Chapter 21: Kiss me!

The man who had helped us was named Raymond Jackson. He left me for alone for some time upon my request.

I remained by Chase's side as he slowly opened his eyes once. While his attempt to hurt Nolan was unethical, I couldn't help but feel horrendous for his situation. Chase looked at me weakly and shut his eyes, his mouth slightly parting.

"I'm not sorry," he said softly.

"But I am," I mumbled. If Nolan and I had never gone to New York, Hanna, Chase, and their kid would've lived. "Why did you take the decision to kill Nolan, Chase? There are better ways--"

He slightly raised a finger. His eyes opened again and I saw small tears escape the corners of his eyes. My own tears fell out of control. I didn't want to see another death.

"I'm better off this way," he said.

Slowly and slowly, his body turned colder and colder. I watched his pained eyes shut, but the smile remained. I couldn't even imagine how much he went through after his girlfriend's death. Chase expired in front of me and I couldn't do anything to help him. He was responsible for his death, but mine and Nolan's actions played a catalyst to this outcome.

Raymond came back with another woman whom he called his wife--Marianna. Both of them had to forcefully take me out of the room. I cried and cried, yelled and yelled, screamed and screamed, but no consequence. They called the cops and Chase's body was taken away. I was questioned whether I knew him or not, to which I responded negatively.

As I sat rolled in a blanket back in the original room, Raymond entered again. This time, he handed me a phone and waited by the bedside.

Sniffling, I called my mom's number.

"What?!" I heard Mom snap picking up. It was definitely not the response I expected.

"Mom . . . ?" I said in a small voice.

"Helen?" Mom said, sounding confused. "Oh lord, I thought it was your father. Where are you?! What happened?! I'm never allowing you to be near Nolan again! Do you have any idea how worried--"

"We got into a brutal car accident," I intervened. "Nolan's still unconscious. I dunno where exactly we are right now. Someone helped us. Here, you can talk to him." I turned to Raymond and returned his phone back. My parents were worried sick and I didn't know how Nolan's parents were.

"Your parents are on their way. It's seven right now. They'll probably reach around nine," Raymond informed. I nodded and stole a glance at the window. It had gotten dark outside. "Dinner's almost ready. Do you want it in here or with everyone else?"

Who's "everyone else"?

I shook my head. "I'll eat wherever everyone else eats."

He nodded and I followed his lead. We went down the wooden steps into an entirely different atmosphere. People of all ages seemed to occupy the grand living room, whether gossiping, laughing, crying, or playing. It wasn't this loud previously, or maybe the noise didn't reach upstairs. I met Raymond's eyes who just shrugged.

"Wrong time for a family reunion," he said, shaking his head. "They don't know there was a death." He sighed, rubbing his forehead. "Sorry."

There ought to be at least twenty people--five adults and rest children--aside from me and him.

"Is Nolan still--"

"I believe he's awake. My wife said she was bringing him down--there, they are!" He pointed to the opposite end of the hallway. Indeed, Marianna and Nolan stood, meeting our eyes at the same time, coincidentally. Seeing Nolan standing and actually alive relieved me down to my heart (if that was possible).

I wasted no time in jogging to Nolan. From the corner of my eye, I saw Raymond's wife move to give us room. I was ready to embrace Nolan not caring about germs (maybe a little), however he decided to give me the shock. Instead of taking me into his arms to hug me, he took me into his arms only to bring us into a curtain behind him and kiss me!

Whoa.

I didn't know how to react as I felt my heartbeat quicken.

I stood paralyzed for a few seconds as I experienced the tension and stress from my body leave and replace it with something else. Nolan's hand cupped my cheek as his lips moved against mine desperately. An unsettling and fluttering feeling came inside me, shutting my eyes and making me lean into him. One of my hands rest on his chest, which was rising and falling at the same accelerating speed as mine whereas his other hand was wrapped around my waist, pressing our bodies close to each other. We had managed to go behind the curtain, not caring what the people in the house thought. The tender yet passionate kiss filled in all the missing warmth in my body. I don't know what came over me as I slowly brought my hands up to his hair, returning the kiss.

What the heck?

I could just imagine all the germs I was exchanging with Nolan Milesblue.

The fact that I enjoyed it . . . Something was definitely wrong with me.

We broke apart, foreheads touching. Being just as breathless as me, Nolan murmured, "It was all my fault. I can't believe Chase is the . . . And, I dragged you down with me." His eyes scanned my face, eyeing the cuts I received from the shattered glass. His hand cupping my face, traced a cut on my left cheek. He leaned forward and gently pressed his lips against the spot. My eyes fluttered shut. "I'm so sorry, Helen," he whispered, his eyes sorrowful as he retreated. His own pale face revealed a dark blue spot under his right eye. There was a long gash under his ear trailing down to his clavicle.

"It's alright," I told him. "At least, we managed to make it out alive."

And make out too.

My own thoughts and actions were completely new and I condemned by them. Jerking out of Nolan's hold and catching him off-guard, I stepped aside. The deed of arising awkwardness was already done.

