CH 11

“Hey Gia wait up!” Zander yelled as he ran to catch up with his best friend. Gia turned and smiled at him. “Hey Zander, what’s up?” Gia asked. “Gia, what’s up? I haven’t seen you in like a week and you ask me what’s up? Is everything OK?” Zander asked. “I’m fine, come here.” Gia said pulling him in for a hug. Zander hugged her tightly. “You scared me, you haven’t called or anything, I’ve heard that you’re going out with Brandon Cassadine. Gia what are you thinking?” Zander asked as looked down at her. “What? I’m not going out with Brandon, we went and played miniature golf the other day, that’s all.” Gia said. “With Brandon Cassadine? Gia that family is messed up OK? They’re spoiled rich kids who don’t give a shit about people. Come hang out with me today, we’ll go play pool.” Zander said. “I can’t I have to watch Jake.” Gia said. “OK fine we’ll go to the park or something.” Zander said. Gia looked down. “Look Zander, I’m going to the park with Nikolas, he and Jake get along really well and we’re going to take Jake to the park.” Gia said. Zander looked shocked. “Gia, Nikolas Cassadine? He’s worse then Brandon! Besides I thought you hated his guts?” Zander exclaimed. “Well that was before. I think he’s kind of nice now.” Gia said softly. Zander shook his head. “I don’t want you getting hurt Gia, those guys are jerks and I don’t trust them.” Zander said placing his hands on her shoulders. “I’ll be careful Zander, I promise. We’re just friends.” Gia said. Zander nodded his head and Gia leaned in and kissed his cheek. “I’ll call you and we’ll get together later this week OK?” Gia said. “OK Gia, I love you.” Zander said touching her arm lightly. “I love you too.” Gia said walking away from him.

“Jake, you did so good on the bus, how about we get some ice cream today?” Gia asked as she got up when the bus was stopped. “Yea, ice cream.” Jake said clapping his hands excitedly. Gia smiled at picked him up. She got off the bus and scanned the park; she saw that Nikolas was not there yet. She put Jacob down and watched his silly little run from behind, his feet smacking so fast on the sidewalk she thought he would fall if he happened to step on anything. She watched him run to the swings, dressed like such a little boy, overalls with a red shirt underneath, a little red baseball cap, and little Vans on his feet. He ran up to the swing set and looked around, then turning and looked up at her desperately. “Nikki?” He asked. A sinking feeling came over Gia. What if he didn’t remember? She should have called. Just then Gia heard a car pull up and she turned around and sighed with relief as she saw Nikolas getting out of his car and walking towards them. Jacob squealed and ran up to him, holding his hands out to be picked up. Nikolas picked him up and spun him around, laughing with him as he spun. Gia laughed too as she watched them. “Hey pal, did you miss me?” Nik asked Jake. Jacob nodded his head vigorously. “Well I missed you too big guy.” He said hugging him and kissing his cheek before the little boy squirmed to get down. “Swings!” Jake shouted running to them. Nikolas walked up to Gia. “Hey, sorry I’m late I was with Lucky.” Nik said. It’s OK we weren’t waiting long. I just thought maybe you forgot.” Gia said. Nikolas looked over at Jake who was leaning over one of the swings, draped over it as he swung himself. He had contemplated not coming, the pain he felt when he heard of the kiss she shared with his brother still hurt him. But he just couldn’t pull himself away from her, from Jacob, from the time they all shared together. He loved it and he couldn’t walk away from it. “I would never forget Gia.” He said and then walked over to Jacob and picked him up, putting him in one of the baby swings and pushing him. “So what did you and Lucky do today? I think I’ve heard of him a few times, the blond guy right?” Gia asked as she sat down on the swing next to Jake and began to swing. Nik was socked that she would want to know this. “Yeah Lucky’s blond. Uh OK I’m going to tell you something that no one else really knows.” Nik said looking over at her, continuing at her nod. “Lucky is my half brother, he and I have the same mother. I only met him like a year ago so we’re more like friends.” Nik said. “Wow, so you guys hang out together and stuff like your friends, but you’re brothers?” Gia asked. “Yeah, today I went over to my mothers house really quick. She wanted to know how my soccer game went the other day and I went over to say hi.” Nik said. Gia nodded her head. “Speaking of brothers, do you mind if I ask, is Jacob blood related to you?” Nik asked. Gia shook her head. “No, he’s my stepbrother, other then looks you wouldn’t guess it though, he’s a lot like me, very stubborn.” Gia said smiling. Nik laughed. “You two are so close, he almost acts like you’re his mother.” Nik said. “He might as well be.” Gia mumbled. “Down!” Jake said tugging on the chains of the swing. Nikolas stopped the swing and got him out as Gia got up and walked over to him. “Gia, ice cream.” Jake stated. Gia laughed. “Oh gosh how could I forget ice cream?” Gia exclaimed animatedly to Jake. Jake scrunched up his nose. “Don’t know.” He said seriously. Nik and Gia laughed at him. “Do you want ice cream? I told him I would get him some.” Gia said to Nikolas. “Sounds great.” He said smiling.

