Chapter 12: 

Nadia's POV: 

        It had been a week since Zack's outburst in my old room, we were living under the same roof but we were like strangers, and my feet's condition made the situation even worse because I stayed home, killing time and doing absolutely nothing while he went to college all day, and when he was back, he just stayed in his room like I hadn't even existed.

        Throughout that week, I kept thinking of what I did wrong that day and what the hell was happening to him? I was only taking my payback after gathering every ounce of gut and strength I had to do so. However, I couldn't understand the reason behind his anger and his reaction since one minute he was staring blackly at me and the next, he was threatening me.  

         After he stormed out of the room, I stayed in my spot puzzled of what just happened. I prayed to god that grandpa and Ann wouldn't notice the sudden change of atmosphere between us, and thank god they didn't because Zack and I, we acted like we were perfectly fine in front of them although we avoided eye contact and physical connection. 

       The ride back home was extremely awkward since I just kept looking out of the window and listened to random songs because I couldn't bear silence that settled between us. The moment we reached the building, he jumped out of the car, he hurried to the glass door, he opened it and stepped inside before closing it vaguely on my face. 

Thank god Collen wasn't there to witness our Drama. 

        I acted like nothing happened and waited for the elevator to come down again since by time I reached it, it was already in the second floor. After less than three minutes, I reached the fifth floor and entered the dark apartment. I went immediately to my room, I changed my clothes then I drifted into sleep.

        Pushing memories of that night to the back of my mind, I could finally leave my bed and head to the bathroom to have a quick shower because I was ready to go back to college as my feet weren't hurting me anymore and I skipped a lot of classes already so I had to catch up a little bit before passing tests since failure didn't even exist in my dictionary.   

        After spending a good twenty minutes in the bathroom, I dried and straightened my hair, applied eyeliner and mascara to add some volume to my already thick eyelashes. Then I walked in my wardrobe to pick an outfit but like usual, I ended up by grabbing the first thing that came to my sight: Blue jeans, a green shirt with a beige blazer. It wasn't the most stylish outfit but at least it was comfy. 

       As for the shoes I picked brown ankle boots with zippers on the side, I put them on before I ran to my mirror to apply a beautiful brown lipstick hard and powerful. I took my keys from the nightstand and messenger brown bag, which had everything I needed for the day, and headed to the door but stopped in the kitchen on my way out to grab an apple and a bottle of water because I hadn't eaten anything that morning.  

       As I opened the door to leave, I heard footsteps behind me, I turned my head unconsciously and my eyes met Zack's intense ones. However, we only locked eyes for a brief moment before he looked past me and walked toward the door but left a feet between us. He started tapping his foot on the floor, impatiently, obviously waiting for me to move.

'Enough is enough' I thought as I glared at him, annoyingly 'I was done of what he was doing' 

"What are you doing?" I snapped at him, angrily. 

"What do you think I am doing?" He gazed at me, his face void of emotions.  

"Being mad like this" I answered, looking directly at his eyes because I knew that in that moment, he hated it as much as I did. 

"I don't know why you think our situation is odd" He smirked at me, devilishly. 

Oh no, not that smirk again. 

"We hate each other so why would I even care about you?" He spoke coldly pushing me aside and heading to the elevator. 

        When I used to watch movies, I thought that the most dramatic scene is when the hero stares at the heroine as the lifts' door closes slowly as she begs him with her eyes, to stay a little bit longer; while a sad song plays in the background, leaving people in their houses or Cinemas on the edge of their seats or couches due to the intensity of the situation. 

       I didn't think that such scene happened in real life but I was wrong because as soon as Zack stepped into the elevator, I closed the apartment's door and walked to the lifts to live through the same scene. Zack was looking at me with cold and emotionless eyes while I gazed at him since my feet and brain betrayed me, as the door closed so slowly that I wanted to run inside in order to understand what was happening in his head? And what had changed that quickly? 

