Bryan! My heart screamed, suddenly needing his secure arms around me. I missed him!
“But then all good things come to an end. After dating for almost one year and seven months she suddenly started making excuses and avoided meeting me, staying with me, even our dates were cancelled because she had something important to do.” He scoffed in disgust. “My suspicion grew and one day I followed her after her shift. My fears came true when I saw her hugging a guy and then kissing him. I stood frozen and could only watch as she entered a building with him. The sun in my sky suddenly disappeared and my sky was dark again. I was so lost, alone standing in the middle of an unknown road.” He blinked but I saw a traitor tear escape. My heart shattered.
There’s nothing more emotional or disheartening than seeing a man cry for a woman.
“After a few days I finally got the guts to face her and break it off. Her only response was a gulp and a soft okay. My already broken heart broke even more that day. I felt numb.” He swallowed hard. “She changed me. There’s a woman behind every man who stands and rises above all but there’s also a woman behind every man who falls and lands in a pit of darkness. You are really unfortunate if it’s the same one.”
I gave a sad smile. “It’s usually the good ones that turn out to be the bad ones.”
“Yeah and the worst part is that it’s completely unexpected, probably that’s why it hurts so much. I waited, I waited for her to come back. Somewhere in my heart I believed she would come and explain and we could be together again.” His voice rattled at the end. He scoffed. “Can you believe I was so stupid that if she came and apologized, I was ready to take her back? Pathetic.”
“You know you have lost something, when you let it go and it doesn’t come back.” I said softly.
“I know and that’s the worst part of life. I changed after that, I started taking girls lightly got into drugs and wrong company. The reason why I am here.” He waved his hands around the room
I smiled at him reassuringly. “When someone breaks you, you need to pick up the pieces, stick them together and make a solid comeback that would shock everyone. When people know you are weak, you become an easy target for everything.”
In that moment I understood how Bryan and Ian both got caught in this mess. They were both at their lowest and the gang members took advantage of it. Every human just wishes for someone to need them.
We all need a shoulder to lean on even if we will never admit it.
“It’s difficult when the pieces are scattered so far that it’s hard to even see them and the most important piece is still owned by someone.” Ian said softly, still staring at the ceiling. In that moment I actually wished for Mufasa to appear and give him his ultimate advice. Even Rafiki would do.
“You need closure.” I concluded. “Did you ever ask her about the guy?”
Ian scowled and turned to me. “What was there to ask? I saw them with my own eyes. She was clearly cheating on me.”
“I think that somewhere deep inside you still want her to come back to you and tell that what you saw wasn’t true, that she still loves you. Even now your heart holds onto that sight glimmer of hope. And it will until you hear what she has to say, until you hear her side of story.” I glanced at his distraught face.
“For things to reveal themselves, we need to be ready to abandon our personal views about them” I smiled at him in encouragement.
We humans refuse to believe wrong things about the people we love and yet jumped to conclusions without batting an eyelid. Humans are weird species alright.
Ian let out a short breath. “I don’t know. I am kind of dating someone now.”
I rolled my eyes at his stupidity. “But you love Andrea.” I pointed out.
He frowned. “No, I don’t love her.” He shook his head. “I don’t love her. I have forgotten her.”
I gave him a ghost smile.
It was in the way he said the word her that told me otherwise.
“Trying to forget someone you love is like trying to remember someone you never met.”
He didn’t say anything just continued to look upwards.
I wanted to pat his arm and hug him but the ropes bounded to me held me securely to the chair. “Think about it. Maybe the sun is still there and you just need to move the clouds to see it again.”
He turned to me and shrugged. “Maybe.”
If you look closely, even the darkest skies have stars hiding in them.
A comfortable silence lapsed, our slow breathing was the only sound for quite some time until I cleared my throat.
“Do you know Alan?”
Ian nodded immediately. “Nice guy, I wonder how he got messed with this.”
I wonder that too.
“Can you like let me go?” I asked, making puppy dog faces.
Ian grinned. “I agree that I blurted out my whole love life to you but I still value my life, especially if I have to clear that cloud.”
I slumped down on the chair. “My butt pains.” I whined, twisting and turning to find a comfortable position.
Ian contemplated for a while and then rose on his feet. “I have always had a soft spot for blue eyes.”
I resisted the urge to squeal in delight. Instead I gave him a bright smile. “Thank you so much.” Gratitude dripping from my tone.
He just winked and started working on the ropes. I felt the ropes loosen and my heart soared. Yes! Long live Ian!
Within minutes my hands were free and I was rubbing them delicately. My fingers touching the red lines on the wrists. I felt slight sting every time I touched them. Oh Riyaz, you are so dead.
“They’ll be sore for some time.” Ian informed, noticing the redness and proceeded to free my legs.
I twisted my ankles slowly when they were free. There were red lines around them too but the pain was a little less. I got up on wobbly legs, trying to stand after sitting for God knows how much time. It took me a few minutes to stand properly, all the while Ian staring at me with a slight smile. He clapped his hands in amusement when I took the first step without falling on my face.
I scowled at him. “Try sitting on a chair for hours with your hands and legs tied.”
He winked at me. “I prefer the bed, chair gives less scope.”
I rolled my eyes at me but my lips twisted upwards. I went to him and flung my arms around his neck.
“Thanks Ian, it really means a lot.” I whispered with appreciation.
After a few seconds his arms came around my waist. “Thanks Joanna, for listening. I already see dim lights in my dark sky.”
I smiled. “One day your sky will be so bright that you’ll be blinded by its generosity.”
