Chapter 35

Alitha's POV

I laughed at what she said. It was sarcastic. I shook my head slowly. Nikolai doesn't love me. If he loves me, he will not leave me. He would accept me and most of all, he wouldn't say what Glaiza said. So unclear.

"You don't know what you're saying, Eden."

"I know, Ali. Believe me." I shook my head again and smiled bitterly.

"Just always remember I'm just here." She hugged me and stroked my back.

"Thank you."

Nikolai's POV

Three weeks had passed after I told Cedrick about Ali. And in those three weeks I had not seen her. Three weeks, not including a week I left and didn't say goodbye to her. And every day that God did, it was as if I was going crazy thinking about her.

I regretted what I said to Cedrick and Glaiza because I knew they would tell Ali the hurtful words I had uttered. I did it to hurt her too for keeping me a secret.

But I seem to be the one who is having a hard time. I have never seen her face and I have never heard her voice. I bought a new cellphone and bravely called her but I could not contact her. I think our situation was reversed. I am looking for her now even though I know where she is.

I longed for her presence, her smell, her voice, I missed everything in her. I admit I was thrilled when I learned from Cedrick that she was looking for me. But my pride still hadn't gone away so I said those hurtful words instead.

I heard from Glaiza that Ali does not live in the palace but with her Aunt. Her family doesn't want her out because they found out about the two of us.

"Eden was the one I talked to. Even I was forbidden to see her. They took her cellphone and laptop. I had no communication with her." Glaiza complained one day when we met off campus.

"She's being imprisoned? How is she studying?" I was alarmed knowing that they didn't want Ali to attend her classes.

"They said they stopped her from studying. Eden didn't tell me but I know something is wrong. I knew something bad would happen." I straightened up and I almost grabbed Glaiza.

"What do you mean?!"

"Chill, bro! You shouldn't act like that. Take it easy!" Cedrick grabbed me and pushed me away from Glaiza. "You should be thankful my girlfriend is here. She's helping us." I seemed to be awaken and shook my head. I am tired, emotionally tired.

"I'm sorry. I got carried away." I took a deep breath. "What.. What do you mean?"

"I don't know. But that there's something Eden's not telling me." We're quite for a while not minding the people who kept staring at the three of us.

"Why is she living with her Aunt and not with her parents?" I suddenly asked when I remembered.

"It's a long story. Let Ali tell you her reasons."

Fuck! It's killing me. I need to do something.

Alitha's POV

Thirty days without everything excluding foods, movies and music. Maybe I used to be able to set up my life like this. But since Nikolai became my boyfriend, everything is not the same as before.

I could live without a cellphone, laptop or whatever telecommunications there was. Even not leaving the house was okay with me before. But it's different now. It's different. And that's because of the man who first hurt my feelings.

I was just lying on my bed and looked at the ceiling. The television was on but my attention was not there. I was looking at the chandelier but it's his face I was seeing. His smiling face suddenly turned to madness. With his angry eyes focused on me, his voice saying those hurtful words occurred at the same time.

I closed my eyes and felt the guiltiness overflowing in my being. I regretted I did not tell him the truth about me as early as I could. But from the way he acted towards me when he found it out, I began to question his feelings toward me.

But there's no need to question, he just told me that he likes me. Like is different from love. From the word itself. What more when I figure the meaning of the two. The feeling was not really mutual. Yes, it was at first but as the time gone by when we were together, I realized that it's not like anymore.

Love. What I am feeling for him was love. And I did not expected it will happen. That I will love him in just a short time. But he didn't feel the same as I did. And it hurts, a lot.

I heard three loud knocks outside my door. "Ali?" It's Alec. His voice was unusually low. I did not answered him but he then opened the door. I didn't bother to look at him but I felt him walk closer on my bed.

"Ali?"

"What?"

He let out a sigh. "It's time."

"I'm not in a mood."

"You kept on saying that for three weeks now." I didn't talk back. When Dad decided not to let me out, I also decided not to continue the "training" he insisted. "Get up. It's not the end of the world."

"Huh, fuck!" I turned my back at him and closed my eyes.

"Look, don't let your feelings towards that boy ruined you. You need to get up and continue your life."

"Tell me, Alec. How did you cope up with it?" I opened my eyes but still my back on him.

"I'm still coping with it, actually." I felt him sat down on my bed. "To tell you the truth, I haven't move on yet. Especially that I keep on seeing her. It's hard, you know?"

"I don't understand."

He took a deep breath. "You will find out soon, Ali. The President was thinking about you and no one else. He wants to protect you so stay away from him."

"Tell me, who the hell is Nikolai Johnson?"

"I have no right to say that. The President will answer you in the right time."

