Chapter 5

"New meetings and greetings"

In hindsight, I should have turned away from him. I should have ran while I could. But if he reached out to me for help, I am not really one to refuse. Especially if he could be the one I've been waiting for. All the men I have been with were all dead end roads in the long run. I hope this time he was different.

He decided to change out of his tuxedo and put on something a little more loose and comfortable. He cast aside the business man look for something more down to Earth. He wore a plain white t shirt and a pair of jeans. It was a humid midmorning, and I suggested he wear something a little less heavy than the jeans. He smiled at me and told me he'd be fine.

"You don't mind if we take your car, do you? Yours seems to be more practical. Gas prices are absurdly high, and I get about five miles per gallon with my car. I'll give you gas money."

There he goes. Giving out his money again. I decline his offer politely, and tell him it is not necessary.

"Shall we go?" He cued me out of his apartment. He locked the door behind me, and we headed out to my car.

"I'll drive. I know where it is."

He certainly likes my car. If I didn't know better, it was like he was test driving it.

And then it happened. His newfound favorite song came on the radio, and he blasted it.

"I have been listening to this song over and over since you got me hooked on it." He shouted over the radio.

The city almost echoed with the radio from my car. I think people in space were able to pinpoint our location.

This time, my phone rang. I turned off the radio to talk with the caller.

"Hello?...Oh damn it... I'm sorry, I forgot to tell you. I can't make it to your party later...Well, one thing lead to another...I am actually-...Yeah...That guy...He is really nice..."

Niko was for sure paying attention. I knew he knew this conversation was about him.

"Caller, this is Niko Bellic." He spoke at a distance. "You can be rest assured I'll take care of your friend. Please let us enjoy our date."

I swear, I almost flushed a vibrant red. A date?! Niko is calling this a date?! I thought this was just us hanging out.

"Niko!" I screeched in embarrassment. "This isn't a date!"

I think I heard his heart break. He didn't give it away though. He was rather calm about it. I said goodbye and hung up before something else was said.

"Niko. This isn't a date. I thought we were just hanging out. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings."

"That's fine. No harm done. I was just kidding."

He handed me his phone, and there was a text.

"Can you reply to that? It's Roman. Tell him we've hit a patch of traffic, but we'll be there in a few minutes."

Roman's reply came as we pulled up to the diner. It was a small diner on the corner. A mom and pop place surrounded by skyscraper buildings. It was almost comical how out of place it was.

"This is it. Hopefully Roman saved us a table." He said, closing the door and locking it.

"Niko. Wait a minute." I shyly stopped in front of my car.

He picked up on my distress.

"Don't worry. My cousin Roman and his wife will love you. They are good people."

"Are they rich like you? Snooty and judgemental?"

"Absolutely not. If anything, we will be judged by others. But we won't care. Right? The rich man doesn't have what we have."

With that vote of confidence, we pushed on through the door. Roman and Mallorie did save us a booth in the back. Atleast whatever these big time buisnessmen will say and think about us will not be heard back here.

"My cousin! It's so good to see you! How long has it been since family got together like this?"

Roman gave Niko a hug when we got back to the booth.

"It's been a while, Roman. How are you, Mallorie?"

"Hey, Niko. It's good to see you. You look good! Been keeping in shape?" She had a Spanish accent. It was a weird combination. A Serbian man and a Spanish woman? I wonder how these two met.

"Niko, this must be your friend."

"Yes. This is Sharon. She and I met a few weeks ago with a strange story."

We took our seats in the booth along with Mallorie and Roman. I noticed Niko wanted to sit on the outside. I didn't think too much into it. He sat really close to me too. I could feel his body heat.

