Dark coffee

Chapter Twenty-six

***TRIGGERS warning***
After Malik left, three weeks have passed. My other brothers and I had no idea where he was. We no longer saw him at college or in the neighbourhood. He was not answering his calls, his text messages, his messages on Snapchat, on Facebook and on Instagram. None of his friends knew where he was and that worried me a lot, because Malik is the kind to get into trouble on purpose.

Our parents were looking for him as well. Our mother had lost weight. She no longer ate and slept as usual.

As for Darell and me, the situation had not changed. I didn't try to call him since my priority was to know if my Malik was safe. The last time I spoke to him was first to ask him if he knew where Malik was and then when he called me to see how I was doing and if we found Malik.

One Friday evening, I was at home with Jamal and Lens. Our parents were already asleep. We were watching Eddie Murphy's movie Boomerang in the living room when the main door rang. I wondered who could come to visit us at such an hour since it was midnight. Lens and I, got up and went to open. When we opened, we saw

"Malik? Britany? And her? What is she doing here?" I said upset when I saw Darell's ex.

"I'm not here to upset you," Salmiya said to me with teary eyes looking at Malik.

Malik's eyes were also teary.

Jamal walked over to the front door to see what it was about.

When he reached us, Lens asked "What's wrong?"

"Malik tell us! You're starting to scare me." I said to him.

He took a moment then said before stopping to talk again, "Something happened tonight..."

"What happened?" I asked him short of breath.

"It's about Darell," Malik said.

My heart began to beat with insane speed. I dreaded what he was going to tell us. Malik stared at us blankly as if he was disconnected. I will never forget that look that gave me chills on my back.

"It's Hassan..." he simply said.

"What about Hassan," asked Jamal concerned.

"He's dead." When I heard these words from Malik's mouth, I thought my heart was going to stop. Tears instantly started to run down my cheeks.

"How? What happened?" Said Jamal in shock.

"Jaheim shot him and Hassan shot him back. Jaheim too he's dead," Malik said robotically.

Right after his words, there  had an icy silence.

A few minutes later Malik added, "Quincy's dad had called Darell to come and identify his brother's body. By the minute he turned around to drop documents in his car, Darell was gone. So, Quincy's dad called me immediately to warn me. I tried to call him, but he doesn't answer and I have no idea where he is."

"I also tried but no answer. I was telling Malik that maybe he spoke to you?" said Salmyia to me.

"No, we haven't spoken like that  for over a month..." I said worried.

"Dahila, you're his girlfriend. Do you really have no idea where he might be? Didn't he ever mention a place to you?" said Malik worried as well.

"A place..."

That's when I remembered: {Flashback}
"A roof? Why here rather than elsewhere?" I said.

"I love this place because of the view. When I need to get away from everything I come here. I ...."
{End of the Flashback}