To the One I Loved

Chapter Twenty-Three: Nina's Dad

Nina's POV:
Today is Friday, November 7th. Alex and I were at the mall shopping because tomorrow is Paul's birthday.

"What do you think he'll want?" Alex asks me. We are walking hand-in-hand down the halls of the mall.

"I don't know," I said, "You're his bro-friend." He laughs at this. Alex always laughs when I make jokes about him and Paul. I tease him and say that he's only dating me so that he could hang out with Paul.

"Maybe a new, diamond watch?" Alex asked. I stopped walking and since we were holding hands, I pulled him to a stop too.

"Are you like, a multi-billionare and just not telling me?" I ask. He laughs and shakes his head, "No," he says, "But my step dad is." Then we both laugh.

Although Alex's step dad's name is James, I call him Steve. I think its mostly because he looks like a Steve. We were only laughing, though because Steve actually was rich. He had millions of dollars saved up before he ever met Alex and his family, and he just kept making more and more.

"Seriously, what do you think he'll want, though?" Alex asks me.

"Um, I don't know. A new bike? Or maybe, um, a girlfriend?" Nina said. "This is really hopeless. Just give him like money or something and he can pick out what he really wants."

I laugh. "Well, then, let's shop for you," Alex said. And I was extatic. Alex knows that I love to shop. I need a new straightener, my hair was growing back, and fast it was already past my shoulders. I dragged him first to Victoria Secret.

I made him wrap his arms around my waist and close his eyes. I told him I didn't like him looking at models. Seeing people prettier than me. He told me that he'd close his eyes even though there wasn't a women or girl in the world prettier than me. And that gave me that awful feeling of butterflies.

But when he gave me the feeling of butterflies, I could handle if better than with anything else. While in Victoria secret and got new panties and brad which were on sale. 5 pairs for $10. That was for the matching bras, too and was a deal I couldn't pass.

I also got my favorite autumn body wash, shower gel, perfume, and body lotion. Then I lead Alex out of that store.

"Thank you," I said. "You can open your eyes, now." Then he opened his eyes.

"Wow, that model is so hot," he says. I look behind me.

"What?" I ask him. "Which one."

He pulls out his phone, takes a picture of me, and holds it up. "This one," he says. I laugh and kiss him.

"Whatever," I said, playfully, "One more store?" I aksed. He nodded. Then our hands found there way back to each other.

Alex and I have literally been like one person since we did it. We've fallen for each other harder every day, and I don't even think that's possible.

When we got out of Shoe Locker, where I had bought a new pair of white flats and a pair of black, heeled sandals, then we headed back to Alex's car.

He popped the trunk with the remote on hi key chain. I set my three bags inside, then closed the trunk. We both got into the car and buckled in. Alex pulled a card from the windshield.

Inside he wrote: From Alex. Then he put $200 dolors inside. "Do you think that'll cover for me not getting him a present?" Alex asks.

I nod, "Yeah. I'm pretty sure that'll make your friendship," I say. He laughs at another of my Paul-Alex jokes.

"Whatever," he laughs, shaking his head. Then we pull off.

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Alex's POV:

Nina and I pull into my drive way. "Should I change for dinner, or is this okay?" I ask. I had on plain black somewhat skinny jeans and plain blue t-shirt.

She nods, "It's fine. I'm wearing this." She says. She has on a blue and white tank top and black shorts.

I nod, grabbing Paul's card from the dashboard. I think my mom and Angela are already here, because none of the lights are on at home and its almost dark out.

I open the trunk for Nina. She grabs her bags at and then closes the trunk back. We both cut through the yard and head up the stairs to her front door.

I was about to knock three times, forgetting that Nina lived here. She reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out a key.

She unlocked the door and we walked in through the threshold. The suspicion of my mom and Angela was true. They were already here, and so is my Step dad.

Everyone, including my parents, Angela, and Joan, are all sitting on the couches. Everyone except for Paul...and me and Nina.

"Where's Paul?" I asked. "Isn't he the guest of honor for this dinner?"

Then out of the back room came Paul and some other tall man. "Apparently not," Paul said. I was confused. I didn't even know who this man was.

"Dad?" Nina asked behind me, quietly. She stayed mostly hidden behind me and held onto my arm almost as if she was afraid.

He nodded taking a step towards us, but Nina stepped back, her hand still around my arm pulling me back, too.

Then she slid her fingers down my arm to my hand. She quickly whipped around, pulling my hand and taking me up the stairs with her. We went into her room and she locked the door.

"Why is he even here?" She asked. "For what purpose?" She sat on her bed, tears filling her eyes.

"Do you not like your father?" I asked her. She shook her head, no. "Why not?"

"He's a son of a bitch. When he found out I had cancer, then he just walked out on us. He didn't even care about what it would do to me and Paul," she said, "I even remember one time before he left. He was talking to my mom, saying he couldn't handle living with this. With us. He said he thought children were perfect creations of God, but I turned out flawed." Now tears were streaming down her face.

I pulled her into me, wrapping my arms around her. "I'm sorry," I say. "But don't you think you're going to have to push through seeing him? It is Paul's dinner party after all."

She nods. "I have to, but I don't want to. And that doesn't mean that I will," she says.

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A/N: hey guys. I thought I had something to say but I either forgot or its not important. Okay well. As you see we've gone back to having some of this story in Nina's POV...but anyways,

Don't forget to give me feedback. Comment, vote, message me thoughts. So yeah. Have a great day.!