Deep Connections: Shanakay's Story

Chapter 4

It had been a week. Shanakay had disappeared a week ago and there were no leads. At the school it was said that she left from her club in the evening and she seemed fine. Melissa even suspected Gavin and had a one and one with him which left him sporting a blackened eye. She then left him there but for some reason she was not suspended for it. The school was too focused on her academics to mind her tantrums. Khadeen's dad and brother had gone on a sixth month fishing trip at Rio Minho River in their parish. Her dad had said that her brother needed to stop roaming the place and learn how to live in the wild. She had wanted to go but her dad said she should stay and take care of the house.

Junior stopped by Khadeen's house in the morning and knocked on the gate. Khadeen was still asleep but Melissa had been up and outside catching some fresh air and watching Khadeen's goats graze. She didn't know much about farming but she let out the goats from the pen so they could go look grass and she fed the pig it's feeding then she made eggs and franks with bread for breakfast. She had been staying with Khadeen for the week and they went to school together. Since she was almost always home alone she thought why not keep Khadeen's company. She heard the knocking at the gate and walked around to it with her cup in her hand. Upon seeing Junior her face turned into a scowl. She did not like him one bit and did not hesitate to show it.

"Oh it's you." Melissa looked at him from head to toe and sipped her tea.

"Where's my girlfriend?" Junior's face looked worried.

"Girlfriend? Which one? Don't think I don't know you're type and wipe that fake worried look off your face. I know you don't truly care."

"You know nothing about me." Junior fired back,

Melissa laughed and said,

"She's asleep so you'll have to wait or you know you could come back another time or never," her voice lowered as she said never but Junior heard it.

Junior looked at her and replied, "Are you gonna open the gate or are you gonna stand there like you ain't got nothing else to do with yourself.?"
Junior put his hand through the gate and tried to pull it and Melissa held her cup to pour the hot tea on his hand.
"If you ever pull this shit I won't hesitate to baptize you with this tea."
Junior hesitated but then spoke up,
"Do it and I'll make sure your friendship ends."
"Oh really? Who do you think she will choose? Me, her best friend since she was twelve and the person that knows everything about her and her family or you, the sorry excuse for a boyfriend that constantly cheats on her?" Melissa smirked at him.
Junior gritted his teeth,
"I promise you Melissa you'll get what's coming to you one day."
"Until then you're not coming in," she turned and stopped when she saw Khadeen leaning on the side of the house watching them.
"If I didn't know better I'd think you guys were the couple," she laughed and patted Melissa's shoulder then proceeded to open the gate for Junior. Junior noticed that her brown eyes did not shine like they used to and her eyes were red as if she had been crying. She walked away from him, not wanting him to see her like this but he walked swiftly and caught her then brought her into a hug. Khadeen inhaled his scent and let out a sob as she held him close. He held her closer as she cried her eyes out. He was hesitant but he had to find out what was the issue. She hadn't been answering his texts and she wasn't online so he came to find out what was wrong. He was surprised to see Melissa there and no Shanakay because they were all very close. He noted that no one could come between the three of them but today one was missing. His shirt was being wet by Khadeen's tears and he still didn't understand. He asked her slowly,

"Khadeen are you okay? What's going on and where is Shanakay?"

She lifted her head from his chest and looked into his eyes. Her tears continued to cascade down her cheeks as she tried to find the words, "Junior," she said slowly, "Shanakay is missing."

He could hear the despair in her voice. She said nothing else but resumed having her head on his chest as the tears trickled down. He wasn't sure how to process the information so he just held her. Finally, having found the right words he spoke,

"I'm so sorry Khadeen. I can't imagine what you are going through but I want you to know that I will be here for you no matter what happens."

Junior smiled at her and secretly wished in his mind that he wasn't so insecure. He loved her but he let his flaws stand in the way of him expressing the true love that he had for her because he wasn't sure why she was still with him or why she waited on him every Friday evening just to see him. They had not even kissed before. He was so afraid that he'd lose her that he tried so hard to keep away when in turn all he was doing was making her feel bad. He had planned to come surprise her today but he had met her bitchy friend that had spoilt his mood but when he saw her looking that way his heart had melted and he couldn't help but hold her.

He smiled at the thought of Khadeen being his girlfriend because it was unexpected and just the same was being in love with her. He cuddled up closer to her and they stayed in that very same spot until Junior left for home in the late afternoon.