Her Desperate Heart

Chapter nineteen.

“But he didn't mention Clarissa, huh?" Mila said.
“ No he didn't " she said.
“ Why dont i tell you about her?. But only Vicki could tell everything you need to know " Mila said
“ I gotta go " Mira said standing up, “ Please Nick has a reason for not telling you " she said before she left.
“ Speak of the devil and she comes striding in" Mila laughed as a red haired girl walked in.
“ Vicki, i was just talking about you " Mila said. “ Please meet Iris "
“ Hi"
“ I heard people discussing that Clarissa was here but i couldn't believe it, so you are Clarissa's lookalike" Vicki said.
“ Not exactly "
“ Well, just tell her everything about Clarissa and Nick "
“ Okay. Clarissa was my best friend and we all grew up together. Nick and Clarissa were friends at first just hanging out and soon they started liking each other but Nick felt like he was never enough for her, he asked her what she wanted in her boyfriend and Clarissa said she wanted a man with the same career as her. She was really tall and liked basketball and everyone new she was going to be a basketballer. Nick started playing basketball too and suddenly got good at it, he did it all for her. They started dating a little while later, everyone envied their relationship, they were always there for each other and no one could even doubt their love for each other ” Vicki said, Iris just sat there listening without showing any reaction.
“ Soon, Nick got picked up by scouts and they trained him, and soon he became famous. He still made time to talk to Clarissa but she felt it was never enough. She was jealous, she told me, she claimed that she was the one who started playing first but Nick's the famous one. I told her to speak to Nick but she wouldn't listen, they dated for six years then she cheated on him with another man. Nick was broken when he found out, he distanced himself from her and he wouldn't see her for weeks and when they finally met, he apologised for not giving her enough attention and they got back together, i noticed something was wrong with her but i didn't mention it, Clarissa shopped for different lingeries to seduce Nick, Nick fell for it and after some few weeks, she told Nick that she was pregnant. Nick was happy, he was a man and didn't understand that if a woman is a month old pregnant she shouldn't have a baby bump and Clarissa took advantage of that. She asked Nick not to tell anyone but Nick slipped and told his mum, his mum went over to Clarissa's parents and Clarissa wore a really tight tank top and her bump was showing but Nick mum birthed two kids, she knew that it was impossible to have a baby bump as big as that for a month pregnancy. She didn't say anything but talked to Nick about it, Nick didn't believe and did numerous research and the truth came to light, it happened that she got pregnant for Nick's previous team coach because he promised to get her a good team if she slept with him and she had to do it, Nick couldn't deal with it, he fought with the team coach and got arrested, it broke him, his mum and dad gave him The Talk, and it woke him up, he broke off everything with Clarissa and still she refused to leave but one day she left without leaving anything, we heard nothing about her again. She was now dead to us, but it didn't end there, her parents came and tried everything to punish Nick but he was richer than them, her father died leaving just her mother and out of guilt, Nick took her in. One day, she made Nick promise never to love anyone again and she threathened to take her life. Nick had no choice but do it according to her wish and now she's living in his house, Maude. You probably know her, she forced Nick to promise to also make her see all the girls he goes out with " Vicki said. “ i dont know what you are thinking but i think it's better to confront him. I need to go now" she said standing up and walking away.
“ when i first saw you hanging close to Nick, i thought you were just another Clarissa but just this few minutes with you, i think she doesnt worth to be compared to you. I would love to be friends with you " Mila said.
“ I too would love to be your friend " she said.
“ Bye then" Mila said and left, leaving her alone, she couldn't think straight. What she wanted to do was too find Nick and question him but at the same time she just wanted to avoid him. Nick probably didn't think it was important to tell her but also he lied about other things like how he started playing basketball. She just needed answers and her staying with him depended on those questions.

After the party, she helped them clean up not because she wanted to but because she was avoiding Nick. “ Iris " someone called her and she turned to see Nick's mother standing there. She wasn't ready for this also but she smiled, “ Do you need anything? "
“ I came to apologise for earlier " his mother said sitting down and gestured for her to sit also. “ It wasn't your fault but how was this mother supposed to behave, watching her son break down, i couldn't take it the second time but Mira told me about you"
“ It's alright Ma'am. You dont need to apologise, i understand " she said.
“ We all thought Clarissa was the best person for him but i regretted ever making such choice. But he acts differently about you, you probably are the one for him " his mother said wiping her eyes.
“ I dont know " she said and she meant it, she wasn't sure that they would be together after this night.
“ I think you should go and get some sleep" His mother told her and she nodded before standing up to go to room where her bag had been placed.
She showered and dried her hair afterwards and got dressed. She sat on the bed unable to sleep, the door opened and Nick walked in.
“ Iris, I've been looking for you, mum told me that you might be here" he said removing his clothes. “ What were you doing? " he asked. No answer.
“ Iris!! " he turned to look at her. “ Are you okay? "
“Nick, i have few questions for you " She said quietly.
“ Tell me what's wrong? " he said kneeling in front of her.
“ will you answer my questions?. Just answer? " she asked standing up, he stood up also.
“ Fine " he said.
“ Who's Clarissa?" She asked and she saw the way different expression changed across his face.
“ How do you know about her?" He asked
“ So there's a Clarissa huh?. I tried to tell myself that it was all fake that they were making it up but your reaction proves them right" she said smiling.
“ I can explain " he said.
“ i dont think i want to hear about it. I spent time today listening to people tell me about you and Clarissa and i cant hear anymore" she said.
“ But_"
“ Nick, I'm not angry at you because you hid the truth for me but instead I'm angry at myself " she said.
“ Listen to me " he said.
“ I cant. I cant even think straight. I sat there looking like a fool. Thank God that Vicki and Mila are good people they would have been mocking for not knowing anything about you " she said, “ I told you everrything about me, everything about me, you knew but even such an important information about you, you didn't even slip. Does this " she pointed at him and her“ Make any difference to you? "
“ Iris " he said trying to touch her.
“ Dont touch me, i dont want you to. " she moving away.
“ you knew everything i wanted, i never hid it from you but you made a promise never to love anyone, was this all a joke to you? "
“ Iris "
“ I'm tired of you trying to call me Dont. Just answer me " she said, “ Is it too much to ask?"
“ I will just give me time " he said
“ For how long, until Clarissa's mother die and when do you think that's going to happen " she asked.
“ i cant "
“ I know and i realised it too late. You cant give me what i want. I want more, i have always wanted more and you knew this " she said walking to him.
“ I'm not Clarissa. This time you have a chance to stop me, you have a chance to make me realise that it wasn't a mistake loving you " she said holding his cheeks as she kissed him then pulled away.