MUNA

PART 26 : FAçADE

Brave doesn't mean you're not scared.
It means you go on even though you're scared.
★ ★ ★

Muna's POV

As Muna was carried out of the car and into the back of a rowdy place, she slowly opened her eyes to take a peek at where she was.

There and then she knew that fear was a phoenix. You can watch it burn a thousand times, and still it will return. She'd gotten over her fear initially when she saw Audrina coming after her, but now it was back.

She kept telling herself that fear cuts deeper than swords.

She remembered those words because they were those of her favourite character from Game of Thrones, Arya.

Arya utters this phrase to herself numerous times in the Game of Thrones novel, usually during moments of high tension or violence. The mantra came from her Braavosi sword master, and it reminded her that fear can be a greater danger than whatever physical threat she faced.

Now, Muna felt the most scared she had ever felt, as she was lifted out from the car and dropped onto a soft plush sofa. Still, she succeeded in maintaining her feigned act of unconsciousness.

She'd never felt so alone and so afraid. Not even when her ex had attacked her. No, this was worse. At least, then, she was on familiar soil. And she had Duke and Maya too.

She didn't even have any idea whether Audrina was able to catch up and follow them as they brought her here. Her siblings were definitely going to be worried sick and most importantly, she wanted to pee.

When she noticed the place was quiet, she took a peek again and saw nobody. She then opened her eyes fully and stretched a bit.

She heard footsteps and quickly returned to her lying position.

"Don't worry, you can stop pretending."

Muna opened one eye to look at who owned that voice.

It was a girl's, probably Xavier's age. What was she doing in this sort of place?

"Hi, who are you, and where is this place, please?" Muna asked as meekly as she could and sat up.

"I don't know where this place is. I'm here to get you dressed up and ready for your performance. And my name is Efe." The girl answered Muna and dropped the items in her hands on the table in front of Muna.

"Okay, hold on. What performance?" She chuckled and continued, "I am not a performer. Who is in charge here?"

When the girl didn't reply, Muna stood up and looked around for her bag, which she saw was on the table close to where the girl stood.

She strolled to the table, reached for it, and froze when another person joined them in the room.

"I would do as the girl says, if I were you. It's almost your turn to perform."

At the sound of another voice, a male voice this time around, Muna slowly hid the bag under some books on the table and stood still.

"Uhmmm, okay. First off, who are you? And why does everyone here think I am a performer of some sort?" 

Turning slowly to face the man in front of the sofa where she once was, with her back to the table, she blindly reached for her bag, found it, and unzipped it.

When he walked up to her, he saw her eyes start at his shoes and run up his six-foot-five frame. It made him feel tingly, thinking she was checking him out in the same way he'd appraised her before she'd turned. He was way older than she was anyway; he wasn't interested in her for her body, only her voice. For tonight.

"Well, I heard you ask who was in charge here. You're looking at him. I'm Nicholas. But they call me Nico." His voice was high.

When he was close enough, he noticed she seemed like she had some height of her own too. Maybe a five-foot-ten or even an eleven.

"Uh, okay. Mr. Nicholas, why was I kidnapped? I do not have any money if that's the case. No ransom will be paid for me, oh." Muna said as she tried to keep the conversation going.

The man was really tall. Maybe a six-four, Muna thought. He had little gray hairs as beards and he seemed to have had seen more handsome years as a youth.

Behind her, her fingers tried to unlock her phone with her four-digit passcode. She should've unlocked it with facial recognition before the man walked in but she missed the chance.

"Sincerely, I apologize for the way you were brought in. My guys are still learning the ways of a gentleman. I need you to perform for us today and you will be rewarded, but we need you to give it your best. My biggest clients are here because I promised them something unique tonight. You."

Muna finally unlocked it and tapped the far left bottom, which brought up her dial pad. Then she long-pressed number 5. It was the speed dial for Audrina's number.

It rang twice and ended. Muna felt the vibration and felt it stop.

Fuck!

"So, why didn't you just approach me like a sensible person if you wanted this in the first place? Why did you have to make me feel coerced? I mean, who sings performatively when they're forced to? "

Nico smiled and pocketed his hands.

"Again, I apologise. I am a talent spotter, you see. I do not make deals in the open, but with you, after watching your karaoke session this evening, I knew I'd found a diamond."

"Oh, you watched me?" A little flattered by the man's words, Muna moved her weight to one foot and folded her arms.

"Oh yes, I sure did."

"What if I refuse?" Muna asked with caution.

His expression changed as he stood up and approached her very slowly. His eyes never left hers and for the seventh time this night, Muna felt a surge of fear in her gut.

★ ★ ★

picture on chapter header is Jenna Ortega and Martin Freeman in a scene from the film,
Miller's Girl.