       I reached the bottom floor to find Collen standing behind the counter reading the newspaper, and the moment he saw me walking toward him, he ran to the glass door and opened it for me "Good morning Mrs. Collins, your car is parked outside" He stated, handing me my car's keys. 

I missed my baby girl... 

"Thanks and please call me Nadia" I smiled at him, genuinely. 

"Have a nice day" He nodded, politely with a small wave. 

       The second I stepped out of the building, the cold air hit me as the fresh wind messed with my hair and played with it in a sensational way, which pleased me and made me satisfied about myself. I took a deep breathe and started scanning through the range of cars to find my one and only.  

      It took me only ten seconds to find it. My white BMW Z4 lead there just like I left it more than a week ago. It was my grandpa's gift when I turned twenty one years old and ever since it became the love of my life and I couldn't even think of buying another one although grandpa asked me to in every occasion. 

     The moment I stepped in, the leather's sent invaded my nostrils, I inhaled a deep breathe leaving the smell linger in the back of my mind before I started the engine, feeling adrenaline rush through my veins and all my problems with Zack suddenly jumped out of the window, especially when I sped up and fresh air messed my hair, just the way I liked it. 

I loved speed a lot because it always gave power and strength I couldn't get in my daily life, not without grandpa surveying my back. 

      I parked in the college's parking lot quickly and the moment I climbed out, I glimpsed Col coming my way accompanied with Dillon who was smiling brightly at me. As soon as he reached me, he messed my hair with his hands before gently poking my cheeks.

"Oh my little angel has grown up" He spoke calmly, caressing my cheeks with his thumb "I miss you" 

"I miss you more" I answered him, quietly before I threw myself at him and I embraced him in my arms. 

"Hey I can't breathe" He whimpered at mr but he hugged me back tightly anyway. 

I could tell that he liked it. 

"What about me?" Col complained beside us "Am I forgotten or what?" 

"Well, you can say that! Because I have seen you a week ago while Dillon here, he had to leave before I could even see him a week ago" I explained as a matter of fact. 

"Yeah yeah, Dillon is always your favorite" Col feigned a broken heart with his hand. 

"And you're always the Drama queen" Dillon retorted, and after sharing weird looks, we all burst out laughing. 

       No words could describe my feelings in that moment, I was happy and thrilled to have those two idiots in my life, caring and loving me. However, I wish Lara was there with us because I hadn't seen her in a while and even though she came back, we still hadn't met, we just talked on the phone to set up a meeting because she was busy, having meetings with her father as she was supposed to lead half of her father's fortune while her brother took care of the other half. 

       Sometimes, I felt like Dillon was my brother-like-soulmate- since he had always known what I felt, thought of or wanted to do, he knew me more than anybody in this world and I couldn't trust anyone with my secrets besides him. Therefore, I intended to tell him the truth about my relationship with Zack because I would burst out by the end of the arrangement if I kept my thoughts and feeling for myself. 

"I know" Dillon mumbled, his face buried in my hair, his voice was so soft and almost like a whisper; I lifted my head slowly to meet his marvelous eyes that were looking back at me "I wish Lara was here" He smiled sadly at me. 

"Well well well, guys" Col announced, making both Dillon and I, turn our heads to face him "Who's the great guy?" 

"No you didn't" I  pointed at him, cheerfully because I knew him and by the smile plastered on his face, he actually did it.   

"Yeah he did" A familiar female voice echoed in the background, giving me an undeniable feeling of excitement and cheerfulness. 

        The second I turned my head, I faced Lara standing few feet away in all of her glory, wearing obviously some designer's outfit like usual. He blonde hair was proudly lifted in a messy bun, in a sophisticated kind of way, showing the shape of her face and the beauty of her ocean blue eyes.

"Miss me?" She yelled before stalking toward Dillon and I as we were still tightened in a hug.

"Dah..." I let go of Dillon only to hug the great girl who happened to be my best friend "Haven't we talked about meeting tomorrow?" I asked her, still wearing a shinny grin on my face. 

