“You made me want to try again, to feel like something special to someone. I’ld be a freaking liar to say everything’s gonna go back to the way it was. ‘Cause heck! Nothing’s gonna be the same again. So please don’t stress about me and leave before your paranoid boyfriend comes after me again.” He concluded and walked to the glass walls.
Natalia wanted to say something, do something but nothing came out. Her heart was hurting losing her friend.
“Leo…”
“Forgive me but it’s gonna be this way for a while.” He cut her off.
Natalia picked up her side bag and hesitated before slowly walking towards the door.
Halfway there, she stopped and turned around with a determined look on her face.
“Leonardo De Luca!” She snapped and he flinched her way.
“Don’t think you’re getting rid of me that easily. You might wanna play grown up, but I don’t want to. Just you wait! You’ll be back to how you were when I’m done with you!” She yapped and rushed to him.
Leonardo’s eyes bulged as he sprinted away in realisation…
*(Five Long Minutes Later.)*
“You’re such a kid, you know?” He scoffed and dusted himself. Natalia stuck out her tongue at him earning a chuckle.
“If i’m a child then you’re no different! After all, birds of the same feather flock together.”
“Right. They flock together and smack themselves with couch pillows. I’m not a genius but don’t they have claws?” She laughed and stared at the upturned sofas and messed up pillows everywhere.
Remind her to thank Elva later. Pillow fights really had a way of solving everything.
She chuckled and stretched out her legs. They were seated on a fluffy rug, resting their backs on a double seater.
“Leo, can I ask how you got out of the garden?” She asked after a reasonable silence.
“I really don’t know. I guess I passed out or something and woke up on my bed… Becky was with me.”
Natalia breathed out in relief knowing he wasn’t hospitalized.
But why did he sound so off about it? She wondered.
“Who was the wo…” She wanted to ask but a phone began ringing.
“I think it’s mine?” He thought.
“No, I think it’s mine.” She mouthed as they started lifting stuffs to find it.
“Found it!” She squeaked and raised up Leonardo’s phone from her kneeling position. She stared at the caller and a mischievous smile escaped her lips.
“It’s your girlfriend calling.”
“What girlfriend?” He asked, crawling over to meet her.
“B-E-C-K-Y.” She sang out teasingly and pretended to pick the call.
“Natalia give that back!” He yanked and tried to snatch it. She laughed at his stricken face and crawled away faster.
Suddenly, he tackled her from ahead and she slipped. Before her head could connect with the glass table, Leonardo quickly pulled her out of danger as a door banged shut.
From where she laid under him, Natalia’s heart skipped a million beats seeing Arian glare murderously at the both of them…
***
“Please pick up.” Becky prayed in her heart as she called Leonardo again. A tear dropped from her eye where she laid in her room.
After trying for the fifth time, she flung her phone away and buried her face in her pillow, letting her tears fall painfully.
Why couldn’t he forget about her and move on!
She’d always known Leonardo was in love with Natalia. Everyone did… except her. It was so clear from the way he treated her specially.
Why was she always the unfortunate one when it came to love, huh? It happened all over again.
Was it a curse?
Was she jinxed with bad luck??
Why did it happen to her all over again?!
Becky sobbed into her pillow. She had finally taken a step from Daniel when she bumped into him.
It hurt so much.
So very much that she felt suffocated!
Was she that pathetic? Was she so insignificant that everyone kept passing her by?
Mom was right.
Being a nobody, she should’ve ignored falling in love with the wrong guys!
‘Natalia, please forgive me. I’ve done something so terrible to you.’ She cried painfully and clutched her pillow tighter.
“Goodness! Becky, sweetheart are you alright? Does it still hurt? The painkillers should’ve worked by now!” Her mom breathed worriedly and rushed to her side, still in her nurse uniform.
She’d gotten back from her night shift and found out that Becky skipped school. In order not to worry her exhausted doting mother, Becky had lied that she had a terrible headache.
“Mom!” She choked out and hugged her. She felt devastated seeing her mother stressing herself more because of her.
“Sweetie, it’s gonna be okay. Just calm down.”
“Mom, i’m a terrible person! Please forgive me.” She held her tightly.
“Honey, you’re not a terrible person. You’re a good girl, okay? What are you talking about?”
Becky took in a deep breath and closed her eyes.
