Deep Connections: Shanakay's Story

Chapter 8

"Everything will work out," Khadeen spoke aloud to herself as she sat on an old table outside her house. She had thought of what Melissa had planned extensively and would soon be on her way to go meet her. What bothered her was the severity that the issue at hand was growing to be. Rescuing Shanakay by themselves and not letting anyone know; It would be a huge risk that she wasn't sure she'd be able to take. However, she knew she had to take it because the police were useless when it came to finding people but the main question that bothered her was where could they possibly begin looking. She wanted to believe her best friend was only kidnapped and not dead. It wasn't like Shanakay to disappear so she had definitely not run away but then that made her wonder why she had been kidnapped. How dangerous would the person be that kidnapped her and if she and Melissa went up against him would they even survive? Khadeen sat down on her bed to steady herself and try to think of something else.

She thought of Junior and looked at her phone, she wanted to call but she wouldn't know what to say. Despite his visit their relationship was still very tense. She knew her friends disliked him and she knew he had done something but she just couldn't prove it. She didn't want it to get in the way of the relationship's growth so she decided she would swallow her pride and call him over. He came over an hour later and they sat and talked.

"Junior," she started, "I'm sorry you saw me that way the other day."

"It's fine. But what I want to know is why you won't let me in? It's like you've shut off your emotions from me, am I not your boyfriend?"

"Of course you are, what... how could you ask me that?" She got suddenly got angry, "Damn it Junior, I didn't call you over here to fucking piss me off."

He looked at her in disbelief and asked, "See what I mean? Your outbursts are unpredictable and unnecessary, all I asked was a simple question. Was that even necessary?"

She turned away from him and he turned her around to face him,

"Why are you behaving like this? I know you don't do well under pressure. Khadeen tell me what's going on."

She looked at him and sighed, he knew her all too well. She hugged him and said," I'm just not doing so well right now, feeling too many emotions. Then there's that nagging feeling of being a terrible girlfriend."

Junior sighed and gave her a small smile. If only she knew how much she meant to him and how it pained him that he would one day hurt her.

"Khadeen I don't want you to ever be sad, I'll always be here to protect you and you need not worry, you're already the perfect girlfriend."

She knew in her mind that it wouldn't last but she didn't want to think about it, she needed him at this point.

"Are you sure you mean that? I mean Junior you haven't exactly been there for me lately. You just came here once since Shanakay went missing and started complaining about me shutting you out. What about the times I had to be waiting for you at your mom like an idiot and then you wouldn't show up and I always felt bad. I'm sick and tired of it." She was getting angrier now and Junior knew he had been wrong.

"You don't understand so just leave it alone."

"You don't get to tell me shit Junior! You should tell me the damn truth and explain it to me so I understand not beat around the bush. Damn it man!" She got up and was about to walk away when he held her hand,

"Look the truth is I'm insecure" Junior managed to say.

"What?" Khadeen asked.

"You know when you're with someone and you know they love you but you just don't know what to do. I'm not even sure why you're still with me. I know I put up this front that I'm a high class dude and all but I'm just a guy trying to get by and you're so smart and you could go anywhere and get whatever you want and be whatever you want. I'm sorry I've been a disappointment."

"Junior it's okay. I had no idea that's how you felt. But you really shouldn't feel insecure, I love you for who you are."

"Can we just watch a movie?" he asked.

Khadeen smiled and said sure. She put in Jurassic World and they watched it together.

***********

Shanakay wasn't sure she was herself anymore. She was on the verge of madness she thought, she wanted to see her mother who must be worried sick. She hadn't seen David all week and she now knew of the days, missing for three weeks she laughed to herself. David's bodyguard brought her the necessities when she needed them and she hadn't seen the outside world ever since she arrived.

This morning she had gotten up and cleaned. She cleaned the entire room she was in and sat down to read one of the novels on the book shelf. She heard footsteps coming up the stairs but she ignored them as it was probably the bodyguard coming up to give her lunch. The door opened, allowing David to walk in and the door closed behind him. She slowly got up from the bed and stared at David then took slow, calculated steps towards him. When she was about a feet away she slapped his cheek.

"You fucking bastard. How long do you intend on keeping me here?" She shouted at him but he merely rubbed his cheek and laughed,

"Thanks for the welcome back."

"You think this is funny?" She asked angrily "I want to go home!"

"Oh come on Shan, I'm back now and you can't do that, not yet."

"And why not?"

"Shan do you honestly think I'd let you go? Come on, be serious. At first you creeped the hell out of me when we met then I just dated you out of pity for the four days. It took me a long time to figure out my feelings for you and I understand them now."

Shanakay stopped for a moment and began laughing. She laughed for ten minutes and suddenly stopped. She looked at him in disgust,

"You are a real piece of work you know and it took me three years to find out but now I see right through you. I don't love you David and I hate you for kidnapping me."

David was taken aback by Shanakay's outburst. He looked surprised but tried to hide it because he wasn't sure as to what to do at this point. Her hating him was the last thing he wanted but it had happened. With that he walked through the door in silence and looked back at her then he closed the door behind him. Shanakay was furious that he had said that to her. Pity she thought, he felt pity for her. She threw a pillow at the door and screamed but nothing she did could calm her anger and in the end she cried herself to sleep.