Burning Passion

CHAPTER 135: SAVING NIKKI (Eight) and the Past 

"SPECIAL CHAPTER EDITION: ENCOUNTERS"

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"We have to wake her up."

Nikki heard Jeremy muttering this, but Theo only heaving long sighed. She mumbles inside her head. 'What is the sighing about? Ah. Please wake me up now from my embarrassment!'

"All right. I'll go ahead outside. I will ask where we could rent a car."

She heard Jeremy told his brother. Not long, she felt a warm palm shaking her shoulder. 

"Hey. Miss, wake up." 

Ah, glad he knew that she was already a Miss and not a child. 

'Oh, my gosh! My breast rubbing his body. He must feel it. Shit!'

Another embarrassment for Nikki. She may be short, but she cannot hide the lumps on her chest.

"Nikki, wake up."

It surprised her. What????? He knew my name????? When??? Why did he recognize it was me??? 

'Oh, my goodness!' How would she face him? 

'Ahhhh… Heaven help me!'

She did not move and keep pretending to sleep. She waited for Theo to call her name once more. It was sexy! Ugh. What are you behaving, Nikki Lindsey?! 

Ah, she wants him to keep waking her up, however, all she could hear was him sighing. 

"Ahem. Miss, we arrived already. We have to get off now." 

This time, Theo's voice is louder, and he forcefully shakes her shoulder. 

"Hah! What?" she parted from him. Assuring him that she was startled, she pretended to be confused but slowly realizing what's going on. "Oh! We're here already! And…"

She was blushing but did not forget to congratulate herself that she can act actually. She keeps herself from smiling.

"Did I—? How long did I fall asleep?" she asked unconsciously.

'In your arms!' She wanted to add, but she is dying in embarrassment.

"Two hours?" Theo shrugged his shoulder. His face twitches, his shoulder numbs.

'Ah, his arm surely numbing from holding me. And two hours? Like two hours sleeping in his arm?' Nikki's heart was crazily pulsing.

"So did I sleep for two hours that…" she gulped. She can't say how long she has been hugging him and sleeping in his arms. 

"Finally, you both awake. You can get off now. This train is not a dating place." 

Nikki gasped and blushed. She can't give an excuse to the man.

"I'm sorry, sir. We will get off now." Theo told the man. 

It surprised her that Theo did not reason that he didn't know her, and they were not dating. 

"They were leaving soon." Theo turned his head and told Nikki. 

"Oh, right! I have to get to the bus! Thank you. Goodbye!"

Nikki rushes to the door and jumps from the train. She made hasty steps away, headed to the exit of this station. 

"Hey!" 

'Oh, my gosh! He's following me!?' Her heart freak outs.

"You forget this!" 

What? 

Nikki turned around, and she saw him waving the soccer ball. 'Oh, shot! I forget about it! What are you doing, Nikki?' she groans.

She waited for Theo to get near her, carrying the soccer ball in his big palm. She blushed, remembering that his hand held her for two hours. 

Loud thud in her chest; she looked up Theo. He was a six-footer, and she was only like just four feet plus something.

'Ah, my neck is killing me!' She swallowed the lump in her throat, remaining to stare at the guy. 

"You forget this. You must be sleepy till now." 

'Is that a tease?' She's not sleepy. She was embarrassed! But she should not be obvious. 

"Ahem. Thank you. And yeah, I'm still sleepy. We had a long preparation for the tournament. So there's not enough time to rest," Nikki reasoned. She remains to gaze at Theo's gorgeous green eyes. It was like melting her, but she can't avert her eyes from him.

"Hm. You should take proper rest, or else you wouldn't grow taller." 

Nikki's mouth dropped. 'What does that mean? Is he insulting my height? I'm yet, 14! I will grow taller!' Her heart ranting. 'I hate him!' 

She snatched the ball from Theo's hand. "Thank you," she said, then turned around. But Theo stops her again. 

"Wait!" 

"What is it?" she said irritatedly. 

"I'm not done talking to you yet." 

"Is something we should talk about?" she asked, her forehead curled from curiosity. 'What he wanted? I need to leave now, or else I go home late, and I have no time to prepare!' 

"What's your name?"

Theo's query made Nikki surprised. 'OMG! Should I give him my name? They were talking about me the whole trip!'

Anyway, they didn't realize whether she understood them, so maybe it's alright to give her real name. Besides, why is he asking her name if he already knows? Could it be that call, and the picture he received from Daichi is her?

'Ah… why does he have to pretend he didn't know me yet?' 

'Hm, how if?' Nikki has a brilliant plan. She was curious about what his reaction would be.

"Ahem. My name is Nichole," she replied. 

"Nichole?" 

Nikki watches how Theo's forehead curled up. 

"Nichole? Like?" 

"Nichole Noreen! That's my name!" A huge smile plastered on her face, especially that Theo rose one brow and was suspicious at her lying.

"Really? Is that your name?" 

"Hum! That's my name!" She tears her lips sweetly, almost giggling.

"All right. Jeremy Shang." Theo stretches his right hand toward Nikki. 

Her mouth almost dropped open, she stressed. 'His kidding!' 

Well, she started it. But didn't he realize that she heard their names during his conversation with his brother? 

Ah! We will know the truth tonight! I want to hear your reason for lying! Because she will reason with Theo, 'I don't give my real name to a stranger like you.'

A playful smile playing on Nikki's lips. She also bit her lower lip. She's very excited about tonight's meeting! Ah, wish it was evening already. But first, she has to do what she came here today! 

She accepts his hand, and her innocent heart wants to flip. She wasn't sure what feelings overflowing her heart. Such emotion she doesn't understand yet; that she wanted to cry. Nikki takes back her hand when a warm sensation crawls her entire body.

'Is this love?'

"I need to go," she uttered and turned around. She took huge steps away from Theo.

"Can I call you, Nik!" 

'What?' Nikki halted. Slowly, she faced Theo and asked, "What did you say?" 

"Nichole! That's your name, right? So can I call you, Nik?" 

"Like we will meet again." She joked. 

"Of course, we are!" Theo shouted from a distance. 

People are staring at them, passing between the space that separates them. If Theo was not this tall, the crowd already swallowed him. But he was her giant pillow, standing tall among the crowds of this train station in Hanford City.

"Okay, whatever!" she shouted back and turned around from him once again. She ran toward the exit with a big smile on her face. 

He knew it was her, but he wanted to play a game. Then she will play along. 

The bus station is just across from the train station. But she needed to walk it for five minutes. She already spotted the bus that bound for Remy Town. She climbed and looked for an available space near the window. Some men offer her a seat, but she's hesitant to sit beside them. She also worries if that guy won't harass her in a secret unless it was Theo. She giggled. Gladly, a lady offered her a seat next to a window. 

"Thank you," she told the lady. 

"Are you alone? Why don't you have a companion?"

"Ah. I am having a quick visit to my grandma. I haven't seen her for two months," she replied to the lady. 

"Oh. That's wonderful. Your grandmother will be happy," the lady commented, but she was looking at the soccer ball she was holding. 

"Um, this one. I will visit a friend who died last year. I will show him this ball. I keep a promise of winning the summer tournament." 

"Ah. That's great. I could tell you are a wonderful girl," the lady reaches for Nikki's hand. 

But Nikki noticed the woman flinching, as it shocked her when she held her hand. 

"Are you alright, lady?" 

The woman didn't reply to her but stayed silent. Later, she told her…

"I see dark days waiting for you." 

"Excuse me?" Is this lady scares her?