Chapter 4

His eyes grew bigger the instant those words slipped out of Fred's mouth and Something flickered in his eyes as he shook his head.... Before a second could fly by the pure awe and disgust tranformed his face as the clutches of his hands on my sides loosened right away. His face was something else as he stared at me before peeling his whole physique off me. But he didn't hesitate to extend his hand to me to uplift myself onto my feet. But this prudent friend of mine, Fred had his own way as he too was quick enough to outstretch his hand to me.... My gaze shifted from Fred to Emrys and without thinking I accepted Fred's offer as he carefully rose me up to my feet taking my hand.... "You're okay, right?" He asked concernedly brushing the strands of my hair away from my face before taking me into a warm hug as I gave him a mere nod.... And I could see the pair of blazing orbs giving a penetrating glance staying behind Fred as he had me taken to his embrace.

"I was looking for you everywhere... God, I was scared. You look strange. Did something happen to you?"

"No.. I am fine.."

"Sian don't you lie me. Then why he was hove----." Fred asked almost whispering the latter part, but he was cut off by the third voice butted in before he could complete himself.

"Alfred... It's not----"

"No... You should not be the one to answer me Emrys...!" Fred stopped throwing his palm front as a refusal. His voice held venom towards him... Then he straight away shifted his gaze back to me... "Are you gonna tell me or---"

"Okay fine, yes something bad was about to happen..." I said letting a wisk of air out.

Fred's brows crinkled and then his eyes instantly shifted past me to Emrys before coming them back stalling on mine...

"What do you mean?" The curiosity emanated from his deep tense voice...

"I was about to--Huh!"

"Tell me!" He couldn't wait to hear me as he looked so tensed....

"I was almost abused here...." as I shot it like a bomb, I could amusingly see the tight fists of the man who disgusted me a few months back tauten more and more on his sides .

May be the fact that the woman he hates to the death has got a real man beside her, doesn't digest in his system...

What a worst being!

"What?" Utter amusement washed over Fred's face.

"Dammit! How the hell did it happen? Are you alright?" He probed grabbing me by my shoulders... I nodded giving him a yes...

Then his eyes instantly set on Emrys and his jaw compressed before he took a step towards Emrys... "YOU! I never thought you would let yourself go this cheap Emrys? How dare you touch her even after giving all the undeserving pains to her? What do you think of y---" he was about to grab ahold of his collar. But my prompted self jumped front...

"No.. Stop Fred....!" I stopped him holding his shoulder. I felt the difficulty in finding the correct words to utter as it would cause some kinda misunderstanding in that man's brain that I am trying to defend him.

No it was not that I tried to defend him. Whether I like or not, anyhow he had his hand on saving me from that jerk of a man even though I didn't prefer that came from him... But, I never wanted to do a mistake by giving him the wrong idea that he had me affected nor was I taking his side. Now or never....

Now, I am a different creature rather you think of me Mister....

"It's not him!" finally I said with much discomfort running through me, but not looking that man...

Fred twirled his face to me giving me a questioning look which seemed to be alluding me that one unasked question.. 'Are-you-seriously-trying-to-defend-him?'

No.. Never..

"You can't deny it Sia.... I saw it from my own eyes. You were fallen down cause he was trapping you here..... Wasn't he?"

"Um it was a mistake that he happened to fall over me." I faked a cough before starting again... "This was all because of that jerk Wandervall. He was the one who trapped me here.... He is that womanizer who wanted to abuse me..." my words were so rough as they blended into the thick silence...

"Dammit!" Fred cursed under his breath... "That bastard!"

"It's all my fault. I should not have invited him to my party in the first place...."

"It's not your fault Fred... I am perfectly fine... See... Nothing to worry...." I said holding his tight bicep..

"I am so sorry that it all came to you because of me.. I wanna make it upto you.... You look so tired. Let's go in..."

I gave him an assuring smile before joining him....

"Stop Alfred!" A voice boomed behind us pausing us on our spot..

"I wanna talk to her personally. So, Let us!..." he said looking me straight in the eyes. But I gave the best blazing gaze of mine to him....