The waitress came and took our orders. I ordered a coffee and Niko followed. Our coffee back at Niko's apartment kinda went cold. Niko and Roman caught up on their goings on. Roman mainly talked because he and Mallorie have their baby to talk about. Mila is with Mallorie's cousin for the day. Roman told Niko she's beginning to crawl and is getting a little more adventurous. With baby adventure comes mischief. Niko remained attentive to Roman's stories, and from time to time, he'd sneak a look at me. The entire time we were at the restaurant, Niko held my hand in his lap, listfully rubbing mine with his thumb. The need to maintain physical body contact was a little too much for him. He even operated his phone with his other hand never breaking our touch. I could tell he has fallen for me. How dare I say this wasn't a date. It practically was the way he acted. There was nothing platonic about the way we kissed earlier either. That was my fault. I let my emotions get the best of me.

The waitress brought our checks and Niko serched his wallet to pay. He slapped some money on the table for a tip and went to the cash register.

"Niko, I'm gunna go to the ladies room." I didn't have to go, but I needed to gather myself. I needed advice.

Hey, Brittany. This guy I am with, it seems pretty serious. He thinks we are on a date even though he said he was joking. Do you have any advice?

I put my phone in my pocket and pretended to use the bathroom. I walked out, and there he waited, playing some game on his phone.

"Are you ready to go? Roman and Mallorie left. They had to go get Mila."

"Yeah. We can go. Is there anything to do in this city?"

"I was hoping we go back to my apartment. I still need to talk to you. It is important to me."

I try to make eye contact with him without blushing. I failed miserably when he cupped his hand at the bottom of my chin and gently pulled me in for a kiss. I turned away, despite my body's protest. Having those soft lips on mine is exactly what I wanted, but I knew that would give him the wrong idea about me again.

He looked at me with a curious face.

"What was that about?" He chuckled. "I thought we were comfortable with each other."

"We are. I just..."

My phone dinged with a text notification, and I hastily took out my phone. I noticed he looked away with a small disappointed sigh.

Hey, if he is going too fast for you, tell him to slow down. You just met him. Tell him you're not going to be easily swooned."

I laugh in my head. A little too late for that.

Well, that's the thing. I fell for him too. I know I am going too fast, but I can't help it. He's really attractive, and he is nice. I think he is trying to keep up with me. I kissed him first. He might think that I am ready to start this relationship.

Niko suddenly took my phone. Luckily, I turned my phone screen off.

"Who are you texting so secretly? A competitor for your heart? Let this guy know he's got to contend with me, and I won't lose."

"I...was texting my mother." I didn't want to lie to him. I also can't let him know I am asking relationship guidance from a friend.

"Okay." He said, letting it pass for now.

He gave my phone back and suggested we leave to go back to his apartment. I agreed, mostly because it was getting pretty hot now with the noon sun burning my skin already. Niko's darker complexion didn't seem to be bothered in the slightest.

The air conditioning in my car felt nice. Niko remained quiet on the ride home. He took the scenic route home which was nice of him. The park was full of joggers, house mothers taking care of their children, and elderly people feeding the ducks. A typical sight for a popular park.

Niko was extra careful in parking my car next to his, ensuring either not scratching up my car or his. He killed the engine, and handed over my keys. He didn't exit the car yet like I did. He grabbed my arm and eased me back inside. I sat back down and closed the door, thinking he had to say something important that couldn't wait until we got back inside.

"How much was this car when you got it?"

I admit, I was crushed. I thought it was something major like asking me out on a date next week, or asking me what I think of him.

"It was ten years ago, Niko. I dunno. $12,000? Why?"

"You had this car for 10 years? That's a good car! You certainly got your money out of this beauty."

"Niko, it's just a car. Why do you like it so much?"

"Because my car is a piece of shit." He laughed. "Like I said, it gets five miles per gallon, every week something seems to go wrong with it, and I get too many girls...and guys thinking I am the sexiest man alive when I drive it. It gets me too much attention, you know? I want a car that gets me less of that."

"You don't like being the center of attention?" I tease.

"I'm not that vain."

"Well, I'm sure you'll get a good deal if you sell your car."

"That's laughable. The dealer doesn't want it back. I told them it was a shitty car with all these things going wrong with it, and they actually refused to take it back. It is considered a liability."

