Ella's POV:

The water ran down my body as I was in a deep thought...guilty was running through my veins. It's been a day and I didn't apologise to him yet. Yes, I should apologise...for slapping him.

He didn't deserve it.

I have been drowning in guilty since that night, I know it was just a slap but it was wrong.

"And stupid", my conscience added.

I turned off the shower and after drying my body with the towel, I wrapped it around my body securely and walked out of the bathroom and into my room.

I glanced for the hundreth time at my phone, hoping to receive a message from him but I got none.

By the way, Asher apologized...the very next day I woke up to find my living room covered with bouquet of flowers, with an apology note from him and just like that, I forgave him.

I picked up my phone and finally messaged him, Nelson?

I was about to move towards my closet when I received his reply, What?

That sounds rude.

I just...wanted to apologise for... slapping you. I am sorry.

I finally apologised...but he didn't reply for a few seconds. He was online, he saw my message yet he didn't say anything...or maybe that's what I thought because the next moment my bedroom's door opened and there stood Nelson.

"You were saying something, Resf?", He smirked and I screamed, I literally screamed.

"Why the fuck do you keep barging into my house?!", I yelled.

Aargh! I clearly told Racheal to not let him in...why don't she listen to me?!

"For the second time, Resf", he said moving inside, "I didn't barge...I called your housekeeper and asked her to let me in."

"But the next time, ring the doorbell or call me, not her!"

"Calm down, baby...don't get riled up."

His eyes widened all of a sudden as they trailed down my body, I followed his gaze and looked down and I realised that I was in just a towel.

His eyes were still eyeing me from head to toe and I turned red in embarrassment.

"Get out you prevert!"

He snapped his gaze back to my face and was still standing on the same spot.

"Get out, Nelson!"

He finally obeyed me as he quickly lowered his gaze and moved out of the room.

I picked up my clothes that were lying on the bed and wore them.

A minute later, he knocked, "Are you done?"

"No!"

"I can help you dress though", he teased.

Instead of feeling annoyed at his words, my lips curled up in a smile.
He started flirting again...he forgave me.

"Should I take your silence as yes?", He again teased.

I opened the door saying, "Shut up, idiot."

He walked back inside and sat on the edge of the bed.
"You messaged me something..."

"I guess you know how to read a message", I folded my arms.

"Unfortunately...I can't. So...can you please read it for me?"

"Nelson...I am not reading it again or apologising again."

"Sorry? I can't hear you? What did you say?"
He started acting as if he is deaf and I groaned.

"I said I won't apologise again", I said a bit louder.

"It's too loud in here, isn't it?", he again acted deaf.

"Fine! I am sorry!"

He got up and moved closer to me smirking, "Sorry for what?"

It was hard to surpress my smile that was threatening to form on his childish behaviour.

I couldn't control it as I smiled and said, "Sorry for slapping you, Nelson. I apologise."

"Hmm...I might forgive you if you kiss me."

"You will get a kick instead and you know it really well where I am going to kick you."

His face grimaced as he moved back. "Fine...I forgive you."

I sighed...thank God or else I would have drowned in guilty.

He moved towards the door when I asked, "Where are you going?"

"Back home...do you want me to stay?"

"No, of course not. I was just asking."

He nodded and finally moved out and there was a part of me that...wanted him to stay.
________________________________________

The next day...

"What do you mean you can't come?", I questioned Asher over the call.

"Ella, try to understand. My boss said I can't take a leave, we have some important projects.

"But... it's the Annual Award Function, Asher! If you won't come then how am I going to go there, alone?"

"I tried to negotiate with him but he is not agreeing."

"Your boss is an asshole!"

"I can't do anything, you will have to go alone this year."

"I am not going alone! I will talk to your boss."

"You talking to him won't make a difference, it's useless."

"Aargh! I will talk to you later; bye."

"Bye."

I feel like strangling his boss! How can he be so cruel?! He lets him go every year now what happened?!
Doesn't he know how important this function is!

I opened Google, and searched about the CEO of his company.

Matthew Hamilton.

Why does that sounds familiar?

I opened his image and gasped, isn't he Nelson's best friend?!

I know him!

Of course, I do!

He used to sometimes watch us practice, I have met him a few times.

I quickly dialled Nelson's number.

"Hello?", he picked up on the fourth ring.

"Where are you?"

"Umm...out, why?"

"I want to meet you."

"Hmm...that desperate to see me. I understand."

"Shut up! I just want to talk about something."

"Okay, okay...I am sending you my house address, you reach there, I am also coming."

"Okay, fine", and I hung up the call.

A minute later, I received his address and I quickly went out and taking out my car, drove towards his house.