“Here Gia I got it.” Nik said pulling his wallet out as they stood at the little ice cream cart. “No, it’s OK I’ve got it.” Gia said shaking her head and digging in her purse for money. Nik sighed. He didn’t understand why Gia wouldn’t let anyone do her any favors. “Three please.” Gia said to the man behind the cart. Nik sighed. “Gia.” He said. Gia waved him off and paid for the ice creams, passing the vanilla cones to Nik and Jacob. They all walked over to the grass to eat their ice cream.

“You are so weird Nikolas.” Gia laughed as she licked her cone. “What?” Nik said glaring at her. “Eating it with a spoon? Come on its ice cream, it’s fun to eat it on a cone.” Gia said. “But then you get all messy, this way you stay clean.” Nik said digging his spoon into the soft white cream and plunging it in his mouth. “Yeah well you have more on your face then Jake or I do.” Gia said. “Where?” Nik said whipping his face blindly. Gia busted out laughing. Realizing that Gia was messing with him Nikolas turned red from embarrassment, but quickly recovered. “Oh you are going to get it.” He said lunging at her and tickling her ribs. “Nikolas stop, my ice cream.” Gia gasped between fits of laughter. She laughed as it went rolling onto the ground. Nikolas barely noticed Jacob snatch his cone out of his outstretched hand so that he now had two cones to devour. Nikolas now had two hands to tickle Gia with as he hovered over her as she lay down on the grass beneath him. “Nikolas stop.” Gia gasped, her eyes filled with tears. She struggled with his hands, desperately trying to get them off of her stomach, Nik took her hands and pinned them to her sides. He leaned down as Gia panted underneath him, she was blinking rapidly as his face neared hers. Their lips met, they stayed like this, their lips touching, feeling the tingling sensations run through their lips, down to the pit of their stomachs. Nikolas moved his hands to her face and cupped it between them; slowly he opened his mouth, sticking his tongue out, coaxing it in to her mouth, moaning when she welcomed it, circling it with hers. The kiss became deeper, more needy and desperate as they explored every crevice of each other’s mouths, tasting and feeling. Gia’s hands plunged into his hair, running her fingers through it as they kissed. Nikolas began to run his hand up Gia’s leg, like he had wanted to do for so long, to feel just one of her sexy legs. Their passion came to a halt when Jake lightly began to smack Nik’s cheek. “Done Nikki.” He said. Nik quickly sat up to see Jake staring at him with his hands sticking out as Gia instantly began to straighten out her clothes, thankful for the interruption. Not believing that she just made out with Nikolas in front of her little brother. “OK, lets go throw that away.” Nik said getting up and walking him to the trashcan, picking him up and caring him back. “Thanks a lot buddy, you have impeccable timing.” He whispered in Jake’s ear. Jake laughed, not sure what Nikolas was telling him but finding it funny. Gia got up and went to her purse, taking out some baby wipes and taking Jake from Nik’s arms, cleaning his hands as she walked away from Nik. Nikolas knew that she was avoiding his gaze. “You know I think I’m going to take the earlier bus, I should really get dinner started.” Gia said over her shoulder. “Gia.” Nik said walking behind her. He fallowed her to the bus stop, where there were people waiting for the bus. Gia ignored him, forced to stop at the bus stop, she tried to turn away from him. “Gia, come on, we need to talk about what just happened.” Nik said turning her and Jake towards him. “It was a mistake Nikolas, I’m sorry, I got carried away. I shouldn’t have led you on like that.” Gia said. Nik shook his head. “No, you’re wrong. Gia you can not tell me that you felt nothing when you kissed me.” Nik said desperately. “I can’t be with you Nikolas.” Gia said softly. “So what, you can be with my brother and not me? Why Gia? Explain it to me! Do you like my brother more then me or not?” Nik asked angrily. “I don’t know! I feel differently about both of you.” Gia said fighting back tears. “What is it about me that you don’t like huh? Explained that to me. Why don’t you like me? Why can’t you be with me?” Nik pleaded for an answer. “Because I don’t trust you!” She shouted. Nikolas felt crushed. “But you trust Brandon?” He breathed. “Yes.” Gia said softly. “Well then be with him.” Nik said bitterly as he walked off. Jacob began to cry, he had never seen his friend this way and he didn’t even get to say goodbye to him. Tears rolled down Gia’s cheeks as well, she cried with her brother as she got on the bus.