Chapter22: Wrong place, wrong time.
That day, Nami was going to die of boredom because, unlike usual, she had woken up very early, that's why, time passed slowly, she felt that every second took forever as she passed in slow motion, at first she tried to watch TV which didn't work due to her lack of attention and patience, her thumb was continually tapping the buttons on the remote, that involuntary repetitive motion was the manifestation of the irritation that boiled Nami's blood, when she realized that what she was doing was ineffective against boredom, she turned off the device and decided to read something.
The redhead picked up an old magazine that was dated last month, and like with television, she couldn't concentrate, she got even more annoyed, despite this, she insisted on her super fast reading, turning the pages wearily and sighing with more and more irritation, she was like a threatened person with a knife to her throat, if she stops reading, the pulpit of her neck will be cut off; she came to her limit when she began to read a scandal about a star who had drug problems, sympathizing with the poor actress because she could understand her, since she was in the same situation as her, Nami swore that if the reporter who wrote the article fell into her hands, she was going to strangle him.
Crumpling the magazine and throwing it to the ground, Nami began to think of a way to occupy her boundless emptiness, since arriving in Raftel her life had become similar to that of an animal, eating and sleeping, that's all, she had no occupation, because of that she had for the first time enjoyed doing the household chores, at least she was doing something; and to add to her unhappiness a dose, she had another problem, she did not feel comfortable in hospitals and the place where she lived now was one, even after spending several months there, she still couldn't get used to it.
Nami opened the window and enjoyed the beautiful natural view, it was a beautifully pleasant day, the sky was a calming blue color as the sun lit up with soft hues, radiating the earth's surface with its brilliant golden light, it was a waste to stay locked in a room when it was so nice outside, plus Nami's last outing was several days ago, which is why she felt suffocated.
Without further ado, Nami picked up her phone and dialed Shachi's number, she had decided to go to town, but unfortunately, she needed a driver to get there because she couldn't walk there, not only did she have to walk a very long distance but also she will pass through the forest.
"Hi." Shachi said after he picked up, the hesitation in his voice couldn't go unnoticed by Nami, she guessed it was because of yesterday's event, the woman was angry with him because he was like even one of the participants in Law's masquerade, but she needed him right now, which is why she will save the settling of accounts for later.
"I want to go out," She growled, not even bothering to greet him to point out that she hasn't forgiven him. "Can you take me to town?"
"I have a lot of work today." He replied after clearing his throat several times, embarrassed to have to refuse Nami's request.
"Isn't there someone else who can take me?" She asked insistently, not wanting to give up her idea of going out, she knew that if she was going to spend another day in her room, she was going to have a depression, she was not used to living a calm life without ambiance, she needed something new to happen.
"No, with the end of the month and the boss's injury, everyone is busy today because of the work that has piled up." Shachi explained after taking a moment to think.
"So I'll take a taxi." She concluded, thinking aloud.
"No taxi will dare venture into the Trafalgar Law area." Shachi pointed out quickly, believing she was talking to him.
"I don't even dare to ask why," Nami sighed as she began to consider going for a hike in the middle of the forest as her last hope was dissolved. "Okay, so I'll find another solution."
"Wait!" He screamed alert when the woman was about to end the call, he remembered one thing that could be a solution for Nami. "I'm going to drop Lamy into town and pick her up tonight, if you don't mind going out with her, you can go with her."
"Doesn't that bother her?" Nami asked as her face contorted in annoyance, she didn't want to approach Law's sister, because Lamy probably shared similarities with him, especially when it comes to personality, but Nami wanted so badly to go out, that's why, she couldn't refuse even if the devil himself was going to accompany her.
"Of course not," Shachi laughed in a way, as if the woman was talking nonsense, completely forgetting the discomfort he felt when talking to her. "Wait for me in front of the entrance at 1:00 p.m."
"Okay." She nodded before hanging up, her brown eyes staring into space as the memories of the day before filled her mind, Law had once again made Nami regret, after Buggy's story, she had forgiven him for his evil gesture and she started to trust him again, but that was a big mistake, because he didn't deserve it.
And now Nami was going to spend the day in the company of the woman who had kindled the flame of jealousy inside her because of a stupid misunderstanding, as a result of that, she had become the laughing stock of everyone, after a short reflection, she realized that she had rushed into accepting Shachi's request, Lamy might turn out to be a pain in the ass like her brother and maybe try to cause her problems, but the redhead quickly chased away negative ideas because after the brief contact she had with Law's sister, she had noticed that the woman did not look dangerous, on the contrary, she looked harmless and sensitive, the proof was she who had informed her of the truth the day before, which showed that Lamy was a sincere woman.
Nami used to suspect everyone because she herself was dangerous and untrustworthy, therefore, she was very suspicious of others, carefully looking for negative points in them, while the biggest problem was inside her, if she bothered to look at herself every now and then, she would find a bunch of terrible flaws.
