Chapter 12:

Say was never this bold.

But this time Say is wondering what else is the point in her hiding her thoughts and feelings while with Nick. She has a lot of questions. And she wants answers only from Nick.

“...like you wanted to kiss me...and you’re honorably trying your best to stop doing so?” She held her breath when she heard her own question. She saw Nick bow his head before answering her question.

” YES!”

“W-why won’t you do it then?”She boldly asked the man whose back is still turned from her.

“Say...Y-you better knew what you’re talking about...” This time he turned his back and their gazes held - and something flickered in his light brown eyes.

Nick looked like he was already tired of restraining his thoughts and actions. He looked at her with longing and desperation. And Say became bolder than ever to ask him further questions.

“Yes, I don’t know what I’m talking about now, or what I’m feeling either. But... But aren’t you curious to find out what it was too?”

She waited for Nick to answer.

She was damn serious and yet Nick just stood there, silent as ever. A few more minutes passed and when he still did not speak, Say just impatiently gave up and turned her back from Nick. She decided just to leave the shed and Nick and wait for whatever ride on the road even if it rains.

“FINE...You don’t want to find out. Then why don’t we just go home? Or better I’ll call my driver and --

“I am curious too and I intend to find out what is this feeling...”

But she did not finish what she was going to say. In one swift motion, Nick caught her shoulders, held her waist so tight, and captured her lips in a deep, wanting kiss.

The instant he touched her, every fiber of Say was alive. “N-Nick…”

His mouth covered hers, moving and probing in a kiss that was lazily coaxing, yet breathtakingly insistent. Say tried desperately to hold on to her fleeing sanity, but the moment his tongue slid against her lips she lost the battle. With a smothered moan, she leaned into him and let him part her lips. His response was instantaneous. His arms tightened around her, imprisoning her against his chest, while his mouth opened hungrily, his tongue plunging into her mouth and stroking against hers.

“Say…”

“Nick...”

It might be pure weather reasons, or pure curiosity about the feelings she does have for this man, or just pure stupid decisions she commonly does every day as a young-almost 18-year-old girl. Earlier, the question of why she was with Nick and not Drex, why he chose to go even in an uncrowded place or even in this dilapidated waiting shed alone with him, or why she kept thinking of him for the past 10 days were something that bothered her so much.

Nick answered all her questions with just one kiss.

No, it wasn’t just one kiss. It wasn’t just a chaste kiss for a girl her age. He was kissing her passionately, as she was doing so, trying to imitate what he does. And she didn’t care for how long they kissed.

When he stopped kissing her, they were both trying to catch their breath.

Nick’s eye evokes too many questions while looking at her. “S-say...”

“Found the answer, Nick?”

“Even if I know the answers, I know it doesn't matter to you or to anyone. We lived in separate worlds, Say. People put you on a pedestal. You are on top, and I'm just here somewhere not even close to where you're at. People worship you, they follow you while I’m merely a man who waits and watches you on a bleacher while you smile at the people who worshiped the grounds you walked on. I’m the crap wallpaper you and your friends pass on. You’re a queen, and I’m a pauper and -"

“Don’t you want to be my King? Don’t you want to be in my world too?!” She demanded sympathetically. Her eyes are misty with all the words Nick said to her. The man was just absolutely prideful.

“Say, you are out of my league!” He snapped back at her.

“Then I will be in your league! Then I will come down from my pedestal to your bleachers and hang out with you!”

She touched his cheek and looked at him in the eye. "Nick - I don't know what to call these unexplainable compelling attractions I have for you but after that kiss, I know I have these nameless strong feelings for you... And I don’t even know when it started. Was it when you embarrassed me in front of the students at the library or was it when we fell into the swimming pool or was it when you saved me from those frat boys? What I know is that I want to be with you, and I am not afraid to tell you that. So, don’t give me all that crap reasons because I will not accept it because - “

“I love you, Say...” He whispered to her.

Her heart somersaulted with delight when he heard those words. She can’t decide if she will smile or cry or do both at the same time. “N-nick...”

He lowered his head and turned his back on her again as if ashamed of his own words.

“There... I just said it. I told myself I would not be like those boys in school who follow you and worship the ground you walk on like crazy. Not only that, but I will not allow myself to look so stupidly in love with the Queen of Deadly Charms, following your whims and caprices and be looked like a fool. For a year, I succeeded. How a week being with you suddenly changed all that... Say, how did I fall in love with you...so fast...so hard?"

“N-nick...can you please hold me? My knees are turning jelly... I… I can’t believe it... You do love me?”

Nick turned to her again. “It's more unbelievable if I say I don't. How can I not fall in love with you, when you’re the most charming girl at the university? So now tell me, do you have answers to these strong feelings you cannot name earlier? ”

“You’ve just answered everything I have been asking myself since. All I need was just a confirmation, and now, I found out why I chose to be with you today and not with Drex, why am I not afraid to be alone with you without the knowledge of my bodyguards, or why I long to be with you every day, why I wanted to look at your eyes and be in your arms...if this isn’t love...then God help me, I must be fool enough not to recognize these feelings right away... I love you too, Nick...”

It was as if the sky had opened when Nick suddenly raised his face and stared at her holding her hands.

“Oh God, did you mean that? Can you repeat it?” He was smiling like crazy now, his chocolate brown eyes are glowing with happiness while he held her hands. Say can’t also help but smile at him, her heart full of joy.

“Are you deaf? I just said that. ” She laughed saying it. Nick was almost crying-smiling at the same time, and he looked too boyishly handsome with his wide smiles. He hugged her and then stared at her again, trying to see if she was kidding him.

"Because my heart was beating so loud, and I didn't even hear what you just said ..."

“HAHA! You’re hearing Tug-Tug-Tug-Tug?” She was referring to their heart’s irrational beating.

“TUG--TUG-TUG! HAHAHA! Yes, that’s the sound!” He kissed her fast and laughed hard in between.

She laughed while answering his small kiss on her cheeks and her lips.”Yes, I just told you I love you…” She said in between his kisses.

“Oh God, I love you too!”

She was too happy she can’t help but cry in so much joy. Nick pulled her out of the waiting shed and danced in the rain.

“Let’s dance, my Queen!”

“Nick! We’re getting wet—HAHA! No! AHHAA!”

Nick pulled her in a sweet fast kiss while laughing. They spent the next couple of minutes dancing in the rain. It was the happiest moment for her. For the first time in her life, she fell in love. There was no rain when they thought of going home. When they got home, no one noticed that they both went home at the same time and were wet.