THE DEVIL'S DEED

CHAPTER -22

I made a similar excuse to Darla and Sam about the bruise and wounds I had as I entered for the duty in red. They were eagerly waiting for my arrival to know about last night.. Though it was a very alluring experience for the first what followed was tragic. The devil tainted my short good time with Austin.

Austin had been trying to contact me since the morning in the cell but I knowingly ignored them all. Eros Thorn is an insane miscreant.. He would even dare to infern Austin if he knew this.. And Austin will definitely understand I am concealing something from him.

I walked to the duty room ending my first shift. I stood before the mirror keenly looking at the bruise. It's only darkening. My cell in the pocket vibrated again and I pulled it out. Oh.. It's Austin again.. I am sorry boy..,I can't talk to you now. I disconnected the call and switched off the cell.

"I knew you were gonna do that.. ",I heard Austin.. No.. Not from the cell. I ensured it looking once again at the cell. I turned around to see him just behind me. God.. He called me staying just few feet away from me..??.

"Austin..!! ",I told him lightly.

He walked to me telling "And how long you think you can ignore me.?".I am not doing it myself.. I am forced to do it.. You don't know how hard it is for me..

"I am sorry.. ",I said him rubbing my forehead. God.. He saw my bandaged hand.

He hold on my hand and told looking at my too obnoxious face "Till I leaving you at home last night you were all good.. What happened..? Who did this to you..? ".

You are not gonna believe me.. Worrying for me will only bring you bad luck. I pulled my hand out of his hold and said looking away from him "It's nothing for you to bother.. ". I really hated to say that.. But I have to keep him away.. For his good.

"Is it..? ",he asked me quite coldly. "Why are you taking it all your own..? ". Because I don't want anyone else to get hurt.. Only I know what he can do .

I told still not facing him "Austin.. I don't know what you think of me.. For me.., meeting you was like.. an impossible dream come true.. But you know.. I think.. its good to remain as a dream... ".

Austin exhaled heavily and told wryly "I am not understanding a thing.. ".

"We shouldn't meet again.. ",I intruded in him telling so. "And this must be our last talk.. ".

He looked at me as if I am insane and I am jabbering something crazy.. And yes.. That's the reality in a sense.. He tilted his head and asked "You don't.. You don't mean it do you..? ". His voice broke and that for the first time.. I hated to see him like this..

"Yes.. Mr. Stark.. I mean it.. ",I told him fighting the chagreen I felt in doing this to him. Calling him Mr. Stark establishes the space I already made in between.

He nodded his head and said "Why..??. Why Hazel..?? I need a reason." I have the strongest reason.. I love you.. And it's forbidden.. It's chaotic..

I remained silent and he asked again quite in a loud voice "I want to know why.. ".

"Hazel.. ",we were interrupted by Nat .. Oh.. My.. Why is she here..??. She stood at the doorway all in a surprise seeing Austin in here. Who would expect him in here..? Rather in the duty room with me. And I haven't tell a word about my intricate relation with him to Nat.. Certainly she is gonna kill me for that..

Austin looked at me all frustrated as the situation had now turned uncanny and the intervention. "Good night, Ms. Rose.. ",he told and walked out from there. I know he didn't mean it. God.. Is this really gonna be our last meeting..??.

Nat looked at me in amuse and asked "Austin Stark..? "..God..

I leaned my back to the wardrobe and told her lightly "Yes ,Nat.. Can we please talk about that later..? ".

"Yeah.. Sure.. ",she shrugged and said walking to me. "Look at you, girl..  Was I wrong to bring you in here..? ".

Of course not.. Red mean a lot to me now.. I got new friends, I met Austin.. And the only unfortunate thing happened was the demon.. I smiled and told her "It's the best thing you ever did for me.. ".

Nat chuckled and told "I know.. And guess what.. I had made another plan for us.. Just you and me.. ". Another plan..??. I looked at her incredulously. She said smiling "We are going for a trip.. ".

A trip..!!. Yeah.. Now that's necessary.. "A trip..? ",I asked her, "That's impossible.. ".

Nat asked me curiously "Why not..??. Look I have everything set.. And we are leaving right now.. ".

Are you serious..??. I am not in a real mood."I can't.. I got job.. ",I told her the real excuse though there are many else.

"Yeah.. Red will be out of its business if you aren't here for a while.. ",Nat said me getting quite irritated. "I talked with Roxy.. And she spared you for two days.. Voilaa.. ",she said turning back into her mood.

I got more reasons too dude. "I can't leave mom and Zach alone there.. They need me..".

She hold on my shoulders and told still smiling "I was waiting for that.. Don't worry..My mom is with them now.. Actually they also want you to have a break.. ". Oh.. Why are you doing all these for me, Nat..?. "Come on,Hazel.. I want you to know I am still here for you.. ".

I sighed and told "I know.. ". I have to agree for this.. I really need a break. I asked her "So.. Where are we going..? ".

Obviously she didn't tell me.

We reached the unknown destination for me by the next dawn. Nat rode the car for whole night and I had the least idea where she is taking me. It's too far from the city, that is all I know. A claustrophobic hilly region with mountain at far is all I could see from the car. The tall canopy touching the sky with multitude of trees in different shades.

Nat halted the car and said "And.. Here we are.. Come on.. ". She undid her seat belts and climbed out of the car. I followed her watching the ambience around. A green meadow with soft pink and white flowers. And a wooden house one end near to the lake ahead. The other side bounded by the purleiu of the forests. The rising sun in the horizon trickled in adding charm to the place.

"Oh.. This is so beautiful, Nat.. ",I told her walking two steps forward.

Nat smiled and said "A gift from Everett..  We just spend a few days and haven't been here any near.. ". She pulled me from there to the wood house telling "And you are gonna love it.. ".

Yes... The house is quite a mess since none had used it near. We cleaned the house less than in an hour, had a simple breakfast and then to the outing.

We just had a walk till the the edge watching the snow clad peaks too far from is. Far though I can feel the chilling breeze around me.

We had a swim in the lake. I am not a good swimmer, but Nat is.. I watched her backflip, front crawl and butterfly stroke.. I remained lamely in the lake where the water is only till my chest.

Nat set a fire quite away from the house when it was twilight. I cocooned inside the blanket as the fire isn't enough to evade the chill. We talked a lot.. About Red, Darla, Sam. I even told her about Austin.. And not a word about the devil.

Nat gulped in the wine and told "Wow.. I can't believe you are dating him.. ". Oh.. She took it wrong again.

"I am not dating him.. We just.. ",I couldn't complete.. What are we actually doing..?

"Just..? ",Nat asked laughing. "I know you, Hazel.. I know you like him so much.. ". Now you lost it.. Like is not the word.. I love him.
Nat added encouraging me "You have to tell him how you feel.. Give it a chance.. ".

I think he already know everything.. What I don't know is how he feels for me..?. He isn't too mysterious to bring it out.. Yet I am scared. We are at two extremes and.. all the burden I got.. No.. I can't tell him..

"I don't know.. ", I said filling my empty glass with wine. Nat put her arm around my neck and said "We will figure it out.. ". I have a more important task to figure out first...