I stopped talking, feeling breathless and overwhelmed. I expected for his counterargument but he didn't respond except to beam at me with his genuine smile.

"Why are you smiling? You don't usually smile," I asked warily.

He shrugged and glanced at the streets as we walked side by side towards Lloyd Street North ahead of us. "I think the real Zahida Jafri I know just came back."

His response made me feel blissful, it was something that I yearned but wasn't able to feel before. I was literally shaking with joy and I could feel that I was blushing ridiculously hard.

I noted that he acknowledged my importance but I never thought he actually meant it. Because all this while I assumed that he wasn't really interested in me. He was just being nice to me as a boss but not beyond that. My earlier intuition on him was based on the reaction of most men that I socialised with. And I shouldn't generalise every man to be the same. Nick is a different person, not like Abs, not like Sid or James or those Malay guys that once turned me down. He is special. And I think I'm in love with him.

"So, does that mean I can be your best friend?" I asked enthusiastically.

Nick chuckled, heaved a light sigh before answering, "I thought you already are."

I squealed in excitement, as though I just asked him to be my boyfriend. My elation escalated that I didn't realise I was tugging his arm tightly in between my breasts. He didn't budge but I sensed awkwardness between us so I let go off his arm and continued walking.

We arrived at the front door of my flat in approximately 20 minutes as per his estimation, although it felt like a 5-minute walk. My heart slowed down, I no longer felt happy to see the front door of my flat knowing that I will depart from this memorable meeting soon and when we see each other tomorrow, it will be just another day at the office. But I concealed my emotions from my face and gracefully thanked him for the walk and the hospitality he provided while I was under his care.

"You needed it," he said, with contentment in his face. "And just ignore what my father said earlier this morning. He likes to spook people off. I get that from him."

"I'm not intimidated," I said smilingly.

"Yeah," he smirked and bit his bottom lip. He took a few steps back and nodded at me, "I'll see you when I see you."

"Call me when you get home or somewhere safe," I called out, leaning by the frame of my flat's opened door, waving at him.

"I will," he turned around playfully before walking away.

As I sadly watched his tall figure shrunk when he walked further, he suddenly stopped and turned around, returning to my flat. I looked at him, excitement and confusion stirring in my guts as he approached closer, faster in every step.

"Who am I kidding!" he exclaimed before grabbing me by the nape, pulling my face closer to his, pressing his lips onto mine for a deep kiss. My heart jolted into rapid skips, my senses delighted, my brain tingled with exhilaration. I opened my mouth, letting his tongue reunite with mine. The warm cigarette smoke in his mouth didn't stop me from yearning for more. I finally tasted a perfect kiss that I've longed for.

Then Nick pulled himself away from me, assessing my reaction while taking a few shallow breaths. He thought it was adequate but it wasn't enough for me, I wanted more. Greedily, I pulled him in for another kiss, passionate this time. My one hand travelled to his nape down to his spine while the other holding the crevasse in between his butt cheeks while pushing them forward towards me. I felt Nick's breathing intensified in between the kiss as though he struggled to keep up. Hungrily, I took my tongue out for another visit into his mouth, parting my lips to his for a sensuous rhythmic dance. I sucked the juice out of his mouth before biting down hard on his bottom lip.

Once I'm done tasting the pleasure of his mouth, I released him from my grip and took a step back. Nick looked at me speechless and bewildered. His reaction had made me realise that I might have gone overboard with the kissing, so I apologised for my reckless behaviour. But he shrugged it off saying it was okay, we were just letting off our steam and it was perfectly normal. After standing by the frame of the door for a couple of minutes, staring at each other in awkwardness, I was ready to let him leave.

      ****************************************************************

As the evening ticked away slowly, I felt an emptiness which I haven't felt for a long time. It was the kind of feeling when I miss my parents and Zahidi but with a lesser degree. I touched my lips, recalling the kiss I had earlier caused a fluttering sensation in me. I returned the file of academic articles to the shelf, I lost focus and the mood to study despite that my lecturer, Paul would elicit discussion based on the reading materials he gave earlier for tomorrow's class. I missed Nick.

A few knocks on my window screen made me startled at first but I quickly recovered myself. The knocking however made me jump in delight because I knew only one person who would do that. I quickly rushed for the front door to find Nick behind it, with a scornful look in his face like I've done something wrong.

"Why did you do this to me?!" he growled. "You think playing with my feelings is an amusement to you?"

I gaped at him in confusion, "Nick, what are you talking about?"

"You, this is your doing," he said heatedly pointing his finger at me. "I can't get you out of my mind!"

I smiled and shrugged. "Maybe if you can't get me out of your head, it is meant to be there. I can't stop thinking about you too."

"Brill, then we're even," he replied and rushed to kiss me once more.

He lifted me by the waist causing my feet to tiptoe for balance while I was pushed backwards across the passageway and into my room in between our smooches. He gently tossed me onto my bed and was about to close the door but I halted.

"Shoes. Outside!" I ordered, pointing at the passageway outside my room.

"Okay," he followed and went back to close the front door before taking off his shoes. He glanced to the right and waved at my flatmates lounging in the common room. "Hey, you alright there?"

"Nick, what the hell are you doing?" I hissed in between my teeth.