Chapter 23

As the pizza arrived, we sat down on the sofa and ate it together. Trent couldn't stop looking into my eyes. I didn't know why.

Am I that irresistible to men? Maybe I am.

No, I am getting too ahead of myself here.

Nothing was on the telly so we were pretty much talking the whole way through each boring show that came on. I took once glance at him and saw the look of lust in his piercing, green eyes. I gulped.

What is going on here?

I had a bad feeling about going to see him when I looked away. His hands started crawling all over me. I flinched and held myself with my arms. "What's wrong, Cheryl?""Oh, nothing I'm fine." I lied, biting my lip."Come with me." He held his hand out to me."Okay." I took it and we exited his flat.

We started going up the stairs. I couldn't stop looking down for some reason and feeling a little afraid. I mean, I've never been scared of heights but I was more scared of where Trent was taking me. The midnight sky fell upon us. It was so cloudy that not a star was seen. Not a star to wish upon. I took this is a warning sign.

How long have I even been here?

Then, I remembered. I left my phone in the flat. Sh*t!

We stopped at the top balcony of the complex building. My heartbeat rose quickly as Trent held me in his arms. Then right there, he started touching me up and kissing my neck. He was about to kiss me when I pushed him off of me and ran down the flight of stairs. I know what he's trying to do now. He wants to have sex with me.

"I will be back to take back what's mine."

What Trent said when I left the complex had a whole new meaning to me. So that's what he meant when he said that. He's had a crush on us the whole time and I never noticed.

I had his keys that I took from him just in case something bad was gonna happen. How right I was. I unlocked the door and grabbed my purse and phone. Running for my dear life, I went down the empty streets of London. The road lamps lit up to guide my way to a cab station. When I arrived at a cab station, I check the time.

It was 8:15pm.

Please don't let them be shut!

I went in. "How can I help you, miss?" The man at the desk asked."I need a taxi from here to 67 Joseph Close." I said, giving the address of Nicola's house since she was nearest."Ok, it's late but we have one last taxi around here. I'll call them now, what's your name?""Cheryl Fernandez-Versini.""Wait, who?""Look I'm not here to play 20 questions with you. Yes, I am Cheryl Fernandez-Versini!""Sorry, Mrs Versini. The taxi will be here in ten minutes.""Thank you, sir."

I stepped outside to have a cigarette. Thank god for that. I finally had time to take into account of what just happened. And what I just found out about one of my oldest, closest friends. Trent Jackson actually fancies us. That's why he acted strange when us and Ashley started dating. He was obviously jealous. But he was about to take advantage of me. I'm 30 years old. I should've known better.

JB nor Nicola are going to believe this at all.

A cab came into view. I walked up to the curb and got in. "Are you Cheryl-" the driver started."Fernandez-Versini, yes." I cut him off, knowing what he was going to say and freak out."So it's 67 Joseph Close, you're going to?" "Yes, sir." I nodded."What brings you out late at night? Don't the paparazzi always chase after you?" He asked."Well it's a long story and I shouldn't really tell you." I said."Ok then. I'll get us there as soon as possible." He smiled into the back mirror.

I gave a small grin back as the driver drove through the unusually quiet London streets. I sighed as I tried to clean the incident out of my mind and focus on getting to Nicola's. Hopefully, she'll give us a lift back home or something.

We stopped at Nicola's house. I paid and thanked the driver as I got out the car. I knocked on the door. Taking a deep breath as I heard footsteps coming towards me. The door opened to Nicola in her pyjamas. He narrowed her eyes at me."Cheryl, is that you? What are you doing here at twenty to nine in the evening?" She asked, looking me up and down."Yes, Nic it's me. I'll tell you when we go inside." I said."Okay, come in." She ushered me in, taking my coat off for me and hanging it up on the hook.

She gestured me to sit down on the chocolate sofa next to her. "So, what happened?""Well. You know I was gonna see Trent tonight?""Yeah.""I met up with him. I started having flashbacks on how we first met with Ashley and when I moved out of the flat. We had pizza and everything. He couldn't stop looking at us. I was scared. Then, he took us up to the balcony and was touching us up and trying to kiss us. I realised he was gonna have sex with me if I didn't escape. I escaped and got the last cab here." I explained, telling my ghastly tale.

Nicola stopped to take a breath. She looked paler than usual. She was shocked.

"Wait, so Trent Jackson, your old friend from the complex has had crush on ya and you didn't know?" She finally spoke."Yeah. I just realised tonight. It all makes sense he changed when I started going out with Ashley.""He has no right to put you on the spot like that, Chez. I'm disgusted that he would actually do that to you when you've already had enough trouble lately. And to think that I let him meet you. Oh my god, I'm so sorry, Cheryl this is all my fault!" Nicola gave me a hug.

She was crying."Nic, Nic. Stop crying. It's not your fault at all. It's mine for not being smart enough to know about it from the start. I mean, I should've known better." I reassured her, wiping her tears from her eyes with my thumbs. "Ok. Should I give you a lift home?" Nic asked.

That's just what I need right now. I have such amazing friends. And I'm so thankful they've all been here through thick and thin. We understand each other from the inside out, it's unreal sometimes.

"Yes, please if ya don't mind." I nodded."Come on then. I'll just put my coat and shoes on and I'll drive you back home." She said with her sweet smile.

She spent no time at all getting ready. We got into her car and she drove me back home. "Nic I can't thank you enough for this.""Chez, it's what friends are for remember? Call me if you have any problems. And should I call the police about Trent?""I know. Ok. And yeah I would really appreciate that. Thank you for the ride home as well.""Bella, stop thanking me! I'll see you soon.""Bye."

I watched Nic pull out of my driveway and I unlocked the door. JB was standing there with tear-stained eyes. I felt so guilty in that moment. What have I done?

"Cheryl, I was worried to death about you. Where were you?""It's a long story. Jean can we sit down for this?" "Sure."

We sat down on the sofa and I told him everything up to the very last detail. He was shocked, that's all I could see from his face. I started to sob my eyes out once again. JB held me in his arms as I cried all over him.

"It's ok, Cheryl. You know what, when you finish X Factor and you release your album, We'll move to France. No one will bother my beautiful wife in my home country." He said."France? Are you sure about this? I mean I have so much work to do here and I will have none of me friends or family there." I shook my head."Cheryl, trust me when I say this. You need to get away from the paparazzi for a while. Even when you where taking a year hiatus, the paps were chasing after you. That won't be as much of a problem if we live in France for a bit." He insisted.

"Ok, fine. I guess it'll be nice to spend some time with your family. After I release me new album and finish X Factor. I'm not gonna tell anyone until X Factor finishes. That's if the press don't get their noses in me business." I agreed."I love you so much, Cheryl." "Aww, I love you too JB."

We kissed for a while. We pulled away to catch our breath and go to bed. We kissed each other goodnight, I took all my makeup off, changed into my pyjamas and went to bed.