GOODBYES

We get to Ejay's car and drive back to the club. I take a look in the driver's mirror to confirm my look. I look just as I thought—horrible. The eye blinks are not doing any justice to my red eyes. I can't even tell what time I slept last night, but I am sure I did not sleep for more than three hours. I even have a headache. The monkey beside me is holding my hand to comfort me, as if it is helping. The truth is, I still want to cry. I do not know how much crying is enough for Nora; all I know is that I have not cried enough.

We drive through the gate, and today, Ejay is not even greeting his goons, as if he is affected one bit by Nora's death. I very well know that it means nothing to him, so he should cut the acting. It does not suit him. Getting out of the car, he holds my hand, and we walk inside the club. I don't know where they take the dead bodies, because when I asked Ejay what would happen to her body, he said they would take care of it. I don't know what that means. Do they dispose of them? I bet they can't risk burying them for security reasons. I wish I had my own place to give her a decent burial like she deserves. Ejay refused to even let me take her to the cemetery and said it was a risk he could not take. I did not dwell so much on the issue, but I asked for one thing: to let me say my last goodbye properly to my friend before they take her body to only God knows where. For that, we had to arrive early so that I could say my goodbyes and allow them to take her body before the sun rose.

"You have ten minutes. Be quick, please." Ejay says, opening the door for me. He then signals a guard to stand by the door, and he walks to his office.

I walk in, feeling the tears threatening to leave my eyes, but I fight them back. I came to say goodbye, and I do not want to bid her goodbye with tears. I should be strong, like she was. I kneel down on the bed and look at her, sleeping peacefully, but the pain that took her life is evident on her face. She took her last breath, trying to fight the pain. But she still looks beautiful all the same.

"You did not deserve this, Nora. Nobody deserves this. I wish there was a way I could have helped you. I wish I had a way to prevent this. But you are gone now. The only thing that is comforting me right now is knowing that you are free from pain. You are not suffering anymore. I would have wished for God to keep you alive so that we could fight this battle together, but there is nothing I can do to bring you back. I will have to fight this fight alone. By the way, Mayleen is my friend now; sorry you had to leave without knowing that. I know I am hopeless right now. I feel empty and confused. But I promise you one thing: your death will not be in vain. This is a wake-up call for me. I will do everything I can to save not only myself but the rest of the girls. I will do everything, Nora, even if it means dancing with the devil. Rest in paradise, my friend, until we meet again. I loved you, and I forever will. Goodbye" I walk to the door and notify the stupid goon at the door that I am done, then I walk downstairs to Ejay's office, where he is sitting comfortably as if a human being did not just die mysteriously in here.

"Do you feel any better?"

Listen to the kind of nonsense that this dog is barking! Feel better? How can whatever I am feeling be called better? How soon is it to ask such a stupid question? Unlike you, jerk, I lost someone. Unlike you, I have a heart. "She was my friend, Ejay—my only friend here. It will take a while to heal from her demise. But do not worry. I will try not to let this tie me down. Life has to go on, right?" He rubs my shoulders with his hands.

"Just try, okay? You have a lot of things to do. You can't afford to be distracted."

"I know." Yes, believe me, I have a lot of things to do, Ejay. Life cannot go on this way. I cannot continue to live in fear like this. I cannot wait to die like a dog here. Enough is enough now.

It's you against me, Ejay. I don't care what I have to do or lose, but I have to fight you. If nobody has ever dared to stop you, then I am daring. If someone tried and failed, it is not a guarantee that I am going to fail. I will not rest until I see you lose everything and pay for all you have done. It's time for the real game.

"I want to go home and rest," I say.

"Sure. I wish I could drive you home, but I am waiting for a client, and he should be here any minute."

"I understand. But can you drive me to the airport later?"

"Of course. I will be at your house by two in the evening. The time for departure has not changed, right?"

"No. It's still three thirty." I say.

"That's fine." He walks me out of the club and to the black van.

"See you." I say, get into the car, and wave goodbye after he closes the door for me.

After rolling up the window, I take one last look at the place, which has given me nothing but pain. I hope I am never returning here again, but if I do, I am coming back with a plan.

