Apricity✓|Editing

Chapter SIXTY- SIX

Elijah's P.O.V

I didn't feel any guilt. That was the problem. Nick didn't deserve any of the things I said to him if I'm being honest. The punch woke me back to reality as I was blinded by my own confusion and guilt with Alex and Steph. Of course, I'd never hurt Alex intentionally but the thought of her finding out about Steph and I. That thought made me feel like I betrayed her.

The moment Nick blurted out that he has feelings for Alex, I felt myself release a breath of relief. I know it is selfish but I badly wanted an excuse to end things with Alex. I didn't wanted to be pointed out as the bad person that cheated and now likes Steph, the person he cheated with.

Easier said than done. I found myself staring at Alex who was in an embrace with Zoey. Her mum entered with a small smile upon seeing the scene unfold in front of her and the wall closed in again. I glanced at Eddy who walked up to Susan and gave her a side hug. She hugged him fully, rubbing his back softly.

I couldn't bring myself take a step towards her. She's here. She's really here. I looked at Nick who continued to stare at Alex like he didn't believe she was actually here. Zoey held Alex's face in her palm as her eyes, filled with tears, searched her face.

"Oh my God, are you okay? What happened here?" Zoey asked but Alex didn't answer. The tears didn't stop flowing from her eyes. She whimpered and hugged Zoey again as she continued to cry.

"I thought I'd never see you again" she voiced out shakily, to Zoey. Nick tightened his fist, not moving from his spot.

She separated herself from Zoey and looked around, like she was expecting someone else. "Bex isn't here." Zoey said quietly like she was reading Alex's mind and she looked at Zoey.

Then her gaze fell on me. She walked up to me and hugged me as well. I didn't have the courage to hug her back immediately. Slowly, my hands rested loosely on her lower back, hugging her back.

She moved back, smiling at me slightly. She the looked at Eddy. "Eddy" her shaky voice said as her eyes welled up again. Eddy smiled before opening his arms for a warm hug. She chuckled and sniffed, aww embracing him. "I missed you guys" she said as she entangled herself from Eddy.

She looked at her mum who raised an eyebrow at her before she looked at Nick. She looked at the ground then at him as she opened her arms and stepped towards him. He didn't move at all, he just stared at her, his face giving off no emotion. She slipped her arms around his torso, hugging him. He didn't return the hug neither did he say a word. The ugly feeling that used to be there when she became too intimate with other guys wasn't there and a part of me was guilty it wasn't.

She let her hands drop from his back and stepped back. Nick still didn't move, he just stared at Alex. "What are you kids doing here? You shouldn't be here" Alex's mom, Susan, said as she walked further into the room and frowned.

"We came to help you guys. Is there a road in that wall?" Eddy said as he looked at the wall.

"Yes but that not there is no way out there" Alex answered, letting her gaze move from Nick to Eddy.

"How did you get here? What happened?" Zoey asked. "What's going on Alex?"

Alex looked at her mom and gulped. "Urm...I'll explain when we get out of here" She said as she played with her thumb. Bruises and cuts were on her neck and arms, some looking old and some looking fresh.

Susan walked to Alex and slowly rubbed her back in comfort. "Atleast we need to know who the hell did this to you" Zoey said, eyes wide.

"Axel" Susan answered for Alex. "That's his name" Alex took her mom's hand in hers and squeezed it softly.

"Who is he?" I asked Susan, folding my arms on my chest. Did he know her perhaps? Why would he do this to her and her daughter?

"Someone I'm going to fucking kill" Nick interrupted glaring at Alex's neck. He looked away and looked at Zoey. "The doors are locked and there are no windows which means the only way we can escape now is through the door" he said.

"Yes but how? It's locked" Zoey said. Eddy stood beside her as he looked Nick.

"Unless we wait for someone to come in through the door" Eddy added and Nick snapped his finger at him.

"Exactly!" He said. "We already know our way out of here but all we need now is a plan to get out without getting killed or shot" His gaze settled on me.

"All we have is a pocket knife. What will we do with that?" I raised an eyebrow. Nick looked at Susan.

"Ma'am, do you have any thing you think would be of help?" He asked. She slightly shook her head.

"I have a urm...phone though. Someone gave it to me" Alex said as she took out a small android phone from the back pocket of her jeans. Nick's Adam Apple moved in a bobbing motion as he ignored her gaze and stretched out his palm in front of her from the phone.

"Who gave it to you?" Eddy asked and she looked at him. She shook her head slightly.

"I can't hand it over. She has a message to pass to her daughter through the phone" She said and Nick closed his palm and dropped his arm by his side.

"Okay all we have now is a pocket knife" Nick said as he stroller around the room running his hand through his shadow black hair repeatedly. "Okay. This the plan" he started as our eyes focused on him attentively.

I really hope this works.

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25/03/2022