Alexandrea's P.O.V

I opened my eyes and frowned at the dark brown coloured ceiling. Where am I? I could feel the cold tiles beneath me as I struggled to sit up. I looked around me and a pain shot through my head. I hissed in pain and raised my palm to feel the place to feel something wrapped around my head.

My hair was no longer in it's ponytail but now over my shoulders and back. There was a bed at a corner and a table and chair in another. The room was really neat. Like sparkly neat. The room looked familiar but I can't place where I've seen it before. I tried to talk but was only able to let out a croak. I was on the floor beside the bed, how did I get here?

The opening of a door in the room caught my attention and I saw Nick walking out in a towel. Nick freaking Hunter in towel. Drops of water dripped from his hair to his chest then trailed down and disappeared into the towel where his hand was holding the towel to his waist. I never even knew Nick had a tattoo. It was a half heart close to his V-line. I wonder what it's stands for...

My eyes raked his abdomen in which defined abs rested. And then back to his chest that another drop of water had fallen on. Then to his face which held a smirk. A stupid smirk. So I was at Nick's house. But how?

"Are you done drooling?" He asked as he walked into to the room and walked opened his wardrobe. I frowned and rolled my eyes.

"I wasn't drooling!" I croaked out. My throat felt dry and itchy. He picked a shirt and put it on.

"Then why is there drool on the corner of your lips?" He raised an eyebrow with an amused smile. My palm quickly swiped the corner of my lips and I felt nothing.

"Jerk. I wasn't drooling!" I huffed. I had so many questions to ask. "How did I get here?" I asked as I stood up.

"I brought you here" he shrugged and picked a pair of sweats. Then he gave me a look, I furrowed my eyebrows, confused as to why he was looking at me like that. "Do you want to watch as I drop the towel?" He asked and I quickly covered my eyes with my palm, squeezing my eyes shut.

"That's disgusting, Nick." I gagged, still with my eyes closed. "And why am I here?" I asked.

"You can open your eyes now" he said and I slowly removed my palm from my eyes. "I found you by the road side. What happened?" He answered. All the memories came rushing to me. The letter. The accident. Lucas. Lucas! Oh no.

"Um...it's nothing" I answered and looked away from him. I can't tell him because he doesn't know about my father. He doesn't know about the letters he's been sending. He raised an eyebrow and buried both hands in the pockets of his sweats as he walked towards me, like a predator.

"I can't find you by the road, bleeding through your head and your car, no where to be found then you tell me nothing. Alex, what happened?" He said, standing directly in front of me now. I looked down to avoid his gaze only to be met with black sweatpants. I was wearing black sweatpants that looked bigger than me. I looked at my chest and saw that I was wearing a dark grey Jersey that looked two times my size. I remember fully well that I was not wearing any of these before the accident.

I looked at Nick with narrowed eyes. "Where are my clothes? Whose clothes am I wearing? Who changed me?" I rushed, feeling panic and fear wash over me.  He furrowed his eyebrows.

"Your clothes are in the laundry and you're wearing my clothes. Granny changed you" He answered all my questions, eyeing me carefully. My eyes widened, Had granny seen all the scars? All the hideous marks on my skin? All the burns? Did she see them?

"Why in the hell did you let her change me? Why?" I snapped. He looked even more confused.

"Well, would you prefer if I changed you instead?" He raised an eyebrow and I groaned out in frustration.

"No! Why did you even feel the need to change me at all?" I yelled at him. He frowned then made his expression blank.

"Because there were blood stains on your shirt and I was nice enough to make you sleep in comfortable and neat clothes?" He spat. I let out a bitter laugh.

"Comfortable? I woke up on the floor!" I stated with a raised eyebrow. He shook his head in disbelief.

"Where else did you expect to wake up? On my bed?" He threw out his hands in frustration. I out a hand on my waist.

"Yes" I said, exasperatedly.

"No thanks. Not when you reek of sweat and who knows how many germs are on you!" He exclaimed and I gasped in disbelief.

"You're unbelievable" I said and he scoffed.

He shrugged and walked towards his drawer. "Don't worry, Granny does not know about your injury" he said. "And she not home" he added and brought out a cigarette. He lit it and started to smoke.

I eyed him in disgust. "You know you're killing yourself by doing that, right?" I said and he continued.

