“Do you think any of this is easy for me?? Watching my sister get hurt because of my best friend and standing on the sideline unable to do a thing!
“Nicky, it kills me to see you cry and get hurt repeatedly.” He ended on a softer note.
“And do you think any of this is easier for me too? Stupidly liking a person who likes someone else and who might probably never look at….” She was cut off by a big hug from Ricky.
The tears Nicky had been trying so hard to control started trickling out. She shook beneath him. She felt so weak and tired and stressed that her head started to spin from too much tears.
Nicky clutched him tighter like a scared little girl. And that was the truth.
She was scared, scared of facing a rejection…
*****
Ten minutes later, Ricky tucked his sister in bed and laid beside her. They silently faced each other and he kept on tucking stray hairs behind her ear in a soothing way…. knowing she needed it.
“I’m sorry.” He muttered after a while. “For everything.”
“I’m the one who’s sorry for lying to you, Rick. You only got angry because of it.” She muttered back.
“Nicky, I can never get mad at you. I was only hurt that you didn’t open up to me which made me reflect anger.”
“I’m sorry. I promise I’ll tell you everything from now on. Pinky promise?” She pouted. Ricky chuckled before sealing it.
“You really can’t outgrow it, can you?” He teased. She weakly stuck her tongue out.
“It was Becky, wasn’t it?”
Nicky nodded feeling too sleepy to verbally respond or much more, talk about it.
“I’m always here for you, cracker. And you know it.” He gave her a final look.
Nicky giggled because Ricky called her a firecracker because of her fierce personality.
“You can’t outgrow calling me that too, can you?” She whined.
“Never!”
“You’re so annoying.”
“Got that from you.” Was his short reply.
“I love you, Rick.” The younger strawberry blonde muttered as her eyes closed.
Nicky didn’t expect a similar reply from the creature opposite her, so she drifted off peacefully…. knowing she felt it.
But after watching her breath become stable;
“I love you too, Nick.” Ricky whispered vulnerably before leaving the room…
******
A new week came and flew by quickly. Arian déArgent got discharged from the hospital and no one paid much attention because one, he was strong and healthy. And because two, three of the best doctors in the country said he was good to go.
Sighs.
He had the surgery done and the scar gone.
Money??
Sighs again.
All the way, Natalia stuck to his side like glue. It was much worse than Leonardo’s case as the Princess practically took on the role of a royal maid!
Enough of the sigh-ings.
Natalia stretched lazily on her bed. It was another school morning as usual.
Nursing the young French was more stressful than she cared to admit. She was so tired and felt pain everywhere.
But she had school.
Pulling off the duvet, Natalia stood up and did some stretches. She connected her phone to her speaker and played one of her favouites; “Shake it off” by Taylor Swift.
After doing her bathroom routine, she walked into her closet for an outfit. Natalia picked out a white shirt-gown and a large brown tummy belt which flaunted her beautiful curves.
She let her hair fall on both sides of her delicate face and wore her brown knee length boots to show less skin.
The Princess might be living an unrestrained lifestyle currently. But the reserved life she was used to still hounded her personality.
That done, she disconnected the music player and tossed her phone into her white designer shoulder bag before going downstairs where Elva was having breakfast.
“Ooooh! Who’s the lucky victim?!” Elva teased the moment she sighted her.
“You’re crazy!” Natalia chuckled and sat at the table. She took a piece of toast and spread jam on it.
“No matter how hard I’m trying, I’m still vying to figure out who it’s all for… Arian De’Argent, Leonardo DeLuca or Damon Lorenzo?” She persisted, casually flipping her black curly hair behind.
“What?” Natalia pouted aggrievedly.
“What what?? It’s obvious to everyone that Damon has his eyes on you… or more precisely… all over you. That chunk of masculinity is a temptation waiting to fall for!” She squeaked dreamily.
“And Leonardo?…. Simply judging by the way he looks at you and treats you special, it’s no biggie that darling has a thing for you.” She continued and popped a grape into her mouth.
“Then there’s our greek god, Arian. Hmn, that’s where the tricky one is.” She paused, thoughtfully tapping her chin.
Natalia tried to look uninterested but she was dying from within to hear what Elva had to say.
“One minute he’s so sweet and angelic but the next, he’s back to being a complete ass! Tsk tsk. Such a complicated fellow.” Elva sadly shook her head.
And like an egg thrown down a skyscraper, Natalia’s hope crashed!
“But…” Elva continued and the Princess pricked her ears again.
“The gist in the whole thing is that guys who act that way are either newbies in love…. or just natural flirts.” She finished and returned to her phone.
Natalia froze.
.
.
Natural flirts??
Her naive mind became overactive.
Did it mean all those moments they…. um…. uh…. you understand!…. were just a joke? Was he just messing with her? Giving her false hope??
Natalia pushed back her chair and hastily stood up. “Let’s go.” She seethed.
Elva shot her a look but Natalia ignored it and went to the car. The confused assistant rushed after her and they left.
All through the ride, the Princess was silently hating herself on one hand and hoping it was real on the other. That everything they did… or almost did, was all real.
She got out of the car before Elva did and was about stomping her way to their homeroom when she spotted B. H. A’s most popular idols hanging out on their cars with a crowd of fan-students around them.
With the way they fawned and cooed, you’ld think BTS was holding a concert!
Jeffrey was talking with Selena… more like they were debating on something while Ricky was in his forte, being the spotlight casanova.
At least, he was being open and sincere…. unlike a certain someone. Natalia spitefully thought and seethed.
Arian-insincere-Dé-Argent was at his phone, occasionally typing and glancing around for someone familiar.
Of course! Why wouldn’t he?? The Princess couldn’t stop her spite.
Being the natural flirt!
Whenever Arian raised his head, the stupid girls increased their giggles and stolen snapshots from every angle.
Wasn’t it about time the school banned the use of phones during school hours? And also punish those screaming idiots with detention?? And why was she so angry?!
Yet, Natalia couldn’t take her silly eyes away from him!
The greek god was sinfully breathtaking clad in a white buttoned up shirt which had stripes of gold across the chest region, light blue jeans and white sneakers.
Arian’s wandering eyes suddenly looked up and met hers.
Not when she was drooling!
His sexy lips curled up into a beautiful smile which melted Natalia’s jealous heart. The gesture drew the attention of his fangirls who redirected their gaze towards her and guess what??
Natalia almost smiled back!
Almost, because the words ‘naturallll flirtttt’ began re-echoing in her head and killed the upcoming smile!
She maliciously rolled her eyes and turned to storm off when she bumped into Leonardo.
“Good morning!” He beamed, placing a lingering kiss on her cheek, so close to her lips.
Natalia’s heart jumped again. ‘Mother nature, pity me!’
“Morning Leo.” She mouthed to stop her self from gaping.
Were the gods of beauty and charm out against her today??
Leonardo De Luca was clad in dark blue jeans with mis-matched shades of blue shirt and trainers. His face bubbled with energy and his brown hair laid messy around his head.
Some messy cute!
“I’m not gonna ask ’cause you look better than good! You’re beautiful.” He smiled at her. Natalia helplessly flushed.
“You’re headed for our homeroom?” He asked, seeing Elva and Nicky ahead of them.
She nodded.
“Shall we?”
“We shall.” She smiled and they chuckled.
As they turned to go, Leonardo captured her left hand in his like it was the most normal thing in the world, leaving the Princess to wonder if Elva’s prediction was actually right…
Chapter 47