Chapter 8

Alitha's POV

"Can you hear what you are saying?" He seemed to come to his senses after looking at me for a while.

"I.. I am just worried. You barely know them and you're getting drunk. What if something bad will happen to you?"

I am a bit surprised. Worried?

"Why should you worry? How are we related to each other? What am I to you for you to be worried?" He just looked at me as if he didn't know what to say. I widened my eyes silently asking him to speak.

"Look, worried is not the exact word. I was wrong, okay? What I am saying is that, you should not get drunk in front of someone you don't know very well. You just met Josh and then you act as if you're close to each other."

"And why do you care? We barely even know each other. Josh and I were talking and he's saying and letting me know more about him."

"Yeah, right. Why do I even care? We're not friends or close in the first place." His voice trailed off as he mentioned the last part of what he had said. He stood up and leave me alone in the living room. I was confused by the way he acted and by the words he said.

We are not friends and we don't like each other for him to act that way. He knows that I hate him so why he's worried about me? If there was anything he had to worry about, it was that he was getting closer to me. Of him I must be afraid. Those like him are not to be trusted. I only talked to Josh and that didn't mean I trusted him. I'm the kind of person who doesn't just trust people I've just met.

"I have been looking for you everywhere." Glaiza entered the kitchen followed by Cedrick.

"I just ate. Maybe we should go home. Auntie called and sent she wants me home." I lied. I want to go home and rest.

"Yes."

"Okay. Come on." Glaiza turned to Cedrick. "We need to go. Her Aunt is looking for her and we badly needed to go."

"Okay. No problem. Should I sent you home?"

"No. We are okay. Ali brought her car. She will sent me back home."

"Maybe I will send you home next time. How is that?"

"It's up to you."

I could hear them as we walked back into the living room. My friend and this guy seem to be getting better. This is the first time Glaiza will get into relationship by chance. I'll ask her later if they ever are. Because Cedrick acted like they were.

"Guys, Ali and Glaiza are leaving." Cedrick said goodbye to his friends. Nikolai was not in his seat. Maybe he went home or maybe he's somewhere else in the house.

"Okay bye, pretty ladies."

"Nice meeting you, girls."

"It was nice having you here."

"Why so soon?" From which Josh came out and approached us. "I'm sorry I took so long. I just talked to someone inside."

"It's okay. Our curfew is near so we need to go home."

"Is that so? I will send you home."

"No, I have a car."

"Oh, okay. Nice meeting you. I am hoping it is not our last time to see each other."

"Yeah. Nice talking to you." I smiled at him. He's a good listener and I like talking to him also. Maybe if I am not busy or if I have time we could talk sometime.

"Come on, Ali." Glaiza called me and they are approaching the front door. I followed them after I bid my goodbye to Josh.

We were already outside when we saw Nikolai in the garden. He is smoking and leaning his back on the big bike. My eyes roamed around his upper body. He's not wearing his jacket anymore and I could clearly see his two arms with tattoos. He has more tattoos on the right side of his hand than on the left. I couldn't understand what are those but maybe it's a tribal tattoo.

Weird but he looks even more handsome because of his tattoos. He looks even more hot as he crossed his legs and exhaled his cigarette smoke. His eyes seemed to pierce my soul as he looked at me. He never looked away from me as we walked closer to where he was. Apparently, my car was in front of him.

"What are you doing here, bro? I've been looking for you. They're leaving." Cedrick said when we reached and stop right in front of him. He threw his cigarette and stepped into it his eyes not leaving mine. My heart skipped a beat by the way he stared at me. So I looked away. And I noticed his black jacket sitting in front of the big bike. Is it his bike?

"I'm going." He gets his jacket and put it on. It's a simple gesture but I found it even hotter. Does all men looked like him while wearing their jackets? I don't think so. That is why girls are all over him. Except me of course!

"Why? The night's still young. Where are you going?"

"I'm tired. I want to sleep, Ced." He strode on the big bike, so it's his. He puts his helmet on his head and looked at us.

"Are you sure, bro? Is something wrong?"

"No. I'm good. I just need to rest." He turned the engine and drove towards the gate without glancing at us again. Cedrick shook his head as if he couldn't believe what his friend just acted.

"We really have to go." Glaiza spoke.

"Okay. You take care. Ali, take care. You okay to drive?"

"Yeah. No worries." I wave at him assuring him that I'm fine.

"Good. Okay, goodbye. I will call you." I turned around to go to the driver's seat. Not minding them doing some corny and cheesy goodbyes. Duh!

