11. A Friend in Trouble

Frightfully, I began trotting inside the house and ascended the stairs. Few guests were there too. I put my hand on the stairs railing and tried to search Noah or Carol from above here. It would be easier to find them among crowd from here. At the same time, I tried calling on Carol's phone with a hope that she would take it. Ashar followed me.

He took my phone from my hands. I glanced at him. He moved his fingers against my screen, tapping on some number keys. "I'm saving my number in your phone. You check this floor. I'm going upstairs."

He returned the device to me, "Give me a call if you find her. By the way, what's her name?"

"Carol." I answered.

Giving me a quick nod, he hurried to his own way. I started my search also. The house was comprised of two floors including the rooftop. And this floor had around seven rooms. With every passing moment, the panic inside me was increasing. I opened the first three rooms of the floor and they all were empty. The corridor had strobe lights that were hurting my eyes. When I was about to grab the doorknob of a fourth room, I heard woman's screams. Those screams startled me because they were not normal. It was like someone was beating the person and that victim was shrieking out of pain.

My heart skipped a beat. I forced myself to open the door. My phone fell from my hand when I witnessed the horrible sight in front of me. A half-naked, young man was on the top of woman. The female was trying to get rid of him, wriggling her limbs. The sound of my phone smacking on the floor disturbed them and both of them looked at me. I instantly noticed the faces; Noah and Carol.

Carol's dress was ripped opened from above. Her eyes were brimming with tears. The makeup on her face was all smudged. My mouth agape as I understood the whole situation. My instincts were right about Noah.

"Sanaya." Carol sobbed aloud, "Please help me."

Noah glowered at me, "Go away." Carol used her strength to shove him back, but Noah fought back and grabbed both of her arms and hid his face in the hollow of her neck.

He further pulled her dress down. Carol squirmed tried to stop him, "Stop it, Noah. You're drunk. Please let me go." He blocked her voice by forcefully kissing her on mouth.

I was so panic-stricken that my mind and body were petrified. Carol's shrieks forced me to look around something that could stop that drunkard monster. I picked up my phone and stepped further in the room. Scurrying towards them, I grabbed Noah's naked forearm and tried to pull him away from Carol, "Leave her, Noah. What are you doing."

He shoved me back blindly. I stumbled then fell on the floor. With heavy and rapid breaths, I once again stood up, grabbed the television remote and hurled at him.

It didn't work. However, Carol got successful in pushing him away, but he again landed on her, held her both arms, exposing her undergarment.

"Why are you making it difficult?" Noah said in frustrating tone, crashing his lips on Carol's mouth.

I felt disgust and started throwing random items at him like whatever I was finding in the room. Noah stopped and gave me a death glare.

"I knew it from the beginning what kind of person you are." I scowled.

I took advantage of the situation and held small, glass lamp and flung it at him furiously. The lamp bashed his bare fore-arm and it began bleeding. I slightly smirked. He got infuriated. He moved back from Carol and sprinted to me. He pulled my hair, used his full force that made me scream. His hand had dried blood stains that whirled my head for a moment. He reeked of alcohol.

He nuzzled his nose to my cheek, "What? Do you wanna take her place?" I couldn't move because the sharp pain at the back of my head weakening me. The rotten smell of alcohol contorted my nose in disgust.

Carol sat on the bed and tried to cover herself with her torn fabric while whimpering. "Leave her, you scumbag."

"Noah, stop it. Please." I grabbed his wrist and tried to loosen his grip on my hair. He got angrier so he further used his strength and pulled my hair violently, showing no mercy. I screamed aloud. Some tendrils of my hair were definitely detached from the scalp.

"You smell good." He rubbed his nose against my jawline, moving down slowly. The exhilarating pain moistened my eyes.

I saw Ashar entered into the room. Oh right. I completely forgot about him that he was also here searching for Carol. He scurried forward with sinister glare and pushed Noah back. His back hit with the wall behind causing him to fall down on the floor.

