ZARIA

Chapter 23

Kei

"I'm guessing this is about Zaria," Kei said as he rubbed his jaw, the spot where Nura had hit him throbbing painfully.

He knew he should be angry, especially since he hadn't done anything wrong and was a victim in this whole mess, just like Zaria, but for some reason, he couldn't.

Instead of getting angry, Kei found himself oddly proud as he looked at the petite girl who barely reached his chin. Nura's face was fierce as she stood her ground, her fists pulled up to her face as if she were preparing for a fight, even though if he wanted, he could easily knock her out with one punch.

"Of course, this is about Zaria!" Nura exclaimed.

"Did you see her? Is she alright? Where is she?" he asked quickly, the mention of the younger woman's name making everything else fall sideways.

There must have been something telling of his two-days-long desperation on his face since Nura's hands suddenly dropped, all the fight leaving her as she stared at him in confusion.

"What do you mean, is she alright? Of course, she's not. She has been crying her eyes out for the last two days, and it's all your fault." the girl said, sounding a bit unsure as her eyes racked across him.

Kei knew he looked a mess, his appearance reflecting his inner struggle to remain sane quite perfectly.

His hair was a mess, his face puffy, his eyes red from not being able to sleep without Zaria by his side. Long gone was the perfectly put-together Kei Daigo; in his place, a desperate man searching for the woman he loved, and it showed.

"Where is she!? I've been trying to find her for the last two days. I've called, left messages, and even went to her apartment, and nothing! Fucking nothing!" he shouted, swaying a bit on his legs, so he grabbed the stair rail in order not to fall down.

"Shit! Are you alright, Kei? Have you eaten anything? Because you are as pale as a ghost." Nura said, stepping closer and grabbing his forearm to steady him. Kei shook his head 'no' before walking slowly toward the living room and sitting on the sofa.

"Please... just tell me where she is, Nura. I... I need to talk to her to explain. This is all such a horrible mess, a stupid misunderstanding caused by that bitch, Jessica. She lied to her, Nura. I don't know how she found out about her past. She must have used one of the contacts we sometimes used when we needed to find some dirt on someone. But I didn't tell her. I swear, I didn't!"

"Okay, okay, I believe you," Nura said as she sat on the edge of the coffee table before him, taking one of his shaking hands into hers.

"Just calm down, maybe get something to eat, and then you will explain what happened because that's certainly not the story I heard."

•

Zaria

Zaria lay on the bed in the spare bedroom of Nura and Nate's apartment, staring at the wall without seeing, her mind lost in a haze of memories.

She had woken up a few moments ago, tears falling silently down her face, as the image of Kei and her sitting by the lake while Ren ran around laughing swam in front of her eyes.

It hadn't been a memory per se, just a fantasy concocted by her feverish mind, once a possibility, or so she had thought, but now just a dream that would never come to life.

It's over, she thought, rolling to her back, or maybe it hadn't ever really begun. It may have just been in her head, the romance, the love, her need for affection and family making her blind to the reality.