Burning Passion

CHAPTER 33: WE'RE FRIENDS

*

I want the ground to eat me. Suddenly, Theo appears behind brother Chris, and I already burst that out of nowhere. But it's true. He is not my boyfriend. He has a goddess model girlfriend. We can't even call ourselves friends but just meet coincidentally everywhere and often cross in the hospital.

Chris glanced at Theo, then gazed back at me with a smirk in his mouth. I can't believe he is teasing me!

"Alright. Not a boyfriend, then." Chris remarked while scanning Theo from the head down to his black leather shoes and settle into the food bag he is carrying.

Chris glances at me again with a teasing grin. If only I could smack him for saying it aloud. Now, I was shy to look straight at Theo's eyes.

Chris was like teasing me that no boyfriend would show up this early morning with food in hand.

"Okay, Nikki. I'm off to work. Call me next time to pick you up instead, so you won't stay at somebody's house. Okay?"

"Understood, brother Chris," I replied. Secretly, I bite my lower lip. The way he phrased it does not sound appropriate for Theo to hear. Or maybe he would like Theo to think that he is a useless boyfriend not taking care of his girlfriend.

I was embarrassed by how he acts, but I also felt guilty because it was the truth. I was at somebody's house to do such a thing that the people who know me would not believe it.

That is not a surprising practice these days, especially living in a city like where I am living. I was one of those who opposed doing it before marriage. That is why it will be a great shock to everyone when soon they see me got pregnant, but no boyfriend since birth. Surely I would storm with questions and judgment when they don't see me marrying the man who gets me pregnant but only as a single parent.

And if that day comes, I won't use mama's medical expenses as a reason why I did such a thing. It was my choice—no one to blame or to point out who's fault why I was put in this situation.

I want to become a mother too, even if I won't love or my child's father won't love me. Truly, it was just for both of our convenience that he just needed me as I needed him for my benefit.

"Nik?"

I heard Theo call me. And I need cold water to wake up. I would always fall thinking about my troubles, even in front of Theo.

"I'm sorry. I was just thinking about some other things," shyly, I smiled. I always look like an idiot in front of him. When should I stop spacing out when he was around?

"Why are you here, by the way? A business meeting this time?" I asked. I can't meet his eyes when he is scanning my entire body.

Min Xi often wears revealing clothes, and I was too much wrapped today to hide my sexual scrapes. I am afraid that my overdress would not impress him. Who're normal people do such things, and leaving marks both on each other's body?

"You're always lost in thoughts every time I see you. Do you have a problem? Can I help you? Maybe in something like?"

"Oh, no. Everything is fine. Thanks for asking and for offering," I force a smile so that he would believe me.

Of course, I cannot tell him I was sleeping with a guy I never met once or see his face in exchange for his blood and his fortune to pay mama's medical treatments. That was stupid.

I meet Theo's gaze, and he gives me a kind of look that most of the time, I don't understand him at all. Why do I always see him on an unlikely day? Is it pure coincidence? How great is that?

"I dropped by at your store for breakfast; then I heard your mother called to asked to send you some soup. I will pass this way, so I volunteered to bring you the food," Theo explained while showing the food bag.

"Oh? Wow, thanks!"

"Yeah. Your mother was worried about you. She wonders if you had a hangover, so she wants you to have some soup."

"Ah. She wants to make it by herself," I said.

Once Theo mentioned the hangover word, I blushed. What a lame excuse that is. I drink not a single drop, but I guess; I look like one with my giddiness, and this body pain causes my wobbly steps.

"Nik—"

"Hmm?"

"You won't invite me for a coffee?"

"Oh! I'm sorry! Come on in."

Shot! I was stupid just standing here. I invited Theo to our house. We're living on the 11th floor of this apartment building. Chris lived upstairs, but Auntie Maria lived downstairs.

I let Theo enter our house, which later I realized, I let no guy come inside our house, but only our closest neighbors and male relatives.

Somehow, I feel comfortable around Theo. Maybe with the thought, he is a friend of the men I trust; that is why I am at ease.

"Um, please take a seat. I will try to search our kitchen if there's coffee left. I stopped drinking since I was taking supplements. So I haven't included to the list since then." Here I am again, explaining like an idiot. I quit taking caffeine for my pregnancy soon.

I left Theo in the living room and stride to the kitchen, just next to each other. But there is a counter-wall in between. Still, it's easy for me to observe Theo from the kitchen and see me around.

He was looking at the wall where my pictures were hanged around. I was too confident because no one could see them but mostly us. Now I feel embarrassed why I let Mama display them in our living room.

"You are playing soccer?" Theo asked me.

From the living room, he leans to the counter. In his hand is a photo frame of me after our game taken during my Junior High years. I was a first-year student soccer player in the photo.

"Ah, yes, I did," I replied, then glanced at him. His eyes showing how amused he was.

"Hey, put it down already!" From the kitchen, I tried to snatch the photo from his hand. But Theo quickly pulls his body away from the counter and steps back. A smirk on his face.

"I was just impressed, so let me look at it more."

"Wait, are you mocking me that with my height, I cannot be competitive?"

"Hey, I'm not saying that."

"Then, give me that!"

I attempted to take it from his hand, but he quickly drew the frame above his head. I tried to jump, but he was so tall, so his arms were longer.

"Hey! It doesn't mean I am short. I can't do great things." I pouted and crossed my arms below my chest.

"And I did not mock your height. It is not necessary whether you are short and others are tall. What's most important to me is your dedication and passion. Besides, height does not matter. To me, it was the skills and endurance."

I am uncertain what's more meaningful from Theo's perspective. But suddenly, my heart thumps when he mentions those last two words with a playful smile. I felt like my face blushed.

Skills and endurance. Why do I think about something else? I shouldn't let these thoughts slip away suddenly inside my head.

"Oh, your coffee is ready," I said and quickly went back to the kitchen and poured the black liquid into a mug. I take a deep breath before joining Theo in the living room.

"Thank you."

He said after I placed the coffee on the table in front of him.

"Why I haven't seen more photos of you during later years? Do you stop playing?"

"Oh, about that. Yes, I stopped before I graduated from Junior High. I— erm, I got in an accident, and the doctor prohibited me from playing any sports anymore."

"Hmm… I'm sorry. I should not have asked."

"No. Don't worry, it's okay. It happened 10 years ago." I forced a smile.

I clenched both my fists. I am supposed to join the Mainland High School— Girls Soccer Club. It was the home of the Women's Soccer National Team. From there, if I did well during our play, I could get a scholarship in college at Mainland University.

But because of what happened ten years ago, my dreams shattered, and my life completely changed.

I was contemplating when Theo's phone rang. He then takes out his phone gesture at me that he will answer it. I nodded. 

"Hello, Jeremy? Yes, I was on my way. Is that so? Okay. I'm on it."

His conversation with the person on the other land named Jeremy. It seems this person has an illness and regularly has treatments in the hospital. 

"Nik, I have to go. There are some problems occur to one of our investments. One of the major clients pulls out the project. I have to help the team to solve the problem."

"Oh, I see. Go ahead, and thanks for the food." I was truly embarrassed for him to do this. I added, " You have been very busy but still doing an errand for me."

"Don't mention it. We're friends, right?"

To what he said, I blushed. I did comment earlier, and he heard that.

"Yup! We're friends!"