Right Where We Belong

Chapter 5 - The Moment I Knew

You should've been there,

Should've burst through the door with that baby-I'm-right-here smile

And it would've felt like

A million little shining stars had just aligned

And I would've been so happy

-The Moment I knew, Taylor Swift

Nina was pacing back and forth.

"Jesus, Nina! You're making me dizzy." Julianne complained.

"I'm nervous, okay?"

Her birthday party would not start until 7:30 in the evening. It was still 4:00 in the afternoon but she felt goddamned nervous.

"Why would you be? This is a birthday party – your birthday party - not a Spanish Inquisition, for Pete's sake!"

"Weren't you nervous during your debut?"

"Of course not! Geez. You're being ridiculous. Come on here now, I'm gonna make you the 2nd most beautiful creature on earth."

"Who's the first?" She blinked.

"Why, obviously, it's me!" Her stepsister grinned.

She stifled her laugh but in the end, they both burst out laughing.

"You're having a good time huh?" Kate entered the room bringing Nina's cellphone which she had left in the living room. Kate handed it to her.

"Guess who's on the line."

Her eyes widened as she and Julianne exchanged excited looks.

"Ian!" She chirped. She couldn't hide the excitement in her voice.

"Nins! Happy birthday. You're now legal huh?" Ian greeted.

"Why, I was illegal before?" She teased. "You're too excited, aren't you? You could've just greeted me later, you know. But thanks, really." She grinned as Julianne winked at her.

There was a long pause.

"Ian? Still there?"

"Yeah... Well, I've got news."

"Oh, I thought you would say 'I've got gifts'. With an s." She grinned on the phone.

"Well, of course I've got 'em. But I thought you might want to hear this news first."

"Spit it out." She was still grinning.

"What d'you wanna hear first, good news or bad news?" He asked.

"Oh! There's a bad news?"

"It may not be that bad though." He tried to sound optimistic but she knew him too well.

"C'mon Ian. Spit it out. Now."

"I'll start with the good one first."

"Well?" She couldn't hide the impatience in her voice.

"Nikki and I... We're dating! I mean, officially!" The guy on the phone was really happy.

"Oh..." She tried to hide the disappointment in her voice.

"That's still bad news for me." She murmured.

"What?"

"Nothing."

 Am I too late? She asked herself.

"And the bad news?"

"Well, she's sick. And..."

"And?"

"I have to stay with her. Her parents are both not here yet. She wants me to stay with her for a while until her parents come home."

She stood there, unable to say anything.

Julianne gave her an is-everything-alright look.

She shook her head.

"But I'll go there when they arrive. I can still be your last dance. I wouldn't miss it for the world."

"Is that a promise?"

"Of course. When they arrive, immediately, I'll go there."

She smiled even if Ian couldn't see her and hanged up.

"What did he say?"

"He'll be late. But he'll come. He promised." She smiled, trying to convince them. But mostly, she was trying to convince herself.

The party had already begun. In fact, her eighteen roses dance had already begun. It was her first dance yet Ian was still not around.

"Are you okay?" Her Dad asked.

"Of course Dad. Why wouldn't I be?" I'm trying to be okay.

"You don't have to lie to me, sweetie."

"I'm afraid Ian won't make it on time." She finally admitted.

"Just relax, okay? He'll be here. Now, you have to enjoy. It's your day."

She smiled.

The song changed – signalling the end of her first dance. Her second dance was Alex.

"Hey there beautiful," he winked at her.

"Hey handsome," she grinned at him.

"Happy birthday."

"Thank you," she tried but failed to conceal the pang of disappointment on her face.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. It's just that, I'm afraid I won't have a last dance."

He frowned.

"Christian. He said he might be late tonight. I haven't seen him yet."

"Maybe he's on his way."

"Maybe not."

"Chill, okay? He'll be here. If not, then I'd be more than willing to be his sub." He grinned.

"Thank you," she smiled.

It was already her seventeenth dance but Ian was still nowhere to be seen. The song began to fade, signalling that her seventeenth was about to end. When the song finally ended, still, there was no sign of Ian. People began to murmur and glance at her pitifully. She bit her tongue to stop herself from crying. Just when she was about to run away and escape from this humiliation, someone held her hand.

"Where are you going? I told you I'd be more than willing to be his sub." The guy said.

And she was not able to stop herself anymore. She hugged him and cried.

"Thank you for being here Alex."