Now we’re even

(Norman's POV)

"Exactly when did you last see her?" Sam queried, her voice covered with irk and distress, her feet pacing back and forth as she rang on Rorim in both her phone and Gillian's.

"When I got off the bus. She was on the other bus, heading to somewhere." I looked at my phone, eyes fixed on a bubble I sent two hours ago. The chilly, autumn breeze blowing towards us, making my fingers go numb.

Gillian stood up and clapped. "Look, maybe she just needed time away, alone. We may be her friends but we're not exactly that close to her for her to reveal her status. Shouldn't we just trust her while she does her own thing? What are we even worrying about? Her phone unreachable? Maybe she purposely did so."

Gillian's logic is valid, except for the fact that an unknown number have been mistaking me as her and might probably be in real danger the longer I deny and ignore a mindless 'prank'. Sam is just inherently concerned and worrying for Rorim. If she knew this, she might go ballistic and begin scampering each city's corner to find her, possibly while cursing me with all the profanities in the world for keeping it to myself. Maybe it's better to keep this to myself.

Sam sighed and gave back Gillian's phone to him. "Sorry okay? It's just.." her voice choking in her throat, "I once lost a friend, just the next day after having the best night of our lives. I-I don't know what to feel if I encounter something like that again." Her hands went to her face, fingers swiping her eyes as she sniffed.

Now I'm feeling more guilty..

Gillian tapped her shoulder. "We understand. She'll be alright. It's Rorim. She's smart to the point of calculating almost everything." The assurance in his voice makes me think that he has an idea.

This made Sam scoff. "She's unreadable." She breathed in and stood up, nodding to her. "There's nothing to worry about. Sorry for dragging you both. Your club members must be waiting for you to go back."

"Not really. Though I was having a good snap game before you called."

Sam smirked. "Yeah whatever. Go back now."

ding

She was about to pass through the door when she looked back, curious.

"Is that Ro?"

'Here.'

I raised my head and stood up. "Old friend. I'll get going first." I walked past them both as I gripped on my phone. Why I felt the need to hide it to myself or why I'm being wrapped with tickling caution and adrenaline, I will only know when I reach there.

...…

I found myself standing clueless before an abandoned building. Why did she take me here? Why here?

"Hey!"

I looked back and found three men in loud, street-fashioned clothes. The one ahead of them, probably who called out, had a pen stuck between his lips, ghost white smoke emanating from them.

"Ya lost or sumthin?" he asked as he spewed fumes from his nose.

Another next to him had cheeks piercing, his eyebrow raised as he ogled me. "You betta leave kid. Ain't got business heya."

Blinking, I swallowed my overflowing terror and wary. "I was looking for someone."

"Yeah?" The last man, the shortest of them, spat the gum he was chewing to the floor and stepped forward. "My mate here just said there's nothing to see here. This is your last warning."

It wasn't the way they were speaking or that they were years older that scared me. It was that they were three normal looking men that might have seen her. What if they saw her and something bad happened? Was that why she brought me here? Was she in trouble?

Turning around, I hid my trembling hand in my pocket and started walking. Taking my phone out might not yet be a good idea while they're still far behind.

riiiiiiiiiing

"Boss?"

I almost stopped on my tracks. I had no idea what possessed me but I pretended to lace my shoe tie.

"She's there? Aight. On it."

She's there? Who's she?

"They got her. Let's go."

Their footsteps were fading when my brain decided to tail them. I caught a glimpse of the shortest one when I hid beside the abandoned buildings, following them.

Why the hell are we following them, Norman?

I honestly didn't know. Whoever they're talking about is my right to know.

Since when has that been your right to know? Have you gone mad?

Have I? I think about that too. But if I point the dots, from the cryptic messages to her random disappearance to her sending me the location to the men saying their boss has her, whoever she is, the last thing I'll do is ignore it.

Oh you wanna her prince charming now, is that it?

Can you shut up? They're getting away.

Can you explain to me why you're being like this? Am I supposed to condone this? You can just report this to the police for peace of mind's sake. Not like this acting like a hero. If you're that worried, the police can track her phone from the contacts. You don't have to do this. The gal already hates you yet here you are—-

Shut up! Okay? Shut up. I'm not being a hero; I'm doing the right thing! If I report this to the police without knowing everything, that's more stupid. Now if you shut up and leave me alone, I might even do this properly.

They stopped before an abandoned parking space and approached two new people, the five of them going deeper in that empty ground.

"Norman?"

My heart (and probably my feet) jumped in utter shock. I was about to speak when she yanked my arm and dragged me next to her, bending low.

AD looked around, her eyes vigilant and scowled at me. "What the fuck are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same." I pulled my hand back, her grip leaving a mark on my skin. She's strong. "Why the hell are you here?"

