Burning Passion

CHAPTER 261: HE NEEDS COMPANY

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While Harry is having a meal, Seth and Kristina help to clean up the living room. It embarrassed him, but Seth insisted on doing the cleaning. The guy reasons out. They were now brothers and brothers helping each other. 

Hearing Seth stated this, Harry came to realize. He somehow helps Steven by encouraging him to pursue Nina.

He promised in the beginning to support Steven, to ask Nina's hand in marriage. Then why does he attempt to cause trouble to his twin brother? 

He is not thinking right. And he has no right to act heartbroken. At the very start, he already knew that Nina and Steven will be in a relationship after his twin brother succeeds in courting Nina. It means he should stay away. Gladly, he didn't show up and go home. 

'How stupid I am!' 

Harry kept scolding himself. He almost destroys his relationship with Steven because he is not thinking right. From that day, he swears not to think about Nina anymore. But leave them be loving each other. 

As long as Steven won't hurt Nina and won't cheat on her, he will stop self-pitying. 

Harry heaves a sigh, then finishes his meal. After he eats enough, he carefully places the leftovers in a food container and keeps them inside the refrigerator. 

When he saw the living room, it was now crystal clear. Seated on a single couch, Kristina was reading a magazine. She quickly stood on her foot upon seeing him. Harry quickly gestured his hand, encouraging her to remain seated. But his eyes wandered. Someone is missing. 

"Where is Steven?" 

Hearing Kristina asks him a question. Harry turned around to face her. Upon mentioning Steven, a flash of jealousy drifted in his chest. 

Pushing a faint smile, he replied, "He was in England." 

"Oh. He visited his girlfriend! How sweet of him!" Kristina burst out happily. She thinks it was so romantic.

Kristina has no idea of what Harry has been trying to get through these days. And Harry doesn't know that Nina is not happy being in a relationship with Steven. Both of them don't know how their heart was in pain for not having the chance to confess what they feel for each other. 

Interrupting his thoughts with something, Harry heard Seth's voice. 

"Brother Harry! Can we watch these movies!" 

He began wondering where Seth is, and there the guy yelling from the theater room. 

"What is he doing?" Kristina muttered. It was more like a question to herself. She glanced at Harry with an apologetic gaze. "I'm sorry. That guy is always curious about everything. But nothing you should worry about, you can trust him!" 

Nodding, Harry understood what Kristina tried to explain to him. "It's okay. He must have found the Theater Room." 

Harry led the way. They found Seth squatting on the floor, scanning all the VHS tape on the shelves. 

"Can we watch a movie, brother Harry?" Seeing that Harry is approaching him, Seth requested.

Kristina was about to remind Seth when Harry already spoke. 

"Okay. Which one do you want to watch?" asked Harry. He walked toward the TV and VHS player to turn it on. 

Seth is having a hard time choosing what movie he wants to watch first. Scratching the back of his head, he settled to watch Sylvester Stallone's movie. 

Once the movie played on VHS player, Seth never moved in his position on the floor, his back resting on the sofa. Kristina, seated on the sofa with Harry, tried to focus her attention on the movie. She was a little nervous in Harry's presence. Even though Seth was in between them, the guy was seated on the floor, and Harry is on her left side. She couldn't settle down with the loud thud in her chest. Gladly the Stereo System was loud. Neither Harry nor Seth would notice her uneasiness. 

It happens, she remembered that evening she and Harry watched a movie and the kiss they shared. But ever since that kiss during the Halloween Event, Harry became busy with his Internship in their own company. It was Lee who told them that is why she knew this. And it made her happy that Lee told them to bring food for Harry. It's been a while since the last time they hang out together, and she is missing his presence. 

She doesn't expect Harry to court her, but her heart is warming around him; that was enough for her. And the kiss. Her heart hoped a little, but she knew it's just a kiss; she should not daydream of winning Harry's heart. Loving him in secret already brought joy to her heart. 

The movie ended, they watched another one until Lee arrived in the evening to pick up Seth and Kristina. 

Now being left alone, he suddenly felt lonely living in a huge house. The silence made his heart even aching.

The next morning, Harry is pacing back and forth in the living room. He couldn't decide whether to make a call. He was thinking hard last night. And he came up with an idea to thank Seth and Kristina for yesterday. After deciding, he dialed Sam's telephone number. He felt relieved when Kristina answered the phone. 

"Hello?" 

"Hi, Kristina!"

