Chapter 4 - Sayid
Basketball isn’t exactly my sport. But, if there is any chance that Nora will be there, that means Tyson is going to be there too. So I will be watching over her from my spot in the shaded VIP balcony area. She will most likely not notice my presence, but that is how I prefer it. Observing from afar. I even order my security to sit down so they don’t draw attention.
I am not going to play, merely observe, and make sure Tyson keeps his distance from Nora. The private outdoor courts are alive with movement. From my spot, I can see both the basketball and tennis courts. But I am closest to the court Liam reserved. The afternoon sun casts a warm glow over the court as Liam and his groomsmen warm up.
Eliza and her bridal party are on the sidelines sitting around the umbrella covered tables nearest to me, and are more focused on their drinks, and gossip, then they are on the court. Liam, Zahir, and two others I am not familiar with, are joined by Tyson. And then, out of the corner of my eye, I see Nora.
She is walking across the property, towards the courts. She pauses for a moment, and stops to talk with two little kids playing with chalk. She bends down with them, grabbing a piece of chalk, and begins drawing something on the ground near them. I can’t tell what it is from this distance, but I can see the smiles spreading on the kids' faces.
She finishes the drawing, puts down the chalk, and starts jumping, well hopping. She made them a hopscotch grid. That coiling sensation tightens in my chest again, and I can’t help smiling in response. She had taken the time to put a smile on a kid’s face she didn’t even know. She is absolutely wonderful, and pure of heart.
I glance over towards Tyson. How could someone ever want to take away her happiness and hurt someone like her? My jaw clenches, and I grip my glass tighter at the thought.
Liam spots Nora as she approaches and waves her over. “Come on Tiny! We need you.” His voice carries over the court. Nora smiles, as she waves him off with a slight hesitation, glancing between the court and the bridal party at the tables.
“Come on, we need one more for a three on three. Don’t make me beg,” Liam teases, spinning the ball on his finger. “You know I’ll do it.” The others on the court egg her on. I can see the conflicted look on her face.
She hesitates for another moment before grinning, rolling her shoulders back in a quiet, determined way I find fascinating. “Fine I’ll play, but just remember you asked for it when you can’t keep up with me,” she teases them as she walks on the court.
“You, me, and Liam, against those pricks,” Zahir calls out as Liam tosses her the ball. She is at least a foot shorter than all of them but Zahir. Zahir is just an inch shorter than I am at five feet, ten inches. I can see why Liam calls her Tiny.
My focus shifts as I hear the bridal party gossiping louder. “She’s really going to play,” one of them scoffs. “God, she’s such a tomboy.”
Another snickers. “This is why no one takes her seriously. No man is looking for a woman who acts like one of the guys.”
“She’s so desperate for attention ,” one of the women retorts, her voice thick with disdain. “ It’s honestly pathetic. ”
The other one snickers again. “It’s because she’s got nothing else. No bridesmaid spot, no boyfriend, no status. Just a loner.”
Pathetic? Loner? My grip tightens around my glass. These women wouldn’t last a day in her world. They speak as if she’s beneath them, as if their status and decorum make them untouchable. But they don’t realize—they are the ones who blend into the background. She is the one who stands out. And I can’t take my eyes off of her.
Nora moves with ease on the court. She’s quick. Agile. Moving like she’s played a hundred times before. I watch as she dodges, spins, and sinks a clean jump shot from the top of the key, followed by a three pointer. Zahir cheers, and Liam claps her on her back. The bridesmaids grow quiet.
Then there’s Tyson. I can already see the shift in his demeanor. He is playing too aggressively, he’s cocky, and is too physical when Nora gets the ball again. His presence near her is suffocating, crowding her space, reaching too close.
I can’t help but to lean forward slightly over the ledge, my gaze narrowing on Tyson. Nora doesn’t back down, though. She pushes past him, dribbling low, slipping under his reach like she’s done it a thousand times. But then—Tyson gets too close.
The moment happens in a flash. A foul. His arm hooks around Nora’s waist, pulling her off balance. It’s subtle, something he could pass off as a mistake, but I see it for what it is.