She sighed and closed her eyes. "I'm here for Rorim. Some strange men took her, it all happened so fast. It was just her." Shaking her head, her eyes started to water. "I shouldn't have left her. I shouldn't have bought ice-cream alone. By the time I returned, she was taken in a car. Following them brought me here."

I blinked, ignoring my shaking hand from the sheer fact that I was right and that she was in danger. This shouldn't have happened if I followed her.

"If you got here by accident, I'm sorry but I'm gonna have to need your help. Please." Her head was low and her voice was desperate. "I can't do this alone. Please help me save her."

I saw her yesterday, with her. Was that the reason they were together? That would explain it, but for some reason, it was suspicious. Why were they around here in the first place? In this dark, barren place?

"That's why I'm here." I shifted my position and looked at the vacant lot. "We should hurry." Standing up, I clenched my fist. For a cheap bracelet, they'll go this far.

Next to me, AD tapped my back. "I should go in there first. I know self-defense. If she's between those floors, I'll help her rescue. If I can. But if I don't come back after 10 minutes, you should probably call the cops."

"No. It should be us together. I'll distract them and you take her." She held my arm before I could step forward.

Shaking her head, she said, "No, I'll distract them and you take her. No offense, but I'm pretty confident that I can take a few of them down."

I nodded. Although it did pinch my male ego, I knew better than pretending I can knock off five men, or more, by myself without proper practice. Plus, how am I going to distract them when I can barely approach anyone.

She led ahead and I followed behind, both of us scanning the open for company. From the inside, there were only thick vandalized columns and roughly cemented floors, an unfinished project that was left along with the other ones around the vicinity. Further in the middle was an elevated ramp going to the second floor. And while there wasn't anybody aside from us, I could feel a lurking suspect just around the corner. Maybe it was the fact that the place has long seemed abandoned or that we never know many men they have guarding the place.

"Have you seen any cameras?" She asked, her head turning in circles.

"No." Hopefully not.

"I'll go up first." she whispered as we hiked up the long ramp.

I lowered my head as I waited. And for a while, I wondered. How long has Rorim been captive? When did she get taken? Because if she was able to send me a text before I got here, she might've been taken before I arrived at the building. And she—

"Coast is clear." her head bobbing from the space above and motioned me to follow.

"When did you say she was taken?"

"Hmm? I didn't. But it was like forty minutes ago."

"And where were you both before she got abducted?"

"In the plaza. Why do you keep asking questions? We should focus on finding her while keeping quiet." She walked steps away from me, heading towards another ramp.

This is all so suspiciously confusing.

"I'll go up first again." She pointed up and held out her palm to me as if telling me to stay. By the time I lost sight of her, I sat down and thought deeper, analyzing all the things she's said. If they were in the plaza, then why did Rorim give me an address close to this building? That idea is just confusing. She might have a location tracker in her phone, still, it's rather suspicious of her to send that while they were in the plaza.

In my pocket, my phone vibrated.

Clearing my throat, I answered. "Yeah?"

"Norman, where are you right now?"

"Home. Why?"

"Lies. You left your bag here in your club locker. Where are you really?"

Rolling my eyes, I forget sometimes that he's hard to fool.

"Just say what you need already."

"Mom's inviting you for dinner later. She worries that you might not be eating properly because of your aunt being in the hospital."

"Mm. Sure."

"Cool. Do I bring your bag home or you're going back here to take them?"

"Bring them. Thanks."

"Got it."

And the call dropped. And right when I was about to stand to check I heard shouts and grunts from upstairs. I was immediately up to my feet and rushed to the slope, my eyes catching AD in a fighting stance and chasing her breath. I looked around and went to her, my eyes on the three bodies lying on the ground, folding to their pain.

"Rorim must be upstairs. We better hurry." She started sprinting and I followed, more alert that I was before.

We passed two more unoccupied floors until we heard inaudible murmurs coming from the higher floor.

AD turned to me, her eyes not meeting mine. "Here's what we'll do. We go there, I'll distract them first and you follow and find Rorim. As fast as you can."

I inhaled and nodded. "Be careful."

She nodded in return and we strode as quietly as possible. With her fingers, she counted one to three before she showed up first, casual and collected.

"Oh hi." She looked to her left and faced them. "I didn't know this place is occupied."

"You're not supposed to be here." A voice of a woman said.

"And you are?"

"Listen, lady, this is not a place you should be touring around. Mall is that way."

"Funny," her mauve lips smirked as she tilted her head, "because I'm not looking for a mall. I'm looking for my friend. And you people happened to have her."

There was an eery silence. Like calm before the storm. "Take her." Then there were footsteps. I couldn't count how many, but I could tell there were more than I could expect. I felt fear and worry for AD, how much more for Rorim.

