CH 11

 

Gia set the vase of fresh lilies in her hands down on the coffee table in the middle of the room. She looked around her suite with a feeling of satisfaction, the place looked very homey and welcoming. She walked to the kitchen to check on the pasta that she was making for Lucky. She stirred the fettuccini noodles and left them to boil a little longer.

 

Gia had a short black skirt and a dark blue strappy halter-top on, with black strappy sandals on her feet. Her braids were up in a bun that the ends flared out of. She sighed as she rubbed her arms. She felt nervous for some reason. Why should she be nervous about Lucky coming over?

 

“Hey man.” Lucky walked up to Nikolas in the parking lot of Gia’s penthouse where they agreed to meet, and then go up at the same time. “I’m not sure about this Lucky, I think I’ve changed my mind.” Nik said. “Come on Nikolas, look you don’t have to stay that long. You brought your car, you can leave at any time.” Lucky said. “Alright lets just get this over with.” Nik said as he started to walk along side his brother.

 

Gia had just pulled the noodles off of the fire when she heard the knock at the door. She removed the oven mitts that were on her hands and left them on the counter as she went to get the door. She pulled it open and she held in a gasp as her eyes landed on Nikolas. He was wearing a dark gray long sleeve shirt and a pair of black jeans. He looked so sexy, but anger quickly took place of her appreciation of his looks. “What are you doing here?” she snapped. Nik’s lips parted slightly, her beauty had numbed him but her harsh words brought him out of his trance. He looked into her suite and saw that it was empty and then looked over at his brother. “What did you do Lucky?” he asked. “I invited my brother to come with me Gia, I didn’t know that would be a problem.” Lucky said. Gia glared at him. “Look I don’t want to be here just as much as you don’t want me here, I’ll go.” Nik said, at Gia’s look. “No Nikolas, come on. Gia he doesn’t have to go does he?” Lucky asked. Gia felt trapped. “He can stay if he wants to.” She said. “Good.” Lucky pushed Nik into her suite and Gia quickly backed up to avoid him brushing against her. Nikolas felt sick, he didn’t want to do this, but a part of him wanted to apologize to her for saying what he did. He didn’t know if he would have the courage to say that he was sorry, but he figured that being in the same room as her was a good start.

 

“The place looks great Gia.” Lucky climbed up on a stool that was at the breakfast bar of her kitchen. “Thanks it’s coming along. I still want to do a few things but I’m happy with the way that it looks.” Gia turned slightly from her cooking. Nikolas was hanging back, staying in the living room of her home. “How did you find the place?” Lucky asked. “Uh Nikolas told me about it.” She said without turning. Nikolas brought his gaze from the artwork hanging over her fireplace, around to land on the backside of her body. “Have you met my aunt Alexis yet?” Nik spoke up. Gia was surprised by the sound of his voice, seeming to come out of nowhere. “No I haven’t really met any of my neighbors.” She turned but only glanced at him briefly as she spoke softly. “I think you would like her.” Nik said. Gia looked up at him, the sincerity in his voice had startled her. He had walked up and was now leaning casually against the doorframe of her kitchen. So suddenly that she got a chill, when she looked at him standing there she saw the boy she once knew. He was all grown up now, but it was the boy she knew so well, a long time ago. It was like seeing him as that boy, fully grown, for the first time. Nikolas was looking at her intently; something had happened between them, something was different in her eyes. “Do you need help?” Lucky asked. “I’m sorry what was that?” Gia shook her head as she focused her attention onto Lucky. “I was asking if you needed any help?” Lucky repeated. “Oh sure, you can put that on the table over there, thanks.” She handed him a bowel of pasta.

 

It was awkward after their moment, and Nikolas silently took a seat at the table next to his brother, and across from where Gia was going to sit. Gia served them some salad, and then placed a plate of pasta in front of them. “You’re eating too right?” Lucky asked. “Of course.” Gia glared at him. Gia sat down with a small plate of salad and put it down in front of her. Nikolas was watching her. “What?” she snapped as she looked up at him. “Nothing.” Nik mumbled as he began to eat his food. “This is delicious Gia, aren’t you going to have some?” Lucky asked after several bites. “I have my salad.” Gia was sounding annoyed. “So I think that those pictures from yesterday will come out beautiful Gia, I’m going to develop them tomorrow morning.” Lucky said. “Good.” Gia said softly, every time she looked up she would see Nik watching her. Nik noticed the fact that she wasn’t touching her salad. “You should really have some pasta Gia, it really is good.” Nik spoke up. “Will you two stop it? I don’t need parents, I’m a grown woman!” Gia shouted, looking between them angrily. “You can’t control people being concerned for you Gia.” Nik said. “And what do you care? You think I’m a bitch.” She said harshly. Nikolas was staring into her eyes intensely. “You know why I called you that Gia. You slapped me,” he said firmly. “Oh and I guess the part where you said that I was nothing to you was what, some kind of retaliation for my being mean to you? You know what save it Nikolas I know that you meant every word you said to me.” Gia said. Nikolas stood up from his chair, Gia’s heart pounded as he walked around the table and crouched down so that he was close to her face. Her eyes flicked over his face wildly, his urge to kiss her was pushed away by what he wanted to say to her. “What is wrong with you?” he asked. Gia tugged her face away from him. “Why won’t you let people care about you? I have tried to be nice to you ever since I saw you at Deception, but you have been horrible to me. Why do you hate me so much Gia?” Nik turned her gaze to him with the tips of his fingers; her skin tingled at his touch. “Leave.” Gia whispered as she pulled away from his touch. Nikolas stood up quickly. “If you keep pushing people away like this you are going to end up alone Gia. You hate to be alone.” Nik said, knowing it for a fact. “Shut up Nikolas! Shut up!” Gia screamed. “Mm-hmm, yeah that’s what I thought you would say, see you Gia.” Nik turn around and quickly left. He didn’t quite slam the door, but the sound of it shutting made Gia flinch. Lucky looked at her intently. “He knows you pretty well doesn’t he?” He asked. “I think he knows me better than anyone.” Gia said, seemingly in a trance as she stared forward. “You said that you’ve changed so much since you knew him but I don’t think you’ve changed at all. You’re still a scared little girl who’s afraid to hear the truth about herself.” Lucky said. Gia turned her head to look at him. “Fuck you Lucky.” She said before getting up and taking her plate of untouched salad with her. She threw it away and braced herself against her counter after she put her plate in the sink. “What do you say we call it a night?” she looked over at Lucky at the table. “Yeah it’s pretty tense in here. I’ll see you at work tomorrow.” He got up, silently handed her his plate and left. His plate slipped through her hands and went crashing to the floor; she barely felt the slivers of glass hitting her feet. She abandoned the mess and ran into her room, throwing herself on the bed and sobbing into her pillow.
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