Illicit Attraction

Chapter Three

I remember planning a simple dinner with Uiji after our recital here in Arena but to my surprise she's not around anymore.

I shut my eyes to remain calm in between my frustration and rage. I'd seriously pull some strands of her hair out of her scalp if I ever find her.

"The subscriber---" I ended the call immediately and bring down my hand, taking the phone away from my ear.

"He's probably on a date now. Saw him talking to one of the female performer before the ending remark." I heard someone said couple of steps to my side. When my eyes dared to look for them. A conclusion pops up in my head after seeing who the group of men are: Nicodemus and Finlei. Uiji told me who is who earlier.

If Pharrel went missing like my bestfriend could it be that they're together? The idea made me grit my teeth in annoyance. I'm all up for her happy love life but I couldn't help but felt betrayed that she leave me here. If she wanted to spend the night with the man of her dreams she could have told me, at least!

I opened my clutch bag. That's when I realize how much I wanted to curse my bestfriend. I don't have cash with me all I have are these different cards that I can't use to pay for taxi. Just when I decided to call our driver and waited for him to arrive. My five percent phone died.

The cold wind blows, sending shivers in every bit of my flesh and bones. I heaved a sigh and close my eyes to figure my way out of this situation. My fingers snap the moment I came with one brilliant idea: I will ask someone to lend their phone to me so I can contact our driver and ask him to pick me here. I opened my eyes. That's what I'm gonna do!

"Excuse me?" the stranger that I decided to walk to for help turns his body in a strange slow way or maybe it's all in my head especially that the one I actually bother for damn help is the same man whom I mistaken for Damon on that shop couple of days ago.

Talking with Nicodemus Possilico or even standing two steps away from him doesn't feel right. The straight line on his lips makes me want to get on my knees and ask for apology.

"Mmm? Is there something I can help you with?" I blinked my eyes and blinks again to gain my consciousness. I smile sheepishly and pointed his hand phone.

"M-My phone died." I sighed and gather another set of braveness from my soul for my already weakening heart. "Please let me borrow yours. I just need to call my driver to pick me up."

He run his oblivious eyes from my head down to my toes looking like a strict commander in chief. When he finally handed me his phone. I didn't know if I'm gonna accept it or just runaway from him.

"Are you done, Miss? I need to go." I turn my body to him with an awkward smile plastered on my lips. "Need to go? W-Would you mind telling me where you're going?" I bit my tongue and look away after saying that.

"Pardon?" he asked with a crumple face. That's when I know I needed to save my face. I give his phone back and starts to walk fast away from him.

I clutch on my fast beating heart. "That's embarrassing. You're not even drunk Adalira Ymozhen yet... f**k!"

"Nevermind. Forget about it," I said and turn my back at him completely. After a couple seconds of breathing excercise. I look back at his spot but he's no longer there and everyone else in this place is too busy leaving and minding their own business that I can't find a chance to ask them for help.

Is it even possible? To be this unfortunate? What the heck did I even do in my past life to deserve all of these badluck?

My tears is on the verge of falling when someone harshly honk at me. I shifted my gaze to the driver with a deep-seated infuriation. I was about to scream at the top of my lungs when the door on the shotgun seat opened and Nicodemus stick his head out a bit.

"You need a ride home, don't you?" every single words that my mind is impatient to spit at him for honking at me vanished. On top of that. I feel shy and hesitant if I'd actually hop in and make him drop me at my house that's an hour of drive away from this Arena.

"Or maybe you don't," he said.

"I do!" I exclaim before he could  close the door of his Porsche Macan.

"Get in and stop making me wait. I'm the one doing you a favor here," he said and settle on his seat. Instead of getting in like he asked me too. I froze on my spot and remember something---someone.

"Miss?" Nicodemus sounds mad already when I found my way back in reality.

"Sorry." I mouthed. He didn't give me any response. The whole ride was filled with awkward silence. Maybe because this is how it suppose to be, awkward. It'll surely be awkward if you ask someone you barely know to drive you home.

"Nico I think---" He gave me a strict look. He didn't like the name I called him. "Nicodemus... My bestfriend... she performed too. I think she went out with Pharrel Quintin."

"Is she underage?" his eyes didn't leave the road.

I shake my hand and start fidgetting. "No."

"Then that's not your or mine's business anymore," he answered.

"I know that but Pharrel is not a good guy---"

"And so do I."

"Huh?"

"Everyone in this world could is the bad guy until you get to know them but in some special cases; one could still be the bad guy behind our backs even if we know them."

