"Kia where are you? If your devil of a", I heard a voice come from the corridor behind me but I couldn't see the owner due to how tightly this little girl was holding me. I was astonished by her vice grip on me but at the same time my heart was touched seeing her affection towards me, it was the first time after Mumma that someone hugged me.
"Don't leave me again.", she mumbled, her head in the crook of my neck. Can someone get attached to someone within a few minutes? This was just so surreal for me that for a moment I thought as if it was some kind of two-hour movie going on.
Unrealistic at its height.
"I won't.", I whispered to her running my hand up and down her back to soothe her tense muscles. "Come on, show me that pretty smile of yours Kia."
She pulled back and her face lit with a toothy grin. The kid was too precious.
"Kia.", the voice came again. She peeped across my shoulder, my eyes watching her actions intently, and she gave a quick wave to the person behind me. My eyes caught Mr Arnold's expressions who looked annoyed.
"Oh, you're with your uncle only. Good good.", the voice who still hadn't got a face and name replied to Kia." Nickolie my man! Long time no see.", he walked to Mr Arnold and hugged him as if they were brothers who hadn't met for years.
"Don't call me that Aiden.", Mr Nicolas snapped at him but in return, he just patted his shoulder."When will you get used to it man?"
"Never.", he replied in his usual annoyed tone.
The guy turned to my side and now I could see his beauty-I mean we should appreciate things worth appreciation. He had slightly curly blonde hairs with electric blue eyes. The broad grin plastered on his pretty face filled the whole room with a cheerful aura.
"And who might this lovely lady be?", he smiled at me making me beam as well.
"Arielle Summers, Kia's babysitter.", I mentally praised myself for not embarrassing myself in front of him.
"Really now?", he grinned like a cheshire cat raising both of his eyebrows," because it didn't seem so in the newspaper.", as soon as he finished his words, Mr Arnold slapped the back of his head, "The heck was that?", he groaned rubbing the part where he was hit.
"Oh, where are my manners? My name is Aiden, Aiden Rivera.", he stretched his hand out and we shook our hands gently."This dumbhead's chuddy buddy.", he had an accent, an Italian accent.
"You are really pretty.", I blurted all of a sudden. There you go! My anxiety due to standing too close to two beautiful male specimens took my best." F-Fish I mean, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to sound creepy..", I stumbled on my words, can't curse in front of a 4-year-old.
But what surprised me was he laughed, particularly on my awkwardness. Kia on the other had a confused look, of course, she didn't understand all that was happening and Mr Arnold well he was just standing there looking as annoyed as ever."It's the first time when someone told me that I'm pretty. You have to be an introvert, aren't you?"
"No-uh I'm not.", I cleared my throat getting offended. So what if I was not the party one, had her most time aside from work for books reserved, enjoyed her own company. I can be an extrovert if I get my type of people.
Perhaps.
"She ain't.", Mr Arnold said all of a sudden." She's too talkative.", I glared at him making him throw a challenging look at me."Tell me if I'm wrong."
"You are always wrong.", I retorted back.
"And you are Queen Victoria", I frowned."What I thought we were stating the impossible."
"Don't play smart with me.", I grumbled folding my arms near my chest.
"Jesus Christ!", he breathed.
"Y-"before I could say a high pitched voice interrupted me." Shut up.", Kia yelled at both of us."Are you guys kids?", she questioned, "my neck-oww it's paining because of looking at you both."
"You guys fight like a c-"Mr Arnold interrupted him in a blink, "Do not complete that word Aiden Lucas Rivera."
"Geez, don't need to throw the full name card.", he complained fixing his tie.
"Kia what are you doing here?", Mr Nicolas asked her going back to his head chair. He seated himself gracefully and opened his laptop running a hand through his black hair, then he picked a pair of oval magnets, his left hand's index finger and thumb playing with them while his other hand working on his pc.
"I will answer that.", Mr Rivera seated himself beside me, on the other visitor chair. Kia was sitting on my lap." I and Evans were coming to ask you about that newspaper situation but you had already left your penthouse so we went to your home but you weren't there, it was only Kia and so she tagged along.", he explained nonchalantly, his hands fumbling with a paperweight.
Mr Arnold's left hand stopped its movement and his gaze centred on Mr Rivera."Evans? Where is he?"
"He's meeting someone downstairs."
Mr Arnold rolled his eyes, "of course he's."
"Did I hear my name being called?", another new voice came from behind me. I turned to my left to be witnessed by another good looking man. Goddammit! Where are these guys coming from? The man in front of me had striking amber eyes with specks of green in them. His hair was styled back just like that of Mr Arnold. He walked inside and did that bro hug thing with Mr Arnold."You good?", he asked to which Mr Arnold just gave him a quick nod.
"Oh, you are the one.", he raised his eyebrow at me and gave me a threatening look. I raised a brow at his tone. What's up with him?" Kia what are you doing there, come here.", he said making Kia grip me more.
"Evans relax.", Mr Arnold said calmly.
"Exactly. Geez, chill man, You don't need to fire those looks at me.", I stated coolly.
"Woah, something like that out of an introverted person. You amazed me, Miss Summers.", Mr Rivera appreciated. I may be a silent person but no one has the right to judge me without knowing me." And you.", he grabbed Mr Evans hand and made him sit between him and me. He glared at me and I gave him an equal glare.
"Ari let's go out. I want to make you meet my other favourite person.", Kia grabbed my hand and pulled me out of my chair. My feet froze remembering the morning incident.
"Uh, Kia baby not today. Today I'm a little tired, we'll go tomorrow I promise.", I reasoned silently praying that the little girl gets convinced.
"Okay.", she smiled."But at least we can walk to the canteen, I'm hungry."
"Kia whatever you want to eat, ask Ryan he'll get it. You don't need to go.", she considered Mr Arnold's statement for a second and then finally walked off. I sighed.
Mr Arnold looked at me for a moment and then turned to his friends." So basically what happened was.." and he started with how we met, fought, cursed each other, threw challenges and in the end sealed the deal.
"Oh.", Mr Rivera said.
"Yeah oh.", Mr Arnold replied clearly annoyed by his answer.
I raised an eyebrow at Mr Evans, "ahem, I'm sorry.", he said timidly."I just didn't want Nick to get hurt that's why I had to play the overprotective best friend role."
My heart tugged. Was it how best friends act? Wish I had one.
"It's okay.", I smiled weakly at him.
"Let's start it fresh. I'm Evans Noah Carter.", he stretched out his hand and just like how I shook my hands with Mr Rivera, I did with him."Arielle Summers."
"So it's all sorted now.", Mr Rivera clapped his hands in glee."Nickolie what you are planning on doing now?"
"First we get all these articles and pictures off the market and then we catch the reporter who started this bloody chain.", he stated, his eyes intently staring at something behind me and his oval magnets spinning between his fingers.
"Well okay, we'll help you in finding him.", Mr Carter said but it seemed as if Mr Nicolas was disturbed about something else."What are you thinking Nick?", he asked growing slightly worried.
He shrugged and then glanced at me but when he saw that I caught him looking at me, he centred his all attention on his pc.
Well okay then!
"By the way Miss Summers.", Mr Rivera dragged his chair to my side."You are the first woman Nickolie has been caught with and that too so close. We had started believing he swung the other way.", I laughed at his words and Mr Arnold rolled his eyes.
"So why don't you both really date?", he asked all of sudden.
"Never.", we spoke together, I gave him a deadly glare and walked out of his cabin
"Never say never.", Mr Rivera sang behind me. As if! He and I together.
F*cking impossible.
***