We drive silently as usual, just the way I want. I do not want anybody disturbing me right now. Every time, I keep saying that I am not going to let anyone else get hurt, but I have failed miserably. My best friend is gone, and the other one is missing. Where are you, Ajay? Has Ejay already killed you? If not, where did he take you? I get out of the car and walk inside my house. I should have run up the stairs to my room to grab the medicine for my headache, but the face of someone made me stop. She is such a... "Your stay here expired yesterday. What are you still doing here?" I hiss. I'm so fed up.

"Don't you think it's too early to start snapping and yelling like that? Jeez!"

See the nerves of this little rat. "I will ask you just one more time, Nelly! What are you still doing here?"

"Come on now, Gia! I will leave. Just give me a day or two to sort out a few things."

"Well, go sort them in your house or somewhere else. I want you out of my house right this minute." I state.

"Jeez! Chill, okay? Did your boyfriend deny you sex or what? Oh, wait, it looks like you spent the night crying. Did you catch him in the act with another bitch?"

"Are you going to leave on your own, or do you want me to drag you out myself?"

She rolls her big eyes. "I said a day or two. Do you have a hearing problem?"

"This is my house. When I say you leave, you leave." I turn to the door. "Rjay?" I yell. He is one of the goons outside.

"Yes ma'am." Rjay stands at the door, and Mayleen is watching the drama outside her room. I hope she does not come down. I want to talk to her. "Get this trash out of my house. Her room is the second on the left. Take out everything in it and throw it out with her. Make sure you live her out of my compound."

"Yes ma'am."

"You are not doing this to me, Gia!" I walk past her without even looking at her and walk upstairs, leaving her to deal with Rjay. I hear her yelling as Rjay forces her out, calling the other bodyguards to help him clean the room. She can go get married to Ejay, for all I care. It will even ease my burden.

I get to my room and take my medications. It's about nine, so I have some hours to rest. After about twenty minutes, Mayleen walks in a hurry. "Hey! Don't you think Ejay might realize you know something?" She asks, sitting down on my bed next to me.

"At this point, I do not care."

"Wait, what happened to you? You do not look okay." She says this this after seeing my face.

"Nora is gone, Mayleen."

"Missing like Ajay, or what do you mean?"

"I wish that was the case. She died."

"What? Why? How?"

"I don't really know. Ever heard of someone dying from this BDSM nonsense?" I ask.

"Well, not really. But anything can happen in that club, Gia."

"She is gone. She complained about some pain, which was evident on her cheeks and the marks on her neck. I asked her to lie down so that I could talk to Ejay to allow her to rest, but when I went back a few minutes later with Ejay, she was gone. Just like that."

"That is so sad. I am sorry. I never got to know her well, but I would not have wished for that to happen to her. Things are getting worse in that club. We are all waiting for one thing: death. Have you thought about what I told you?"

"Not yet. Let's talk about that later. Here." I pull out a small phone I bought a while back under my pillow. "I want us to keep in touch when I am not hearing. Make sure nobody sees it, or we are finished."

"Got it," she says as she takes the phone.

"Always keep it with you." She nods her head. "Okay. I want to sleep for a bit."

"Alright. I will prepare something for you to eat when you wake up."

"Thank you."

Hours later!

I am all dressed up and set to leave. I take one last look at my bedroom, my suitcase in my hands, and I walk out. Ejay came even earlier than he had promised. I guess he can't wait for this vacation to be over so that he can have me exactly where he wants. I have this weird feeling inside as I leave. It feels like I am saying goodbye. I feel like I am not returning. I want to turn around and give Mayleen a hug, but we can't do that because Ejay is here. We have to act like enemies, so I don't even spare her a glance.

I walk out, with Ejay helping me with my suitcase.

3:10 p.m

We are already at the airport with Ejay, and from time to time we part ways. Him to go back to the club or wherever he wants, and me to go to Mombasa.

"I will have to go join the rest now. They must be wondering where I am." I say.

"Okay. Take care, and be safe. I will check on you from time to time as much as I can."

"Alright." I lean in like a loving girlfriend, and we kiss. I had to pull away; otherwise, he was planning to kiss me forever. "Goodbye," I say.

"See you when you get back. I will pick you up here on the day of your return."

"Okay. That will be nice." I peck him on the left cheek and walk out, getting my bag from the boot. He turns the car around, and we wave goodbye as he speeds off. Goodbye, Ejay; I hope forever. If not, next time we meet, I will not be the naive Gia you have been toying with. I am coming for you, but for now, hello, Mombasa! What do you have in store for me? It better be good.