Chapter 7

"I will drive past your house and if the lights are all down

I'll see who's around.

One way or another, I'm gonna find ya'

I'm gonna get ya', get ya', get ya', get ya'"

- Blondie


Nick closed the back door of the car, whistling in a low tone as he picked up his bag and walked toward the kitchen door on the back of the house. Before opening the door, he stopped whistling and sighed.

He found no one in the kitchen, and he walked quietly to the dark living room. The television was on, illuminating the figure passed out on the couch. Nick slowly started up the stairs to go upstairs, hoping to make no noise. But, on the second step, a hoarse voice behind him asked "It's you?".

Nick lowered his shoulders and sighed "Yes, it's me".

"Where the hell have you been? I've tried to call you for hours!".

"I've been to the field...and then around".

"And was it so hard for your empty head to think of calling me back?" the man said, getting up from the couch, grasping an opened can of beer on the coffee table and turning to the stairs "Tell me where the fuck you were".

"I just told you, and I didn't call you back because I couldn't".

In a flash, the man was on Nick, pinning him against the wall, grabbing him for the neck of his T-shirt "Listen to me, you idiot. When I call you, you must answer" he punctuated almost every word by slamming Nick against the wall.

Nick grabbed the man's wrists with his hands, his head and shoulders aching "Okay, okay, dad, sorry".

The man stared at Nick for a few seconds and then pushed him down on the stairs, making him lose his balance. "You just need to have your ass kicked for good to make you think straight, boy. And one day, I'll happily do it. It's a promise" he said, moving towards the living room and taking a long sip of his beer "And now go buy some pizza. I'm starving" he shouted from the couch he was back on again.

Nick closed his eyes, taking deep breaths, then took his bag and went back to the kitchen, taking the keys from his jeans pocket and leaving.


Nick lit perhaps the tenth cigarette of the evening, relaxing against the tree on which he had been resting all night. Not far away from him, his friends were either lying on the floor, making out, or having a bath in the cold lake. Idiots.

He stared at them, lost in thought. After leaving his house, he had gone to buy a pizza and then abandoned it without ceremonies on the kitchen table. Going out again soon after. Again, a night out late; again, a night hating his father and wondering why he was still there to fight against that windmill; again, a night just wanting to sleep a little and unplugging from everything and everyone.

He ran a hand over his face and then took a drag, smiling slightly as he recalled that afternoon. Of that sudden and unexpected breath of fresh air. Of her, so timid and so fierce. He focused on their kiss, on the adrenaline he had felt running along his back, on the desire of not wanting to let her go.

If that was the time to raise the white flag and declare her victory, well, maybe he was the most satisfied loser of the world.

"Am I wrong, or seeing Nick Gold smiling is a unique rarity nowadays?".

Nick turned his head to the left, finding Milah leaning against a tree not so far away. Staring at him.

Nick took another drag "Obviously, I didn't have much to smile about lately" he replied, looking back at the lake.

Milah moved from the tree, approaching him and sitting next to him "Yeah, I've noticed. And what's changed tonight?".

He smirked "None of your business, I guess".

She snorted "Ok, Nick. Keep this mysterious aura on... I like it" she winked and bit her lower lip.

He looked at her and chuckled "I didn't think you needed so little to get you worked up".

"What can I say? I know when I have a rare piece in my hands, and you, my dear, you're more unique than rare".

He looked at her with half closed eyes "Should I take it as a compliment? Because it doesn't seem to me".

She laughed "It is, in fact. I haven't yet broken this double layered armor of yours, but I won't give up easily" she said, placing her head on her knees and wrapping her arms around her legs.

Nick looked at her, smirking and blowing out the cigarette butt "Milah, Milah...I think you're putting too high expectations on me".

"Only time will tell" she replied, looking at him.

He shook his head, smirking and standing up, but he was stopped by Milah's hand on his.

"Wait. Are you leaving now? We can finally have some peace of mind alone?".

"Ahh, I think so, it's better I go home. I'm tired enough for today" he said, trying to move his hand from hers with discretion.

She pushed against his hand and stood up "Listen, I'm forced to go to that stupid play at school in 3 days. I know you're working behind the scenes...And I was wondering If it was ok If we go together?" she asked, smiling and playing with his fingers.

He stared at her for a few moments, speechless "Um, actually...I'll be all the time behind the stage, I don't think I'll have time to have some shots in the yard before the show" he said, winking and trying to get out of that situation that was about to become awkward.

"Mr. Gold, I didn't think you were so rebellious!?" she said raising her eyebrows and slapping him on the arm lightly "No, but seriously, I'd love to go with you...Maybe we can eat something together afterwards...Just us" she said with a low and subtle tone.

He ran a hand behind his neck and said "Ehm...If I can finish on time...I think so...Yes, why not".

Milah smiled and then gave him a kiss on his cheek "Perfect" she murmured in his ear and then walked away. Turning briefly to smile at him again.

He watched her walking to their friends, motionless. Then he turned and walked to his car.

What. The. Hell.


Milah sat down on the grass, accepting a bottle of cherry Alcopop. She opened the bottle and took a sip, looking in front of her as she recalled her last encounter with Nick.

She liked him. She had had that kind of attraction for him for a while now, his being mysterious, his charm. She had waited for him, to see If she could catch his attention and make him do a move, a gesture to understand If he was interested in a different relationship with her. But for one reason or another, he had always been elusive, though they had been exchanging long lustful looks several times. And then, since desperate times call for desperate measures, she had decided to take matters in her and and make her own move. And it had gone pretty good.

Milah smiled, looking down at the bottle.

"Look, look at the little dreamy look that our Milah has tonight".

Milah looked up quickly, turning her head to the left and noticing Cora stretched out languidly not so far away from her, her head resting on Haidar's leg.

"What, Cora, jealous much?" Milah replied, taking a sip.

Cora continued to look at her with a strange and cold smile on her lips, her legs crossed "Oh yeah, I'd really like to be so happy too...Even when I have to beg for a handshake from a guy I've fallen for months ago".

Milah looked at her, the smile now vanished from her face "And what does this mean?"

Cora smirked and sat down, her hands crossed on her knee "Oh, absolutely nothing, I was speaking in general, or maybe I touched a sore button I didn't know about?" she said with fake innocence.

Milah gripped the bottle in her hand, biting her lower lip "You know what, Cora? At least I'm not a frigid person without a bit of feeling inside. And If this makes me pathetic, well, then we're two here".

Cora laughed "My darling, pathetic would be a compliment. The saddest thing is to see you smiling as If you had conquered America".

"What's your real problem here?" Milah said, looking her with half-closed eyes.

"I have no problem...You can take my scraps" Cora said, lying down again.

"And what do you mean by that?".

"Exactly what I said, dear."

"Oh, oh, oh, a live cat-fight. Come on, girls, calm down, put on rest your hot spirits" Haidar said, holding a hand on Cora's shoulder and looking at Milah.

"Tell your friend to mind her own business, then" Milah said, standing up.

Cora laughed again "Come on, Milah, don't be upset just because I had him before you" he said as Milah walked away.

Milah continued to walk, throwing the bottle in a nearby bin. Too much for a good evening.

TBC…