CH 25

Gia felt trapped, she didn’t know what she was thinking leaving with Nikolas, she now sat with her arms crossed and staring out the windshield of his Jag as he drove her home. Hopefully she could just ignore him and not say anything and everything would be fine. “So how was your day?” Nik asked. Gia slowly turned her head to fix her eyes onto Nikolas’ profile. “I don’t really want to talk Nikolas. I actually only got in the car because, well there were these girls at school that knew you were the prince and I wanted to look good in front of them. I honestly don’t know what I was thinking when I did it. So if you could just take me home, that would be good.” Gia said. Nikolas looked over at her and Gia had to catch her breath at the sight of his brilliant smile. “Your friends think I’m cute?” He said, raising his eyebrows. Gia laughed. “Oh please prince, don’t get an even bigger head then you already have, and plus they’re not my friends.” Gia said. Nikolas looked over at her again, he thought he detected a hint of sadness in her voice. “Hey, did they say something to you?” Nik asked with concern. Gia looked down as her hands. “Yeah this girl said that she was stupid to think that I could ever go out with you. And well the rest of her group of friends and I’m sure the whole school would probably agree.” Gia said sadly. “Gia.” Nikolas whispered, he reached out to grab her hand but she pulled it away. “I’m fine Nikolas, I don’t care what those stupid girls think of me. Will you just drive me home please?” Gia asked desperately. “Yeah.” Nik said quietly. A silence filled the car; and Nikolas was fighting the urge to yell, to get her to talk to him. She knew him better then anyone and it was killing him that she was acting as though they barely knew each other, but he wanted to be careful. He wanted her to trust him and he didn’t want to do anything to risk that. He knew that he needed to take things slowly or he could lose her trust completely. “So, what are you doing today?” Nik asked. Gia looked at him quickly, slightly startled by the sound of his voice breaking through the silent void between them. He was making it hard for her to ignore him. “I need to take Jake to get his hair cut.” She said. Nikolas smiled at the mention of Jacob. “Why don’t I give you a ride?” Nik asked. Gia shook her head. “No thank you. I don’t think so.” She said. “Come on Gia, I know that you hate taking him on the bus. Why don’t you just let me give you guys a ride?” Nik asked. Gia sighed. “Nikolas, I can’t be caught with you. I’ll get in trouble.” Gia said. “And then what happens? He’ll hit you again?!” Nik snapped. Gia looked away. “Just take me home Nikolas.” She said softly. Nikolas tried to calm himself as drove. He pulled up at Mrs. O’Neal’s house and stopped the car. Gia instantly got out; but Nikolas got out and fallowed her. “Oh uh, thank you for the ride home, I’ll talk to you later.” Gia turned around. “Gia come on, I’m sorry I said that OK? Look, I just want to be your friend again, like we use to be. Please, let me take Jake to get his hair cut.” Nik said. Gia sighed, the hard look on her face slowly softened as she looked towards her house, she knew it would be empty for hours. “OK, if you can take us that would be great.” Gia said, a soft smile curling at her lips. Nik sucked in a breath at her smile, and smiled back at her. Gia blushed slightly and turned to go into Carol’s house.

