Stay With Me | a Zanca fanfic

#5 - I'll Be Here

"He's SICK??" Nica asked in disbelief. Yesterday Zandar was all yay and hooray with no sign of sickness, so Nica was surprised to hear that he is now absent from school.

"Yeah, he didn't tell you? He suddenly got a fever and a major flu," Rere answered while she eats her lunch. "Phoor hunclhe."

"Hey, don't talk while you're eating," scolded Anca.

"Shorry."

A fever, huh?

Nica stared her bowl full of beef soup, spacing out. She finally had the courage to answer Zandar's invitation to a date and all of a sudden he's sick? What timing.

"Don't worry Nica, I'm sure Zandar's fine. He's a hard man to kill, if that's what you're worried about," Nishita's voice took Nica back to reality. The twins nodded beside Nishita.

"Maybe you should pay him a visit," Alicia suggested.

"Alicia's right," continued Alice. "Zandar's house is on the apartment right beside our school, so it's easy to reach. You can also bring him food."

"But wouldn't his parents be at home?" Nica said, unsure whether if that's the right thing to do.

"Nah, he's alone at times like this," Rere wiped her mouth with a tissue. In front of her was four empty bowls of chicken noodles. "His parents work during the day and won't be back before 10 o'clock. So yeah, he's on his own."

Something occurred to Nica's mind. No parents. Just her and Zandar. Wouldn't it be awkward with just the two of them alone? She almost said no but something held her back. She slowly nodded.

"Okay," she finally said. "I'm going."

Rere smiled, giving her a thumbs up. What Nica didn't realise is the naughty glint in Rere's and her friends's eyes.

• • • • •

"Zandar?" Nica called in front of Zandar's apartment door, knocking softly. "Are you there?"

She expected to hear footsteps or at least noise from inside of his apartment, but she heard nothing.

Maybe he's sleeping, she thought.

Nica stood there dumbfounded, not knowing what to do. She glanced at the paper that contains Zandar's address from Anca. She then pushed the door lightly, and surprisingly it was unlocked. The door opened slightly.

Should I go in? No, it would be weird to just barge in like that. Plus this is my first time going to his home. What if he's actually in the shower? What if he thinks I'm a burglar? What if —

"Just go in there already!" a voice hissed. Nica almost jumped with surprise.

She looked back and saw five heads popping from behind a trash bin near the elevator. Those five heads quickly hid the moment Nica laid her eyes on them.

Nica sighed. "Guys, I know it's you."

Now Nica could see the five heads bobbing up and down, whispering something to each other, before they stood up together.

"Why are you guys following me?"

"Who said we're following you? We're just... Um... Admiring the trash bin! Yes! Don't you know that this one's made 50 years ago in Russia? Look at that beautiful grey color!" Nishita blurted.