Love Aint Always Pretty novel Chapter 67

Revelation

- usually a secret or a surprising fact that is made known: something that surprises you

67

NICK'S POV

PRESENT DAY

December 22

"Nick!!"

I see Tracy crying as she runs towards me while entering my bedroom. She throws herself at me and I was surprised why on earth she was crying. I hugged her and tried to calm her down but she was literally shaking in fear.

"Hey. What's wrong? Another fight with Clyde?" I asked.

She shakes her head in response and continues crying on my shoulder.

"What's wrong baby sis?" I asked as I cup her cheeks while wiping her tears.

"Nick..." She sobs.

"What? Why are you crying like this? Did something happen to Clyde? Tracy what the hell is going on!" I exclaimed.

"Im sick." She muffled.

My brows creasing as I try to understand what she was trying to say to me. Her eyes tells me that she looks so scared and she keeps shaking her head in disbelief.

"What the fuck do you mean by that?" I demanded an answer.

"I have..." She trails off with a trembling voice.

"I have cancer." She cries.

I paused and watch my own sister cry in terror. I'm trying to sink in what she just said to me. I stand on my feet and shake my head in disbelief of what I said. I pulled my hair back. Fear started growing in me and for no reason I'm so mad. I am literally mad at myself.

"No. That's gotta be a joke. You're not sick. You don't have cancer." I spit as my tears gathers in my eyes.

"Nick.. I went to three different doctors this week to confirm it and it's positive. I have throat cancer." She cries.

I hurriedly ran to her and wrapped my arms around Tracy. Both of us cried. Oh god I don't have any money for her treatment. I'm so scared of what's gonna happen to her.

"Who knows about this?" I asked.

"Just you, me and Clyde. I'm so scared Nick. I'm really scared. I don't wanna die yet." Tracy cries on my shoulder as it breaks my heart even twice as hers.

"The doctor said if it spreads through my head... I'll..." She trails off with her shaky voice. I held her tighter around my arms.

"No. That's not gonna happen to you. I won't let that happen Tracy. Fucking no."

I'm scared too but I need to be strong for her. I kissed her temple and hugged her tight again. "I won't let anything happen to you Tracy. I'll do everything I can to save you. I'm not gonna lose you."

First I lost my mom, then Catherine and my son and now Tracy? Why is god punishing me? What did I ever do wrong to punished like this?

"You're all that's left with me." I say.

December 23

I look at Tracy and finally found the reason of her unexplainable weight loss this week. I thought nothing serious was wrong with her but I guess cancer had strike into my sister too.

"Just go and spend Christmas with Savannah this holiday break. I know she wants you to spend it with her. I can stay at Clyde's." Tracy tells me.

"Trace I need to look after you and make sure you drink your medicines."

She smiles. "I'm fine. I'll be fine. Don't worry too much. Clyde is there to nurse me anyways."

"Trace." I warn her that I want to go with her this break to make sure she is safe.

She hugs me. "Nick I know you love Savannah. Don't be too hard on yourself. I really really like her for you. She loves you so much. So be with her. I'll be okay."

I pulled myself away. "But if something happens to you I'll drive back home as soon as I can and don't you dare tell Clyde not to call me up."

She smiles. "I'll let him call you if something happens."

I kissed her temple. "Please be careful."

"I will." She says weakly.

Her voice had changed too.

December 25

I was thrilled to be spending Christmas here with Savannah's family even though it was clear to see that they hate me for her. Cameron ruined everything last night and now her parents hate me cos they know I was imprisoned for murder. I can see that I'm never enough for her and she's so unreachable just like Catherine. I'm just an ordinary man with a fucked up past that I've been trying to leave behind cos I was starting a new life with Savannah. But I still can't stop thinking about Tracy. As soon as I finished taking a piss, my phone rang inside my pocket.

Clyde calling...

"Hello? Clyde?" I hurriedly answered.

"Nick! It's about Tracy!" He exclaims.

My heart quickly raced. "Why? What's wrong? What happened to Tracy?"

I hear Clyde crying. "Nick she's coughing blood. Blood is coming off her nose too. I'm so scared Nick. Shit!"

My heart pulsated rapidly and I just wanted to go where she is. I wasn't able to say anything cos I'm fucking scared. I'm not there for her. I'm not there for my little sister. "Clyde... Man... uhhh where is.., where are you?" I stutter.

