CHAPTER 60

Zayn Malik: Pillowtalk👆

~To live means to fight~

SERAPHINA'S POV

It was a full-on ambush.

Following their attack were series of gunshots fired.

Adrenaline was the legal drug of the day.

Thankfully, Zara used the opportunity to free our wrists from the skin cutting metallic cuffs.

"Over here, c'mon," Asher whispered.

We held onto one another and ducked under the table. Our only source of protection at the time.

"You guys stay right here. Imma go give the team a hand." Zara rushed.

"What! no! are you crazy? Can't you see it's world war four out there?" I pulled her down.

She held my face and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

"I've got on bulletproof.  I'll be back before you know it."

She got up to leave but I held onto her hand.

"Promise?" I held my pinky out. This was our childhood routine.

"Promise." She breathed out, locking her pinky with mine.

I watched with a heavy heart as she delved into the battlefield.

After an hour of gunshots and grenades being thrown, deep stillness took over.

"Team Alpha?" A weak voice croaked from what sounded like an intercom.

"Clear. " Another voice affirmed.

"Team beta?"

"Clear. "

A masked figure suddenly ducked under the table, making an involuntary shrill escape my throat.

He chuckled and removed his mask.

Mark!

"You can come out. The coast is clear."

We got out from under the table and true to Mark's words, Maya and her team were bounded on cuffs, surrounded by NYPD's.

To ensure our safety, the defence officers escorted us outside.

Tears rained down my cheeks the minute waves of fresh air wafted through my nostrils. Two hours back if someone had told me that I'll live to see the next sunset, I would've laughed in their faces.

Outside was jam-packed. NYPD, LAPD, FBI, CIA, paramedics and aircrafts centred the huge mansion. If you think that's just about it, then you haven't spotted the huge crowd at the entrance, behind the barricade tape. Amongst them were the press, paparazzi and general public. The blaring of sirens could be heard a hundred metres from the crime scene.

I felt a hand on my shoulder and turned around to hazel orbs piercing my soul with so much intensity than I could contain. I don't know what came over me, but I wasn't thinking when I threw myself at Tyler. He looked taken aback for a brief period but was quick to recover and wrapped his strong arms around me.

My emotion tap chose that moment to break open. Everything I'd kept bottled for the past years crashed down on me. Tyler held me close to his chest, rubbing soothing circles on my back as I broke down.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." I sobbed, staring at him from under my wet lashes.

"Shhh. You have nothing to be sorry for. "He kissed my forehead.

I kept my head laid on his hard chest and closed my eyes, a sense of calmness washing over me. At that moment, I realised it's only in his arms I feel this much secured.

After some time, I reluctantly pulled away just in time to see Maya and her crew being dragged by heavily armed men.

The first group of people to approach her were the press, and from where we stood, multiple flashlights could be seen lightening up her face. Out of what I presumed to be discomfort and shame, Maya vigorously turned her head in multiple directions.

We all stood on the driveway, taking the scene in with an absurd sense of serenity. The FBI detectives took over when the police intervention forces evacuated the crime scene.

"Miss, can I inspect your cut please" A young paramedic quietly requested. I nodded and together with a persistent Tyler, went with her to the ambulance. She cleaned the cut with some weird burning liquid and dressed it with a bandage.

"Thank you." I offered her a small smile, before rejoining my friends.

Chatter flowed smoothly as though we weren't just about to be fed to life-sized Brazilian Anacondas two hours back. Everyone looked so relaxed and lively, emanating an aura of tranquillity. I missed this, us. It's been forever since we last had a chilled gathering like this. One where we could bond over stupid ridiculous stuff, and not think about the next target on the hit list. Our lives in the last few months were all about anonymous messages, unusual occurrences, death threats and deaths.

I flagged our survival as miraculous. Believe me, that underground was a no-escape.

"So while we were on restraints, you were using a morse code, with wrists covered in egg white? damn girl." Kabia wolf-whistled.

