Nikolai

24

Kiara POV

I remove all the clothes that are laying on the chair and throw them on the bed.

"Ugh, why there are so many clothes," I tell myself taking a seat on the bed.

I start folding them one by one when there was a knock on the door. I turned around to see Ishaan.

"Hey," I say. He closes the door behind him and walks in.

As he said three weeks ago that he is going to visit New York soon, he is here now for his friend's wedding.

"Hi, why there are so many clothes?" He asks taking the seat beside mine.

"I don't fold them, fold the t-shirts," I said.

"Nah, I don't like to fold the clothes," he replied.

"Shut up and do."

"Okay... Okay... Boss," he replied with sarcasm.

"By the way, where are others? I didn't see anyone."

"Xahria is out for her dance classes. Aubree and others didn't come. Xaiden went to the gym with Kreo and Kenric. Nico must be in his office. Elora aunty and Xavier uncle will be returning in the evening," I explain to him.

"Oh, so Nikolai nickname is Nico?" He asked. I place the folded jeans on the jeans.

"Yes, Nico is his nickname."

"Good, he was good at his words and work," he said.

"Haha... You spoke with him?" I ask him. Ishaan came three days ago and is living in the same home.

His room is beside mine, Nico didn't see or meet Ishaan when I was there.

"Yeah last night, he was working in the dining area when I went for water. We had a conversation, I didn't stay for long as he had to work."

"Why was he working in the dining area?"

"He was eating his food," he replied folding a yellow t-shirt.

"Hmm."

"So who do you like the most?" He asked.

"I don't have any favourites. Everyone is equal and everyone is so close to me. But I spend more time with Xahria and Kreo," I tell him.

"Nice... Nice... What about Nico?" He asked. My gaze goes to him as he is already looking at me.

"What about Nico?" I question him back.

"You don't spend time with him?" He questioned.

"I do but not most of the time. He is busy with his work and I'm busy with my work."

"Oh okay."

"Do you like them?" I ask him.

"Yeah, I do. They are humble people. Different from what I believed them to be. Happy that you are staying with them," he explains.

I nod my head, "aunty and uncle are the sweetest. They never made me feel like I'm not from this family or home. They believe that I'm a part of this family now," I tell him.

"Yeah, they are also humble and good people."

"True." I stand up from my seat and wander over to the cardboard.

"Do you like anyone from your college?" He asked. I turn around and look at him.

"Why did you ask that?" I ask him.

"Simply out of interest."

I pick the bundle of jeans, wander back and place them in the cupboard.

"No, I don't know many on the campus. I only know a few girls throw the project and assignment," I said.

"Oh...oh..."

For the next one hour, Ishaan stays quiet as he thinks about something.

"So dee are you gonna say about anything interesting or not?" Ishaan asked while I packed my gifts and perfume bottles for my family.

"Interesting?" I asked him, crossing my arms.

"Yeah... Interesting."

"There is no interesting matters that you would like to hear," I reply.

"Haha, then what about the man you are seeing?"

I look at him as he gives me a teasing look. I frown my brows at him in confusion.

"What?"

"Hmm, the man you are interested in."

"I'm not interested in anyone. Don't make any assumptions on your own," I say throwing a pillow at him.

"I'm not making any assumptions, I have seen you, him and your connection," he says.

"Connection? Have you seen us talk?" I ask him blankly. Nico and I are ignoring each other. We never spoke in front of Ishaan.

"I'm not stupid, I can sense the tension between you two. The way your eyes look for him and the way he would look for you. You think I wouldn't understand that?" He said raising his brow at me.

I don't say a word as I'm dumbfounded. I look at him.

"Don't worry, change the expression. I like him and I know he likes you too. I had a doubt when I came here, the way he looked at you and the way you two ignored each other but kept taking glances when the other one isn't looking. He behaves the way Arjun behaves around his girlfriend. I know when a person is in love," he said looking at me.

"Wh-what? You understood all that?" I ask him

"Obviously, why wouldn't I know if someone is looking at my sister. It's pretty clear and simple," he said.

"Okay."

"Ishaan don't tell dad and mom anything. I will personally tell them when the time comes," I said sitting down on the bed.

"Don't worry, my lips are sealed. I will not say a word to them. It's your life and you need to tell them."

I just smile looking at my younger brother. It feels like he has grown up and is now my elder brother.

"Calm down, I like this guy," he said before hugging me. I hugged him back.

*

Xahria and I drove Ishaan to the airport. I hugged for the last time before he walked away into the line.

"Are you gonna tell my brother your feelings or not?" xahria asked whole taking a u-turn.

