"What a joke! You believe in these things? " Nicolas laughed at Belle as they sat on the beachside.

"Hey! Don't say it like that. It's NASA who is giving the information. I am just a spectator of ths news." Belle said.

It wasn't long enough that they had walked up to the beachside when they decided to take a break there. They were talking about random stuff when they finally stopped at the meteor topic that was being telecasted in the morning.

"It won't fall. The chance is one in a million." Nicolas said.

"I know the probability is way too small but still." Belle shrugged making Nicolas laugh.

"Ok, tell me if this is the last day of your life, then what would you like to do?" Nicolas asked.

"Um…Actually, I would like to complete my novel. I want to give it a satisfying ending. Too bad, no one would be able to read it." Belle said.

"Aw…Don't worry, atleast I would like to know." Nicolas said.

"And, I want to read the Dreamcatcher too. I have been fiddling with that book for some time now, but I haven't got any chane to complete it." She continued.

"Atleast I have completed reading it. Wanna know the plot?" Nicolas suggested.

"Nope. No spoilers!" Belle answered hoping to stop him.

"Okay."

"So, what do you want to do, if today would be the last day of your life?" Belle asked.

"You see, there's a girl in my neighborhood and I have liked her for some…"

"Stop. Stop right there. Your present girlfriend is sitting in front of you, so you have to be loyal to me even if it's just a day." Belle abruptly broke in his dialogue.

"Cool down. I was just messing with you. I have no one like that. But there is a little problem with my heart." He said.

"You are joking, aren't you?"

"Nope. There is a problem with my heart and it needs a surgery." Nicolas said making the atmosphere a little heavy.

"I have ninety percent chance that I will survive the surgery. Though it may be risky, I want to give a try." He said.

"Hey, don't say like that. You still have ninety percent of the chance. Look at the bright side…you won't die." Belle argued.

"Hah! You are so optimistic. When it come to the meteor, you want that one percent to come true while about my surgery who plead it to the ninety percent!" Nicolas said. "What is it that makes you want for the one percent to come true?"

Belle was shocked. She gulped the lump in her throat and pressed her knees close to her chest. She stared quietly at the vast sea in front. The waves roaring and crashing on the shore.

Should she tell him about her problems? What will he think of her? Is she too selfish? What about her mamma? How would she face her when she would let the cat out of teh bag?

She was taken by surprise when her phone rang. Her heart had taken quite a pace and her eyes had widened in reflex as if she saw a ghost. She realised it was her phone.

She opened her bag and took out her phone. It was her mamma calling.

"Yes mamma," She said after receiving the call.

"Belle, when are you planning to come home? Did the firm not let you go yet?" Her mother asked in a neutral tone.

"I have to over work today. I will be late to home." She said as her voice turned cold and robotic.

"Ok. And don't wander around after work. The streets could be dangerous." Her mother ordered.

"Yes mamma," She said and ended the call.

She took a long breath and closed her eyes. Then she opened them to look at her companion beside her.

"Still lying when the world's about to end?" He chuckled as he held that same mysterious tone when they first talked in the shop.

"I…just wanna stay out of trouble." Belle mumbled.

"So the problem is your mom. I know right?" He asked.

"Yeah…right." Belle said burying her head between her knees. "How do you know that?" She asked.

"Easy, your voice lacked emotions and suddenly as if you were not a being in the first place." He said as the situation turned worse.

"Great! Now he will misunderstand me and then I will become a cruel and selfish demon in his eyes. It happens everytime, everyday. It's not new. He will also abandon me like everyone else did." Belle thought and smiled a sad smile to herself as she looked at the orange red sky.

"Look, don't misunderstand me. I just…" Belle started.

"I haven't misunderstood you." Nicolas said at the same time stopping the brown haired girl.

"It's just a misunderstanding between you and your parents. That is something what only you can solve. I can only suggest and view my opinions." Nicolas said which felt very mature Belle.