Personally?

What has got into the thick skull of this man?

How can he think that I will talk with him after what he caused me and moreover what is there left between us to talk?

And doesn't he have a shame to confront me?

"Personally? That sounds so crazy dude... I don't think my girl has anything remaining to talk with you.. Neither do I want her to talk with anyman... Especially with her ex." That sent a ripple of ailment through me. But I literally was enjoying every word of my friend who was matching everything along with me to the situation...

"Your girl?" He mocked shaking his friend.. "Why do I find it too difficult to believe?"

"It's your problem.... Do believe or not. That's not our problem either, until we are a happy couple. Stay away from her.." I saw the muscles around his jaw tighten as those words flowed out of Fred.. Now I was happy on the fact that Fred took my side claiming me as his girlfriend...

"Mr:Parker.... You are the last person I wanna talk or confront in my life. Don't you ever show your face to me... You can be nothing, but a beast... I hate you! And that's never gonna be changed. Mind it!..." I spat that venomously...

He gave me a sarcastic smile pursing his bottom lip.. Something different was written in his eyes that I could not put my fingure on...

Does he think I am still incapable of falling in love again.....?? Even though it is a truth....

I don't want this jerk to think that I am still the same Sian who was insanely fallen in love with him....

I am changed alot and wanna let him see that I am stronger and moved on with my life..

Then here is the answer for it...

"Baby, please we'll get in... I cannot stay a single moment here...." I said snaking my hands around Fred before shooting stabbers at the man whose gaze which struck with amusement, was fixiated only on me.... Knowing my inner thoughts Fred gave me a lopsided smile leaning in to plant a chaste kiss on my temple....

That's my friend!

Can't every guy be like this?

"Come..." he encircled me in his arms before giving a death glare at Emrys. And then we quit not giving a backward glare to the beast behind us.

"Thank you for saving me!" I whispered to him....

"It's always a pleasure to be by your side..." Fred heartily said as he pulled me closer to him...

Both of us came inside..

************

"You really are okay?" Fred asked me for the millionth time as he had me sat down on the couch close by the bar.. He had a big party going around him, but his whole focus and concentration was on me.

"Yes..." I said squeezing his hand which had intertwined with mine.

"But I cannot buy it.... You seem tensed..."

"Huh! Don't say it is because of him...."

"I am sorry... But it is...."

"Fine! Then here it is..." I found it difficult to prepare myself for my next words. But I looked at Fred whose eyes were continuously glued to me like I was a distracting statue displayed in an art exhibition.... "We had a past... But it was one-sided..." I let a shaky sigh out... "It was only me who madly loved him... So, just because he was my ex, it doesn't mean he still affects me. I am not ashamed to say....every cell of my body that had me electrified for him many months back are dead by now.... After him I realized love should not be in the heart, but on the brain.... The deeper we love, the deeper the scar get. But now I have overcome the pain... There is no any speck of love remaining within me for him now.. Trust me!!."

He just kept on looking at me without saying anything, but gave me a wide happy grin alluding his sole answer for me.. "Let's dance...." he clasped my hand getting himself onto his feet.. Just before I could say anything my eyes darted towards the entrance to notice the beast himself watching me and Fred standing afar. I warded my gaze off him to Fred, and without even waiting for my reply Fred dragged me to the dance floor.... That was what I too was gonna do anyways....

As we hit the floor Fred slithered his long arms around my waist taking me closer to him. The song was charming yet alluring that got us easily attracted as all the men and women were rocking on the floor.. His face touched one of my cheeks and I instantly cringed like a mimosa. "Awk Fred.. I think it's time for you to trim your stubble. It cringes me.." he chuckled at my statement.. I always had this allergy to men's stubble. And now even more after his invasion in my life....

"For the first time I hear it from a girl... Normally they do love my stubble..." He proudly said before rubbing his stubble on my cheek again...

"Oh no! Don't do it again..." I said giving him a playful smack on his chest....

He richly chuckled again and my eyes fatefully wandered to the same pair of igniting eyes which I last expect to see at the moment and for the rest of my life as well... Appearing out of nowhere why this man tries to kill my vibes?

