A Glow Of Happiness

Chapter 24. Isa

I sigh loudly as I put my phone back in my pocket, sad and angry that I still haven't gotten a single text message from William in over a week. I'm scrubbing aggressively the dirt from the tables as the last employees from the night are leaving. The restaurant closed an hour ago, and even though I wish I could just go hide in my bed, I have to close up the restaurant tonight. I hear footsteps coming from the entrance, but I don't even look up.

"We are closed," I say loudly.

"It's Nick."

I walk to the entrance to see Nick waiting there, alone.

"How did you get in?" I ask.

"Got in as the last employee was leaving, told him I was picking you up," he explains. "I know William usually picks you up, but from what I've heard from Aubrey I guessed he wouldn't come tonight."

"Have you heard about him?"

"A little bit, but he cuts me off as well in the last week," he says sadly.

"At least I'm not the only one..." I let out.

"Hurry up, my car is still running," he says.

I quickly finish cleaning before gathering my belongings and following him out. I lock the doors and get in his jeep. We stay there in silence, both knowing we need to talk about William.

"I'm worried about him. He never pushed me away before," Nick lets out.

"I wish I could say the same, but he pushes me away all the time so," I roll my eyes.

"He has trust issues, and who could blame him with the amount of shit he went through," Nick says absentmindedly.

"I can blame him. I can blame him for always pushing me away, and hurting me, and never telling me anything about him. How am I supposed to know the shit he went through if he won't talk to me?" I exclaim.

"Come on, that's not fair, Aubrey told me he told you about his father."

"He did, you're right. And I am so happy he did. But would he have talked about it if it wasn't about that whole fight with Steve? He talked about it to me only because I mostly already knew about it..." I explain.

"Maybe you're right, but maybe he really was ready to tell you," Nick suggests.

A tear rolls down my cheek and I look out the window, hiding my face.

"I just don't know if I can keep doing this," I whisper.

"Please don't give up on him just yet, she did and that's why he's so deeply broken," Nick lets out.

This catches my attention and I turn to face him again. He seems to realize what he just said because an unreadable expression appears on his face.

"Who broke him?" I ask.

"I shouldn't be the one telling you this," he says.

"If not you then who? Because I'm telling you right now I don't have the force to keep on fighting for someone who doesn't want me in his life," I let out a cry.

"He wants you in his life, trust me. I've never seen him as happy as when he's with you," Nick tells me.

"Well that's not enough to build a relationship with someone," I say lowly.

There's a long silence. I know how important it is for Nick to stay true to William and not to break his trust, but I need to know. I need to know in order to understand William better and be in a position where I can help him.

"It's been over a week. I mean who sleeps with a girl and doesn't talk to her for over a week afterward? Only players and assholes do that!" I groan.

Nick stays silent, but he gives me a small smile, telling me he understands my point of view.

"His mother left him when he was young. She left his father and him alone, never giving him a reason why. She just walked out of the house and never came back. She never tried to contact him, never gave him any sign of where she was," Nicks says in a whisper.

As if whispering it means he isn't actually telling me.

"William always felt like his mother left because she didn't really love him. He always thought, and still believes, that if his own mother could leave him, then no one could ever stay in his life. No one could ever love him if his own mother couldn't. He was so young, yet he remembers every single detail of that day," Nick carries on.

"Shit..." I let out.

"It took him years to trust anyone but his father and I. Then Jackson came along and suddenly William opened up to him. We were the golden trio, always together, always doing stupid shit, always having each other's back. And then Jackson killed William's father. I know it wasn't intentional, but it's still murder. He shouldn't have been driving. That only pushed William deeper into his trust issues. He became distant and cold. Even to this day, I don't think he's started to grieve his father's death properly," Nick scoffs sadly.

"I didn't know," I say speechless.

"He never gave you a chance to," he says matter-of-factly.

I don't answer him and he takes it as a cue to drive off. The ride is silent, and millions of thoughts fight each other in my head. William is so deeply broken, I have no idea how I could even help him, but I need to try one more time. I need to try because I love him, and I'm not one to quit on the people I love. The drive doesn't take long and we are soon parked in front of my dorm.

"Please wait for him to tell you before talking about it, I feel so bad I betrayed him. I had to though, I had to tell you so you wouldn't give up on him," Nick says sadly.

"I think he canunderstand that, but don't worry I won't tell him," I admit before getting outof the car and walking away.