"I know it's too early for me to make this confession, but I really had no choice but to do so... Kiana, I really don't want to lose what we already have going on between us. The person you used to know is gone and the person sitting in front of you is an entirely different person." He started, trying his best to convince her.
"Actually, I never had any problem with you... Back then, you had a habit of always getting in the way between Tyler and I, so I sort of dealt with you a little, but do you want to know something new? I was always jealous of Tyler. He had you. I mean, you were always there for him, ready to take the blow, ready to get in trouble just for his sake... It pissed me off a little bit, but it also cost me the chance of having anything special with you." He paused once again to analyse the look on her face. She didn't seem to panic or anything of that sort, so he continued.
"When I met you once again after so many years, I told myself that fate was giving me yet another chance and this time, I wasn't going to mess it up... Tyler isn't here to complicate things, so Kiana, I'm not asking you to immediately reciprocate the same feelings I have for you. I'm asking you to get to know the new me... please give me a second chance." He requested in the best modest manner possible. She was left with nothing but to stare at him. He had said so much and she, on the other hand, barely said her heart's desire.
Kiana couldn't help wondering if this situation right there would have been different, if she reunited with Nicolas first before ever eventually meeting up with Enrico. Could she have given him a chance? What were her limitations? Letting out a silent sigh, Kiana realised it was tougher than she had presumed.
* * *
Enrico drove his car to a stop in obedience to the traffic light ahead. After staring ahead for a moment, he took one look to the side, then shifted his eyes back to its first direction. Slowly, his brows furrowed as he recollected the fact that he actually saw something. He instantly returned his gaze back to the side he had taken a look at and there, a little farther from where he was, lay a restaurant. In that restaurant, looking through the transparent glass, Enrico could see Kiana seated in front of a man. He couldn't get a clear image of the man, but as for Kiana, he could clearly tell she was the one. He looked down for a moment, as he tried to figure out what she was doing there with a man. His entire belief was that she had gone off to work, but it seemed she was having some sort of dinner date with this very anonymous man.
He raised his eyes back to them and stared at the scene that played in front of his eyes. They seemed so engrossed in their conversation and Enrico couldn't help feeling infuriated.
Why didn't she tell me about this?
He asked himself, knowing very well he wasn't going to get an immediate reply. He couldn't look away. The harder he stared, the more depression settled in.
The loud honking sound behind him, startled him out of his thoughts. He forced himself to look away from Kiana and unto the traffic light. It had changed to green and the vehicles in front of him had all driven off, whereas he stalled the ones behind him. After stealing one more glance at Kiana, he drove forward and past the traffic lights.
Enrico couldn't stop thinking of what he saw. She was with another man and that didn't make him happy one bit, plus, she hid her date from him. He had to find out on his own. He was vexed with her, but then again, the man didn't seem very familiar. In fact, he had no idea who that very man could be. Suddenly, he recalled the strange man Kiana had spoken to earlier today.
Is he the same man?
He wondered once more, but just like before, he didn't have a good reply. Kiana had told him that the man was just visiting, but later, he just saw her having dinner with him. Could she possibly be hiding something from him? Why doesn't she want him to meet this friend of hers? So many questions ran through his mind that it made driving with focus a little impossible for him. He knew he needed answers and he was going to get them. Driving up to the next junction, Enrico made a U-turn heading right back to the restaurant.
* * *
Kiana let out yet another sigh, as she worried on how to put her reply in a way he wouldn't feel hurt or dejected. It was a real tough one for her.
"I..."
"You don't have to give me an immediate reply. I understand. I took you by surprise... Kiana, I can wait for as long as you want. We'll just take everything step by step. Okay?" He explained, as if reading her mind. She understood he felt he was helping, but he really wasn't. He was being so nice. Too nice that it made it harder for her to let him know of her decision. There really can't be anything between them. The reason was simple. Enrico was going to get hurt. It didn't matter if she equally liked Nicolas or not. That was just not happening.
"You're being really nice Nicolas but... I don't want to hurt you."
"Then don't. Give me a second chance and if things don't work out, so be it. Let's not give up without trying... please." He quickly added as he placed a hand on hers. Immediately, she looked down at his hand on hers. The fact that he was ready to get hurt in this process, surprised her. Nicolas really wasn't going to pay heed to anything she had to say, but she would have to keep trying. Slowly, she wriggled her hand away from his. He noticed, but said nothing.
* * *
Enrico's brows furrowed in contempt while seated about three tables away from Kiana's. He had watched the man place a hand on Kiana's. Unconsciously, his hands folded into a fist, causing his nails to slightly dig into his palms.
How dare he!?
He felt enraged. He could do nothing but sit over there and spy on them. After all, what was Kiana to him that he would be excused to go over there and demand an explanation for her presence? There was nothing of a sort relationship between them. In fact, being here at the moment could only be described as wrong by a sane person, but what could he do? His heart wouldn't let him be. How could he go home in peace when he knows that the woman he loves is out with some strange man that he knows nothing about? Right now, peace was a strange word to him.