"Yeah but then Col called and said that it'd be a surprise for you if I came today so here I am after cancelling my meetings for today" She beamed excitedly, jumping up and down in my arms "Besides, I haven't seen you in three months, literally three freaking months" She held her fingers in the air in front of me, exaggeratedly. 

"I love you guys, thanks" I turned around and pointed at my three best friends who had ear to ear smiles on their faces.  

        Nothing or no one could take away my happiness in that parking lot even the sight of Zack with Jasmine didn't bother me like it did last time they were together although he was looking my way from time to time, because I knew that at some point, I had to close my eyes and try to forget reality for a while in order to take a better sight of the moon instead of counting the stars. 

       As much as I wanted to stay with my friends, I had to attend an important lecture. That's why, I excused myself and promised them that I would meet them in less than two hours, and they agreed without even using my great skills of convincing. 

       From all places in the auditorium, Zack decided that sitting beside me was a good idea, which was the worst since he seemed upset and annoyed, and I didn't dare to look at him as he kept tapping his foot on the ground impatiently and kept playing with his phone, annoyingly.  

        We remained silent during the lecture but I could feel the heavy weight of unspoken words we both wanted to say, and it was suffocating me. I was already bored and annoyed until my phone buzzed in my pocket; it was a text from 'Cutie' who was Dillon saying "My princess. There's something we need to talk about! Can't wait to see your pretty beautiful face ❤" I smiled at the screen for a while before answering "See you my cutie" 

       Ever since Dillon and I, became best friends, rumors spread in my old school about us being in a relationship, we tried to convince them that it wasn't true but they believed what they wanted to believe so Dillon and I, came up with the idea of annoying people with out texts and public affection, which made rumors spread even more; but at least it gave us a reason to be entertained more. 

      I was staring at my phone with a grin plastered on my face but in a matter of a second, I was shocked, staring at Zack blankly as he read Dillon's text. He suddenly grabbed my elbow and jerked me out of the auditorium as students kept eyeing us with strange looks and loud 'Oh's and 'Ah's. 

Zack's POV:

         Since the moment I saw her with that boy in the parking lot, I felt anger and rage rush through my veins along with my blood, and sitting beside Nadia who neglected me and kept texting a boy named Cutie on her phone, actually made things worse since he was obviously flirting with her, calling her princess and telling her that he couldn't wait to see her pretty beautiful face, and other stuff I read in their previous texts. 

'Cutie, lovely, my heart, sweetheart, love...etc.' I recalled the nicknames he used to address Nadia, which made me even more curious 'Who calls his friend like that? She was wether stupid to realize his affection or she was already in a relationship with him but if the latter was true, what about Col?' 

        I couldn't handle the fact that she was texting a boy such stuff while I was still sitting beside her, so without even realizing what the hell happened in the moment after, I found myself holding her and jerking her out of class, gaining a lot of stares from students and a sharp look from the professor. 

It should be all over Facebook pages by evening.

"What the hell do you think you are doing?" She tried to push me away with her free hand but her attempts were useless.

"Who's this Cutie boy of yours?" I glared at her as soon as we were outside. 

"We hate each other, remember? So why do you care?" She simpered at me, throwing my smirk of earlier on me. 

"Nadia spell it out or I swear...." I was getting frustrated by every second that passed so I was going to say I swear I'll find out the truth one way or another but she cut me off. 

"By doing what? Hit me?" She moved closer glaring at me as sparkles flew out of her eyes, like I was some sort of monster. But did she think I would actually hit her? No way...

"I would never do that you, stupid" I stared deeply in her eyes as they softened after few seconds "Where did that come from?" I loosened my grip on her elbow but never did I let it go. 

       Sure I hated her a lot before but not to the point of hitting or harming her like that. I just disliked her and wanted her out of my life and my way because she got under my skin with everything she did even though people looked at her as the innocent beautiful heiress of the Mathew's fortune; while I was the only one who knew the truth. But I never did my hate expand to the physical abuse. Never. 