I was already settled at my seat when finally, Glaiza stepped in. There is a big smile in her face. Her smile turned to giggle but she suddenly stopped when Cedrick looked down at the window in her side to bid his goodbye. He's gesturing Glaiza to call him. I started the engine and drove.

"Is he your boyfriend now?" I asked her when she couldn't stopped her big smile. She looks crazy while doing that.

"What do you think?" Her stupid smile was there again.

"I'm asking you, Glaiza. You look so stupid. Stop smiling!" I laughed looking at her giggling.

"Yes, Ali! Oh my God! Cedrick is my boyfriend now!" If she was just standing she was definitely jumping because of joy.

"Why so sudden?" I am happy for her but worried at the same time. I don't want her to get hurt.

"Ali, I like him so much. So why would I prolong it if I would just answer him as well?"

"You're not even sure if he is serious."

"He is serious. I could feel it. And the way he looked at me, the way he treated me, he likes me too."

"Why too soon?"

"Actually, he confessed to me this morning. He had a crush on me for a long time, Ali! Just like me to him."

"And you believed him?" Glaiza turned to me and looked at me without saying anything. "I thought you knew guys like him? They don't do girlfriends and relationships. They're into gaming, playing, lying and not respecting girls like us. They're just into fun, fun and fun."

"Don't judge him like that, Ali. Can't you see his other friends? They're in a relationship and seems like they loved their girlfriends."

"I don't see it that way. They're with girls who can play with. Girls who will do whatever they wanted. Girls not like us, Glai." She just stared at me for a while. Weighing what to say.

She's still quite until we reached their home. I stopped the car and looked at her. She was just looking straight ahead. Maybe she's not mad at me, is she?

"Liking him is easy but loving him is too difficult. When I started to like him, I felt contented looking at him from afar. Sniffing him when he's close to me, when he passes through me. But somehow I couldn't help but think, what if he would like me too. If he flirts with me too. If he becomes my boyfriend too. That were my dream for a long time now, Ali." She turned to me and she squeezed my hand that was still holding the steering wheel.

"When he danced with me, when he courted me, I felt the Lord come down from heaven and grant my wishes. So I never missed it. I answered him. But now that we are together, I found out that I love him. In the short time we were together and talking, I knew I loved him and just didn't like him, Ali. Do you think I didn't even think about what you said? Of course I thought of that. That maybe he's not serious, that he's just playing, that he's just looking for fun. It is difficult but you know what? I ignored that. Because I want to feel how happy it is when I'm with him. How good it feels when I hug him. How good it feels when he hug me back. And when that happens, I think it's up to me. I will take the risk. Because the feeling he is giving me is worth risking for, Ali."

I looked at her with awe. Her eyes are twinkling when she said those. I could see her feelings toward Cedrick. The fear when she mentioned about him not being serious, him playing her emotions and him who just wanted fun. The bravery when she said she's taking the risk. But most, I could see her happiness and contentment when she mentioned about how she loves him. Even if that love of her has no certainty of reciprocate and requite.

"I wanted to smash your head to make you conscious and think clearly. Hence, we're in front of your house and I don't want my car flooded by your blood because it's awful. You are not my friend anymore so get out."

She laughed out loud and slapped me on my arm. "You're crazy. Crazily in love, Glaiza. Don't come to me and cry your heart out because of that man. I have warned you and yet you're full of drama. Get out."

"Don't worry, darling. I can be your love guru if someday you will need my help. I can be your adviser If someday you will fall in love like me."

"Oh shut up! That won't ever happen to me."

"Don't talk about it. You are still human, Ali. You can feel what I am feeling right now. If that happens, I will be right beside you." That's all and she got out of my car. She turned to me first and smiled at me before entering their gate.

I left and went home thinking Glaiza's words. I didn't realized that she's already falling for Cedrick. She's a good keeper because I haven't seen her emotion every time we saw Nikolai and Cedrick before. I didn't even noticed Cedrick before because of Nikolai's wrongdoings.

The house is quite when I entered. Aside from the bodyguards outside, I haven't seen anyone wandering around the house. Why? Because it's already eleven o' clock in the evening. I haven't noticed the time while staying at Josh's party.

Thinking about the party, the weird Nikolai Johnson crept in my mind again. I'm done half bathing but he's still on my mind. I lay on my bed once I have finished changing into my sleepwear. I close my eyes wanting to forget that rude spoiled brat.

*DING!*

My phone in the bedside table beeped. It was my notification tone. I reached for it lazily and open my eyes.

Instagram: njohnson started following you

Wtf?