My Crush or My Mate

8

The days went by and one Friday, as I watched Nick and the kids, Jesse came out of nowhere as he walked toward me, giving his back to the students and looking at me.On the bench.

"Hey?"

"Hey,Jess, what's up?"

"A lot apparently, you and him hanging out, you going to stay with him, and let me guess you two are sleeping together."

"Why do you care, Jesse?"

"Andy I care, I care about you and what's happening to you, this guy is nothing but a gold digger, he wants to be with you for your money."

"So what, that's my problem!"

"Andy if you're trying to fight off some frustration,or in need of..of pleasure, don't do it with some guy."

The trap has been set, and the bait is in place. I looked at him with my most longing look, because I was frustrated not from not getting any, but that was what I wanted him to think for my trap to work. I need to know. Did Jesse really care, or was this all a scam?

"Jesse, you're getting married. Do you know how much I've waited for you to talk to me? I can't wait anymore."

"You don't have to wait anymore. I realized I want to be with you, let me show you how much."

I put on a happy expression, and held in the squeal, but I hugged him. The bait had been taken.

"Meet me at the hotel. I want to show you just how much I want you."

"Which one, what time?"

He gave me the name and the time. I nodded and agreed. Once Jesse was gone, I looked at Nick, who I'm pretty sure heard everything, but I needed to be sure before I could go forward with anyone else.

"Hey, where are you headed?"Nick asked as I walked past him.

"Nowhere in particular, I'll see ya later."

I left and headed to the hotel. A few moments before, I served some wine, and was ready when Jesse arrived.He knocked sounding like he was in a hurry.

"Hey, where's the fire?"

"I don't have long, but I really wanted to see ya,wow, look at you, so sexy your good enough to eat."

"Here I brought this to celebrate." I handed him his wine glass and he toasted and drank it down.

He then put the glass down and pulled me toward him, his kiss hungry and lustful, very sloppy, and unskilled, he bit me a couple of times, and used too much tongue. I helped him out of his clothes, and pushed him on the bed, straddling him.

"Whatever was in that wine, got me wanting you so much."

"Well, come and get me."

The rest of the moment was not impressive at all, the wine did exactly what I wanted and maybe a little more. I left him asleep, and I got dressed and headed back to Nick's house.

At the house I listened for Nick's arrival home and hoping he was alone. I showered and washed my mouth out with mouth wash, and right as I got done I heard the door close, I wrapped my towel around me, and walked out of the bathroom. He looked pissed and when he saw me he was livid.

.

"Trying to wash away the evidence, are you?"

"Nick, listen to me, it's not what you think."

"Really, you went to the hotel to talk, did you?!"

"NO, there was a reason I went , if you'd calm down and let me explain..."

"Do whatever you want Andrea, I guess the freak was too much to care for, right!"

He walked away as I tried to get his attention, but he didn't stop.

"Will you stop putting words in my mouth, and let me explain...Nick!"

He phased and ran into the darkness, I pulled on some clothes, got my things together, and headed out to the truck. I looked back at the house and could just make out a pair of glowing eyes. I got in my truck and headed back to my house.

The couple of weeks that followed, I was lost to what was going on around me. I was ignoring my parents' phone calls, ignoring people and just really planning things out for my next step. I kept looking into deaths or anything else Nick's brother might be up to, but there was nothing. I hadn't seen Nick since that day, he didn't even come to check things out at the house. He was avoiding me, and he wasn't even going to listen to me.

Two weeks of not hearing anything from Jesse made me uncomfortable. Of course, I didn't sleep with him that night, and he was so high on the potion that I guess he thought it had really happened. I did leave a note after all. That said, I had fun and hope to talk to him soon.

Implying I was waiting for his call, which in two weeks it had never come, but I could tell something was going on some of the Moms that had supported me before didn't want any of their daughters to have anything to do with me. I soon found out he was telling everyone we had slept together. For some reason, that didn't hurt as much as knowing he was telling everyone. He was bragging about it. Then one day I was walking out of the store and he and Yuliana were in their car fighting and Yuliana turned to see me looking at them, she ran out so fast, I ran to my truck and closed the door right as she came at my window with a crowbar, and just hit my truck like a mad woman.

"You stupid b***h!" she screeched.

I ducked and covered my face as she went, breaking my windows, and damaging my truck any way she could.

"Stop!" I heard Jesse tell her and I'm guessing he took the crowbar away from her, and she was punching and hitting him now. I got out and pulled out my phone.

"Yuliana, I didn't sleep with him!"

