Love Aint Always Pretty novel Chapter 56

Verklempt

- completely overcome with emotion

56

Before Nick and I went back to the city proper, we dropped by a diner to get some snacks on the road. Nick went to the bathroom while I was left to order what we could eat on our way back. I stared at the menu right before me while I was waiting for my turn on the cashier for our take out. If I can only buy everything on that menu cos it looks so delicious.

"Miss?"

I moved my head to my right and saw that old woman again from the grocery before. I looked around to find Nick but he wasn't around. My head moved back down to Mrs. Tonkin.

I smiled. "Hello Mrs. Tonkin."

"I'm glad I saw you again. I really need to tell you something important." she says.

"Something important?"

She nods. "Are you alone? Have you left Nick already?"

My brows starts creasing.

"I really don't understand why I should leave Nick." I tell her.

"You have to be careful. If you don't know him that much. He's a very dangerous man." She says and I could see the fear in her eyes while she tells me.

I looked around again.

"Why?" I asked.

"He will kill you." She tells me.

My eyes widened.

"Like how he killed them." She added.

"Them?" I asked.

"Mom! There you are."

I looked around and another man walked towards us and grabbed Mrs. Tonkin. He held her on his arms. "Let's go?" He asked her and she nods.

"Listen to me and be careful." She tells me once again.

"What are you even saying mom?" He asked her.

"She's seeing Nick Wilde. I'm just warning her, son."

He moved his head to me with huge eyes and seemed to be in fear too when he heard Nick's name.

"Please be careful around him." He says to me. "Cmon mom. Let's go." He tells her right away.

I watch them walk away from me while I was left in total confusion. I'm so confused. I'm so lost. But I couldn't believe what I just found out. The look on their faces makes me want to believe it. Nick killed someone? Who? How many?

Oh my gosh!

Did he kill Catherine?

Or did he kill some men who flirted to Catherine?

Oh my goodness.

"It's your turn." A voice speaks to me.

I moved to my side and saw Nick standing right next to me. I stared into his eyes, hoping that there could be some mistake about what they told me. There could be some misunderstanding or a mistake identity about that. Nick couldn't have killed someone. Nick couldn't do that. Nick won't kill someone. Nick wouldn't. I know Nick can't do that.

"Savannah?" He snaps.

I nod and moved closer to the counter. We said out our orders but my mind is still bothered about what they said to me. It makes me want to believe them and what they said. Now, looking at Nick, they could be right. He is mysteriously secretive. He doesn't want me to know about his past. He doesn't like answering questions. What happened eight years ago Nick? What did you do eight years ago? What's that thing you don't want me to know? What are you hiding from me?

Nick and I drove back to the city and got back to WSU around two in the afternoon. I wanted to ask him about it. I wanted to ask him about what I found out. I wanted to ask him who it was if it was true? Mrs. Tonkin said, them, now I want to know how many. I wasn't in the mood to get to the rest of my class today cos of what I found out. I didn't really care about what I missed today, but I'm really bothered about who Nick killed.

I hear a slamming of the door. "So that's why you weren't here the entire weekend."

That voice.

I moved my head up and saw Cameron. Holy shit he's here. God damn it, why is he here? This isn't a good time for this! Cameron is even adding to my problem right now. He can't see me with Nick. Cameron just can't see him being with me cos I'm sure he knows that Nick is a frat guy and Nick is wearing their frat shirt.

Kill me now! Argh!

"Cameron." I say as he walks closer.

Cameron looks at Nick. "I told you to stay away from frat men! I specifically told you about that! And now you're with this fucking asshole the entire time?"

"Ron!" I warned.

"Savannah, why do you know him?" Nick asked me with confusion in his face.

Cameron laughed through his nostrils and looks back at Nick. "I should be the one asking you why you know my sister."

"Sister?" Nick asked in disbelief.

I nod. "He's my older brother, Nick."

Nick's eyes flared momentarily while they were looking at me. I could tell from his face that he couldn't believe what he heard from me.

"Get in my fucking car this instant, Savannah!" Cameron says to me.

"Ron you don't have to yell. People are looking at us!" I tell him.

He moved his head to me and looks at me so angrily. I always get really really scared when Cameron is mad cos he turns into a complete different man. I'm so dead. I'm really totally dead once we'll be alone. He's gonna be so mad at me and I'm sure he'll tell dad about this. Damn it!

"I don't give a fuck about these people looking at us, now get inside the fucking car or so help me god I will!" He raises his voice at me.

I exhale heavily and then glared Nick.

"Go Savannah." Nick tells me.

Cameron grabbed my arm and dragged me towards his car. "You don't have to drag me Cameron!"

"I will if I have to!" He opens the passenger door. "Now get inside!"

I stepped inside passenger seat as I watch Nick outside while he was looking back at me. Cameron slams the door and starts the engine right away. He leaves the campus while drives so abruptly fast.

