CONFUSING ENCOUNTER

I drop to the couch the moment Deep ushers me into his house, closing my eyes and taking in some fresh breath. I know I look pathetic right now—from the messy hair to the red eyes with puffy eyebags due to crying—and I am sure I look so dull, but I won't dare even ask to take a shower. Until I see Mayleen, until I find a way to save my sister, until I am certain that everyone around me is safe, I don't think I will be smiling. "Here, have some." Deep offers me a glass of water, which I gladly take and gulp down in one go. "You want more?" I nod my head, and he disappears to get me more, returning with a jar of water. I take another glass.

What has happened in the last twenty-four hours has left me so drained—drained of everything. "Do you feel any better now?" He asks, sitting beside me, and I look at him.

How both perfect and imperfect was it for him to come into my life? Before I can answer him, my eyes land on his left hand. A bandage. I hadn't even noticed it. And now I remember that he was the last person I saw before I fell unconscious yesterday. He was shot. He has already started getting hurt, and only because of me. He got shot running to save me from those filthy animals. That moment is still crystal clear in my head, and seeing his wound now intensifies the pain I felt when I saw the bullet tearing his flesh.

I take a hold of his left arm, examining the bandaged area as if I have the magic to heal it instantly or change what happened. A tear drops. Call me a crying baby, but I just can't seem to hold back these tears. Things are getting so messy. Innocent people are suffering for nothing. Everyone I am meeting is caught up in this web. I am like a bad omen or a child of doom! It's like there is a curse on me. This doesn't look normal anymore; it doesn't feel normal at all to me.

"You should stay away from me, Deep." I say, standing up, and he does the same.

"This is just a scratch. Don't worry about it." He says this, standing behind me, and I turn to look at him.

A scratch? "Are you serious? A scratch? Whether it was a scratch or a deep wound, Deep, you got hurt anyway. I don't want you to get hurt because of me. It would be best if you stayed away."

"There is no way I'm leaving you alone. I want to keep you safe, Gia." He says.

"Nothing and no one can save me from this sh*t except myself. Please, listen to me. A lot of people have already suffered, and some have lost their lives. I don't want to drag anyone else into this. Especially not you." I plead.

"I perfectly understand your point, but I'm already in. I am afraid I am already involved in your fight."

I know. And I regret getting him involved. I should have not entertained him. "Then there are more reasons you should stay away. Back off already, because this monster won't spare anyone around me until he gets what he wants, and that's me."

"Then he will have to go through me to get to you. I'm sorry; I understand your worries, but there is no way I'm leaving you alone."

This man does not know what he is saying. He does not know the monster that I am dealing with, which is why he is being so stubborn. "Your life is peaceful, Deep. Your status doesn't require you to have some crazy, psycho monster chasing after you. He will not just be after you; your whole family will be dragged too. Is that what you want, because I honestly don't want that for yourself? I won't allow you to endanger yourself like this."

"I will crash him to ashes before he can even lift a finger on you and my family."

"STOP!" I yell. "Just stop it, Deep. You have absolutely no idea who you are dealing with here. So, please, I am begging you to stop being stubborn and do as I say. Stay away. Do it for me, because I will not forgive myself if something bad happens to you." He looks at me, his gorgeous eyes pleading with me, but I maintain my ground.

He has no hand in this messed-up life of mine. He shouldn't get involved, because Ejay won't think twice about blowing his brains out next time. I can't allow there to be a next time for their encounter. If pushing him away is what it will take to keep him out of danger, I am willing to do it. He opens his mouth to say something, but a knock on the door disrupts us, and he excuses himself to get the door.

A minute later, Paul walks in. Detective? "Good evening, Gia." He greets.

"Detective, hi." I greet you back.

"I'm sorry, I had called him to help me with that situation back at the show." Deep explains, and I nod my head, remembering that horrible situation. Even the police who came to help—some of them ended up getting hurt, and some also breathed their last in the battle. It's all over the entire nation by now. The misery remains a puzzle to everyone; only I know the code. I am the code, the only code to solving this puzzle. It sure is a day that will be marked on the calendar—a sorrowful day to be remembered.

"Thank you both of you. I appreciate what you did." I say, and they both nod their heads. "Were you able to locate my house, detective?" I ask.

"Yes, I did. But there is nothing there, Gia. The house has been deserted for a while. We didn't find anyone, and your friend says you all disappeared the same day. You buried your mother." I understand why he is hesitant, because he thinks I don't know that. He doesn't know I have regained my memory. "But don't you worry. I will continue to investigate. I will not rest until I get to the bottom of this."

