Chapter 5
She stood again with the white light surrounding her. She heard footsteps begin to walk towards her and placed her hand over her eyes to try see who was approaching “Hello” she called.
“What were they doing?” Philip asked in anticipation.
“Mrs. Hawk…calm down. Look we’ll find your daughter…”
John cried out in frustration “Where is she! She should have been found by now! Damnit!”
Brian watched Alyssa from his chair and sipped his juice. Ever since that night, when they almost kissed he couldn’t stop thinking about her. Sure they didn’t really do anything but…but it was like he could feel something between them. Something he wanted to explore further…but he couldn’t. She was his best friends girlfriend. Not that AJ was much of a boyfriend in his mind. They all knew…they all saw AJ go off with different girls. Girls that obviously meant nothing to him, but that wasn’t the point. It was the whole principal of the thing, he had this beautiful, loving woman waiting at home for him and he was going off screwing some other girl like it was nothing.
He stepped forward and her eyes widened at the sight of him. Standing at 6 feet with a blue tuxedo, a rose in his hands, with a distressed look on his face and all too familiar blue eyes piercing hers.
“Tala” he said.
“Oh my god” she sounded “Nick? Nick Carter? W-what are you doing here?”
“I’ve been here for the past three years” he told her “paying for all the things I’ve done.”
She nodded her head knowing what he was talking about “But…what you did…I mean it’s not like you started a war. Everyone is forgiven…”
He smiled “Tala…I…need you to help me…”
“How?” she asked.
“I know you see beyond my face” he said reaching out for her “I need you to help me escape this place.”
She felt the light begin to fade as she was being pulled from the plain. “What do you mean?” she continued to ask “What do you mean help you…how?”
He reached out for her again as she was pulled further away “Help me Tala…help me…love.”
She opened her eyes and looked around…morning. Birds were chirping outside with glee and cheer. She turned her head preparing to feel the pain shoot through her body…but nothing happened. She jumped up and looked around. ‘Okay…need to just check’ she thought ‘breathing-doesn’t hurt. Head-perfect. Stomach-Normal. Eyesight-…’ she looked to see the Master sitting at the end of her bed, closed eyes and leaning backwards on the chair he was sitting on. She found herself studying him, he…he looked…like…like a monster. His face wasn’t human. It was like a mix between some animal and a human, his hair was a dirty blonde mane, she looked down at his hands, they were almost human like, but with claws at the end of them, he had broad shoulders and was obviously a little big for the chair he was sitting on, he was so intriguing, so mysterious. It was like looking at Angel from Buffy The Vampire Slayer, even in his monstrous form there was some element of beauty, a handsomness that just pulled her sight to him, she wished he would open his eyes…his eyes. They were so penetrating, so beautiful, like looking into the ocean, yet filled with such pain and agony…she looked back up his shoulders, mouth, nose, then to his eyes…that weren’t closed anymore. She held back the gasp that was in her throat. Instead she just sat and stared at him, looking deep into the blue depths that seemed to engulf her.
He was surprised. He’d forgotten to put his mask back on last night and came into her room to just…just watch her…only for awhile, but somehow fell asleep. When he opened his eyes he almost jumped up and ran out, ashamed that she was staring at him, staring at him with such…fascination. She wasn’t screaming, wasn’t crying, wasn’t even staring at him in shock or fear. She was just…staring. Staring like she was looking at some masterpiece or animal she hadn’t seen before, not in fear. But in curiosity. And he couldn’t stop the words that came out of his mouth next “You’re not screaming.”
Then she looked a little shocked before retaining her former look “I don’t see a reason to” she replied.
Shock over came him, “What?” he asked in amazement.
“Well, I have no reason to” she replied “My body doesn’t hurt, my head doesn’t hurt, my throat doesn’t hurt, all in all I feel pretty good.”
“That’s not what I was talking about.”
She nodded “I know what you meant…but like I said. I see no reason to scream, no reason to fear what I see.”
He just sat in shock, and she couldn’t help but feel pity for him, he was so ashamed of what he was that it rendered him speechless to here someone say that to him. Or to look upon his real face without fear. She then smiled “Well, um…I noticed that…that we didn’t really introduce ourselves. With me being half dead, and you being…well you, we never really got to know each other.”
