Chapter 5: 03 | Crystal Blue

"Nova," her dad said, "we want you to never talk or interact, in any way, with that guy."

"We don't even know who he is; all we know is that he is not someone who should be here. Or near you. This close to someone like you." her mother added.

She couldn't help but wonder what her mother meant when she said someone like her but she wasn't going to interrupt them.

"I thought he wasn't returning. I need to talk to that guy who told me about it. And I would insist for you to move out but that wouldn't be fair to you," Her father talked almost to himself while looking at her mother.

"You're right," her mother replied. "Nova, if anything happens, this time you need to tell us about it. No matter what, you need to stay away from him. God knows what he's done. And if we actually believe the tales the neighbours told us, it's better not to take any risk," she told her in all business tone.

What was the case?

"But, Mum, Dad wh—"

"—No, Nova," her father said sternly.  "You don't need to know anything else. Just do as we say, study well and keep to yourself."

"As you always do," her mother added in a suggestive tone, making Nova purse her lips.

"Okay," was all she could say after that.

It was very clear that both her parents as well as Alesso and Gilliam knew something about him. But they weren't telling her. But if it was something that she should steer clear of, shouldn't she know about it, then?

She could shut down her curiousity. It wasn't much, and she had to have all her focus on her studies anyway. It was her last year after all.

"Just swear it, Nova. It is the best for you, trust us.” Her mother asked of her sighing, when she saw how she slumped in her seat, letting the matter go.

"Of course," she assured her, giving a close-lipped smile in order to make them have faith in her.

“That's right. We would've told you about the things that are related with him but we don't want to fuel your curiousity. Girls your age seem to work on their curiousity and we want you safe and sound.” She told her.

Nova nodded her head and that was the end of the conversation.

There had to be something. But she shouldn't care.

*

The next day, which was Halloween, the Newton family spent it together. Every year it had been her who used to go back to her actual home, back in London. But this time around, her parents insisted on coming to where she lived instead.

They said it helped them refresh and that the vibes of the quiet neighborhood soothed them.

She was happy, though. They both hardly ever had time out of their busy schedules. And all they'd ever wanted of her was for her to be successful and to be standing on her own two feet. They also weren't hesitating on willing to help her doing that,  and that was what Nova was most grateful for.

They spent the whole day baking and eating and talking about work and anything they wanted to share and it was refreshing. Having her parents with her was always good.

But as it lead on to dark, though...

"You don't happen to have any plans, do you? It's Halloween," her mother asked with a certain look on her face.

It came as a surprise to her, really. They, her parents had always told her that friends weren't important. That you could be well off without them and that most of the time they did nothing but hold you back down. But now that her mother was asking her about having any plans, it was simply surprising.

"Why? I'm here with you guys. And you always said—"

"—We know what we said, Nova. Your mother and I were just wondering," Her father said.

"Yeah and to tell you the truth, I'm also a bit worried."

"What for?" She asked.

"Alesso told me that you never bring anyone home. Are you alright, Nova? Is there anything we need to know about? Something at the university?"

"Mum, I told you. There is absolutely nothing that you should be worried about. Everything is fine. Even at the university. There is nothing wrong, I swear," she tried to tell her, trying to sound as assuring as she could.

"Or maybe, someone we — I need to know about?” Her dad joined in.

And for a second her mind wandered off to that night...

"No," she said instead. "There's nothing. You know I would tell you if there was, right?"

But they both had that unconvinced look on their faces.

"There is absolutely nothing to worry about. I don't have any plans because my college mates are gone to attend some party and I'm not a big fan of them," she told them honestly. "And I don't see any point in bringing them home, I don't have that many friends, anyway." She tried for the last time, playing with the truth this time but not quite lying.

“Alright, but you're turning twenty in less than a month, Nova. We know we told you to completely focus on your studies but now that you're doing so well we don't want to steal any kind of experience from you. Just so you know, you sometimes want to have someone to talk to.” Her mother told her and this time with a look that looked weird to see on her.

She just nodded her head and sat there enjoying the food.

After some time, some kids knocked on their door and did the 'Trick or Treating' and got many eatables and some gifts from them as always. When it was past midnight and they'd done the entire movie marathon with lots of snacks and talks, her father declared it was time to get to bed. She told them to go to bed already because she was going to do the dishes and then sleep. They nodded and went on. Having done the task she began washing her hands.

The conversation that they had yesterday made its way into her mind as she turned around to wipe her hands clean with the towel. She shouldn't think about the mystery of her neighbour, but at the time when she had nothing else to think about and when his house was in the very front of her, she just couldn't help but think. The window gave her the perfect view of his house. The house, which up untill a few days, was empty.

The lights were off; all of them. Which meant that either he wasn't home or he was asleep already.

Her first guess was proven to be true as just in seconds she saw a figure entering the main door from the garage of the house.

It was him – the guy from that night. She could tell with his build, it had to be him.

He entered his house and then disappeared into it. No lights were turned on, no change whatsoever in the house. Weird, she thought.

"Honey, if you could bring a jug of water in our room, please!" She heard her mother's voice call her from upstairs and she jumped as if got caught.

Sighing to herself and looking for the last time towards the house, she shook her head and filled a jug of water for her parents.

They said she didn't need to think about it. So she won't. At least she would try not to.

*

“This is your last year, you will have to find an internship and I'm willing to give you one. A friend of mine owns a hospital which has a psychology ward and are looking for an assistant doctor. Just tell me and I'll talk to him about you.” Her dad asked her the question for the fifth time that day.

“Dad, for the past week that you've been here you've gone all out about this idea and I've told you not to stress about it. Yes, it is my last year but the college is providing an internship here. I was thinking of applying there, actually.” There, she told him the big news.