"Okay.. For you anything Baby..." As Fred said my attention came back to him...

"By the way, thank you for Baby'ing me..." there was a smirk plastered across his face...

"What?"

"I mean when you called me Baby for the first time, it astounded me... You know, I truly loved that came from you...."

"Huh! Don't be on the ninth cloud Mr.Alfred Santiago..." I chuckled giving him that.... "You deserve it anyways. Cause you saved me by claiming me as your girl friend. And that pleased me too...." I honestly replied to which I earned a smile that reached his eyes.... He blissfully twirled me under his clutch before dancing to the rhythem.... We both burst out into a laughter afterwards, but it instantly got disappeared as I saw him enjoying a company of a woman sitting on the same couch where me and Fred were at a while ago....

Sure he intentionally does all these things....

My mind says me not to give a damn about them, but somewhere deep down pulls my creepy self to look at them... They were sipping at the drinks in their hands whilst they were engaging themselves in a busy chat.... The same stern and arrogant looks emanated from him... Out of the blue, the words of him from our early confrontation started haunting in my mind....

"I miss you!"

Why did he slip those three words?

What went wrong in his life?

So what? That's none of my concerns.

It probably was his cunning acts to divert my mind...

Now he cannot bear the sight of me being this confident and strong and rather than that I have got a man beside me now..

It may like a huge thorne is pricking in his eyes...

My eyes ran over the girl who seemed to be in her early twenties.... The girl's toned thighs were so attractably visible as she had slipped herself into a short mid thigh lengthy frock... She was joking and a slight smile could be visible on his cleanly shaven face...

Then she serially planted her hand on his thighs and he shifted his gaze down to his lap to notice her hand.... But he didn't try to shove it off him as he seemed having an interest on her....

This man has no conscience....

He is seducing women behind his girl friend..

Oh no that bombshell fiancée ...

She leaned in closer to him and my heart started to pound against my chest as if it was just fueled to make me run in a haste.... I gulped and tried to avert my gaze, but it was undistractably stuck at them. What I next saw, was she murmuring something closer to his ears instead of making out on the couch and extended her hand to him for a dance.. No hesitation pulled him back as he too willingly joined his hand with hers. His gaze pelted to my side. But I was quick enough to pull myself together as I rolled my eyes pretending that didn't bother me at all....

"You were checking him out!" A voice tweaked me out of my whole stance and then only stupid me realized I was still in Fred's arms as he was glaring at me with a frown on his face...

"No... I wasn't!" I tried to abjure without meeting his scrutinizing gaze...

"Okay what now? What excuse are you gonna give me now?"

"It-----" Before I could answer his question the dance floor became a whole different world as the men started to change the women's position by twirling and moving them from one man to the other. Out of the blue the man who was next to us took me into his hands before dancing and then passed me to the other person. Us women were kept on rotating round and finally I was in the arms of devil....

Damn this!

My respiration became uneven as my stubborn breaths picked its pace up... The moment I literally looked up at him with a deep scowl on my face, all the emotions which I had been holding in came rushing over me. The deep scar, pains, struggles and how the words in my songs were turned out to tears on several stages I had been singing hit me hard that made me pull myself back off him... My arms deliberately kept on struggling in his arms to maintain the distance between us to which he glared at me with no blinks at all. He didn't utter anything. The unreadable emotions in his eyes were replaced by the wrath which had always used to be his friend.... The grip on my waist tautened before he let go of me to the next person much to surprise.....

Jerk....

After the first round I was back in Fred's arms....

"I missed you for a while..." The sooner I was back with him, Fred whispered closer to my ears as he hugged me, but my whole focus was on him whose back had turned on me as the same girl had clung on his neck whilst his left hand was on one of her toned thighs and the other was securely wrapping around her small waist..

No.....

This should not worry me nor bother me...

I drew my eyes away from them to Fred just to realize he had me deeply embracing whilst his face had slightly planted on my bare shoulder.... "Fred?"

"Hmm...."