"I was going to say but then Ishaan came and I was busy with him then the wedding," I said.

"Oh I forget to say you, Aubree and rowen are a thing now. They are dating."

"Woah!" I said looking at her.

"I thought you guys gonna date first; I mean you and my brother but I was wrong." she laughed while I looked out of the window.

"It's weird isn't it, you don't know how fast or when you gonna fell in love. You don't even know when or where you fell in love. It just happens to surprise you. Maybe I was shocked about the fact that he proposed to me in a short time."

"Yeah! I am too excited to see others meet their one. You know what I mean. Their ego is bigger than their heads, I can't wait to see kreo, elwen and mainly Ryder having a partner." xahria said excitedly.

"Haha..."

We drove to the Mckenzie mansion. Everyone is lounging there.

"Hey boy!" I said when tiger, McKenzie's dog hustled towards me wagging his tail.

"Come here, we are having a barbeque." angel shouted.

I and xahria walked off to where everyone is. Tiger followed us.

Xahria told us that even Nico had a dog. I saw Aubree and rowen talking about something. Kreo and Kenric are doing the barbeque. I sat beside ezarah.

"Where are others?" I asked her.

"Nico isn't here yet, elwen went out he will back. Kai went to change his shirt because angel poured sauce."

"Ohh."

"Are you guys gonna join us or you gonna stay there?" xahria asked the loving couple throwing a tomato on them.

"Don't start a food fight, I want to eat chicken peacefully," Kenric said looking at xahria and rowen.

"We don't have BBQ sauce, someone goes and bring it from the kitchen." kreo said.

Angel stood up to bring because she is the one who knows where it is. While I messaged Greg about where I am. He is out with his mom. I laughed when he sent me a picture of his mom shopping.

"What is she doing here?" ezarah voiced out.

I turned to her but she was looking at something. I snapped my head towards where she is seeing and a frown set on my face looking at Florence and Nico.

"Hey Florence!" kreo said.

"Hey, kreo," Florence said while walking towards where we are.

"What a surprise on this sunny day, did not expect you to be here." kreo replied looking at me for a brief moment before turning to her.

"Haha... I was discussing things with Nico for our upcoming contract. And he told me you guys are having BBQ. He invited me to join." she said smiling sweetly. I controlled myself before I roll my eyes.

"Then Kiara why don't you call Greg." xahria said while Nico's smiling face turned to a frown face.

"I don't know, he is with his mom," I said.

"You already texting right, ask him if he could join us." xahria said while smiling. I know she is knowingly making Nico angry.

"Okay," I said typing a message to Greg asking him if he could meet me.

"He will be joining us in an hour," I said.

Kai walked looking perplexed. Nico and Florence sat on the bench while kai and angel sat on the bean bags.

Aubree and Rowen shared the lounge seat. I have a sprite can while the boys have beer bottles. I can feel Nico's gaze sometimes but I didn't look at him. I spoke with kreo and ezarah.

Ezarah was talking about this new pop singer whom she admires the most. I listened to whatever she was saying. And kreo joked about something which made her angry.

"Why don't we all play the chits game?" the angel said.

"Yeah! I want to play that. It's been a long time." Kenric said.

"I will go and bring a book and pen." elwen said standing up.

"What's a chit game?" Florence asked.

"You need to choose any name of your choice but it shouldn't be the same with someones. There will be four chits of that name with you and also with others with their chosen name. All the chits will be mixed up and thrown. You will take four chits from that and you shouldn't show your chits to others. You should match the chits of any name. You should have four chits." Nico explained.

"For example, you have one apple chit, two mango chit and one pear chit. Then you need to wait for the person beside you to pass a chit. Like one chit will be passing among the circle and whoever chit matches slap their hand on the floor saying "show". Whoever slaps on them gets points."

"Interesting."

Kai brought a carpet so that we sit down. We made a circle and at the same time, Greg came.

"Hey!" I said hugging him.

"Hey!" he smiled before greeting others. My gaze met Nico's who is having a serious expression on his face. I brushed it off and sat in between kreo and Greg.

We made the chits and started playing. We chose the animals names. Mine is a kangaroo.

"Hey, you both no cheating!" Kenric yelled at his brother and angel.

I laughed when xahria scolded them. I need one lion and it's a show. I waited for that but it didn't pass down yet.

"Show!" elwen said and we all slapped on his hand.

"It's a chits game, not red hands i***t!" xahria scolded Kenric because he slapped her hand way too hard.

"Sorry!" he sheepishly said.

We continued the game for few hours before Greg and Florence left the place as it was late.