NADIA
"So, how's the birthday girl doing?" Elijah asked, kissing my cheek from behind.
I giggled. "She's doing better."
The past few days had been rough, but being surrounded by loving people made all the difference.
"You're so beautiful, you know," Elijah said, looking down at me and I chuckled.
Elijah's expression turned serious. "I'm being dead serious. I've never seen anyone like you – so drop-dead gorgeous."
He kissed me on the cheek again, and I felt my heart flutter.
This was how it had been for the past few days. Elijah still seemed to think I was mad at him, but none of what happened was his fault.
I tiptoed, kissing him on the lips. As usual, they felt like home.
"Are you sure?" Elijah asked, his eyes searching mine.
I pulled him aside, away from the crowds and chatter. "I like you, Elijah – a lot. What happened at the mall wasn't your fault. You had every right to feel angry."
Elijah's expression softened.
"I reacted like that because you weren't listening to me, not because I was afraid of you. You wouldn't hurt me, right?"
"Of course I wouldn't," Elijah replied, his voice firm.
I intertwined our hands. "Exactly, so there's nothing to worry about."
Elijah kissed both my hands, then my forehead. His lips met mine, and I melted into his touch. His hand caressed my neck, and I tilted my head up, giving him more access.
Just as we were lost in the moment, someone cleared their throat. I froze, looking in the direction of the voice.
My eyes widened as I realized it was a teacher – Mr. Kumar.
Elijah didn't seem to care, still holding me close. "Mr...?" I trailed off.
"Kumar, Mr. Kumar," he said, his expression stern.
I bit my lip, feeling embarrassed. "I..."
But Mr. Kumar beat me to it. "This is no love nest, so I suggest you get to class."
He walked off, leaving us staring after him.
Elijah smirked. "Damn, that was a bit... rude?"
I playfully hit his arm. "Eli!"
He chuckled. "What?" I asked. "You want to skip?"
I raised an eyebrow. "I mean, I don't feel like being here..."
"Great, whatever my girl desires," he said, picking me up over his shoulder.
And just like that, we left school, our laughter echoing in the halls as we walked out into the bright sunlight.
Elijah took me to the Grey resident, where we had our first date. This time, we had a personal chef preparing pizza while we lounged on the couch, browsing through movies. I couldn't appreciate his efforts more. He was doing everything to put a smile on my face when I needed it most.
"You make me happy, you know," I said, resting my head on his shoulder, my legs propped up on the couch as he played with my hair.
"I'm glad," he replied, placing a gentle kiss on my forehead. "But it isn't over yet."
He got up, leaving me alone for a couple of minutes before returning with a surprise. His hands were behind his back, and a sly grin spread across his face.
"You remembered?" I asked, my eyes widening in delight.
I gasped at the sight of the ring, my whole body frozen in one spot. I carefully picked up the ring from the box, and my eyes widened in amazement. There were two rings: one was a simple silver band, while the other was coated in small diamonds that sparkled intensely in the light. What touched my heart the most was that both rings had my name elegantly embedded on the inside.
"Do you like it?" he asked, his eyes filled with anticipation.
I couldn't contain my emotions. "Like it? I love it," I exclaimed, throwing my arms around him in a tight hug.
I engulfed him in a tight hug, and he spun me around, making me squeal. "Eli, I'm going to get dizzy!"
He didn't listen, his laughter echoing through the room. Finally, he put me down, and we sat back on the couch.
As if on cue, the chef announced that the pizza was ready. The aroma filled the air, making my stomach growl with anticipation.
"Desert will be ready in 30 minutes," the chef said, and I had completely forgotten about it. This day honestly couldn't get any better.
That night, Elijah dropped me home, kissed me goodbye, and I thanked him for the amazing day and the thoughtful gift.
Little did I know, my mom was waiting for me the moment I stepped inside.
"Oh my gosh, Ma, what were you doing spying on me?" I asked, rolling my eyes.
"I wasn't spying; I just wanted to see why my daughter skipped school," she replied, a hint of amusement in her voice.