"I am tempting right?" She giggled nervously, obviously to look confident but she failed miserably. 

'Tempting to kiss not hit' I wanted to say but kept the latter for myself. 

"Yes you are" I admitted because she was right but I changed the subject immediately "Who's this cutie boy then?" I asked quietly because I knew that raising my voice wasn't going to lead me anywhere.  

"It is none of your business Zack" She answered sharply "I will go meet my friends now" She obviously forgot that I still had her phone. 

"The one you hugged earlier?" I sighed at the memory of her in that guy's arms. 

"Why do you care?" She raised her eyebrows at me "You were also with Jasmine but I didn't bother myself to ask, we are fake remember" 

"But you didn't say that we were fake when you slept peacefully in my arms" I answered as a matter of fact. 

"Never mind" She threw her hands in the air before gesturing at her phone "Hand it back"

"What will I get? Do you think I will give it to you with no prize" I simpered at her while she glared at me for a whole minute before finally giving up.

"Fine, what do you want?" She stared at me blankly, waiting for my answer.

"Let me see..." I acted like I was thinking while in fact, I knew exactly what I was going to ask her "Lara"

"What about her?" She looked surprised that I actually asked her about her friend who I hadn't mentioned in a long time ago. 

          Seeing Lara that morning in the parking lot, I had realized that she was the main reason I hated Nadia in the first place, when I saw her slapping Lara in the gym. However, I couldn't get why they were still friends, they were super close earlier, hugging each other like nothing had happened before. And that was why my curiosity grew bigger.

        The day before, the investigator I hired didn't find anything about Lara's past but he mentioned that she was transformed to a girl's high school in UK a month after her fight with Nadia. Nevertheless, he said that the circumstances were strange and nobody knew what really happened until a month later when Lara was on a magazine with her father who donated a big amount of money to the high school his daughter was attending, to help students with full scholarships. 

"I want you tell me what happened that day in the gym" I answered her directly. 

"It is none of your business" She pointed at me with her forefinger "You have no right to ask after all this time" 

"What happened? Why did she move to UK a month after her fight with you?" I whispered loudly because students were staring at us like we had grown two heads per each. 

       I wanted to push Nadia to her limits because I knew that she would crack under pressure. So my plan was to keep asking her questions until she finally slips off and breaks her walls a little bit since she was keeping herself well locked in a castle and showing people a strong women that she apparently  wasn't.

"Why did she walk away that day when you slapped her? Why didn't she fight back?" I felt myself getting frustrated since she was just staring at me, apparently shocked that I still remembered all of those details "You were the one who yelled at her, you slapped her but instead of fighting back, she just ran away! What did you have on her? Just tell me"

"Why are you asking these questions right now? Why is it so important for you to know?" She yelled at me, not even caring that there were students who were watching us. 

"Curious" I retorted, trying to hide that I was actually looking for reasons to stop hating her because it would make the year of our arrangement much better, without stress. 

"Look, I don't care if you are my husband or not, I am asking you to give me back my phone and stay out of my problems for good" She gritted her teeth. 

She was really mad. 

"I can't stay out of your problems, because I have to know what kind of an insane women I have to deal with everyday for an entire year"

"She's a crazy women who is going to slap you just like she slapped her best friend five years ago" She laughed hysterically but I could see that she was hurt and I felt suddenly guilty for I what I did. 

"I didn't..." I started mumbling, not even sure of what I was going to say. 

 "See, I made my point" She spoke so calmly that I could barely hear her, while she stared deeply in my eyes, daring me. 

"I married you because..." I was about to explode on her face with everything that I was thinking about but a voice interrupted me. 

"You did what?" I turned my head to see the boy Nadia was hugging in the parking lot, looking at us as a horrified look was plastered on Nadia's face. 

'I want to know the truth to stop hating you, to try to be a decent person around you, to know how it feels to be one of your friends, to see you from another perspective, I want to forget the past and start a new chapter although I tried