Chapter 15

Alitha's POV

I held my breath when I felt his hairy chest against my chest. I pushed him away from me.

"T-thanks." That's all I can say. I was still nervous especially when he was just staring at me. He was also surprised by what happened to us. That's just normal. But what is not normal is my heart. I think I will have a heart attack because of the speed of my heartbeat.

"Let's go." He started walking. I was following him from behind. He just stopped when we got to the rocky outcrop. He turned to me and held out his hand.

"Can you climb?" he said as if nothing awkward had happened just a while ago. I was right, my body has no effect on him.

"Yes."

"Reach for my hand." I pretended not to hesitate to touch him. I reached for his hand. He pulled me slowly closer to the rocky outcrop. I started to climb. I enjoy it as I step higher and higher. I smiled and turned to Niko but I was surprised when he still didn't climb up next to me. He just looked up at me in amazement.

"What are you waiting? Come on." I called him. He seemed to come to his senses and smiled at me as well. He has already started to climb. I, on the other hand, have continued what I started. I carefully climbed when I reached the top. If I was impressed earlier below, I was more impressed here above. I was overwhelmed but stumbled because of the beautiful view.

"Ali! Is it okay there?"

"Yes! Come climb up here. You will love it here." We're shouting but we both laughed when we heard the echo of our voices.

"Okay! We are coming!"

Cedrick and Glaiza hurried to swim to get to the side. I can see them from up here because of the clarity of the water. Niko smiled big when he got up and walk close to me.

"This is breathtaking, Niko! I'm falling in love with this place."

"That's the exact feeling I felt the first time I came here."

"No doubt about that! Who are you with when you came here?"

"Me alone."

"What?" Are you that sad because you're alone? "

"It's not like that. There are times I just want to be alone and this one of the places I want to go."

"If I were you, would do the same." An emotion passed through his eyes. But I can't figure out what that is. He was just smiling and staring at me.

"Come on. You jump first." I just told him. I'm not comfortable with the way he looks at me.

"Yeah. Why don't we jump together?" He said instead.

"Together?" I couldn't help myself but I felt differently when he said together. I don't know. Maybe I'm just paranoid. We are friends now and I should not give malice what he shows me. Because we're just friends. Just friends. And I wanted to know more about him.

"Sure. We jump together!" I exclaimed. I'm looking forward to making the jump. So we organized ourselves and prepared ourselves for the jump in the water. We will also beat high but I am not afraid or worried.

"One.. Two.. Three!" Niko and I jumped into the water together. The pleasure of feeling like I was flying and plunging fast into the water is intoxicating. It feels like I was drugged and to do it again and again.

Niko and I were laughing when our heads came up out of the water. "That was great! Really really great!" I said.

"Do you want to do it again?"

"Yes, if course! How about you?"

"Definitely!"

But before we got out of the water, we waited for Cedrick and Glaiza to jump into the water. Glaiza loves this kind of escapeds and I can see it in her face that she is really happy. She was screaming when she jumped from the top. They jumped together as what Niko and I did.

"This is my first time to see him with too much happiness. When he is with your best friend."

I looked at him. We think the same. I didn't know that this bad boy had a good heart with his friend. Cedrick is lucky for having him. But why was he acted like a rude and spoiled brat man? Maybe he was just being nice to his friends. But rude and bullied those he doesn't know. Maybe that's him. There are people like that.

Like me. I'm not friendly with those I don't know. Only Glaiza, her family and sometimes Eden's friends. But unlike Niko, I don't hurt them physically. It's different from him, he's fond of doing things impertinent to what a good person do.

"Ali!" Glaiza screamed again and swam towards my direction. "That was really a heart-stopping!" She embraced me when she gets close to me. She's really happy that's why she behaves this way.

We went back at the top but Glaiza was with me. Cedrick and Niko are together. It was like we went back to childhood because of our noise and our laughter. We climbed and jumped a few more times. Then we chased after in the water. Glaiza always loses because she doesn't swim as fast as we do.

After we chased, we ate some food that Glaiza and Cedrick had bought. In front of the food Nikolai does not speak much. He only speaks when Cedrick asked him. For the entire duration of our lunch, I only talked to Glaiza. She kept on talking about the place she'd been to with her family. Every summer, her family went out of the country for a family vacation.

Unlike in our family, Mommy and Daddy did nothing but work after work. I don't remember us going out of another country just for a vacation. We don't even go to places like this. But I'm not jealous of Glaiza. I was even happy for her.

"Eden told me that they will be leaving for New York next month. Are you coming with them?"

