Burning Passion

CHAPTER 138: SAVING NIKKI (Eleven) and the Past 

"SPECIAL CHAPTER EDITION: ENCOUNTERS" 

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"Huh? Is it Jeremy is your brother by blood?" asked Nikki.

"Yes, he is." 

"Are you adopted?" she asked with innocence in her eyes and voice. 

Theo chuckled. "No. That's impossible. I'm sure our father is the same. I—" Theo paused for a second before he went on. He pondered about something. "Never mind." 

"I'm sorry. I should not gossip." Ah, what am I doing!? She scolded herself again.

"Don't worry. But can I ask you a favor?" 

"Sure! You can make me your best friend! I will keep your secret until the end of the world!" she swears in a kidding way.

Theo chuckled before he spoke. "Then, does it mean, you will be my first female best friend." 

"Oh, really!?" Her heart danced in cloud nine. It made her happy hearing Theo saying that. Ah, she wants to roll in the grass! "Ahem! I'm all ears." She tried to sound like an adult woman. 

Theo pushes a smile before his expression changes. "Can I have this photo?" 

"Oh, I think it's okay. I will tell mama about it and ask her about your mother."

"But can you not mention Jeremy?"

"Hah? Um, sure." And she should not ask why, even as it tempts her to. Could it be a serious matter? Why do they have the same father if their mothers are friends? Ah, not her business! However, it is her concern as her mama was in the photo as well. "Looking through the photo, my mama is the youngest. How possible that our mothers are friends?" she shared her thoughts.

"I am uncertain. I guess I should ask your mother about it." 

"Oh. To—" Oops. She almost said tonight you can talk to mama. She should act like she doesn't know yet about her father and the arranged marriage to him. 

'Ugh. My tongue almost slipped out!' She smiled awkwardly at Theo. 

But it looks like Theo realized something too. 

"Ahem. We will meet again, right? So I will ask your mother then." 

She hides the silly smile playing on her lips and doesn't ask further, but leaves it like a promise.

"I will introduce you to my mother!" It is what she uttered, hold back her playful tone.

"Sure." Theo smiled. But deep inside him, a lot of questions began flooding his mind. 

Why did Nina never mention that she already knew Kristina before she became her husband's, another woman? 

What is going on? What is the truth? Might it be true he is adopted? Or is Jeremy the one adopted? No. That's impossible. 

The three of them cannot deny the resemblance to each other. It must be something going on between their parents; more than just a love affair. 

"New York looks so nice. I will save up to go there one day But looks like it will take a decade for me." she giggles.

Nikki murmuring beside him. He peered at her innocent face, remaining to look at the photo in his hand. 

"That's right! You were studying in the US! Then you have been there many times." 

Her eyes gleaming with excitement. She's too innocent in his eyes, which makes her cuter. She looks fragile yet her eyes spark with playfulness. Every time he stares at them, it is like a mirror; he could see his soul. 

"Hum?" Nikki is waiting for his reply. She was blushing because of Theo just staring at her face. 

"Ah, that! Yes! I have been there many times. But it's crowded. I prefer staying in my dorm or rather going mountain climbing or skiing. Join the drag race too, sometimes." 

"Ah…" She wanted to joke that his girlfriend must be there, but her innocent heart was already hurting with jealousy. Who knows if what he said on the train wasn't true? Theo denied it during his conversation with Jeremy, but… Aaah! She should not think of any negativity.

Nikki was arguing within herself when Theo utters.

"I could take you to New York."

"Huh?" Maybe she is just deaf, not hearing the word correctly. Did Theo say he will take her to New York?

"I said I could tour you in New York if you like to." 

"Seriously?" Her brown eyes widened, gleaming with joy. She must be dreaming, hearing these words from him. Wait, it's not like a proposal, does it? She should not overjoy. But that would be her dream phrase from him. Until he's not married yet, she'll dream of him as her future husband!

"Ahem! The juice is here!" 

Maureen arrives carrying a tray. She places it on the picnic table. Jeremy joins them and the two chat and pushes aside Theo and Nikki, who eat the apple pie silently. 

Nikki sighs silently. Their conversation is getting smooth. They were talking about going to New York, but Maureen suddenly arrived. Ahhh! Mood crusher!

