Pulling Your Heartstrings✔

Chapter twenty

Chapter twenty

"I did."

We all stared at Mrs. Simbiat, in utter shock. Me, especially. I certainly didn't expect her to put herself in my mess. I couldn't let that happen. "You don't have to l—"

She repeated firmly. "I did it. I have no regrets."

Imade frowned. "Why?"

"Because I know a bad man when I see one, and this man is nothing, but trouble."

Imade choked. Tears brimming in her eyes. "I can't do this" , She walked out on us, without waiting for any of us, to say anything.

Victor sighed. "I'm not a bad per—"

"I know you are."

Mrs. Johnson looked very frustrated. Her eyes darted at Mrs. Simbiat's impassive expression.  "Apologize to him."

Mrs. Simbiat mumbled a swift apology, but Mrs. Johnson still seemed to be very angry. "I'm letting this slide just this once. You really had no right to do that."

Victor sighed again. "I'll go check on Imade." I also excused myself, to follow Mrs. Simbiat, in a secluded place.

Mrs. Simbiat sent me a motherly smile.  "It's okay. You don't need to feel guilty."

"You got in trouble."

She shrugged, seemingly unaffected by the situation. "I promised to help. This is my way of helping."

"I don't like this." I protested.

"There's no point in that. Imade's needs your trust. There's no point in losing that."

I didn't expect Mrs. Simbiat to go that far for me and it warmed my heart. "I'm grateful for everything, really."

She shrugged once again and wore a hint of a smile. "Go to Imade. She needs her friend right now. We'll worry about this, some other time."

I gave a small nod, and went back to my friend, who was sitting in the patio. Victor wasn't next to Imade as I had thought. He was walking around, wearing a really angry look. I used that opportunity to talk to her. "Hey. You'okay?"

"I don't know if I am." Her words came out softly.

"I'm here for you. Always."

She had a distant look on her face. "Mom's the only one who possibly likes Victor. You're hard to read. Mrs. Simbiat clearly despises him. Dad doesn't hide his dislike. Tife doesn't care enough to show. That's all. I don't know what to do. He's a good guy and I'm going insane now."

"Do what needs to be done." I softened my words. By that, I meant that she should get rid of him. The sunken look in her eyes made me know that she understood what I meant.

But it didn't seem like Imade liked the idea of letting go of him. "If I lose him, I don't what's left of me."

I cast her a look. I didn't like how much self doubt was within her. I wished I could do more. "You're so much more, without him. You know that. Why do you doubt that?"

"It's hard to feel positive, when everything's negative."

I took her hand and she squeezed back gently. "We'll work through this."

She smiled slightly. Then I added. "Tife does care. He just doesn't want to feel like he's dictating your relationship."

She looked surprised, to hear me say that. "You're defending him?"

I shrugged. "I guess I am."

"The world must be coming to a damn end."

"It isn't. The truth is that we all care about you. We just want to understand it." I couldn't admit the details, but things really had changed between Tife and I. He was different and I didn't look at him the same way I used to.

"I just can't help feeling suffocated. That's all."

"Talk to your parents. Let them help however they can." I offered.

The exasperated look in her eyes made me want to retract my words. "I can't let them throw me in therapy. I don't need that."

I frowned. She clearly already made up her mind, on the one thing she needed, and it seemed like she didn't want to listen to anyone else.

......

Once Tife was back that night, I took out my time to see him on the one thing bothering me. He looked at me intensely. "You look like you have something to say."

"I'm going to put my plans on a break." Tife looked like he was going to protest, and I cut in. "Imade needs me as a friend. This is just going to a distraction for me, and I need to be there for her."

Tife looked at me, like I was crazy. "So you want me to let her keep a married man, in her life?"

"I hate it too, but I don't know what to do. She thinks you don't care about her. She clearly feels left out, and I've too busy plotting how to get rid of her boyfriend. I should have seen the bigger picture. She's what matters, so until I think of something, Victor stays."

"Your logic is as fucked up as it sounds."

My eyes stung. "I'm just scared. I can't lose her again. She doesn't want to be helped and I don't know what to do."

Tife cupped my chin. "It's going to be okay. We'll think of something. It's okay."

I searched through his face. Sincerity radiated all over him, and I pressed my fingers against his chest, without realizing it. The soft thumping of his heart, made me feel unusually at ease. "It's just for a little while. Until I think of something. He hasn't put in play anything else, and I won't begin anything until I see him do so. I just need to be there for Imade, right now."

Tife spoke, making me raise my head to meet his glimmering dark eyes. My mind raced at the way he looked at me. "Okay. We'll do it. I don't like this, but it's for her. She needs us. It's just hard for her to admit it."

I mumbled. "Sometimes I feel like I'm a bad friend."

"You're the best there is. If she knew all the sacrifices you made, then it wouldn't be as difficult as it is for you."

My eyes held his, firmly. His face softened, each word I spoke. "Thank you."

His fingers grazed my right cheek lightly. Tendrils of my natural dark hair were pushed back by his gentle touch. "Nara?"

I replied, absentmindedly. "Yeah?"

He opened his mouth slightly to speak, but he shook his head. Looking at me tentatively, he said. "You should go home. It's dark already."

I pressed my lips lightly. A part of me was hoping that he did something else. Something sensual enough to make me ache for him even more. I gave my softest smile. "Alright. Goodnight then, and take care of Imade."

The corner of his lips curled upwards. God, I loved that sexy smile of his. It just had a way of making my knees weak. "Always."