Introverted Love!

Chapter 21

The hallway clock chimed 7pm and I immediately stopped pacing. A moment later, a knock at the door made me jump even though I knew it was coming. I was glad that everyone had gone out to eat because I didn't need an audience tonight.
My heart beat loudly as I pulled the door open and faced the man I could no longer trust. I had never once felt uneasy in his presence but now I wanted to bolt in the opposite direction. Lizetta had tried to explain that Zack must have been manipulated by his mother and because of his longing for her affection he had fallen for it. None of that mattered to me because I couldn't even look him in the eye anymore.
'Are you ready to go' he said softly afraid to startle me from my thoughts. Without a word I picked up my coat from the chair by the door and walked out into the cool night not bothering to actually put it on. After I locked up I walked to his car and got in. He quietly did the same and set off, the only time we spoke was when he asked if I wanted music on and I just shook my head.
After about 45 minutes of this uncomfortable silence we finally pulled up in a small car park surrounded by woods. We walked side by side through a small clearing in the trees and i thought I saw lights on the other end. As we got closer i realised it was the stars reflecting on water, a huge lake stood before me and it took my breath away. I gasped as I stepped forward taking in the view, for some reason tears began to form in my eyes but I held them in not wanting to be vulnerable right now.
'This is where I come to get away from the world' sighed Zack he walked ahead of me and with his eyes closed took a deep breath. I watched his face soften asif the worries were just dissipating. A pang of guilt hit the pit of my gut, a thought ran across my mind. If I had seen pictures like that of him with a close friend what would I have thought or done?
'How's Zainab?' I asked trying to break the silence that had once again set in.
He turned to say something but then went silent again, after a moment he spoke softly 'She's doing ok given the circumstances' his face fell and I knew he meant his mum was causing problems. I wanted to ask more but held back the subject was still too raw for me.
I walked over to a large boulder and perched on the end staring at the vast night sky I recalled my dad and me laying on the garden grass many years ago staring at the stars and telling each other stories.
'What are you thinking about?' Zack walked towards me. I could tell he was still cautious but my anger was starting to fade. I realised he'd made a mistake, a big one but he wasn't to blame when he to was a victim of his mum.
'Life' I said hoping it would sound vague but deep. Just as I'd hoped his face grew grey
'Maya if you're thinking about what happened' he paused for a second and then looked away 'What I did to you, I'm sorry it was unforgivable of me to assume you would do anything like that and I should have come and asked you about it' he rambled for a few minutes and I let him then he knelt before me and held my hands in his
' Worst of all I let her lay a hand on you' his palm stroked my cheek 'I'm sorry' he whispered as a tear fell from his left eye making him stand up and turn around quickly. He cleared his throat and I knew he was dealing with some tough emotions right now. I moved over to a patch of grass by some trees, laid my jacket down and then myself on top of it. I pointed to the sky and began my story loud enough so he could hear
'A long time ago there was a women born into a poor family, as the girl grew older her parents had 2 sons and decided they could no longer care for Sitara. At first her father searched the whole village and all the neighbouring ones to find Sitara a groom, but although he was a poor farmer the father knew his daughter was a gem amongst the people and he could not see her married to an inferior man'
Zack walked over and sat on the grass by my feet facing me, a small smile was beginning to form on his lips and he watched my face so intently my cheeks began to blush. I cleared my now dry throat and continued with the story
'The day came however, that the mother said no more and told the father he was not to bring Sitara back home with him tonight or there would be trouble. The father walked the streets dejected and Sitara ever loyal walked by his side never once complaining of her situation. Around midday the sun beamed down on them both and they took shelter in a little cafe where they met a the owner. When he heard the old man's story he suggested that instead of getting her married the old man give the girl to him as a worker and she could stay there and earn money and eventually when they took all this money home even the mother might let Sitara stay. The father saw no other choice so asked Sitara if she was willing and as she always listened to her father she agreed. That evening her father left her there with tears in his eyes and Sitara was shown to her tiny room behind the shop. It had a small window and a lumpy bed but she was happy at the thought of one day returning to her family'
I looked over at Zack who had shuffled forward and leaned his face in his hand. I stayed silent a moment
'Annnddd' he moaned sounding like a 5 year old
'Aannndd it's a 45 minute drive we should head back my dad will be worried you've kidnapped me' I giggled
'Oh come on yar (friend) you can't stop a story half way, I won't be able to sleep tonight' he pleaded which made me laugh even more. This was the real Zack and me just goofing off. I missed this.
'Ok, ok I'll carry on...the next day Sitara woke up excited to work and earn money for her family. The cafe owner was cruel man though who made Sitara do the cooking, cleaning, serving the customers all without a break. By the end of the day she was exhausted and her body ached. That night as the man locked up and went home she longed to see her father's face but she couldn't leave the building so she lay in bed. From the small window she could see a light that seemed to flicker, staring at what she thought was a star Sitara made a wish every night that her father would come back even if it was just once more so she could see him. Every morning she would wake up and do all the jobs and soon she got used to the work. Everyday she would serve coffee to a police man, he was the only customer who was kind to her the rest were usually of the criminal kind, all friends of the owner. Over time she grew fond of the police man and looked forward to the only conversation she had in a day. They would talk about philosophy and he would tell her about the outside world since she never left the cafe. In the evening's, she noticed the owner and three of his friends would huddle in the back room and plot to rob a bank. Every night when they left she poured out everything to that same flickering star and wished on it that they'd be caught and she would be free. One evening as the group of men gathered with tool bags, she knew this was the night they would attempt robbing the bank across the street but there was nothing she could do. After they left she paced in her room until she saw the flickering star, only this time the star moved closer and closer until it was right outside her window. All of a sudden she heard the window be pulled open from the outside and just as she was about to scream the star and her police man came into view. She realised all along his torch was her flickering star and every night she wished to it telling it all the plans of the owner and his thief friends. The police man kept coming to learn more of there plans and follow them until the day he caught them thanks to Sitara. After he released her from the cafe he thanked her for helping him become a respected police officer - she was his lucky star ( Sitara is urdu for star)  and said since he was her Sitara as well ( the flickering torch) she should make a real wish with him and he would try to grant it. She asked to go back to her family and he took her straight away. He explained what had happened and her father hugged Sitara so tightly but the mother refused to take her back claiming the original issue was still there they could not afford her stay. The police man spoke up to the father asking if after his searching high and low would a lowly police man be good enough for his daughters hand in marriage. The father with tears in his eyes agreed wholeheartedly and Sitara too said in this choice father I more than any other time agree with your decision. The police man and his Sitara were married and lived happily ever after' I finished and looked down to see Zack laying on the grass next to me staring at the stars with the widest grin on his face.