Chapter twenty eight

After dipping her brush in paint, Crystal invested all her attention on the canvas. Letting her hand paint the strokes with no clue of what exactly she was painting. She had set up everything on the balcony.
The light there was perfect for her painting. Her nanny had come to call her down for her breakfast some minutes ago. She had politey refused. Had claimed she wasn't hungry even if she kind of was.
This was the perfect distraction from everything she was trying to block out. And as long as she did not end up painting Nick then she would be just fine. That was why she had decided to paint something that was not life related. Probably a mountain or an enchanted forest. Because if she tried to draw anything else she feared her mind would subconsciously take over the task and she'd end up with yet another picture of him.
And she had quite enough of those as it was.
After completing her first painting she set it aside and started on another one. And she planned on painting until she couldn't anymore.
But then some minutes into her work there was another knock on her door. It was probably her nanny again. She wouldn't rest until Crystal had eaten something. But then there was also a chance that it wasn't her.
She put her painting brush down and wiped her hands on a towel, then she cautiously walked over to the door. And at the same time there was another knock.
" Who is it? " She asked as she leaned against the door. It sucked that it didn't have a hole she could peep through. But she didn't need one. The silence she got as a reply was all she needed to know who was on the other side.
With a roll of her eyes, she stepped away and back to her painting.
" Crystal honey? Open up, it's me. "
That was her Nanny's voice.
" Oh, I'll be right there, "
She hurried to the door, feeling completely stupid. Then she unlocked it and found her nanny standing there with a trey of food and a beaming smile on her face.
" I know you said you weren't hungry but I made this specially for you and I will not let it go to waste, " her nanny said. Almost as if she were scolding her.
" Thanks nanny. "
" It's okay sweetheart. Here, be sure to finish it all up, "
Crystal took the trey.
" I will, "
" I'll be back to check so you had better get started. "
Crystal chuckled. Then she watched as her nanny walked away. She had been a little hungry earlier, but now that she was holding a tray of her favourite food, she didn't want it anymore. She sighed as she stepped back inside. Then she started locking the door but then someone stopped her.
She peeped out through the little fraction of space left and her puzzled look was replaced with a furious one.
" Leave me alone! " she commanded, struggling to push the door closed but then Nick simply used one hand to open it up all the way before casually stepping inside.
" What are you doing here? "
Crystal set the trey down on her dressing table with more force than necessary, her glass of juice toppled over and splashed on the floor but she couldn't care less. She was mad at him, furious!!...Completely infuriated!! And here he was, acting as if he could not understand her reaction.
" Get out! "
She went back to the door and held it open for him. They were not going to go through this again. He wasn't going to just appear in there, act all possessive then walk out just as fast.
She was done with that.
And she was aware of just how many times she had told herself that but this time it was for real. Nick crossed his arms. And Crystal noticed how the action made his muscles bulge. How dare he go there, in his tight T-shirt and fitted jeans!
" I said get out! " Crystal repeated more loudly.
Nick had known she would probably be mad, but he had not expected her to be that fired up. All it did was make things harder than they already were. Because she turned him on even more when she was furious. He looked around the room, noticing the setting on the balcony. He wondered what she had painted and wanted to go over there and check it out. But he restrained himself. That would be going against what he had come here to do.
All he needed was to put an end to whatever it was that was going on and assure her that he was going to stay out of her way from that moment onwards. But he had no idea how to start that conversation. That wasn't something he ever did. This would be a first.
" Listen - "
" No. I don't want to listen to a word you have to say. All I want is for you to leave me alone! "
Nick knew that he could always do as she said. That the fact that she was mad was a good thing because it made his work easier. Actually, it did his work for him. Because all he had to do was leave and let her be. Just like that.
But he could not bring himself to walk out now that he was already in there.
" Stop yelling and listen to me, "
" I said I don't want to! "
" Well I'm not leaving until you do. "
" Fine then! If you won't leave then I will! "
" I don't get it, " Nick said as she turned to leave. Crystal wondered what he meant, she wanted to walk out and leave him there but she was curious. So she stopped and turned around.
" What? " she asked and Nick searched her eyes. All he saw was anger.
" Why are you so upset? "
She widened her eyes at him. Had he seriously just asked her that? She shook her head and turned back around. But then he slammed the door shut. She grunted as she stomped back into her room. She didn't want to be in the same room with him. And she knew just how this was going to end so she made a dash for the washroom and locked herself inside. She didn't care whether it was childish, that was the only way to make sure her stupid body didn't start betraying her again. The same way it always did whenever she was around him.
" Seriously? " Nick asked from the other side of the door.
" I told you to just leave me alone! "
" And I said I will! But just answer my question first. Why. Are. You. So upset? "
That part he wanted to keep locked up had freed itself. And now it wanted to know the answer to that question.
And so did he.
He knew she ought to be a little mad. Or maybe frustrated. But she was acting as if he had literally ruined her entire life. Or done something worse.
" You know why! Now please just leave! "
" No I don't, so please enlighten me, "
Crystal wanted to step out of there and punch him in his magnificent face. This is how it always started, and before she knew it she'd be out there letting him do whatever he wanted to her.
But not this time!