"Can we get out of here?" He instantly pulled away from me...

"You okay?" He asked concernedly staring at me...

"Um.. My legs are hurting...Can't keep standing anymore..." Pouted I said which was one half a truth....

"Oh!" His face suddnely looked worried... "Fine ! I have got the best medicine with me...." as he said I could see a slight smirk play across his pinkish lips....

"What's playing in that mind?"

"Nothing babe.. I think you need a good rest now...." I nodded giving him a yes and then he ushered me to a close by room in the hotel...

"Thank you Fred!" I said letting a deep sigh of relief whilst perching myself on the edge of the soft fluffy mattress of the bed... My hands mildly ran over the soft white quilt as I let another sigh of relief out.

"This is your room. Here is the key... You can have your night here until you leave tomorrow. I'll ask Terry to shift your baggages here." I gave him a smile instead of a reply...

"Take rest and a good sleep. You look rather tired and sleepy." He paused and took a step closer to me... "And, I am sorry for everything happened tonight!" He said in an appeased tone as he planted a soft kiss on my cheek.... The deep resentment of worry had written in his deep eyes...

"I say it again. You have nothing to do with it..." I asserted...

He gave me a confirming nod and the emotions on his face suddenly switched as there was this cheeky smirk plastered across his face again. "What?" I asked doubtfully with my furrowed brows..

"And thank you for the KISS as well!" He blantered, but with a bright sparkle in his eyes.

Oh god!

I had totally forgotten it....

"Uuuurgh Fred! You are a monster...." I shouted grabbing the closest pillow and throwing it at him which he instantly caught it in his hands...

"Don't drawl! You have no idea how it makes me ar--"

Oh god!

"Oh shut up! You are getting worse... You are not that innocent Fred I used to know..." I complained in a reproaching voice. He teasingly chuckled and I was waiting for him to leave having my arms crossed just below my chest... But he kept on staring at me instead and then turned back without even greeting me a good night....

"Good night!" But I greeted almost in my fake stern voice. Yet, he didn't greet me back as he walked towards the door.. Taking my whole self, he did an utter different thing from what I expected him to do... He locked the door instead of gliding out of the room.. A sudden shock followed by a convulsion of confusion arouse within me as I looked stunned at him... I was feeling intimidated all of a sudden...

"Fred?" I slipped his name out unsure of what he was upto as he took his tentative steps towards me... Enraged by his act I was about to cleave myself off the bed, but he thwarted me from talking..

"No... Sian. Please stop! It's not what you think of...." he made me sit back on the bed before kneeling himself down in front of me....

"Then why did you lock the door..?" I asked in my rebuking tone...

"I am sorry. I forgot to give you the medication..." I looked confused by his statement... "You had a leg pain. Remember?." he answered before taking one of my shoes off my feet...

"Oh Fred!" I was touched by his act... "You needn't doing this..."

"Let me do the honour Miss.Chloe Andrea..." he smiled massaging my one bruised foot smoothingly with his long fingers...

"Oh you are so good Fred...." that really felt so good which made me close my eyes in pure relief...

"I know I am...." he chortled and then removed my other shoe and he proceeded the same steps to my that foot too... I was taken by the relief as his fingers kept on doing magic on my hurting feet... "Have you known before that you have got a hand of a wonderman.... You know what, now you are forgiven for what you said me before..." I admiringly said him..

"Sian!" His voice turned out to be jittered as his fingers stopped working on my feet... I instanlty opened my eyes to look him in the eyes which had quite taken a shade of seriousness....

"Fred? What's wrong?"

"Um... Feel like everything in my life is wrong...."

"What? What do you mean?"

"This is something I saw today..." he planted my foot on its ground before grabbing a slight hold of my hand on my lap itself....

"What is it? Tell me!"

"You can't deny this right?"

"Oh god you are making me piss off right now.."

"Ugh.. Dont get me wrong! I am not trying to admonish you.. That... I mean--- I saw the same raw love you have been holding in for Emrys is still there buried within you..."

"WHAT?" I screeched pulling my hand out of his grip.... My breaths got hitched up....

