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.