Chapter 4 No.4

Crystal's POV

I start to cry as I run back the way I came. The memories are rushing, reminding me of how he betrayed and humiliated me.

Why does the past have to come haunting now after 14 years? Why is Bryce here? Will he be able to remember me? How can I avoid him? I keep asking myself these questions but I can't answer them.

My tears are blinding me and I almost stumble. I hit my leg on one of the sofas beside the staircase leading to my room and I hold onto the handle to stop myself from falling. The sofa is in the large living room, where we usually have our dinner every weekend.

I can't believe I am crying. I can't remember the last time I cried. Even when I came here two years ago, I didn't cry. I was too sad to think of crying and crying won't even solve any of the problems. But here I am, crying bitterly.

Bryce hurt me so badly, I thought we had something beautiful between us, we were so beautiful together and I was already dreaming of the future with him but he dumped me like a piece of trash, crumbling my whole existence and degrading my low self-esteem.

The camera in the gadget room must have informed the queen mother of my absence at the dance stage and I know she will be here anytime from now to question me. I know I can't escape going out there and this means seeing Bryce. I wish we are meeting in a different circumstance and not this. I suddenly feel ashamed of what I do for a living.

Will he laugh at me for this life I am living?

I am trying to think of the solution as I wipe my tears hurriedly. Queen mother will be here anytime soon, if I don't think of a good solution, she will have me dragged out forcefully and that means more humiliation. I would rather die than let Bryce see me in this vulnerable state for the second time in my lifetime.

The first time was when he dumped me and I went to beg him. He didn't care and he told me he didn't. That was when he dawned on me that what we shared meant nothing to him, even though it meant everything to me. But not anymore. I thought I had gotten over him and what happened.

"What the hell are you doing here instead of being out there?" Jackson appears in front of me, jolting me out of my reverie. I haven't come up with a plan.

"Erhmmm...I..I...", I stammer and wipe my tears with the back of my hand. I stand upright and face him.

"You are crying?" He ask me and the concern in his tone almost made me begin to weep all over again.

"No, I'm fine", I shake my head and look down. Before I know it, he grabs my hand and begins to lead me to the staircase.

"Come with me", he says, before I can ask him what he is doing.

Why is he dragging me to my room? Does he want to have me to himself now? Where is the Queen's mother?

We get to the door to my room and he pushes it open with his hand. He stares at me and walks in with my hand in his. I sniff and withdraw my hand from his hold. I stand with folded arms.

"Why are you crying, Crystal?" He questions with a worried expression.

"Nothing, I'm fine." I don't intend to tell him what happened. He is one of the reasons why I hate men and I know he will laugh at me if he knows what I am hiding from.

"Nothing?" He sneers. "And you are crying?"

"I am not crying", I confirm falsely.

"Cut the crap already. I'm just trying to help you." He throws his hand up in the air, I can see he is pissed at me for not answering him.

"Why do you care?"

"What? Of course, I care", he isn't smiling and I try to search his face to see if he is honest.

Why is he acting nice to me today?

Jackson is a good-looking guy with brown sandy hair and he takes orders from the Queen's mother. I don't like him because of that.

Since he cares, I decide to use the opportunity to my advantage. "I need your help."

He peers at me. "To escape?"

"What?!"

I didn't even think of that. Is he trying to test me to know if I have the intention of running away?

"Of course not," I reply.

He laughs. "I can help if that isn't the case then, I'm all ears", he smiles sweetly at me.

I gulp, thanking my stars that I didn't say yes to his question of escaping. I was tempted to, even though this is not the help I need. I never thought of asking Jackson to help me escape. If I had told him I needed his help to help me escape, I know I wouldn't be here tomorrow to see the break of dawn. They will kill me.

"Crystal, what help do you need?" He pulls me out of my thoughts again. I gaze up at him, he is standing just a few meters away from me.

"I can't dance tonight, please spare me", I plead with my hands together.

He shakes his head. "You know that's not possible. You are noticeable and your absence will cause an uproar, thereby attracting the Queen's mother's attention. She will know you aren't performing tonight....."

"I know", I sigh in resignation and turn my back to him. There is no solution now, I just have to go out and face my past, maybe I should just pretend like I don't know him.

"Why don't you want to dance? Are you unwell?" He demands. I feel his hand around my waist, planting kisses at the nape of my neck. A cold spiver runs down my spine and I move away gently from his hold.

Now I know the reason why he brought me here into my room, he doesn't want the Queen's Mother to see us conversing. Now I have confirmed the fact that Jackson has a thing for me, he doesn't behave this way to the other girls. He is always barking out his orders at everyone, including me when we are among the other girls but when alone, he smiles at me sweetly.

"Let's go back before she notices my presence", I utter, to escape from him. I don't have any other alternative than to go out and dance and pretend not to know him. I am praying he will be gone before I am out to dance.

"Alright, we will continue some other time", he smirks. I don't know whether to nod or shake my head. I don't want him but I know I don't have a choice if he wants me. He will make my life a living hell if I don't let him have his way with me.

I turn back again and begin to walk to the door. I hear a sound behind and I twirl back to see Jackson rubbing his toes and wincing in pain.

"Sorry", I bend to help him up. He hit his leg on the iron antique in my room, spilling the content in the bag beside the antique. He must have had his shoelace hooked to the bag, making him lose balance and hit his toes on the antique.

"I'm fine, thank you", he grimaces and stands up, without my help. I decide to pack all the things scampered on the floor back into the bag when my eyes fall on the black mask. An idea suddenly takes form in my head and I grin.

"Let's go", he grabs my hand.

"Jackson, I need your help now", I stretch the mask at him.

He raises his brows in confusion. "Mask?"

"Please, let me use it. Convince the Queen Mother to let me use it, I beg of you."

"Why?" He asks sharply.

I am silent for a while, thinking of what to tell him. Should I be honest with him or lie to make him let me have my way? This mask is the best way to hide myself from Bryce, I am sure he won't come back here after today.

"I need it to hide my identity from someone I used to know", I blurt out.