"Like hell you didn't! You've been trying to seduce him since day one!"

I pulled up the pictures, then the video I took, with him next to the doll. She was stunned at how much was going on in the video, and seemed to finally understand. Jesse was mortified at what was going on in the clip and glared at me.

"You freakin' lied to me, you said you..."

"So did you and what did you do? You're bragging about us getting together, but the truth is you never cared about me ever. I'm just glad I didn't fall for your crap!"

Yuliana started to laugh like crazy and rubbed it in his face. I got in my truck and drove away. I had a few cuts and scratches. When I got home, I had made an appointment for a glass replacement. My uncle was waiting outside for me. The look on his face was one of shock and anger. I climbed out and walked toward him.

"It's not as bad as it seems."

"Who...when did..."

He was lost for words, but just took a breath, and composed himself.

"It seems you're getting into trouble everywhere."

"I am? What have you heard?"

He just shook his head as to say never mind, and sighed.

"You've been avoiding your parents' phone calls so they called me."

"So, what do they want?"

"I've kept them updated about what's been going on."

I looked at him from where I had sat down on my cement steps, and the look he was giving me made me uneasy.

"About what?"

He looked away from me the same way he had when I told him I was getting married and neither he nor my parents could do anything to change my mind.

"I couldn't let you make the same mistake twice."

"Uncle, what did you tell them?!"

He just looked at me, and that told me exactly what they knew.

"They're on their way from North Dakota."

"They're coming here?!"

He just nodded, the panic I was feeling was a little unreasonable. I wasn't a little girl anymore, but I knew my parents and I was just praying to God. I was wrong about what my mom might do.

"They'll be here in a few hours."

I felt betrayed by him, he really thought I was like one of his daughters, the two which he never raised with his ex-wife, and never really thought of even after he remarried. He had always tried to parent me, like I was his child.

"You're unbelievable! Why does everyone think they can have a say in my life, first Mitch and now Nick really?!"

"They are both fortune seekers..."

"How the hell do you know you stopped talking to me after I was married! Mitch helped me grow in a way....."

"Yes, an older man coruppting a young woman, to fit his needs!"

"You're one to talk, you care so much about what's going on with me, you didn't even care when Lily was losing your own baby!"

He went quiet, Lily had been pregnant, and instead of racing to her in her moment of need, he ignored her and she miscarried their baby. He didn't care she was hurting, if she forgave him for that, that was up to her, but he was not going to insult Mitch when he wasn't here anymore. Vincent stepped away and left in his car. I watched as he turned the corner. I heard a meow and knew Nick had heard everything in cat form. We went inside and he changed back, he sat next to me.

"So what's the plan?"

"What are you doing here?"

He came to sit across from me.

"I don't handle feelings well, Andrea, and if you knew what happens to me when you're around it scares me, I can't be vulnerable."

"But I do. I have to trust everything you say and do, because you say it's best for me. I would imagine that goes both ways, faith and whatnot."

"It hasn't been a secret of what happened to you, but you need to let that go and move on."

"How can I, Nick, how? I hate to admit it, but I think it did cripple me in a way to get married so young. I don't trust myself with anything."

We sat there for a while as he thought about things.

"Did you want me here, or did you want me to leave?"

"Nick, you can do whatever you want."

"Then I'll stay."

I sat there cold and scared, the very thing I had been running away from was on its way to me now. I shrugged and didn't look at Nick. I hadn't lied exactly, just omitted information, but this was definitely going to test us both.

I kept looking at the clock, Nick had brought some clothes and was fully dressed and sprawled on the sofa. I was pacing back and forth, not knowing what to do.

"Hey, come here."

"Not now Nick, I can't..."

He was in front of me so fast and kissed me, softly and gently washing my worries away. I wanted to take him to the bedroom, but with the worries I had I couldn't muster up any aroused feeling, I was just feeling comforted right now. After a few minutes, he let me go and looked into my eyes.

"I'm here for whatever you need."

"Thanks, Nick."

In the next few hours, we had lunch and stayed in just enjoying being together. We were just watching a movie, when he paused it then turned it off.

"They're here."

We headed outside and sure enough, there they were.

When Mitch came to this very house to face my parents for permission to court me, they didn't like him, and when they found out where he worked, it was worse. They talked to me after he was gone, and told me so. Mom didn't think it would lead to anything, so she convinced Dad to let it happen.

Mitch helped me grow in a way I had no idea I could really. He taught me to work hard, have goals, and never take anything for granted. I became an adult in the eleven years I was married to him, and my parents hated that. I would never again pull a veil over my eyes.

