Forgetting Malawi

10:Strong

Lionel

Being able to see the pain in someone's eyes,hidden with a smile especially someone close to you is very hard.

Mal was the kind of person who would slap you if you were being an ass and then cry because she slapped you.

She had lost weight since the last time I saw her. I instantly remembered I was the one who introduced her to Dali after he kept bugging me about it. I felt guilty. I even laughed and told her she was being paranoid when she told me he was cheating on her the first time.

After that she called me a month later saying he had told her to change her dressing to a proper woman. Again I took it lightly and told her maybe he was just playing with her. She never called me again to talk about him.

The last time we met she was with him. She saw me and wanted to come say hello when he gripped her arm back. She had yanked it back and he said something to her that made her look at me with fear and hurt in her eyes. Few minutes later,he came back to where I was and threatened me to stay away from her.

She must have guessed what I was feeling so she hugged me. I kept whispering I'm sorry to her.

"It's not your fault Lion."

After a while we both got refreshed and ate.
We later discussed the case and about that nitwit James.

She took out her phone and showed me the pictures she took from his file.

"That imbecile was working for him?"

"Yes. And Mal why didn't you show me the pictures before?"

"No offence Ry, you ain't a lawyer. Plus you'd have gone after him immediately."

Ry??? She calls him Ry! My God she was falling for him already.

They laughed. And I chuckled.

"Alright,you guys go on I will be right back." Mal said and went inside.

"You guys had a thing didn't you?"Ryan asked me.

"We can't really call it that. We tried it after a very emotional day but it didn't work."

"Should I be worried?"

"No man,that was 7 years ago. And we both agreed we were better off being friends."

He seemed to get it. Mal and I were not really in love. We loved each other in a sibling way.

Our relationship of two weeks, might I add ,years ago did a lot of bad than good. It created a sort of jealous chain between me,Mal and our friend Martha. She felt left out.

I knew Mal and she was already falling for Ryan. She was obviously trying to fight it.

"Hello boys," Aunt Maya said, " La-la tells me you want to crush that bastard. I never really liked him anyway. I realized too late Mal was not happy with him. But my sister...she wanted him to marry her."

"Auntie, don't talk like that. Don't blame yourself. I should have left sooner when he first beat...." Mal stopped abruptly and looked at us and gasped.

"He beat you?!!" We all exclaimed at the same time.

" I mean.....he...it was...not...""
Mal stammered.

"Why didn't you say anything to anyone?"

"Who would believe me?" She was now sobbing."Even the maid at the house was too afraid."

Ryan got up and held her.
"Shhh. It's alright he won't hurt you again. It's okay."

He soothed her. After she had calmed down we went on discussing the case.

"Shouldn't you call James and tell him he is off the case?"

"No! I want to use the element of surprise as a weapon." Mal said.

"Smart girl,but at least let me talk to the judge."

Dali had no idea he had just armoured a deadly soldier with missiles. She was ready for war. And this time she would win the battle.

A/N
So Lion huh?
I'm vouching for my girl Mal,she got this.😎