Surprised, she takes a moment to talk. Suddenly, her heart beating so loud made her unable to speak. 

"It's me, Harry… um," He introduced himself when Kristina did not talk. He wondered if she didn't recognize his voice. A moment passed, the other line finally began talking.

"Of course, Harry! Hi! Are you looking for Sam? He wasn't here today." 

"Ah. No. It's you whom I want to talk to." 

"Oh…" Kristina rendered speechlessly. 'Why does Harry want to talk to me? Is there any problem with yesterday?' Kristina thought. But at that moment, her heart was dancing with joy at hearing Harry's voice. "Then, what can I do for you?" 

Stammering, Harry answered, "I… actually I made a call to invite you today. Do you have other plans?" 

'A date!?' Her heart screamed. But she must calm down and not sound like she is super excited. Clearing her throat, she replied, "Yes. I mean, I am available today. I'm not working until January." 

"Oh, great! I'm going to New York. I want to invite you and Seth to come with me." 

"Oh. Seth! Sure… that sounded great!" Kristina is biting her lower lip not to stutter. Hearing that they were not alone, disappoints her. But since it was Seth who will come along with them, that is totally fine for her. 

"Then, we will pick you up after I pick up Seth at Lee's house." 

"Cool! I'm waiting!" Even if it was not a date, it thrilled her to be with Harry once again.

"Okay. I'm hanging up now." 

"Sure, bye." 

"Bye." Harry quickly put down the telephone and rushed upstairs to change thick clothes to stay warm outside. 

He plans to treat Seth and Kristina to a fancy restaurant and tour them around downtown New York and Central Park as his gratitude for helping him yesterday. Their presence helps him ease the pain of his heart. He needs company.

~~~~~ 

CAMBRIDGE, ENGLAND

"Steven stopped it!" Nina gathered her strength to push Steven away from her. 

"What's wrong? I ask your permission to kiss you!" Steven groaned, infuriated that Nina stopped him when the kiss just deepened.

He could only kiss her once in a day and one on the cheek before he left to go back to the hotel at night. 

Today, he wants to make out with her. But when he was about to touch her chest, she pushed him away. He wanted her to be used to being touched by him since she is his girlfriend. 

On the other hand, Nina is disappointed with the way Steven acted today. She has to gather her sanity to respond calmly. "Steven, I permit you to kiss me. Kiss, not touching me," with firmness in her tone, Nina reminded the guy. 

Steven pressed his lips. He was annoyed, but he needs to smile lovingly. He softened his gaze, then stretched his hand to reach Nina's head to brush her hair. But Nina tilted her head to avoid his hand not to touch her. It pissed him, but he has to be patient with her poor treatment toward him. 

Heaving a furious sigh, he apologized. "Okay. I'm sorry. It's my bad. I am your first boyfriend, so I understood if you are not used to being intimate with your opposite sex. But Nina, since we are in a relationship, this is a normal thing to do." 

Nina pursed her lips bitterly. 'Normal thing to do? My ass! You're just taking advantage of me! Harry won't do this to me! He would treat me gently, not forcing himself on me!' She wants to cry this out. But she keeps it to herself. 

Indifferently, Nina hardened her facial expression. She is completely not in the mood anymore to go out today. 

"Steven, I'm not feeling well. Let's just stay home tonight." 

Steven made a reservation for a Nutcracker play tonight. But for what happened this afternoon, she lost enthusiasm to watch the play. She was excited at first because she read the book several times and when she heard that there is a Play; she didn't want to miss it. 

But now she doesn't want to see Steven or stay in the same room with him. 

He really is annoyed at the way Nina treated him coldly, but he has to bear it and keep coaxing her instead until she gives in. 

Even how much she refused him to have physical contact, he has to be patient until she is used to it. 

Cheerfully, Steven muttered to Nina. "Honey, isn't Nutcracker one of your favorite stories? I don't want you to miss watching the Play, so let's watch it together. Besides, your Aunt Annie's family was there. They will surely get worried if you don't come." 

Listening to Steven, she wants to puke. 'Honey?' She could feel all the hairs of her body rose from disgust. She tried to imagine that it was Harry who said it, but her heart knows it's not him, and this brought sadness to her. 

Helpless, Nina nodded as agreed with Steven. She doesn't want her Aunt Annie to worry about her and suspects that something is off in her relationship with Steven. 

Soon, she will break up with this guy, dump him and never get back together again!