Trapped

Chapter 8

Alisha has her eyes shut as her hands come up in front of her, an instinctive attempt to stop the object from ramming into her but that is not going to help her, never in the case of a speeding car. The car swerves, sliding across the smooth concrete as the driver pushes down hard on the brakes and that's not all. She feels her whole body being pulled back to her side and she loses her balance, tripping into the pulling force. She is unable to distinguish whether it’s a hit or a save because she should have been pushed by the impact of the car and not pulled, yet either way, she has lost her balance.

Then she feels it, strong muscular arms woven around her waist tightly in a protective manner as her hands lay on his hard chest, instinctively. Her head is tucked under his chin and she gets a recognisable feel of his features as his chest rises and falls heavily due to the rush of the situation. It then comes to her notice how her own heart is hammering against her chest and no doubt, she is breathless.

Her petite frame, trembling due to the shock from the sudden incident earns her a tighter hold from her rescuer. "Shhh.. It’s fine." His smooth voice consoles her shivering figure, holding her as close as he can, lending her some of his warmth that rids her off of the bitter cold created due to the vacancy in her life and heart.

The scene keeps replaying in his head and he shuts his eyes to dissolve away those images. Zayn was just waiting at his usual spot when he saw her pass by the bridge, like any usual day but something was different. She seemed lost and it was enough for him to know that something was wrong. He couldn't resist the urge to follow her around to know that she is alright and turns out his decision was a useful one.

The moment he saw the car approaching her, he did what his heart screamed in his ears, save her. Just when the distance remained only few inches between her and the car, he dived towards her, encircling his arms around her waist and landing on his back to save her from the hit of the hard ground.

To say he was scared for her life would be an understatement because he was terrified and he is still terrified. But he assures himself as he knows he has her safe in his arms, unharmed and well-protected. Though, he knows there is something wrong when he feels his shirt on his shoulder getting stained with a liquid which can only be her tears.

People begin to surround the sidewalk where the two of them lay on the ground. The car driver arrives, unharmed and Zayn thanks the lord for everyone is fine. "Is she fine?" The kind-hearted man asks the saviour and he nods, slowly straightening up in a sitting position with her still in his arms. Her head buried in his shoulder and her tears not stopping, not even for a second. "She is just in a shock. Will be fine, soon." He states quietly as the crowd begins to disperse slowly and lastly the driver leaves too.

It has only been a few minutes but it feels like hours to Zayn and he loves the feeling of her head buried in his shoulder, he loves it how she is still in his arms and he can't let her go, even if he wants to. Now that she has gained some control over her tears, she carefully pulls away, looking at him through her lashes, making his heart skip a beat. "Sorry, I.." Her words get caught in her throat when she realise who the person is.

"Its fine. C'mon." He pulls her on her feet as gently as he could and they both are looking everywhere but at each other. Awkwardness is in the chilly air around them and she is reminded about the supermarket scene, similar feelings gripping her mind. It’s no different for him as he finally manages to get a glimpse of her tear stained face.

"T-Thank you, once again." She utters in a raspy voice, grateful for his quick thinking and fast implementation. He smiles, unable to keep it away for longer. "Should I walk you home?" He politely places his offer in front of her, anxiously waiting for her response. She never entertains strangers and their offers never taken into consideration but there is something about him that makes her want to accept it. Maybe, it’s his familiarity due to a couple of accidental meetings or the fact that he returned her the most dearest thing in her life or it is because this time, he saved her life.