Happanad

19.

Areeba

(While Reece and Sania were on the bus)

Haziness was still vividly spread across my eyes yet I tried blinking it away.I felt alive, was this really what people felt after they died?

There was a guy sitting in front of me.From what I could see, he had dark coloured hair and a pale complexion.

I blinked away to come across his muscles that were mostly unrevealed by the use of a navy coloured shirt, that was covering the top half of his body.What my brain could make out was that I wasn't dead.This was all too real to be associated with death.

Blurriness began to fade away as I noted my surroundings a bit more clearly.And what astonished me was the sight of someone I lost a long time ago.

Neil.

" 'Ello 'ello.Look who's awake."A smile welcomed his face.

This cannot be possible.

An ice chilled air roomed around the atmosphere and then...

"Booh."

My shoulder jolted in shock.When I twisted my head to face who it was, my gaze met his.

Lucian.

A cackle spread the room right after while both of them starred at my face.This was all too horrifying and I was just knackered.

"Oh snap out of it baby, it's not like you've seen a ghost."Lucian remarked."Oh wait, you have!"he said hinting to Neil.

His smirk made me glare at him.I turned my head back to avoid him and had a look at Neil.He had a faint smile across his face which was soon dominated with creased brows as he listened to Lucian's previous remark.

"Oh don't say that mate.She's surprised to see me."He shook his head and the same smile returned his face."It's not everyday you see someone come out alive after years of false accusations made that they were 'murdered' using a gun stabbed across their heart."

Way to rub it on someone's face.And who's fault was it anyways.All these years, there was this guilt inside of me that finally made its comeback.I closed my eyes shut as tears sprinted downwards to my jaw that was clenched in hatred and fear.

Fear for not knowing what's right and wrong.Fear that enabled me to question for a second why Lucian wrote not to contact the police in that letter.Even if I had my hands covered in red.

Or so I thought.

How can someone be accused of murder if the person they shot isn't dead?

Or scathed.

At this current moment, I felt naive like a kid!A thought of my mum came into my mind.I was suppose to see her after all this time she was away with my dad.I was suppose to be at the airport, with my friends by my side and my sister which I dearly cared for.

Even to consider seeing Josiah seemed more joyous than this.

Instead I was here.

With Neil and Lucian.

"Safee baby don't cry.It was all a joke."Lucian's soothing voice spoke as his hands cupped my face.

A joke.

I shook my head in annoyance and anger, to make him let go of my face.He didn't flinch as I deliberately bit his thumb in hope that his hands will stop touching my face.

His hands stayed still.

They stayed as his fingers rubbed back and forth, wiping away the new tears and the old.They stayed as I moved my shoulders back and forth in difficulty, unable to use my hands as they were tied with a rope.

But much to my surprise they stayed still even when my heart was beating like sprinter reaching for the finishing line.

"Oi let go, she doesn't like it."My gaze met Neil's as Lucian listened and fell back into they chair close behind mine.

I gulped down and tried to stop my heartbeat from racing this quickly.

I didn't want these feelings to evoke again.They were better six feet under along with a certain someone who should've been.

"So let's start this how I wanted to before I got interrupted."Neil glared at Lucian before returning his gaze to me with a grin.I didn't dare look back at Lucian, I feared if I did it would be close to a heart attack.

"How was your day?"Neil said.

I answered with a scoff.

"I was hoping for a response, an spoken word or two but that's acceptable too."He shrugged continuing with a grin.

"So tell me how was life when I was 'dead'?"He added.

This time a scoff came from behind.Lucian stood up and faced me, standing side by side with Neil.

"Cut the crap!Just tell her."Lucian announced.

Tell me, tell me what?

From the back of his jeans pocket, Lucian pulled out gun.The gun touched my jaw, ready and loaded up.

The following words were interrupted by a door slamming open with a familiar voice.

"Areeba!"