Maybe

Chapter 22 What's Happening To Me

With everything between Jake and Janice resolved, Nina found herself sinking deeper into sadness and loneliness as each day passed. Time was slipping away fast, as she was scheduled to move away soon.

One late night, overcome by loneliness, Nina decided to take a walk despite knowing it wasn't safe at that hour. The cool night air brushed against her cheeks, offering a fleeting comfort. Suddenly, she felt a hand on her waist, gripping her tightly. Startled, she struggled to break free. The man wore a mask, making it impossible for her to identify him clearly. He forcefully tried to pull her towards a nondescript blue car parked nearby.

Summoning all her strength, Nina struck his midsection hard, causing him to momentarily lose control of her. Seizing the opportunity, she sprinted away as fast as she could. To her horror, the man gave chase. As she ran, panic rising within her, she collided with someone unexpectedly.

Looking up, she met Ethan's bewildered gaze, his expression a mix of concern and confusion as he took in the distress evident on her face.

He glanced in the direction Nina had come from and spotted a man sprinting towards them. As soon as the man saw Ethan, he abruptly halted, then swiftly pivoted and fled in the opposite direction. Reacting quickly, Ethan dashed after him, leaving Nina bewildered as she stood alone. She watched anxiously as Ethan chased the man into the darkness, straining to see how far they went until they disappeared from view.

After a while, Ethan returned, his expression twisted with anger. Gasping for breath from the pursuit, he demanded, "Who the hell was that?"

"I don't know," Nina panted, still trying to catch her breath. "I didn't see his face. Did you?"

"Naah," he responded calmly before posing another question. "Now tell me, what on earth are you doing out here so late at night?"

"I should be asking you that," she replied with a hint of defiance.

"I'm a guy, you're a girl. There's a big difference," he pointed out.

"We're the ones who make it different," she retorted, folding her arms defensively.

"What if someone caught you, or worse, what if you were assaulted, sold, or something even worse?" he pressed on urgently. "They're dangerous people. We can't just sit back and do nothing. We have to be careful."

She looked down, exhaling a sigh before speaking softly. "I was bored," she murmured almost under her breath. He sensed the melancholy in her tone and gently placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. He refrained from saying more, knowing it wasn't his place to judge someone for simply wanting to walk. After all, it's normal to seek a change of scenery when boredom strikes.

He escorted her home, ready to leave once they arrived. However, as he turned to go, she unexpectedly reached out and grabbed his arm, halting him in his tracks. Confusion flickered across his face as he turned back to look at her.

_Nina_

"Stay," she gasped, the word slipping nervously from her lips.

"What?"

"Just stay over tonight, it's late anyway," she hurriedly suggested.

"Are you inviting me to-"

"No, no, no, no, no, ew, no way! How could you even think that?" Her words rushed out in a flurry of denial.

"Hey, hey, calm down. You're clearly panicked."

"I'm not?" I responded, feigning confusion.

"Uh, you are?" he teased, echoing my earlier response. I rolled my eyes in response, trying to ignore his smirking lips.

"Are you scared?" he started to ask, teasingly.

"No, I'm not! Just leave! Ugh," I snapped back in irritation.

"I'm not leaving you like that. Mind telling me why you live alone?" he persisted.

"Because I want to, okay!?" I shot back defensively.

"Ah, so you enjoy inviting trouble to your doorstep," he remarked wryly.

"I haven't brought any men to my place before you. You're the first since I moved to this city," I admitted reluctantly.

"So, you're really inviting me?" he pressed.

"It's not like it's a public place that I'm inviting you to! I'm just saying, god!" I retorted, feeling flustered by his persistence.

"Then what is it that you want from me now?" he asked, raising one eyebrow teasingly, fully aware of the answer. I felt a pang of fear, craving his presence beside me, yet puzzled by why it had to be him, always him. My mind flashed back to our kiss, the sensation of his lips against mine. Unconsciously, my gaze lingered on his lips for a fleeting moment before I quickly looked away, hoping he hadn't noticed.

Turning on my heels, I started walking towards the door. "Come inside if you want, or just leave!" I called out, my voice wavering with a mixture of frustration and vulnerability.

I entered the room, leaving the door ajar, knowing he would follow. He had no choice but to enter, and soon enough, he closed the door behind him. I stormed towards my room, my anger palpable. Suddenly, he appeared from behind, grabbing my waist and pinning me against the wall, his closeness almost suffocating. His warm breath brushed against my cold skin, sending shivers down my spine and causing a ticklish sensation. I struggled to speak, my breath catching in my throat as I tried to remain calm, not wanting to betray how fast my heart was racing. He leaned in closer, his lips brushing against my neck, and finally, I gathered the courage to speak.

"W-what are you doing, Ethan?" My voice trembled with every word I uttered.

"Isn't this what you wanted?" His whisper sent shivers down my spine, his lips brushing against my skin making me feel instantly weak. His hand gripped my waist, while his lips moved to my neck, planting wet kisses that left me breathless. His intoxicating scent filled my senses, igniting a fire in my heart and making me unexpectedly sensitive in the pit of my stomach. I wasn't supposed to react like this, was I?

I felt my legs tremble as I tried to stand firm. Did he know the effect he had on me just by kissing my neck? I could still feel his lips, warm and insistent.

After a moment, he paused and whispered again, "I can feel it." My heart raced, threatening to burst. "Feel what?" I asked, trying to maintain composure.

"Why didn't you stop me?" His tone was cool yet filled with depth, no hint of jest. I had no answer because the truth was, I hadn't stopped him. In fact, I had pulled him closer, craving more of the sensation as he continued to kiss my neck, leaving me with lingering wetness.

He pulled away abruptly, his intense stare making it difficult for me to catch my breath. Unsure of how to react, I glanced down, feeling overwhelmed. The sound of his chuckle startled me, and when I looked up, I found him smirking.

"You wanted this, didn't you?" he whispered softly, his thumb grazing my lips gently. He was so close that I found myself yearning for his kiss, though I couldn't understand why. My gaze drifted to his lips, but suddenly, I pushed him away forcefully, causing him to stumble onto a nearby chair.

"You're disgusting," I spat, trying to feign disgust despite my conflicted feelings. He only laughed, his expression shifting from amusement to something more serious as he studied me. I glared at him with annoyance, adjusting my hair in an attempt to regain composure.

In that moment, his playful laughter transformed into a more authoritative demeanor. He leaned back in the chair, his eyes fixed on me with a newfound intensity.

He brought his hand up to his lips, lightly biting his thumb that had just grazed mine. His gaze intensified, filled with a seductive allure that left me unsettled. 

Wasn't that enough for him?

I felt my nerves heighten in response to his intense stare, my own desires becoming increasingly difficult to suppress. I noticed his tongue subtly rolling inside his mouth as his eyes remained fixed on me. I struggled to maintain composure in his presence.

"Pull yourself together, Nina, I thought, attempting to quell the surge of emotions coursing through me. What's happening to me?