Bleeding Love

c h a p t e r 23

I couldn't think straight. Everything was tumbling down all at once and I couldn't control it. It frustrated and frightened me at the same time. Warren was suppose to be erased from my life, yet he here is to make me feel tortured.

"Aub, can you tell me what's wrong? Seeing you like this isn't making me feel much better. You seem like you've seen a ghost." Nick begins to shake his leg in anticipation.

I look over and study him, he looked much happier and healthier now. His hair was perfectly styled and he looked gorgeous in a plain blue shirt with jeans on.

"Will you stop checking me out and tell me why you threw up in the bushes?" Nick smirks and I completely forgot what just happened.

Earth to Aubrey! Warren is out there and ready to rip your head off the minute he gets the chance.

Yeah, that.

"It's nothing." I begin to stare at the wall.

Nick scoffs, "Nothing? You're trying to tell me that the bruises on your body is nothing? That someone who had physically harmed you in the past is nothing? I never thought you could be so stupid, Aubrey."

He's right. I am stupid and a fool. I'm naive  and a shameful excuse for a human being. I don't deserve the happiness I've gotten and Warren should kill me. It will make everyone's life easier.

"I'm sorry." I bring my knees closer and hug them.

"Why the hell are you apologizing? It's not your fault some awful person hurt you. Is that why you're scared all the time? Did someone abuse you?!" Nick begins to ask too many questions that would end up true.

"Nick, stop! It's none of your business so just stay out of it!" I shout, anger rising.

"It is my business when the girl I'm crazy about is in danger!" Nick yells and that shut me up real quick.

The girl he's crazy about?

I stared at him, wide eyed. This has gone too far. I needed to distant myself away from Nick. Our relationship has taken a course of its own and I cannot risk going down that road again. Neither could I put Nick in danger and make him face Warren's horrible wrath.

"I need to leave." I grab my bag and exit his apartment.

I couldn't deal with Courtney bombarding me with questions as to why I left Nick. Luckily, I had my keys and was in the mood to visit Jess. She's usually helpful in these type of dilemmas. Also, I should mention the phone call to her as well. Maybe she can get someone to see if he's tracked me down yet.

While I drove, I couldn't help but think about Nick's words. Did I really make him think about me like that? Does he really have feelings for me? Could I ever even have a chance to like him back, nonetheless love him back?

Love is such a terrifying word. It means so much to me and I've only ever said it to my mother. She was the one who deserved it most. Maybe I'm thinking too far ahead of myself. He didn't announce his undying love to me. He simply stated that he may like me more than friends.

I can't deal with these kind of problems.

"Hello Aubrey! What do I owe to this pleasant surprise?" Jess walks out from her backyard in a light blue bikini, she must have been tanning by the pool.

"I got some serious boy trouble and was hoping you could help me figure some stuff out." I cross my arms and take a deep breath.

"Okay, shoot. I love to hear some juicy details about Nick and Aub." She exclaims and leads me onto the front porch, sitting one the swing.

Here goes nothing.

"Before we begin with Nick, I want to inform you that Warren called me. He told me he knew where I was and how he's in California. Actually, he's been in California." I look at her and see her whole body froze.

"This is serious, Aub. Do you think the man at the cafe was him?" Jess asks, making me consider that idea.

"Maybe. But it wouldn't make sense. Why would Ally know Warren?"

"Yeah, you're right. You said he called you? Was it a blocked number?" Jess gets up and reaches for her lap top.

"Yeah, I was hoping that maybe there was some way you could track him down or see if he already located my location." I state, looking at the screen.

Jess types frantically and clicks on different sites. She searches quickly and begins to operate random devices. I watch as my phone number is entered and how she scrolls through my recent calls. Jess clicks on the unknown caller and inserts it into the search engine. A code box pops up and Jess sighs.

"Any idea as to what this could be?" Jess looks at me, this was our only chance.

I begin to think back at all the important papers that we use to gather in a filer in New York.

Three Years Ago:

After purchasing my new phone, I needed the wifi password. Warren was busy, completing homework for his schooling. I didn't want to bother him so I looked for it on my own. An idea popped into my head, perhaps it was in the filer where we placed our bills and receipts in case we ever needed them.

The wifi password wasn't in there. Yet, I found a small, index card with a four digit number. It read 1994. Why was Warren's birth year placed on an index card that was needed for callers I.D? Without caring, I threw the card back in and went to the book shelf to find the password some place elsewhere.

Present:

"Try 1994." I state and she enters the numbers.

All of sudden, we hear a click sound and it shows a cellphone moving around downtown. My eyes practically burst open, we found his location. Jess looks at me and smiles widely. I couldn't believe she hacked into his phone and she did it successfully.

"Holy shit, Jess! That's amazing! Thank you thank you, thank you!" I hug her tightly and she laughs.

"I didn't think I could actually do it." She admires the screen and turns to me, "Now please tell me some better, boy problems. You know, the ones that don't risk your or my life?"

"Yeah, about that..." I begin to tell her about everything that happened today.