"We start to die from the day we are born" he said and I pursed my lips. Okayyyy, that wasn't expected.

"Deep" I muttered. "How did you find me by the road side?" I asked curiously as I watched him take another drag. I wiggled my nose at the smell.

"Bex and Zoey told me you were no where to be found in school. Then Eli and Eddy decided to look for you" he answered. I pouted in confusion.

"Then how come you found me?" I asked as he blew out a smoke that came out as rings.

"I was going somewhere and I saw you" he said. I coughed a little from the smoke that had already started to fill the room. Somewhere?

"Where were you going?" I asked carefully and my eyes raked his face for his expression. Blank.

"Somewhere. How did you end up by the road side?" He asked, closing the subject. I looked away.

"I can't remember" I muttered, lying. I looked towards his window, trying to distract myself.

"That's a lie" he said and I shrugged. "Alex, there's something obviously going on. Just tell me" he prodded and I just snapped.

"If I tell you, it doesn't make a difference! What do you want to about it? Huh?" I yelled at him and he street at me with a blank expression. I collapsing on the floor, holding my chest because it hurts. Everything hurts. "Why can't I just be happy? Why does he always have to ruin everything? I hate him! I hate him so fucking much!" I whimpered, wrapping my arms around myself on the floor.

Nick watched me breakdown. "If you tell me..." He started, catching my attention. "I can help. I might be able to help" he said.

"There's nothing you can do about it. I just want it closed forever. I don't want to bring it back up. I don't want to" I shook my head as tears start to fall. "I just want to be happy, is that a crime?" I looked up at Nick.

He looked at me awkwardly. "No, it's not" he answered. I rested my back on the wall and wrapped my arms around my knees. He sighed and came to sit beside me, his arms resting on his knees "And that's why you should protect yourself" he added. Wow, the nest freak is sitting on the floor, that's new.

"You can't protect yourself from something you don't know" I muttered. He stared at my hand and looked away.

"You know, you can make this easier by just telling me what happened? Why were you by the road? What happened to your car? Why the fuck were you bleeding from your head?" He said glancing at my face.

"No, Nick. Let's make this easier for both of us. Answer my questions and I'll answer yours" I said and looked at him. He stared at me, daring me to give up on the questions but I stared back.

"If I find you dead by tomorrow morning, you caused it" he said and my heart started to hammer in my chest out of fear.

"What?" I breathed. What does that mean?

"Ask" he said and looked forward. I gulped.

"Um...where were you going yesterday?" I asked and he rolled his eyes.

"Work" he answered and I furrowed my eyebrows.

"What work?" I asked.

"My turn. Why were you by the roadside?" He asked and I bit my lower lip.

"Accident" I muttered and he clicked his tongue. His expression remained blank.

"How?" He asked and ignored his question.

"You can't understand" I muttered.

"Make me" he said quickly. "Make me understand" he said, keeping his eyes on me.

"Why don't you do the same? Tell me everything. Who are you? I feel like I don't know you!" I exclaimed and he clenched his jaw.

"It's better that way" he said and I let out a breath. I was confused and frustrated at the same time.

"Fine then" I shrugged. It was like a silent decision. If he didn't talk, I won't.

"Okay" he shrugged and my shoulders fell. I stared at him, trying to figure him out. He stood up and dusted his shirt then walked to the window, opening it. "Are you planning on leaving anytime soon?" He asked rudely and I scoffed.

"I'm actually leaving now" I snapped and stood up. I dusted my--no, his-- sweats and walked towards the door. "Before I leave, I'd like to let you know that you're an egoistic jerk!!" I spat at him.

He waved his hands at me, shooing me "You forgot undeniably hot, attractive..there are many adjectives you know." He smirked and I groaned before opening the door and slamming it.

I heard him follow me. I got to the sitting room and saw that the time was almost 8pm. Oh shit! My date with Eli! I ran outside his house before realizing that I had no ride or money with me. I'll find a way, I thought and tried to flag down a cab.

"Are you planning on giving the cab driver a flash as payment for the ride?" I heard Nick say and I saw him leaning on the doorway of his house, arms crossed. I rolled my eyes and ignored him. "It wouldn't kill you to ask, you know" he said again and I got annoyed because he was so right. I didn't have any money on me.

