Is this destiny?

Outside…

Nala and Melodie walked on the almost-deserted street toward the parking lot. It's not far away from the main entry, but because they took the side exit, it's a bit of a walk.

"Bodyguards are out. See you in a minute.", Nala heard Haru's voice and it made her smile again.

She touched her ear stud. "See you…"

Her boyfriend is capable. Her eyes widened at the realization that this is the first time she addressed Haru as her boyfriend. It was only in her mind, but still… it counts. He has a title!

The parking lot had few people lingering, smoking mostly. Nala assumed that they got here to get their nicotine-fix because smoking inside the club is prohibited.

One group of five young men were in their way, leaning on one car and drinking beer from cans.

Nala tugged Melodie's arm to steer her two cars away. They should not attract attention.

Unfortunately, they were noticed and one of the young men called: "Hey, look at the Oreo package… Do you prefer the cookie or the cream?"

Nala rolled her eyes at the racist remark. Everyone knows that Oreo is two black cookies with a white cream in the middle. Looking at white-skinned Melodie next to her, it's obvious that the man said how Melodie is cream while Nala is the cookie. And his tone of voice indicated that he is interested in more than just catcalling.

Nala balled her hands into fists. So far, no one talked to her in such a crude way.

"Don't stop…", Nala told Melodie when she saw with her peripheral vision that those five men are walking toward them in hurried steps.

One of the guys which seems to be the leader, sprang into a sprint and blocked their way, a split second later, two more of his companions joined him.

Nala exhaled while thinking that they can't leave this place without an incident.

"What do you want?", Melodie asked them impatiently.

Nala noticed that the last two men are behind them. They are surrounded.

"Are you leaving? It's too early.", the leader-man reached to hold Melodie's hand. "Come with me. I will show you some good time."

Melodie is not willing to let him have his way. She confronted more than one despicable man in her life. Melodie slapped his hand away and raised her chin proudly.

"Keep your dirty hands to yourself!", she brushed him off.

The man scowled and lunged toward Melodie, in a stance to grab her with both hands.

He was met with Nala's kick which sent him flying sideways. He fell on the ground hard.

His four companions were stupefied, staring at their leader on the ground without a word. It's obvious that they didn't expect that a skinny girl can retaliate like that.

"What are you looking at? Get them!", the leader-man growled.

Nala pushed Melodie behind her and watched four men approach her slowly.

The man from the ground was getting up with an angry grunt.

The four men rushed toward Nala.

There is four of them, but they are only street bullies and Nala had no problems avoiding their attacks while delivering hers. Few seconds later, men were stumbling backward. One was holding onto his chest, the second one onto his arm, while the last two fell on the ground.

The leader looked at his men in disbelief and then turned to glare at Nala. "You can fight them off? Can you fight off this?", he extended his arm toward her while holding onto a gun.

"Nala!", Haru called while running as fast as he could. He jumped over the hoods of two cars, anxious to join Nala.

The man with a gun turned to Haru and his hand moved as well. He didn't have an intention to shoot, he only wanted to scare the girls into obedience but when he saw Haru approaching him at a great speed, he panicked and applied pressure on the trigger.

Haru leaped to the right and at that moment there was a gunshot.

Nala is confident that her heart stopped. Haru rolled and landed on his feet and after a moment, he resumed his movements.

The leader-man cursed when he realized that he missed, and he was aiming again when Nala rushed toward him and started raining punches on him. First punch made him drop the gun.

Haru took care of the other four troublemakers.

"Are you OK?", Haru asked Nala when five men on the ground could not move anymore.

She rushed into his embrace. "Yeah. You?"

He smiled. "Let's go."

…

In the hotel…

Nala extended her hand toward Melodie. "Your phone…"

Melodie frowned, but she gave her cell phone to Nala.

Nala turned it off and asked. "Do you have any other device that connects to any network?"

Melodie said that she doesn't.

"Tomorrow you will get new identity and new devices." Nala gave a bag to Melodie. "Here you will find a change of clothes. You can shower and rest. In about two hours more people will come and then we will decide when we are leaving this hotel." Nala gestured toward the door which connects two suites. "We will be on the other side. If you need anything, let us know. Don't call room service or anyone else."

"Yes, yes…", Melodie responded while looking inside the bag with clothes.

Nala was happy that all this ended well. She left Melodie and headed to the other suite where Haru is.

She found him in the living room. He was removing his blazer in slow movements.

"Haru!", Nala exclaimed when she saw that his left sleeve is stained with blood.

She didn't notice anything before, because he was wearing a dark blue blazer but blood on the white fabric is impossible to hide.

"Let me see…", her voice was full of concern, and her expression as well.

She swiftly unbuttoned his shirt and took it off. She sighed while looking at the cut on his triceps. It is not deep, but it's wide. Like he scraped clean a piece of his skin with a layer of the flesh under it.

"It's just a scratch.", he assured her.

"A scratch? How did you get scratched?", Nala paused when the realization hit her. "The gun."

She wanted to scold him for not telling her that he was hurt. Her mind raced with grim possibilities, what if that man aimed better? He could have killed Haru. What if Haru didn't leap to the side? Nala decided to leave all those questions and scolding for later.

"Don't move. I will get the first aid kit…"

Nala cleaned the wound, applied medicinal cream and put a bandage over it.

During the whole process Haru didn't make a sound. He observed her with a dreamy smile on his face.

"How is that?", she asked when she finished.

"You are beautiful.", he murmured.

Nala was not in the mood to enjoy the compliment. "Can you be more careful? What would I do if it's more serious? What would I do if…?" She could not make herself finish the question.

Haru pulled her to sit in his lap and wrapped his arms around her. Nala leaned on his chest and sighed.

Haru felt that her shoulders are trembling, and he tightened his hold on her.

"I'm sorry.", he said after some time. "I saw him pull a gun at you, and the only thing on my mind was to distract him. I didn't think about the possibility that something might happen to me. I only wanted you to be safe."

Her heart cracked a bit and swelled from the emotions at the same time.

"If you want to take care of me, you need to take care of yourself first.", Nala said.

"I am sorry for worrying you. But if I can do it again, I would not change a thing because if you got hurt…", Haru sighed. "If he shoot me and I died, I would have one regret… How I never told you that I love you."

Nala's head sprang up, almost smacking Haru in the chin and she looked at him with her eyes open wide. "Say it again."

His smile reached his eyes. "I love you, Nala."

She wrapped her arms around him and rested her head on his shoulder.

"I love you too.", she whispered. "Don't you dare die on me. Because I need you by my side, to watch over me."

He closed his eyes and smiled while holding her body tightly pressed against his.

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