Chapter 35
Slowly she woke from her position on the couch and looked around, rubbing at her eyes, she looked at her watch to find that it was eleven at night. She really should try to get more sleep, but she was restless for some reason. Turning her head, her gaze stopped on Scott. He was sitting across from her on the couch, looking out the window a blanket wrapped around him. She smiled a bit, watching him intently.
Celeste could see why Nyla liked him so much, he was an easy person to fall for, he was caring and compassionate and sweet. Celeste sighed, he's stayed with her and supported her while they waited for their loved ones to come back to them. She didn't know what she'd do if he wasn't there.
Her smile grew as she stood and sat next to him carefully.
"Hey." She whispered.
Scott looked over at her and smiled warmly. "Hey, couldn't sleep?"
She shook her head, "Nah, I'm restless for some reason."
"Me too," He sighed, looking back out. "I wonder what they're doing now, I wonder if...if Nyla's ok, if she's thinking bout me."
Celeste could feel her heart melting. "I'm sure she is Scott, I know how much she loves you."
"Yeah, and Nick with you two, I know you make him really happy."
Celeste nodded, but sometimes she wondered. Looking back over at Scott, she was overcome with a sense of protectiveness for him, he shouldn't be here wondering if his girlfriend was thinking about him.
"Hey Scott, can I have Nyla's number? I wanna give her a call and see how she is."
"Uhh sure, here, just use my phone." He reached over and grabbed it off the table in front of him, opening it turning it on and calling out her name. "It's voice activated so I don't have to dial it over and over." He grinned, holding the phone out to her as it rang. "I'm gonna go take a shower ok?"
She nodded, still waiting to try to be connected. She watched as he stood and headed out the room, remembering he'd gone home to get some clothes so he could stay with her. Turning her attention back to the phone, she waited, praying for a connection then suddenly sighed in relief as it started ringing.
Nyla moaned at the incessant ringing of the phone next to her, shifting a bit, reaching out blindly for the phone where she left it on the table next to her. Managing to grab it she flipped it open, the ringing coming to an abrupt end only to hear Nick moan in satisfaction. "lo?" She muttered groggily.
"Nyla?"
"Yeah...who is this?" She yawned, who the hell was calling her this late at night?
"It's me."
Nyla blinked, trying to focus through the sleep that still fogged her mind. "Me who?"
"You know who."
Her head cleared immediately. "Celeste?"
"That's right, I think we need to have a talk."
Nyla's eyes narrowed as she slowly sat up. "Ok, what's wrong?"
"What the hell are you doing Nyla? What are you up to?"
Nyla shivered against the coldness in the room, starting to shake already, wrapping the sheets around her the best she could. "What are you talking about? Right now I'm trying to sleep."
"Oh how convenient, you're sleeping while your boyfriend is here worried sick about you! But you don't care do you Nyla?"
"Whoa whoa wait a second here! What the hell is this? You call me and start bitching at me over something that isn't my fault?!" She whispered harshly, trying not to wake Nick. She knew she should leave, but it was far too cold.
"You should be trying to call him, talking to him, reassuring him that he's got no reason to be worried, that you are thinking about him."
"Where the hell do you get off trying to tell me how to run my relationship? This is none of your damn business!"
"It is my business when he's here looking depressed and upset over you, you who don't seem to care."
"Wait, he's there, with you?" Nyla blinked, what in the hell was going on?
There was silence from Celeste.
"Celeste?"
"Why'd you have your phone turned off Nyla? What are you trying to hide?"
"Hide? Nothing, I have nothing to hide, I had my phone turned off to save the battery. What are you getting at? And you never answered my question, why is Scott there with you?" Nyla demanded, she wasn't gonna put up with this shit, not when Celeste was there with her boyfriend. She looked over as
Nick woke, sitting up and rubbing at his eyes, looking over at her.
"I know what you're doing Nyla, and it won't work, I'm not stupid. But he's mine do you hear me? Mine! You keep your damn hands off him!"
She couldn't believe this, of all the times to be jealous. "Celeste, I swear to god, if you ever call me up talkin' this bullshit again..." She grated out.
"Where's Nick? I wanna talk to Nick!"
"He's right here." Turning to Nick, she shoved the phone at him. "Here, talk to her before I say something I'll regret."
Nick blinked, taking the phone. "Uh, hello?" he murmured, his voice still laced with sleep.
"Nick? What are you doing with her? Why are you right next to her?"
"Cause we're sleeping."
"Together? You're sleeping together?!" Celeste screamed.
"Would you calm down Celeste!"
"I will not calm down! You guys are stranded and the first chance she gets, she's all over you trying to fuck you!"
"Now you stop it! Stop it now! You don't know what you're saying or what's going on! It's fuckin' below zero over here and we're both freezing our asses off! I suggested we sleep together to get body heat Celeste, that's it."
Nyla looked over at him, she could only imagine what Celeste was saying to him, but whatever it was, it wasn't good, from the look on Nick's face, he looked ready to explode.
"You don't have to lie for her you know, I know what she's up to, I've known it all along and now I see that I was right."
"And what was that Celeste? What?!"
"That she's not over you! She's been after you ever since you two broke up! She's trying to meddle in our relationship and break us up! But she won't, I won't let her! You're mine!"
"Fuck this shit! I don't belong to you, I don't belong to anyone." Nick yelled.
"I can't believe you're saying this, I can only imagine what she's telling you about me."
"And I can't believe you're doing this! Now of all times Celeste. You know the situation, how bad things are. We would've froze to death, is that what you want? Did you want us to die?" Nick asked coldly.
Nyla looked at him suddenly.
Celeste quieted suddenly, "Baby please, I didn't mean..."
"No, I know what you meant. I can't believe you, I can't believe you're like this."
"Nick, baby I'm sorry...I..."
"I don't wanna hear it Celeste." He cut her off. "I'll be in touch."
"Nick!"
He hung up, handing the phone over to Nyla quietly.
"Nick? Is everything ok?" She asked softly, taking the phone from him.
"Yeah, everything's fine. Let's go back to sleep." He shifted, sliding back down under the covers, rolling to his side.
Nyla watched him for a moment before turning and setting the phone back down and slipping under the covers, turning so she was facing him. She could see the tension in his body and sighed.
He'd always done that, whenever anything was bothering him, he held it in, rarely ever letting anyone see or talking to anyone about it. He just did it all on his own, all the anger, the pain, the sadness and took it all in. It killed her to watch him suffering as he did now, knowing she was the reason.
Reaching out hesitantly, she set a hand on his shoulder, he tensed briefly then relaxed against her touch. Slowly she started rubbing at his shoulder soothingly and heard him sigh heavily. Moving in closer, she rubbed a bit more, moving down his arm and then back up, rubbing by the back of his neck and down his back as far as she could reach.
And just as she remembered the way he hid things, she remembered the way she'd always massage his back, his shoulders, trying to release some of the pressure. It'd always worked and now wasn't the exception. She heard his steady breathing and saw the way his body had relaxed totally and knew he was asleep.
Taking a deep breath, she scooted back, shoving her hand under the pillow, trying to stop the tingling. Closing her eyes, she forced herself to sleep.
