Burning Passion

CHAPTER 133: SAVING NIKKI (Six) and the Past

"SPECIAL CHAPTER EDITION: ENCOUNTERS"

* * *

Nikki pretended to sleep. The brothers, talking random things out, and she learns their names when they call each other. The older is Jeremy, and the other one is Theo. So his name is Theo? As handsome as him.

Ouch. Nikki pinched herself to behave.

"What was that about?" Jeremy asked his brother.

"About what?" Theo engrossed sketching while conversing with Jeremy. His head remains down.

"Last night, the conversation you had with the owner of the diner?"

"Ah. It was a drunk man's promise. I didn't remember a lot. It was a long time ago."

"You're saying that it was four years ago?"

"Yeah."

"Come on!" Jeremy wanted his brother to share about it. So he is bugging him.

"What?" Theo glanced at Jeremy, his attention returned to his sketchpad.

"You should share it with your brother, you know."

"It was just a drunk man's promise. Besides, his daughter was ten years old at that time, so it is not serious."

"Really? But Uncle Seth mentioned it again last night, and you're agreeing with him."

"Did I?"

"Yeah. But you are drunk already."

"Oh." Theo fell in deep thoughts.

Holy Shot! Last night? Diner? Daughter? Are they talking about her? Jeremy mentions her father! And what promises? OMG! Nikki is squirming in her seat. But she has to pretend to sleep. Her heart is beating fast.

"So?" a silly smile playing on Jeremy's lips.

Theo rolled his eyes. "Why are you kept bringing up this?"

"Nothing. It just surprised me. You agreed with someone when your marriage was arranged to Min Xi."

What? He has a fiancé already? Ugh. Her heart broke just before she blinked an eye. It thrills her listening when they were talking about her father, who agreed and arranged her marriage to him. But now, hearing that he was about to marry someone else. How painful.

Nikki tries to mend her broken heart when the guy next to her was replying angrily to his brother.

"Do you have to mention her name?" he blurts out, frowning.

It surprised Nikki when the guy named Theo raised his voice. The guy gets angry when his brother brings up that girl's name. Then what? Did he oppose the arranged marriage with this girl named Min Xi? She wants to feel pity about that girl. But maybe it's her chance?

Ah. What was she thinking? He was too old for her. Besides, she was just in Junior High, and he was like what? Graduated from college? Maybe he has a girlfriend in the US, a more mature woman, and also in college.

Ah, why is she mourning already this early? Now to think about, her father attempts to arrange her marriage with the guy next to her. Gosh! She wants to hug her papa right now. But speaking of her father. She just ran away today. Ugh. She wronged her father for leaving home. Her father already said they would visit Jonathan's grave together. But as she cannot wait until Sunday, she escaped.

Nikki's brain is in a huge collision while the brothers continue talking.

"All right! But have you already met his daughter?"

"Who?"

"The diner owner who you promised him to marry her daughter while you are drunk?" Jeremy's tone is teasing.

Listening to the brothers, beads of perspiration, running down from Nikki's forehead. 'They were talking about me again!'

"Oh. No, never." Theo replied, not sparing to glance at his brother.

"I see. But why are you making such a promise?"

"I was drunk. I don't know how it happens. I just recall it last night when he began talking about her daughter winning her soccer game."

'Oh, shit! The soccer ball is under my seat, right? Guess they won't suspect it was me.' A lot of other teenagers, the same as her age, play soccer. They won't suspect it was her, the one they were discussing. Besides, they didn't know that she understood their language. The reason they openly talk about the marriage thing.

"Oh. Right, his daughter is playing soccer. So, you are not serious about it? Or don't tell me you have girlfriends back in the US?" Jeremy teases his brother once again.

"What are you talking about?" Theo snaps it. "I was relieved when finally I got away from Min Xi's shadow. I don't need another Min Xi following me around and inquiring where I go or what I did, assuming we are in a relationship." Theo replied irritatedly.

"Jeez. Have fun! You can do anything, unlike me. It's a small percentage that I would live after the surgery."

"Shut up! I am here instead of my training. I won't leave you alone, of course."

"Yeah. So let's make this trip like the last."

"What are you saying? It's the beginning. So you have to be strong and stay alive. Then we can travel farther than here."

Jeremy pushes a smile. "You promised?"

"Yeah. Promised."

Nikki peeped from inside her jacket. The brothers throw knuckles at each other. It touched her to witness them having this sweet brother moment. How nice to have big brothers? The older one looks like a cool brother, but she notices he seems weak. But his pale face always plastered a smile. He is handsome as well. Ah, she has to remain pretending to sleep.

"So, how many girls did you date and you know…" Jeremy teases his brother again.

"Shut up!"

