TEACH ME NOT 2 HATE LOVE

52

👧Tajea POV 👧

"I see you are still uptight and think you are better than the rest of us, Nik." Some good-looking guy who slightly looks like Niklaus but more like Ms. Radnor arrived on the scene. Another brother of Nik, I presume.

"Nathan, my sweet boy. You made it," Ms. Radnor acknowledged the newcomer, hugging and kissing his cheeks. And at least this one didn't have Nik in his name.

"I wouldn't miss this for the world, mother." Nathan smirked. He then eyed me ravenously. Damn disgusting. "And who is this fine thing here?" Is he really addressing me? Pfff, could never.

"Take your filthy eyes off her." Nik gets all angry and protective over me. Somehow, I find that sweet. But I don't need a bodyguard. I can take care of myself.

"I see. She's your woman. For now, that is." Nathan was laughing as if someone had told a funny joke.

"No, I'm not his woman. I'm not a thing. I belong to no one," I answered before Nik could say anything.

"That means you are up for takings," he flirted.

"Boy, just go back to whatever hole you crawled from with your BS. I just got here, and I don't want to ruin this lovely party," I warned.

"If you don't mind Nathan, Radnor, and Tajea, my dear, I'd like to have a word with Nik alone." Niklaus ordered us to leave in a polite way.

"Pfff, whatever," Nathan snorted contemptuously before walking away with Ms. Radnor. I tried leaving too, but Nik held me back and begged me to stay, and I did. Ugh, I have gone soft.

Niklaus was about to say something, but Nik interrupted. More like interrogated.

"Why are you even here in Orion City, father? What's the purpose of all this?"

"I just want to spend time with my family and friends. With you. That's all," Niklaus replied. And he seemed to be genuine, too.

Nik still didn't seem convinced, though. "Why did you give back the money?"

"I don't need it."

"I find that hard to believe," Nik scoffed.

"Is it so hard for you to believe I have changed?" Niklaus got a bit upset. Luckily, there was band music playing. Not to mention, everyone was too occupied doing their own thing. They don't give a damn about what's going down right at this table.

"Yes, it is. Old dogs don't change their habits." Nik was smiling, but behind it was pain.

"Well, how about a sick, dying old dog?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" What Niklaus said caught Nik off guard. Me too.

"I have stage five brain cancer. I'm dying, Nik." Niklaus delivers the bad news. And it looked so hard for him to do it.

There was silence. And this girl was just sipping on her drink, being invisible. But enough about me; back to the real drama.

One can see how broken Nik was about this news. But the years of anger he held captive in his heart for his father got the best of him. "So let me get this straight. You want to make amends now with me because you are dying."

"Yes and no. For a long time, I've wanted to do so, but." Niklaus tried to explain, but the upset Nik didn't give him the chance to.

"You know, you are just unbelievable. Playing sick to get me to feel sorry for you. That's just low, father," Nik voiced weakly, clenching his fist and tears welling up in his eyes. "You are the worst."

"It's not an act, son. It's the truth. I'm dying." Niklaus looked like he was about to tear up too.

"You know what? I don't have to sit here and listen to this BS. I'm out of here." Nik, get up and leave.

"So you were dying after all." What? That's the first thing that came to mind.

"Yeah. I am." Niklaus dried his eyes and faked a smile. "Now, if you excuse me, my dear, I have something important to attend to."

"OK." Damn, I felt kind of sorry for the poor man. Anyway, I need to go find Nik to see if he's OK. And as I was about to do so, Nathan came back to the table and sat opposite me. Great, what does he want now?

"I thought they'd never leave. Anyway, baby. How about you and I get out of here? Go somewhere more private." The ego of this guy, It reaches outer space, I tell you.

"Are you for real?" This boy almost made me laugh.

"Yes. I can guarantee you a better time with me than that pathetic little brother of mine," he bragged.

"Is that right?" This guy is unbelievable. What does he take me for, Toni 2.0?

"Yes babe. Now let's go before your bodyguard returns." He reached for my hand that was resting on the table, fondling it. Defiling it. He even made the mistake of trying to drag me off with him.

This made me so upset that I jammed the fork that I picked up from the table into the back of his palm.

"You sick b*tch!" He hollered, causing everyone to direct their attention to us. Even the band stopped playing. The piece of sh*t kept on crying, staring terrified at his bloody arm. What a baby!

"Yeah, I guess I kind of am," I say out loud and proud. "And the next time you try throwing yourself at me, you will lose an eye."

Regina and Tyrone find their way over to me. My sister inquired about what happened, and I assured her I'm fine before I go looking for Nik.

Oh, look, I don't need to go searching after all. It seems the commotion has even drawn his attention.