Here's Chapter 3...
"She came back." I couldn't figure out his emotions when he said it. A mixture of strain (she must have hurt him badly), happiness (caused by anticipation to see her after a long time), and love (maybe…? Is she back to win him or back for a friendly visit? A friendly visit? Why am I kidding myself?).
"Sara, you okay?" He searched for me deeper in the eyes. I was so spaced out I didn't hear any of the words he said after. I shook my head and focused on Nick again.
"What? Oh, um…"
"I said Dana came back. She came back with an excess baggage, though." He chuckled as he remembered something funny that I didn't know. So I looked at him questioningly. "It was her daughter Nicole…," he said clearing it for me.
I nodded my head and all I could say was, "Oh…"
And he kept on babbling about the kid and where the three of them went. "You should have seen her, Sar. She was very fond of Vegas. We toured in…" Blah blah blah! I wished Nick would shut his mouth because I want to hear none of it. I was getting furious that I didn't know I was clenching my fists too tight that my knuckles turned white. My head almost blew off when he said, "You should have met them…"
I gave him my widest and most infuriated eyes with mouth slightly open. I saw red humungous flames blocking my site off of his face. When I took control again of my jaw, I gritted my teeth until I thought they would break. He kept on saying something but my ears were hearing my silent shrieks.
He softly dabbed me by his elbow that took me out of woolgathering. I didn't realize I was distracted longer than a minute because we were – or I should say he was already buying popcorns and beverages for us before we enter the cinema. And I couldn't recall telling him I want my popcorn plain.
It was during the movie that I genuinely laughed after he told me Dana came back. I didn't want the news to spoil the humor of the movie so I tried to forget the conversation we had before.
"That was so funny," I told him on our way out.
"Yeah…" was all he managed to say since he was still chuckling. "So, what shall we do next?"
"Hmmm…." I gave it a thought for a while then my tummy spoke for myself. "Let's go get some ice cream!" I said with enthusiasm.
"Okay, but I'll pay," Nick beamed me his unique smile.
"Oh I won't argue with that." I smiled back at him.
I almost drop the ice cream I was slurping when Nick brought back the subject on Dana and her daughter Nicole. Damn, just when I thought that conversation was over it was beginning all over again.
"She changed a lot the last time I saw her. She's more mature and profound these days than ever." He said with so much disbelief.
Though I want no participation in the conversation, I knew I had to say something. "She's got someone to take care now, Nick," I told him as a-matter-of-fact.
"Did I tell you she named the girl after me?"
"Well, isn't it obvious?" I asked him with a strain of irritation in my voice.
"Is my Sara jealous?" I would answer that honestly, but I'm afraid of what his retort would be.
"NO AM NOT! And since when did I become your property?" He should be thankful I just finished my ice cream or else he'd be coming home in a sticky shirt.
"Yes you are, Sara!" he said with a smile on his face. "You are always spaced out whenever we – sorry, I talk about Dana. Sara, she was my past and will remain in the past – that is for your information if you wanted to know."
"Oh really!"
"See! I knew you're jealous! You should see your face; it's shouting what you're hiding. My Sara is jealous…Sidle is jealous!" he chanted the last line with merriment.
"Argh!" Am I that transparent? I walked away from him in my biggest steps possible. When he learned I got pissed off he ran to catch up with me.
He pulled my arm to stop me and face him. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean to piss you off. I was just teasing you, Sar." He apologized with sorry eyes that make anyone forgive him in that moment. But it's cute to see him like that so I did not make a move nor say a word at all. I want him to repent a little more. I looked at him with a brow raised and a pout, trying my best to make my angriest face.
"It's true when I said she belongs to my past and will always remain there. She and Nicole just paid me a visit while their family is here in Vegas. Her husband is on a convention for the week so I showed them around. Sara, she did not come back for me. She's already married and has a family. Plus, it's not her that I love. . It is you and only you that I want now, this present time and hopefully be a part of my future. It's you Sara…" with tears kept at bay he hugged me tight enough for me not to walk away from him again.
I was so shocked on what he said that I had spaced out again, standing frozen in the middle of the crowd with a guy hugging me so tight. I was paralyzed by his confession that I was not able to hug him back. He pulled out of embrace and searched for answer in the depths of my eyes. I thought he was not gonna see it there but then I knew I was wrong when he kissed me softly on my lips fervently but shortly. He dropped his hand from my arm to my hand and locked his fingers with mine. I was still in automatic mode when he pulled me and we walked out of the mall side by side, both unaware of smiling a mile wide.
When we got in the parking lot, Nick took me out of my trance. "Where's you car?"
I shook my head again, blinked twice and regained my composure. "There." I pointed at corner. Then, before I could ask where his was, he pulled me towards my car and grabbed the keys from me.
When he opened the door of the passenger seat, I asked him, "Where's yours?"
"Home, Dana dropped me off," he answered while I was climbing the car.
I missed his fingers intertwined with mine the moment he let my hand go, then closed the door, went around the car, and climbed on the driver seat. I knew he did feel the same when he squeezed my hand softly before he turned on the keys and started the engine.
"Where d'ya wanna go? Your place or mine?" he asked me sweetly.
"Yours."
And so we drove off to his place. He cooked dinner and we just talked, held hands, cuddled, and made out. We agreed on telling only the people who are closed to us about the latest development. He wanted to move in with me and so do I with him. But since both our places are small, we decided to look for somewhere bigger for both of us.
Though I hate to go home and sleep on my bed alone, I had to go and not be affected with the desire of sleeping with Nick that night. Gentleman he is, he walked me to my car and opened the door for me. Before I hopped in the car and give him a kiss, he said, "It took me a minute to have a crush on you, an hour to like you, and a day to love you. But it will never take a moment to forget you. I love you Sara."
My heart melted. "I love you too, Nick." Then we kissed. What a one fine day! – I thought.
Thanks to Space-Case7029, Alex, BeTrAyEd DaUgHtErS, GeorgeEadsLover (your name is the best!), heartagram69, deadchick, TinaFans (It's okay…actually English is not my first language either so I'm trying my best to write in English. I hope you can teach me Spanish, my Spanish is very rusty since I took a class for just one summer and it was six years ago.), icklebitodd, mudhousejunkie224, and to all readers. Thank you all!