So, not even the decayed remains of my father?

"I remember it all. Ejay did it." I say more to myself. A bitter whisper. "We need to find exactly where he takes the bodies of the people he kills in the club. It will be the strongest evidence against him. And finally, we can get that heartless psycho of a ruthless beast behind bars, where he belongs, and free the captives. Unfortunately, I don't know what or where that place is." I say.

"We need to raid that club. He couldn't be taking the bodies far from the club." Deep says.

"I need to find a way to get into that club once again, but I need to have some guarantee that someone will not get hurt." Detective Paul says, clenching his hands into fists, the detective look in his eyes softening, vulnerability dominating.

"Who?" I ask. Does he know someone from the club? Speaking of someone not getting hurt, why is Mayleen not here yet? "Deep, why is Mayleen not here yet?" I ask. I'm starting to worry.

"They should be here any minute, according to Shane."

"Are you sure?" I ask, just to confirm, and Deep nods his head, holding my shoulders.

"And who is this, Mayleen?" Paul asks.

"She is my friend from the club. One of Ejay's victims. She has been staying with me for the last two months." I explain.

"Can she be trusted, though?" Paul asks.

"We started off on the wrong path when I entered the Wells club and had a lot of misunderstandings and differences. But for the last two months, she has been the only true friend I have had. I wouldn't have taken this step if it wasn't for her. But I am now doubting if this was the right thing to do because my sister's life is in the hands of that monster. And with every single minute that passes by with me out here doing nothing, it draws her into more danger." I say.

"Your sister? You didn't tell me about her when you were assigning me to conduct the investigation." Paul says his detective looks kicking in again.

"I didn't know about it either. Until a few hours later, I regained my memory. Everything is clear now. Ejay killed my parents, and Grace, my elder sister, is in his custody. And my father’s whereabouts are unclear too." I explain.

The telephone on the wall rings, and Deep walks to receive it, while Paul is left to stare at me in total dismay. "Let them in." I hear Deep say something to the caller, and a glimpse of hope fills my heart.

"Is it Mayleen?" I ask the moment he puts the phone back.

"Yes."

I don't wait to hear another word. I run out, and as I watch the black Lamborghini drive through the gate, I can't explain the excitement I'm feeling inside. At least, someone came back to me alive, in one piece. "Mayleen!" I call as soon as I see her long feet touching the floor.

She stands right at the car after closing the door, without a scratch, and that gives me a lot of peace. I can at least afford a weak smile. I understand the shock on her face as she looks straight ahead past me. She must be mesmerized by the beauty of this humongous white mansion. Her small bag drops on the floor as she takes slow steps towards me, but her eyes are not on me. Her neck is even cocked to the side, and her eyes are glued to one spot. What now? Here I was, worried sick about her, and now she won't even spare a glance?

"Mayleen?" I call out louder, and at least her mouth opens up. But it's not me she is talking to, nor is it my name that she shouts.

"Paul?" Her angelic voice echoes through my ears.

Paul? I turn to see Paul wearing the same look as Mayleen's. I look at Deep behind Paul. He is as astonished as I am.

"Sheryl?" Paul calls.

I think we have a case of mistaken identity here. Which one is Sheryl again?

“P...Pa…Paul…" Mayleen whimpers again, tears beginning to fall from her eyes, and phew! Off she runs to Paul, both of them embracing each other into a tight hug, murmuring each other's names, Mayleen's soft sobs echoing through the silence-filled compound.

I drag my feet to where Deep is standing, my eyes not leaving these confusing human beings. Where do they know each other from? "Do you know anything about this?" I asked when I got to Deep.

"The only Sheryl I know is his long-lost girlfriend, who is the reason why he is still single." That took me aback, shifting my gaze to Deep.

As far as I remember, Mayleen, whose real name is Sheryl according to how I understand this, has some evidence against Ejay, and that evidence is with someone she dearly loved. She was wise and bold enough to dare make an agreement with the devil, Ejay, that he would not touch her family, and she would make sure the evidence would not get to the police. In so doing, she was able to protect her family, her boyfriend, whom she left the evidence with, and also herself.

That's so deep, right? She really pulled a hard one on Ejay, and that's what guaranteed her security in the club. So this is him? Could there be some light at the end of the tunnel?