Chapter 02 Playboy

~Amara~

"Nico…Nicholas?"I stuttered his name. My voice was almost a whisper. Patricia's eyes widened when she learned that I already knew his son even before she could introduce him to me.

Who wouldn't know the notorious green eyes on campus? Troublemaker, that is how teachers and some students called him. I couldn't believe that out of a million good boys out there, Nico had to be my step-brother.

Now his green eyes made sense, he inherited them from his mother and the good looks too. Nico looked at me lazily. His jet-black hair was a mess like always and Some locks fell on his forehead. For the first time, I looked into those green eyes of Nicholas from nearby and my heart skipped a beat.

"Wait! You two know each other?"Patricia asked, a deep frown settling on her delicate features and I nodded my head while Nico didn't bother. I wasn't sure if he knew me because we never talked since he moved to our campus one year ago.

All I have ever done is look at him from afar while he kissed and touched some girls, or...whenever he played basketball. I attempted to talk to him a million and one times but…he never paid me any attention.

It always made my heart ache as though Someone was squeezing it into a tiny ball. It made me feel less beautiful and less confident. It hurt me in some unexplainable way and made my self-esteem decrease.

Each morning before I get out of my room for campus, I look at myself in the mirror a thousand times, trying to figure out what was wrong with me.

If it's the curves, I have even though they are not that big. My height is okay since I'm not that short or too tall. I tried applying some make-up like what Sandra does. The blonde famous girl on campus but…still Nicholas never recognised me.

I kept all my disappointment to myself. I kept my secret admiration to myself since I never wanted anyone to know about it, not even Luke my best friend. Luke warned me about Nicholas multiple times and I tried my best to keep my distance.

"How did you two know each other?"My Dad's voice pulled me back to the real world. It was my dad's turn to question me and a deep sigh escaped my lips.

"Back on the campus, we study together," I said and their eyes widened.

"Mom this luggage is too heavy," Nicholas grumbled as he held the travel bag in his hands. I couldn't help but frown at his words, wondering why he couldn't carry the bag for a few seconds. What were all those muscles that girls worshipped for?

"Welcome in, sorry for keeping you waiting."My dad apologised and stepped aside and my new family walked inside the mansion.

Nicholas looked around the house keenly and I saw satisfaction in his eyes even though he didn't say it out loud. Dad taught me how to read emotions...

"Princess, please show Nicholas to his room that you had prepared earlier."My dad told me, "Sure."I smiled at him nervously and turned around to look at Nicholas.

I had prepared the room for my step-brother without knowing that it would be Nicholas.

"Let's go. I will show you the room."I smiled at him but…he didn't say anything or smile back at me. All he did was raise his eyebrow at me and nodded. We silently walked to the room that I had prepared and entered.

"Here is the room that I prepared for you. If you don't like anything, you'll let me know and I can see what I can do about it." I said but he was quiet, he scanned the room with his eyes but didn't say a thing.

"Would you like me to help you unpack?"I asked him in a gentle voice because I didn't want us to end up fighting like what happened to Luke and his brother Liam. However, Nicholas didn't even turn his head to look at me.

My jaw clenched at his reaction. I was just trying to be nice and get along well with Nicholas. Why was he making things hard at his end?

"I will do it on my own.I don't need anyone's help."He said and I heaved a deep sigh then put on a smile. Even though I didn't want to show it on my face, his words cut deep like a two-edged silver dagger.

"Okay, you will call me if you need anything. My room is just three doors away from yours, "I informed him and he was still quiet. He began to unpack his shoes and clothes. He arranged them in the closet and shoe racks.

Heaving a deep sigh, I walked out of the room with a heavy heart and closed the door behind me. I leaned on the door for a few seconds and took a deep breath then headed to my room.

Why was Nicholas turning down every effort that I was trying to make? Just like so many times that I had tried to talk to him back on Campus. I failed again and again.

Why was he talking to other girls on campus and smiling at them? Why not me? What is so special about those girls? What is so special about Ruby and Sandra? Is it because they are blonde while I have dark hair? Or is it because they have bigger boobs than mine?

I couldn't help but question myself.

I walked to my room and went to the balcony to breathe some fresh air. I had thought that I would get along with my step-brother but…it seemed like things are going to be harder than I had expected.

Nicholas, the famous green eyes, playboy, troublemaker and the best basketball player on Campus had to be my step-brother of all the people.

