Lost

Chapter 41: Heading for Heartbreak

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Claire entered the room, surprised to see a girl standing by the bed, fixing her scarf. Salma had her back to her so Claire knocked on the open door to grab her attention.

"Hi, Salma." Claire smiled at the confused girl. She looked different in her flowing coffee colored robes and chocolate brown scarf.

"Hi," Salma replied uncertainly, her eyes running over Claire's features.

"I guess you didn't recognize me," Claire said, "I'm Claire Anderson."

"Please, come in." She smiled, realization dawning on her face. "It's nice to meet you - Oh, and I'm Salma."

"Everyone knows 'The Bee'." Claire smirked, shaking Salma's hand.

Salma's shoulders stiffened. Claire watched her reaction to the nickname her brother had given her as Salma gave her an uneasy smile and took a seat on the edge of the bed.

"I heard you were here while I was out," she began, probably to cut through the sudden tension.

"Yeah, I visited you during your coma," Claire replied.

"Thank you." Salma forced a smile. "I was wondering, was it just you?"

Claire could not help her heartbeat picking up speed. How much did Salma know about her previous visit to this room?

"Why?" Claire teased, masking her discomfort. "Were you expecting someone special?"

"No, not expecting," she replied somewhat to herself. "Dreading be more like it."

Claire searched Salma's expressions for anymore answers. So far one thing was clear, Zayn was headed for a one hell of a heartbreak because the Muslim girl seemed to not even care enough to ask her how he was doing.

"I just wanted to thank you for saving Zayn's life," Claire said.

Salma chuckled on hearing that.

"Seriously, you make it sound like one of them superheros flying into a burning building and taking him out or something." She smile.

"It was nothing short of that," Claire joked.

"He saved mine, so." Salma shrugged, looking distant. "We're even."

"You and Zayn, yes." Claire pointed out. "I still owe you one for saving my brother's life."

"Your . . .? You are Zayn's . . ." She looked at her, confused.

Claire smiled, amused by the her reaction. She wondered if Salma's nonchalance towards him was to mask her jealousy?

"Sister, yeah." Claire smiled. "I was adopted. His grandparents took me in when I was little. I got an awesome brother as a bonus."

"Awesome?" Salma raised a brow. "Forgive me, but I disagree."

Claire laughed.

"You would know," Claire said, shaking her head in amusement.

To Claire's surprise, evident unease overcame Salma again. The stiffness in her shoulders returned and the smile soon gave way to an anxious expression.

***

Claire came out of Salma's room to find Lena standing at the far end of the corridor looking murderous. Earlier, she had been eyeing Salma's curly haired cousin with interest, and insisted that Claire takes Asim away so she could make a move on him. Knowing William as a moody boy who was rather closed off, Claire had warned Lena against the idea but by the looks of it, she seemed to have ignored her warning.