I never thought my twenty-fifth birthday would be so beautiful. I felt like God had showered all the happiness on me within a single day. I just couldn't stop smiling. My smile never stopped, even as I went to sleep.
After we came from the orphanage, I couldn't stop smiling and ranting about how those precious kids made me feel. During the whole ride, I kept on speaking and appreciating their gestures and my lips always curl in a smile whenever I think of how Nicolas without saying a word kept on listening to me for the whole journey.
To be frank, If I were in his shoes, I'd have snapped at myself but bless the man, he didn't stop me even for a second.
When we reached his penthouse, I, first of all, apologized to Kia and everyone. But again, bless their precious souls they hugged me without a word.
Once again I couldn't help but thank God for sending such people into my life.
And I'd be lying if I say I've not been keeping happy since that day.
Actually, more than I should.
Every day I'd spend my day with Kia and Nicolas. Most of the days I'd go to his place, either his house or office and at the weekends, he'd come with Kia and Mama to mine.
Our bond had grown stronger and damn that man, he is making me fall for him harder and harder every day. I'm not sure how he does it. It's like he's a magician, with some magical spell.
It's like the more he comes closer, the more I get terrified that I'd just blurt my feelings to him.
He never fails to make me smile. It doesn't matter how angry I get, it doesn't matter how much I lose my temper, he still smiles and I'm the one who smiles back.
Sometimes I feel afraid what if I lose him but then I think about those precious words he had uttered to me. I remember how he holds my hand, how he kisses my forehead with tenderness and gentleness.
I remember how he calls me amore.
I glanced out of the window and I could see the sky was a beautiful shade of blue. A soft, dreamy blue. It was the weekend and just like always he, Mama and Kia came to pick me up and right now we were going to have breakfast.
He didn't seem to like the idea but Kia gave him a sweet adorable look and he gave in.
He was so easy to melt.
As soon as we stopped outside the cafe as if wings were given to us, we ran. We ran like the wind and jumped into the diner. He rolled his eyes seeing our over-enthusiasm which resulted in getting him a smack by Mama. I chuckled making him scowl.
He had covered his face with his hoodie and a pair of ray bans in order to stay anonymous since we decided to go to a local one.
We gave our orders and settled in the booth waiting for our food to arrive. Nicolas and I sat side by side and Mama and Kia opposite to us. Since it was early morning, the number of customers was not high.
My phone rang and my eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Who would call me?
The Arnolds were busy chatting so I excused myself and went to the washroom to take the call.
Turned out it was just a fraud number. I sighed as I made my way back to the table but as soon as I took a step towards the door of the washroom, I heard loud yellings.
"I don't care, you're coming with me." Male. It was a man's voice.
"I... I d..don't want to." This time it was a female stutter. I could hear the fear and the trembling in her voice. "Ple-please I..do..don't love you." her quivering voice pleaded.
"Stop f*cking with my patience and come with me." The man hissed at her. "Now!"
Now I had two choices. Either I leave the place and go back to my own business or I behave like the woman my Mumma grew me up to be."Be the change, you want to see in the world.", she said.
Of course, being a very good person I turned the doorknob making both of them silent. My eyes immediately caught the few tear traces on the young girl's cheeks and the trembling of her hands. I looked at the man who had a death grip on the girl's wrist.
The girl's eyes immediately flashed open. "No, I'm..I'm fine," Clearly she was lying and as much as I wanted to help her, if she doesn't want to help herself, what could I do?
I raised an eyebrow at her with an incredulous look but before I could say another word, the man turned to me and said in a rough voice "She said she's fine."
"She doesn't look so.", I retorted. I could see that the guy was getting impatient. "Let's just leave.", he roughly grabbed her elbow but before he could take a step, the girl snatched her arm back.
As she should!
"He's forcing me to go with him." I could see the tremor in her voice."P..please help me.", she walked to my side as if I was her knight in armours.
"Don't make me the bad guy here.", he seethed, his dark eyes flaring with anger." I loved you irrespective of your f*cking weak self, your embarrassing stutter and you tell me I'm forcing you. What a f*cking liar you are, you ungrateful..." before he could complete his words, my hand rose and the next moment he had a red face.
"Don't you dare complete the f*cking sentence.", I threatened in a menacing tone.
"You are just a manipulative, controlling bastard. You never loved me. You were only using me and now I will not let you hurt me anymore." I felt proud like a mother who protects her child. The words came out so fluent from her mouth. "You're just an abuser." She looked into his eyes with newfound confidence. "And now I'm going to file a restraining order to keep you away. I don't want you to come near me or touch me again."
A glimmer of fear flashed in his eyes as he saw the woman he abused standing to herself but as if something sparked in his demonic brain, he rose his hand to hit me but before he could, another hand stopped him.
"Don't you f*cking dare." I heard the familiar deep voice of Mr Arnold.
Yes Mr Arnold, because at this moment, he wasn't the sweet and smiling Nicolas I see every time.
Mr Arnold came towards me, his voice holding the same anguish I saw last time. "You touch her and I'll show you a f*cking hell on the face of the earth." He took a step closer to the man and gave him a wicked smile." And that-" he removed his ray bans, his grey eyes sparkling with cold fury and hatred." is a promise."
The man trembled in fear and within a second he was out as if his tail was on fire. The girl turned to me and without a warning, she jumped on me embracing me for her dear life. "You're a hero."
She cried." No one ever stood for me and I thought I wasn't worthy enough to stand for myself." She sobbed in my arms.
I gently pulled her back and wiped her tears with a tissue."You never want anyone to stand for you. You are your own hero." I gave her a reassuring smile.
"Thank you so much." she pulled back and smiled."I'll always keep your words in my mind. I'm going to punish him for his deeds." She exclaimed, her eyes shining with determination. My chest swelled with pride.
"As you should."
She nodded and thanking Nicolas who just gave a curt nod, she took our leave.
I smiled when I saw her proudly walking out of the door, her legs and palms no more shaking.
"So saving strangers is your part-time job?" His voice had a hint of surprise in it. I frowned at the weird question."First, you saved Kia when she ran in the middle of the road, then you saved me by being Kia's babysitter, then you saved my employee from getting demoted and now this woman by freeing her from an abusive relationship. What are you? A superhero."
I shrugged my shoulders, genuinely confused as to why he was counting all the things." I'm just me."
The amusing face got replaced by a look that spoke volumes of pride. He wrapped his arm around me pulling me closer. My breath caught in my throat at his sudden action."You could have got hurt, amore." He whispered seriously," Even though I know you could have handled him well but what if he did something unruly?"
"But nothing happened." I rubbed his jaw with my thumb to relax his tense muscles.
"It's not about what happened. It's about what could have happened." His eyes flared in anger.
"I'm fine," I said with a smile.
He sighed and leaned towards me. My heart pace quickened as he got closer to me."I'm very proud of you, amore." He whispered in my ear. His voice sending a deep shiver down my spine."I'll always be proud of you."
My words died in my throat as I felt his lips brushing against my cheek but before I could say anything I heard footsteps. I cleared my throat and took a deep breath to stop the damn blush.
But bloody hell! It didn't and then I did the only thing I knew.
I ran like a maniac but before I could escape his hearing zone. I heard the words that shook me to the core.
"Only you, mi amore. Only you."
***