly?"

"From his name,you suppose to know. Nevertheless, his father owned a PJ and...." From the mention of PJ I immediately remembered the Isma'il Maya was drooling about.

"Oh yes I remember. He's dead too?" I gasped

"Khairrrr! Stop wishing death upon my future soulmate." She whined

"Future what? See stop your nonsense and tell me what the hell is going on there that you called me worriedly."

"Jayden called me up for a dance." She started.

"Continue....wait what? Dance? Why you upon all the girls in there?!"

"Calm down babe. I'm his.....how am I gonna put this?"

"Maya,don't tell me you're..." I trailed off knowing she understood what I'm about to say.

"I'm sorry I am. But you aren't helping the matter here. You didn't even give me the chance to explain. You are just interrogating me as if you studied criminology." She said in sad voice.

"Pls just hear me out." She pleaded.

"OK spill."

"OK you see Jayden wants me to dance with him. I would have gladly accepted but Isma'il is here. What will he think of me if he sees me dancing with Jayden?" She panicked

"Isma'il shouldn't be a problem cos its not like you're dating him." I pointed out

"But I want him to. I can't destroy the foundation I have started."

"What do you mean?"

"I gave him my best of behaviors when we met at the airport and from all indications,it looks like he likes me." And her enthusiasm returned.

"Well-done mind reader. Lover girl. Queen of heart." I said sarcastically.

"No I'm serious. Just watch, before he leaves this country, I will make sure he dates me even if its for two days." She assured.

"Allah ya shiryeki." I prayed for her.

"Ameen. Same to you." She laughed.

"Sooo what did you want me to do for you? Should I help you with a clone that will keep Isma'il distracted?" I suggested and laughed silently at my own idea. That's stupid.

"Oh my God Khair. You just came up with what's far better than my idea. I love you girl. I love you so much."

"Wait wait wait. I can't produce a clone. I was just joking." Did she seriously thought I was being serious about the clone thing?

"NO! DISTRACTION!" She shouted and I have to retract the phone from my ear to avoid been blasted with the way she shouted.

"Easy."

"You gotta come up here as soon as possible and distract Isma'il for me before the dance starts. During the distraction, you might even lead him outside so that he can't even catch a glimpse of me dancing. Can you pls do that for me? Pretty pleassee." She pleaded

"OK yaaay. I will be glad to do that." I said in a bored tone but Maya didn't care as long as I have agreed to it.

"Thank you Khair. Pls be early this time." I imagined her smiling ear to ear as she said that.

Before I gave further excuse,she hung up.

I sighed and roared the engine back to life and before I could say 'move' it stopped. I tried turning on the ignition several time but it didn't even budge.

God. Why this problem now?

I opened the bonnet and came out of the car. I was just stating at the engine wondering what was wrong with the damn thing. I closed it and planned to get in the car to call Maya.

What do I know about cars? Pftt

I opened the car door and noticed something.

The tire,it look like I have got a flat tire and I didn't have a spare one. God.

It became so shocking to me to see that all the four tires were flattened. The hell?! How was that possible. This rarely happens

And from the look of it,it wasn't naturally flattened,a nail of something sharp was pierced through the tires.

Okay I won't keep quiet about this.

I walked back inside all things sweet and headed straight to the security guard.

"Welcome to all things sweet. How may I help you?" He professionally said.

"I parked my car at the customer's parking lot and purchased things from this store. I met four flat tires just as I came out." I explained and the man looked at me as if I was an alien from space.

"Four flat tires ma'am? How is that possible?" He asked me.

'Continue asking me there. Don't do your job as a security man.' I almost said but decided to be polite.

"You can come and check for yourself." I told him instead. He curiously followed me as I led him to my car. He inspected the tires himself before saying "you're right ma'am."

"How can you be staying by the door and can't see when this happened?"

"I'm sorry."

"Keep the sorry to yourself. I want to know who did this. You either take me to the surveillance room or I go to the manager myself." I said in all seriousness.

The security man visibly gulped and said "I will take you to the surveillance room."

I trailed behind him to the surveillance room where another lazy security man was soundly sleeping.

"Jack! Jack!!" The security man that led me here called tapping the sleeping guy.

The guy I suppose is the Jack woke up in a confused state.

"No shit." The jack guy cursed.

"Why are you sleeping instead of looking at the cameras?" The security man scolded

"I'm sorry man. I was just trying to take a nap." Jack said.

"Anyway,show us the video footage of the parking lot." The security man said to Jack while the jack began operating the computer. In less than two minutes,the parking lot footage came on.

"Pls fast forward it." I said. I can't stand watching the footages that didn't concern me.

"To what time exactly?" Asked jack. I thought and said "3:20"

Jack did as I said. We watched the footage carefully up to the time I packed my car and got inside the store.

