Laila parked the car and killed the engine quickly before she stepped out of the vehicle, slamming the door close behind her. She walked into her house, a certain uneasiness growing within. It had been building steadily since the moment Brutus confronted her and now it could just explode.
"We need evidence." The words were echoing in her void again and again. Brutus believed her truth. He was the only one after Mila. How fucking stupid could he be? He wasn't with her in the office when packets of Valium came rushing down. Heck! The boy even blamed her for removing him from the coding club without being logical, and now he decided to trust her?
A part of her was relieved that someone other than Mila or Ali Raza tried to look at the situation from her point of view. But she had been pretending so well. Her life had been proceeding uneventfully from the last few days and he just had to show up. Her hunger for answers, dramatic confrontations, and curiosity which was locked like a wild animal was now carving its way through her insides, and fuck it hurt like a bitch.
Her conscience was knocking loud on a door held with straws and tack.
Laila ran upstairs, not even daunting an eye towards the dining table because she knew Ali Raza wasn't there. The man's assistant had texted her about his sudden trip to Turkey which was bullshit. Her godfather always called her about his changed plans. He even offered her a trip alongside. The man was ignoring her subtly and she hated every bit of it.
Reaching the top, she took a moment to just breathe and calm down. Her train of thoughts kept slipping through her fingers and she started wondering what else could happen before she snapped. Her bedroom opened wide. Call it dramatic but she had a double door, lacquered with resin. Walking in you came across a huge body mirror right beside a set of drawers. She always checked herself out before leaving her room. A walk-in closet was at the right side, a bath on its left. Her bed was center-positioned which was weird.
"People who place their bed in the center and not supported with a wall are maniacs," Mila commented the first time she dropped by.
Laila begs to differ. Her bedpost was wide enough, with wooden back support. She did not need walls, she was fine. Mila was just a scardy cat.
Laila threw her coat on the vanity chair followed by her sweater. She stripped every piece of clothing before heading for a shower. The water was lukewarm and not boiling hot. She hated hot showers. It was too uncomfortable. The water from the showerhead hit her skin before touching the ground.
"We need evidence." The boy made it into her shower thoughts.
"Fucking great" she muttered under her breath. After fifteen minutes she stepped out of the shower, water dripping on the fabric beneath her feet. She patted herself dry, unhooking the robe from its usual place. She lied in her bed, scrolling through her phone feeds. Kazan had its official website which uploaded news articles. Nothing special, just the lunch details or a notice about the staircase to the third floor being repainted so that kids don't ruin their branded shoes.
There was a news article. It focused on how the campus ground had made changes in its layout. There were new benches and smoking zones. What caught Laila's eyes was an interview, the interviewee being Haidar. The article stated the need for people to use those smoking zones in order to keep their surroundings kid-friendly. Underneath was a photo attached in .jpeg format. A photo of her and Brutus smoking. Their faces were blurred, but it was definitely them.
She was wondering what else could happen before she snapped. This particular issue that just came out in the spotlight was what made it happen.
The door made up of straw and tacks fucking exploded.
Mr. Angry pants:
Meet me first thing in the morning. Let's get that evidence.
8:15
She threw her phone beside her, grabbing a pillow from above her head. She pressed the silk of its cover harder on her face, screaming loud but only muffles could escape. She exhaled sharply before turning the lights off. It was fucking crazy.
Laila could feel rays of sun warming the nape of her neck and her shoulder. It felt nice, a warmth so gentle that it almost lured her into keeping her eyes closed and just sleep a bit more so that she could ignore whatever day was ahead of her. Laila huffed and slowly opened her eyes, eyelids fluttering closed and opening again several times before her eyes adjusted to the brightness of the room.
The first thing she noticed was a chit on her bedpost beside her clothes. The butler must've prepared it already, she thought. The chit read: have breakfast with me.
She put on a black turtleneck topped with a brown overcoat, underneath a pair of jeans and knee-length boots. She took a glance at her body mirror, before picking up a beanie to cover her shitty hair. Her phone rang: caller Mr. Angry pants. She picked up, bringing it to her ear.
"Where are we meeting?"
"Hello to you too. Let me reach school first, I will text you then. Also did you-"
"No time for useless talk, meet you in your first class." He cut the call. He annoyed Laila so much, she wondered why she was meeting him in the first place. Oh right, to avenge her mental health which was ruined by Haidar.
Walking downstairs she saw her godfather waiting for her, sending a soft smile. She walked towards the dining table, grabbing a box of pop tarts and heading out.
"You won't stay? Eat something first, and I don't mean that sugary fuckery."
"Sorry, I got an early submission, see you at tea." She walked off before the man called her again.
"I won't be there...Laila, I'm traveling back to Turkey. It was so abrupt yesterday. I was wondering if you'd wanna come. Yaknow, ditch this place for a while and spend time with your old man."
Yes. Laila wanted it so fucking bad. She wanted an escape, run away from whatever she was gonna get herself into. But she couldn't. "I've got a lot of projects, not this time Abu." She spoke silently before turning away. She couldn't look at his disappointed face. Not when she knew she might be getting herself into something more disappointing.
Walking for her first class a figure bumped into her, entangling her hand with the other.
"Care to explain this?" Mila asked pointing a news article from her phone, the one with her and Brutus. "If I'm not wrong it is the awkward hot computer guy right?" she questioned Laila who seemed least bothered.
"I'll explain it later. We were smoking, I mean he was. His peer pressured me...sort of. Anyway, the picture looks way too ex-"
"Finally. I thought you were gonna leave me hanging." Brutus spoke.
"Wow! Awkward hot computer guy." There was an awkward silence
Did I say that out loud? Sorry."
Brutus walked in front of the girls. His dewy cologne was strong, flooding the corridor with its scent. He snatched the girl's bag motioning her to follow him. The girl just walked behind, hoping Mila was not passing a judging stare. They walked towards the blue notice board. It was crowded like always, but teacher-free.
"I have a plan." The guy said placing one hand on the board for support, pretending to be reading something.
"Great! But did you read the new article? It's got a photo of us."
"Least bothered unlike you. Why? Did they click it from your bad side?" He joked before the girl hit him hard, sending sharp pain from his arms.
"It's not that. The article was signed by Haidar. He was keeping an eye on us." The girl whispered.
"Even better. Oh, by the way, we're breaking into his office tonight. So get your friend to agree with you sleeping over at the dormitory tonight." Brutus stated in a flat voice.
Not this bullshit again.
YOU ARE READING
The truth About cypher ✓
Misterio / Suspenso"You were supposed to enjoy your last year as a college student not a thug with bounty over your head." . . . Laila had a life which was picture perfect. A student at Kazan University, she worked her way up. With good friends and a God Father who lo...
