Chance: Chapter Twelve - New life
Alaya kept looking at the still body
lying on the floor about 10 feet away from her until she lost sight of it
because of the crowd that surrounded it. Her heart was still thumping against
her chest as the scene of the accident kept replaying in the eyes of her mind.
She could hear the people were talking about him. But she could not pay
attention to what they were talking about. Until some men moved away all of a
sudden. As Alaya looked carefully, she saw a pool of blood oozing out of the
man’s head. She felt dizzy immediately though she saw it from far away. She
stood up and turned to walk away from the scene. But just then, she heard two
people having a conversation near her.
“Who was that? Do you happen to know
the guy?” an old man asked.
“Yeah….I think he is that hotelier
guy from the Lightspeed businesses.” another elderly man answered.
Alaya did not look back at them
until she heard the last words from the second man. Those two men were western
and complete strangers to Alaya. The moment she looked, even they went in a
hurry to help the victim of the accident. But Alaya didn’t go in that direction
knowing that there was little she could do to help with a lot of blood in front
of her.
**
Alaya spent about an hour and a half
on a bench of the subway away from the scene. Though she was away, she could
not get rid of her thoughts. She could not help but think about how the
incident happened. She kept wondering what must have happened to that man. With
the kind of injury he had, Alaya doubted that he will survive. But there wasn’t
hearsay about a death in the subway either so she wasn’t so sure. She could not
help but think about what she heard from the two men either. That the victim of
the accident was the hotelier from Lightspeed businesses. Every time those
words echoed in her head, she was reminded of what Layaan’s father had said.
About the hotelier of Lightspeed business trying to cheat other businesses and
how the company was fined because of it. Could it be that the CEO of the
company, aka Raphael fired him? And he was attempting suicide because of it?
Alaya continued to wonder about it
even when she got on her train to Boston. But quickly forgot about it as she
started to see the scenery she was in, passing right by her. It gave her the
signal that she was turning her back to the life she has lived up to this
point. She gave herself cheers with a smile as the train left the station.
After that point, she stopped thinking about everything that was bothering her.
The fact that her family must have found out by now and how worried they might
be. The fact that turning her back on a ‘noble’ family like Layaan’s might do
to the integrity of her family in the traditional community they lived in. The
fact that she may not be trusted for marriage ever again because she was
running away from one just for her ‘freedom.’ With all of it, she decided not
to think about the accident she saw and neither about Raphael. The past should
stay in the past. Now it’s time for her to embrace the future. Alaya told
herself as a random western guy smiled at her as he walked past her. Who knows
what the future might bring? Alaya thought as she saw him disappear between the
seats.
**
After a ride of a few hours, Alaya
finally got off the train in Boston subway with a heart full of excitement and
feelings of anxiety. She tried hard to tell herself that it was just her
excitement that was making her hands and feet so cold. She looked around at the
people walking, being sure of where they were headed, unlike her. She literally
had no idea where she would go. The thought reminded her of the plan she made.
She quickly took out her small notebook from her handbag. She looked at the
things she would do after reaching Boston.
“Find a place to stay for rent.” was
what was written right below. But then again how would she find a place? Maybe
she could find it online? Alaya thought and started browsing using her phone.
Just then, she heard a woman talking on the phone.
“Yes darling don’t you worry! Before
you are back we will have someone who could stay for rent with us. Everything
is just going to be ok.” the woman who was walking ahead of her spoke with her
phone on her ear. She wore a white top and a blue pencil skirt with her black
Gucci bag hanging on her hand. Her straightened black hair hung freely as she cat
walked with her heels tapping on the subway floor.
“I’ll manage everything I promise
you. Love you. Bye.” she said and she clicked the phone. Alaya followed her
knowing that this was her opportunity. But didn’t have the courage to call her
until they were both walking out of the subway. As Alaya saw the woman catching
a taxi and holding the knob of its door, she called out.
“Excuse me ma’m!” Alaya said,
catching up to her. The woman turned around and Alaya saw her face for the
first time. She had an oval face with long eyelashes heavy with mascara. Her
lips shined with a light brown lip gloss and she must have taken her time with those
eye wings. She had a similar complexion of skin to Alaya’s and that made Alaya
close to sure that she had to be an Egyptian girl or atleast from somewhere
around the Arabian Peninsula.
“Yes?” she asked in an artificially ‘sweet’
tone.
“Um….I was just…I just heard that
you need someone who could stay for rent. I could! And I will pay as well.”
Alaya said the last sentence as she was thinking of getting a job. Just then
she realized the stupidity of what she said. Of course she had to pay if she
stayed for rent. She sure hoped she wouldn’t be rejected for her foolishness.
“You will? That’s great! Where are
you from and how long are you going to stay?” the woman asked with excitement.
“U…Um…” Alaya stuttered and she
chuckled.
“Oh well! We can’t discuss business
on the road can we? Are you new here? If you are we can both take this taxi to
reach my home and we can have a chat. How about that?” she asked.
“Yeah…that’d be great!” Alaya said.
“Hop in then. Oh! And my name is Laana.”
Laana held out her hand for Alaya as she came close to her.
“Alaya.” Alaya held that hand and
introduced herself with a smile. Guess the new life she’d planned to make for
herself isn’t that bad at all. Alaya thought to herself.
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