Waiting For Nick

CHAPTER TWENTY

Nick watched the fascinated look on Cissy's face. She looked stupefied- and beautiful too. He looked around his room and tried to see it the way he thought she would.
First, it was neat - thank God he'd decided to stash a lot of things away before going out - and nice. Posters adorned the green-painted walls. A giant bed stood on the other side of the room. And a shelf by the right accommodated tons of books.
When Jaden and Dash had first visited, Jaden had berated him. "Aw, man. You a lady? Only sissies read books. Men don't!"
Nick had laughed at his statement but now, he couldn't help but wonder how Cissy saw it. As if she read his mind, she turned to him. "You read books?"
"Surprised?" He smirked.
"Just wanted to be sure you didn't just keep them there to stare at their loveliness." She deadpanned.
He chuckled but didn't reply.
He watched her continue to take in the sight, when his eyes caught his stupid pink underwear peeking out from under his bed. Shit! Had she seen it? He quickly glanced at her but she was quite busy, still in awe of his room that she hadn't noticed what had caught his attention. He took two quick steps and sent the underwear flying far under the bed. He heard her voice before he turned to face her.
"Really, this is nice. I wasn't expecting your room to be quite spick and span."
"Ohh.. Been dreaming about my room now, have we?" He teased, sending a wink her way.
"Oh, please. I haven't!" She retorted. "But really, its nice, I must say."
"Thanks."
"So when did we officially become an item? 'Cos the last time I checked, I was freaking single."
He laughed. "Cissy, if that's your way of telling me how available you are, its quite lame."
"Of course not!" She said, hitting him on his chest. "Oh, please, who would've thought you were egotistical?"
"Ahh...like my chest too?" He teased her further.
This time, she actually blushed. "Nick!"
"I could take it off, you know." He said, referring to his shirt. Boy, he was enjoying this.
"Dominick Trenton, you wouldn't dare!" She squealed, her index finger in front of his face.
"A dare? Just what I love."

                       
                          ***
Cissy's eyes widened. Oh, good lord! He was taking the damn shirt off! She was going to die from embarrassment.
She watched as his hands held the hem of the shirt and he brought it over his head. Her mouth actually, effortlessly fell open. Goodness! The guy looked like the freaking statue of Adonis. He wasn't all muscle-ly but he did look damn good. Well defined abs accentuated his body. He would put Lance to shame anytime.
"You done ogling me?" He asked, an amused smile on his face. His voice brought her out of her idolizing reverie. Completely mortified that he'd caught her staring, she smacked his arm. "Ogling you?" She scoffed. "Oh please, stop acting like you're John Cena and put the stupid shirt back on." She rolled her eyes and went to examine a poster on the wall.
He laughed as he began to throw the shirt back on and made his way to sit on the  bed.
"So, your parents?" She asked.
He shrugged. "Dad's somewhere on the other side of the planet."
She smiled. "And your mum? She should be proud of you looking after the kids while she's away."
After seconds of silence, Cissy turned around to face him. He had this dark look in his eyes and there was a hardness etched on his face. Then she realized. She understood. Because she'd been there too.
She walked to him and placed her hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry."
He gave her a strained smile and shrugged. "It happened a long time ago." Pain was evident in his voice.
"It did happen a long time ago but time doesn't always heal emotional wounds." He looked up at her, eyebrow raised. She smiled sadly. "I lost my dad when I was ten. It was probably the worst thing that happened to me after the accident I had when I was nine, in which I was diagnosed of permanent amnesia."
"Accident?" He asked, looking surprised.
"Yeah. Sometimes I wish he had died before I had that accident so I wouldn't have to feel the pain and at other times, I'm grateful he didn't and that I remember him."
Nick took her hand in his. "I'm so sorry about all that."
Cissy smiled. "How the tables have turned. Wasn't I the one doing the comforting a few minutes ago?"
And just like that, his smile returned to his face. He opened his mouth to reply but the door flew open and in walked a sulking Victoria.
"That stupid dimwit, Vincent just ate the last of my fries!"
"No, I didn't." Vincent said, striding in after her. "You chucked it at me and I caught it and ate it."
"You realize you just contradicted yourself, young man?" Nick asked, a half smile on his face.
Vincent shrugged, a mischievous glint in his bright blue eyes.
Nick sighed and turned to Cissy. "Gimme a minute. I'll go order pizza for everyone."
Cissy nodded and watched him leave. Then she turned to the twins who suddenly seemed appeased by the thoughts of pizza.
"So, you really his girlfriend?" Vincent asked, again.
"Nah. Just friends." She replied smiling at him.
"Friends? Nicky never brings a girl home, friend or foe."
Victoria slapped the back of his head. "Quit being an idiot, Vinny. Whoever brings an enemy to his house?"
Vincent shrugged. "Anyway, I think he used to before his therapy, remember?" Vincent said to Victoria.
"Vincent!" Victoria snapped, throwing him a warning look.
"Therapy?" Cissy asked, immediately confused. "What therapy?"
Before anyone could give her an answer, Nick walked in and threw himself on the bed. "You two, go find something to do with yourselves. Pizza will be here in a few." He said to the twins and they filed out of his room.
Cissy turned to Nick. She wanted to ask him about whatever therapy Vincent had been talking about but she knew she was in no place to ask anything personal.
A few words about his mum's death never meant she had the licence to his personal life.