< Nina’s POV >
“No, of course not.” I laugh nervously, my eyes avert from his.
“Nina, I can easily tell a person if they’re lying or not.”
At that moment, I’ve realized a little bit too late that my habit of looking away is just making him more suspicious.
I gulp, slowly looking at his grey eyes. Weeks ago, if it weren’t for that drinking incident, he would just glare at me or ignore my existence. But now, the eyes he is showing to me were...mesmerizing.
“Nina?”
It snaps me from my own thoughts and I shake my head, embarrassed that once again, I’ve been gawking at Luca. “W-what makes you say that I’ve been assaulted?”
He slowly lets go of my shoulder and he says, unperturbed. “I know the way he looks at you. Like a wolf eyeing his prey. Unless it's consensual, I have nothing against that.” He crosses his arms. “I just want to hear what really happened, that’s all.”
“Well,” I start, realizing that my excuses aren’t going to work on Luca. I am going to make a mental note on that. “I said something I shouldn’t have and it riled him up. He pushed me down and--” I cut myself, realizing that I didn’t word it out correctly. Crap.
“So he did push you down.” His expression darkens.
“B-but he doesn’t have any intention of hurting me!” I say, my hands waving profusely. “He pushed me down because he wanted to scare me but deep down he’s not that bad, really!”
“Why are you defending him?” He asks.
Seriously, why am I defending Clarence? Is it because we started to get along? Is it because I’m getting used to his presence? Is it because I’m starting to see him in a different light?
I'm not even sure. One thing I’m aware of is that he’s completely different from the first time we’ve met.
Luca notices my silence then he sighs. “I thought it would be okay to let you do whatever you want since you are doing well, abiding by the rules I gave you.”
“I’m s-sorry.”
“Hey, I’m not criticizing you or anything. I just…well…” That’s odd, this time Luca is tongue-tied. Maybe he does have problems getting his point across without acting authoritative.
“I g-get it, Luca. Thanks for being concerned. It is s-something I have to get used to.” I laugh, nervously.
“I’m glad, Nina. You are attractive, after all.”
What?
That actually comes out of nowhere! My face heats up from his compliment and he immediately takes notice of it.
He smirks.
Oh, boy. I don’t like the way he looks right now.
“The thing is, Nina. I can see it in that classmate of yours. He’s clearly attracted to you.”
What?
“M-me?” I laugh, sheepishly. “That can’t be. I mean...to tell you the truth, he said that I reminded him of his ex-girlfriend.” Honestly, I’m not sure if it’s the right thing that I am bringing this up.
“A-and!” I quickly added it, seeing that Luca’s lips curve into a frown.
“He finally started to see me as a bit different from his ex now. Th-that’s all!”
“But the p-point is…I don’t t-think h-he’s attracted to me…” In fact he clearly stated that he hates me!
“I see.” Luca walks to the breakfast bar table. I decided to follow suit.
“Fine, I let it slide, seeing that you are so fixated on proving his innocence,” he says as he sits on the seat.
Then he finally smiles. “But it has been bothering me. You said that he only sees you as his old flame yet I doubt that’s the only reason. He—what’s his name again?”
“Err...Clarence,” I supply.
“Right, Clarence, I don’t know him at all except his name,” he says, his voice now subdued from his usual authoritative tone. “But he sees you as Nina and not her. I’m certain about that.”
“W-what makes you say that?” I look at him, confusedly.
“God, Nina!” He burst out laughing. Finding my confusion amusing to him, apparently. “All I am saying is that you’re fucking beautiful!”
B-beautiful? D-did Luca say that with that mouth of his? First he called me “attractive” and now it’s beautiful?!
With that soothing voice oozing of masculinity and with that, I felt myself heated up. And I’m sure it’s not just my face.
When he sees me as red as a tomato, he laughs as he continues with his...teasing. “Oh? This is the first time someone said that to you? As a matter of fact, has anyone called you attractive?”
“A-ah, n-no,” I answered, trying to keep my composure because I kept wondering why I’ve been stuttering a lot lately. I’m racking my brain, remembering if someone said that to me. “Well, there’s my mom, of course, because she’s my mom!” I laugh, nervously. “And there’s Gene, he occasionally said that I was...pretty but it was just to make me feel good about myself.”
“Y-Yu, he sometimes called me cute,” I add. So yeah, cute, pretty, and in my mom’s case adorable but when I think about it, no one actually called me beautiful straight to my face.
“And you never once thought of yourself as attractive?”
Why are we on this topic? I don’t know but I’ll just continue. “Actually, I have a hard time finding what beauty is all about. I couldn’t tell the difference, really.” I shrug. “When I look at myself in the mirror, all I see is that I’m just Nina Caulfield and nothing else. When I look at the attractive people in here, I just base it on what the soap operas tell you to. Like Yu, for example.”
“What about Yu?”
“He’s just like that actor from Plane to Busan. So I find it easier to say he’s handsome because of that. My mom said that Gene is actually handsome so I just believe her. Or Clarence when girls are looking at him.”
“So you never even once thought of anyone as beautiful in your whole life?”
“O-of course I did!” I laugh nervously “When I first arrived here I—” found you beautiful. But I almost said it. ALMOST! Once again, I become flustered.
“So when you first arrive here...what?” He asks, waiting for me to continue.
“Never mind!” I avert my gaze from him again. “So why are you bringing this up, Luca?” Begging to change the topic.
He hums as he massages his chin. “Good question. It has been in my mind lately as well. Your friend from Liberty Town is a guy called Gene Greene and you’re also associated with Clarence from Dawn Peak Academy. It’s like you’re a magnet of men.”
I blush again.
“Tell me, don’t you have any girl friends?”