"I rushed her to the hospital. We're at the hospital right now. The doctor said she needs surgery man." Clyde sounded scared.

I exhale heavily. "I'll be there tonight or either tomorrow. Tell her to hang on. Clyde please take care of Tracy for me."

"Yes. I will."

I ran my fingers through my hair and felt like my heart dropped in the ocean of sorrows and fears. I walked out of the bathroom and tried to look calm.

"Nick."

I pulled my head up and it was Mr. Canterbury who called my attention.

"I need to talk to you. Man to man." He says with a glass of whisky on his hand.

I followed him anyways though my mind is filled with troubled thoughts about Tracy. I entered his huge fully furnished office with tons of books on the sides and he sits right across the spinning chair of his desk. I walked closer to him and sat down on the chair right across him.

"Let's get it straight. I don't like you for my daughter." he says.

I nod. "I understand sir."

"I don't like her dating your kind. You're... Out of her league. Look at you, I bet you don't have enough money in your pocket to take her to a fancy restaurant."

I closed my fist into a ball.

"I love your daughter sir." I say, hoping it could change anything.

"I know you do." He says so seriously.

"But all I'm saying is, name your price and I'll pay you. Just stay away from Savannah. I don't want her future to be ruined by a guy like you. You're an ex-convict and you're not the kind of guy Savannah needs to be seen dating with." He adds.

I took a deep breath in and tried to calm down before I could hit his face. He's adding up to my problems.

"How much do you want?" He asked me as he pulled out his cheque.

Then I thought about Tracy and her surgery. I need this money. I need it so bad to save my sister. Then I remembered he's a surgeon. Maybe he can help.

"I need..." this is for Tracy.

"I need the amount for a full surgery for throat cancer, sir." I say.

His brows shoot up.

"You have... Cancer?" He asked.

I shake my head. "My sister. I need the money cos she's dy--... she's in critical condition right now sir."

He writes on his rectangular paper. "I can recommend you to a surgeon. He's a good friend of mine. He can help." He extends the cheque to me.

My eyes widened to see such huge amount of money. "Isn't this too much sir?" I asked.

"I wanna make sure you stay away from my daughter that's why I'm giving you much. Are we clear Mr. Wilde? Stay away from Savannah. You wouldn't wanna get back to prison for fraud right?"

This fucking bastard. This isn't fraud but I'm sure he's dead serious about this. How can I stay away from Savannah when we just started being together?

But I need this money. I need to save my sister from cancer.

Im sorry Savannah.

December 30

"Nick?" Trace calls out to me softly.

I rushed to her side right away and held her hand. "Yes?"

"How did you... pay for the surgery?"

I smiled at her. "My savings."

"You're lying to me."

I laughed it off to play it cool. "Tracy I'm not lying to you. I asked for a little help from others as well. Don't worry about it too much where I got the money from."

She looks at me seriously. "You didn't rob a bank, right?"

I smiled.

"No. I won't rob a bank." I tell her.

•••••

SAVANNAH'S POV

How time flies so wickedly fast that two semesters have ended. I haven't seen Tracy for a long time now, though we chat on Facebook sometimes. She said she's busy about finishing her internship and her upcoming graduation is by the end of this month. I'm happy for her. I terribly miss her so badly and I wonder how she is but she always tells me she's doing good and she tells me she feels the same way about missing me too.

As for me, I passed all my subjects with a little help from Kurt and Damon. Now my interview for my internship will be starting next week. I was so excited for everything that has been happening to me after that night. It has been a year since I saw Nick and I never saw him anymore though I heard that he has graduated. I didn't expect we would end this way. I didn't expect we would end like this. I didn't expect we would end. I'm still mad at him cos he didn't even try to win me back but I hate myself when I miss him every single day. He's not even doing anything to ask if I was okay or not. He's such a bastard.

"Ready Savannah?" Kurt asked.

"Yes? Maybe?"

"Relax." He tells me.

I smile nervously.

"Remember, the President of that company your having an internship on is gonna be there on this wedding we're attending." Kurt added.

I nod.

"Be nice to her." He warns.

I nod again. "I'm nice. Shit I'm scared."

"Oh don't be scared baby cakes. You'll be fine. I heard she's a nice old woman. She's a widow and she runs her vast company all by herself. She doesn't trust easily though but she's friendly."

I smiled.

"We're here." Kurt pulls over and we arrive at the reception.