When Nami felt more enthusiastic, the time had passed quickly and the meeting time arrived, wanting to be presentable in front of Lamy and to make a good impression in front of her, Nami exaggerated her outfit a bit, she looked like she was going out on a date with a man, she was so sexy with her black leather skirt that fell to half of her thighs, a red ribbed tube top and black boots; as she got ready to step outside, she sprayed herself with her perfume and ran her fingers through her long, curly hair to give it some volume.
Slowly descending the stairs completely forgetting that she was already ten minutes late, Nami felt satisfied as she captured all the gazes of passers-by with her appearance, deep inside she wanted Law to see her like this so that he realized what he had just lost because of his stupidity.
As she walked over to the car, Nami waved to greet the two people inside who their faces looked tired of waiting for her to come.
"I'm sorry for the delay," Nami apologized after she sat down in the middle of the back seat, resting her arms on either side on the backs of the front seats. "I hadn't noticed the time."
"Yeah, yeah, I know." Shachi muttered apparently used to waiting for the woman who was always late, the car roared as he started to drive at a rapid speed, he had a lot of work to do during the day, therefore, he had no time to waste driving.
"I was very happy when Shachi told me you will come with me," Lamy said after she turned her head so she could look at Nami, her voice was so sweet and sincere, that it managed to get under the icy guard of the redhead. "Glad to see that you don't blame me for what happened yesterday."
"You're the only person I can't blame," Nami said, smiling at the other woman. "You're the only one who had the courage to tell me the truth." She added in a loud tone, aiming at Shachi who was pretending not to listen to the conversation going on a few inches close to his ear which had quickly turned red.
"So what are you going to do today?" Lamy asked excitedly, the cheerful expression on her face made Nami doubt that she shared the same blood with a man as cranky as Law.
"Nothing special," Nami replied as she tried to find similarities between Lamy and her brother, her brown eyes were examining the face of the woman in front of her because she hadn't had a chance to do it before, looking at her now without the feeling of jealousy she had before, she noticed that Lamy was a lovely woman, unlike Law, she exuded the joy of living with her round face and plump cheeks, her big eyes lit up her brown skin and her full mouth was constantly smiling. "I was planning to go shopping and you?" She resumed when she felt that she was making Lamy uncomfortable with her prolonged examination.
"I was just going to get some things from my house and take a shower," Lamy explained before pouting, a painful sadness flooding her heart as she remembered what had happened to her brother. "I came hurriedly when I heard about what had happened to Law, I hadn't had the patience to prepare," chasing the dark expression off her face with a beaming smile. "I think I'll go shopping with you, I'm sure I'll relax."
"There is no better medicine than shopping," Nami pointed out with a wink. "It was approved by scientists."
"Ah women." Shachi sighed, wondering why the ladies were so obsessed with spending money on so many rags that they will only wear once or maybe never, after that, the man felt desperate when the two women started talking excitedly about what they wanted to buy, not realizing where the bond between them came from? Nami and Lamy were chatting with complicity, if anyone other than him could hear them, he would think they had been friends for a long time, not that they had just started their first conversation, the man thought that was the magic of shoping and that maybe the scientists who approved it were right.
After they were dropped off by Shachi at a shopping mall in town, Nami and Lamy visited several clothing and shoe stores, buying everything they liked, the shopping took several hours which was tiring, the two women had expended a lot of energy, which is why they had decided to take a break and refresh themselves by eating ice cream.
"I'll take the melba peach." Lamy ordered after spending several minutes thinking and looking at the menu in her hands, in the end, she had decided to take the first proposition on the long list.
"Anything else ladies?" The waiter asked, thanking the god inwardly after the customer had made her decision.
"Water please." Nami replied with a chuckle, noticing the reaction of the waiter who was tired of waiting.
"So we have a peach melba and a banana split," He pointed out to confirm the order, praying that the brown haired woman doesn't change her mind like before. "I'll be right back, ladies." He sighed in relief before quickly slipping away.
"So," Lamy hummed as her gaze grew sly. "How long are you going to avoid answering the question I've asked you a hundred times before?"
"What question?" Nami coughed in embarrassment, pretending not to remember.
"I don't mind repeating it again," Lamy smirked, raising her eyebrows several times in a row. "What's going on between you and Law?" She asked before pointing her index finger at the redhead. "Don't try to change the subject again."
"Okay," The redhead hissed when she had no other choice, the problem was she didn't know the exact answer to that question, that's why, she had avoided answering before because she was thinking. "I don't know what's between Law and me."
"What do you mean?" Lamy blinked, confused by the other woman's response.
"I don't know," Nami insisted, nodding her head from side to side. "At first I thought it was just sexual tension but over time, things got more complicated and other feelings started to appear," She paused to study the words she had just said, apparently without feeling it, she had opened up to the other woman. "Sweetness, joy, attachment, sadness and jealousy is what has been woven between me and your brother."
"Ah," Lamy rang, clapping her hands loudly. "This is love," She remarked before stifling a laugh. "I never thought my brother could love romantically."
"Don't get carried away," Nami hastily stopped her. "It's not love because between me and Law there is also hatred and strong competition, you witnessed what he did to me yesterday."
