Love Never Fails

Chapter 10: Nick

Don't say it. Please don't say it.

"... Do you realise that sister is after you?"

He turns around and looks at me with menacing eyes. They're still beautiful, even though he probably is using them to find the best spot to attack my jugular. He's so cute, I'd let him try. And he'd find I can bite him back too.

But I should probably leave that parallel reality for later.

"Yes, Einstein. I do."

"Right. It was pretty evident. The kisses, the eyes... Are you... Or have you been..."

"What, like... Together? No!" He jumps at the idea as if it had been inconceivable. I chuckle.

"It wouldn't be that bad, I guess. She seems quite interested," I'm almost having fun with this. I know I should probably stop. I don't think I want to, though. "Although you'd have to marry quickly, have some children..."

He sighs. "Can we skip this conversation?"

"Uhm. No, I don't think we can, really."

"She's nobody, ok?" Wow! And I though I was the cold and distant one. "Uhm... No, that's harsh. I mean... She's a sister from the youth group of my congregation. Just that. We've been friends since I can remember. Grown in the same congregation. My parents know theirs..."

"That's how most Christian marriages start, for what I know..."

"Yeah?" His stance changes, and a quirky, cunning smile appears as he narrows his eyes. "So, how much do you know about it, huh, Casanova?"

"Touché." I've deflected questions like this for over a decade. Careful, little one, you might get burnt. "But first of all, as a Graduate of the SKE if I was ever to get married, that would have to be carefully examined by the Congregation elders. And second, we're not talking about me." The SKE card works almost every time. The only time it doesn't work is with the Circuit Overseer's wives, who are constantly trying to pair male and female Graduates together. It feels like their version of Big Brother or Love Island.

Not that I watch such kind of shows, of course (wink face).

I remain silent for five seconds watching him intently at his eyes, both because they are beautiful and because I know how to use tense silence to my benefit. He breaks.

"We. Are. Nothing. More!" He's visibly annoyed. "And if we were I would have nothing to prove or say to you, Mr. Newcomer-And-Almost-Totally-Stranger."He pauses and breathes. I deserved that. "I... I really don't know why she's acting like that now. She's been like that for some time and It's not cool."

"So you know she's interested in you."

"Well... She's never plainly said anything. But... I would have to be blind."

"Right, and you are not interested."

"No."

"So? Why don't you just tell her?"

A silence ensues. "Right, Romeo, how many times has that worked for you?"

Ouch. For some reason I didn't see that coming.

"That's what I thought," he adds, seeing as I don't reply. But no. It's not what you thought, Dara. It's more than that. I've been in this situation before. And not just with Ari. It's awful that it happens without your consent, but you have to learn to let them know that you're not interested clearly, even if to just not hurt them. Gosh... I guess Sarah was right and I'm playing the big brother role here... And let's be honest. I don't dislike it.