Nolan

"Are you coming tonight?"

"I don't think so."

"I knew it but you have to come.You know why it's so important."

"That is the reason. The more I think about it,the more I regret my decision of agreeing.l ll just put myself in an awkward situation."

"No. You wouldn't. You need the exposure and I will make sure of it. I'll pick you up at 7:30. Be ready."

And there was a beep in the phone.

Lauren sighed. She can't win over Emma. If Emma has decided something, even a zombie apocalypse cannot prevent her from doing so. It was Emma only who has stood beside her like a rock throughout the years. No winds of anxiety and outburst of her could erode or change her. She was the same as she was four years before. And she wants her to become what she was like four years ago. And this could be her chance.

Lauren and Emma both met each other at the University. They were both pursuing majors in political science. It was not as if they hit off the second they met. It was a slow gradual process like how stone turns into a rock through metamorphism. In a similar fashion their friendship had turned strong and stronger. At first, it was just an exchange of greetings, notes , visit to cafes and restaurants and sleepovers. How they turned so best of friends even they don't know. But her past does not belong to them but Nolan.......

Emma wanted Lauren to be herself again. Her thoughts drifted to how the things began........... Nolan and Lauren first met each other at a cafe . She and Lauren had gone to celebrate their good results. Nolan too was there. He was there with some of his acquaintances. It was the same as one would expect in a romantic film. Their eyes locked. It was love at first sight. Throughout their meeting,she could experience that Lauren was not listening to her blabbering instead her eyes were fixed something at back of her. When she turned around she was it was not one sided. It was mutual.

The next thing she knew they were hitting off each other in social media. They used to talk day and night. It was quite unusual to her nature to talk to someone whom she has not properly met. But she guessed love does it. There used to be an unique shine in her eyes when she used to talk about him. She had accompanied her to several of their meetings and have been a witness to their sweet endless love talks. He used to praise her coyness, her lustrous deep eyes and her polite and virtuous manners and she used to return his praises through red flushed cheeks,her eyes looking sideways trying not to react but with utter failure. It looked like a perfect eighteenth century classic romantic movie.

But even the sweetest thing comes to an end. There came a halt in a way one could least expect. One day just like that he stopped replying to her messages, stopped responding to her calls. He was not even at his residence. Lauren tried every way but couldn't reach him. It was as if he never existed or just vanished into thin air. And now through a friend , she heard a man of his description, small curly black hair, slender eyes, a handsome face and a chieseled body. And today he was coming to the party........

Emma drove round the city. The lights, the hustle bustle- all were lively. She hoped the same liveliness in Lauren's life. Her house was just opposite to the city's scenario. Dark and deserted. Just like Lauren's life. It is not as if she had not tried to move on. She had tried dating but the horrors of her last session did not her continue doing so. What Lauren needed was a proper closure. She would not her life continue in misery.

An illuminating angel came out of the house. Oh yes! She looked no less than an angel . She had curled her hair, coloured her lips deep pink. She had decorated her eyes with mascara and sequeline eye shadow. She had worn a teal blue one piece. Every curves was greatly appreciated by the dress. She wore the sea blue necklace she had gifted. Emma had never cared about her looks but a look at Lauren made her yearn for her body. Nolan would see what he had missed . She looked like devil in disguise.

" Hello" Lauren said as she seated herself beside her. " Hi, you look stunning." She replied the compliment with a sheepish smile. Both of them sat quiet the entire time. No one knew what to say. Pop music rang in the background. At last, they reached the destination. As Lauren was getting out of the car , Emma said ," All the best." Lauren smiled, " Thanks, not only for this but for being with me even when I was a moron ." There was something else in those beautiful eyes. Emma smiled and winked her eyes.

Even it being the early hour, the party looked like it had reached its climax. Everyone was dancing energetically under the reel of alcohol. Both of their eyes were in search of the someone. After half an hour, her eyes met their solace. He was there , wearing a red leather jacket, white t shirt, pair of black jeans and a thick silver chain. Nothing had changed save the tatoo on his neck. She shaked Emma who started looking in the same direction.

They both moved in his direction. Their eyes locked. She thought she had noticed hesitation in his eyes, but it was replaced by a blank stare. " Why did you leave?" Lauren said. " Pretty straightforward way to approach a stranger." He said. Lauren gave a puzzled look. The lad near him intervened. " Ladies, do you know him ? Actually he had gotten into a terrible road accident two years ago, and received a head injury and has lost his memory. " Where? How?" Lauren asked hastily. " Near Damphere . This lad was driving excessively fast.

Lauren was taking out something from her pulse. Swiftly she put silver bracelets in both their hands. Emma's eyes widened. They were handcuffs. " Nolan Rutherford and Jonas Michael, you both are under arrest for various crimes such as kidnapping, murder , treason and many more. I well do know that there had been no accident there in many years.

Later it was known that Lauren was an undercover cop on a mission to find more about Nolan because he had planned his illegal businesses so well that nowhere his name could be exposure. There had been no accident instead he had changed his name and identity as he had sensed danger. He was out of radar since years. Now one more achievement was added in Lauren's career.