"Nikka..." he whispered, slightly pulling her away from him. She could feel his fast breathing on her face. "W-We can't."
But she pulled him closer and their lips touched once again. This time, Marcus started to kiss her back slowly and she could feel his hand behind her neck, pulling her closer as he deepened the kiss. She opened her mouth and he took the opportunity by pushing his tongue inside her mouth. She moaned as he kissed her more passionately that her whole body shook.
He gently pushed her on the blue couch, and trailed his fingers on her arm slowly going up and down. She shivered in the sensation it gave her.
'Ohmigod! I can't believe it is finally happening,' she thought to herself. 'I need to tell him.'
She needed to tell him how she felt. How she loved him for so long, how she admired him the first time they met... that she was willing to give it all just for him.
He finally let go of her lips and whispered, " Is this really what you want, Nikka?" then he trailed kisses down her throat. She closed her eyes and released a shaky breath. She moaned as he continued to kiss her neck.
"Please...ask me to stop, Nikka," he pleaded in her ear.
"N-No, Marcus. I don't want you stop," she managed to say. "I want this. I want you."
He captured her lips once again. She felt his hands moving away from her arm and his fingers played with the strap of her nightgown. He cupped her cheek with his left hand.
"Why are you doing this, Nikka?" he muttered underneath her lips. "Nikka... please..."
She moistened her lips and whispered, "I-I love you, Marcus. I have loved you since I met you."
He looked straight into her eyes and without a warning, he suddenly pulled himself up away from her, leaving her confused.
"M-Marcus?" she asked, shocked by the sudden change of his behavior. She sat up and tried to reach for him but he stood up, taking his glass to the kitchen. He turned his back on her and poured some more wine.
"I shouldn't have done that. I'm sorry," he said and drank his wine without looking at her. "You're young and naive and I took advantage of you."
She stood up and walked towards him. As soon as she reached him, she hugged him.
"No, it's okay. I wanted it. I am ready. I love you, Marcus and I know deep inside you love me, too. There's nothing-"
He set his wine glass on the kitchen counter and took her hands off him.
"Love? What love?" He turned to her. His eyebrows furrowed. "I didn't tell you anything about love."
She looked at him confused and said, "But I thought-"
"You thought what, Nikka? That we can be a couple just like what our parents wanted? Is that why you're dressed like this? To seduce me and then what, trapped me?"
"No, Marcus. Why are you saying these things? I love you and I would do anything even if I have to give myself to you."
"You're a fool then. You led yourself to believe I have feelings for you!"
"But... but you kissed me back. The way you touched me... does that mean anything to you?"
"No. It means nothing to me," he said coldly and turned around to pour himself some more wine. "Any guy would do the same and you're just any other girl."
"I-I'm just any other girl? I thought I was special."
He chuckled as he turned his head towards her.
"You're naive and inexperienced. Why would you think you're special? You don't even know how to kiss. Stop living in your damn fantasy, Nikka! I don't love you."
Then, she slapped him as tears welled up in her eyes.
He held his cheek as he stared at her.
"I hate you. I hate you, Marcus!" she screamed, as she threw her fists on his chest.
"Nikka..." he said as he tried to hold her arms but she pushed him away.
"No, Marcus. Just stay away. From now on, I don't want to see or hear from you again," she said angrily as she walked inside the bedroom.
She locked the door and lay down on the bed, hugging her knees. She cried herself to sleep...
The next day, she woke up and looked at the clock on the bedside table. It was six o'clock. She quickly stood up and changed clothes. She packed her bag and slowly walked out. She saw Marcus sleeping on the couch. She looked at him one more time and tried not to cry. Those times she thought she saw something more from him, the way he cared for her... just vanished in one night. The night it was supposed to be special for both of them but instead.. it became her first heartbreak.
She swallowed hard to stop herself from tearing up again and walked towards the door. She immediately went to the elevator but as it opened, she felt someone pulled her back.
She looked up and saw Marcus.
"Let me go, Marcus," she screamed, and tried to get away from him but he yanked her back to him and led her inside the apartment again. He closed the door behind him.
"What are you doing?" he asked.
"What do you think I'm doing, Marcus? I'm going home," she retorted. "After last night, do you think I would even stay one day with you? No way! So let me go."
He sighed and said, "Look, Nikka. Can I at least drive you home? I promised your parents to drop you home today."
"Well, you can tell them SOME MANIAC tried to rape me last night that's why I needed to go home by myself," and she tried to go to the door but he blocked it.
Suddenly, the intercom rang. He answered it without taking his eyes off Nikka.
"Yes, Sebastian."
"Sir, Ms. Christine is here," Sebastian announced.
"C-Christine?" he asked, a little confused.
"Yes, Sir. Should I let her come up?"
"Yes, Sebastian. Thank you," and he hung up. "Nikka-"
"It's okay, Marcus. I get it. You need to continue your little "adventure" to add to your list."
"What's that supposed to mean?"and he moved towards her. "You cannot talk about Christine like that!"
"Why not, huh? Is she special? Do you love her? Is that why-"
"Yes, Nikka. I do love her and that's why I can't be with you."
She was shocked. How come she didn't know about this? Why he didn't tell her about Christine? Why?
"W-Why didn't you tell me about her?" She asked, her tears threatening to fall. "W-We're supposed to be friends..."
He shoved his hand in his hair and said, "I wanted to tell you last night but obviously, you're not ready to listen and instead..." he sighed.
Her tears finally fell and she couldn't stop it.
"Just... let me go, Marcus. Just let me go..." she whispered, her voice shaky.
"Nikka-"
"Marcus? It's me Christine," and he opened the door. Standing behind it was a tall, fair-skinned woman with long black hair, very attractive brown eyes and red lips. She looked more like his age.
"....you're naive and inexperienced.."
She remembered him say. Is this what Marcus wants? Someone mature and more sophisticated than her?
Christine darted her eyes from Marcus then to Nikka. She smiled and offered her hand to her, but instead Nikka opened the door wide and get past the both of them.
This is too much to bear. Too painful for her to watch it all... to take it all in not just one but two days. Her tears continued to fall as she went straight to the elevator.
"Marcus-" Christine tried to call him but he went past her.
"Nikka," he called as she went inside the elevator. She saw him standing by the elevator as it closed.
"Goodbye, Marcus..." she whispered as the elevator went down to the lobby.
And that's the last time she ever saw him...