I heaved a sigh of relief as my head became relax. Rubbing the back of my head, I made eye contact with Ashar. His facial expressions softened. He came forward, moving his eyes around my face, "Are you okay?"

Slowly, I nodded, "Yeah." My heartbeat began coming back to normal. I hurried towards Carol who was crying, sitting on the bed. I pulled the bed cover and wrapped it around her.

"Sanaya." She said lowly and burst into tears, sobbing aloud, "You were right about him. I was so scared."

My lips trembled when I saw her in this state, "It's okay. It's all over now." I embraced her into a hug.

"I never knew you were able to do such a nasty thing." Ashar said aloud in fury. He slapped Noah.

"No, Ashar." He rubbed his cheek, "It's this girl who trapped me."

"You almost raped her and still you're lying?" Ashar hollered.

My heart clenched. This whole problem really startled me to the core. Carol continued sobbing on my shoulder.

"It's not true." Noah said.

Ashar ignored him and turned his head to me, "Let's get out of here."

I motioned my head in agreement and stood up from the bed. Carol followed me. I grabbed her arm and wrapped it around my shoulder to give her support to walk straight.

"We're not done yet. I'll make sure you'll pay for this." Ashar threatened and stormed out of the room. I mimicked him and took Carol out with me.

💙

"We need to take her to the hospital. I don't think she is okay." All three of us were standing outside the Noah's house. Carol had laid all her weight on me, making it hard for me to stand straight. Her eyes were barely opened.

Ashar's phone kept on ringing, but he was ignoring it as his anger did not lessen a bit. His eyes were still full of fury.

"Stay here. I'm coming with my car." He said and walked away afterwards.

Meanwhile, I tried to wake up Carol by pattering on her face. I moved my hand in her short hair and felt something wet and cold at the back of her head. I pulled back my hand instantly and saw fresh blood on it. She had hit her head somewhere. I couldn't be sure for how long Carol was fighting against Noah to save herself. I should've started searching for her the moment I found out she was not on the dance floor.

She had fresh scratches and rashes on her face, neck and chest. I should've stopped Carol from getting close to Noah at the first place. I was feeling wistful. If I would've been late for few more minutes Noah would've harmed her.

Ashar's car screeched in front of me. The luxurious vehicle was glimmering under the low moon light. I hesitated momentarily to sit with him in the car, but Carol's current state forced me to put aside my concerns for a while.

I helped Carol to sit in the back seat and I sat at the passenger seat. "Her head is bleeding." I told him. I was also feeling the acute pain in my head as well. Noah was so harsh, so violent.

He gave me a nod, seeing Carol from the rear view mirror, "Don't worry. Everything will be okay."

I rested my head against the car seat, closing my eyes. I was out of energy after fighting against Noah. I felt exhausted. It was the situation where my physical and mental strength both were used so I was now feeling dull. Ashar's phone rang again. He let out a loud hiss irritatingly and took the call this time.

"What Samara?.............If I'm not taking your calls that means I'm busy.............I can answer your questions after coming back to home.................Don't call me again, okay?................."

A hint of irritation and anger could be felt easily in his tone of voice. His tight grip on the stirring wheel, hardened jaws was explaining his rage that was probably stirring within him. Earlier his blood shot eyes when he stepped into the room was intimidating. I didn't know for some reason it gave me chill feeling.

"You can just drop me to the hospital, I'll handle the rest." I suggested in a low voice.

Ashar gave me a quick glance, then moved his head straight, "No, you can't. The hospital is going to call the cops after seeing Carol's case and I want to make sure Noah gets his punishment."

"How do you know his name?"

"I told you I have business ties with Rogers. I know his entire family." He answered without looking at me.

"Yeah, right. It got out of my head." I trailed off. I mentally smacked my palm on my head for asking such a stupid question. He attended that party that means he knew him.

He looked at me and gave me a nod before turning his attention straight on road.

💙

Ashar explained to the cops while I was standing beside him, listening to their conversation, "Sanaya is the witness of the entire scenario. When Carol will awake, she'll tell you the name of the culprit. But you have one witness and that is enough for now to arrest Noah."

