Her First Love

Xander had just finished his interrogation at the police station about his involvement in Norah's rescue mission and why he didn't tell the police all about it. They let him walked out without being charged because he was cooperative. The real Miguel Sanchez was unharmed and deported back to his country.

They needed his further cooperation to find Daniel Rodriguez, he was still on the run and the police knew only Xander had that influence in underworld.

He knocked at Norah's room. This was the first time Xander visited her since Liam rescued her and she never came out of this room. Noah was worry sick because his sister didn't want to meet a psychologist so he asked Xander to talk some sense to her.

"Noah?"

"It's Xander. How are you, Norah?"

The woman sat bolt upright in her bed, the blanket high on her chin. Her appearance was the same as her brother, blonde middle-length hair and clear blue eyes. Xander never really noticed her before, but she grew to be a beautiful woman. She was not a scrawny and frightened little kid anymore.

"Oh, hi Xander." She gripped her blanket tightly.

Or maybe still frightened by his presence.

"Look, if you're not comfortable with me being here, I will go." He said to the point.

Norah got up from the bed, "No, please don't go. I'm just surprised you came to visit me."

He took a seat on the armchair and Norah sat on the opposite chair separated by a small table. All the guest bedrooms on the first floor were not as big as the rooms upstairs. But it provided comfort and luxury like a five-star hotel room.

"Noah asked me to persuade you to meet the psychologist. It will be a short session and she won't pressed you if you don't want to talk."

She lifted her chin, "I already told him a million times and now my answer is the same, I'm fine and I don't want to be stuck in the past. I'm still young and I got to move on as fast as possible. I'll not waste my time doing that stupid sessions."

His mouth slightly smiled when he heard this young headstrong woman speak with such confidence. She was a strong one.

"Fine, I can see you are not a kid anymore. If you think you can live without any trauma then that's good." Xander got up from his chair.

Looks like he had nothing to say anymore but Norah held his hand. Xander raised his eyebrow quizically, looking at her. She was a little taller than Clara with lean and toned body but her cheeks were still chubby.

"I'm lonely.. Can't you accompany me a bit longer?" She asked and bit her lower lip innocently.

When Xander didn't refuse, she smiled, two dimples appeared on her cheeks. He felt sorry for her and he was not in a hurry so he sat back on the armchair.

Norah was ecstatic when Xander walked into her bedroom, she was dying from anticipation, she wanted his attention. No, she craved his attention for such a long time.

He was her first love after all.

"You've met Clara, right? If you need someone to accompany you, she will be available anytime. I'll talk to her if you want."

Norah asked hesitately, "Is she your girlfriend, Xander? She is very beautiful."

Now when she had him beside her, he was not free. Norah was already suspicious when she saw that woman. She was too appealing to be just his friend.

"No." Xander furrowed his eyebrows.

Norah lifted her eyes to him, there was still a glimmer of hope. Just like Gabby said, maybe he would see her as a woman now.

Norah sighed, "She tried to talk to me yesterday.."

"Did she say something inappropriate to you?" He urged.

"Oh no, no.. Maybe it was only my feeling. I'm afraid she will judge me, you know."

Xander got up and there was anger in his face. Norah thought he was mad at her but then he smiled at her.

"You are too long hiding in this room. Do you want to take a walk at the garden?" He invited.

Norah blushed shyly but all she wanted to do was scream with joy. Not only Xander talked to her, worry about her but he asked Norah to go out with him.

They walked together from the front side of the mansion to the back that lead to the garden, it was a huge land. There were guards everywhere.

"Do you always have this much of guards?" Norah asked as they walked past a guard at the side of the building.

"Ever since your kidnapping, I doubled the guards surrounding this place to anticipate another retaliation because Daniel is still out there."

Norah was silent when she heard his kidnapper's name.

"I'm sorry." Xander said when he realized it.

"Don't be. I just thought about what I promised to myself. I would kill him with my own hands but if the police found him first then I can't do anything."

Xander chuckled, "You got that fire inside you." He ruffled her blond hair.

He touched her! If Norah died now, she would die peacefully because the man she loved ruffled her hair. She wouldn't wash her hair for some time.

They stopped when they saw someone with sleeveless loose dress in peach stood alone in the garden, her long brown hair blown by the wind. Her eyes watching them before she averted her eyes elsewhere.

When they approached near, she greeted, "Hello.. How are you Norah?" It was the same warm smile.

Norah was deeply ashamed of her attitude to this kind woman before. Now that she knew this woman was not Xander's girlfriend, she didn't have to see her as a rival.

"Hello, Clara. Nice to meet you." Norah smiled back.

Her face lit up and it made her more stunning, Norah catched the man beside her looking at the woman as if Norah was not there. She didn't want to feel jealousy but she can't help it.

There was a longing and possessiveness inside his eyes when he saw Clara.

"I hope you're in your best behaviour when you're with Norah. I won't tolerate if you hurt her feelings." Xander said with cold tone.

Clara reared back as if he had slapped her. She opened her mouth but unable to put words together to verbally reply to him.

"We'll be best friend, Clara and I." Norah interjected. Then she placed her hand on his arm lightly, "You don't need to worry, Xander. I'm happy that she is here so I won't feel so lonely."

Xander finally looked at Norah again, "Fine if you say so." His voice turned warm.

"Ah, it's so refreshing to take a stroll after all that time in the same room. Thank you, Xander."

Then Norah asked about the mansion, "I heard from my brother that you bought this place years ago from a bankrupt man? This is a vast land and I never thought the mansion is that breathtaking."

"Yes and I bought it with a great good price considering the land and the building, he sold it pretty cheap." Xander said that with his eyes on Clara.

But the brunette just stare them with no expression, the small smile hanged there never wavered. It escaped their vision that her hands were fisted and shaking behind her back.

"I'm sorry but I forgot I had something to do." Clara felt like an intruder, so she excused herself.

"Like reading a romance novel? Pining for love between the main characters?" He asked mockingly.

Norah laughed, "You won't understand, Xander. Us women definitely hope for love to blossom between the main characters." She winked at Clara.

Clara stammered, "Y-yes. Of course."

"Just go, Clara. No one will hold you back to dream some romance." Xander sneered.

Norah saw her rigid body walked past them, holding her tears but she managed to say smoothly, "See you soon, Norah." Then she took her time walking back to the mansion.

"Xander, why are you so cruel to her?"

"What? That looks cruel to you?" They continued to walk again towards the pond.

"What I know is you don't speak to me like that.." She blushed, "If you hate her, then why is she here?"

Xander stared ahead towards the thick forest behind the mansion, "Can we talk about something else? She is not important."

*** End of Chapter 35 ***