Nineteen

Justin closed his eyes, wanting so much to feel how her lips will taste...how it would be so heavenly to finally taste her. He desperately needed her at that moment.

But it wasn't the case, he didn't feel anything at all. Wasn't kissing the person you love heavenly? Why was there still void in his heart?

He cursed in his head and moved away, realising his mistake. Martha?

He pushed her away, disgusted at what he had done. But then he felt a gaze on him. Turning to meet this gaze, he shuddered when his eyes met Crystal's. He seemed to be rooted to a spot. He couldn't see her eyes clearly but he could tell they were swollen from crying?

Had she be crying? Was she okay?

He bit his lips when he saw her in pain, her eyes heavy with unshed tears. At that moment he forgot about the plan, about hurting her....about keeping her safe from him.

But before he could make a move, Crystal had turned and took to her heels, not looking back. He wanted so badly to follow her but his thoughts seem to stop him.

Wasn't this what he wanted?

Wasn't he hurting her, get rid of her and the feeling what he wanted?

Why should he run after her?

She should hurt...she had to hurt so she would hate him.....so he wouldn't hurt her anymore. He pushed Martha away who he didn't notice touching him all because he was in a dazed state. He couldn't execute the plan anymore since she was no more in school.

The plan had to wait till the next day.

*

Crystal hugged herself, the fear and pain in her heart making her want to puke. She closed her eyes as she remembered all that Madam Garcia had told her.

She could not still accept the fact that her Madam Garcia was gone. The woman whom she had called mother without feeling any fear.

The woman who had received her when nobody else did. But despite the pain in her heart and the unshed tears, she could not help but wonder on what she had told her.

Was Madam Laurina really the woman she had said will come and pick her? Why will she send her back to prison....why hell?

She knew that there was a reason behind this because she knew that she would not let her be in this state. And there was also a reason for Madam Garcia's death. She had said she didn't want them to kill her.

But who?

She gripped her school bag as she thought of what Madam Garcia had said she had for her under her bed. It was an old box but luckily, it was not locked. She had put in her bag so she would maybe later go through it.

But now she was glad she decides to take it along with her because if she had not, this box would have still been in that house possibly going down with the house as well.

She could not still understand Madam Garcia's last words but as Madam Garcia had said, one day everything will be clear to her.

But for now it does not matter anymore.....none of that matters. All that mattered right now was how to survive. She knew there was no way she could run away again.

She closed her eyes, trying to find strength...the strength to fight. But all she saw was those pair of blue eyes. Her eyes were still closed as tears began to fall.

Why now?

"Why don't you leave me alone?" She said within herself, trying so much to control the tears that were threatening to fall.

But she could not anymore, the tears were already falling and she had no strength to control them anymore. She let them fall.

She was so stupid....she felt so stupid. How was she so sure she would find peace with him?

How foolish was she when she thought that he was her hope....her light.....her freedom?

She had been given a fate where all she got was suffering but no matter how hard she cried....no matter how hard she prayed....her suffering never leaves but instead aggravates, making her hope for peace utterly diminish.

She could say all manner of words to insult him but she couldn't hate him, no matter how hard she tried.

She still loves him...she damn still loves him despite what he had done.

Despite the pleadings in her head, those eyes were all she saw. She felt weakness.....she felt hurt.

She felt pain...she felt darkness.

She was going back to where she had started....to where her sufferings.....

problems .... pains had started.

No strength....no power.....no light.

But weakness....helplessness and surrounding darkness.

Maybe this time she won't make it out. Maybe this time she would drown in suffering.

Maybe this time she would die....while in hell.

But this time she was not afraid. She was weak but not afraid. Let death come, she would be happy to entertain him.

Because she was tired...she was hopeless.

*

Mr. Damon walked to and fro, anger quite evidently in his face. His plan didn't go quite well as planned, the reason he couldn't fanthom. For some reason his son didn't carry out the plan and right now he was waiting for him to get home.

He knew his son had a soft spot for Peter's daughter and that is why he wanted to use him to achieve his goal. His son was so bent on avenging his mother's death so he would be contented and that was why it didn't tale long to manipulate him.

Yes Crystal was not at all the culprit but if he wanted to get to her, he had to use his son. His plan was to kidnap her and get the signature and necessary papers he badly wanted so he could own Peter's wealth.

And Justin was going to lead the kidnapping.

His intention was to kill her despite the fact he had promised his son he would not. But right now, his plan has backfired. He felt angry but he has learnt from experience never to let anger overrule.

His head turned towards the door as soon as he had heard footsteps. He had arrived.

"Father" Justin called but his father didn't respond immediately. He was surprised to see the state in which Justin was in. He looked so pale as if he was sick. His hair was disheveled and his eyes had lost his colour.

"What happened?" He asked as he looked at him with confusion.

"It is nothing. I am sorry father, i couldn't do as planned. I never knew this would happen and now...."

"What are you saying son?" Mr Maxwell stared impatiently, wanting you know what Justin was talking about.

"Crystal...."

"What happened to her?"

"She's..."

"She's gone....Crystal is gone" Justin said, turning his face so his father couldn't see the tears that were falling down. Crystal was gone.

"B...but how? I still don't understand you" Mr Maxwell asked, his eyes widened depicting both surprise....anger....and disappointment.

"Her orphanage....where she stays had been demolished and when i asked around, no one knew about her whereabouts or where she has gone. It seemed as if she had disappeared father" Justin said, biting his lips as he walked away from his father.

He hastily climbed the stairs, running all the way to his room.

And when he had reached his room, he broke down, the tears became uncontrollable but unbearable. For the first time in his life he cried.

He didn't cry when he had lost his mother....nor did he cry when he was made to endure the pain of being without a mother till his father had married again. The pain he felt then he controlled.

But this time....this time was different.

The pain....it was unbearable. He couldn't hold the tears back. He felt torn.....so torn that he could not be put back in place....he was unmendable.

Yes he knew he had hurt her but those eyes of hers...those eyes depicting pain....he couldn't get it out of his head. It brought pain for him as well.

He had changed his mind and went after her, wanting some badly to put a smile back on her face...tell her so badly that all will be alright. But when he has gotten there, the orphanage had been demolished and there was no sign of Crystal anywhere.

She had disappeared....she was gone.

"No....no he wouldn't accept the fact that he won't ever see her again. That was torture. He had to look for her. Yes, he wanted to hurt her but not this way.

He wanted her to be happy without him but not this way.

He stood up, not knowing what to do. He held his hair as he but his lips. No...he had to find her.

He must find her.

He must make up for everything.

No way was he going to let her go.