‹ Prequel: Deadly Perception
Status: October 10, 2011: Hey everyone :) Its been a long time, huh? shameful face. anyway, expect an update tonight. FINALLY :D

Beautiful Deception

You Fly, And Then You Crash

When Nick returns, he doesn't mention anything about the pill bottle or the strange look he'd given me. Not that I actually care. I feel too sick to worry about what sort of things Brian has laying around his room.

My vulnerability is so painfully apparent right now that all awkwardness that should've been present between Nick and I from earlier is completely gone. When Nick comes over to me with the glass of water, I completely melt into him, and he does not hesitate to accept it. its almost as if he's back. The Nick before we'd had sex. The Nick, who saw me as the center of his world, and wanted to do nothing but protect me.

He holds my upper body up, supporting me with one arm, while bringing the glass of water to my lips. He doesn't speak, just concentrates on carefully tilting the glass. I almost want to blush in shame due to how helpless I appear right now, but the cool water sliding down my cracked throat feels amazing and is all my mind is on.

When I've finished the glass, Nick puts it down in order to place the thermometer between my lips, and have his hand free to wipe my forehead with a towel, while it reads my temperature.

As Nick removes the thermometer, I look up at him pitifully. "I'm sorry," I mumble shamefully, feeling like crying at how pathetic he must think I am.

Nick's face falls into a soft expression, full of compassion. His presses his lips to my forehead, and they're so soft and comforting that I'm glad they linger there for a few seconds.

When he pulls away, he grins down at me. "Never, ever be sorry," he tells me earnestly. "You are everything to me. I love taking care of you."

My heart and body swell with happiness at those words. For a minute, I feel like I'm going to faint, completely light-headed with joy. His feelings haven't changed! And even if he didn't directly say that he loved me, the fact that he loves caring for me is possibly the next best thing.

Nick must've noticed the light that seemed to return to my eyes because he smiled softly in relief. "Now there's the girl I fell for," he tells me, lightly pecking my nose. "And now that she's back, let's get you into some real clothes. And good news! You don't have a fever."

I sit up completely, making it easier for Nick to maneuver me into the clothes he'd bought. Sure, I was perfectly capable of dressing and undressing myself, but I wanted to hold onto his careful affection for as long as humanly possible.

Nick starts to pull the shirt I had on up my legs, looking at it curiously. "God knows how the hell you wound up in this," he says a little uneasily. "And in Brian's room too?"

He stops then, and I look down, seeing his calculating stare trained on the spot around my thighs that the shirt exposed. His eyebrows furrow as he looks at it.

"Nick," I say quietly, reaching out to him. No doubt he's noticed the clear substance that seemed to dry around my thighs. But hopefully, he isn't jumping to conclusions. After all, its obviously from a rather hot and heavy dream I'd had while I was sleeping. Right?

Nick ignores my hand that reaches for him, and instead roots around in the pocket of his pants, only to pull out the pill bottle again. He pops open the unmarked bottle and spills some of the pretty pastel colored pills into his open palm. He holds his hand up in front of me, his eyes narrow and accusing. I almost shrink away from him, scared and the look he's giving and why.

"Do you know what these are, Riley?" Nick asks me, his voice calm yet a strange undertone to it that I can't really name. Possibly anger?

I eye the pills for a minute, trying to place them in my memory, but I'm just drawing blanks. I shake my head slowly, confusion lacing my brain and features.

Nick sighs in frustration and sits back on his heels. He picks up one of the little pills and holds it up. "This is ecstasy," he says slowly. "Do you know what that it?"

I needed to move. To dance. To touch. To be touched.

"I don't think so," I tell him. In the back of my mind, I feel like my subconscious is trying to scream something at me. But, I'm blocking it out. It's not important after all. Probably just the dream I'd previously had, trying to worm its way into my thoughts.

"Ecstasy, Riley, is a very powerful drug. These little pills, they make you feel on top of the world. You just feel good, can't sit still, desperate for human contact. It's almost like you're flying or in a dream. But afterwards, they can have disastrous results. You can forget things, forget that whole dream."

I just stare at Nick. I wasn't really expecting a lesson on a random drug Brian has lying around. No way would I take drugs, especially not something Brian has. That's just not me.

"Riley," Nick says sternly, bringing my attention back to him. "I need to you to tell me exactly what you did after I left."

My mouth felt dry again. I don't know what Nick was hinting at. Something with the ecstasy? But, I'd never take drugs. Or would I? No, that's impossible. Nick must think better of me. Still, his tone was so serious and accusing. And, the fact that I really didn't know what happened earlier only makes me seems guiltier.

"I... I don't know," I answer him, looking down at my folded hands in my lap, not sure what my naivety will mean to him.

Nick doesn't even look at me, but his eyes are blazing with anger. "That stupid fucker," he hisses furiously, shooting up to standing position and heading towards the door.

"Nick wait!" I cry out, feeling tears stream down my face because he's leaving me again and this time, he seems angry.

Nick doesn't even turn around, but I can hear him mutter something that breaks my heart, "How could you do this to me, Riley!?"

Then, he takes off down the hallway, screaming Brian's name as he goes.
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Heyy, guys!! Wow so once again it has been. MONTHS. :( But luckily, I have found some time to review my stories and see where I left off and where I'm gonna go with them. Updates shall hopefully come every weekend or so. Anyway, thanks to anyone who has put up with my shitty updating :) I'm trying to fix it, I promise. Almost done applying to college so things will pick up.

Anyway, enjoy :) I might be a tiny bit rusty from not writing in so long so sorry if it kinda sucks lol

P.S. you should all thank [url]xxNinjaSkittlezxx[/url] cause she gave me an extra little push to update :)

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