When Autumn gets accepted in the university of her dreams she cannot believe her luck. Her mind is only focused on her scholarship and getting her degrees.
But all those goals are put aside when she meets the notorious Nicholas Payne who is everyth...
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He lets my hand go and I watch as my palm changes from pink to red to white. He blocked the blood from going to my wrist and it hurts so much that I want to cry. It burns as if I have put a ring of fire around my wrist. I realize that the room has become much more silent than before, even Mozart playing in the background is barely audible.
Aspen ignores the tension that is slowly unfolding when she continues to speak, “Nick do you remember the day when you first told me that you love me? Because I do. You said that you would never leave me but – ”
Nick fists his hand on the table loudly, disturbing Aspen from whatever she is trying to get out. The color of Nick's eyes becomes the darkest shade of blue. His eyes are the ocean, so full of life but so uncertain of it all at the same time. The blue-grey hue in them buries all of his emotional currents, and before I can breathe, I completely sink and drown.
“Honestly speaking Aspen I have no idea what you are doing here because this dinner is for family only.” Nick retorts in a sturdy voice that sends chills down my backbone.
Aspen gives an exaggerated gasp and then protests, “Of course I am family Nick. I have been for the past eighteen years that our families have known each other. You were the first one I ran to when Mommy and Daddy died when I was just four.”
Nick's eyes soften for a moment when he looks at her as she starts to break down into tears. —— “Aspen...” Nick trails off, he clearly does not know exactly what to say to her.
“Oh you do not dare Aspen me! You promised to always be there for me. You pinky promised!” Aspen breaks out into hysterical sons.
“This is very unnecessary.” Tatum finally speaks up. “Nick has moved on and I think that it is about time that you do too. You cannot guilt trip him. Of course he is still your friend. He did not say that he was not anymore. ”
“This is all your fault!” Aspen totally ignores Tatum's words as she stands up and strides up to me in an angry manner.
She wraps her cold hands around my neck and pressed hard against my skin choking me. I try to get her off of me but she resists. Tears well up in my eyes while Nick and Tatum try to pull her off of me before I can become unconscious. Once they succeed I am brought back to reality by Nick's outraged voice when he shouts in hysteria, “Aspen, I'm warning you. If you ever touch her again I swear on my grave I will kill you with my bare – ”
Nick is interrupted by his father who clears his throat and suddenly the world feels like it came to a stop. Everyone literally pauses whatever they are doing and have their eyes settled on him. Even the ladies who are bringing the next meal course halt in their tracks. Daniel looks between Aspen, Nick and I and I know that he wants to say something. He wants to intervene and find out what exactly is going on. I do not give him the chance to speak when I excuse myself and run past the maids and everyone else in the room. I have no idea where to go, but I find my legs leading me to the front door. I step outside and quietly shut the door behind me,l feeling much safer when I know that I am far away from that psychopath Aspen.
I take a seat on the top step just outside the front porch staring up at moonlight sky. A couple of warm tears cascade down my cold face uncontrollably. Soon flecks of snowflakes fall down onto my nose and some fall into the open palms of my hands.
Placing my arms on my knees, I rest my head on my arms and continue to sob. Back in the house I can hear the different voices shouting over each other. Soon enough all of their voices fade away when I am introduced to the quietness of the night. No tweet of a bird or hoot of an owl. Even the river near the house has become silent. This part of town is the quietest of all I have noticed. It is the rich part of town with luxurious houses and cars and pools and everything you can dream of. There are no barking dogs in the neighborhood or howling wolves in the woods close by. I begin to shiver in the cold so I close my eyes and hope that someone will come out and help me before I freeze to death.
