Chapter 49 Picnic

Chapter 49 Picnic
Zayd:

After replying to the relevant emails, I summoned Jim to talk about my next move. The darker side of me that had been reigning all night couldn't stay still any longer.

Chris dared to embarrass Amrah in front of everyone. I hope he is prepared to face the consequences of doing that.

"The files you asked for are ready."

"Good." I nodded, flexing my fingers with the finger-gripper strength trainer.

"Sir, are you really going to do this? Ladi can post it anonymously without getting caught, so..."

"I know what he is capable of, and that's why I hired him. But I don't do things unbranded, and you know that. I will face Montgomery alone."

Jim was trying to convince me not to go against Chris publicly, especially through something as messy as this, but I didn't care. He provoked me first. He shouldn't have involved Amrah in his bullshit.

I am done hiding my capabilities. Even without that old man's support, I can easily go against Montgomery.

Chris thought he was slick by making Jack come out with the video at the 'right' moment of the drama he created.

He knows how to show videos, right? How about I also show the world what a pathetic idiot he is, who can't keep his dick in his pants?

The only baffling point was that I still didn't know who took the video that night. I was sure we were alone on the rooftop that night, but from the video, I guess we weren't.

"Wait until we're back at school before releasing it," I added after a moment.

I want Amrah to enjoy herself without any drama from the world. I know she would barely be able to use her phone since the reception at the orphanage wasn't the best, but it's better to play safe.

<<<<>>>>

Amrah

We got to the orphanage at 6 a.m. It wasn't what I expected. There was no sign, just a cream-colored, two-story building and a black gate.

It looked old but well cared for, as though it had gone through a lot of renovations.

Zayd didn't even knock. The door opened for him as if they were expecting him.

"You are back." The old lady smiled.

"This is Amrah." That was all he said.

Did I expect more?

Well, I don't know why I expected more than that.

"Welcome, Amrah. I'm Ms. Behnaz." She smiled warmly at me without asking any questions. I guess she was used to Zayd's ways.

"Nice to meet you, Ms. Behnaz."

Zayd walked straight down the hallway like he had done it a hundred times, and I trailed behind him, suddenly very aware of my own footsteps.

He finally stopped in front of a door and gently opened it. Ian, I guess, was sitting up in bed, his hair sticking up in every direction, blinking like he wasn't sure he was actually awake.

Then he saw Zayd, and his whole face just broke into a smile.

"You are back so soon?" he said, already scrambling out of bed. He was obviously pleasantly surprised.

"Yeah, buddy." Zayd caught him mid-run and pulled him into a hug. "Can't afford to miss your birthday."

He pulled back and let the boy stand on his feet.

"Happy birthday, buddy."

I stood by the door, not wanting to intrude on the moment, and that's when it hit me—a striking resemblance. Even the way Ian's mouth curved when he smiled. He looked so much like Zayd.

"You two look so alike," I blurted out before I could think.

Zayd's head turned toward me so fast that I actually felt his emotions shift for a split second.

I felt my cheek burn with embarrassment. I hadn't meant it as anything.

Saying that couldn't have been offensive, right?

Ian, completely oblivious to whatever had just passed between us, tilted his head at me instead.

"Is she your girlfriend?" he asked Zayd in what he clearly thought was a whisper.

My face went hot in about half a second. I felt the heat crawl up my neck and into my ears, and I did the only thing I could think of: pretend I hadn't heard a single word.

"Happy birthday, Ian," I chimed brightly, crouching down to his height.

And it worked.

Ian latched onto me instead, dragging me by the hand toward the notably large shelf across the room, which displayed an insane number of miniature car models.

Zayd didn't say anything, but I could feel him watching us.

Ian had a rare collection of car models, and he introduced me to a few of them like they were old friends I needed to catch up on.

I didn't understand half of what made a white sports car different from a cream-colored one, but I nodded along anyway. Somewhere in the middle of it, I stopped pretending to be interested and actually started having fun.

Zayd just leaned against the doorframe the whole time, arms crossed, looking more relaxed than I think I had ever seen him.

The party itself was small, with some of the other kids, a rather big cake that made the kids grin happily, and a game involving a blindfold and way too much shrieking.

I loved every second of it.

There's something about a room full of kids who have nothing to worry about and are still that happy that rearranges something in your chest.

It made me almost forget what happened yesterday.

Later, after most of them had gone to bed, the older ones convinced Zayd to go on a picnic by the little waterfall behind the building.

We sat on a blanket that smelled like it had been in a closet for a decade, eating leftover cake with plastic forks. The kids talked over each other, trying to get Zayd's attention until, one by one, they started yawning and got carried off to bed.

And then it was just us.

The water made this constant, low sound behind us, and the moonlight illuminated Zayd's face.

Neither of us said anything for a while.

I told myself it was a comfortable silence.

It was not a comfortable silence.

It was the kind where you're both aware of exactly how close the other person is sitting, and neither of you does anything about it. The not-doing-anything becomes its own kind of tension.

"Thank you for making Ian's day," he finally broke the silence.

"I had so much fun too. I feel guilty, though." I looked down at my bracelet to hide the embarrassment in my eyes.

"Why?"

"I couldn't get him a decent gift." I could only let go of one of my handmade jade pendants, especially because it had caught Ian's eye.

"I didn't give you time to prepare. I should be blamed."

I looked up to see Zayd's face again.

He was staring.

"Can I kiss you?"

This wasn't the first time I was getting this question from Zayd, but my heart still leaped every time he asked. He had a way of blurting it out unexpectedly each time.