“What…what do you want to know?” he asked almost in fear.
“Well…it may be a long stretch but I’ll take your name.”
A smile almost spread on his face but he held it back “Um…Ni…Griffin” he replied.
“No last name?” she asked.
“No.”
She smiled at his obvious uncomfort and nodded “Well Griffin, my name is Tala Hawk.”
He nodded.
“They were…talking” Denise replied “Now don’t be so nosey.
“Talking!” Pierre asked “They were talking, without him yelling…or angry? This is a big step, you just watch. They will fall in love and we’ll be human again in days!”
“I doesn’t work like that” Louise told him “These things take time. Months, years even.”
“But the rose is beginning to wilt!” Philip told him “We don’t have months and we definitely don’t have years.”
“Well then you know we’ll just have to help them out” Denise said.
“Yes! We’ll throw them together whenever possible” Pierre suggested excitedly “And in a week or so…we’ll make this place into the most romantic castle the world has ever seen!”
“Boys I’m not sure that…”
“Yes…let’s get to work!” Philip agreed.
“But I think…”
“Okay you start on the North, I’ll prepare the South.”
“Boys…”
“And then tonight…”
“Boys!”
Both stopped and looked to Denise “I don’t think they want to be pressured into anything yet” Denise told them “Why don’t we just slip suggestions to them. And if they ask for advice, we give it, and then…slowly we’ll turn this house upside down. Right now let’s just help them with them.”
Philip nodded “You’re right. Like…an intimate dinner.”
“With candelight.”
“And music.”
“Perfect” Denise smiled “Now go tell Jeremy to begin with the dinner. I’ll talk to the girls.”
Pierre walked off while Philip and Denise disappeared, Louise looked to both blank picture frames “What do I do?” he asked.
“Look” Lucy said sniffling “I know my daughter…and…and she’s…she’s gone by now.”
“Well it’s only been a little over a week…”
“She’s not equipped to be out in the wild” Lucy told the officer “I know she’s gone…so…call off the search.”
The officer saw that the woman was obviously torn apart by the decision, “Have you talked to your husband?”
“Yes” she sniffled “It’s hard for him to except it, but…but we know it’s the right thing to do…we…we feel we need to just…just try get over this tragedy.”
“Well…this is a little unorthodox but…if those are you’re wishes.”
“They…are.”
He nodded “Very well, the search will be called off. It is unlikely a girl like that would make it this long anyways.”
“Thank you officer” Lucy got up.
She walked out, with tears beginning to stream down her face. As she passed people she sniffled and tried to hold them in but could barely. Once outside she walked slowly to her car before getting in. As she looked into the mirror she saw a picture of Tala out of the corner of her eye lying on the dashboard. She picked it up and looked to see a few people looking at her, she looked down at the picture and let a few tears fall, before noticing no one was around.
Then a smile crept on her face. She took the picture and started to rip it up “Looks like you’re finally out of my way” she said to it “Daddy’s little girl…ugh, you’ve been in my way for far too long Tala. Too bad you had to have that little confrontation with John. But don’t worry my dear stepdaughter. I’ll take care of your father…and his money. No need to worry, they’ll be very taken care of.”
A cynical smile spread across her face.
“Patience is a virtue John” Shelton told him.
“Why haven’t you found her yet!”
“That was a Belgium horse she ran off on. They are some of the biggest horses in the world not to mention her and that horse have been winning horse races since they were both colts, it’s not hard to follow their trails, but it’s just that over a week many things could happen to the tracks, leaves fall, rain falls, elk and deer cross the paths. The hoof marks are hard to distinguish between moose…not to mention when I did get passed all that they just vanished.”
“Vanished?” John asked “What do you mean ‘vanished’?”
“I mean, they came to a stream…and they vanished. I looked for hours around that spot and it was like they just disappeared into another world.
“That’s impossible! She couldn’t have just…just evanesced!”
“Could you stop using that damn word! And I’ve looked…she’s gone.”
“No…No, I’m going to find her! I’m going to find her, and she’ll be grateful, and her father will be grateful…then I’ll be in.”
