Chapter 13: chapter 13

It took me a while to understand Rei's text even though those were written in simple words.Those inviting and luring words scream danger. Rei knows I want the truth more than anything else and He must have realised that I found something about him but then also I'm not sure. What if Rei was there only for his job? He is a real estate agent after all. Rodas hasn't said anything about him but his words ring in my head."I know you're confused right now. I promise to explain everything when the time comes... At this moment think of me as your safe space. You don't need to feel scared" And why should I trust the man who locked me up in the room like this? In the end, Rei's text manages to have me and I decided to go but there's no way I can escape from this room unless I plan something that would exceed the imagination of someone like Rodas. I stroll to the window and look down. Damn, I'm far from the ground which is 24 hours occupied by Rodas's men. I find my place back on the floor. My head hurts but I should find a way soon. It's 7 pm when Rodas walks in with a tray of food. I hug my knees and look away, still on the floor. He switches on the lights and closes the windows before coming to sit before me. His fingers find their way to my cheek, startling me. I glance up at him."Do you know how pathetic you look right now?"  He says with a playful smirk while his fingers trail along my jaw. I slap away his hands.As if I care.He sighs and gets up before patting the chair."Come, eat!" I haven't had anything since morning and the smell of food is so inviting that I almost give up my plan but I must endure. "My stomach hurts!" I tell him, trying to be as real as I can.He pauses but then shrugs off my words. "Don't act stupid, Come eat!" "How cruel are you? My stomach feels like it will explode. I think I need to see a doctor!" I mumble, hugging my stomach. "I will call the doctor -""No!" I shout. Crap. Did I mess up just now?Rodas frowns. "Are you being real or not?" Disbelief dripped in his question. "No, I'm lying!" I spout sarcasm."Ok, fine! I'm going to call the doc-" "I don't want Liam... It's a period problem. So, I need to see my Doctor" "Give me your doctor's number then... I'll call them here!"Fuck, this man is so persistent."No way I'm letting you bring my doctor to this hellhole!" I argue.To my surprise, Rodas chuckles. "You don't change!" "What do you mean?" I demand, he always do this. Whether he says or does things that make me mad with curiousness and he is never clear nor does he answers my questions afterwards."Get Ready! I will take you there" "I will go with Z!" This time, he is annoyed. "Are you cooking something in that small head of yours?" "Keep thinking that and I will die of stomach pain" Five minutes later, I'm sitting in the car. Z is talking with Rodas outside. Rodas glances at me from time to time and I'm doing my best to display my face full of pain.Z gets inside the car and starts the engine. Rodas stands outside my window and leans in. "Don't act stubborn. Be good and come back!" He says to me.I give him a subtle nod. He moves away and Z finally drives the car away from the hellhole. "Are you afraid of him?" I initiate the conversation once we are far away on the road.Z hesitates, he glances at me and then back to the road."Afraid of whom?""Rodas!""I respect him! He is like a brother to me."Eh? I look out of the window, defeated by Z's answer. The loyalty is insane. I wanted to throw some mocking words about Rodas but Z's words have made me think twice. No one would love to hear bad things about the person they respect so much. If only my thoughts and feelings were this loyal to me. The rest of the way, I spend in silence thinking about the not-so-good plan I had made in that locked room. There's a backdoor in my doctor's clinic which opens to a small path, one minute walk to the main road. One of the assistants showed it to me and Rei when we first visit there.If I'm lucky and Z doesn't realise it, I can escape. It'll probably take him some time to know and by that time, I will be inside some cab heading for the hotel Rei texted me. I don't want to think about what would happen after that. "Wait for me outside," I tell Z who is trying to get in with me to the clinic. He shakes his head."Stay close to you... Boss's order!" Damn, Rodas."I have to tell some very personal things to the doctor. Z, I would be embarrassed if you hear that!" "But-""Let's do this, when I'm done talking with the doctor, I will call you?"Z looks away, hesitant but then nods.I really hate to do this to him but I must. I know he would most probably get punishment from Rodas.I'm sorry Z.I walk into the clinic and avoid the front desk lady and head straight toward the washroom area. The backdoor is just beside it. God, I'm so scared. The ground feels soft as I take long steps toward the main road. I feel like I'm running away after doing some sort of crime. While waiting for a cab, for a moment I even think about going back to Rodas and telling him about Rei's messages but as I look back toward the way I had come, I can not find back that small path. Out of fear, I've come far and blended with the busy traffic.I take a deep breath and wait for the cab to arrive. Now that I've done this. There's no going back.