“I didn’t do it!”
“Please get into the car.”
“But I didn’t do it!!! You have to understand.” Ray was screaming his lungs out, fighting the cops and trying to get out from their hold. “You have the wrong guy!”
“Bloody fool.” One cop screamed in anger as Ray kicked his shin. The cop slapped him on the face, it was so hard that Ray’s entire face froze, his eyes opening wide. “Get this bastard in the car.” The cop ordered.
This time Ray didn’t fight. Even from this far, I could feel the sting of the slap, poor Ray.
“Are you watching it again?”
I jumped up in shock, slamming the laptop shut. “No.” I squeaked out.
Alex dropped down on the couch seat beside me, opening the laptop and watching the YouTube video of Ray’s arrest replay. It was put up a week back by his neighbor when he was arrested and it had soon become viral. He raised his eyebrows at me, waiting for an answer.
I sighed, rubbing my nails against each other. “He looks so innocent.” I pointed as the video played Ray’s screaming face ‘I didn’t do it’
Alex raised his forefinger, a gesture to wait for a minute. He dialed a number, “I want that YouTube video was taken down.” And then he cut the call, turning back to me. “We found the proof. The hacking codes sent a location tag and that was your hacking class. At that time, Ray was there in the class.” Alex bit his lip contemplating his next words.
“Tell me.” I incited, holding his arm.
Alex smiled dismally. “They found some of the data in his laptop. Not all of it but enough to build a case against him. The data was in an encrypted folder and Ajay could only just crack it. So” Alex paused, looking into my eyes. “He is not innocent.”
I gave a nod, a part of me still not believing Ray was the hacker despite all the proof against him. “Athena knows?”
“She saw the news.” Alex informed. “Then she called me and shouted at me, no, screamed her lungs out at me. I could hear the echo in my brain. It was so bad.”
I grimaced, knowing Athena could be the most terrifying person even to her own boss – Alex Bianchi. “She is still in the hospital?”
“I wouldn’t count on it.” Alex admitted. “She called me yesterday night.”
“I should call her.” I said, picking up my phone and surprised to see a few texts from Evan.
I felt a pang of guilt hit me, I was so caught up in all this Ray getting arrested and Athena in the hospital and getting proofs of all kind to make sure Ray would go to jail that I had completely forgotten about him.
I didn’t open his messages, it was better if I called him first and told him everything in person. And just as if he could read my mind, my phone rang – Evan.
“I need to-” I raised my phone, faking a smile and walking out onto the balcony.
Evan was still a touchy subject for Alex. He still claimed to not like him because I had decided to date Evan before him. Alex thought I chose a complete stranger over the guy who was my boss and knocked on my door when drunk. “I came to you when I was drunk. Do you know how special that makes you?” Was Alex’s favorite argument.
“You weren’t thinking clearly.” I would say back.
“And even in that fuzzy mind, I still thought clearly of you.” He would reason back, bringing a blush on my face every time. The reason I subconsciously made that squabble all the time, was because of Alex’s words, I loved to hear them.
Shaking my head, I dropped that memory, finally picking up the call. “Hey Evan.”
“Stranger.” I could hear the hurt in his voice and that bought a sadness I didn’t expect.
“I am sorry Evan.” And I truly was, Evan was a great guy and every date with him had been amazing.
As they say – it would have worked, if it wasn’t for the wrong timing.
“It’s been a week.” Evan pointed out but his tone didn’t hold any abhorrence.
“It’s been busy.” I confessed.
“You caught the hacker. Well done Myra.”
I smiled, a real one. “Thank you but it was a group effort. You saw the video?”
“Zivah showed it to me.” Evan said. “When we had to take your brother out for dinner because your phone was dead.”
“Fuck!” I gasped, rubbing my face. I completely forgot about my own brother coming here. What kind of a sister was I?
“It’s fine, really. He didn’t seem too hard broken about it. Also, I think he and Zivah slept together so it’s good.”
My jaw dropped and I was trying so hard to pick it up but I couldn’t. “Say what now?”
Evan paused, I could see his apologetic face already. “I think. It could be false.”
