Nina's Second Chance at Romance (Forbidden Romance)

(16)

-16-

Nina's heart palpitated as she stared into Tristan's eyes. She had just told him she was in love with him and she didn't know how he would take it.

A minute of silence had surrounded them, and Tristan couldn't meet her eyes. Was that a bad sign?  He rubbed his goatee as he stared blankly at the coffee table. 

"Tristan, are you okay?" Nina asked, gently touching his shoulder.

Tristan glanced back at her. "Are you sure?"

"Am I sure of what?"

"Are you sure that you're in love with me?" Tristan finally held her gaze.

"Of course I'm sure." Nina couldn't believe that he was questioning her about this.

"So, you still don't have feelings for, Nick?"

"Where is this coming from?" Nina asked, frowning.

Tristan sighed. "Remember the reason we got together in the first place?"

Nina nodded. "It was to make Nick jealous."

"Is that still what you're doing?"

"You think I would tell you I love you just to make him jealous?"

"I don't know, Nina. That's why I'm asking."

Nina ran her fingers through her hair. "This is crazy."

"What is?"

"I thought when I told you how I felt you would be happy," Nina said.

Tristan crossed his arms and sighed.

Nina stood up and grabbed her car keys off the coffee table. She trudged towards the door.

Tristan jumped up. "Where are you going?"

"I need some thinking time."

"Nina-"

Nina raised her hand. "If you're not here when I get back I guess that's my answer on how you feel about me."

Nina didn't let Tristan reply before she slammed the door in his face. She jumped in her silver Cadillac and drove off.

***

Nina had gone to the hospital to visit Naomi. She was doing better but she still hadn't awakened from her coma. Her vitals and organs were in good condition but her brain wasn't because she still hadn't woken up.

Her mother had spoken to her about what they should do if Naomi never awakened. Nina wasn't prepared for that. She prayed every night that her sister would wake up and everything would return to normal. 

Nina knew if her sister did wake up things wouldn't exactly be normal but at least they could start over and have the relationship that Nina always wanted them to have. She wanted to be able to talk to Naomi about love, her job, and just life. She wanted them to be close but Naomi had always pushed her away.

Nina sighed as she sipped on her mocha latte. She was at her favorite coffee shop that sat downtown. There were a lot of local shops downtown where you could shop, drink coffee and get drunk. 

Nina sat by a window at a small table. The coffee shop wasn't too crowded just the way she liked it. A few people in there were sipping coffee with their laptops and some college kids were studying.

Nina liked the shop because it had books that people could read in different genres. The bookcases sat in the back of the shop.  In corners of the room, there were bean bags that people could sit in. Most of the teenagers had those occupied. It wasn't too bright in the shop which she liked.