A while later, Crystal heard rustling outside her window. She rushed to it, and opened it up. She saw Nick trying to climb the trellis. She helped him up and into the room.
"Hey, Crys, I-" he stopped when he saw her face. "Oh, God, Crystal, I'm so sorry. I could kill him." He pulled her into his arms. Crystal couldn't hold back the tears anymore. They started to flow freely until they became racking sobs.
"Oh, Nick-" she started, still sobbing.
"Shh, don't speak, sweetie. It's gonna be okay, okay? Don't worry about that bastard," he whispered into her hair. Right now, all he wanted to do was kill the man. Or better yet, torture him to death. He felt such rage towards him, he thought he would explode.
"Come on, hon, let's lie down together. I'll hold you," Nick said. Crystal tearfully nodded.
When they had laid down together, Crystal still continued to cry, her face buried in Nick's shoulder.
"Nick, I don't know what I'm gonna do. I can't take this anymore," she said in between sobs. Nick ran his hands up and down her back in an attempt to console her. Just then he had an idea.
"Run away with me," he stated simply. Crystal shot up and looked down at him in shock. He sat up too.
"What did you say, Nick?" she said, not believing her ears.
"I said run away with me, Crystal. We could be happy together. We wouldn't have to suffer any more next to our family. We could be happy together," he said.
"Nick, I..." she started.
"It's the best way to get away from him, Crys. You wouldn't have to put up with him and his abuse any more," Nick said, taking Crystal's hands into his own.
"But, Nick, I-I-I'm not even 18 yet!" she exclaimed.
"Run away with me on your eighteenth birthday. Come on, sweetie, please! It's the only way to escape him. Your mother's obviously not doing anything about him, so why don't you?" he reasoned.
"But, Nick, what about Josh?" Crystal asked.
"I don't know, Crystal. Just think about it okay? You're birthday's not too far away. So think about it, okay?" He leaned over and planted a kiss on her forehead, his hand cupping her cheek, and his thumb rubbing circles on her face.
"Okay, Nick. I'll think about it. Okay?" Crystal said softly. Then she put her arms around his neck, and held him very tight. He was the greatest guy she had ever met. But she didn't know what she was going to do.
"Nick, I think you better go, okay? I don't want my father to find you here, okay?" she said, releasing him and standing up.
"Okay, you're right. I'll call you later, okay?" he said. She nodded.
"Okay, Nick. I'll talk to you later."
He walked to the window, and was soon on the ground, walking away. He looked back once, and gave her a small wave. She waved back, and closed the window, and sighed. Would she really consider running away with him?
Chapter 8
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