" Yes you do. And you can stay out there for as long as you want but I'm not leaving this room. "
After making that clear she went and sat on her toilet seat, crossing her arms with a determined look of aggression.
Nick found the entire thing rather entertaining. Immature, but entertaining nonetheless.
" How old are you? " he asked through the door and Crystal sat up straight. Her brows furrowed in confusion.
" What do you care? "
" It's a simple question. Just answer it. "
" I don't feel like it! "
Nick looked around her room. Then he saw her purse and went over to it. Retrieving her ID.
" Twenty three. Don't you think that's too old to be hiding in your washroom because you're afraid of a conversation? "
Crystal stood and went back to the door.
" Am not afraid. I just want you to leave my room and let me be! "After placing the purse back, he took slow steps towards the door. Then he stood beside it and decided to test her endurance. Asking wasn't the only way to make her get out of there. He could always break the door, or in this case, anger her even more. He had studied her. He knew everything that she did and he also knew the reasons behind her doing those things. And at the moment she was hiding not because he had hurt her, but because he hadn't gone through with things the previous night.
" So... you are mad because I didn't fuck you. "
On the other side Crystal mouth fell slightly open at his remark.
" What, of course not! "
" Then why are you? "
Crystal decided not to answer him, he was agitating her intentionally and it would not work. But still, what he said was in no way true.... was it?
" You are angry because I left you yesterday. Because I didn't pull through with what I WANTED to do. With what YOU wanted me to do. And now you're refusing to face me, not because you don't want the same thing to happen again, but because you know that you won't stop it if it does. "
Nick stated the facts. Sounding sure of himself because he was. Then he waited to see if she would say something but she didn't.
" You can ignore me all you want Crystal, but you know that it's true. "
Aware that he wasn't helping the situation, Nick decided it would be better to just leave. She was clearly not going to get out of there and it wasn't healthy for him to be so close to her for too long.
He waited for a couple of minutes before stepping away from there. But he still didn't get why she had to be so complicated!
And why he could not simply just leave. He got to the door and looked back. Something about her locking him out like that made him feel... hurt. And all he wanted was to bust that fucking door open and make her look at him. Even if he had to do it by force. Because it didn't seem fair, it didn't seem fair for her to mess with his logic, to interfere with all his thoughts, to make him question who he was. And then just lock him out like that.
Both literally and figuratively.
Nick let go of the knob he was holding, then he strode back to where he had been.
" Fine then Crystal, if you're mad then come out and I'll fix things! " he uttered past his gritted teeth.
" We're in your room after all. If you are so angry at me for not fucking you then come out and I'll finish things! "
That was the uncaring part of him speaking. That and the part that wanted so much to look at her again.
" Isn't that what you want? Then come out and we can skip all the bullshit and get to the part you secretly want! "
" Or maybe you'd prefer it if I came in there instead and took you from the floor, or against the wall... or anywhere as long as I take you! Isn't that why you're angry? Because I walked out on you when all you wanted was for me to fuck you till you couldn't handle it anymore?!! "
He was acting irrational. But then the door opened and he kept quiet. He looked at her, at the rage buried in her eyes. She looked as if she wanted to blow up. And before he could do anything, Crystal slapped him.
As hard as she could.
Nick turned his head to the side. That was the first time anyone had dared to actually slap him. And had it been anyone else they would have been on the ground immediately after.
" I. Hate. You! " Crystal ground out the words. Aware that in a few seconds the anger was going to be replaced by pain. And that once again she would be crying because of a guy who clearly didn't care about her feelings.
" Now please, leave me alone. "
Nick looked at her one last time. Wondering why he always messed up when it came to her. He didn't want to go but staying would not be wise. Especially now when he felt as if there was a pit in his stomach. And all because he could see how hurt she looked.
He ought to have just left she first asked him to.
He unconsciously run a hand through his hair and turned to leave. Crystal watched him walk away. Holding the tears at bay for a few seconds longer. Then Nick got to the door and his phone rang. It was Aiden, the bodyguard to Crystal's dad. He wondered why he would be calling since they were supposed to be away on some business trip.
Crystal watched as Nick answered the phone with one hand, using the other to open up the door. Then he stopped and stood fixed to the spot.
" What?.. When did this happen? "
He turned around to face her.
" Okay, I'll inform her. "
He cut the call and Crystal noticed a change in his expression. It was not good. And considering the fact that Nick hardly ever showed his emotions, that was saying a lot.
" What is it ? " Crystal asked, trying to sound strong even though she still felt crappy. She just wanted him to leave he alone already. Then she could try and figure out why he affected her so much. Why she cared so much about what he thought of her and why he always seemed to find a way to hurt her.
" Crystal it's your dad... "
Her heart immediately started pounding on hearing that. She felt her chest tighten and fear overtook her. She could not even ask what was wrong, she was scared as to what answer he would give her. And her mind was already coming up with answers of its own. And neither of them were good.
Nick saw the fear in her eyes. And he wanted to wipe it off. Which made the next words he said much harder to speak out loud. Because they would surely hurt her even more.
" Crystal, your dad was shot... " he added carefully. And he heard the little sob that escaped her lips.
The sound pained him.