Nikolai

15

Kiara POV

I dress up in a strappy red short top, a jacket and denim jeans. I wear the denim jacket then look in the mirror.

"Perfect," I say. My hair is left open. I pick my bag, phone and power bank before wandering towards the door.

I go downstairs, my gaze goes to Nico who is going through his phone.

I check him out, he looked like he is going out. He dressed in jeans and a black t-shirt.

"Good morning," he greeted when he saw me.

"Good morning," I say.

"You ready?" He asked pushing his phone into his jeans pockets.

"Yes."

"So when is Greg going to be here?" I look at him weirdly.

"In five minutes," I reply.

"Okay, we will wait here," he said.

"We?" I question him.

"Hmm yes we, I'm coming with you," he said nonchalantly.

"What?" I asked Nico who stood in front of me.

"I'm coming with you," he stated. I glared at him.

"Why? Why would you come with me?" I ask him.

"I'm bored and everyone is busy to hang out with," he answered.

"Aren't you busy? Don't you have work to do?" I asked.

"Nope, I'm tagging with you."

"No, you dislike Greg, I don't want my day to be spoiled. I will go out with Greg without you."

"I won't allow it," he said.

"I don't your permission, I can go with anyone I want," I say a bit rashly while he looked calm.

"You are living with us which means you have to take permission," he stated.

"I already took permission from Xavier uncle and Elora aunty," I said.

"You have to take mine." I narrow my eyes at him.

"Why should I take yours?" I questioned him.

"Because you have to."

We start arguing, I keep telling him that he shouldn't tag along or come with me. While he kept on saying that he would.

"Oh my god Nico why are you behaving like a kid!" I yelled. He just stood there looking at me with a stupid smile.

We both stared at each other for a few minutes before I shrugged my shoulders. My phone rang, I answered the call knowing it's Greg.

"Hello."

"I'm outside," Greg said.

"I'm coming in a minute," I say.

"Okay." I end the call and look at Nico.

"Are you serious?"

"Yes," Nico replied.

"Fine! You can come," I said. I started walking shaking my head and he started following me.

We go out to see Greg waiting outside his car

"Hi, Kia!" Greg said smiling happily.

"Hi Greg," I greet him. He looked behind me at Nico and looked confused.

"Hi Nico," Greg said being a good man.

"Hi, Greg,"

"He is joining us," I tell Greg.

Greg smirks, "okay, that would be good." I roll my eyes looking at the smirk.

"Greg, do you mind me driving?" Nico asked.

"Not at all, here," Greg said handing the keys to Nico.

He turned to me, "you sit in the front, with me."

Greg smiled opening the back door and getting in the car.

Greg must've felt bad but he isn't saying. He wanted to hang out with me and Nico.

"You are crazy!" I said to Nico.

"I know."

I open the door and get inside, buckle the seatbelt.

"You sure? If you are uncomfortable, just tell me. I will tell Nico to stay back," I tell to Greg.

"Nah, it's fine. He wants to join us, let him."

Before I could say anything Nico got inside the car and buckled his seatbelt.

*

We got into the cruise ship. We are visiting the statue of liberty. I looked at the people who are getting in. Nico has his sunglasses and sat beside me.

We are abiding for the ship to start for some reason Nico is smiling. I didn't understand it but I know he is up to something.

"Just a minute," Greg said standing up as he got a call.

"Yup."

I watched as Greg went to the other side. I faced Nico.

"Why are you smiling?" I asked him.

"Oh, nothing."

"I know you are planning something. Don't do anything stupid," I told him while he just gave me his sweet smile.

"I promise," he said giving me that innocent look of his.

"I'm so sorry Kia, I have to go," Greg said. My brows frowned in confusion.

"Ugh? Why? What happened?" I ask.

"My roommate, he isn't feeling good and no one is there. I need to go and check on him. It could be serious," he said.

I'm in a situation I can't stop him from going. "Hmm sure. Text me when you reach home and let me know if he is okay," I said.

"Sure, take care and enjoy. Next time we will plan," he said.

"Next time."

"Bye Nico."

"Stay safe brother."

Greg smiled at me once again before wandering towards the entrance to get down the ship.

I turned around to a smiling Nico. "It's your doing right," I said.

"No," he said innocently. I shook my head sitting down.

"Why didn't you go back to London?"

"Because I don't want to," I looked at the water. The wind is blowing my hair. I took out a hair tie and tied my hair into a ponytail.

"You said you can't stay in New York without your best friends," I say looking at him.

"But my mum can't stay without me. My best friends can manage a few days without me," he replied taking the seat beside me.

I stay quiet, I watch the people on board. Kids excitedly looking at the water.

Nico helped me getting down the ship. He didn't leave my hand actually.

"You can leave my hand," I say looking at intertwined hands.

"Why? Doesn't it feels good?"

"No." I pull my hand away and he shrugs his shoulders.

We start walking slowly as there are people before us.

"I feel like a tourist," Nico said.

"Why?"

"I visited this place only once," he said.

"What?" I asked him in bewilderment.

"Yeah, when you are a native you don't visit the places," he said which is true.

"True."

"You didn't come here with others or with Xahria?" He asked.

"Nope, we planned but always something or the other thing happened."

After our three hours of sightseeing, we returned. I enjoyed being with Nico, it's quite entertaining.

I don't wanna accept the fact but being with Nico is more interesting than others.

I don't know but I talk more about things, our conversations aren't silly. He shares many things and history beyond things. We ended up in a small restaurant and I like the ambience of the restaurant.

"Who is your favourite part of your best friends?" I asked him.

"I like Camryn," he said.

"Reason?" I asked. I haven't met Camryn yet.

"That boy is calm and kind. The fact that he is more kind and generous than me. I see myself in him sometimes. He isn't a boy anymore and he joined the army."

"Oh..."

"Who is your favourite?" he asked. I thought about it, everyone is my favourite.

"Everyone whom I met," I said which made him laugh.

"You will be meeting the other two on Sunday but I don't know when you gonna meet Camryn," he said.

We laughed, we shared so many memories of our childhood.

"Once our dad tricked us giving us a painted egg saying if we break it with our forehead we would get chocolate from it. We thought it's a box; shaped egg-like. And once the egg hit our forehead, our face, shirt covered with egg yolk," he said I laughed.

"And my dad thought it's a good prank, my mom joined him recording everything."

"I'm going to watch that video tonight," I said holding my stomach.

"Don't worry I will show you all the videos," he said.

"Really?" I asked him with excitement.

"Yeah, I have the videos in my room."

"Great!" I said feeling excited to see their childhood videos.

We drove home in silence a good kind of silence. I smiled thinking about today. It is one of the best days.

I never went to his room nor on the right side of the floor. The whole floor is his so we aren't allowed to go.

Xahria is with Aubree. Xavier uncle and Elora aunty are busy watching a movie. I followed Nico silently observing the walls.

"It's like your personal den!" I said in awe. He laughed looking at my expression.

"Yeah, when I was a kid I wanted this whole side to be mine," he replied.

"What you did with all these rooms?" I asked.

"I have my own office, gym, library, movie room and bedroom in this wing," he said.

"Woah!"

We both sat down on the soft rug of his movie room and watched the videos. I laughed so much looking at the videos.

"This one is when the girls tried hair-removal cream for the first time. We too applied it on our legs for fun," Nico said while I laughed watching the video.

Kreo was applying the cream on Nico's legs while the girls yelling saying boys don't use it.

Elwen is the most mischievous one as he did so many pranks on girls.

"Elwen is the prankster," I say.

"He is and his partner in crime is Xahria. They prank us a lot in the vacations," Nico said.