Kai's POV
Nikita came back to the suite after a day in observation. That was a month and half ago. Something had changed immediately after her arrival back in my life. It was a new start. She was giving herself time and space. And it wasn't like she ignoring me.
No, it much more natural. She no more seemed like a girl whose sole aim was to be an eye candy. She was hanging out with Hilary, and the other girls, training and making genuine friends.
In the last month, at least, she hadn't once talked about seducing someone or going on dates. Well, she wasn't doing anything intentionally. Boys couldn't help but be attracted to her, whatever she did. She was charming, no doubt.
Tonight I watched from a distance as she sat in a huge group laughing, head tilted slightly. I had never seen, in three championships, members of so many teams sit together without a hint of animosity.
She, Enrique and Brooklyn initiated a toast to Mariah for her victory today evening and the others followed suit. The pink haired girl blushed a little, and looked around discreetly, her eyes landing on Ray beside me. Somehow, almost telepathically, he was already looking at her, his glass raised in a toasting manner.
Mariah smiled and raised her glass too. Then she nodded her head and turned back to the throng of people sitting beside her, immersing herself back in chatter.
My eyes landed back on the table where Nikita was now talking to Julia.
Momentarily their eyes found mine. Nikita smiled widely, the corners of her eyes crinkling. Julia squinted her eyes at sight of me, as if unable to decide if I was worth smiling at or not. I ignored her and smiled back at Nikita. At the moment Julia, satisfied I was worthy, grinned at me, flashing her straight, white teeth. Unable to decide what to do, I returned my eyes back to my food and whatever Max was saying.
Dinner ended soon and twenty minutes later we found ourselves heading back to our suites to sleep. Nikita, Hilary, Mariah and Brooklyn parted from the huge group of people they were sitting with at dinner and joined us as we headed to the same wing. Slowly Brooklyn tailed behind preferring solitude while the girls joined us. I continued talking to Max as Nikita crept up behind us.
"So! What're you discussing?" She butted playfully in the conversation throwing an arm around our shoulders.
"Just about how annoying you are," I said. Max chuckled as three of us fell into step comfortably.
"Oh as if! Admit it I'm the one keeping you sane!" She pinched my cheek.
"What's that going to prove?" I asked huffing.
"Come on Maxie, don't you think I make our captain dear that much more tolerable?"
"Agreed wholeheartedly Nick." Max laughed gallantly jogging out of my reach.
Nikita flipped her hair aside, casually leaning against my chest. Her frame racked with the peals of lively laughter, the sound like music to my ears. In this short time she had already occupied a large portion of my limited happy memories.
We walked steadily towards our wing when I felt eyes on my back. I slowed down and turned behind. There were only the Fernandez twins – Raul and Julia, and Judy, Emily and Michael walking towards their wings.
"Kai? Something up?" Nikita asked. I realised the rest of the team too was waiting and looking at me.
"Didn't you all feel someone staring at you?" I asked.
"No. You did?" Hilary asked face concerned.
"I'm sure he's going nuts." Ray joked turning back to Mariah.
***
The first month and half since Championship's opening ceremony had passed with no more drama and unexpected hospital visits. Each team had had a match and the next round of matches before the elimination was going to begin soon.
We had returned to a tight training schedule, spending entire day in the gym, heading out only for meals or sleep. The close coming eliminations were already taking a toll on all of us.
Max and Miriam were spending lesser time ogling at each other.
Ray and Mariah hadn't met up in days — except for dinner, like last night.
Kenny and Emily, after overworking themselves too much, sat together at meals easing their tension. I allowed it, well because, it increased our Chief's productivity.
Tyson and Hilary spent all their free time putting their heads together creating tactics for the upcoming match.
I and Nikita had gone off to a friendly state – the romantic tension evaporating. Often at nights she and I met on our shared balcony – to talk.
Just as we had promised each other, we were trying to give up on our habit of making any romantic advances for the year. In fact the topic hadn't popped up since she was released from the hospital.
We tried to keep from doing anything romantic. Tried being the key word here.
Tonight, too, we sat across each other on bean bags. Tonight we were stargazing. The silence spread between us was slightly heavy but not awkward.
"You..." I prompted slowly. "You have something on your mind. What is it?"
"Huh?" She turned to face me, like I had jerked her out of a trance. Then she sobered down and again turned to the stunning black sky. "Just thinking."
I wanted to ask her about what. But she answered it without a question.
"Two months already gone by. I am going back in four months."
"That's," I smiled at her reassuringly, "a long time later."
"It is," she returned. "But I'm having so much fun here! It feels like whenever I have fun things don't last."
"Nonsense!" I muttered in dismay. "For years I was hell bent on not having fun. Ever. But when I started, things steadily became better."
"Hope you are correct." She smiled and again bent her neck upwards towards the sky, this time with a carefree smile.
The moon shone down on the pair of us brilliantly as we chatted in soft voices, occasionally, and when she fell asleep against my chest. Things felt too good to be true.
***
The first rays of sunlight danced on my pillow as I opened my eyes and propped my head against the plush brown headboard. I must have slept weird because my left shoulder – which was also my dominant hand – felt numb and when I tried to move it, it pained like a bitch.
