Chapter- 2

The dinner is at Magnus’s favorite restaurant, all of them have gathered to celebrate the victory. His father has booked the entire place for the night. After that embarrassing moment, Naomi stayed silent and didn’t put on her hearing aid.

The adults sat together at a table and they occupied the other seats. She looked at Nicholas and Magnus chatting busily about the match. Through their lip-sync, she understood Nick was telling how he managed to knock out the players and it’s gruesome how describes it so Naomi turned down and looked at the table.

Seeing her dull face, Jorge whispers, “What’s this sad face? Are you still angry at him?”

“What?” she turned to him.

“Put your hearing aid,” he says and she did. Then he said that again.

“No, I am not feeling good,”

“Tell me what’s bothering you?” he asks.

Naomi gave in easily, “It’s Nick. He always upsets me,” Naomi whispers, “But I don’t know the reason.”

“Naomi. He’s just teasing you,”

“Actions speak intentions, Jorge. He doesn’t like me,” Naomi looked at Nick who’s so engrossed in the talk and others were listening to him.  

“I don’t want to argue with him, fight him or not even see him. I am so tired of all these things,” she says and turned back when Magnus looked at her.

“Naomi, what’s the matter?” Magnus furrowed his eyebrows seeing her.

“Yes, Nat, why you are sad?” Elijah asks who’s sitting next to her. They all used to call her name shortly as Nat and she loves it.

“Nothing,” Naomi smiles.

“There’s something, wait… I know,” Julia says.

“What is it?” Magnus asks.

“It’s my brother, they never shared a table in a long time,” she guessed it.

“Look, what I did? I am not even talking to her,” Nickolas says shrugging his shoulders.

“Please, I am happy that Nick won the match. I feel a bit tired,” Naomi calmed her folks. 

Nickolas chuckled.

“Why you are chuckling?” Jorge asks.

“To actually say I have to be tired after knocking out that big guy. But here…” he again chuckled.

“Nick, don’t do this. Don’t hurt my sister,” Magnus says.

“Okay, fine. No one is going to hurt precious sister,” Nickolas teased again.

Naomi’s face frowned. She doesn’t want to fight him and her brother taking her side making this situation weird.

She got up and walked to the restroom. Her brothers called her, but she didn’t mind them. She washed her face a couple of times and looked at her reflection in the mirror.

Her beautiful face indeed looked dull and her grey eyes were watery. She’s too confused about his conduct. Why he has to be mean to her.

She feels bad, not because of the fights they had but why she always has to be on bad terms with him. She wants to be as friendly as everyone but the complete opposite happening between.

The reason for her sadness is, she likes him just like how she likes her brothers, but when he throws her attempts to mend their relationship on trash, it hurts her. Like how there’s no reason needed to love someone, also applies to hating someone. He never uttered the reason why he hates her even she had asked it a couple of times. She can't able understand this guy.

Whatever others say, he’s not in the mindset to change. Can’t able to hate him completely or like him totally, Naomi heaved a sigh in frustration. She came back to the seat and maintained her smiling face for the rest of the night. Nick occasionally glances at her but she didn’t bat an eye at him.

She went on talking to Elijah about his food poisoning. Derek was listening to it as well sitting next to Elijah.

“You should not eat spicy foods more hereafter, Elijah. That’s not good for you. Mom and Dad were so worried,” Naomi worried.

“Yeah, Nat. I won’t,” he agreed.

“Good,” she smiled and turned her eyes to see the person who’s sitting across her –Nicholas. Magnus and Jorge were talking to him. Leon and Jessica were seated facing each other.

She frowned seeing his mocking gaze. Till now, they were maintaining the silence and she doesn’t want to start on again.  

“Nat, what happened after we left the class?” Jorge asked finally recognizing about his school.

“Usual,” she answered.

“And Magnus your teacher wants to see you, tomorrow. Meet him without fail,”

“I will do it,” he answered.

“Magnus, what about me. Ask her?” Nicholas asked.

Magnus turned to Naomi,

“I don’t know about him, he asked only you to meet him when I went to meet my class tutor,” Naomi answered and took a bite of the chicken.

“Oh,” Nick nodded.

She then turned her attention to her parents, her mom and dad were so happy to meet their friends. They did not even mind their kids. They were the ones truly enjoying this night.