Ian patted my head lovingly. “You are one different girl.”
I grinned. “I already know that.”
Our happy moment was short lived when we heard footsteps nearing the door.
“Oh shit!” Ian whisper-shouted, searching around for some place to hide. Of course there wasn’t. The only furniture was the chair I was just tied too.
“What do we do?” I asked, fear gripping me tightly. “I am just untied, I don’t want to be tied again.”
“Being tied can never get boring.”
I slapped Ian. “This is not the time for innuendos.” I hissed when the footsteps stooped right outside the door. The gap under the door displaying two shadows.
“Oh divine souls that float everywhere, if you can hear me please get us out of here. I promise to go to church and light candles and even sit for an hour. Just get me out if here. I will -”
“Shut up!” Ian hissed, stopping my whispering prayer.
I frowned at him in anger. “I was asking for help.”
“Yeah well divine souls won’t pick up and make you disappear.”
“I would have called but my cell phone is in the farm house.”
Suddenly Ian’s mouth formed an ‘O ‘ in realization and I fisted my hands from punching him. “You have your phone with you now.” I stated furiously.
He grinned sheepishly, his hand entering the pocket. The jingling of keys from outside snapped my eyes to the door.
“We were locked in?” I asked incredulously.
Ian shrugged. “I guess so.”
I almost slapped him. “Stall them, I’ll call Bryan.” I grabbed his phone and ran to the darkest corner with the chair.
Ian gave me a short nod and walked towards the door. I immediately opened the phone. Screen lock, bloody asshole. Just as I was about to ask him what the password was the door opened. I shrunk deeper in the corner.
“Just let me get my hands on you Ian. I make you a sun in your own sky.” I swore under my breath, staring at the alphabets. I typed Ian, too short of course. I typed Andrea, wrong. Damn. Ianandrea, wrong. One last try. Andreaian. Bingo!
I fist pumped mentally and opened the phone icon. And he said he was over her, I scoffed.
I vaguely heard Ian talk about some upcoming football game and an unfamiliar voice respond. My fingers froze when I heard the second voice.
Alan. You traitor.
I shrugged off the sad thoughts and pressed on the call button. Come on Bryan, pick up.
“Hello?”
I almost sighed in relief. It feet so good to hear his voice, although it sounded strained and frustrated. Aww. He must be worried about me.
“Hey Bryan.” I greeted back.
There was a slight pause and I hoped the signal didn’t go dead.
“Joanna! Is that you?” Bryan breathed in disbelief and suddenly there was shouting and scrambling from the other end.
“Is that Joanna?” I heard Dylan.
“That bitch. Give the phone to me.” Janice’s unmistakable order came.
“Bryan listen.” I whispered, my tone taking a turn of urgency.
I heard a door shut and then silence on the phone. “Yes? Where are you? Are you okay? Oh God! I am so sorry. Morgan came so suddenly, I was too shocked -” Morgan? He must be that Scar -face.
“Bryan, I am okay.” I stopped his tensed rant. “And I am in some house owned by some rich Indian who is never here. It is outside the city. Hurry, bye. Miss you. Don’t call.” And I cut the call.
I heard three pairs of footsteps nearing and Ian laugh nervously. “Of course she’s safe. Why wouldn’t she be?”
There was silence and then the unfamiliar voice screamed. “Why is the chair empty?”
“I -uh. She -” Ian shuttered.
“Where is she Ian?” The Mr. Unfamiliar asked in a deadly serious tone.
“She’s behind the chair.” Alan said, coming near and grabbing my hand as he pulled me up.
I instantly snatched my away back. “Don’t you fucking touch me, you traitor. Do you even know what loyalty means?”
If I was a dragon I’d be breathing fire right now, I was that pissed.
“You two know each other?” Ian asked, surprised.
I couldn’t answer because Mr. Unfamiliar beat it to me. “Why is she out of the chair?”
Ian chuckled nervously. “You see I -uh slept. Yeah I suddenly dozed off. So I don’t know.”
“I’ll make sure you keep sleeping forever.” Mr. Unfamiliar snarled. “Bring her.” He ordered Alan.
Alan raised his hand to take my arm but I growled at him. “If you lay even one of your fucking betraying fingers on me I swear I’ll bite it off your body.”
Alan blank face didn’t flinch but I noticed a blink of hurt. Well that’s what you get for being disloyal to your friends.
“Keep her ahead of you. Make sure she doesn’t run away.” Mr. Unfamiliar ordered Alan, clearly shaken by my threat. “And Ian if you want to live I suggest you do whatever I say from now or your body pieces will be all over the world.”
I saw a drop of sweat form on Ian’s forehead. Oh the poor guy, going through all this for me.
“Let’s get on with the show.” I whooped in fake enthusiasm, saving Ian from another her death threat. Ian gave a small thankful smile and I just winked I return.
“Follow me.” Mr. Unfamiliar ordered.
I obliged and walked behind him, Ian besides me and Alan behind us. I slipped the phone to Ian. “Your password is so predictable.”
Ian grinned, “You wouldn’t have known if I hadn’t told the story.”
I grinned back. He took his phone and shoved it inside the pocket. I felt Alan’s eyes on us but he said nothing. I suddenly felt like he knew I had called Bryan, I turned to face him and his face was still blank and his eyes looking straight past us but I saw his lips twitch trying to form a reluctant smile. I turned ahead.
Suddenly I didn’t know who the person behind me was Alan – the gangster or Alan – the best friend.