Burning Red || Nicholas Scratch

Chapter Twenty Two - Away

• Lucresia •

     "Lucresia... are you insane? We could never get away with something like that. The Dark Lord can follow us anywhere; Where would we even go?" Nick asked me as I looked down at my feet and shrugged. I don't know... I just want to get away from everything, just Nick and me.

     "We could go..." I trailed off looking off to the woods and sighing and then it hit me. "We could go back to Salem! My family's house is still there and we coul-" I stopped talking because the door to the church opened and in stepped Sister Zelda. I rolled my eyes slightly and crossed my arms over my chest.

     "Get in here, you two! We have a play to put on." She stated as I looked at Nick and pursed my lips, following Sister Zelda into the church and heading backstage so that Prudence could do my hair and makeup.

     I glanced around trying to spot Nick but he was nowhere to be found. Is he not going to get ready for the play?

     "Sister Zelda, have you seen Nick?" I asked her as she passed by me and shrugged. She can be so cold sometimes.

     "Obviously in the audience. I decided to use you and Asher since you both have undeniable chemistry." She said dismissively as I gulped and looked straight into the mirror, my eyes meeting with Prudence's who had a smirk on her face as she fixed my hair.

     "Seems like there's definitely trouble in paradise, huh?" Prudence chuckled as I rolled my eyes at her and cringed up my nose. What a fucking bitch. There's of course trouble in our relationship but I won't ever admit it, it's my problem and no one else's.

     "No problem at all, we're fine." I assured Prudence as she stifled a laugh and continued fixing my hair. At this point; I don't know who I'm trying to convince, everyone else or myself. Everyone could notice that me and Nick were going through a rough patch.

    "Oh... it's not like Nick has been cozying up to the Spellbitch... We've all noticed Lucresia, there's no hiding it." Prudence snickered as I rolled my eyes at the girl and stuck out my middle finger at her.

    "And why do you care?" I asked her as she shrugged and continued on putting on my wig. I moved my head aggressively so that Prudence had to start again; Prudence glared at me as I winked at her.

-

     The play passed by smoothly. I didn't forget anything and I think that Asher and I did great. The only thing I was worried about was the kiss but it went okay.

     All I could think about in the back of my mind was Nick and how bad he must feel seeing me kiss Asher up on stage, but I had to push my thoughts to the back of my mind and just do what I was supposed to do.

    After the standing ovation that Asher and I got at the end of the play, the curtains closed and I turned to Asher with a huge smile on my face. We definitely crushed this even though we almost never rehearsed. Asher grinned at me and engulfed me in a huge hug, I hugged him back tightly.

    "We totally ROCKED that!" I exclaimed happily as Asher nodded and pulled away from the hug, looking over my shoulder and stepping back from me. I turned around and saw Nick standing behind me with a bouquet of roses in hand. I smiled widely and walked over to my boyfriend and lunged at him with a hug.

     "You did so amazing, Lucresia." He whispered as I pulled back and smiled warmly at my boyfriend. He extended his hand and handed me the bouquet of roses he got me. I grinned widely at the flowers and pecked Nick's lips.

    "Thank you so much baby. I didn't think I'd do so good." I gushed as Nick grinned at me and looked around backstage.

     "You should change, the afterparty is over at Dorian's." Nick said as I nodded and walked off to my dressing room, entering and dressing up rapidly.