But tonight, they should talk about it again. Ah, she can't wait! She should hurry to visit Jonathan's grave and go home. 

"Hey, did an ant bite you?" Maureen whispered to her ear.

"Huh?" She was staring at her cousin with a confusing look.

"Your feet don't stop stomping the ground."

"Ah. I need to go to Jonathan's grave to arrive home before dinner. I want to take a shower first," she whispered back.

"All right. Go, and I'll wait for you here. I will keep them company."

"Ah, you're the best!" she told Maureen, then excuses herself that she has important things to do.

Maureen is older than her, and she was a talker, so it will entertain the guest. Before she went to the bathroom, she peeks outside. She saw Theo seated under a tree and drew something on his drawing book. 

Ah, he was handsome even from this distance. Her innocent mind fantasized when Maureen pinches her. 

"The sun is too high yet to dream."

"Heh. That's why it's called daydreaming." She and Maureen laugh, then asked her cousin afterward, "What are you doing here?"

"The older brother asked for a glass of water."

"Ah. Okay! I'll go take a shower!"

Nikki hurried to take a shower, but she finished after thirty minutes. She chooses a nice dress in the closet. Her grandparents give her-- her bedroom to stay every time they visit them. She stares at her reflection, a smile on her face. She can't suppress the excitement surging in her chest every time she imagines her meeting with Theo tonight. 

Nikki scanned her floral dress, knee-high which also fitted to her body. She's short by her age, but she already develops her chest that proves her she's not a kid anymore. Se applied a lip gloss, the one her classmate Andrea Lawrence give her. She cannot decide if she'll ponytail her long hair or braided it. Ah, she keeps it resting behind her back.

"Grandma! I have to go."

She kissed Elisha on the cheeks. 

"Ah, you are so pretty, my Nikki." Elisha tightly hugs her granddaughter.

"I'm pretty like you, grandma!"

"You're complimenting your own grandmother."

"As you were praising your granddaughter."

Nikki and Elisha giggle while hugging each other one more time.

"I love you, Nikki. Take care of yourself and your parents."

"Of course! If only you would like to stay with us."

"Ah. I don't like living in the city. I love the peaceful life here, you know that. Besides, your grandpa's memories remain here. So please take care of the White House when I am gone."

"Grandma? What are you talking about? You won't go anywhere as my wedding reception should hold here in the White House."

"Of course! I will be mad at you if the beginning of the happiest moment of your life holds in another place. Promise me it should be here."

"Grandma, I'm too young to think about marriage… But I promise!" She hugged her grandma one more time.

Nikki has strange feelings about the things her grandmother tells her. Maybe she has no plan to visit them for a while since they plan to visit this weekend.

"Grandma, where are Maureen and the guests?" She looks around and even peeps out in the window.

"Ah, she went home. There's an emergency, but said, send her a text message when you are at the bus stop. As of the guest, there is another place they want to visit." 

"I see." Hm, she already misses Theo.

Her attention caught by a white pad on a bench, the one she sits on with Theo earlier. Nikki went down to check out if it belonged to Theo or Jeremy.

It was Theo's sketch pad that was left behind here. Why does he forget it? Nikki ponders. Well, since they will meet tonight, she will give it back. Nikki brought it to her room to put inside her bag. But before that, she looks at Theo's drawing. They were beautiful. Some of his drawings; he uses in pens. Her eyes widened when his other sketches were her. It was really her! 

One is she leaning in the train window while sleeping, and one is her on the bus. 

What? On the bus? And there's one when she was under a magnolia tree. 

'Ah, what is he doing? He just makes my innocent heart gone wild.' Nikki covers her face with Theo's sketching pad.

Nikki continued flipping through pages when she read Theo's handwriting. 

'Next time we meet, can you give back my heart?' 

Corny! But she likes it!

'Ah!' Nikki rolls on the bed. Dang, it! But she sat up and contemplated. They will meet again tonight! Ah, her innocent heart can't take this puppy love she felt.

That's right. It may be just puppy love, but she will tend it and become true love!

She screams in the pillow before she looked around for a pen to write something on it as a response.