Carol's doctor said that the head injury was not very deep and it would be healed in few days. However, she was in mental trauma right now, that's why he gave her some pain killers to put her to sleep for few hours.

Ashar was trying his best to get Noah arrested as he pledged to himself that he would send him behind bars.

"Okay, but we need to get victim's statement for further investigation." One of the cops said to him.

Ashar put his right hand inside his pants' pocket, "You're going to arrest Noah Rogers for now, right?"

"Yes. We're going to Rogers's house right now. We'll come here in the morning." The cop informed and walked away.

"Are you sure Sanaya that you're not hurt anywhere? We're in the hospital. You should also get a check-up from the doctor." He suggested, looking concerned.

"No. I'm okay." I shook my head. I knew the pain in my head would go away after sometime. It couldn't be treated with medicine.

"But you look exhausted." He studied my face.

"I'm just stressed out."

He agreed, "Okay. I think some food will make you feel good. Come with me."

I felt astounded. He walked past me. Submissively I followed him. He took me to the hospital's cafeteria and forced me to buy some food and eat. Hesitantly, I listened to him. We both settled on the empty table. Ashar's gentlemanly behavior astonished me. He was humble, polite and helpful, contrary to Samara.

I expected him to be arrogant like most of the rich people. Samara was the same. I did feel low in her company. But Ashar was surprisingly different. Even with all the scary thoughts, anxiety and uneasiness, still he managed to make me feel comfortable in his presence due to his unpretentious behavior. However, I knew he won't remain the same once my crime would be disclosed to him.

"I'm really sorry for dragging you in this." I apologized nervously.

"Its okay." He smiled, "Through you I'm able to see the true colors of Rogers. I'm really not going to go easy with them."

The smile was replaced by the angry frown on his face. His pursed his lips in fury. He let out a light groan. Tensed silence surrounded us as he didn't say anything further and pretended to get busy in removing the plastic of his brown bread sandwich.

"I really can't bear frauds." He muttered lowly, but I heard him. My heart leaped into my throat. Fear and guilt reared up within me. I was a fraud too.

He shook his head twice, took a deep breath and looked up at me. His brows furrowed, "What? Why are you staring at me like I've grown horns on my head?"

I lowered my gaze immediately, "It's nothing."

Glancing back at him again, I quizzed, "What were you saying about frauds?"

"Oh that." He reacted. He put the sandwich down on the plate. "I'm not the type of person who has temper issues, but there are certain things that make me go crazy and wild."

"What are they?" I almost whispered.

"Why aren't you eating anything? You're making me worried for you now." He scowled.

"Here take this sandwich. I've already unwrapped it." He exchanged our plates. Reluctantly, I took a bite of a sandwich. His courteous and thoughtful attitude towards me was provoking me to tell him the truth right there. It was not fair to him.

He was helping me and I was deceiving him. I didn't want to be a bad person anymore. I had already committed a big sin.

"I hate frauds, backstabbers and those people who use their strength on weak ones. And honestly, I can never forgive frauds and backstabbers. Once the trust is broken, then it can never mend. They are the ones who bring out the monstrous side of mine. Except this, I'm quite cool-minded and very friendly." He answered to my question.

"I felt betrayed by the Rogers. I can't believe I was working with such kind of people." He added.

At that moment, this handsome, good looking man was scaring the hell out of me. He would hate me too. He won't be same with me certainly. The panic in me blurred my vision as tears burned my eyes.

His phone rang again. He pulled it out and put it on his ear, "Yes, Dad?........Right now? ......but why?......okay, okay. I'm coming."

He put his phone down and stood up from his chair. I moved my head up to look at him, "I gotta go. There's something urgent."

I rose on my feet as well. If he would've stayed for few more minutes, maybe I would've gathered courage to tell him the truth.

"If there's any confusion with the cops, give me a call okay. I'll try to come in the morning. I'm in hurry right now." He said and then scurried out of my sight.

After he left, my own phone began ringing. I took it out from my pocket and saw Samara's name was appearing on its screen.