My Bestie's Dad Likes Me Wet-Chapter 131 Call

NALA POV

I had decided I was getting out of this building one way or the other and I was going to be strategic about it.

For the first time since our underground stay began I woke up and prepped eagerly, like I could feel something useful on the other side of the day.

I had a plan and the plan had one moving part and that moving part was Nova.

Nova, who was the warmest person in this building. Nova, who left her door open and offered her space and meant it. Nova, who trusted people easily because she was built from a different material than the rest of us.

I knocked twice on her door and waited.

She was bent over her laptop typing with the kind of intensity that meant her brain was somewhere else entirely, somewhere with a plot and characters and problems she had invented herself and could actually solve.

Her twins were parked side by side on the small sofa with their cartoon headphones clamped over their heads, staring into their iPads with the complete religious devotion that only children and screens can produce together.

Aurora was asleep in her makeshift cot looking like a person who had no idea there was anything wrong with the world and I envied her genuinely.

Nova eventually looked up and her face did that thing it always did, opened immediately into warmth like a reflex.

"Oh, hi Nala, my head was in the fantasy world."

"I could see that. Looks like the next bestseller is coming together, I wouldn’t want to take much of your time."

"Oh stop it, there’s nothing like that. Come in and get comfortable."

I smiled innocently. Everything was going well so far.

"Are you okay? I heard about Giulia disturbing you the other day and I planned to drop by but my hands have been so full."

"I understand Nova, you’re a superwoman and I shouldn’t add my worries to your baggage."

"Thanks for understanding. When Ivin told me you might be—"

"Ivin?" I kept my voice even. "Ivin told you about Giulia?"

"Yeah. He mentioned it wasn’t the first time either. He had to call Luca. Luca Vitellio, Giulia’s husband, I think you’ve met him?"

"Yeah, not officially though."

"So Ivin had to blast Luca who in turn called his wife to order but Giulia can be stubborn and doesn’t necessarily listen to her husband at the best of times." She shook her head lightly. "If you have any more issues with her just let me know. Or you can come hang out with me and the kids whenever you want, if you won’t find it boring."

"Thank you Nova, I really appreciate you looking out for me but I’ll be fine. I’ve been through worse. Lena has been a help too."

"Lena?" Something moved through her expression, quick and complicated.

"Yeah. Lena Calloway, your... I don’t know what you two are now. Ex bestie or step daughter?"

She went quiet. Her face went briefly empty of everything before she plastered the smile back on but this time I knew it was the decorative version, the one she put up when she needed a moment behind it.

"So is there anything I can help you with today?"

Right. That. If Ivin had already been talking to Nova then this plan might have a shorter runway than I thought but there was no knowing without trying.

"Can I borrow your phone? I just want to scroll the internet for a few minutes. Looking at the wall several times a day is doing something to my brain and I’m more familiar with you than anyone else here so I figured—"

"Sure." She unplugged it from beside her computer and tossed it to me like it was the most normal request in the world.

"Pin is 04251."

I typed it and the phone unlocked to a wallpaper of Nova and her husband half naked and kissing, a wide blue body of water behind them, the two of them looking like people who had figured something out that the rest of the world was still working on.

"Thank you. Do you mind if I use it outside, I don’t want to wake Aurora."

"Of course, go ahead."

She was already typing furiously before I even pulled the door shut behind me.

I left it open the way I found it and made my way back to my room, dialed Ethan’s number with my heart already doing something hopeful and stupid in my chest before he even picked up.

It rang twice.

"Ethan."

"Oh. It’s you."

"Yes it’s me, I had to borrow a phone to call you because I don’t have one, and—"

"Where have you been? I need five hundred dollars sent to my cashapp, it’s urgent."

"Ethan, you’re not hearing me, I’ve been—"

"Talk to you later, Veronica is around."

He hung up.

I sat on the edge of my bed and stared at Nova’s wallpaper. Veronica is my brother’s girlfriend who I have personally caught with different men on more than one occasion and who my brother told me I was jealous and lying about.

He hung up on me for her after I rushed everything to borrow a phone just to hear his voice and the last thing he said before hanging up was that he needed five hundred dollars.

The phone buzzed.

Ethan again.

"You haven’t sent the money."

"Ethan, you knew Ivin took me and you’re not even concerned about—"

"Ivin? Who the fuck is Ivin? Scar told me

you’re working off my debt already, that’s all I need to know."

"No. I was taken, I don’t even know where I am and are you not paying them back? If you don’t pay I won’t be released."

"Where am I supposed to find that money from? Just do whatever it is you’re doing there so they stop disturbing me. I haven’t even healed properly from the last beating."

"But Ethan, Ivin is your—"

"Who is Ivin?"

"Your best friend. From high school. Same Ivin that lent us his bike that time when we needed to—"

"Oh. That Ivin. What about him."

"He is the one you owe. He is the one who took me and I don’t know where I am."

There was a brief pause and I was genuinely grateful, thinking my brother was finally running the information through his head like a person who loved me.

"Can you still cashapp me the five hundred?"

I pressed my palm flat against my forehead.

"There’s cash in my bag at Sue’s place." I said it slowly.

"I went through all your stuff already. I only found two hundred and I’ve spent that but I need more."

"Ethan, I am being held somewhere because of your debt—"

"Stop with the kidnap drama, they said you’re working it off. Just endure it, at least I’m walking around free. That’s better for both of us right?"

"When were you released?"

"Few days ago, I think. Also I forgot to mention, I found a new bag in your stuff. Veronica liked it so I gave it to her. You’ll work hard and buy another one right? I love you, bye—"

"No. Ethan. Ethan don’t you dare—"

Silence.

"Ethan. Fuck, Ethan—"

"Nala."

I looked up.

Nova was standing in the doorway of my room with her hand extended, her expression apologetic.

"Can I have my phone back please? Ivin just called. He said you’re not to have access to phones."