Chapter 9

I was uncomfortable with my situation. I felt like being pressured about the space between me and him. He was too near beside me and that made my heart flutter. Graham went for the drinks they ordered from the counter and when he came back, I started to panic when Aya excused herself to the restroom. I have no choice but to follow her. 

"Wait for me, Aya. I'll be coming with you." I started looking at myself in the mirror and wanted to keep myself calm. My heart was beating rapidly as if it could burst out of my chest. 

The beats of my heart were wildly killing what my mind wanted to do. I wanted to stop this but I was helpless after all. 

"What's happening to you?" Aya was staring at me from my reflection in the mirror. "Don't tell me you're affected easily by him?" 

"Stop it. I can do this." I grabbed her wrist and we went back there. I saw them laughing and what made me irritated was his smile. I think it was killing me wildly. 

Aya sat beside Graham and looked at me with a teasing smile. "Hainz, please sit down." 

"Here." Nick tapped the seat and he moved slightly. 

I was looking for an excuse when my father called me. I left them for a minute. 

"How's your package? Did you receive it?" My father sighed slightly. 

"Yes. Thank you, Papa." I smiled while making a call with him. When I turned my glance to Aya, I saw Nick staring at me and then, looked at Graham. Our phone call was ended and I thought of something I never imagined. I wonder what kind of person he is. 

My heart skipped a beat. "No, it can't be." I clenched my fists and calmed my heart. 

I went back to my seat and finished my drink. "I have to leave now. I need to do something." 

"Okay, bye." Aya waved her hands while I was already out of the café. 

"Oh, good thing that I left them." I burst my annoyance about him but I stopped myself because of the people around me. 

A drop of rain fell on my cheek. I looked at the sky and it started to rain. I covered my head using my hands and I ran to the nearest shade of a small waiting shed. I started to check my clothes and it revealed my undershirt. I covered my chest with my arms.

A person covered me with his tracksuit jacket and to my surprise, it was Nick. He was looking after me. Why didn't I notice him? 

I started to panic while putting it off me but he refused. He zipped the tracksuit jacket and I couldn't move. "Just wear this. I don't want you to catch a cold."

It was uncanny seeing him being serious now. I gulped as I watched him looking at the sky too. It was already dark and nobody was walking around the street. 

"I think it's fine to leave now." He dropped his hand after checking the raindrops. He headed me back home by walking. It was a total silence until we reached the door. 

"So, see you tomorrow." He gently smiled at me and turned his back to me. 

"Wait." I didn't know why I said that but I think it was my heart's doing. "Could you please stay?" 

He looked back at me and my heart pounded rapidly. "For what?" 

"Have a cup of coffee or tea." I turned my back to him and opened the door. I was too shy with him this time. I rushed to my room and got my spare towel for him to lend. 

I threw the towel at him. "What's this?" 

"To let your hair dry." I quickly made a cup of coffee and asked him, "Do you like to add sugar?" 

"No sugar, please?" He was comfortably sitting on the chair and gave him the coffee. He took a sip and smiled. "This is great!" 

"Thank you for your help." I wasn't looking at him because of shyness. 

"You know how to say thanks, huh?" He giggled. 

"Yes, of course." I threw him a frowning look. I noticed that he was looking at me like I was melting. 

"Just teasing you." He took a sip again and looked around. "Are you sure you're the only one here?"

"Yes." 

"Do you feel not alone?" He was curious now about everything. Why did he have concern for me? He wasn't like this before. 

"Yes." 

"Do you like me to stay with you?" His look was stunned when I answered him the same answer, "Yes." I covered my mouth as he coughed out laughing. "Does it mean you're into me? Too?"

"No! I can't do that." My heart skipped a beat when his face moved closer to mine. It was three seconds of looking at his eyes when he patted my head twice. 

"I'll wait." He sat back to his seat. 

"What? What did you say?" I was panicking inside me when I heard him. I just wanted to know that I didn't misheard him. 

"I said I'll-" I stopped him from saying it again. 

I didn't know that my body response was quick. I covered my hand on his lips before I heard anything else. When I opened my eyes, I put back my hand on my chest. "Sorry." 

"It's okay." He was touching his lips and suddenly remembered our first kiss. My first kiss! 

My heart was pounding fast. I realized that we were getting close to each other. This could be out of line. What could I do? My heart was saying yes to him but my mind was saying no to him. It was difficult to choose now. 

"Maybe, you can go home now. It's getting late." I immediately ran to the door. 

"Thanks for the coffee." He waved his hand and left. 

I smiled at him until I watched his back disappear from my sight. I sighed slightly and calmed my heart. 

I closed the door and washed the dishes. When I was about to sleep, I checked the time and it was already 9:00 pm. I was wondering if he went home safe. I shoved away my thoughts covering my head with a quilt and started having my sleep.