Jeremy laughs. "I could not believe you! That was your chance! What did you do in the US? Your lame for just staying at your boarding house after school."

"What? I can't do men sports? I go out with other students or my team. Besides, you know that every summer I fly to Italy to attend the Camp. I have no time with those."

"Ouch. You're boring."

"Why are you bugging your brother to be a bachelor? Or some kind of Casanova?"

"Hey! I'm just advising you since you are single yet."

"Aren't you single also?"

"Ah, about that…" Jeremy's smile disappears from his mouth. His eyes were bothered.

"Hmm… you like someone?"

Jeremy remained silent.

"Wait. And you aren't telling me? Who's she?"

Jeremy only heaves a sigh, then said. "I don't realize it. In my situation, I was way more of a burden. I don't know I stay alive after my surgery and treatments. You know it was only as an experiment. But I want to take my chances to live longer."

Theo shook his head. "Why are you keeping saying about dying?"

"Maybe I will just confess if I survive and live."

"You know what? Instead of wasting our time going somewhere, we better plan your confession."

"What? It is not a waste of time. It was your mom's birthday today. It is important."

"Ah, whatever. When we go back, tell me who she is. I will help you confess to her."

"Words from no experience."

"Hey! Don't underestimate your brother!"

"Okay, yeah. So how about that girl?"

"Who's a girl?"

"The one you promise to marry."

"I did not promise her. Besides, she's too young for me. She's eight years younger. So child."

"You should meet her first before you say that."

"I don't want another arranged marriage." Theo groans but continues sketching on his drawing pad.

"That's why you should meet her, see for yourself, and turn her down or the father if you don't like her... You should ask Uncle Seth to introduce his daughter."

"Yeah. I remember him telling me to come back this evening to have dinner and to introduce her daughter."

'Oh, my gosh, what!?' Nikki freaked out. No wonder her father told her to rest all day and then go to the diner for dinner. Nikki bit her lips. It excites her.

"Oh! Then we should hurry to come back in the evening!" Jeremy was also excited thinking about it.

"Yeah. Maybe." But Theo just shrugged his shoulders. "I'm not in a hurry. I have plans to travel the world. Too early for me to get married," he said with a firm tone in his voice.

"But father wants you to help him run our company in Mainland City. But I can sponsor your honeymoon. A trip around the world." A wide smile plastered on Jeremy's face. But his tone is full of tease.

"What? I said I don't want to get married yet. If you want to fulfill your promise, then stay alive! Stop thinking you will die during your surgery."

* * *

PRESENT TIME

Mainland City Hospital

Jeremy has been staring outside the window from his room. He heaves a deep sighed and clenches his palm.

"You should have eaten dinner to take your pills."

A worried but sweet voice speaks behind him.

"I'm worried. I have promises yet to fulfill." He groaned.

"And you can't fulfill it if you won't take care of yourself."

Hearing it, a playful smile tears Jeremy's lips. "Come here."

"Why should I? Come and get me." the woman challenged him, taking a few steps backward.

A spark of excitement glowed from Jeremy's eyes. He sat up from his accent chair and strode toward the woman.

Every time she saw him standing on his feet and walking toward her, she cannot contain her heart from delight. Still, she can't believe it until now.

Jeremy halted when their bodies almost brushed against each other. She gasped upon breathing his scent. His arm hooks around her waist and pulls her closer, sealed the tiny gap between them.

Jeremy lowers his head and claims her luscious lips. They kissed passionately and parted to gasp some air. Not long, Jeremy whispered…

"Can I skip dinner?"

"What?" Dazed, Erika gathers back her senses.

"I want to skip my dinner and have my dessert instead." He whispered once again, but this time it was playful.

Erika looked up and stared at Jeremy's eyes. She places a sweet smile, put her hands around Jeremy's neck, then pulled him and used her right knee; she gave him a taste of pain. Erika thrust her right knee into Jeremy's stomach. The poor guy groaned.

"Oh, sweetheart, can't you be gentle with me? I'm still weak, yet partially healed from a hundred percent." Jeremy moaned, holding the part that was kicked by Erika.

"Weak, my ass!" her face is red, not from anger but blushing and embarrassment. A scene flashed in her head that made her face flushing red. True that she's still furious at him until now. She could not forgive him yet. She was still mad at him. She wants to beat him up from lying.

"Your brother was stressed out searching for Nikki!"

"I know. I'm sorry. I just wanted to tease you."

Erika's jaw dropped. "I can't believe you!"

"Please, don't get mad. I'm also worried. They were apart for so long already."

Erika stared at Jeremy's apologetic eyes. She believes him anyway.

"Can you tell me all about what you remember about that day?"

Jeremy nodded and held Erika's hand.. Pulling her toward the couch and grabbing her waist to sit on his lap.