I huffed out a deep breath. “My brother and Zivah? You have got to be kidding me!” my anger was rising and I balled my fists not understanding how Zivah could hide such a thing from me. What happened to Sebastian?
“They are adults.” Evan pointed out. “Plus I don’t think it was the first time.”
“WHAT?” I screamed, I knew I was pretty loud because two birds on the tree nearby flew away scared.
“Well good talk.” Evan’s voice stammered. “So um, we are not dating anymore. Maybe focus on that and forget everything I just said?”
I was just about to answer him when my phone beeped, an incoming call from Athena.
“Evan, meet me at my place in 15 minutes.” I ordered, leaving no room for disagreement. And without waiting for his reply I cut the call and picked up Athena’s call.
“Athena.” I acknowledged at the same time, her loud voice crashed my ears. “You bitch!”
“Ah nice to hear from you, as always.” I replied sarcastically.
“Ray is in jail.” His voice didn’t tune down a notch.
“I know.”
“Do something about it!”
I sighed. “Athena, there is proof.”
“Proof my sexy butt. Where are you?”
I walked back into Alex’s room, picking up my purse. He glanced up from his laptop in question.
“I’ll be at my apartment in 15.” I told Athena.
“Meet you there.” And then she cut the call. The fact that she didn’t even have to ask me for my address, essentially terrified me.
Alex got up, getting his car keys. I grabbed his arm. “I need to do this alone.”
“Are you sure?”
I nodded. “Yes, plus I have to fight with Zivah too and you need to-” I pointed at all the papers and folders laying on the table. “-do whatever you are doing.”
Alex smiled, sneaking an arm around my waist, bringing me closer. “Building a case against Ray.”
“That.” I shrugged. I stood on my toes, quickly pecking his lips. “We’ll meet tonight.”
Alex clearly wasn’t satisfied with just a peck, he leaned down and kissed me properly. His lips moving slowly yet so passionately. I felt myself getting lost in the touch and embrace. Even with my closed eyes, I felt like I could see the whole world, my world.
He finally pulled away, leaving me gasping for me. Alex winked, lightly patting my behind. “Off you go. Don’t look at me like that or I’ll take you right here on the table.”
I stepped back, clearing my throat to shake away the thoughts. My eyes landed on the wooden table and I wondered if it was strong enough. I quickly shook my head. “Um bye.” I whispered, literally running out of the door.
Once the door closed and I was in the lift, I sighed, closing my eyes and leaning my head back.
He made me feel things that I had never felt before and I still don’t know if it is a good thing or a bad thing.
It took me ten minutes to reach the apartment. I opened the door with my key with the assumption that only Zivah would be there. What I didn’t expect to see was Zivah and my brother, Lucas, kissing on the couch.
“The fuck!” I shouted, averting my eyes since Lucas wasn’t wearing any pants.
“Fuck!”
“Shit!”
“Wear some pants!” I yelled.
“Where are my pants?”
“In the bedroom.”
I heard some shuffling and then steps. “Stay in there.” I ordered just as Zivah’s bedroom door closed.
I breathed out, mostly to calm down myself. I slowly turned to Zivah who was adjusting her top. “What. The. Fuck?”
Zivah pressed her lips, forcing a smile. “It’s not what it looks like.”
“I saw my brother’s tongue down your throat. What is there to not look like?” I sneered.
“We are consenting adults!” Zivah argued back.
“You know that is not the point!” I barked back.
Zivah sighed, collapsing down on the couch with her face in her palms. “I know, Myra. I know.”
I hadn’t moved from the door and didn’t want to be near the couch, not knowing what they had done on it.
“It wasn’t supposed to happen.” Zivah continued. “But he is so hot.”
“Eww.” I shrieked in disgust.
Zivah looked up with a sad smile. “We should have told you, I should have told you.”
I pressed my forehead. “How long?”
“It’s not serious.” Zivah said. “We just have sex because it feels so good.”
“Ugh.” I did the action of puking. “I don’t want to know that.”
“It happened once last year when he was here.” Zivah answered.
“Last year?” I glared at her.
Zivah flinched, “Yes it was just once.”
“Sebastian?”
She sighed. “Things between us are-” she paused. “- complicated. And Lucas felt safe.”
“Does Lucas know about Seb?”
