Burning Passion

CHAPTER 204: SEE YOU SOON

* * *

Leaving Albert behind, Nina rushed to the EXIT door. By then, she crossed Sarah in the entrance lobby. 

"Nina! I knew you were here! Have you seen my brother?" Sarah asked Nina. A playful smile plastering on her lips, and her eyes seem hopeful for something.

Nina takes a moment before she replies to Sarah. She perceived that today's encounter is not just a coincidence.

"He was in the Literature area." Later, she replied. "I have to go, Sarah." 

Nina was about to resume walking when Sarah held her. 

"Wait, Nina! Did you and my brother talk?" 

"Hum? About what?" 

"Well, anything? Between a girl and a guy?" Sarah rubbed her palm on her trench coat. "You know, any stuff." 

"Well, he asked me to give a ride and have coffee. But Jessica will pick me up soon." 

"Oh, you turned him down? I mean—" Sarah bit her lower lip.

Nina did not mention the details of what she and Albert talked about. But it seemed Sarah has knowledge of today's encounter and Albert's plan to ask her out and pursue her to be his girlfriend. 

She sighs with relief, seeing Jessica entering the library entrance door. It worried her parents for her to walk the street in this weather. Annie helps to find a car they could rent for Nina to use during winter. By then, Mr. Smith is sending her and picking her up in the school.

"Jessica is here! I'll head first, Sarah. Bye!" Nina hugged Sarah before she met Jessica halfway and rushed to get out. 

"Where do you want to go first, Miss?"

"Let's head straight back to the apartment, Jessica." 

"Okay, Miss," Jessica replied and asked nothing. She glanced at the Library's entrance door. "Is Miss Sarah won't join us?" 

"No. I have a few lessons to review." She reasons out. 

The moment Mr. Smith parked the car, Nina rushed to the house. She immediately sits in front of the fireplace in the living room. She was freezing. 

Jessica quickly grabs a blanket and wraps it around Nina's body.

"I'll prepare hot chocolate, Miss?" 

"Yes, please. Thank you."

After a few minutes, Jessica came back with a tray. She kneeled next to Nina; offered the mug of hot chocolate. Nina instantly sipped the warm liquid to warm her body.

"I think with this weather, better to not go to the library, Miss," Jessica suggested. It worries her that her Miss is overdoing everything to occupy herself and forget her loneliness.

"Yeah. That's a good idea." Nina concurred. Besides, she doesn't like to see Albert for a while. 

Jessica stood on her foot. She strides toward a French console table to pick up something. "Miss Nina, a letter arrived today." 

"Oh, is it from Korin?" 

"No, Miss, there is no return address." 

"How about the stamps? Where did it come from?" 

"Oh—" Jessica scanned the letter once again. "It was a US stamp." 

"Ah, it must be from New Jersey!" 

Suddenly, Nina's face brightens. She knows who it is!

Harry sent her a postcard once which the envelope had no return address. If it was from Steven, he always wrote his name and address. It only means the letter was from Harry! 

Jessica saw when Nina tore a genuine smile. She ponders. Two men living in New Jersey who are one is possibly the sender of that letter. And Jessica was familiar with Steven's handwriting. She begins to understand. The letter her Miss received today is from Harry.

She figures out; she was wrong all this time. Steven is not the one Nina likes, but Harry. Jessica beamed. It was now clear to her who makes her Miss smile this merrily. However, with whom her Miss ends up? 

It seemed one is absolutely in love with her Miss. But her Miss loves the other one. It looks complicated, and someone would get hurt in the end. 

Jessica heaves a sighed. She wished for her Miss happiness. "I will warm your bedroom, Miss." 

"Okay." 

Jessica went upstairs to light Nina's fireplace inside the bedroom. She has known that once her Miss received a letter, she just wanted to lock herself in her room to read it over again and write a response.

Not long after, Nina followed her upstairs. 

"Should I bring your supper, Miss?" 

"Yes, please. Thank you, Jessica."

Jessica bowed before she left the room. Nina took the letter and scanned the envelope. It took almost three months before it reached her. 

Harry is living across the Atlantic Ocean. Letters usually took a month to arrive. But since it was winter and as Christmas and New Year holidays, the letters took longer to arrive this time. 

Steven and Harry sent her a Christmas gift through a special Courier. Steven gives her a cute pink stuffed toy, while Harry gives her a book and a pink tulip inside. 

Harry's card is just a simple Merry Christmas greeting compared to Steven, who wrote a long letter. But Harry's thoughts touch her most. 

Harry knows what makes her happy. 

Nina shook her head to wake up from recalling her lonely holidays for the first time that she was away from her parents.

Fully came back to her senses, Nina opens the letter with a cheerful movement. She read the letter earnestly, and it stunned her. 

~~~~~

Dear Nina, 

How are you? 

Fall must be over, and winter has begun. 

A dean from my major course told me I am part of the team to compete with the International quiz held at Oxford this Spring. 

The team is in tight preparation to win the National Battle.

We will fly to England by the end of March. 

See you soon...

Harry Shang

~~~~~ 

Nina runs to her bed and screams under her pillow. 

Harry is coming to England! 

And he wants to meet her!

Nina screamed once again. After she calmed down, she sat on her bed and read the letter one more time.

She couldn't wait to see Harry again. February just started, and she wished tomorrow was March already. 

Tonight, she prayed that time would fly fast. 

* * *

March, sometime in the 1980s…

Nina seated on the bench, reading a book as her habit after her class.

"Nina!" Sarah jumps on her from behind. "Let's go to a café!" she began dragging Nina toward a group of senior students. "The team wanted us to treat them with coffee for their hard work. Besides, they want some motivation!" 

Nina gaped at Sarah. Until now, Sarah has hoped that she would become Albert's girlfriend. After that library incident, Sarah called him the next day, and they spoke about it.

She told Sarah that it was impossible as she only thinks of Albert as a friend. She could not return to his feelings, especially, she could not give her heart. 

And Nina did not mention that her heart belongs to only one man.

Nina shook her head and followed Sarah toward the team, who will represent Cambridge University. And one of them is Albert. The guy smiled and waved at her the moment their eyes met. 

"Nina, come with us!" 

"Yes, Nina! Let's go to the café!" 

She was about to reply when someone called out to her from behind. 

"Nina!" 

Her eyes widened dramatically. She recognized this voice!