Nora stumbles, catching herself before she falls completely. She shakes it off, laughing under her breath as Liam bumps her shoulder, and glares at his brother. My jaw clenches tightly as I look across the court at Tyson, watching for his reaction. I lower my shades and we lock eyes. It’s a silent warning. He is first to break our gaze, rolling his eyes.
The game continues, and Nora is completely unaware of the silent battle being waged in my head, or perhaps my heart. Completely unaware that she is being watched over, and protected from afar.
Nora is holding her own, outmaneuvering even the most competitive groomsmen. I track every move she makes, and every dynamic shift in the game. My admiration for her grows even further.
I am not only watching Nora, but still keeping a close eye on Tyson. I see all the subtle changes in his body language—the way his stance tightens when Nora gets the ball, how he positions himself just enough in her space to make her uncomfortable. It’s deliberate. Calculated.
Then Nora cuts toward the basket. Liam passes to her, and she barely has time to react before Tyson is there—this time not just blocking, but physically stepping in her path. Instead of reaching for the ball, he grabs her waist, pinning her arms, yanking her backward into him and picking her up.
A sharp yelp escapes her lips, echoing across the court as she struggles against him. Her legs instinctively thrash against him, kicking in response. “Let go of me!” Her voice is firm, but panicked—laced with an instinctive fight-or-flight reaction. This is unacceptable.
Tyson grins, trying to play it off. “Relax, Tiny. It’s just a game, we’re having fun.” My jaw tightens, and I start to maneuver over the railing, but Liam is already moving towards them. Fast. Just as Tyson sets Nora down, Liam shoves Tyson back hard. I stand down for now, and observe.
“Enough!” Liam’s voice is sharp, his usual easy going demeanor completely gone. “Keep your hands off of her!” Silence stretches across the court. Everyone is watching now. The bridal party, and the rest of the family members that are gathered around.
Tyson straightens, rolling his shoulders back as if he’s trying to act unbothered and shake it off. But I catch the flicker of something uneasy in his eyes. And I notice how Liam is watching him differently now too.
Liam turns to Nora, claps a hand on her shoulder. She nods her head at him, and goes to retrieve the ball. She isn’t going to let Tyson stop her from finishing the game. As Nora reaches the ball that rolled between the three point arc and the half court line, she picks it up, and pauses for a moment as she faces the hoop.
She turns towards Liam, and a grin spreads across her face. Then she does the most perfect flip throw I have ever seen. Like one right out of the FIFA World Cup. Except instead of launching a soccer ball onto a field, when she lands on her feet, she shoots the ball, and makes the shot. Swish, nothing but net. Damn.
She ends her performance by flipping Tyson off. Zahir’s shocked outburst of laughter fills the silence on the court, as Tyson’s team collects the ball to play on. “There she is, there’s our firecracker popping off. You all better watch out now, she’s in the zone.” Liam’s face is full of admiration, and pride.
As the game continues, drawing to the end, Liam now stands slightly in front of Nora, a silent shield between her and Tyson. I see the shift in Liam’s posture—not just anger, but recognition. Understanding. Liam knows something that I don’t. There has to be more than just the incident on the yacht.
I tried hard to recall every conversation I had with Zahir regarding Nora. I remember the first time I heard her name. I took Zahir and Liam out for New Years during their Freshman year. Zahir was hesitant to bring Liam out because of how preoccupied he was with thoughts of his friend from back home. He was worried because his friend was not acting normal, and he couldn’t get her to tell him why.
I had a hunch deep down that this was about her and Tyson. It was now clear that Liam knew Tyson was the reason as well. And in this moment, I felt added respect for Liam. He was a good man, the kind of man who doesn’t let history repeat itself.
I relax a bit, taking a sip of my drink. Liam doesn’t drop his guard the rest of the game. Nora sinks the last shot, a deep three pointer, and helps win the game for her team. Tyson scoffs, throwing up his hands as he walks off the court, muttering something under his breath before stalking away.