I was halted when she said that. Especially when I noticed the two men staring at us. She noticed my reaction and only then did she realize what she just asked.

"As her cousin who is too busy studying, I know it's not right for me to go with them. My parents won't allow me to go with Auntie and Uncle."

"Of course. I forgot. Our acquaintance party is coming up. What are you going to wear?" She immediately changed the topic.

"What should I wear?"

"Don't worry. We will go shopping tomorrow."

"I can't. I have plans for tomorrow, Glai. You know it's Saturday right?"

"Ah yeah. I forgot. How about on Sunday?"

"Acquaintance party will be next week. Is it necessary to buy clothes this early?" I am chewing the pizza while talking. This pizza is delicious. I will ask her later where did she bought this. I had big bites on pizza because it was delicious. This is my third pie already. They will not run out because they bought two boxes.

I took another pizza. Glaiza already knew how greedy I was for food so she was no longer surprised. So maybe she bought two boxes because she knew I would like it. Good thing because no matter what I eat, I don't gain weight. She said I was the only one she knew no matter what food I eat I did not get fat. One of my assets is the shape of my body.

Fabulous pair of breasts that other women envied. Small waist, wondrous hips and convex buttocks. That was she exactly said in front of me. Remember when I told you my Mom was crowned Ms. Universe in the year nineteen forgotten? I didn't wonder why I already have this magnificent vital statistics at a young age.

My mouth was still full when I swallowed again. But I stopped biting when I looked up at Niko. He was looking at me. His eyes dances in amusement while staring at me. The way he stared at me, it was as if he had been staring at me for long. I saw him shaking his head side by side.

"I didn't know you were like a dragon when you ate. You beat us in this field of action." He then laughed as if he is the only person in this place.

"Go on! Just laugh as long as you like. As if your bite is small. You also look like a godzilla when you eat." Glaiza laughed out loud. Her boyfriend has also joined her.

"At least, I could see where goes the food that I ate." He said simultaneously caressed his abs, his wide chest and his hard biceps. My eyes was scandalized by the way he caressed his own body. "How about you? I'm wondering where did the food you ate go?"

"Can't your eyes see? Didn't you see when you scanned her body earlier?" Glaiza break in between us. Which caused my cheeks to heat up.

But my reaction was nothing compared to Nikolai's reactions. His lips looked pale but his face and neck were very red. I don't know if he's holding back his anger or what.

"Ali does not get fat from foods. But they are nutrients to grow and those who need to grow even more!" I slapped her on her shoulder. "Ouch!"

"Your mouth, Glaiza."

"Love, Ali just hit me." She said facing Cedrick who is laughing at us. She was acting as if she's crying. And lean closer to her boyfriend who is now hugging her from the side. Cedrick caressed her shoulder where I slapped her a while ago.

I just laughed at her for being so tender to her boyfriend. I'm glad because I can see there have been changes in her since Cedrick became her boyfriend. She's happier than before. She's glowing, not just her eyes but all over her. Her aura shows that she's contented and very happy.

I did not regret accompanying her to meet with Cedrick. Because I can see now how happy she is being with him.

"Well, not bad. You can eat my pizza if you want more." I turned to Niko when he suddenly spoke while laughing. If he even looked at my body, I don't know.

"Thank you so much." I answered him sarcastically.

It was afternoon when we got home. I enjoyed being with the three of them. I didn't know that anyone other than my best friend would make me happy. That was Niko. He was just as funny as Cedrick. The two of them actually. He always made me laugh in the entire afternoon. We bathed and swam until we felt satisfied. We climbed and jumped into the water again. It's a pity that none of us thought of taking a picture.

The two friends promised they would take us around next time. We couldn't continue our excursions to other places because we bathed in waterfalls.

I immediately rinsed when I got to the bathroom of my room. It's still early so Auntie and Uncle aren't here yet. But the black SUV following us did not escape my sight. Where might they have been to while we were bathing and we were having fun earlier?

I will talk to them later. So after I got dressed I called Cliff. He is the head security Dad gave me. He didn't told me at first but I found out later and confronted him. He will let me live here but I will let him guard me all the time. So, I agreed.

"Yes, Ms.?"

"I know you have been following me for the entire time since I lived here, Cliff." He didn't answer.

"And I know that you know where I have been the whole day, right?"

"Yes, Ms.."

"You saw what happened. And you knew that nothing bad happened to me."

"Yes, Ms.."

"So, can I ask you a favor, Cliff?"

"What is it, Ms.?"