Masked (#Wattys 2016)

Chapter 4

Nina skipped dinner. She felt weak, sick. She didn't want to go back down. She took the blanket and covered her body till the neck. She felt restless and turned to check the time on the digital clock by her bed. 4.05 am it showed. 

Well this is the end of my sleep then, i guess.
 Nina climbed out of her bed and started descending down the steps of the staircase, she found the kitchen lights on.

What is mom doing up so early in the morning? 

As she reaches close to the kitchen, she realizes her mother had company, a company she recognized instantly, by that roughness in the way he spoke his words. It was him, it was her nightmare.   

"Mom?"
"Nina, you're up early today"

"What is he doing here so early?"

"Nina, he's your dad, he can come in anytime he wants to."

"So, you done sleeping around for the day?"
"Nina!"

Nina was furious just at the sight of her dad. Those scars from that night were still fresh in her mind. She could not get over it, no matter how much she tried. 

"I'm heading out for a walk. Bye"

Nina took the headphones from the counter top and rushed out the door. 

How can i ever get out of this? I can't live like this anymore. I just can't.

She was preoccupied in her thoughts, so much so she didn't realize the fact that she was walking on the wrong side of the road. There wasn't much traffic, but it was still dangerous. She was deaf to the voices calling her from behind, she was walking slowly still thinking about her parents. 

Am i crazy to think so much about this whole incident? Maybe dad wasn't really choking mom. Was i actually dreaming things? Have i gone crazy? Should I..

Nina's thoughts were disrupted as she felt a jerk in her hand, she was being pulled away. Nina stopped on her steps to process what just happened. 

Huh?

Nina was pulled aside by a boy of her age, looking at her intently. 

"Let go of me!"

Nina pulled away her headphones as she took a good look at the stranger who disrupted her thoughts.

His eyes, are they even real? They are so pretty. 

"Are you crazy, miss?"

She looked into my eyes intently, it was as if she had known me since forever.
"No! Who are you? and Why did you pull me away?"

"I'm Tristian and you were evidently walking on the wrong side of the road" 

Nina took a good look at the road she was walking on, she realized how lost she was in her thoughts. She felt embarrassed. She looked at Tristian who held a calm composure compared to Nina's overly hyped up image. 

Great!

"I'm Nina, thank you for letting me know that i was going the wrong way"
"Yeah, whatever."

Why is he so arrogant? Arrgh! it's not like he saved my life or something. 

"Hey.."

Nina was about to say something to Tristian, but he was already walking his way away from Nina. All she remembered of him was his deep dark eyes. What she didn't know then was that this was not going to be the last they see of each other. That fate has a weird way of working, that they may cross paths again and again and again..

Nina thought it was time she headed back home, for some reasons, that night stopped worrying her now. Was it Tristian's eyes that distracted her? Or the fact that she made herself believe that it was just a nightmare, that evidently has ended, or has it just begun?