Matthew Tabuena was a man with a very sad back story, a good rags-to-riches story if he ever told it, but he didn't fool around. He was super strict and had no wiggle room. For some reason, I was just lucky when it came to Mitch, he had appealed to Dad's better nature.

Naima Tabuena was the bright side of a gold digger. She knew how to squeeze every last cent out of Dad, but she also knew that no money was no fun. She also invested in Dad. She called news outlets or magazines when Dad was in a good light and it got him good attention, made a few people turn to look at him. That's how he met his business partner. If she really wanted, she would make one heck of a publicist, but she doesn't like to work.

In their twisted minds, they were always saving me from myself and the repercussions of my choices would put them in a bad light. I had told them to disown me and I could change my name, or keep Mitch's until I got married again. No, Luck.

"Darling, it's so nice to see you."Mom came over and gave me a hug, then pulled back, "Sweetheart, why do you smell like a wet dog?"

"Oh, I was helping Kayla at the pet salon."

"And you couldn't shower before meeting us?"

"I literally just found out you were coming."

"What happened to the truck?" Dad had stopped by the truck instead of following Mom to meet us.

"Just a misunderstanding, they wanted to get to me. I jumped into the truck and they attacked the truck."

"Are you all right?" Nick hadn't given me the chance to explain the incident, but he looked worried either way.

"Yeah, just a little shaken."

Mom took off her sunglasses and acted like she had just noticed Nick for the first time. IF I thought Nick's animal eyes were intimadating he had nothing on Mom. Like a cobra ready to strike. She looked at Nick from his clothes to his boots and face, further confirming Vincent's report.

"Where were you when this happened?" Dad went after Nick.

"Dad, it wasn't his..."

"I was at work at the time, sir."

"And what do you work in, Mr?"

"Nicolai, I work for the city here and in Beaver."

"The city? Really? Interesting."

They hadn't approved of Nick the moment they heard he wasn't at my side while I was getting attacked.Before I could change the subject, a black Tahoe came to park next to their SUV. A tall dark man stepped out as soon as it stopped.

"Mom, you didn't?"

"Roberto, nice of you to join us." She greeted him with a hug and a kiss on his cheek.

"Of course I couldn't miss a chance to see Andrea again."

Roberto Burk came from an oil-money family. He was a handsome man but under that was a real ass hole. His father had made him a part of the company and when he was ready he would take over the whole thing. Our fathers wanted to join companies and for that to happen, they wanted us to get married. I could run dad's company but it wasn't doing a well as Burk's, so a union was a better option. Roberto was very egocentric and a control freak. I wanted nothing to do with him, so it was a puzzle why he was here.

He looked at Nick and Nick at him, having a staring competition.

"Now, Andrea, let us come in and sit."

They pushed me inside and I pulled Nick in with me. We sat next to each other, as Roberto watched us.

"So how are things, Darling?"

"They're fine, Mom, I really have no idea what you're all doing out here."

"Well, when Vince told us you were having troubles, we just needed to come out and see."

I wanted to say something snarky, but I held back. The day I called them about Mitch, what she did was start pimping me out to every rich bachelor in the state. We hadn't known about Roberto until three months after Mitch was buried and I was working to not fall into a deep sadness.

"Well, Vince, exaggerated, because I'm fine and, honestly, I still don't see how this affects you?"

"Andrea, watch your tone." Dad warned, giving me a look.

"We also have good news," mom finally said, obviously excited.

"Do you, do tell."

"Well, we're here to take you home."

"I am home and I'm not going back."

"Andrea." second warning.

"We already have things ready, we pretty much just need you to come back."

"For what?"

"For our wedding," said Roberto.

"Don't be stupid, I'm not marrying you."

"Oh, but you are, because I say so."

I looked at Dad and he had a 'and that's final' face on.

Nick suddenly went very still next to me.

"No."I said

"NO?"

"NO, I'm not coming back and you can't make me. I've started a life here and I'm not leaving."

Before Dad could come after me, Roberto held him back and asked him to calm down.

"Why, don't we let her sleep on it?"

"I don't need..."

"Good idea, we'll be around honey and we'll let you think about it."

"Mom, I don't need.."

They were all on their feet and heading out the door. When they walked out, there was a dead silence in the living room.

"That went well,"said Nick, thinking.

"I never accepted this and that's why I ran. They can't take a no for an answer."

"That guy gives me a very off-putting feeling."

"Oh, yeah, he can definitely go up in the creepy factor."

"So what do you suggest?"

"I don't have the slightest idea."