It was a wedding where Kurt knows the bride since he said she was a close friend when they were in college. The reception was in a garden, a beautiful huge garden, and there were lots of rich looking guests around. I wore a simple white dress that I bought from Macy's where Kurt picked for me. Oh and Damon? He was still my good friend, we helped each other through our classes and he was really cool, so laid-back and chilled but very intelligent. He's been really sweet to me too, we've been hanging out a lot without Kurt.

Kurt offered me his arm and I hooked my arm around it as we walk together, joining the other guests. Actually, my heart is thumping cos I'm not used to pleasing old women. I just hope she'll like me the first time she sees me.

"Remember, don't be too obvious that you're aiming for an internship position on her company okay?" Kurt reminds me.

I nod.

I asked Kurt to help me for my internship and didn't choose the company that my father picked for me cos it was too much. Dad allowed me to work in Devaloines Enterprises since it was also a well known business conglomerate. Mrs. Demetria Devaloines runs a company that holds on fields in banks, telecommunication services, publishing companies and Eco-manufacturing. This old woman is ridiculously rich and she doesn't have any kids to leave her wealth.

"There she is." Kurt pointed out.

She was a stunning tall red head and wore an all white suit paired with her black heels and branded bag. She didn't look old, Kurt told me she was already seventy but she looks like fifty.

"She's pretty." I say.

"She is. Young men are surrounding her cos of her insane wealth."

I nod. "Yeah. I see that huge pearl necklace around her."

"Cmon, lets share a table with her. Ready?" Kurt asked.

I nod at him while he escorts me to their huge circular table alongside the other guests with her. She aims her eyes at me and I smiled to be polite.

"Oh Kurt!" Mrs. Devaloines exclaims with her high pitched voice.

"Mrs. Devaloines, it is good to see you here." Kurt says.

I watch as both of them hug then Kurt placed his arm behind my back again.

"Is she your girlfriend?" She asked while she looks over at me.

"Oh! She's a very special friend of mine. This is Savannah Canterbury." Kurt gestured to me.

"Hi dear. It's nice to meet you." She opens her arms to me and I hugged her back.

"I am very honored to finally meet you Mrs. Devaloines." I say.

She smiled at me. "You are very beautiful dear. Sit down please."

Kurt and I sat down and joined their table. She introduced me to the other guests that were around the table and I noticed that they were all businessmen. I sat there, listening to what they were talking about and Kurt even joined them.

"I'm so sorry I'm late."

I hurriedly turned my head around when I heard that voice and my eyes widened of who I saw. It's the least I could think of at this kind of juncture.

Why is he here? Why is he here? I kept asking myself over and over again.

Nick was wearing a sleek charcoal suit with a black slim tie, he looked very different now. He's very handsome with what he's wearing and he still looks stoic. He's heading to our table and finally sat down right next to Mrs. Devaloines. He locked his eyes at me and I could tell that he was shocked to see me being here too. My heart is pumping blood ridiculously fast.

Holy shit.

He grabbed a glass of water and took a drink from it. He placed his arm behind Mrs. Devaloines back while she looks at him. Holy shit, are they together? He's using his good looks to get money from this rich old woman? I feel disgusted.

"I have been looking for you." Mrs. Devaloines says.

My heart is beating weird. I didn't expect to see him here with this old woman. After a year of not seeing each other, here he comes again. But he looks very mature and there's a huge difference now. From scale of one to ten, he changed on probably twenty basis. He looks like he won a lottery. Oh god please tell me what I'm thinking is wrong cos I wouldn't want my ex boyfriend to be replacing me with this old woman. Jesus Christ Nick. I can't believe he could even do this.

"I want you to meet Nick Wilde. Nick, this is Mr. Kurt Kingsgrove, my intern before." She says.

Kurt smiled and offered a handshake to him, Nick accepted it anyways then he quickly pulled his hand back and looked at me eagerly.

"And this is Savannah Canterbury. Kurt's special friend." She said, emphasis words special friend.

I smiled at Mrs. Devaloines and Nick offered a handshake to me. I stared at his hand then accepted it quickly.

Goodness that hand when it held my hand, makes me reminisce about every single thing we did. There was electricity when my skin touched his and I know he felt it too.

"It's nice to meet you Miss Savannah."

Nick is so formal too.

What happened to him?

__________

SFTC:

Last Kiss - Taylor Swift