“The only reason you want that girl is because of the money connected to her name. Give it up, even if you find her, you told me yourself, you tried to rape her. It’s not like she’s going to just…forget it and look at you like her knight in shining armor. Even if she did survive the elements out there I doubt that her fear will subside by the sight of you.”
“Oh shut up” John said grabbing his things “You can either help me find her, or you can keep your ass here and let me take all the glory because I will find her.”
Shelton rolled his eyes before getting up “Okay…okay, let’s go.”
He then jumped up and began to grab his things.
He shook his head, then looked up again to see AJ kissing Alyssa and the smile on her face afterwards. He wished so badly that it was him standing there placing that smile on her face. ‘Stop it she’s not yours!’ he thought to himself.
Looking around he realized he had to get out of there. He jumped up and walked out the door and toward his car. He got in and began to drive.
“Where’d Brian go?” Alyssa asked.
“I don’t know” AJ replied “Probably needed to get out, he’s been upset about something for awhile now.”
Alyssa nodded, knowing exactly what it was. She’d been thinking about that night too, then again she was thinking she was going crazy ‘Why are you thinking about it…you didn’t even do anything…even though you wanted to…no…you didn’t! You have a boyfriend!’ She looked to AJ again and could feel the tears burning in her eyes, but she held them back. They wanted so badly to fall but she didn’t want to discuss it in front of the others…discuss that she knew he had been cheating on her, she saw them…together the night before. She could feel her heart breaking again. After everything they’d been through together, he cheated on her. She felt betrayed, and all day she’d been hiding her disgust in him. Everyone was buying it but tonight…it would be over. She promised herself a long time ago she wouldn’t give herself to someone who wouldn’t appreciate her like she did them. And AJ wasn’t anything like she expected. Standing there she realized how disgusting it was, and how betrayed she felt. ‘Why should I consider his feelings in front of his friends when he didn’t consider mine at all!’ she silently fumed ‘Did he have any idea what he’s done to me! I mean, I stood by his side when even the boys were disgusted by him! I held his hand when no others wanted to know him! I was THERE for him, and now he did THIS to me! Does five years together mean NOTHING at all! That son of a…’ “Baby are you okay?”
Her head turned slowly towards him and her eyes glowed in anger. He stepped back almost in fear at what he saw. “Alyssa…are you okay?” he asked.
Finally she snapped “No” she replied bluntly “No, I’m so far from being fine right now it’s amazing I haven’t burst!”
“W-what’s wrong?”
She then stepped toward him “I saw you” she told him.
She saw?…she saw! But…but how! “I saw you with her last night!” she exclaimed.
AJ turned to see Howie, Kevin, and Shannon all staring at them “How dare you do this to me!” Alyssa cried to him “Do you have any idea how humiliating it is to trust someone with your life and realize they aren’t even worth trusting with your heart!”
“Alyssa…please let me explain.”
“No! No you can’t explain…if anything I should be the one explaining…explaining how stupid I was to even trust you like this after the first time!”
“First time?” Howie sounded.
Kevin and Shannon both hit him. Alyssa turned to them “Yes…the first time two years ago. When AJ decided to sleep with one of the dancers!”
They all looked to AJ who felt three inches tall. “You know what…you’re not even worth the lecture” Alyssa turned “I can’t believe I wasted all this time loving, and caring, and helping you…just to find out…it’s not worth it.”
She turned and began to walk away but AJ ran up and grabbed her arm “Alyssa…Alyssa wait…”
She snatched her arm back “Don’t…” she snapped “Don’t touch me…don’t you ever, ever touch me again! Don’t try to find me, don’t try to talk to me, and don’t follow me. In fact…forget I ever existed in your world…because as of this moment…I will forget you existed in mine.”
She turned and walked out, knowing that went quicker and more angry than she wanted but…but she never was one to let things drag out. And this had to end now. She drove all the way back to her and AJ’s house before taking her things and going to a hotel. Once checked in, she finally realized what had happened, and what they’d done to each other. She looked out the window and tears began to fall until she fell back onto the bed and let the sobs out that had been building all night.