< Nina’s POV >
“No,” I answer, firmly as I glare at him. I do hope my glare can give him the signal to leave me alone.
But instead, Luca remains calm, he slowly lets go of my wrist as he touches my shoulders. I don’t know why but when he started touching me, my whole body heated up. Is it because of the alcohol? Or his confident gaze has already made me feel this indescribable feeling that I have been experiencing each time we do.
“I want to continue our talk,” he says, carefully. “It might sort everything out if we try. So, can we go back?”
He doesn’t look away nor does he feel awkward with our distance. I feel my face already warmed up--probably worse than it was earlier and I look down, an overwhelming feeling I couldn’t describe.
He is serious, that I can tell. And with that, I reluctantly nod. Ignoring my embarrassment and the nauseating feeling I have right now.
As we head inside, Yu is now wearing his coat with keys in hand. Luca arches an eyebrow. “You’re leaving?”
“Well, my job’s done here, after all. I promise to be back for a drinking session.” He then turns to me and pats my head. “We’ll celebrate my birthday once you’re sober, kid.”
I just nod, absent-mindedly.
As Yu leaves us alone, Luca guides me to sit on the sofa as we both sit next to each other, something we have never done before.
Then Luca starts talking, “The reason why I decided to take you in is not to make your life miserable but because my mother told me to.”
“I k-know.”
“That’s not all, I took you in because I wanted to compensate for what I’ve done before but my pride and prejudice took over...so, I apologize for that.” Luca hesitates then he continues. “In fact, I should apologize for everything I’ve done to you so far.”
Luca seems like he isn’t used to apologizing at all. But I just stare at my fingers and nod, giving him the signal to continue.
“I didn’t bring Heather because it’s awkward. I don’t want to show this side to anyone other than Yu. So, it’s not because I’m treating you like a kid, mind you. You’re more mature than when I was your age, trust me. In fact, you’re more mature than I am now.”
“And your older sibling that I’ve never heard of?”
He looks at me with astonishment and wonders why I know that. So I add, “Heather told me...that you’re the youngest.”
Luca still looks bewildered but doesn’t question it. He slowly nods and replies, “Crispin de Milano. He’s my older brother. Three years older than me and a better brother, I tell you that. If we switch places, he will dote on you every day.”
At that, my cheeks redden by the thought of that. “I...see.”
“But my mother chose me because I live here and he’s in Austria, making a name in the theater industry. He was the original inheritor of de Milano Inc. but Crispin doesn’t like business as much as I do. He prefers to go with the flow and finds his passion towards art, just like Rodrigo had ever been with acting. If Crispin wasn’t busy, he might visit here someday and you two can finally meet. He is excited to meet you, actually.”
I didn’t expect that. Apparently, Luca is the only one who didn’t take the divorce and the wedding well. “D-Do you hate your father?”
He doesn’t say anything but instead heaves a loud sigh. “Each time my father is brought up to the conversation, I get riled up. I am still mad...or as Yu said to me, I’m used to being mad at him for a very long time.”
“He told me about that, too.”
“What a tattletale,” he smirks, shaking his head.
I almost smile, finding that amusing.
“But tonight,” he continues, looking at me again. “Especially now, I don’t want my temper to take over again. It will be hard but I want to make things up for you.”
“E-even if I look like my mother?”
He hesitates and shakes his head. “Even if you look like her. And because of that, I jumped to conclusions about you,” he says in a quiet voice as he looks away. “I may not forgive your mother but I will try. Not now, maybe someday.”
“Even if she’s the homewrecker of your family?” I know it’s a daring question but I need to know.
He seems reluctant as he sighs. “I said a lot of bad things about her…and it might take a while to see her eye to eye but then again, you look like her and I…I want to apologize to her for the insults I’ve said to her over the years. She must be a great mother as I see you now.”
I nod, feeling relieved to hear that. “I appreciate that.”
He is quiet again for a moment before speaking, “It was good that you vented out earlier. I’m sorry for what I’ve said earlier.”
“You already apologized, Luca.”
“No, not only that. For...for the things, I’ve said in the past as well. I took back what I’ve said: that we don’t need to like each other. In fact, we can start...bonding from now on.”
In a lot of ways, Luca did try his best. Despite being with someone who can see his vulnerability, despite being a proud man, he was trying and he will start making an effort now.
“Thank you for clearing things up.”
He continues to gaze at me and he, hesitantly, raises his hand and slowly pats on my head. “You’re too kind, Nina. And I no longer wanted to treat you as an unwelcome guest here. Do you...do you want to start over?”
Now that he brings it up, I feel flustered. I remember the events before this and now that we’re talking and because for some odd reason that I feel braver tonight than usual, I blurt the first thing that comes to my mind. “I got a zero in my Math test.”
Luca blinks and I immediately turn my gaze away from him, realizing that I blurt out the worst kind of truth. “So I need you to sign for my remedial classes every Saturday.”
“Do you happen to have Mr. Fisher as your Math teacher there?”
I look back at him as he is lost in his thoughts while he smiles in amusement.
“Err...yeah?”
“I’ll pay him a visit myself,” he muses.
I just nod, weakly, unable to retort like I normally do as I yawn.
“Oh, it’s getting late, Nina. You should be in bed by now.” He stands up, gesturing to me to stand up. But instead of doing as I was told. I raise both of my arms in front of him.
He looks at me curiously, wondering what I want. I guess I need to spell it out. “Carry me to my room.”
It was a daring request, especially since I don’t normally do this. But my head is hurting and anytime now, I might pass out.
But instead of a refute or another awkward rejection, he does it, anyway, wordlessly as he sweeps me off from the sofa.
Honestly, I didn’t expect him to do it. Especially that whenever he touches me, we always have an awkward situation.
But this time, he is determined to make it right for us.
As he places me on my bed, he mutters, “Good night, Nina.”
And those words give butterflies in my stomach before I have gone into a deep slumber.