New Life (Book 4)

Chapter 13

King's Bastion Leisure Centre Restaurant

15.03hrs

I sat at my table sipping away at the glass of Sprite I ordered whilst I wait for Ikram to arrive for lunch. She was very quick to agreeing to meet when I asked her, in fact I think she had been implying we meet before I even suggested the idea of lunch together anyways.

Nevertheless the important thing is we're meeting and going to talk about last night's little incident in Casemates.

As for Daniel and Lucy they were just relieved to hear my voice the second they answered the phone. It didn't sound like they'd slept much and as it turns out they actually hadn't, since Daniel confirmed it when Lucy insisted they stay up all night praying for me – I seriously cannot ask for better friends than them.

I spotted Ikram walking through the main entrance of the Leisure Centre's tunnel and the second she saw me she hurried over to my table. I stood up from my seat to greet her and was immediately embraced by a firm hug from her.

I had to admit I was taken by surprise but otherwise I feel grateful.

'I was so worried about you, Kyle!' she gasped.

I smiled to myself and wrapped my arms around her, returning the hug.

After a moment I sat her down in the chair in front and got the waiter's attention to take her order. She ordered herself a glass of pineapple juice and the waiter soon disappeared back into the kitchen to fetch her drink.

'So what happened?' she asked.

What happened indeed, I can only describe as a mess. However I have the strong feeling I'm going to have to tell her the full story about Karim being there and more importantly what he's told me.

This is definitely going to be a bigger shock to her than it was to me, so after I carefully explained everything to her I quickly noticed how the colourd rained from her face.

Her eyes couldn't have been anymore wide open or filled with shock than the look she currently has plastered over her face.

'My God...' she muttered.

'Yeah, I know. I'm just as shocked.'

'So Zach is her... her half-brother or something?'

I shrugged my shoulders, completely unsure what to describe the whole thing as.

'I honestly don't know,' I groaned. 'I just know he hates me for beating up his father and hates Fatima for still choosing to be with me after everything.'

'So, he's back in Morocco now?'

'According to Karim they're leaving – or have already left – today.'

Ikram nodded her head, staring at her untouched glass of pineapple juice which the waiter had set down for her almost six minutes ago.

'Well, we can only hope for the best.'

I scoffed.

'Yeah right,' I muttered.

The only "best" that can come out of this mess is I no longer have anything to do with Fatima, which I have no doubt the family will certainly ask that of her now once they learn about it.

I've already physically beaten the shit out of one family member – if you can even call Karim that – but Zachariah is blood to them so his thoughts on it will carry much more weight than if Karim had been the one asking them to disapprove of me.

'I don't know what to say, Kyle,' Ikram said with a sigh. 'I was really scared when I saw you both fighting, and then... Zach was on the floor bleeding, I, I just... ' Ikram stopped herself.