His fist only softened when he watched Kiana withdraw her hand away from his and for the first time that evening, he took a good look at her face. Something didn't seem right. Why would she withdraw her hand away from his, if it was an honest date accepted by both parties? Was there something going on much beyond what he was seeing? Kiana didn't seem to smile and right that moment, he made a decision to find out the truth. After all, she might need his help.
He got up to his feet and without thinking twice about his decision, he made his way closer and closer, until he was right in front of their table.
"Kiana." He called, his eyes directly on her.
Recognising that voice, Kiana instantly looked up to him. Her eyes slightly widened upon seeing the last person she would want to see that moment. Only when he saw that she was safe and okay that he shifted his eyes to the person seated opposite her. Nicolas looked away from Kiana, as well and up to Enrico, their eyes met.
Kiana could feel her heart beating really loud. Finally, her efforts to protect him from this moment has all boiled down to nothing, but a waste of time.
The first few moments of staring at each other hadn't settled in any familiarity on both parties, but bit by bit, it did.
Nicolas Clark.
Enrico's eyes slowly widened in surprise, as he still couldn't believe his eyes. Right that moment, every horrible memory from his past, in which that very same person tortured him, all came rushing back to him. It was almost as if he re-lived every part of it. He could feel almost the same emotion as he did back then.
Fear.
Fear dug its claws into him. Forgetting his present, he was thrust back to his past. His hands by his side slightly trembled. His heart sank in.
Kiana noticed just how Enrico reacted upon laying eyes on Nicolas. She was right. She had been right all this time that this happening wouldn't be right, especially for Enrico. After all, he was the real victim in all this. She made a quick decision to take him away and possibly explain everything, so she instantly got up to her feet.
"Enrico." She called, hoping to get his attention or, at least, snap him out of it all.
Nicolas, on the other hand, just stared at how different the familiar person actually looked. It marvelled him, but at the same time, threw him off guard and it seemed he still kept in touch with Kiana. Kiana hadn't mentioned that to him. A slight furrow of his brows surface upon hearing the strange name Tyler now goes by.
Enrico managed to catch his breath upon hearing Kiana's voice. He forced himself to shift his eyes back to her. The look on her face told him that she knew. Of course, she knew who the man in front of her was. That's why she hid it all from him. He could see the apology encoded within her eyes, but that wasn't enough. How long did she plan to date his past tormentor behind his back? How long was she planning to make him a fool? She lied to him and that was all that chanted in his mind. Unable to take it any longer, he managed to take a step backward. His legs felt a little shaky, but they weren't ready to give up yet.
"Enrico, I... I can explain." Kiana attempted, as she could decipher the expression on his face. Clearly, Enrico seemed to have misunderstood her intentions and she would have to clear it all up.
Without wasting a second more, he immediately turned away and hastened his steps away towards the exit.
"Wait!" Kiana called after him, before quickly picking up her handbag and rushing after him. By this time, a few eyes had turned to take a look at them.
Nicolas didn't know what to make of the situation, but one thing was clear, Tyler was very much still affected by the past and Kiana would need his help, so he quickly called the waiter.
* * *
"Enrico!" Kiana called out, but his legs were longer than hers and his strides, faster. Before she could catch up with him, he had gotten into his car and driven off, without sparing her another glance.
Tears gathered her eyes as she stood watching him go. Her heart was beating so loud and for the first time, she really felt that she screwed up. As she blinked to have a little control of her emotions, the tears went rolling down her cheeks. Kiana dug her hands into her hair and remained in that state for a moment, thinking of what her next option was.
"Are you okay?" Nicolas asked, as he met up with her, a little further away from the restaurant.
"I'm sorry, but I have to go." She apologised as she took her hand away from her hair, and wiped the tears off her cheeks before turning away to leave. She spared him not even a glance once more.
"Let me drop you home." Nicolas offered, as he rushed to meet up with her.
"No, no need for that. You'll just make everything worse than it already is." She explained, as she stopped for a moment and without sparing a second more, she was on her heel once more. She hastened her every step to fixing this mess.
Nicolas let out a sigh as he watched her go. He didn't even know what to feel or think. It was high school happening all over again.
* * *
Kiana hurried up with pressing in the password to the penthouse and when the door eventually opened, she rushed in, forgetting to take off her shoes, as usual. She took a look around, right after switching on the lights, but there was no sign of Enrico. In fact, everything was still the same as they had left it this morning.
"Enrico!" She called out, but no reply came through. She thought of the possibility that he might be in his room, so she quickly made her way there. She knocked first, but nothing came through so she turned the knob then pushed to open. She stepped in before switching on the lights. There was no sign of him, even after she searched his bathroom.
"Enrico!" She called out once more, as she made her way down the stairs. She made sure to search almost every room and corner of the house, but there was still no sign of him.
Finally, she slumped on the sofa as the tears streamed down her cheeks. At first, her sobs were low and soft, but it eventually grew louder. She had really messed up. The fact that Enrico was out there, somewhere, hurt and alone made her feel like the worst person alive. It was all her fault. From the very beginning to this point. All her fault. How could she have hurt him that way?
Enrico might never forgive her for this and that fact scared her a lot.