Zohravar

I wake up alone. Panic cripples me as I look around fisting the sheets in anger. The only sign of her is the her scent on my pillows which makes me pretty fucking mad.

I rush to her house and find her room to be empty. There is note kept on her bed

"I will be ghost. I will become like the wind."

Fuck. Did she run away? Again?

This time without even telling me. If she thinks I can't find her, she needs to think again.

Because I do.

Always.

I am gonna give her a few hours to think she can't be found. That she is lost. And that nobody in this world gives a shit about her. I don't care. This is all just about competition. And I hate losing especially my favourite prize.

As I am going to school, I hear my mom talking to someone.

"Why is he digging it up again?" She says clearly flustered.

"He doesn't remember me, does he?"

I hear voices all over my head. I go away from her and lay on my bed. I close my eyes and just remember.

"She is not my biological daughter." I hear Millie shouts as Alizeh's dad holds her face tightly. Shit. They are gonna fight again and their voices are going to escalate.

I sneak into Star's room as I hear her talking to a friend. She doesn't have friends. Who the fuck is she talking to.

I squeeze her thigh harshly. It's my code word for "I have zero patience left". She looks at me, huffs, flicks my hand away and stands up, gesturing me to get out. I snatch her phone from her, check the caller and cut the call. She looks at me like I am deranged. Well I am especially when she ignores me for a fucking chick.

"What in the world is your problem?" She shouts in my face.

"Come out."

"You are crazy if you think I am coming out with you."

"I just wanted to show you something but okay I will go myself." I go into her driveway, walking slowly, waiting.

One Mississippi.

Two Mississippi.

Three Mississippi.

"WAIT" she runs towards me, pushing my chest. "I also wanna say I hate you."

"I would care more if it wasn't a girl wearing pizza on her shorts"

"You are just jealous you can't rock these shorts." She huffs. She has been huffing a lot lately.

"Sure." I say.

"You are-"

I stop and say "Stop talking."

"Who do you think-"

I bend down and creep close enough till my nose touches hers and whisper "Do you really wanna know who I am?"

"Ace" she whispers back and before I can say anything, someone hits my head with a rod. Darkness consumes me as I just utter one word.

Star.

I wake up as someone kicks my shin.

"ACEEE"

Star?" I look at her as she looks at me helplessly.

"What is going on?"

"You have blood oozing out of your head." She tries to touch it but both our hand are tied.

"Since when am I sleeping?" I say.

"Shhh don't shout." I look at her cheek and see a red mark. Anger grips my soul as I tell her to scoot closer.

"Who did this?"

"They were trying to touch me so I spat in their faces." I grip my hands tightly and focus myself to stare at every part of her body.

A man about the age of forty comes inside with two young men. "What do you want" I ask.

"Oh there is so much to want. Right in this room." He grins wickedly.

He goes towards Alizeh as my breathe stops. No. No. No.

"Let's play a game, for every word you say I will touch her once."

"Shut up." I shout.

"That's two words." He goes towards her breasts as he gropes them. He squeezes them as I watch it. He brushes her nipples clad with a flimsy t shirt. I close my eyes, I would rather him kill me right here.

I open my eyes and stare at Alizeh as pure fear handicaps me for the first time in my life.

She stares back at me with lifeless eyes. Empty. Broken.

There is not a tear. She just smiles. And all I see is black.

"So you are getting a hang of this game." he says as the room is in dead silence.

I look at the men around us. They look at both of us with lust. I clench my jaw as I pray to god for the first time in my life.

But all I see is flashes of him touching her. They make me numb as my entire body shivers.

Finally, when they have had enough, they leave as I whisper "Alizeh"

She looks like a shooting star. Broken. With tiny bits of dust. But I know once she is alive, she would ready to burn up their earth. With me.

"Hmm" she looks at me, emotionlessly.

We just stare at each other till her eyes droop. I don't sleep. I don't blink. I am afraid if I do, she would slip away.

"I hate you." She says.

"What"

"I want these to be my last words before I die."

"You are not dying."

She just nods in response.

"I can never hate you" I whisper into darkness as I look at her fast asleep.

"Get the fuck up." Someone says as I quickly open my eyes.

It's the same man, he looks worse than before.

"I wanna have some fun." Someone next to him says as he kicks my stomach. I clench my eyes and don't make a sound.

"No" Alizeh whispers.

He takes a blade and slashes a cut on my back as Star screams at him to stop. I don't do anything.

"Please stop." Alizeh shouts.

He takes the blade and engraves it deep in my skin. He makes patterns with my blood. As he presses it harder. He grins and sucks on my blood, licking his lips.

"Do whatever you want with me." She says as I blaze my eyes at her. What the fuck does she think she is doing?

"Anything?" He grins as I shake my head, scared of making a sound.

"I have changed my mind, my son wants to watch you two."

A boy around the age of sixteen grins. Alizeh shivers.

She stares at me as someone unties her knots. She refuses to look away as we realise what's coming.

They untie mine as they push us together. I close my eyes hoping it's just a nightmare.

I try to think of the number of times I wanted her like this. I look at her as she whispers "This is the only way out.'