"Well, you can't go to school empty-handed." Zara chuckled. From the outlook, she looked perfectly alright to everyone, but having known her my entire life, I couldn't help but notice how forced her smile was.

"Phina!" A high pitched voice shrieked.

I covered my ears and winced. Who the hell is that?

A body slammed into mine and tiny arms wrapped around my neck. I sniffed and a smile took over my face the instant Dior perfume clouded my olfactory nerves. Only one person gives off this scent.

"I miss you so much, baby sis." I pulled away and took in Tiffany's face, which now held so much brightness and joy. Nothing like the sulky, dull and tired one she spotted a few weeks back.

"I miss you too."

We hugged a final time before she moved onto the others.

Are you surprised that my parents followed suit after Tiffany? By now, you should've known she's my parents' identification card.

"My baby." Dad engulfed me in his warm arms. His hugs were the best and never ceases to give me those little girl vibes. Tiffany may have stolen the spotlight, but I was still daddy's girl. I'll forever remain daddy's girl.

"I missed you, daddy," I mumbled in his chest. He pulled away just to plant a kiss on my forehead, before pulling me back to him. I'm counting the seconds until my mo...

"Grayson, you're gonna compress her." Quicker than I thought after all.

My dad grumbled under his breath, reluctantly letting me go.

I faced my mom and just kinda stood there, unable to meet her gaze.

We had sided our differences over time and learned to tolerate each other. However, that fragment of awkwardness still lingers around somewhere.

"Hey, mom."

She rolled her eyes and pulled me into a bone-crushing hug, completely sweeping me off my feet.

Did that just happen?

No, that didn't just happen.

Call me a liar, but the closest I've ever gotten to my mom was during Victoria's Secret fashion show, where we were made to sit next to each other. That too, coincidentally.

My hand just kind of awkwardly hung mid-air, as I struggled to calm my pounding heart.

"Hug her back. " Severina mouthed.

That's the motivation I needed to gently pat her back and succumb to the comfiness of mother nature. Literally speaking here.

After what feels like forever, we pull apart, and I couldn't be more grateful. I was starting to believe the tension wanted my head.

No sooner had we resumed chatting did Zara broke out into a coughing fit, clots of blood spurting out of her mouth. Jn

"Shit!" Tyler cursed, appearing by her side in a flash.

I tore open her shirt, thinking it was the bulletproof suffocating her, but was shell shocked when I saw bloodstains on her white tank top, right beside her left breast. Roughly an inch from her heart.

"She's shot!" Severina stated the obvious.

Zara told me she'd on bulletproof.  The girl lied!

"Zara! Zara! stay with me." Tyler tore a portion of his shirt and pressed it on the gash, temporarily stopping blood loss.

The Paramedics rushed in, hoisted her on a stretcher and scurried off to the ambulance.

"Mark! you know what to do. Submit everything but the CD to the FBI until I get back. The CD is everything, so I can't trust it with anyone." Tyler hastily rushed out.

"I got you, man." Mark nodded.

I held onto Tyler's forearm just as he started for the ambulance. He stopped and gave me a brief, impatient, questioning look.

"I'll, I'll come with you." I stuttered out.

With hands clasped together, we trailed behind the running paramedics.

Inside the ambulance, Zara was hooked to a life support, with an oxygen mask covering half of her nasal region.

"Please be safe." I took her cold hands in mine and silently prayed. Hopefully, God hears me and understands what I'm going through.

"She's your friend?" The nurse asked without looking up from where she was bent over the EPG machine.

"Best friend."

"Cousin."

Tyler and I answered in unison.

"About that, I never knew you guys were related."

"Yeah, we didn't either." He smiled. Oh God please, not those damned white teeth when I'm trying to be holy.

"I don't understand."

"It's a long story, but I'll fill you in sometime soon." He assured.

The rest of the journey ended in graveyard silence until we parked at the hospital entrance.

Nurses rushed out and wheeled Zara inside. Tyler and I hot on their trails.

"Sir, miss, I'll have to ask you to wait outside, please. Surgical protocols."