"Thanks." She muttered as silent tears fell down her cheeks. "But, I have been lying to her since the past half year."

"She expects too big from me. She wants me to work in commercial. Whereas I only have books in my life. Totally polar to her expectations." Belle said. "And then comes you, a person who can read me like an open book while my guardian can't for the last twenty years."

"Maybe that's why you should reconcile." Nicolas said.

"You two have to sit down and talk out your thoughts. Your mother is simply afraid about your future. Though she knows your passion, she wants you to walk her path because a life with books as a career indeed is rough and risky." Nicolas said.

"Talk out your thoughts with her. Make her trust on your ideals and trust me, no one is there better in this world than you mom who would listen your side of story without judging you." He said.

Belle was thinking quietly about a his words. That strange feeling of guilt was surfacing again. Stronger with each word he spoke. And suddenly as if she knew what she was supposed to do.

She got up suddenly and dialled a number on her phone.

"Hello, Belle?" Her mother's voice rang on the other side.

Belle took a deep breath before starting. No, she was going to tell her now. Now or never.

"Hello mom, I want to tell you some things. First, I don't work in a firm, I work in a bookshop. It's that Bluebell Bookshop. Though the pay isn't as high as what I could earn in a firm, the shop pays a more than decent amount to all it's workers. Sorry mamma, I can't stay away from those stupid books." She said.

"I know you are worried about my future but please let me take my step. I have heard each and every word of yours for the past twenty years. I have never dated anyone, never have I got any opportunity to make friends just because you wanted to make sure that I study. I study and lead a comfortable like afterwards." She said before taking a deep breath.

"I don't mean any bad to you and the morals you have taught me. I just hope that you can respect my views and passion. I promise, after graduating I will find myself a job." Belle said and disconnected the call.

A few moments of silence passed.

"Phew! You were so cool!" Nicolas commented Belle's courage to face her problems.

"Hah! I just got screwed. I can already imagine the scenario at home." Belle said as Nicolas also stood flinging his bag on his shoulders and joining Belle who was standing a few steps ahead looking at the sea.

"But, I kinda don't regret. Atleast, even if the meteor falls, I won't be sad." She said as a smile played on her lips.

"But I have a question. How did you figure out that the problem was with my mom and me?" Belle asked.

"Then let me tell you a story." Nicolas said, "There was once this boy who would argue with his mother even for the slightest thing. As a mother-son duo, both were excellent in cracking problems but were bad at taking thought of eachother's ideals." Nicolas said with a smile.

"One day, both of them argued very badly. They were in such a mess that both of them called very bad to each other and then the mother left the room and stormed out of the house. The boy too locked himself in his room and constantly thought about his deed. He felt bad. He had fought with his best friend who was also his mom. He cried bitterly but after that he went to reconcile with his mother. But…"

"So, what happened?" Belle asked, her voice as quite as a whisper.

"The boy was too late." Nicolas said.

"What happened?" Belle asked her curiosity peaking.

Nicolas took a long breath before he met her eyes. He had a strange emotion in his eyes. as if something was calling him out to share his burden.

"The boy was too late. Infront of his eyes, his mother got crushed under a truck while crossing a zebra crossing and he couldn't do a thing. His mother died on the spot and he got traumatised for months." Nicolas said.

"That thirteen year old boy, was me." He said as a lone tear fell from his eye.

Belle was speechless. Compared to him, she was so lucky to have a mom. Then it struck her why he suggested her to talk out all her insecurities to her mamma. Just because someone like him didn't get a second chance she was lucky enough.

"I…I am sorry!" Belle said.

"Don't be. It's not your fault. Well, you should clean up all your misunderstandings with your loved ones before it gets too late." Nicolas said grabbing Belle's hand.

"Let's go." He said.

"I wanna take a walk with you." He further said.

"Okay." Belle said as they started walking around the beach as the sun went down.

"Thank you for guiding me, Nicolas."