"Oh! Don't get pissed off.. I am just explaining some facts.... Listen up..." I was angrily breathing as those words made the ripple of wrath enclose my body... "Relax!" He held my hand lying on the bed now...

"He was one of my friends and I had a deep respect to him as my client and friend as well. But when I knew he had put you through this everything faded away... Sian, I know he has given you the worst pain ever.. And you hate him too... But your eyes say a different thing. Still have you got a soft side that melts for him. Haven't you? I saw it on my own eyes. Even though you said me you had forgotten him, you still care for him right?"

"Fred, stop this.. I am very sure of my feelings and myself as well.. I have no such place for him within me. Now nor ever.. Don't drag his name here.. He is the last person that I wanna talk about.. So please....." I chided.

As I said he let a wisk of air out before storing his eyes on mine.. "You are a different woman from the one I got to know several months back. And I like this version of you... It's been a few months since your break up and you have had enough time to recover yourself... But---- you are not ready to fall in love again.... Tell me why you can't have another chance..."

"I am not ready...."

"That's until you are thinking of your past..."

"But--"

"Sian... You made Emrys convince that you are dating me now, just to show him that you have moved on with your life and is having own way of yours...So---"

"So?"

"Why can't we make it true?"

"Fred!"

"I am not forcing you Sian. I know it's hard for you to put yourself through another relationship after what you went through... But give life another chance... You still are young and strong. Don't let one person have your life and feelings get controlled by. You should truly be trying on dating someone who can have your back and keep protecting you for the rest of your life.... Try to understand what I am trying to imply!"

Should I really try to move on?

"And let the man who threw you away see you have got a gentle man beside you.... Not a wanker like him... "

"Fred.... I am just confused right now.."

He caressed my hand as he still had fallen on his kness in front of me one.. "Just one thought. Everything will be changed.. Take your time.. But make the best decision..." I nodded biting down on my bottom lip...

"Forget everything!! Especially him... I am by your side..." he gave me an assuring squeeze on my hand and my eyes set downcast... He didn't bother to pressure on me and his words tugged at a string of my heart..

"Why didn't you tell me he would be attending the party tonight?"

"Oh dammit! I am sorry. But it was my assistant. She had sent invitations to all my business clients that I had saved the names in my documents. It was her blunt act. She didn't ask me before sending...."

"Oh! Now I get it!"

There was a stunned silence before Fred voiced himself out...

"Sian.. And I wanna say this to you. Now or never..." My eyes shifted back to him... "You already know my feelings towards you. I didn't pressure you nor bother you after you rejected my true feelings three months ago. I was trying to be as friendly as I could restraining myself from falling hard for you.. But today all my barriers broke down as I saw him and you together outside.. I was panicked.. I know I should not be feeling this way.. But you know.... I couldn't contain these mixure of feelings I was having on and off.. For the first time ever in my life I understood today that I have truly fallen in love with a woman. That's you Sian. Yes! I LOVE YOU!" His words and confrontation almost gave me a heart attack...

"Fred!"

"Don't get mad at me.. Even though you still reject me I will be your best buddy forever...I promise! But remeber my words.. You should not let him see you still are single..... Get it done for yourself!" He said cupping my cheek as his other palm kept on caressing mine... The silence swallowed us as we kept staring deep right into each one's eyes and I tried to focus my mind and think of him; Fred.. But the sole image was completely different from what I expected to see....

Oh god screw that arsehole!

I instantly closed my eyes... "Concentrate Sian. You can do this.." I felt the side of the bed budge as if he switched his place next to me on the bed.. My mind was in a battle of emotions as my pupils hastily ran inside my closed lids.... After a couple of seconds I opened my eyes to see Fred having his plams planted on both sides of my cheeks as he was staring at me with raw passion buried in his two big irises... "Ready?" He asked me and I was struck between the confusion and my perception about love.... I know this is gonna change my life.... I didn't know whether to push him or let him kiss me to get the reluctance to be kissed by someone done today itself... So that I can have another man in my life....