"That gray gate." As if saying where he should stop his car isn't enough. I pointed the gate of our house. It's another wave of awkwardness for us to feel in our skin or maybe just me when Nicodemus pull over and I don't know if I should unbuckle my seatbelt and leave his car without looking back. No-uh. That's rude. I can't do that.

"Your house is right there. Do you still need anything from me?" Nicodemus prick the bubble that's coating me.

I blinked my eyes. That's when my mind started to command my muscles to move. The first thing that happened is the curving of an akward smile on my lips and then my hands unbuckle my seatbelt and open the door. My feet is in too much rush to leave his car that I almost trip. Thanks to my hand's fast reflexes I manage to hold on to the door to prevent another embarrassment to happen.

I turn to him as fast as I could and smile gauchely. "I'm fine---" I didn't get to finish what I need to say because he already close the door himself of the shotgun seat with a loud thug.

"That's embarrassing damn it!" I couldn't help but curse after his car drive away as fast as rocket could fly from Earth's land to atmosphere.

"Adi?" the smiling voice of my older brother, Fallon called me from behind. He's standing near the entrance, holding the gate.

"Fallon, good evening."

"Uiji didn't take you home, did she?" he asked. Throwing in a glass of sparkling water in my throat became hard in an instant because of that question.

"Uhm... she---"

"The driver looks too manly to be your bestfriend plus the hair is undercut and he's wearing a suit."

"Something happened. Uiji couldn't take me home anymore. My phone is dead, I am not familiar with anyone's phone number in this household," I reasoned out and that's not a lie. Heck, I can't even memorize my own number.

"Mmm. I see."

"What?" I exclaimed. Fallon shook his head playfully.

"What do you mean what?" he asked back, trying to keep an innocent line on his cherry-red lips.

I raise both of my hand in mid-air. "I had a long day. I will now get my good night sleep," I said and leave him in our kitchen.

The good night sleep that I want acted up as if they're the bright stars in the vast sky—unreachable. Something is keeping me up. I'm not sure if it's because I am still embarrassed from every single thing that happened after the recital or maybe because my mind is curious of him.

I sat up on my bed and take my phone from the drawer of my white table on the side of my bed.

"Nicodemus Possilico," I chanted his name while searching him in every social media platform that I know. I find none. I see some account named after him on i********: but the pictures posted there is from google. It's a poser acc.

It's passed two in the morning when I decided to stop searching for him. The moment my back touches the softness of my bed. My eyelids closed and the last thing that I have in my mind is him and my questions about him. Why is he familiar? Why does I can feel Damon around when we're together? Who is he...

"I'M SORRY!" Uiji shouted in the gate of Starlington University when our eyes locked in after I get off Fallon's car. I rolled my eyes and walk pass through her.

"Adi." I continued to ignore her and walk my way to our department's hall.

"Adalira Ymozhen!" The raw desperation on her voice made me laugh. I'm not mad at her but I want her to think that I am 'cause she deserves it. It's my way of punishing her for leaving me behind last night just because Pharrel Quintin finally approach and probably laid her.

"Do I need to be on bended knees to get you talk to me, Ms. Ymozhen?" What she said put an automatic break on my feet. My lips lift up into a mischievous smile that faded before I could face her.

"I'll decide on that after I see you bending to me." I glance at my watch then bring my eyes back to her. Uiji's jaw lying on the floor. She didn't expect that I'd actually agree on what she wanted to do.

"We still have nine minutes before our first period start. Go on. Don't be shy." I convince her. She blink her eyes, her senses finally coming back. "Hell no. I'm kidding. I will only get on my knees for few people---"

"By that you mean, Pharrel?" I asked. Her eyes sparked. I used to be familiar with that kind of twinkle. I used to have them.

I moved my head and so are my feet to proceed to our lection hall. "Like you didn't enjoy his company?" Uiji whispered after she chased me.

"His?"

"Yes, his! Nicodemus Possilico. I saw a clip video of you getting on his car last night in twitter. Story time?" Uiji giggled.

Is she thinking that whatever happened to her and Pharrel happened to me and Nico too? Gross!

"I just realized it now. Your type of boy didn't change at all even after all this year." She managed to hook my attention.

"What do you mean?" Uiji stopped spinning her parker pen on her fingers and face me with a different level of excitement on her face.

"I stalked you i********: before. I saw your pictures with your late boyfriend... the badboy type, dominant---exactly like Nicodemus. I'm betting a thousand dollar if Damon is still alive I'm sure he's like Nicodemus too. The personality I mean because they don't look a like. Nico is hotter." She raised her hand. "Again this is my opinion no need to hate me for it," she ended her statement.