Nowhere|✔️

Chapter 17

Valencia POV

Waking up to the bright sunshine reflecting off the window, I sit up and look over at Zayd peacefully sleeping. I reach over and grab my phone, finally deciding to open up Gabriella's text.

Message from Gabriella, "Cafe at 10."

I check the time on my phone, realizing that it's 9:50. Jumping off the bed, I quickly use the bathroom. Roughly brushing my hair, I run down the stairs grabbing my keys and leave. I drive straight to the cafe, not having time to make a quick stop to my house. Arriving at the cafe, I scan the area checking if she's arrived yet. I freeze when seeing a familiar curly headed girl sitting nearby, I walk over to her.

"Hey." I say awkwardly, taking a seat.

"Hey." She replies, holding a cup of coffee. She pushes the second cup toward me, as I grab it taking a sip.

"Thanks." I mutter.

"Do you want to start now or?" She leans against her chair, watching me carefully.

I quickly place the coffee down, coming to my senses. I begin to say but get cut off.

"Yes, I-"

"Just don't lie."

"I know, as I was saying I want to explain everything that's happened. Remember after our workout, I told you that my parents were hiding something and acting suspicious?"

She raises an eyebrow, giving me nod to continue.

"I received a call from my mother that time when I was driving back home." She was asking if I was if I was coming back-"

"What does this have to do with anything? So what she asked you if you were coming back, how is that suspicious?"

"If you stop cutting me off, then maybe you'll understand the full story." I snap.

She crosses her arms, rolling her eyes. "Whatever, continue."

"As I was saying, I heard people talking in the background. Which was weird, since I didn't remember her inviting anyone over. So I lied saying that I wasn't, and she quickly ends the call before I could say anything else. When I got home, I went through the backdoor to risk getting caught. I overheard my parents and Zayd's dad speaking about an arranged marriage. I quickly pieced everything together, realizing that they were going to trap me in one. So I decided to-"

"Run away." She finishes for me.

I nod, breaking eye contact looking around the store.

"But, why did you fake your death?"

"After disappearing, I called you from a burner phone. Remember?"

"Yeah, but then you ended before I could ask you anything else."

"I couldn't risk anything happening. After ending the call, I was walking back when I got hit by a car."

She sits up straight, widening her eyes. "You got hit by a car?" She asks with a shocked tone.

"Yeah, what's weirder was that it wasn't even a minute after we talked." I say, furrowing my brows looking at her.

"I admit, that's strange." She nods with a shocked look.

"I stayed laying on the grou-"

"Wait? It was a hit and run?"

"Yeah, that's what creeps me out. Now that I think of it, I never thought much about or even tried to find out who did it."