Love Aint Always Pretty novel Chapter 37

Verboten

- forbidden; prohibited by dictate

Origin: German

37

NICK'S POV

EIGHT YEARS AGO

"How do I look?" Catherine asks me.

She shows off to me her lovely white dress that I bought from a flea market in town and she seems to love it. It was just really cheap and I thought she wasn't gonna like it cos it was a cheapass dress but she loved it. She really loved it. She still makes it look so pretty damn good on her and I was glad it fits her. Catherine is always so beautiful to me no matter what she's gonna wear or how tired she looks like or how sleepy and how make-up free her face is. Catherine will always be beautiful to me.

"Say something." She pleads.

My lips twitch.

"How do I look Nick?" She asks again while she reaches for my hand.

I smiled at her. "You look very very beautiful, love."

She smiles sheepishly. "Are you sure? It's a perfect fit though. I really love it."

I cupped her right cheek and kissed her forehead. "Yes I am. You're the loveliest."

I am actually tensed to meet her parents. More like I'm scared to death. I'm not at my utmost best to be really acting okay in situations like this cos it's pretty damn obvious that things aren't okay between me and her parents. Catherine walks up to me and fixes my collar, giving me a pat on my shoulders then buttoned my polo.

"You look very handsome." She says.

"I wish they will like me Catherine."

"If they won't, we'll leave the party right away and just drop off the cake."

I nod. "But I would want to wish your mom a happy birthday."

She nods then kisses my cheek. "Just relax."

"I hope your dad is relaxed." I joked.

Catherine chuckles. I love how she encourages me and tells me to calm down. She believes in me too much and I really love that about her.

"I love you." I said.

"I love you much more." She said.

Both of us stumbled our way out of the house after she grabbed the small homemade cake both of us made. I borrowed a car from Alec's uncle for the night, at least, we will look formal. The entire was quiet and I know she's scared of what's gonna happen too. I don't really know why I signed up for this when I already know her father hates me. I just really love Catherine too much and I know this will make her happy that's why I'm doing it even though I don't want to. It's really against my will and I just hope I get out of that house with her.

The car almost reaches the tall silver gates and I see massive cars parked right outside the lawn. I parked car on the gravel road and I think I had the ugliest and cheapest car in here. Mostly were classic wickedly expensive ones and I have never seen these kinds of cars in real life. My heartbeat is now going dead fast. I see people, very rich people, around here. Not only one or two but I know all of the guests looked massively wealthy. I hopped off the car and opened the car door for Catherine. She knows I'm tensed cos she gently squeezed my hand and smiled at me.

"Relax love." She says.

I smiled at her, assuring Catherine that I was really okay.

We walked hand in hand and the moment they saw Catherine, I know they were shocked. Well, she's been missing and now she pops out of nowhere with a guy holding her hand. I just ignored all of them and those degrading stares at me. Catherine leads us to the inside of the house, I even noticed that we pass through this massively big pool before reaching the main mansion. And the main mansion? It was just huge and looked Mediterranean. The floor was shiny marbled, the curtains were very wide cream and white and all the furnitures looked like expensive things that came from other countries.

From the end of the very wide and spacious living room, I see Mr. Forster, wearing a charcoaled suit and tie. We walked up to him, but I really feel like my feet was backing out. He was talking with some guests who I've never seen in this town and my heart is just getting crazier.

"Dad." Catherine finally calls out to him.

It send thousands of shivers down to my spine the minute he looked at us. His eyes dilated, I know he was shocked to see us. I need air. Both of us needs a much much wider space if ever he'll hit me. I don't want to break things in here, I think I can't pay it. I see Mr. Forster clenching his jaw the second we stood next to him. I was the only man in here who wore a polo shirt. Every male wore suit and tie, no wonder eyes were on me when I stepped inside.

"Catherine. It's been..." He trailed off and glared at his guests. He clears his throat and just hugs her tight.

"I missed you." He whispers to Catherine's ear and kissed her temple.

He pulls himself away and stared at me.

"Good evening sir." I greeted.

He didn't even nod at me or smiled. He didn't acknowledge my arrival. It felt like he didn't see me at all. Catherine smiled at me as she moves closer back to my side, placing her arm over my arm.

"Where is mother?" She asked. Acting as if we didn't elope and run away days ago.

I'm sure her father won't make a scene here cos there are so many guests and it's his wife's birthday. He wouldn't risk. He's obviously trying to hold himself down and I could see the anger building behind his eyes. I see Mrs. Forster walking towards us cos I heard her calling out Catherine's name from afar. She quickly hugged her.

"Happy birthday mom." Catherine says.

"Having you here is the best birthday gift I've ever received. Where were you baby? I missed you so much." I hear her mother.

She pulled herself away from Catherine and Mrs. Forster glared at me.

"I missed you too mom. Sorry. I'm really sorry. I'm so sorry." Catherine repeats.

"Who is he?" She arched an eyebrow.

I could still feel Mr. Forster's eyes locked at me but I tried not to look at him cos it'll only make me remember what he did to me that day he came to my house.

"This is Nicholas Wilde. He's my boyfriend." Catherine said so proudly.

"It's a pleasure to meet you ma'm." I say. I didn't want to offer a handshake cos she seems not interested to me.

All of a sudden she hugged me and I had to hug her back to be nice. I glared at Catherine and she was smiling. Mrs. Forster pulled herself away from me.

"It's nice to meet you. Catherine talks about you a lot." She says.

I'm surprised.

"But honey. What about--"

"Mom please don't." Catherine cut her off.

My eyebrows creasing with what I heard then I hear Mr. Forster clearing his throat again and joins the three of us.

"Why don't you girls have a girl talk and I'll show Nick around the house?" He offered.

That's a bad offer.

Catherine moved her worries eyes to me. I know she knows that her father might do something to me but I smiled at her, to make her sure that it was okay.