Nick didn't say one word to me when he was bringing me back to the beach house. Nor did he say anything when he dropped me off the bathroom to take a shower and rinse off the alcohol. I showered quick so I could go and see his reaction.
Or for me to apologize.
By the time I got out, I was shock to see that he hasn't fallen asleep yet. I mean, after the whole day of driving and going through with my crap. I guess he was right about the childish behavior. Is this like his second or third time saving me from a fucking rapist?
He knocked on my door while I was drying my hair. I dropped the blow dryer on the table and turned to face him. He took a seat on the bed across from me.
"I'm sorry I fought with you, especially when I was sent here to take care of you," Nick apologized.
"Me too," I moved over onto the bed, "I mean sorry I ran off and caused you to fight that asshole."
"No Sel, it was my fault--" he stopped talking when he saw the bruises forming on my arms, then noticing the one on my thing that I got earlier from the volley ball. His eyes angered, "Did he do that to you? I should go back and beat the hell out of him."
"No. Nick no, he's not worth it." I pulled him back.
"Can I at least get you some ice?" he asked.
I smiled, perhaps for the first time in front of him, "I think you're supposed to get me a heat pack so the blood will spread."
"Right, where do you have that?" he got up heading for the door.
"In my washroom, I could go get it--"
"No sit," he gestured and zoomed out the washroom. I heard him run down to heat the heat pack and then running back up. "Here."
"Thanks," I picked up the heat pack from Nick's hand and massaged it onto my bruised skin.
We sat in silence as he repeatedly tapped some buttons on his phone. It looked like an intense conversation as he kept furrowing his eye brows. I remember he used to do that a lot when we used to study together.
"If you need to go, it's fine. I'm good here," I said.
He tears his eyes from the screen on his phone, "No-no it's fine, my mom was just wondering where I was at."
"Your mom?" my eyes narrowed at his phone screen that lit up with Olivia's name. I was too tired to bother even question him about my suspicion, right now I just wanted to sleep. "Uhm you could stay in any of the rooms down the hall if you're staying over... or take the couch."
He chuckles, "I'm not really a couch person, just sleep. I'll wait until you're asleep."
"Whatever floats your boat," I shrugged. After a few seconds more I set aside the heat pad on my leg which ached the most as I slowly fell asleep. Nick dimmed the lights just a few seconds before I drifted to bed.
I was tired. Not just from the drama today. But overall, with my family stuff. Maybe I really shouldn't have came back, it wasn't my place. Maybe Harvard was my designated life, I was perhaps meant to suffer the boredom of law in Harvard instead of coming back.
It was just overwhelming.
Everybody has moved on in life, and what am I doing here? Being a princess about all this news that I cannot accept to be reality. Instead I'm making it miserable for both my family and Nick who I never expected to be trying to come back into my life after all these years.
I have no clue what his intentions are, but I'm not complaining for his company. I guess all I ever really wanted was some attention from someone--anyone. All my life my parents have prioritized work and reputation over Rachel and me, love and affection were only given when we were toddlers. High school throughout college till now it has only been dry love.
They'd say they were there to support but they never worked hard enough to know me. Things I was supposed to share with my mother like my first crush, first kiss never happened. She was never present for me to share my secrets with.
Lawyers. Well-known lawyers of this state. They cannot even manage their family relations.
I was hurt most perhaps when no body notified me about his affair. Despite they all knew, I felt like I was once shut out from them all over again.