Computers, Basketball and Love

Chapter 19

That night after Nik escorted Cora back to her dorm, he went on a walk to think. The events of the day hadn't left his mind. He had been thinking about it ever since it happened.

He wasn't concerned about the girl who tried to start stuff with Cora. And he had no problems with how Cora handled it. No, the part that he couldn't stop thinking about was when he told her that he loved her.

It hadn't escaped his notice that she hadn't said it. He had known that she would have a hard time expressing her feelings. It was no wonder with how her mom is. Even though he had known that she probably wouldn't say it when he told her, it still hurt a bit when she didn't say it.

He could tell by the way she reacted to his love declaration that she felt the same way he did. But he knew that they were also scared, even if she didn't realize it, she was. The real problem is that Nik didn't know how to get rid of her fears.

It wasn't very often that Nik got stumped by something. But this was one problem that he didn't know how to solve. He did know though, that he was going to keep showing her how he felt. He also wanted her to get used to hearing him tell her that he loves her.

The thing that would be the most difficult for him would be to have the patience to wait for her to be able to tell him how she feels. In the past year since he first met her, Nik has had really good patience.

After meeting her he found out that she wasn't interested in dating anyone. So he had made his interest in her known and then he waited for her to be ready to date. All the while becoming as close to her as she would let him. First he got to know her and became friends with her. Then, when she was ready and he could see that she had feelings for him, he asked her out.

Now they have been dating for several months. His family loved her. She seemed to like them too. His friends were now her brothers, their words not his. He liked her friends as well. It was like they were all becoming one big family. And Nik knew that that was what Cora needed.

She needed to see that there were people who loved her. That she had people that would stick by her no matter what. Nik knew that all of their friends would be by her side no matter what. Now he just had to figure out how to make her realize that it's ok if she tells people how she feels.

Later that night Nik decided to ask the guys what they thought he should do. They all knew Cora very well and knew her background and why she has a problem expressing her feelings.

It was Zack who had a suggestion for Nik. "Well, man, I think your best bet is to give her some space. Find a way to not see her at all for a little bit."

Nik and the others' facial expressions lit up. None of them had thought about that. Nik probably would have never thought of it because he didn't want to go without her. Not for any length of period.

Fred said to them, "That's a really good idea. She hasn't even gone one day without seeing you, other than summer break, since you started dating. But how do you want to do this? Do you want to confront her about it and then tell her you need some time alone? Or do you just want to come up with a reason for you to be busy and not see her?"

Josh thought he knew which was the better choice so he said to them, "Both of those choices have merit. However, if your goal is to get her to confront her feelings, I think the first is the better option." He paused for a moment to gauge their reaction and then continued,"The reason I say that is she will be more likely to confront her feelings if you talk about it first and then disappear."

Nik really didn't want to go even a day without Cora but he could see that it would probably be his best option. "You're right. That is what I need to do. I will go ahead and register that I am going to take a week off. And I will talk to her the night before I plan to take the week off. Then I will go home and see my parents. How does that sound?" His three friends agreed with his decision.