"It's part of love too," Lamy pointed out, emphasizing the word love. "Love is complicated by nature and for my brother it is much more complicated because it is a weakness for him."
"In the life we lead, there is no place for love," Nami whispered sadly. "If it's really love, then it has to be destroyed before it starts, plus I'm not going to forgive Law for what he did to me yesterday." The last part of her sentence was literally spit out.
Lamy decided not to insist and change the subject when she noticed that the redhead had delved into deep thoughts after her last statement. "Where is the waiter? I want my ice cream."
Nami couldn't continue the conversation as she felt her tongue twisted inside her mouth from the shock she felt in her chest, she had for the first time realized the nature of the feelings she shared with Law, she already knew the man had feelings for her, but she had never known how she felt for him, that was what surprised her at that moment, she had confessed to herself that she was attached to him and it was painful to do so.
After they had finished eating, the two women went to Lamy's because the sun had already set and Shachi was going to come and pick them up soon, when they entered the apartment, the brown haired woman rushed to her bedroom, leaving Nami to wait for her in the living room.
Nami gasped when she heard a muffled cry followed by moans coming from the door where Lamy had entered a few moments earlier, instinctively, she began to walk with silent steps as the alarm flared inside her, when she got to the door, she put her ear to it, trying better to hear the commotion inside the room and gauge the gravity of the situation, panic erupted in her when she heard whispers, from their hoarse voices, they were men and there were two or maybe more, a few moments later, the sound Lamy was making as she struggled died away, meaning she had either passed out, or worse, she was dead.
Nami thought that the attackers in the room were especially waiting for Lamy to arrive, and apparently, they hadn't noticed that she was accompanied because Nami had been silent since their arrival, which means they didn't hear her, feeling her breathing getting hard as her heartbeat quickened, the redhead made her way to the kitchen quickly, she didn't want to run away leaving the other woman in the hands of the criminals and even though she was killed, Nami was going to avenge her, she was going to try to fight, that's why, she picked up a big butcher's knife and when she was about to go attack, as a precaution, she hid a small knife in her right boot in case of trouble.
But luck was not on her side, because as soon as she came out of the kitchen, the bedroom door opened and a tall man who was carrying Lamy on his shoulder had seen her and signaled her presence to his companion who followed him, not knowing what to do, Nami rushed at him, thinking she had a chance to hurt him as his hands were holding Lamy, but with great agility he dodged after having thrown the woman to the ground like a sack of flour, at the same moment his companion took out a weapon from his jacket and pointed it at her.
"If you don't want to die, drop that knife my pretty." The man holding the gun threatened, his murderous eyes proving he was not kidding.
But Nami had squeezed the knife even tighter with her hands as she examined Lamy with her eyes, feeling relieved to see her breathe, plus she was tied up with ropes so she wouldn't escape, which proved she was alive.
"I thought there was only one woman, why is there a second?" The tall man asked with incomprehension.
"I don't know," His companion spat with a frown before looking at Lamy and pointing his finger at her. "This one, she's the woman in the picture," He turned his eyes to Nami. "And her, I feel like she's a problem."
Nami shivered up and down as she understood in the situation, the two men across from her came to kidnap Lamy and a deep feeling told her it had to do with Law.
"So we don't need her," The tall one concluded, starting to walk towards Nami who prepared to attack. "Better get rid of her."
"Stop!" The other growled alert, stopping his comrade. "I want to know first if she's important to the boss's business," He added before squinting at Nami. "Hey you, what's your relationship with this woman?"
"I am," Nami tried to answer before she was choked with anxiety, she felt if she told the truth she was going to be killed, and if this kidnapping was to blackmail Law, she had to make sure she had a connection to him. "I'm her sister," She lied after a moment of thought, using a dramatic tone. "Who are you?" She shouted, pointing an accusing finger at the intruders to sound more believable.
"Listen to me miss, you will kindly follow us if you don't want harm to happen to her." He said changing the target, now he was pointing Lamy with his pistol.
Because of this, Nami threw the knife out of her hands and walked towards them hoping that they had believed her lie, she knew he wasn't going to hurt Lamy as he needed her to blackmail Law, but she even decided to surrender with no problem because she knew that she had no other choice.
"It's your turn." He added, addressing his tall companion as he threw a white rag at him.
As soon as she was within reach of their hands, Nami was pulled sharply by the tall man who hugged her from behind by one arm as he pressed a chemical-soaked rag over her mouth and nose, the redhead realized that he was trying to put her to sleep with chloroform; feeling suffocated, Nami tried to struggle by throwing hard elbows back or clawing her captor's hands with her manicured fingernails.
"She hits like a man," The tall man commented as he took Nami's painful blows. "Why it takes so long, in movies, it's always fast." He complained, trying to hold the woman down.
"Because the movies are not real." His companion sighed, looking at the woman who was starting to calm down little by little.
Nami felt her body grow heavy as her eyes began to involuntarily close, panic choked her throat as she wondered what was going to happen to her and without feeling it, everything had gone dark for her.