I wasn't expecting it. I was fine with admiring him from afar like I always did on campus. Even though I didn't like basketball. I found myself going to watch the match only to see the green eyes play.

I watched him as he shamelessly kissed and touched girls in the campus hallway as I went by my studies. Each time I saw Nicholas being gentle to other girls, unexplainable feelings invaded my heart but I always tried to push them away so that they wouldn't get into me.

"Only few months and I will get rid of this unexplainable heartache."That's what I have been telling myself recently because I only have eight months to finish my senior year and forget everything about campus.

But...it seems like the goddess's intention is for me to have a heart attack because she just brought him to our pack. Not just our pack, he's now my family and I will have to see him every day.

A deep sigh escaped from my lips when I gave it a thought. I looked towards the Beta's house which was a few metres away from ours and realised that Luke was on the balcony too, looking at me.

"Are you okay?"He asked me through mind-linked and I waved at him. I tried to put on a smile despite everything and he waved back at me.

"Are you free?"I asked and he nodded immediately. "On my way…"I said and turned around then walked out of my room hurriedly.

I wanted someone to talk to at the moment and Luke might be that someone. He has always been that someone since we were kids and there is no doubt about it.

I didn't want to tell my dad about everything that was going on because he looked so happy while welcoming our new family. I don't want to make him worried. I know I can handle this. I will give it my best shot.

"Amara?"A familiar feminine voice called from behind me when I was about to twist the metallic doorknob and my hand hung mid-air. I turned my head slowly to look at Patricia who smiled at me warmly and I smiled back.

"I hope Nicholas is not giving you a hard time."She said and I nodded my head and my lips curved into a smile.

"We're good, "I said and the smile on her lips broadened as she walked towards me at the front door.

'Oh, goddess! I wished she could know how much of a troublemaker her son is.'I screamed in my head.

Patricia walked towards me and held my hands then gave them a gentle squeeze.

"I know you're a good girl and hope that the two of you will get along well. Nico is a good person when you get to know him better. If he does anything you don't like. Let me know and I will deal with him."She gave my hand a gentle squeeze and I smiled at her.

I was tempted to tell Patricia how her son is so ill-mannered. I wanted to tell her that I was trying to make an effort for us to get along but her son is rebellious. However, I chose to keep it to myself and nodded my head to her words.

Patricia pulled me into a hug for the first time and I hugged her back. For a moment, it reminded me of my long-dead mother Isabella.

My dad was coming to the living room and he stopped in his tracks to look at us hugging. His lips curved into a smile.

"Patricia, Dad. I'm going to the Beta's house to visit Luke, "I informed them and Patricia looked so worried.

"What? But the darkness is falling outside."She reasoned out.

"You don't need to worry about Amara. She will come back safe. Nothing is going to happen to her while in the pack because the security is tight."My father explained to Patricia and she nodded hesitantly. He pulled her into his side embrace and planted a gentle kiss on her dark hair and she relaxed.

"It's okay, princess. Call me in case of anything, or inform Beta Michael or Gamma Austin if you can't reach me."My father told me and I nodded then left the house.

I breathed fresh air deep in my lungs when I stepped out of the mansion because it was suffocating inside the mansion with Nicholas around.

"Amara, what took you so long?"Luke grumbled and I couldn't help but chuckle at his childish ways.

We walked to our favourite spot on the big rock which was not far away from the Beta's house and sat on it. I kept quiet and looked at the moon in the sky that was beginning to materialise and a deep sigh escaped my lips.

"What's troubling you?"Luke asked, his voice pulling me back to the real world. I turned my head to look at him and smiled.

"Nothing."I shrugged nonchalantly, "You can lie to anyone but not me, Amara. We have been friends since childhood and I can tell if you're okay or not."

A deep frown settled on his face. I know I couldn't lie to Luke because he knows me better than anyone else. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.

"Do you recall a few days back when I informed you that Patricia was planning to move into our home with her son?"I asked Luke and he nodded at my words, recalling the conversation that we had on our way back to the pack from Campus inside the car.

"Yes, I remember. They have already arrived? Have you talked to him? And what's his name?"Luke asked countless questions and I could see the curiosity in his eyes.

"It's Nico. Nicholas Adams is my step-brother, "I informed Luke and his eyes widened.