A World Among Thieves: A Humble Beginning

Chapter 15

It's been a week since my date with Nathan. He knows that I don't like him like that, so we're still just really good friends. I walk into my house after a meeting with the mayor about job opportunities. I walk in and I get hit by an onslaught of questions and shouting.

"Where were you?!" Nick yelled.

"Just with the mayor. As you said, I needed to go over there to talk about job opportunities" I explain, as calmly as I can, given the fact that I've been yelled at. 

"No you weren't, you were with Nathan weren't you?" 

"I swear, Nick. I wasn't with Nathan. Besides, why would it matter if I was? He's my friend."

"You were fucking him weren't you?" Nick asks after a pause.

"What?! Hell no! You know I don't like him! Where is all this coming from?" I ask, not appreciating being accused of something I didn't do.

The yelling continues. He keeps accusing me of sleeping with Nathan when he knows I don't like him that way. Tears are streaming down my face. I don't know why, but I feel my heart breaking as he yells at me and keeps accusing me of sleeping with Nathan. I slowly back up into the corner of the living room without even realizing it. Nick is scary when he's angry. After thirty minutes of me being accused, and me denying it, I snap.

"Why do you care so much?" I ask, my voice raising a bit.

"Because I love you dammit!" Nick screams.

I froze. Nick loves me? I mean...I love him too but...he accused me of sleeping with someone I don't like in that way and didn't believe me when I told him I didn't.

"Get out," I say with a small burst of confidence.

"What?" Nick asks, his voice lowering slightly.

"You heard me. Get out. Nick, I love you too, but you obviously don't trust me and you obviously don't love me enough to believe me. I can't live like that. So...please...get out," I say softly, my voice breaking as more tears flow down my face.

Without another word, Nick goes upstairs, grabs his stuff, and leaves. Slamming the front door behind him. As soon as the door closes, I break down crying. No...sobbing. My heart has been broken. Even though Nick and I weren't together, I still loved him. But...he didn't trust me. There was no reason for him to not trust me. I feel a dark cloud starting to settle over me the longer I cry. I haven't felt this broken since my family died. My body shakes with heavy sobs, I scream and cry so loudly my throat becomes raw. I get light-headed as I begin hyperventilating. I feel the room starting to close in on me, getting smaller and smaller with every passing moment. I quickly run upstairs, grab my riding cloak, and run out the front door. I run to the stables, my vision blurred with tears, and get Rena from her stall. I ride quickly out of the city and into the forest. I see trees and bushes rushing by my vision. I continue sobbing as we ride, thankfully Rena knows to not run into trees. I ride until I enter a deep part of the Ashbourne Forest that I've never been to before. I hop off Rena and fall to my knees. I kneel over the cool ground and continue sobbing. 

"I loved you!!" I scream down at the forest floor, my voice shaking and breaking through the tears, "I fucking loved you!!"

I stay there crying for hours until the once afternoon sun turns to a dark moonless night. I hear footsteps approaching with my name being called, but I don't respond. I only cover my mouth to muffle my sobs, hoping the person will go away. Eventually, the person finds me. They're carrying a torch so I can't see their face. The person kneels beside me and gently strokes my hair, which causes me to burst out crying once again.

"Oh, Allie..."

I recognize the voice as Nathan's. I sit up and hug him tightly, crying into his chest. Nathan sets the torch down and hugs me just as tightly. He continues stroking my hair and gently rocks me back and forth, trying to calm me down. Eventually, I do as my crying slowly comes to a stop. I stay there, hugging him, as my body continuously shakes.

"What did he do this time?" Nathan asks softly.

With a hiccuping voice, I explain to him what had happened. I didn't leave out a single detail. Once I finish telling him the story, Nathan pulls away from the hug and puts both of his hands on either side of my face, making me look at him.

"I want you to hear me when I say this. This was in no way your fault. You did nothing wrong. Do you hear me? You are the most loyal person I know. I know you wouldn't just sleep around like that. Now...pardon me for saying this but...I personally think you're better off without him. If you had gotten into a relationship with him, he obviously wouldn't trust you. And that has nothing to do with you. Do you understand?" Nathan says softly.

I nod as more tears roll down my face, which he wipes away.

"You are more than welcome to stay with me for a few days. I will arrange for the locksmith to come and change the locks to your doors as soon as possible. Don't worry, he won't even get close enough to breathe on you. So you don't have to worry about him. You're safe."

I nod again as I begin to feel very sleepy. Nathan notices and picks me up and carries me over to Rena and sets me up on her back. I feel Nathan get on behind me and grabs the reins, keeping me between his arms. I lean back on him as we begin riding back into Ashbourne. On the way into town, I feel myself slowly fall into a fitful sleep.