"This is your car right ma'am?" Jack asked and I nodded.

I got tired of staring too much into the screen and I decided to get up and leave the both of them to get to the bottom of the situation themselves but I stopped when I saw someone walked to my car.

The person had a black hoodie on and a face mask. He bent down and brought out an object which he used to stab the first tires. He did same to the other three tires. The hoodie guy got up and as if he knew where the cameras are,he walked there and waved at the camera shocking all of us.

"How did he know they're cameras there? We use micro cameras in this store." Jack gasped.

"What is he doing?" I asked as the hoodie guy bought out something from his pocket. He straightened it and brought the paper close to the camera.

The paper read 'you can't catch me no matter what. So don't try to do anything about it nor the cops so save yourself the energy and time cos this is just the beginning.'  And then a big S.G was boldly written at the corner of the paper.

My palm became instantly cold. I might need my glasses to read this again cos I thought my eyes were deceiving me.

"Do you know who that is ma'am?" Jack asked and I looked at him unbelievably.

"How the hell am I suppose to know? If I had known this guy all these while will I bother your friend here to show me the footages? Use your sense Jack." I vented my anger on him.

"I'm sorry." He said offended. I realized what I did and smacked my face.

"No I'm sorry Jack. I was just too confused and angry. I shouldn't have shouted at you despite knowing its not your fault." My voice cracked.

Tears, I beg you don't fall.

"Never mind ma'am. I understand your pain." Jack said.

"No you don't." I whispered to him but I'm sure he won't even know I said something.

"I'm sorry for the waste of time guys." I said to the both of them who looked as if they were the ones that owned the car.

"No problem." The said and I left before my tears betrays me.

Just what wrong did I ever do to someone to deserve this? God.

I walked to my car and leaned against it. What am I even suppose to do now? Ughhh

I called Maya and told her everything. She freaked out and told me to stay where I was. She will pick me up but I denied it telling her to enjoy her time their and I will just head home. She understood the point I was trying to form even though I was out of words that moment.

I called uncle Haroon also and told him everything not leaving a single part from it. I was in the process of telling him when I looked at the person coming out of the store.

My heart dropped to my stomach and jumped back to my chest. I suppose to have learn how to be comfortable whenever I see Smith but no, a weird feeling must creep in despite knowing he was somehow a good guy.

"Hey Khair." He beamed

"Smith." And that's all I managed to blurt out

"Uncle Haroon I will call you back." I said and hung up before uncle Haroon will ask me who that was.

"Why are you standing here?" The smile he gave me was just somehow.

I just pointed at the tires and he gasped.

"Oh no. That's bad. And I only have one spare tire." He said in real concern.

Okay!

"Hello?" I said as I picked up the phone that won't stop vibrating in my hand.

"Stay where you are and I will call a mechanic to come with tires so that you can drive home." Came uncle Haroon's voice. I couldn't say anything but an 'okay'.

I hung up and faced Smith.

"I think you should leave your car here then I will take you to wherever you are going." Smith suggested.

"What? Why?" I didn't know why I asked those dumb questions.

"You can't possibly be waiting for whoever is going to repair your car right under this hot sun right? I will just drop you off at where you suppose to be now." He offered and I thought about it for few seconds.

"Come on Khair. Don't you trust me?" He whined. You see Smith as a man,sometimes he behaves like a little girl on easter  vacation.

Without giving much thoughts about it,I nodded and he opened the passengers side for me to hop in and I did.

"Thank you Smith." I said and dialled uncle Haroon's number.

"My pleasure." He smiled widely than usual but I shrugged it off thinking it was  just one of his weird behaviours.

"Someone has already given me a lift." I told uncle Haroon.

"Who's that and where are you heading too?" He asked in an overprotective tone.

"Its Smith." I told him. "And oh Smith, pls take me home." I said to Smith.

"What if you go somewhere different?" Said Smith.

"Uhh,what did you mean?" I asked confused.

"Khair what's that?" Uncle Haroon asked but I couldn't reply him.

"You made a mistake by trusting me." He laughed.

"Wh...what?" That's all I managed to say as a result if other words getting hitched in my throat.

"I want to take you somewhere different." He casually said. I started fiddling with the door handle. I don't mind getting injured in the process of getting off a moving car. Its better than staying with this Smith.

Smith was quick to lock the doors from his side seeing what I was about to do.

"Not so fast girl." He said and I turned to face him with racing heart. Uncle Haroon kept shouting my name but I couldn't do anything. I was just shivering.

The next thing I deciphered was a heavy punch landing straight at my face.

Before I could say 'what the hell!' I seeped into darkness.

I shouldn't have made the mistake of trusting the psycho Smith.

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