“Stop playing mind games with me, Nicholas. I know that we hadn’t met before. So stop this immediately,” said Alyssa, anger building up inside her. She was now sure that Nicholas was getting her worked up on purpose for his own entertainment. It might be a game for him but she wasn’t going to get so affected.
“I don’t play games. Think again, Alyssa.” He released her and opened the door and stormed out of the room leaving her confused.
She knew that ten years ago she was sent to her grandparents’ house in California. So how could she have kissed him? She would have remembered him if she had kissed a hot guy like him, wouldn’t she? Frowning she tried hard to remember what happened ten years ago. She was sent away because of Alexander. He had complained to his dad that she couldn’t attend his school where his enemies could attack her anytime. He had suggested that she be sent far away from New York for her own safety and Daniel Van Every had listened to him. He didn’t think it necessary to consult her.
Sighing, she walked out of the entertainment room and took the stairs to go upstairs. Everyone had gone to their rooms and she dragged her feet towards hers. Tomorrow would be the last day here on this beautiful island and then they would have to return to their hateful lives. She knew that she would be forced to handle her stepdad’s finance company which she had no interest in.
Absent-mindedly she reached the top of the staircase but suddenly stopped short in her tracks when she heard two people arguing in hushed tones from a vacant room opposite the staircase. Who could be fighting in there? She went closer and tried to peek through the little gap in the door. To her immense astonishment, it was none other than Nicholas and her brother.
“Stay away from Alyssa or you’ll be sorry that you were born,” threatened Alexander, glaring at Nicholas with his hands formed into fists while Nicholas simply rolled his eyes at him.
“These threats don’t scare me, Alexander. I’m not the thin, young boy anymore and this time I can defend myself,” he simply stated, looking Alexander in the eyes. It infuriated Alexander more and he seemed to tremble with anger.
“If you harass my sister again, I’ll not give you a chance to defend yourself. I’ll break all the bones in your body before that happens.” Nicholas sighed and faced Alexander, taking a step closer to him and looking him in the eyes.
“I have never harassed Alyssa. Ten years ago, you never believed me and misunderstood the whole scene. It was Elijah’s gang who were the culprits and I saved her from them. They fled just before you appeared.” Alexander shook his head in disbelief.
“I saw you kissing her,” he argued unreasonably.
“She kissed me for saving her. It was just to thank me,” Nicholas defended himself. Alexander looked at him thoughtfully as if in a dilemma.
“Whatever the case, I’m warning you, just stay away from her.” Alyssa clamped her mouth shut with her hand, her eyes widening at what she heard. She realized that they were talking about the harassment she faced on her first day at Windsor High. She distinctly remembered how a rowdy group of bad boys had been harassing her and then a thin young guy, who looked quite young had saved her from them. Her eyes widened more at the realization. She now distinctly remembered where she had seen those ocean blue eyes before. So was Nicholas Donnelly that thin young boy who had saved her? Their eyes matched and she remembered kissing him to show her gratitude. A gasp escaped her mouth and she ran to her room not wanting to get caught. Everything fell into place and she sat slumped on the bed.
“What’s wrong with you? Did you meet a ghost?” chuckled Eva.
“No, just Nicholas. Can you believe that I had met him before? Can you believe that I kissed him ten years ago?” she said in a daze making Eva’s eyes pop out with shock as she sat up straight.
“What? Are you drunk?” she checked her friend’s body temperature and smelled her to check if she reeked of alcohol. No, she seemed totally in her senses.
“No, it’s the truth.” Eva shook her out of her daze.
“Come out of your la-la land and spill already. I’m dying of curiosity.” Alyssa sighed and told her what had happened ten years ago and how Nicholas always reminded her of it every time.
“I remember now but what of it? Why does he remind me again and again? What does he want?” she said clueless and agitated. Eva giggled excitedly and caught her hand.
“You. I think he wants you. Maybe he wants you to kiss him again. After all, Alex had disrupted and the kiss that was about to happen didn’t.” Alyssa’s mouth hung open and she gaped at her best friend.
“No, maybe he just wants me to remember that he had saved me.” Eva rolled her eyes, leaning towards her to whisper in her ears.
“Yes and to remind you to thank him properly for it.” Alyssa pushed her away and got up to change for bed but she couldn’t drive Eva’s words out of her mind. Was it true? Did Nicholas really want her to complete that kiss?
The next morning, it was the wedding day and everyone was in the brightest of spirits. There was excitement in the air, the girls giggled more at the breakfast table and everyone pampered Sienna more. She glowed and blushed under all the attention that was being showered upon her. Sitting opposite Nicholas, Alyssa was acutely aware of his unwavering gaze fixed upon her. Strangely this time her cheeks colored thinking about how she had kissed him on the lips ten years ago. That was her first kiss if at all it counted as a kiss.
Nicholas raised an eyebrow at her inquisitively, not understanding what just happened to her. Did she remember him at last? After the hint he had dropped last night, did she realize that he was the one who had saved her, and he was the one she had kissed? He was now desperate for a moment alone with her before her brother whisked her away after the wedding.
The doorbell rang and Maria rushed to open the door. Marcus walked in with a goofy grin on his face which turned into a scowl when he saw Alexander and Ashton at the breakfast table. Everyone tensed, sensing trouble.
“Please don’t fight today,” pleaded Lucas’s mom. Marcus went to sit with Nicholas without a word. It was strange that Alexander and Ashton too didn’t say a single word to him or Nicholas since morning. Alyssa shared a look of relief with Sienna. However, her relief didn’t last long. After breakfast, everyone went to their rooms to shower and get ready. The girls had the added task of getting Sienna ready for her wedding. With Eva occupying the washroom, Alyssa went to the laundry room to check if the laundry was done.
Suddenly, the door clicked shut and she looked up in surprise. Her jaws dropped seeing Nicholas lock the door of the laundry room and turn to face her.
“What are you doing here, Nicholas?” Her breath got stuck in her throat seeing the way Nicholas approached her.
“What do you think I’m doing here? Are you hiding from me?” Alyssa’s jaws dropped at his weird conclusions.
“Why should I hide from you?” Nicholas stopped inches away from her and Alyssa was trapped between him and the washing machine behind her. With his beautiful blue eyes holding her gaze, she was under a hypnotic spell. Of course, she knew those eyes and she had felt how warm his lips were but that was ten years ago. Her cheeks colored as she realized that her heart wished to feel those lips again and finish the kiss she had started. “Umm, the laundry is done. Can you move? I’m in a hurry to get ready.”
Her plea fell to deaf ears as he didn’t even budge an inch, his body brushing with hers, causing goosebumps to erupt on her arms. “Not before you tell me if you remember me.”
Alyssa looked away and nodded shyly, wondering how he would react knowing that she did remember him as well as how his lips felt under hers. ‘No, Alyssa, focus. He might have saved you but he’s still the enemy!’ her inner voice reminded her.
“Yes, I remember you. Thanks for saving me that day.” She looked at her hands nervously waiting for his reaction. Nicholas stared at her for a moment and then a little smile of happiness lit up his face.
“The pleasure was all mine.” Alyssa looked up at him with disbelief. That was all he could say? Didn’t he want his kiss? She flashed a small disappointed smile at him and turned to collect her laundry but Nicholas still stood there transfixed to the spot. She could feel his hot, ripped body against her back and wondered why he wasn’t leaving already?