Life slips through our hands

Chapter 29

"I'm so tired. I don't want to see another textbook this week", complained Lara.

"Mid-term exams are finally over", sighed Nina. "You won't have to see another one this week".

"I'm a bit nervous. What if I don't score well even after studying this much?", said Lara quite distressed.

"You'll be ok". Ian pecked her cheek.

It was Friday and they were having lunch at the cafeteria as always. They just had their last mid-term exam and were planning to go out that afternoon to relax. Nina couldn't see Charles that week because he had exams too, and the next week was going to be the same. He had four exams per week, it was crazy! He even took Sunday off work. But they would text each other during lunch and before going to sleep every day without fault. Right then, Nina's phone buzzed.

"It must be Charles", said Lara. Nina took her phone with a huge smile on her face. But it soon dropped.

"What is it?", asked Ian.

"Nothing". Nina put away her phone quickly but gave Lara a meaningful look.

"It was Adela, wasn't she?", asked her friend on their way to the last class of the day. Ian was already gone.

"Yeah. She has been MIA since the beginning of the semester. She had to appear at some point".

"I thought that... maybe... she would let you go", sighed Lara. "What does she want?"

"Money. But...". She felt silent, making a fine line with her lips thinking about something.

"But?", repeated Lara encouraging her to continue.

"I think I'll have to ask you for help again".

Ian and the girls went to Nina's house after school and spent the afternoon watching movies and eating snacks. Nina was feeling anxious at the unusual request from Adela; her instinct said that there would be trouble.

"What said your mother?", asked Lara who was sitting on the couch with Ian.

"I can stay with you. I just have to take my bag and we are ready to go".

"Go then, we'll wait here". Nina nodded and went upstairs.

"What's going on?", asked Ian confused.

"I can't tell you", sighed his girlfriend. "But thanks for helping out".

Nina asked her mother to stay at Lara's house. And Lara said to their parents that she was going to be back late at night because they were going to do a movie marathon at Ian's house. Everything was a lie; they couldn't say to their parents that they were going to Roxbury in the middle of the night.

They went for pizza as dinner at a random restaurant in Kenmore and were chatting away.

"Hey, where did you say you have to go?", asked Lara with Google Maps in hand.

"Malcolm X Park", answered Nina. Lara nodded looking at the screen of her phone.

"Wait, is that what you have to do?", asked Ian. "Go to X Park?".

"Er...". The girls looked at each other.

"I can't let you go there that late, it's dangerous!", exclaimed he.

"It will be just five minutes", said Lara.

"I don't care. Why do you have to go there? I can't let you do that". Lara sighed heavily.

"Ian-". Lara was going to say something but Nina cut her off.

"Because I have to hand some money to someone. If not, I'm going to be in trouble". Nina was looking him in the eye.

"Who?"

"I can't tell you". Ian stared at her in silence for a whole minute.

"Why not? I'm not going to say anything".

"Ian...", Lara took his hand and looked at him with pleading eyes.

"No, I'm your boyfriend", he said looking at her and then turned to Nina. "And I'm your friend, am I not? I'm covering you both, I have to know". He said firmly, the girls knew that he was not going to change his mind. Nina sighed, rested her back in the seat, and passed her right hand through her hair thinking how to explain the whole thing; she leaned over the table again.

"Ok, you're right". She told him what was going on.

"Do you know how serious is this? This is extortion". He was astonished.

"Of course we do!", said Lara. "But what would you do in her place?"

"I... I don't know". He said after a second thought. "I can't let you go through".

"But Ian-". Lara was about to complain.

"Let me finish", he asked Lara. "I'll go with you both".

"Thank you", said Nina and gave him a brief smile.

They left the restaurant a few minutes later to go play arcade games. They kept going around killing time until 10 p.m. Then, Ian drove to Roxbury.

"Has she texted you yet?", asked Lara. They were drinking coffee in the car.

"Not yet but it's almost time so I'll get going". She took her purse and her phone.

"Call me if something happens".

"Or scream", said Ian.