This was the last thing I had ever imagined to do again... God what am I gonna do now?

After battling for another couple of minutes I gave him a confirming nod..

Tada! A way to go..

A slight smile took birth on his pinkish lips before his one hand came down pulling me closer to him. Instead of claiming my lips Fred dipped his face down to kiss the hollow of my neck... "Fred!" I was shocked at first... I averted my face away before I closed my eyes to feel him and his touches as he slightly peppered wet kisses on the crook of my neck down to the exposed area between my breast. Small groans escaped his mouth as he deeply inhaled me.. His hand left my face as it discarded one strap of my gown... He was mindful not to expose my secret mounds....

Oh no!

What am I doing?

Fred suddenly stopped his acts which made me open my eyes too.. I gave him a questioning look and his gaze shifted down to my hands which were calmly laying on my sides... He gave me a look of sadness to which I left confused and after a moment I found that it was because I had not touched him through out the whole make out session of us...

"It's okay... I understand..." he said ruefully preparing to peel himself off me...

"Fred No..." I stopped him by grabbing his hand and then pulled him in for a hug.... "I am sorry...." I murmured....

He caressed my back... "I am fine. I know I was in a rush to push you into this. You need time I know.. I should not have pressured you in the first place... I truly am sorry..."

I pulled myself back realizing what a big heart he had grown himself and how amazing heart touching thoughts he was holding in it. I pushed my insecurities at the back of mind as I gently cupped his cheek.. As a friend I have a whole lot of respect towards him.....

So why should I hurt him?

"I should be the one to apologize..." a lone tear pricked my eye... He took my hand in his before rubbing it with his thumb....

"I love you Sian!" He said it for the second time...

And he was the third person who truly confessed it to me after Max and Leone....

This man deserves all the happiness in the world and I should not be the one to deprive it... I should not let his heart bleed even without an unintentional sense. He has done and given me much rather things than a single man could ever do for a third person. He was so generous that kept me so close to him the past three months... So, I owe him a thanking gift....Don't I? And I should return it very soon.. I mean sooner..... A smile twitched my lips up as I leaned in to plant a kiss on his cheek that I had never done before.... But this fate had to be so punctual that we heard a knock at the door..

"Let me check..." he got onto his feet before walking towards the door to open it...

I was nervously sitting on the bed clasping my hands together down on my lap...

"Who's that?" I asked as he returned.

"One of staff... A client needs to meet me now. He is waiting for me in the hall... I'll be back very soon.. Take care.. And if you feel sleepy, then sleep.. I want you to have a safe journey tomorrow.. But I am coming back to check on you anyways.." he kissed on my cheek before leaving..

"Waiting for you Fred!" I mumbled to myself...

As he left I stood up and walked to and fro in the room pondering so hard as what to be done... Then I came and perched myself on the other side of the bed...

I wanted my friendship with Fred to be professional and to have it at an arms' distance...Neither did I want to believe him... But now? It crossed the boundry....

God what shall I do now?

Should I start a new chapter of my life?

And to show that beast that I am a different creature now...

Yes! I should be doing this...

Nothing can pull me back.

Nothing can hold me back.

Jesus! YES! I am gonna do this...

A smile spread across my face as I thought of this!

I heard the door cranked open and I was sure ten minutes didn't pass since the moment Fred had gone out.

But he is back soon!

I mean so soon!

I drew a big breath in before uplifting myself onto my feet.. I didn't turn back as the waves of nervousness lapped in my veins.. "Fred! Okay fine! This is gonna be crazy, I know. I have no courage to twirl myself to you. But hear me out. I LIKE YOU.. And I am ready to start this off.." I said in one go... But the silence was roaming around...

"Say something before I would change my decision you pumpkin head....." Instead of his voice what I next heard was a clashing sound of something as if it was suddenly dropped down. Confused I instantly turned round only to freeze on my spot as I saw nothing, but Emrys who looked frozen on his grounds. His hazel eyes scanned me from my face to my neck giving me the thoughts what ran through his mind and a wave of emotions washed over me melting my insides...

But I was not the one to be the slave of it anymore......