Chapter Ten

"You and I…" Nina had trailed off before changing her mind and backing out from her supposed confrontation. "You and I are gonna sleep in this room, right?"

"Don't worry," Fabian gave a crooked smile but felt a pang of pain as he realized that Nina was still uncomfortable within his presence. "I won't do anything to you. You know that, right?"

"Yeah," Nina said with difficulty. "After all, just as you said, we're only housemates."

"Definitely," Fabian lied, "we're only housemates."

"Anyway, I'm a bit thirsty," Nina changed the topic. "Do you have anything to drink?"

"I think, Mick left a bottle of water here somewhere," Fabian bustled around the room until he found a flashlight and an object that looked like a safe under a pile of Mick's clothes.

"Isn't that a mini fridge?" Nina asked Fabian.

"That little cheat," Fabian exclaimed. "He had a fridge here all this time?"

Fabian opened the fridge and sure enough it was as dark as the room. He had gotten out a can of Coke which was still a bit cold and handed it to Nina.

"Thanks," Nina opened the can and was surprised to that most of its contents had spilled on her shirt.

"Oh," Fabian quickly grabbed a towel and hurriedly wiped Nina's shirt.

"It's no use," Nina said. "I'm all wet."

"You should change," Fabian said as he opened his closet. "Here," he tossed her a shirt.

Nina caught it in the dark and excused herself to the bathroom. Fabian, on the other hand, had found another flashlight and a few matches.

"Nina!" He called from his room. "Is there perhaps a candle in there?"

"I don't know," Nina admitted. "It's too dark."

"Are you done changing?" Fabian asked.

"Yeah," Nina turned red. "It's just embarrassing to go out."

"Come on," Fabian looked down on his feet. "It's not a skimpy swimsuit, you're wearing a shirt."

Nina came out slowly and Fabian shone light over her figure. She looked cute in his oversized shirt went above her knee.

"Were you wearing short shorts?" Fabian asked curiously.

"Nope," Nina said as she got one of the flashlights. "Your shirt is big."She did a spin to show Fabian how big the shirt was. "It's a little roomy but I can manage."

"Anyway, can you check if there are candles in there?" Fabian asked her as he bustled in the room to look for some too.

Nina disappeared in the bathroom only returning a few seconds holding a candelabrum with three candles.

"What was Mick planning to do with these?" Fabian asked as Nina handed it to him.

"Candlelit dinner," they said in unison blushing in the process.

Fabian turned even redder when he realized that they were having a candlelit dinner soon. He glanced at Nina who was chattering her teeth furiously. Fabian remembered their night in the attic when she was also freezing cold.

"Are you cold?" Fabian asked as he lit the candles and placed them on the table.

"Uh…N-yeah," Nina was just about to deny it. "Have you got a jacket or anything?"

"Well, yeah…" Fabian smacked his head when he remembered that Mick had borrowed his earlier this morning. "One's in the wash and the other's with Mick."

"Guess I'll freeze to death then," Nina joked.

"No, you won't," Fabian said determinedly. "Come here."

Nina smiled at Fabian who was glowing orange in the candle's light.

"What?" He smiled back. "Is it the 'little frown I get when I concentrate'" He quoted her.

Nina laughed. "No, it's the best friend I used to have."

"We could still be best friends," Fabian smiled at her who also glowed orange making her face look brighter and livelier. "I mean, really."

Nina shook her head. "There's so much that's passed, so much that happened. We're not the people we were last year. We're not the teenagers on a 'treasure hunt' anymore."

"It's all because of the kiss, isn't it?" Fabian sighed. "You regret doing it?"

"It's not that I regret it. I really don't," Nina looked him in the eyes meaning every word she says. "But, if it didn't happen then we would still be like before."

"What if we can undo it?" Fabian smiled.

"How, then?" Nina played along.

"Come here," Fabian patted his bed.

Nina moved on his bed and looked at him. Their faces only inches apart.

"What if another kiss cancels it out?" Fabian grinned.

With that, Fabian leaned in and kissed Nina, for the first time. For a split second, Nina froze but had kissed back in return. It seemed like forever before they parted. Nina hugged Fabian as she buried her face into his bare chest.

"You're warm," she said to his chest as she took a breath of his scent.

"Yes, and you're really cold," Fabian held her hand warming her instantly. "That explains the chattering."

"I'm sorry," Nina apologized. "I should have been more honest."

"I'm sorry too," Fabian replied as he unconsciously played with her hair. "I shouldn't have jumped on you. I guess I was just too full of myself … yesterday."

"I really should have apologized earlier. I shouldn't have kissed you if you didn't like it." Nina countered.

"What are you saying?" Fabian said in shock. "You think I didn't like it? I thought that it was a simple thank you for calling you beautiful."

"No, it's a kiss," Nina looked at Fabian seriously. "What do you think could it have meant?"

"I am stupid," Fabian kissed Nina's temple. "Stupid, stupid, stupid."

"If you're stupid," Nina smiled at him. "What am I?"

"You're Nina?" Fabian confusedly answered.

Nina laughed. "No. I'm an even bigger idiot for falling for an idiot like you."

"You're not just any idiot," Fabian smiled. "You're my idiot."

Nina smiled as she dozed off comfortably in Fabian's arms. Fabian didn't mind the weight of the girl as he blew the candle's light. He shifted his weight onto the bed and closed his eyes. Smiling to himself, he muttered a few words that can only be heard by the smiling girl lying beside him. The dinner, the candlelit one Fabian had expected, was all but forgotten as the two fell asleep beside each other smiling like there's no tomorrow.

A/N: Sorry. This chapter is a bit rushed so the events must be a bit too fast. Sorry. :( WRITER'S BLOCK :( R&R