"I told you to fucking stay away from frat men! I fucking told you!" He starts yelling now.

"Oh don't be such a dickhead Cameron. Nick is the nicest guy I know in WSU! You're just freaking out cos you saw his shirt! You don't know him!" I tell him.

He steps on the brake. "You don't even know that guy that well! Savannah that guy has a criminal record! Now don't tell me I don't know him cos I fucking do!"

My eyes dilated. So it's true. Nick really did kill someone.

"He has been in prison for fuck's sake! He killed someone Savannah! He's a murderer! When he stepped in WSU as a freshman, I was a senior and everyone were so scared of him cos he just got out of prison that time. Anna, I told you to stay away from frat men and now I find you hanging out with an ex-convict?!" Cameron was still yelling.

"Enough Cameron! I heard enough! Just start the car and take me where you wanna take me. Damn it." I spit.

I couldn't believe it. It's true. It's really true. Nick killed some people. I feel like crying cos I'm still forcing myself he couldn't do it even though people are already telling me he's a killer. I love him so much and my love for him is blinding me about the facts laid out before me. I'm too in love with Nick to believe it. I wanted to scream out that they're all lying to me. I wanted to scream what I feel right now. I want to be alone.

"Stay away from him, Savannah." I hear Cameron tells me, calmly now.

"This is not a warning anymore but an instruction. Stir. Clear. From Nick Wilde. Do you hear me?" He added.

I paused.

"Loud and clear." I answer quickly.

•••••

Later that night, Cameron had already went back home. I lay on my bed and Tracy left me with a note that she was out for two days for her field trip to a company where she is being offered for an internship. I'm happy for her but I just need her now. I need to know about everything cos if she won't tell me the truth, it's already driving me insane. I need answers. I need the truth.

I grabbed my cardigan and placed it over me. I rushed out of the room and hailed a cab. I need to find the answers. I need to know the answers of my questions. When I arrived where I needed to be, I stepped out of the cab and ran to the front door. I rang the doorbell and waited for someone to open the door. I rang the doorbell again and finally someone opens it for me.

"Where's Nick?" I asked.

The boy looks at me then at the men behind him.

"Where is Nick? Tell me now or I swear to God!" I say, I'm not scared anymore. I don't care if this was the house of frat men. I just need to talk to him.

Alec pushes the boy aside and looks at me. "He's upstairs. But he doesn't want anyone to go inside."

"I wanna talk to him." I say sternly.

"He said--"

"I know what you've been hiding from me Alec! Now I need to talk to Nick! I need to know if it's true! I need to hear it from him. Now let me in!" I raised my voice.

He sighs while opening the door a little bit wider. I rushed inside, not caring about the other men who were looking at me. I marched my way upstairs and headed to Nick's room. I stood right outside his room while I see the other frat men with Alec on the stairway looking at me as if there was going to be a show.

I looked back at the door and start knocking. As expected, he didn't say anything. I knock again, even louder. But he's not answering still. I knock once more, louder and continuous until he strongly opened the door with a pissed face but when he saw me, his frown straightened. He stands in front of me with a plain white sleeveless and his black boxers. He looks at me intently and then gazes at the other frat men.

"I warned her." Alec says to him.

Nick moved his head back to me and looked at me ruefully. "Let me in." I say.

"Shouldn't you be with Cameron?"

"Let me in Nick. We need to talk." I spit.

He sighs and grabs my hand. Nick pulls me inside his room and closed the door behind my back. His room was entirely dark. No light around and not even a light from the lampshade beside his bed. It's complete darkness. He lets go of my hand and I feel him walking to somewhere far from me. Until he turns on the light from the lamp. He looks back at me.

"Why are you here?" He asked me.

"Tell me the truth. Tell me the truth Nick cos it's making me insane." I say.

He looks at me while he crosses his arms together. He's protecting himself again. He's putting up that stupid armor again.

"I need answers Nick." I added.

"Please." I begged as tears started building up in my eyes.

Nick exhales while he keeps his eyes glued on the floor. He's not answering.

"Is it true?" I asked.

He slightly pulled his head up and looked at me intently.

"Mrs. Tonkin said something to me back at the diner a while ago, so did her son. Cameron told me something too and it all leads to one thing Nick." I say.

He breathes heavily.

"Did you really... kill someone?" I asked with my voice shaking.

I feel my lips trembling as I feel a pit of sorrow in my stomach.

"Answer me Nick!" I yelled.

He runs his fingers through his hair and he's having a hard time looking for the words to say to me.

"Yes." He answered.

My tears crawled out from my eyes as I feel my heart being pounded. I don't want to believe it. I don't want to believe what he just admitted to me cos what he showed to me was a man who couldn't do such a sinful thing. He's an ex-convict. He murdered someone. Oh god.

I fell in love with a murderer.

"Tell me about your past please?" I asked breathlessly.

__________

SFTC:

Gravity - Sara Bareilles