“I did something mom. I did a couple of things but this was the worst. I was so stupid!”
“Shhh, sweetie. Calm down and tell me everything…”
***
Nicky was with Mom felicity making dinner. It was a habit she was starting to get used to.
“Nanny used to lie about her pasta’s sauce recipe until about a month ago! Can you believe that?”
Mom felicity laughed out.
“It’s normal. No woman loves giving out her secret recipe. You control your husband through what you put in his stomach. Haven’t you heard?”
“Well I guess you’re right. So… do you have any secret recipe you’ld like to share?” She whined and mashed the potatoes in a bowl.
Mom felicity looked up from the carrots she was chopping and smiled cutely. The other maids were setting up the table.
“Yup.”
“So can you tell me?” Nicky’s smile matched hers.
“Nope! Now go upstairs and get your boyfriend. Dinner is almost ready.” She literally shoved her out of the kitchen.
Dinner was halfway done as a matter of fact! She just didn’t wanna tell her.
Nicky giggled and ran up the stairs.
“Jeffrey! You here?” She called out the moment she walked into his room. There was no response.
Nicky heard the shower running and knew he was taking a bath.
She ran to his bed and flopped down on it, patiently waiting till he comes out.
Suddenly, Jeffrey’s phone beeped and curiosity made her pick it up. Nicky swiped the screen. Of course she knew his password!
It was a text from Ashley.
That bi… What does she want and how do they have each other’s numbers?? She wondered and sat up.
~ Jeff honey, do you remember that playhouse we used to have fun in when we were little? I’m planning on giving it out to the orphanage after refurbishing it. Would you like working on it together? ~
Nicky choked on a big scoff and found her fingers moving on their own.
~ It’s nice you’re giving it out. But sorry, I won’t be able to make it. ~
~ But why?? ~
~ Because i’ll be busy ~
~ With what? ~
She was persistent. Nicky would give her that!
~ School, family and my girlfriend. Why don’t you just hire a professional to do it?
~ It holds a lot of childhood memories of the both of us. I want us to relive it before giving it out.
What a bitch!
Nicky scoffed.
“Hey love!” Jeffrey plopped down next to her. She ignored both him and the lingering kiss he gave her. And focused on chasing away the dangerous carpenter, holding a harmer over their relationship!
~ Ashley they’re memories, right? Let them remain in our minds. There’s no need reliving them. ~
~ Ashley?? What happened to our favourite nicknames? And why should they remain in our minds and not our hearts?? ~
The slut’s got some balls! Nicky was enraged.
“Jeffrey, not now! I’m in the middle of something important.” She flipped when he started laying kisses all over her face.
Jeffrey pursed his lips like a rotten kid and fell on his back while she laid on her tummy.
~ We’re grown ups now. There’s no need for childish nicknames. I’m sorry but my heart’s too occupied to be shared with anyone else. ~
~ Who’s in there for it to be so strict? I can’t remember anyone special. ~
Tramp!
“Nickyyy.” Jeffrey pouted. But even his extremely cute looks didn’t move her.
~ You know it’s Nicky, my girlfriend. ~
“What’s so important than me?” He gruffily demanded and poked his head in.
~ Oh, she?…. I totally forgot. ~
Despite how cool she sounded, Nicky as a fellow girl, could feel the venom behind those words.
~ Yeah, she. If that’s all, i’ld like to spend some quiet time with her. I can’t keep her waiting. ~
Nicky concluded and dropped the phone with a triumphant smirk on her face.
“But you’re keeping ME waiting.” He pointed and leaned on his elbow. Nicky smiled and pushed him back on the bed before straddling him. He held her well.
”I was saving the best for last.” She whispered and connected their lips…
***
Natalia jerked from Leonardo as Arian gripped him by his collar and pulled him up.
“You son of a bitch! How dare you..”
“Arian stop!”
“Before you go out on a murderous spree, know who’s guilty or not.” Leonardo gritted and pushed his hands off.
“Oh, I more than want you gone!”
“Good luck with that! But you’re in my house and I could get you arrested for trespassing!”
“Please stop!” She ran into their middle. “Stop acting like kids! Arian it’s not what you saw. Leo was just…”
“Just what, huh? Trying to force another kiss on you?!”
“It’s a free country.” Leonardo snickered in provocation and Arian lunged at him again…
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Chapter 88