Chemistry and Quantum Physics – Chapter 21

Nick's POV

My heart was pounding a million beats per minute as I rang the doorbell of the Mellifers' house.

As expected, one of the four opened the door. It was Phillip this time – I think. I've been getting used to seeing their faces since they tagged along Adalind all the time.

"Grimm.." he whispered, his face stern.

I raised my hands, signaling that I was not there for trouble.

"Where is she?"

"She's not here," Phillip answered and tried to close the door, but not before I used my arm to prevent him from shutting me out. Right then and there, he backed off and woged, giving me time to enter the house.

I walked into the guest room and found her sitting on a couch, eating ice cream, and watching television. She seemed at ease until she saw me.

"Hi," I said with hesitation and uncertainty.

She stood and uttered the words, "You motherf-," as she threw a small pillow at me.

"What- Why?" was all I could say.

"It's called a THROW pillow for a reason, Nick," Adalind replied, her tears kind of welling up in the corners of her eyes.

Seeing her so angry to the point that she was breaking down in tears felt as if my lungs were being squeezed so hard that I couldn't breathe.

Instinct told me to go to her and try to comfort her but I thought again. I know the reason why she was so out of character.

Adalind appeared to have no other words for me so she simply raced to her room and slammed the door.

Right on cue, – or maybe he was listening all along – Adrian came into the scene. He was relaxed, like a Mellifer would normally be around a Grimm.

"Take a seat, Nathan," he said. It was weird that he still addressed me with my bogus name.

He shrugged, "I'll get straight to the point. Do you deserve to be heard?"

"Yes," I answered with pride, knowing that I was in place. I can tell Adalind everything, from the night I last saw her and every single reason why I didn't call or text or even dropped by.

"Let's have her hear you out, shall we?" he stood and walked to her door, knocking thrice, lying and saying "he's gone, can I come in now?"

This boy was probably so frustrated seeing her like this – all dramatic and not the way she really is.

The door clicked but it didn't open. She must've sat back and expected Adrian to open it by himself. He motioned for me to open it. The second I turned the knob, he shoved the door open and pushed me into the room, leaving me alone with Adalind.

As soon as she saw me, a false smile formed on her face.

"Date number two was on you. You called dibs on it. It was shot after shot after shot and you were slipping in and out of consciousness. I walked you home. My phone rang and I stopped for a while to answer it," I paused to observe her reaction. I think she weighed what I was doing so she was just silent and just continued sitting down on her bed. "The caller was Rosalee Calvert, a friend of mine. She was asking me about encounters with Mauzhertz. You snatched the phone from me and told her that she was too late, I was already taken that night – that she can't snag me from you at the moment. Then with excessive accuracy, you threw my phone in a manhole. That was the end of my cell."

I saw her swallow. "Do I look like I effing care about your phone? Cause I don't, Nick. Really, I don't."

"When I got you home, I led you straight right there, where you're sitting now and you said that even though it always drizzles in Portland, you still felt so warm inside. I said it was because you had too much to drink. You stood up and turned on the AC. I was surprised that you didn't mind taking off your shirt and your jeans. Then you turned to face me and you said 'Oh, I didn't notice you were still there. I hope you're not disturbed'." Adalind shot me a short sincere glance, somewhat provoking me to continue.

"You walked towards me instead of lying on the bed. You looked me in the eyes and asked me to stay a little bit longer. I said I would until you felt comfortable enough alone."

Adalind's POV

Everything came flashing towards me. Suddenly I remember.

I finished his monologue.

"I felt so relaxed with you that night and I wasn't in the least sense bothered stripping down in front of you."

I exhaled hard as every remorseful feeling hit me all at once. I remember lying down on the bed and asking him to lie down beside me.

"You just put an arm around me and you didn't even try to take advantage of the situation, how compassionate of you. And we stayed that way for a while and I.." he looked at me in hope that I can continue, "I think I kissed you that night."

I looked at him with skepticism and he nodded.

"Shortly after that, I sent you away," I added, my audibility decreasing.

I didn't need to continue. I knew he'd already realized that I remember. I remember how I kissed him so eagerly, the warmth of his hand on my waist. I remember after I broke off the kiss, I sat up and he did as well. He apologized but I cut him off and leaned in again for another. The second kiss was fierce, fuming, even. Every second that passed was filled with intense rage, as if every second was a commencement of anger sex. Then I pulled away and slapped him, fighting the impulse of kissing him again.

I remember my last lines.

'It's been sufficiently awkward and confusing for me and I need time to compose myself. Give me a week.'

I stared at him with sorry eyes and he stared back, saying "It's okay."