After the dinner, Naomi got up and Julia came to her,

“Nat, can you come to my home this Sunday, I want you to teach me math again. Monday I am having a test,” she requested.

“Why don’t you come to my home?” Naomi said eyeing Nick.

“Come on don’t mind that guy; I won’t let him come to our room this time,” she assured.

Naomi considered her request, more than her anger, she really wanted to help Julia so she agreed to come.

Last time, Naomi and Nickolas fought when she went to his house. He kept intruding on their study session and in the end, Naomi got pissed off. Their fights resulted in Naomi storming out of his house and crying on her way home.

Somewhat her mom found out and talked with Nickolas’s mom. The confrontation went on for two days, and then Nickolas apologized for everything he said.

But that doesn’t help Naomi’s broken heart. She was upset ever since that happened.

They came back home, she got inside her mom’s car and leaned on the window to look at the beautiful city. This time Jorge kept on talking with his mom so her silence didn’t raise questions to Ashley.

“Naomi,” her father called her.

“Dad?” she asked.

“Tomorrow are you free?” he asks.

“Yes, dad,” she went with him aside.

“Okay, then can you go shopping with mom tomorrow. I promised that I will take her but I got important some work tomorrow. If you go with her she will be happy,” he asks.

“Sure, dad. I love to go shopping with mom,” she smiles.

“I love you, Darling,” he hugged her in relief.  “I heard you scored well in the exams. I am so proud of you,”

“Yes, dad,” she blushes at the compliment.

“I have doubled your pocket money so buy whatever you want,” he whispered in her ears.

Her father treats her equally to his sons even though she isn’t his biological daughter. He always inspired her by telling her how much he has worked hard to be in this place. She goes to him when she needed motivation.

Her parents’ love sometimes makes her amazed to know how much she’s lucky to be raised by the two most genuinely good, smart, understanding, and handsome people. Her dad looks so young for his age. All their sons got the mixtures of his and her mom’s beautiful features.

She’s the odd one here, having grey eyes, red hair, petite appearance, and pale skin. It’s apparent that she doesn’t belong to this family.

“Thank you, dad,” she smiles. She was thinking about buying something expensive for Magnus’s birthday that’s coming in a month.

“Fine, darling. Good night,” he said. Naomi walked to her room. It’s on the second floor, next to Jorge’s bedroom.

Before she enters, Jorge stopped her.

“Nat,”

“Jorge?”

“Are you okay?” he asks.

“Yeah,” she nods.

“I know Nick hurts you in some way, I don’t like it too but he’s just doing it for fun,” he started it hesitantly.

“I don’t want to talk about him, Jorge,” she repels.

“Nat, don’t feel bad for anything he says. I don’t like to see you sad. This will change soon,” he says.

Naomi smiles and hugs him. She can’t help but wonder how much he cares for her. Not only Jorge, but all her brother was so protective and concerned about her. That way they were brought up by their parents and Naomi loves them too.  

“I will talk to Nick,” Jorge says, pulling out from the hug.

“No, Jorge,”

“Why you always stop me?” he asks her in frustration. Naomi doesn’t want any rift between her brothers and Nickolas because of her. It would awkward for them to talk against Nicholas. Because they were always taught to be as good friends as their fathers and she doesn’t want to ruin that.

“I will talk to him,” he insists.

“Please Jorge. I am tired of these confrontations, reconciliations, and again arguments. I just don’t want to be near him, that’s it,” she said.

“Okay,” he nods accepting her request.

“Good night, you have practice early tomorrow, you remember that,” she said.

“Yeah, I know, good night,” he walked to his room.

Naomi closes her door behind her and starts to undress. After getting into her pajamas, she heads to the bathroom.

While brushing her teeth, something weird came to her thoughts, it’s about Nickolas and it’s not in the usually irritating aspect.  

It’s something different that made her paralyzed for a moment. She reminisced the vision of Nick’s winning moment today, his gorgeous smile and his handsome physique.

She doesn’t know why this came to her all of a sudden but it gave a peculiar reaction to her. It’s the start of something big that’s going to happen in her life.

She washed her mouth and face, muttering, ‘Jerk! Jerk! Jerk’

Coming back to bed, which is by the side of the window, she got into the sheets and heaved a sigh.

“My days are becoming worst because of Nick. Why you are doing this to me,” she whined and closed her eyes.