"What a joke! What if you just left it on the car lot?"

"I've thought about that. Then some young punk steals it, and it bursts into flames. The family sues me for killing their kid because they think there is a car bomb that I put on it, and I get deported."

"Deported? Don't you have your papers?"

"No. I'm an immigrant. I am illegally here."

Oh, great. Now that's what I really didn't want. I can't start a relationship with him. If he actually does get deported, that's the end of that. And that's the least of the legal trouble he can get into.

"But I had someone ensuring the government looked the other way as long as I did things for them. I guess they continued to do so."

"Doesn't that scare you? Knowing you could possibly get kicked out or put in prison?"

"I've been in prison before for a short time. I shan't say what for. Prison over here seems to be a vacation for some of you Americans with your repeat offenders, small time criminals, and parole violators."

The conversation we were having was dark, but strangely light-hearted. I never knew a man who laughed at the prison system. The thought of me going to prison scared me.

"That being said, I don't think that will happen to me. As long as Big Brother keeps me here, I will have to do favors for them."

"Explain favors to me." I decided to take that route. One that will fill me in more on his lifestyle.

"Are you prepared to hear all this? I don't want to scare you." He looked at the clock radio, it read 1:10. "Perhaps we go inside?"

I take him up on his offer, and we both head inside. He remained quiet all the way, and we get to his apartment door. He hesitated a second before he let me inside. I think he was scared he would scare me away after everything he had to tell me.

"Go on in." He prompted.

I make myself comfortable and prepare myself for his story. I look at my phone, and I see that I got another text message.

You have to tell him you're not ready for things to get serious, or you'll be wishing you didn't get with him. He could hurt you.

She did have a point. I made my mind up. I decide to tell him to take things slow before he starts with his story.

"Niko, I gotta say something."

He went to the kitchen when I sat down to get drinks for him and me. I heard his ice machine deposit ice in a glass cup.

"What's on your mind, Sharon?"

My name sounds so sexy coming from his lips.

"I need to let you know that I really think you're a great guy. Almost hard to believe that you fell for me. But I really think we need to slow things down a bit. We might be going too fast."

By this time, he'd already placed the glasses down on his coffee table and sat down. He sat close to me, I noticed.

"If you think we are going too fast, I can slow down. I respect you. I didn't mean any disrespect to you earlier. I just thought you were ready to start this."

I knew it. I gave him the wrong idea.

"I am ready to start this. But not so fast. I shouldn't have kissed you like I did. That gave you the wrong idea. It's just been so long since my last boyfriend." I shook my head. "But that's no excuse to lead you on like that. I'm sorry."

"No harm done. And if it's any consolation, you're a great kisser." He finished with a small laugh. "I can understand your feeling to want to jump right into a relationship. The need to be loved. I had a relationship like that. She wanted to take it slow just like you. She got to know me. Then she decided to give me a chance. Like you are doing now. On my cousin's wedding day, she was murdered by a man I used to work for."

I suddenly went pale, thinking the same fate was for me in dating him.

His eyebrows shot up.

"But that's not going to happen to you." He added quickly. He took both of my hands and held them in his. His hands were surprisingly soft, yet strong. "I won't let it. I will do everything in my power to protect you. Even if it means me giving my life up for you."

"You think you can protect me from the unforseen?"

"Not the unforseen. I call them chances."

"The chance to see me get hurt?!"

"Not like that. The chance to keep you safe. I am laying myself out to you."

I still wasn't entirely sold after being told that. My silence must have given all he needed to know.

"I blew it. I just lost you. I just can't keep anyone for myself." He hung his head. It looked like he fought back some tears.

"I didn't say no, Niko. I just want to go slow with you. Let me get my feet wet before I plunge into your life."

He took a sip of his water and sighed heavily. Perhaps it was a nonchalant way of cooling down his thoughts that were taking him over. I should know, I was having the same thoughts. Damn brain.

"I agree with you."