"What the hell..." I kept trying to move it as I stripped and took a hot shower. It just didn't budge. I changed and then when I was unable to put on my face paint I exempted myself for the day.
The biggest problem was putting on a training tee. Cursing myself I went out to see if Ray or someone was up and could help me with the tee. Instead it was Nikita. She was sipping her green tea while closing her door, ready to hit the gym.
"Whoa? Why are you shirtless? Decency Mr. Hiwatari, decency," she said, eyebrows risen teasingly.
"Well you shouldn't have slept against my shoulder. It's aching now." I scowled playfully.
"Aw, come here you baby. Let me help you," She beckoned to me like I was three but I relented and handed the tight black tee to her.
I felt myself getting cold as her skin grazed mine. Her smell, fresh and fruity as always, lingered around. She furrowed her eyebrows, biting insides of her cheeks and pouting randomly as she stood on her tippy toes trying to put it over my head.
"Fuck! What are you? The Eifell Tower?" She cursed.
"Wait," I held her hand and pulled her to a sofa. I sat down and she grinned easily sliding the shirt over my head. "Now you can work midget."
She smacked my head lightly then adjusted the shirt around my torso. "There! All prim and proper."
"Thanks," I nodded, finding no need to hide the pink colour dusting my cheeks. "Let's hit the gym."
I breathed the fresh air as we trotted towards the gym at a leisurely pace. A few people residing in the hotel were going out, probably to travel and at a distance a few Bladers were coming in the view.
I was quite enjoying our little private moment when a call from a few yards away had me halting and slumping my shoulders.
"Nikita! Kai! Wait for me," The thin and tall figure of Julia Fernandez was jogging towards us.
"Hey good morning Julia!" Nikita smiled brightly at her. Julia chuckled, leaning back a little, taking rugged breaths, hands on hips.
"Good morning!" She said straightening up and flipping her mane of long brown hair. "Good morning Kai!"
I was surprised as she extended her hand for a shake. Now that was new.
"'Morning," I grazed her bony hand just for a second. I wanted to leave the scene and continue our walk.
"Going to the gym are you?" She asked, except her question wasn't directed at Nikita. It was directed at me.
"Yes. Practice starting soon." I was retracting back into my shell as she dragged the small talk on.
"I like the dedication, though you don't really require practice? Do ya?"
"Of course I do. Have got some arses to kick. However it seems like you don't require practice." My annoyance was now only thinly veiled.
"Ha, always sarcastic Hiwatari," She giggled.
My attention broke only after a ringing of Christmas bells. "Oh, that'll be my phone!" Nikita said, answering the call.
She said a few yeses and okays then ended the call. "Hey I'm really sorry Captain! Just give me twenty minutes! Please!" She begged, putting her hands together. "Enrique called and man he's laughing senseless. He said something about Johnny and Robert arguing and Oliver being dragged in between. Please I've gotta see this."
I glared, telling her no but she was already running away leaving me with Julia bloody Fernandez.
"Man she and Enrique are besotted!" Julia commented dreamily. I frowned.
Rumours about Nikita and Enrique had started circulating ever since the Majestics v/s Blitzkrieg Boys match had taken place. Her wearing an Amphylion jacket and him blading in that bloodied state after his fight with Johnny was seen as romantic rather than what it actually was – rebellion. And then the story about the date which Johnny interrupted, her waking up in hospital in his presence and them sitting together during meals, attached by the hip didn't help much either.
"But well, of course Enrique would take her. They're rich and both are A-awesome people." She continued her one way speech, falling in step with me as I walked to the gym.
Once we were outside the gym she stopped me by holding me by my wrist.
"What is it Fernandez? I'm getting late." She shuffled from toe to toe looking shy, all of a sudden.
"Uh, well Kai," she said, "I sort of wanted to tell you you're mad hot!"
I cocked an eyebrow. "I beg your pardon." It was a statement.
"Well I meant... shit this is hard. Raul said it shouldn't be so hard... Well I meant to say," she glanced at me like she was explaining quantum mechanics to a retarded child, "you're hot, and single. And I have been told enough times I'm kind of cute too. I'm single."
"And?"
"How about you give us a shot?" She offered, her voice several pitch lower and extremely delicate and soft. But I was dumbstruck. I mean she was cute, and not a bad person, nice even but... She wasn't Nikita.
"I—Listen." I extended my hands before me defensively but a pain shot up in my shoulder and I winced immediately. "Ouch!"
I cradled my arm as the pain faded to a dull throbbing.
"Do you want to sit down?" Julia asked rubbing my shoulder.
"No, thank you." I backed away a few steps and she got the hint.
"Okay, well tell me if you want to go out with me. I'll wait for you over breakfast," she repeated cheerfully and then she was walking away.
What on earth was happening? Where did this Julia bomb come from?
update after long but i updated just before my exams! ooh-la-la!
tell me how did you like it? and if julia and kai should go out? what are your thoughts about people romanticising enrique and nikita's platonic relationship?
anyway vote and comment!
add my book in your library so you can get notifications about any update instantly ♥️
~Nick