"Hel--"

"We should probably head to dinner. I'm sure the scene made quite an impact," I said, refusing to meet his gaze.

"Impact on who: us or them?" He was smiling and I turned away, recalling the words he said to me in the car. I really like you. Why did he have to complicate things? "I forgot about Paris," he said suddenly, his smile morphing into a frown.

"What about Paris?" I asked puzzled. He raised an eyebrow when I remembered what happened at the mall. "He just happened to be there. I'm not even lying. He saw . . . everything that happened and was just telling me it was all going to work out fine." I was giving a generalized version of the truth, praying Nolan wouldn't ask for details.

He never got the chance to as Marianna peeked behind the golden curtain.

"Hope I'm not disturbing," she said grinning. Embarrassed, Nolan and I quickly shook our heads. "It's alright, I understand. Dinner's ready."

We followed behind her, trying not to look suspicious or creepy in any way. Marianna served us a light meal consisting of soup and rice with corn. Everyone else ate heavily fried foods such as fried chicken, lasagna, etc. We all received the same dessert though, which I couldn't help but devour.

Chocolate covered strawberries.

Another name for a delicacy.

After dinner, we were told to rest and wait for our parents. Nolan and I sat down near the fireplace observing everyone cheerfully spend time together. Sometimes, I wished I had a huge family, but my parents were both only children of their parents, so I had no aunts and uncles or weird cousins. At least, I had Hestia, even if she was in Ohio studying Biology on a full scholarship.

That reminded me of my own college.

"I got into Princeton!" I said louder than needed.

"What?" Nolan said surprised.

I proudly nodded. "Mom told me when I called her in the car. And--wait, the car! Your car was burned . . . My backpack!" I cursed as I realized my bookbag was gone. The cops had informed me earlier about both Nolan's and Chase's cars burning down.

"Your priorities always amaze me." Nolan laughed at my horrified expression. Once I began ranting about needing my papers for AP exams in three months, he said, "Stop talking or--"

"Or what?" I challenged.

"Or I'll--"

The doorbell rang, interrupting whatever he had to say. I wasted no time running for it, although Raymond beat me to it. As expected, my parents stood with tired expressions. As soon as they saw my crying face, relief overtook and they took me in their arms. I saw Nolan's own parents come out from behind, astonishing both me and Nolan. They hugged their son.

We spent the next hour catching up on the events that happened. An unknown stalker chased Nolan and I out of the blue and smashed our car into a tree. Raymond explained finding us on his way back from work in the evening two days ago. Him and his wife were both doctors, fortunately. Due to the closest hospital being almost an hour away, they took care of us here.

"Thank you so much," my mom thanked the Jacksons' for the millionth time.

"It's our job," Marianna smiled. "I'm glad we saved them. I wished we could've saved the third one too to know his intentions." Nolan and I exchanged a silent glance before pretending to not know Chase.

Nolan and I were going back with our respective parents. Although both families didn't approve of our "relationship," they had no other choice than to accept.

On our way to the cars, Nolan stopped me. He stood behind me, putting his hands on my shoulders.

"Look," he pointed to the sky, "a star." Like an idiot, I looked up at the cloudy sky. There was no star, but I felt Nolan's cool lips on the corner of my mouth. "Goodnight," he said and gave my shoulders a squeeze before walking away with a smug smile.

Why did he kiss me?

Resisting the urge to rub the spot his lips touched, I trudged to my parents' car. They kept rambling on how happy and relieved they were to see me alive. It was mostly Nolan's fault for putting me through this. Why was a stalker after him? There ought to be a reason.

I remained quiet, thinking back to the intense kiss I shared with him. Even the second and the third kisses were . . . nice. I hated being such a . . . girl, but Nolan kissed me! The guy who blackmailed me, kissed me! The guy who I called a wannabe bad boy and psycho lover kissed me! And I didn't hate him for it! In fact, I had the exact opposite feeling.

No, no, no!

Princeton is my life.

Nolan is an issue in my life.

Paris's scheme worked. But none of my actions today, followed according to Paris's plan. It was all me.

I went home and changed into my proper attire before I fell asleep with endless thoughts about the day's events.

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The next day I went to a hospital for a checkup and received some medication and fresh bandages. I asked Nolan about his health and he said he was at the hospital, getting screened for multiple tests. Mostly, he was fine and out of danger.

On Monday, I had to get my old backpack and stop moping over my burned one.

Nolan met me at school with a smile which was unusual. We were sitting in our history class when he dropped the bomb on Hiroshima and Na--actually, it was on Helen Postulet.

"So, the next swim competition thing is on Wednesday."

"So?" I asked confused.

"C'mon Helen. Did you forget about Janine already?"

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A/N

They kissed. Yay or nay? Be honest. (It was far from perfect but I call it life)

What do you expect will happen next? Nolan still wants breakups. Geez!
Love him or hate him?

Do you love me? Be honest (You're in denial if you don't...just kidding XD)

Pretty please vote and/or comment <3