Jacob happily kicked his feet with excitement as he sat in the back of Nikki’s car, safely secure in his car seat. Gia smiled as she looked back at him. “What?” She said when he smiled at her. “Nikki’s car, fast!” He said excitedly. Nikolas laughed. “A kid after my own heart, you love cars huh?” Nik asked. Jake nodded his head vigorously. “How are we going to get your hair cut Jakie?” Gia asked. “Like a big boy!” Jake answered. Gia laughed. “Sounds good to me, I’m sure it will look great.” She said. Nikolas pulled up to the salon and got out, walking around to the other side, he opened Gia’s door for her. “Thank you.” Gia said shyly. Nikolas nodded his head, this was killing him, he felt like he was starting all over again with her. All he wanted to do was take her in his arms and kiss her passionately, but instead he had to endure the agonizing torture of these little subtle moments between them. The shy smiles, the nervous banter, the brief encounters of touch as she brushed passed him. He watched her lean over the door of the car, to get Jake out. His eyes roamed her body, he noticed the way her skirt hiked up in the back, causing his throat to tighten and his heart to pound with excitement. Gia stood up with Jake in her arms and caught his staring eyes, blushing again, she looked away and shut the car door. “Like a big boy Gia.” Jake said. “Uh huh, lets go in OK?” She said. Nikolas walked beside Gia as they walked up to the building and he quickly opened the door for them. “Thanks.” Gia mumbled. He was beginning to get to her with his polite manners. They walked in and Gia made an appointment for Jake and they all sat down to wait for their turn, with Jake on Gia’s lap. The place was pretty crowded and Gia couldn’t help but notice how close Nikolas was sitting to her. Her body was reacting so strongly to the slight touch of their knees, and she couldn’t make herself scoot away. She watched him pick up a magazine and start to look through it. She took that time, when he wasn’t paying attention, to take in his appearance. He was dressed in all black, with an expensive looking leather jacket on to complete the look. His short hair was spiked up slightly. He looked incredible. She gazed at his profile, and she couldn’t resist, she inhaled deeply, letting his scent fill her nose. She licked her lips as her eyes landed on his, which were parted slightly as he was reading something. Her heart was racing and her face felt flushed as she sat there gawking at him, feeling like a idiot but unable to stop herself. “Like a big boy Gia!” Jake suddenly shouted, causing her to jump. She looked away from Nikolas, as she was sure it had gotten his attention and was dreading him finding out she was staring. She quickly focused her attention onto Jake, who had turned around to face her. “Yes buddy, like a big boy.” Gia said in annoyance. She glared at Nikolas who couldn’t hold in his chuckle. Gia looked up when a woman called Jake’s name. “OK Jakie, lets go get your hair cut.” Gia said. “No.” Jake shook his head. He got up from her lap and walked over to Nik, trying to get away from Gia. “What? Jacob Christopher, I did not come all the way out here for you to throw a tantrum. Come on, you need to get your hair cut.” Gia said, holding her hand out towards him. “No way Gia.” Jake answered, shaking his head as he moved to get up on Nik’s lap. Nikolas bit his bottom lip to hold in his laughter. Gia didn’t find the look on his face very funny and looked at him incredulously. “You’re not helping.” She grumbled. Nikolas laughed before turning to Jake. “Hey buddy, how about I sit in the chair with you? You can sit on my lap?” Nik suggested. Jake smiled. “OK.” He said excitedly. Nik smiled and got up, walking with him over to the hairdresser. Gia sighed as she fallowed them. She stood by them the whole time as Jake and Nik chatted away and she instructed the woman on what she wanted Jake’s hair to look like. Nikolas didn’t mind this at all, and his eyes would flutter every time Gia would move closer to them to show the woman something. “OK, we’re all done.” The stylist said. Gia picked Jake up from Nik’s lap and looked at him. “You look so grown up Jacob.” She said. Jake glanced at himself in the mirror and smiled. “Like a big boy.” He said. Gia laughed. “You look like a little man.” She said. Nikolas smiled as he watched the two of them, his heart ached as he thought about what they’re life is like. “Well let’s go.” Gia said as she looked over at Nik. Nikolas nodded his head and stood up, brushing a few little pieces of hair off of his clothes.

The car ride home was, as usual, a quiet one. Nikolas pulled up to Gia’s house and stopped the car. Gia felt nervous suddenly but she looked at her house and knew that no one was home. “Gia, can we do this again? Maybe we can go to the park on Wednesday?” Nik asked. Gia shook her head. “Nikolas this was really nice of you, and thank you for everything. But we can’t make a habit of this. I need to focus on other things right now. I, I have to go.” Gia said. She quickly stepped out of the car and got Jake out, grabbing his car seat with her free hand. Nikolas got out and walked up to her. “Gia, I don’t want you staying here.” Nikolas said. It wasn’t part of the plan but spending the day with her made him desperate to get her out of the hellhole she was living in. “Well too bad Nikolas.” Gia answered as she started to walk up her driveway. “I will get you out of there if it kills me Gia, I swear it!” Nik yelled as he watched her walk away. Jacob looked over Gia’s shoulder and waved at him sadly, Nikolas waved back at him, fighting back his tears.

Gia walked into her house, with her hands shaking and on the verge of tears, she looked around and sighed as she found that her parents weren’t home yet. She looked over at the clock and saw that her mother would be coming home fairly soon. She put Jake down to play in his room and went to work making dinner. Gia turned when her mother came in. “How was your first day back?” Flo asked as she fixed herself a plate of food. “It was fine.” Gia said. Florence turned to look at her. “No boys?” She asked. Gia shook her head. “Mother, it’s one of the rules so no. Besides, I’m not popular enough to have a boyfriend.” Gia said. “Well that’s true. But what about that boy with the fancy car?” Flo asked. Gia's heart was racing as she looked at her mother. “I told you, he’s just a friend.” Gia said. Florence walked up to her, and looked at her face intently. “If you’re lying to me, that’s it Gia.” She said. “I’m not. Nikolas Cassadine is a rich and spoiled prince, and I’m a black girl with no friends. You don’t have to be a genius to figure out that we could never work.” Gia said, her heart breaking. “You’re right. I don’t know what I was thinking.” Flo laughed as she shook her head. She was still chuckling as she sat down to eat. Gia felt nauseous as she pushed herself off of the counter top she was leaning against. She was about to leave when she heard her mother speak up. “I can see it in your eyes Gia, and I swear if I find out that you’re lying to me, you’re out of here. You know I’m doing this for your own good, falling in love will only bring you heartache. No boys!” Flo said as Gia walked away. Gia let her tears silently slip down her cheeks as she went to watch Jake, the one person in her life who she felt loved her unconditionally.