"That's bullshit, you know?" My tone was low because I feel like totally drained. "I feel like I'm floating above the sky. I don't know anything about this shit but it's torturing me."

"And the clouds are disturbing, aren't they?" I felt his gaze over me. "Don't worry, that clouds will run off soon and will clear your mind. You're safe here than wandering outside."

"Is this a war?" I sarcastically asked him not minding if I say it right.

"You will find out soon, Ali. For the meantime, you stand up so we can start. I have lots of things to do."

"Go rest, Alec. I'm not in a mood. I'm tired."

"You always say that. Learn to be productive. It's not as if you will forget him, do your work and think about him later. Or else make yourself busy to forget about him."

"Just like what you're doing to yourself?" I sat up and faced him.

"Do I have a choice?"

"We don't have a choice. And it's killing me to know the reason behind this."

"Be patient. I thought you that but since you met that guy, you're being impatient." He looked at me with disbelief.

"Tomorrow, Alec. We'll do that tomorrow. Just make me rest for now. I'm exhausted, emotionally exhausted."

"Fine." He puts his hands up surrendering to me and stood up. "Tomorrow then. I will expect you tomorrow, Ali."

I just stared at him until I couldn't see him anymore. I took a deep breath and lay again. My father told me that I could not get outside until he told me so. He wants me to drop out without a valid reason again.

That's the most crucial doings he ever done to me. Drop out school, broke up with Niko, I felt like I was imprisoned and not free anymore. I could not even talk to my best friend and tell her how I feel. I have no one to talk to unless Eden will come here.

I told her about my feelings toward Niko and she was not shocked when I say that. She said she knew already and she welcomed me to her brokenhearted club thing she invented in her mind.

I didn't know I fell asleep. When I woke up, it's already dark outside. I didn't bother to open my lampshade beside me. I want to be in the dark and stared at the starlight outside my window. It's twinkling and hypnotizing me to look even more.

I heard a thud outside my room. I immediately sat up and jump out of the bed. I reached for my slippers and walk slowly across the door. There's a thud again and I swear it's not just a simple thud.

There are people fighting in the hallway. I prepared myself and decided to go out. I was nervous but I already know what to feel in this kind of situation. I controlled myself and reached the doorknob. I slowly turned it open and when I finally did that, I slowly crept my head out to look what's happening outside.

I saw a man kicking another man whose lying on the floor. I straightened my back when I realized one of my bodyguards lying while someone was beating him. I suddenly ran quietly and planned to give the man a flying kick.

But I was halted when that person turned. His physique was very familiar. But most of all, the scent was too familiar. The person move away his bonnet and I gasped when I saw who was behind that hat that ties under his chin.

Nikolai.

"Baby." He whispered. He came too close and hugged me tight I could hardly breath. "Jesus Christ! I missed you." He buried his head in my hair and sniffed it. "Oh, God! I miss you so much, baby."

He kept sniffing again and again. His hands gripping my waist and my nape. I could not move at first because I was shocked. But not that long because I was worried someone might see us.

"What are you doing here?" I pushed him. Maybe he was not prepared that's why I moved away.

"Nikolai!" Another man in all black approached us. He also wears a bonnet just like Niko. I was sure it was Cedrick just by the look of his physique. "Let's go."

Niko grabbed my hand and pulled me. "Wait! What are you doing?"

He stopped. "Baby, let's get out of here."

"What?" I thought he left me. I thought he doesn't want me to see anymore. Then what's this?

"I will explain later. We'll talk later, okay? So come on. Come with me."

"Where?"

"Just anywhere. Come on." He didn't wait for my answer. He grabbed me again and walked as fast as he could. I did the same. I was stunned when I saw him here but somehow I felt happy and alive again. His embrace made me think that maybe Glaiza was lying. But I know she won't do that.

That's why I'll go with him so we can talk and sort some things out. I saw the bodyguards were not at their post. What time is it anyway? Where are they?

I was about to ask Nikolai when I saw a glimpse of men lying in the ground. Our bodyguards. What the hell? Then there's two person approached us from the garden. Then there's another. So he called out his friends and kidnapped me?

I looked at Niko. He did not bother to stop and just continue running towards the gate and so am I. I looked back and noticed his friends were following us. How did they do that? All our bodyguards were lying. Did these teenagers do that?

I secretly shook my head. I was thinking of possibilities and consequences of what Niko and his friends were doing. When I realized that we're already in a car driving away at Aunt Caroline and Uncle Dan's house. Where were they anyway?

We were sitting at the back of the van while his friends sat in front of us. I stared at him when I felt his gaze in my face.

"You just kidnapped me." I couldn't believed he's doing this.

"Aren't you happy to see me?"