AD stepped ahead, fists clenched, ready to fight. That was my cue. I counted to three once I heard more grunts and ran up as fast as I could. And as quick as my eyes could catch, there were about seven people around, five attacked AD and two stood on the corner. I didn't gaze much longer and focused ahead, up to the slope before me, with fear and adrenaline as my drive.

It was the last level when I stopped and scanned.

And there she was, tied to the chair, her head hung on her neck, facing down. I ran to her, every step pulsed on my feet and vibrated to my whole leg, crippling me. My lungs become heavy as I knelt before her, raising her head gently. As I brushed the curtain of her hair that blocked her face, there revealed a scarlet mark on her right cheek, just an inch under her eye. This sight of her, unconscious and harmed, brought flames to my throat and rocks to my lungs. Who did this to her?? Why?? Did they have to???

"Rorim?" I tapped her cheek and untied her. "Rorim!" Please.. Please wake up.

With my shaking hands, I went to the third knot, to her waist and undid them. And I did them as fast as I could blink. I held my breath with every lock undone until I was on my last one, on her feet, when I felt a movement. From her. I raised my head and saw her looking down, smiling.

"Rorim." I stepped back and finally breathed, relieved.

"Hello Norman." I stood up and helped her. She took my hand and got on her feet. I watch her touch the wound on her cheek and check the finger that smudged the blood.

"What happened?" I looked back but there seemed no one around anymore. I returned my gaze to her as my eyes caught the marks on her wrist. "Why did they— How could they hurt you for a measly bracelet?"

She smirked and shook her head. "We should leave." She was about to walk ahead when I stopped her, holding her hand. "You're hurt. I'll carry you."

She turned back to me and smiled. "I'm fine."

My fingers brushed her wrist as I focused on them. "You're not fine. Let me help you."

She pulled her hand away. "I'm fine."

I felt my teeth grit as I spat my annoyance. "You're not. Why are you being stubborn?"

"And why are you so blind?"

"What?"

"You know for a smart person, you're blind." She breathed in and looked me in the eye. "This is all a setup. A prank. This is my revenge. Now we're even."

I blinked. "I know." I knew all along. Everything was suspiciously planned. Calculated.

Her eyebrows scrunched and she stepped back. "How did you— Then why are you here? If you knew all along, you should've ignored it. We're not friends! This doesn't concern you! No one told you to be here. Why did you go all your way if you knew everything?"

"Because I care!" I was surprised that the shout came from me. From my mouth. And I was shouting at her. When was the last time I ever shout my heart like this? I can't recall.

When have I known? Since AD showed up. I knew all of them and yet here I still was, and I didn't know why. My eyes traced the hurt parts of her as I tried to hold my anger in and went back to her eyes. Seeing those marks pained my knuckles.

Her glare hardened. It was as if I could hear her thought, echoing mine. Why do I care? Why am I like this? She was just as confused as I was. Words need not be spoken to come to that question. I looked at her face, at her eyes, finding a hint of guilt, but I only found a storm. A chaotic, vehement storm. It was maddening that I could see my reflection through it.

"Who did those to you?"

She knew exactly what I was talking about. "I did."

Why… "Are you satisfied?"

"Are you?"

Satisfied with what? That she was hurt? I didn't want any of this! How can you ask me this?! Why did you have to do this? What kind of revenge is this?! Why hurt herself to this extent? "If I tell you that I'm boiling in rage, would you believe me?"

She raised her chin. "Oh I know that you're mad."

"Are you satisfied?"

She didn't speak. Her jaw clenched as she looked away. For a while I tried to calm myself. 'Til I can't. I stepped forward, wanting to raise her head with my hand and wished my fingers could heal the wound away. But I was no wizard, no magician, no healer. So I held back my hand to myself and rested my head to her shoulder instead. I only needed a while. Even just three seconds. I didn't care whether she pulled away or pushed me, I needed this.. to make sure she was really okay. That she was standing before me, safe and sound. And she was. And that was all I needed.

"Now we're even." I murmured and pulled myself back, walking away.

Walking back to school alone, I was immersed in my thoughts. For a long time, I never thought I'd feel such emotion again. Emotions. I am verklempt, whirling around the storm that were her eyes earlier. And somehow, this madness woke me from my long, dead life. All this time I've been smiling to mask the raw emotions and renegade thoughts I carefully keep at bay, allowing everyone to bluff me for being affably approachable. Because of my face. And if most people knew, then maybe because of my father too. In the end, all they cared about is to get close to me for their selfish intentions, to satisfy their expectations.

Then there's her. Speaking and treating me like she knew me, down to the depths and the possibilities of me. Coaxing emotions out of me until I throw them up. Being with her, her mere presence, draws emotions in me that I never thought existed. Like the drug as dangerous as she, I can only crave for more.