It was a week after Halloween. How her parents actually afforded that lengthy of a holiday for themselves was beyond her. But it felt normal for once.

“You can be stubborn when you want to be, Nova, which is why I want you to intern as a solicitor in my firm as well. But if you don't want to, then fine — but remember, my offer stands tall. If you ever want to change your mind, you know the road to London.” Her father said.

"Alright then, take care," she told him and with a hug he went outside.

“You do know you should've told him that way earlier and in a better way, don't you?” her mother asked her as she came from the kitchen, probably having a chat with Alesso.

“I know," she said sighing. "But how was I supposed to tell him that when I learned about it only yesterday.” She told her. It was true, she'd gotten a e-mail stating that and couldn't fine the right moment to break the news. It also didn't help that whenever her father would bring the topic up, he wouldn't even let her speak up. Hinting on the news casually and then straying clear of it on the next sentence.

Her mother sighed, "Take care, Nova," saying that she followed her husband. Nova did the same and getting outside she saw her father talking with Tim. He greeted her mother as she took her place beside her husband.

Tim left soon after and her mother and father gave her their goodbye hugs and her mother glanced at the house that was eerily quiet and in the very front of her house.

"You haven't forgotten about him, have you? You'll stay away," she stated and Nova nodded. "Take care," she said and then got into the car which drove off after that.

She stood there for some time looking at the car as it eventually faded into the distance.

Sighing, she glanced at the house when she saw a movement in her peripheral vision. As her eyes landed on the main door, it opened. She sucked in a breath and her eyes widened.

The door never once opened this week — or ever, in front of her. As much she wouldn't like to admit it, she had been keeping an eye on it.

Now that she thought of it, whenever her parents were awake or in the garden, the house was unnaturally quiet. As if there wasn't a soul in it. Now, however, it was opened ajar. Ready to bring out whoever's been inside.

She held her breath in as she saw a shadow near it. Her eyes never once blinking. Then he came out. She knew it was him, she couldn't forget the physique and just like before, she couldn't see his face.

It was hidden. Again with a hoodie.

Her eyebrows furrowed, trying to see if she could but to no avail.

She recalled her parents saying what she had to do. Not just moments ago her mother told her to steer clear of him, and she was all made up about it because she always did what she was told.

But now...

Now it felt like she shouldn't do as they say. It felt like there was something she needed to know, and that something everyone else knew but weren't willing to tell her. She felt like this guy, he wasn't what her Mum, Dad, Alesso and Gilliam thought he was; what anyone thought he was.

But god, the feeling was racking her brain. She'd never had the urge to not follow something that she'd been told. She always listened. But this time...

This time she was lacking that feeling. This time she wanted to go against them, and it was scary.

And as she stood there, looking at the ground, she felt like looking up. So she did, and when she raised her eyes to glance at him, he halted too. The breath she'd been holding came out as a sigh.

He looked striking. She couldn't see his face but she got a glimpse of his eyes. Blue. They were blue.

As if on instinct, she walked towards him. She knew she was doing this for the very first time in her life, but the guilt and the voice which usually made her think twice before acting didn't put up a fight. It didn't even make an appearance for that matter. That made her continue on and he remained cemented.

While she was only approaching him, her eyes were fixed on his the entire time. He seemed tall to her as she walked closer to him, taller than her own 5'10" height by at least two more inches. He was well built as well, which indicated that he did workout, or his work needed him to be fit.

She realised then, why she wanted to see him. She wanted to psychoanalyse him. Why, she wasn't so sure herself, but at least she had something cleared.

Now that she was in the very front of him and the sun wasn't creating any illusions, she noticed that he had a mask on which covered all the area of his mouth and nose. Just leaving his eyes on full display.

And they were beautiful.

Crystal blue.

"Hi," she said first, still looking at him.

He, on the other hand, just kept staring at her with confusion swirling in his eyes.

“Um, I'm Nova. I live across from you, there if you haven't noticed,” she pointed out to her house and he didn't even glance at it which meant he knew that much.

He was pretty tall, she noticed once again. And not just an inch or two; from this distance, he seemed a head taller at most. But since Nova wasn't that close to him, she didn't really need to crane her neck back that much. Though she was sure she would have to if she were to stand right besides him.

He glanced behind her then, at her house most presumably, just for a second and then back at her. He raised one of his dark eyebrows as if asking what the deal was.

Oh right, why did she come here?

She cleared her throat trying to figure out why she came there in the first place. When she looked down at her feet she suddenly knew what exactly she had to say.

“You're new here," she simply stated, not asking exactly but a hint of a doubt present in her tone. She knew he wasn't a newcomer, she'd seen enough people steering clear of his topic to know that but she wasn't going to let him know of that little detail. She wanted to know for herself.

She knew she shouldn't be here saying this and that by saying that she was completely violating her parents' orders, but and quite a few morals of her own but she still found her tongue working.

“If you ever need anything, you know I live just a few steps away. I mean, you seem new here and I've been here for almost two years, so, I believe I could come as a help for you, just in case y'know,” she continued further on, just to gauge his reaction.

She didn't know why she was doing it but it just felt like she should.

When she was certain that he wasn't going to say anything and that what she was there for had been done, she decided to head back to her house.

As she stepped on her porch, she had a feeling to turn around so she did, and she found him still rooted there staring at her as if he knew what she'd just done. Like he saw right through her. And because Nova wasn't sure how that made her feel, she turned her head around and went back inside.

————————

A.N:

The song above is not really related to the chapter but since I absolutely adore the incredible human being who's sung it and because the song itself is incredibly amazing I decided to put it there. Also because I'm in love with this album and of course the beautiful man that's sung it. I'd say go full on in and keep streaming it!

Anyways, any thoughts about the chapter? How was it? Any good?

Read, vote, comment, share, add, follow, love and enjoy!

—Z.