I took a minute to admire his house; it was magnificent, much beautiful than mine.

I walked upto the front door and rang the doorbell. A few seconds later, an elder looking man, opened the door and smiled warmly upon seeing me.

"Welcome, Miss Resf. Nelson told that you will be coming. He is not here yet but you can wait inside."

Smiling at him, I followed him inside.

"You can wait here", he said as we walked into the living room, "Do you need something to drink?"

"No, I'll be fine."
Giving me one last smile, he went away.

So, I waited and waited and waited for around ten to fifteen minutes and I got really bored, even my phone was not helping.

So I decided to take a tour of his house, he won't mind it and even if he does, I don't care.

I roamed the ground floor and his house keeper was no where to be seen. Anyway, after seeing his kitchen, I walked upstairs.

There were a few doors in the corridor and I wondered which would be his bedroom cause I was really curious to see it.

I turned the door knob of one of the door and it was locked.

I did the same thing with the other one, and it opened.
But...it was not a bedroom but a huge hall that was lit by the sunlight coming from the huge windows.

The whole room smelled of paint as my eyes fell upon the numerous cans of paint lying on the floor and around 12 canvases were there on its individual stands covered by clothes.

He paints?!

He never mentioned it.

I got really curious as I moved towards one of the canvas and I extended my hand to remove its cloth and see what kind of painting lies underneath it.

"You are not supposed to be here", I heard someone say and I literally had a mini heart attack as I placed my hand over my heart and turned around to see Nelson standing at the door.

His face looked panicked as he tried to look calm.

"I was just roaming your house cause I got bored and I stumbled upon this room...", I explained moving towards him.

"You can roam my whole house but not this room", he said taking my hand and dragging me out.

"But why?"

He closed the door of that room and said, "You can't. That's it."

"But I want to see those paintings, please", I requested.

"No, you can't."

I pouted sadly, "Please, just one painting. I never knew that you paint too."

"No, Ella. You can't see those paintings. And you are not telling anyone that I paint."

"Why can't I tell anyone?"

He ran his hand in frustration through his hair. "Please try to understand...just don't say it to anyone."

"But at one condition, someday you will show me those paintings."

He stared at me with an unreadable emotion, for a moment he looked zoned out but that quickly vanished as he blinked and said, "I can't promise that."

If he doesn't want me to see it, I can't force him.

"Okay...but can I see your bedroom?", I asked excitedly.

And his lips curled up in a smile. "Come", he said and I followed him towards the last door in the corridor which he opened to reveal his bedroom.

"That's my bedroom", he said.

"It's...beautiful", I complimented.

He gave me a toothy grin, "I know."

Chuckling I shook my head at him and then I remembered the real reason why I was here.

"Matthew Hamilton is your best friend, right?"

"Yes..."

"Then tell him to give Asher a leave for the annual awards function, right now", I ordered.

"Why should I tell him?"

"Because he is not letting Asher go for the function and of course I can't go alone. And since he is your best friend, please ask him to let him go."

"I can't tell him that, it's his company, I can't order him."

I almost cried, "Please...I can't go alone."

"Then come with me", he blurted making my jaw drop as his own eyes widened when he realised what he said.

"What?!"

He cleared his throat, "I am going alone anyway, you can come with me."

"Just as a friend", he added.

"You know what, I'll go alone."

"Okay, then go alone. I was just suggesting." With that he turned around to leave and my jaw again dropped, I was not serious when I said that and he took it seriously.

I grabbed his hand, stopping him and turning him around. I had to immediately take a step back because as he turned around, we were so close that our lips almost touched.

Take a deep breath.

I saw his eyes falling upon my lips and I cleared my throat making him look up.

"Just call him once, please?"

Without saying anything, he gave me a long look and took out his phone as I watched him select Matthew's contact.

He put the phone on speaker and his friend picked it up after a few seconds.

"Hello?"

"Matt?"

"Yes, Nel?"

"Ella is asking whether you can give Asher a leave for the Annual Award Function", he said emphasising on my name.

"But...we have a really, really important project to complete within the next three weeks and the function is next week, I guess."

"I am sorry but I can't let him go, I need him", he added.

Nelson looked at me, "Want to ask something else too?"

"No", I rolled my eyes in frustration and he bid him goodbye before hanging up.

"Asshole", I muttered under my breath and he raised a brow at me.

"I am not talking about you", I said.

He kept staring at me while I stared back at him.
He offered me to come with him? But why will I go with him?

"At least, it's better than going alone", my conscience said.

"I should be going", I said snapping us both out of our thoughts, and he nodded.

I walked out of his room with him behind me and as I walked past that painting room, I glanced at it hoping that one day I get to see those paintings.