part6
659 Words
To avoid Nava’s endless nagging, I escaped to my room.
I slipped into my black evening dress—the one that never fails to boost my confidence. Sitting in front of the mirror, I got busy with my little cosmetic miracle kit. By the time I was done, my face said effortlessly perfect. I straightened my hair and let it fall softly—half over my shoulder, the other half down my back.
“Nava! Hurry up! It’s already seven!”
I sat on the couch, waiting.
She finally appeared, holding up the sides of her dress and spinning like she was walking a runway.
“How do I look?”
I gave her a thumbs-up. “Stunning. Let’s go steal the spotlight.”
…
We got in the car and headed to the location Shayan had sent.
I grabbed my clutch and stepped out. My phone rang just as I closed the door.
“The music’s too loud inside. I won’t be able to talk. You go in—I’ll catch up,” I told Nava while digging into my bag.
“Don’t be long!” she called, disappearing inside.
It was Mom.
“Hey, Mom.”
“Hi, sweetheart. Are you okay?”
“Yeah, all good. You?”
“I’m fine… where are you? I hear music.”
“Uh, birthday party. A college friend’s place.”
And then came my brother’s familiar, teasing voice.
“Well, look at you. Already hitting parties?”
A smile tugged at my lips. “Jahangir! I missed you.”
“Yeah, that’s obvious… considering how you never called.”
“You were on a mission, genius. How was I supposed to call?”
“Fair point.”
…
Just as the call ended, I turned—and crashed right into someone.
Without even looking up, I crouched to collect my stuff.
“Are you blind or what?” I snapped.
“Sorry, I didn’t see you,” he said as he helped me pick up my things.
“Try paying attention next time.”
“My apologies.”
I shook my head and walked past him… only to see him.
Shahan.
Leaning casually by the door like he owned the world—which, unfortunately, he kind of
He opened his bedroom door,
grabbed his phone from the bed,
and shut the door to block out the noise.
"She's not answering..."
Panic was eating me alive.
What if something had happened to them?
I picked up my phone and called Nova.
"She's not answering either..."
"They're probably nearby. They'll be back soon."
"It's been an hour! They should’ve been here already!"
I kept calling Nova over and over, but still no response.
Finally, Shahan dialed someone.
"Hello? Mostafa? Where's Shayan?"
…
He paused—
Then, angrily:
"Are you supposed to listen to me or to him? Huh?"
He ended the call, his breaths heavy.
"Nova is with Shayan."
"Where did they go?!"
"I don’t know. The guards didn’t go with them. Shayan didn’t allow it."
A bad feeling crept into me.
I remembered seeing someone shady with Shayan before, but I never questioned it.
Now, every terrible thought was rushing through my mind.
What if he’s a thief?
Or a smuggler?
A killer?
Where did all that money even come from?
Their conversation—
That word: “shipment”—
It just kept replaying in my head.
"Why does Shayan even need bodyguards?"
He looked up at me.
"What?"
I yelled:
"Why does Shayan have bodyguards?! Where did you take my friend? Are you guys organ traffickers or human traffickers?!"
While yelling, I started pounding my fists against Shahan’s chest.
"How could I be so stupid?! I gave my best friend to a murderer! God, what do I tell her parents?!"
He held my hands firmly, looked me in the eyes, and said:
"Okay. Calm down.
If they're not back in thirty minutes, we'll go look for them ourselves."
---
- Writer