"Fine. Can I lend some money? I'll pay back tomorrow" I said to him and he smirked.

"Nah. I don't feel like lending you" he said and my jaw dropped.

"Then why did you say it wouldn't kill me to ask?" I threw my hands up, frustrated.

"I just did" he shrugged. "Have a nice time flagging down a cab" he winked and went inside, closing the door of his house. Fucking jerk!

I checked the pockets of the sweats for my phone and realized that I didn't ask Nick for any of my belongings. I rushed to his front door and banged it. "Nick!!!" I yelled and the front door opened.

Nick leaned between the opening and gave me a tired look. "What is it? Just go already!" He sighed.

"My belongings" I said, ignoring what he said. "My phone, my bag and my clothes" I said.

He went inside for sometime and brought it all out. Then he left some money on the top. "For your ride" he mumbled and closed the front door shut. A small smile spread on my face.

"Thanks Jerk!" I yelled outside his door.

"Leave my porch!" He yelled back but I still smiled. I was really grateful for the money. I hailed a cab and got in. In a few minutes, I was already home. I got in, locked the door and out the clothes in the laundry. I headed do the shower straight after.

I made sure the waster did not touch the bandage around my head. Was I harsh? I mean, Nick brought me to his house, changed me and bandaged my wound and I still blamed him for changing me and letting me sleep on the floor. Maybe he wasn't that much of a jerk. He just has his moment, I guess.

I finished taking a shower and out Nick's clothes in the laundry as well. I fell off my bed with a sigh, still with the towel around my body. I took my phone and it had cracks and the screen had ink stain.

I put it on and the phone looked messed up. I need a new phone. And a new car. And some money to buy all the things I need. And my beautiful Cheetos. I dialed Bex's number and she picked up on the second ring.

"Babe! Where have you been?" She yelled into the phone immediately after picking.

"Sorry. We need to talk. Immediately." I said, moving straight to the point. I need to tell her about Lucas as soon as possible because he's not the sweet guy she bumped into.

"What's wrong? Are you okay?" She asked worriedly. I bit my lips.

"Everything is wrong. Where are you?" I asked as I glanced at the time again.

"I'm at a salon. Should I come over tomorrow after school?" She suggested. Tommorow might be too late but I didn't have a choice.

"Okay. I have a date with Eli, I'll you later. Love you" I said.

"Ooo! A date huh? Remember to always start a conversation and don't get carried away with talking about yourself. I love you, bye" she said and hung up. I smiled and dialed Zoey's number .

She picked up in the third ring "Hey Zo!" I chirped and I could hear her breathing heavily.

"Alex? Oh Alex! What's up? Where were you?" She asked and I sighed.

"Let's meet tomorrow? After school?" I said and she hummed before answering.

"Okay, sure!" She said and I smiled.

"Okay, love you, bye" I said.

"Love you more, bye" she answered and hung up. Now it remained one more person, after I finish dressing up.

(Alex's outfit)

I made my dressing simple and put some effort by pairing it with heels. I put my hair up in a ponytail and applied some mascara and lip gloss. I used a nude coloured lip gloss this time since a certain butt faced person said the one I used earlier didn't look good on me. I removed the bandage as well to avoid questions.

I took my phone and keys as I locked the door and stood by the porch before giving Eli a call. It ringed and he picked up in the first ring.

"Hey! I'm so sorry, something came up!" I immediately apologized.

"Did you do it because I stood you up last time?" His voice booked through the phone in an annoyed tone.

"What? No! I would never do such a thing!" I said.

"Then why did you disappear immediately after school? Where were you? Huh? You were supposed to be here an hour and a half ago!" He spat through the phone and I frowned. Why is he so angry?

"I'm sorry" I muttered.

"So what now? You're not gonna make it?" He scoffed and I pursed my lips in annoyance. He was pissing me off. Why was he being so unfair?

"I called to ask you where I should meet you, so I'll make it" I explained, trying to keep my anger in check. I was short tempered and I should have blown up at him too but this was my fault.

"Meet me at my dad's company in ten minutes"  he said and hung up. I frowned then sighed as I hailed a cab.

I got into the cab and held my phone, tight in my palms as I thought of Lucas. Does he work with my father? What does he mean by 'taking the wrong steps'? How did I end up by the roadside? Did he plan to leave me there to....die?

