Wanderlust [ editing ]

14. The Zone (Abel's POV)

Light shines through the glass doors causing me to wake up. I groan. I rub my eyes and look at my surroundings. I remember every thing from last night and the only person on my mind is Krissa. I look to my side only to see she's not there.

I drag myself out of bed and once again groan, but this time in pain holding my side. I start making my way to the bathroom, but instantly stop when I walk through the glass doors that open to the balcony. I see Krissa in a white robe that the hotel provides. She's sitting, looking out into the city, while smoking a cigarette.

I open the door and sit on the other brown chair. She doesn't even look at me.

"Krissa?" I begin. "Are you okay?" I ask and all she does is nod and continues to smoke her cigarette.

"What's been going on?" I ask and she gets up and walks back into the room gathering all her things and putting them in her purse.

"Where are you going?" I ask her sitting on the bed.

She zips her bag closing it.

"Home. Where else would I go?" She replies with an attitude.

"Are you kidding me?" I say. "Krissa look at your arm for fucks sakes." I say and she stops and crosses her arms.

"Well, I live there so.." she says walking across the room into the restroom.

"You're not going back there." I say standing at the restroom door watching her wash her soft face gently.

"Yes I am." She replies as she turns off the faucet and reaches for a towel, but I grab it and hold it in the air.

"Krissa listen.." I say, but she interrupts.

"Give me the damn towel, Abel." She snaps.

"Krissa shut up and listen to me!" I say. "You aren't going back to Caleb." I say and she tries to interrupt me once again, but I shush her.

"You aren't. He's no good for you." I say handing her the towel and she chuckles.

"That's funny. He said the same thing about you."

"What the hell, Krissa." I say. "What's gotten into you?" I exclaim, but she just ignores me and proceeds brushes her red hair with her fingers.

"Krissa talk to me." I say tilting my head, leaning it on the door frame. "Why do you want to go back to him?" I say and she pushes me softly so she can walk out the rest room.

"Krissa! Answer me!" I say raising my voice.

"No!" She exclaims. "It's not your business!"

"Oh really? I think it is because he could've killed me last night. We've been good friends, even more than that, for 2 months. He called both us of us names, nearly beat you and you're telling me it's not my business?!" I say, each word escaping my mouth getting louder and louder.

The whole time I was talking she was putting on her clothes from last night and heading to the door. I grab her hand and force her to sit on the bed. I look down at her and she looks up at me with anger.

"Just fucking answe-"

"BECAUSE I LOVE HIM." She yells at me and smacks my arm causing me to wince.

"I love him Abel." She says and she gets up. "And he loves me."

I struggle processing what she just yelled at me. Am I hearing her correctly?!

"He doesn't love you Krissa!" I say using my hands to express myself as I speak. "Take a look at yourself! Look how bruised you are!" I say pointing to her arms.

"They'll be gone in a week. 2 tops." She mumbles.

"Excuse me?" I ask raising my eyebrow. "Are you telling me that lil bitch ass has hit you before?!" I begin shouting a little and she's quiet. "AND YOU'RE OKAY WITH IT?!" I yell holding my head trying to understand what the hell she's saying.

I can't fucking believe this. What the hell?! What has he fucking done to her to make her think this is fucking okay?! I swear I will fucking murder him.

She shakes her head. "Abel, you wouldn't understand."

"I understand that he's a fucking woman beater and you're not doing shit about it." I say.

"HE LOVES ME." She yells. "DESPITE HIS TEMPER HE LOVES ME." She says and I'm shocked at how loud she could yell.

I swear, I'm gonna beat him if he comes near Krissa or me again. I ain't dealing with this bull shit. I can't fucking stand men who hit women.

"He shows me in varies ways he loves me which overpower his flaws!" She says loudly.

"Krissa look at me. That's not love. You're settling for him when you deserve so much more." I say calmly as I sit next to her.

"No I don't. Look at me. He's the only one who has been loving me." She says looking at herself in the mirror from across the room.

"Every one I thought cared about me left me." She says. "They hurt me and just left me. Cold, alone, wandering and lost."

"That doesn't mean you should be with a person like Caleb." I say wiping a tear off her face with my sleeve.

"I love him, Abel. I know I shouldn't, but I do." She says.

"Do you really believe he loves you, though?" I ask her. The room goes silent for what seems like decades and she finally replies with tears running down her face.

"No. Abel, I don't think he does." She says. She begins ranting.

"All he does is control me, Abel. When we first started dating he said amazing things, but periodically he became really rough." She sniffles. "Have you noticed how I've been changing my appearance? It's for him. He won't accept me the way I am, Abel. He just wants to change me." She continues crying making it hard for her to talk and even harder for me to understand.

Shit, I wanna cry now. Seeing her in pain is so hard for me. I hurt her and now Caleb hurts her? PHYSICALLY! This girl is tough, but she's not that tough.

"And all I want is what I've been craving for so long.." She says quietly. "..love. Abel, all I want is love." She says.

Damn, this is killing me. I can't stand seeing her this way. She deserves so much. More than me. More than Caleb. She deserves more than a lot of guys have to offer. She deserves the fucking world.

"Krissa." She looks up at me.

"You can't be with Caleb." I say and she gives me sad eyes.

"You and I both know he isn't the one you should be with. This masochistic relationship isn't good, baby." I say and softly rub her hand.

"I know." She says quietly. "My everything is falling apart, Abel."

"I'm sorry, Krissa." I say and she just looks down.

I feel so bad for her. She shouldn't have to go through this.

"Let me take you out." I say.

She looks up. "Where?" She asks as she puts her hair to the side and wipes her face with her hands.

I rattle through my brain searching for an idea. I want to take her somewhere that will cheer her up. Suddenly, the light bulb appears on top of my head.

"You'll see." I say. "Let's get you fixed up." I grab her hand. "And I'll take you out." I gently kiss her hand.

"Okay." She says giving me a slight smile. She walks to the bathroom but turns around.

"Hey, Abel?" She says and I look up at her.

"No funny business." She says smiling then giving me a little chuckle.

"Deal." I say and smile back at her.