And so we waited at the familiar lounging area. The same place which gave me sorrow months back. This hospital gives me a strong nostalgic feeling.

"You want coffee?" Tyler offered. I shook my head and stared into space, Zara's surgery the only thought clouding my mind.

"Zara's a fighter."

"Please stop. This is giving me some serious déjà vu shit."

"Hey, stay strong and pray for her. Zara's the strongest woman I've ever known. She took out five men in the middle of the shootout with a single pistol. What more of a mere surgery?"

Tyler's assurance was more directed to himself than it was to me.

"How have you been?" I changed the subject, knowing I might end up inside that theatre had we continued discussing it.

"Been doing....well some Tyler shit." He chuckled.

"Yeah, that's something I expected from you." I snorted.

He threw his head back and laughed. That's it, I've lost my sanity. How could someone be so damn gorgeous? This is some illegal shit y'all.

"You didn't change a bit." He stared at my face longingly.

"Not for a sec." I breathed, holding his unwavering gaze.

He looked away and awkwardly cleared his throat.

"And yourself. How has life been treating you?"

"Let's just say I'm trying to convince myself that everything that'd happened was just a fragment of my imagination." I smiled.

The expression on my face is the dead opposite of the feeling in my heart. I wanted to cry, yell and thrash, but somehow, the humane part of me had gone on total lockdown. Numb is the best fitted. I can't decode my feelings anymore. It's as though this cruel world had yet again torn another handful of my heart. Heck, I won't be surprised if cardiologists perform surgery on me and realised I have only my septum left.

"You're doing it again." He mumbled.

"I can't help it. It hurts so bad you know." I repeatedly blinked, fighting back the tears stinging my eyes.

Tyler, I supposed understanding I was struggling to keep my emotions at bay, looked away, not wanting to make me feel uncomfortable.

"I always ask myself why me. Why always me. I didn't hurt anybody. There's no bad blood between me and anyone. Ty, I just don't understand why life keeps throwing all the bad pieces at me." I sobbed.

I was tired. Tired of pretending shit was okay. Tired of acting like my life's perfect. I was tired of everything. I'm done.

"Come here." Tyler scooted closer and placed my head on his shoulder. My shoulders violently shook as I broke down, releasing all those pent-up emotions.

"I just want to die." I wept, bawling like a baby.

"Shh, it'll be okay. I'm here." He soothed, rubbing gentle circles on my arms.

Goosebumps creeping up my skin when I made skin on skin contact with Tyler, alerted me.

"Oh shit. I'm so sorry I ruined your shirt." I frantically ran my hand over the wrinkles, but it only seemed to worsen. Keep embarrassing yourself, girl.

Tyler rolled his eyes and caught both my wrists in one hand, ceasing all movements.

"I want you to return that cute little head where you found it." He jokingly threatened, tapping the bridge of my nose with his index.

"Thank you."

"For nothing." He smiled, removing the matted hair on my forehead.

I returned my head on his shoulder and tried to think of anything but the medical procedure happening two rooms down.

An hour into the waiting, our friends joined us, shortly followed by the parents. Both Zara's and mine.

Everyone was crushing in a panic-ridden boat. Anyone present in this hall on September 20th, 2020, at 2:30 am, shares a mutual feeling.

Zara's mother was the most restless. The woman's been pacing outside the theatre door for two hours.

The mood clouding the waiting area screamed melancholy.

I was still in Tyler's arms, covered with one of the many blankets my mom ordered.

I was about to doze off until I heard the creaking of a familiar door. The same door.

Tyler was the first to jolt up and rushed towards the doctor, the rest following closely behind.

Everyone except me, remained seated on the bench, engulfed in a bizarre sense of calmness.

"Doctor! My daughter." Mrs Mahmat trembled.

The typical routine. I watched with tired eyes, and the last piece left of my heart as the scene unfolded.

"She lost so much blood. Therefore, it was impossible to revive her heart, as the bullet had damaged the major blood supplying vessel."

"What do you mean?" Mrs Mahmat sobbed.

"She needs a heart transplant."