“Yes.” Zivah nodded. “We didn’t mean for this to happen. Truly. And we were just scared of your reaction.”
“You should have told me Ziv. He is my brother after all.”
“I know and I am sorry.” Zivah said, giving me those puppy dog eyes.
“Oh please I am immune to those.” I said, rolling my eyes. “So this will be the last time? What’s he even doing here? He was going to be here for only three or four days.”
“I got the job!” I muffled voice came from behind the door making me chuckle.
“Come out.” I said, and Lucas comes out, now fully dressed.
He gave his cheeky smile that had made all girls in high school swoon. “Hey sis, long time no see.”
I smiled faking joy at him. “Hey bro, still a player.”
“Girls can’t get enough of this.” He pointed at his body and I did the action of puking again. “No, this isn’t serious.” He answered. “And yes, this is the last time.”
I saw a pang of hurt fly across Zivah’s face at my brother’s words but I didn’t think too much into it.
“Hey guys!” Evan smiled, entering the open door. “You should really close the door, I could hear everything from two floors down.”
“Evan.” Lucas nodded, giving him a bro’s fist.
I raised my eyebrows at them. “Wow you two seem chubby.”
Evan grinned. “Yes, he’s cool.”
“You got a good one here sis.” Lucas winked and the air suddenly dropped.
I looked at Evan and Evan looked at me, my face remorseful and his a little wounded. “Um-” I started, not knowing what to say.
“We are better as friends.” Evan answered for me. “Plus I don’t think I can handle her mood swings.”
I sent Evan a grateful smile and he just winked back. At that moment I swore to myself to find a girl for Evan who would make me happy and love him wholly. He deserved it.
And as if the universe was playing a joke on me, Athena walked in through the open door. “You bitch.”
“Do you know any other greeting?” I scoffed out.
“Black Widow?”
I looked at Evan’s surprised face and wide open shocked eyes.
“Captain America?” Athena’s face was equally surprised. For the first time, she looked at a loss of words.
“Huh?” I looked between the two, feeling a long lost connection. No no no, this can’t be happening. I thought to myself. They were polar opposite. Evan was the nicest guy out there and Athena was, well a bitch.
Athena was the first to get out of the daze. She blinked, looking away from Evan and turning back to me. “Ray.” She started.
But Evan couldn’t seem to let it go. “What are you doing here?”
Athena looked back at him and instantly looked away. Athena is unable to meet someone’s eyes? What is happening? “Standing and talking to Myra, can’t you see?”
This time Zivah spoke up. “How you two know each other?”
Evan didn’t answer, he looked at Athena waiting for approval. Athena groaned, rolling his eyes. “It was a one night stand, get over it.”
Evan’s entire expression changed, he physically flinched. His eyes looked heartbroken and his shoulders slumped. He looked down, very slightly shaking his head. I felt sad just watching him.
“I should go.” Evan gulped, not looking at anyone, continuing to stare at the ground.
I turned to Athena, and I saw her usually filled with hate eyes now held compassion and maybe even remorse. She kept staring at Evan, her fists were balled, her lower lip balled inside and I knew she wanted to say something more but she couldn’t. Probably because she doesn’t know to be nice.
Evan walked out of the door, four pairs of eyes following him each filled with various emotions.
Athena cleared her throat once as he disappeared down the stairs. She turned to me, her voice relatively low now. “So? Ray?”
I sighed. “Athena, you are the most frustrating person I have ever met. Ray is a cheater, he uses women. He used you. He even asked me out on a date. He is the worst guy out there. But that man who just walked out-” I pointed at the open door. “-he is the best one out there. And you would be truly stupid to let him leave like this. So forget Ray and go after someone who will actually care for you, Evan.”
Athena blinked at my words, I impatiently waited for her to register them and move but instead she just kept staring at me. After a few ridiculously long minutes, I finally gave up. “Go. Now.” I shouted, pushing Athena out of the door for extra measure.
She finally got out of the daze. She nodded. “We’ll talk soon.” She promised and then ran down the stairs, screaming ‘Evan, wait!’ as she went.
I sighed peacefully, looking at the empty doorway.
Sometimes the things you least expect are the things that are the best.