Nora exhales slowly, trying to shake everything that happened during the game off. I can see by the look in her eyes exactly how shaken she really is. I call over my waitstaff and have an extra cup filled with ice chips sent to her. I know how much she likes to crunch on them to cool down.
“You good, Tiny?” Nora nods, but I know better. Liam looks directly up at me, acknowledging my presence. And with a nod, a silent understanding seems to pass between us. We both knew that Tyson would never stop trying to get close to Nora. As much as I enjoyed watching the fire stir in her eyes, I am afraid that Tyson will retaliate.
∞∞∞
By the time I enter the rehearsal dinner space, things are in full swing. I originally hadn’t planned on attending this particular event, because I am not part of the wedding party, or family. But after the earlier events of the basketball game, I can't risk leaving Nora exposed to Tyson while Liam is preoccupied.
The ballroom is buzzing with conversation and laughter, while trays of exquisite food are being passed around by wait staff. This dinner is more like a cocktail hour, than an actual formal dinner. People are mostly standing around, and I soon spot Nora near the back of the room, talking with two of Liam’s younger teenage cousins.
Her hair is down now, free from the ponytail she had it in earlier. She is wearing a simple black blouse, and dark blue jeans. The way the lights reflect off of her red hair is absolutely mesmerizing.
I decide to stay at the opposite side so I can watch from afar, and keep an eye on both Nora and Tyson. I see Tyson across the room, leaning against the bar, eyeing Nora from a distance. His posture is casual, but there’s something about the way he watches her that has me on edge.
He’s far too calculated, too purposeful in his movements. I’ve seen men like him before. His gaze lingers on her, almost predatory, and I can feel the familiar stir of irritation in my chest.
He has a glass of champagne at the bar in front of him. Tyson’s body tenses as he reaches into his pocket. With a swift, almost imperceptible motion, Tyson brings the drink down off the bar to meet his other hand. My pulse quickens, and I watch as he slips something into the drink. Tyson’s gaze flicks back towards Nora.
My jaw tightens. I don’t need to see more to know exactly what he's doing. Playing the same game he’s always played—manipulate, control, take what he wants. But not with her. Not this time.
Without hesitation, I swiftly move towards the bar. My approach is silent, not wanting to draw attention to myself. And before Tyson steps in Nora’s directions, I have positioned myself between them.
“I think you have forgotten who your host is.” My voice comes out calm and clear, but with an intentional warning behind it.
Tyson freezes, he slowly looks up, caught off guard by my presence. “ Oh, Sayid. Didn’t see you there. I was just bringing Nora a drink.”
“How considerate of you. But I’ve actually already ordered her a drink, and I think it’ll be a better choice.” Tyson doesn’t flinch, but I can see the flicker of annoyance in his eyes. Tyson’s grip on the glass tightens, his jaw setting. He knows I am aware, but he doesn’t back down.
“I didn’t realize you were so concerned with Nora’s preferences.”
“ I’m not concerned with her preferences. I am the host of this event, and I’m simply concerned with what’s in that drink.” Tyson’s eyes narrow, a silent challenge passes between us. I stand my ground, my expression unreadable, but my body language is unyielding. Tyson knows that the power dynamics in this room have just shifted.
Without breaking eye contact, I subtly signal to the bartender with a slight tilt of my head. The bartender immediately takes action, placing another glass of champagne on the counter, followed by the drink I previously ordered for Nora. A waitress comes over, taking the glass from Tyson, exchanging it for the fresh one.
“Go ahead and enjoy that one before you leave. Oh, and Tyson, that's your last drink for the night. Don't even think about attending the lounge party later.”
Tyson hesitates for a fraction of a second, but then, with a forced smile, and a dangerous look in his eyes, he heads away from Nora. As he walks away, I take a deep breath. I know the threat is neutralized for now, and I move back into the crowd. I'll keep her safe, no matter the cost.
I motion for one of the wait staff to bring Nora her drink. My eyes are on Nora the entire time. Patiently watching her reaction, and waiting for the moment her eyes find mine.