I sighed, knowing I had to come clean. "I went out."
My mom raised an eyebrow. "A word of advice, sweetie: don't get pregnant."
My eyes widened in shock. "What? Ma, why would you even say that? We're not even at that stage... Oh my gosh, I can't believe I'm having this conversation with you right now."
My mom smiled, rubbing my arm. "Look, sweetie, we never had the conversation about you losing your virginity, and—"
I cut her off, my face burning with embarrassment. "And it's better that way."
My mom chuckled. "Is he cute?"
I couldn't help but nod, a smile spreading across my face. "More than that."
"What's his name?" she asked, curiosity sparkling in her eyes.
"Elijah," I replied, my heart skipping a beat. "He gave me this amazing gift, and, Mom, he's so thoughtful, so sweet... but I do admit he can lose his cool sometimes. But he's alright, completely harmless."
My mom's expression softened, and she pulled me into a warm hug. "That makes me so happy, sweetie."
As I pulled away, I spotted some photographs on her desk. My curiosity piqued, I walked over to investigate.
"Ooh, is this for the new photo album?" I trailed off, my eyes freezing on a particular image.
My mom's expression changed, and she seemed taken aback. "What?"
I pointed to the picture, my mind racing. "Why do you have pictures of Elijah and his sister?"
The image showed Elijah, his sister, and their parents. But what caught my attention was the X marked across his father's face.
I felt a shiver run down my spine. "I don't understand... Why do you have this? This picture of Elijah? And why is there a cross on this man's face?"
"What, no, I think you're mistaken, Nadia. This is Sam, okay? The son of Vincent Grey,"
"But, Mom, he's... he's the boy I was talking about."
My mom's expression turned cold, her voice dripping with disdain. "Ma?" I said, picking up the picture, my hand trembling.
My mom's eyes seemed to darken, her voice low and menacing. "Because, sweetheart, those people are the reason why your father is the way he is right now."
The room seemed to spin around me, my world shattering into a million pieces.
As I walked, memories flooded my mind. My mom's words echoed in my head: "But, Mom, he's... he's the boy I was talking about." Her shocked expression was etched in my memory. "What, no, I think you're mistaken, Nadia. This is Sam, okay? The son of..."
It all made sense now. The letters, the dreams, the familiar feeling – it was all connected to Elijah. But did he remember me? Did he know who my parents were, and was that why he got involved with me?
My mom's words came back to me: "What matters is that you didn't know, okay? But now that you do, you have to stay away from him at all costs." I felt a pang of frustration and sadness.
I stormed out of the house, my mind reeling from the revelation. The chilly night air did little to calm my heated skin. I felt lost, unsure of where to go or what to do.
As I turned a corner, I heard footsteps behind me. "I told you, didn't I?" a voice said. I spun around, frightened, and met Nicholas's green eyes.
"What are you doing here? Following me?" I demanded, my eyes scanning the empty streets.
Nicholas stepped closer, his voice low. "Let me be the guy he could never be, okay? Please, just give me a chance."
I swatted his hands away, anger rising within me. "What the heck?"
Nicholas's expression turned dark. "You know, from the second I saw my brother, I knew who you were. I knew there was a reason why Elijah was so infatuated with you."
He took a step closer, his eyes raking over me. "Honestly, I see the appeal."
I slapped him, my hand stinging. "I'm going to tell everyone who you really are."
Nicholas chuckled, his eyes glinting with amusement. "With what proof?"
He pinned me against a brick wall, his lips crushing mine. I tried to push him away, but he held me firm, his fist tangled in my hair. "Oh, Nadia, you messed with the wrong man," Nicholas sneered.
I managed to break free, kicking his knee. "You sick bastard!"
Nicholas pulled me back by the hair, my body crashing to the ground. He began forcing himself on me, but I fought back with all my might.
In desperation, I felt for something sharp in Elijah's hoodie and found a knife. I aimed for Nicholas's knee, and I earned a satisfying groan from him as he fell back. "Good luck explaining that," I said, walking off