"We're here, ma'am" I heard the driver's voice say cheerfully. I gave him a weird look before paying and leaving the cab. He's probably cheerful because he loves his job.

I stood in front of the tall building that probably has more than twenty floors then walked towards it. I smiled at the receptionist as I approached her and she smiled back.

"Hello. I would like to see Eli. I mean, Mr Elijah Perkins" I smiled at her and she nodded.

"From?" She inquired. I was busy admiring her red blouse that seemed loose and comfortable on her. I wish I was that comfortable in my heels right now.

"From Alex. Alexandrea's Dwayne" I said my full name and she nodded. Then she begun to press the buttons in the payphone in front of her.

"Please have your sit, ma'am" she offered and I smiled at her gratefully before sitting down. My ankle had started to hurt bit by bit. I wiggled my ankles in the heels as much as I can. She spoke with someone on the payphone, who I assumed was either Eli or his secretary. "He'll be down here in a minute" she called at me and I smiled, giving her another grateful smile.

"Thanks" I said and she nodded. I brought out my phone and checked the time. 9:02pm.

"Alex!" I heard a familiar voice call and I looked up to see Eli. I smiled at him and stood up. He didn't smile back and nodded towards the front door. He walked ahead if me while I walked behind him outside the building.

"Hey" I greeted as soon as we got outside. He gave me a grim look and I pouted. "I'm sorry. It will never happen again, I promise" I said, holding out my pinkie.

He shook his head at me and cracked a smile. "You look beautiful" he complimented and I blushed.

"Thanks" I muttered shyly. He opened the passenger door of his car and I got in. He closed it and jogged to the driver's side, getting in.

"Are you set?" He asked, looking at me with a smile. I mirrored his smile and nodded.

He started the car and he started driving. "So....where are we going?" I asked, looking at him.

"We are going to a Charlie's. It's a new fancy restaurant that opened a week ago. I was invited for a free meal since it was my father that helped in the opening" he explained. Oh.

"Okay" I said, keeping the smile on my face. I looked out the window as he drove on, humming Willow by Taylor Swift.

At a distance, I saw a a very small but beautiful bird. It's colours were bright and alluring. A small smile crept up my face as I watched it fly. Then suddenly I saw the figure if someone shoot the bird. I gasped covering my mouth. No! The bird fell weightlessly onto the grass and I looked away. Well, that was scary.

I felt sorry for the bird. "Are you okay?" Eli asked, glancing at me.

I gave him an assuring smile " Of course. I'm just hungry" I said and he chuckled.

I saw the massive restaurant from a distance with 'Charlie's Restaurant' boldly written on a tall board, held up by a pole. Eli parked at a spot in the parking lot and he got down, opened the door for me then closed it back when I go out of the car. He's such a gentleman. My gentleman.

We walked into the entrance and a door man in a tuxedo pulled open the door for us. I mouthed a 'thank you' to him and he bowed in response. We walked to our reserves table and took our seats. I glanced around and felt under dressed. The men were in suit and the ladies were in expensive- looking dresses. While I was in jeans and a top. How classy.

"Don't worry, you look just fine" Eli winked at me and I blushed.

I saw a man in a tuxedo walk iver and hand us a menu. I didn't check his face because collecting the menu and going through it. I knew all the foods in the menu because I had watched tutorials on how to make them. I was that crazy about cooking.

"I would like to have Endives with Shrimp Salad, please" I heard Eli say. I bit my lips and decided in the one I wanted. Medittarenian Shrimp Kabobs it is!

"I would like to have...." I trailed off at the sight of the waiter in front of me, forgetting the food I wanted to order. I could never forget those dark eyes that watched me with a hidden smirk.

Danny.

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Writer: Hello sweethearts,
Another chapter up! Yay! I hope you enjoyed it. Thank you so much for all the votes and comments in the last chapter, they made my day. As usual, ten votes!! Love y'all. Do it, girls.

Alex: *winks* Don't forget to vote-

Bex: *flips hair and blows a kiss* -comment-

Zoey: *smiles and throws marshmallows in the air* -and follow!

Writer: *smiles at the girls* Well done! *To the audience* Enjoy!
13/12/2020