Here's a shoutout to ijbplm for making the two fantastic covers I'm posting in this chapter! I love them so much, girl! Thanks a bunch!!! Oh, the pics even match the title of this chapter!!! Kiss 👄

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~~~ CHAPTER 4 - FIRST KISS ~~~

        The next day, I intended to apologize to Nigel. Though he didn't believe in sorries, as he said faults can't be scraped out with a sorry, I still thought that I needed to extend my apology, whether he would accept it or not. Seeing him then would require my most presentable look so, before I went to him, I showered; blowdried my hair; slipped into an off-white top, coffee brown short shorts, and a pair of white flip flops; and tied my hair neatly in place in a ponytail. Happy with how I looked, I went out of my room to see Nigel.

        I found him in the library browsing his laptop. He was sitting on his favorite chair there, the one made of narra wood located in the corner of the room facing the narra desk. He was so engrossed with what he was doing that he was not able to notice my presence. Besides, his back was facing the doorway.

        I stood there for a while just looking at his muscular back. At that time, there was nothing I'd like to do but just hug him right there and then.

        I had so many things to say to him. I wanted to apologize about my being childish and spoiled. I wanted to apologize about my being selfish. I wanted to tell him just how much I liked us to be friends and be civil to each other. And, most of all, I wanted to promise that I'd change for him if that was what he wanted and if that was the only way for him to finally learn to love me... and not call me a brat or... a fool anymore.

        By and by, as I was standing there by the doorway, Nigel turned his head and caught sight of me. Perhaps, he had sensed that somebody was dutifully staring at him. Nevertheless, he went back to what he was doing. He didn't bother to ask what I wanted. Perhaps, he was waiting for me to talk.

        I was tongue-tied, however. I didn't know how to start. Would somebody help me?

        "Are you just going to stand there?" he started to talk anyway. His back was still towards my direction.

        My heart fluttered when I heard his voice. I didn't expect him to talk first.

        I wasn't able to answer for I was still groping for words to say. What if he'd get angry, insult me or shout at me? What if he'd call me names again?

        I kind of just sulked in there. Finding the right words to say to the cold Nigelito Joaquin was a very difficult, crucial thing. Conversations with him were always like writing the best essay. You have to put all the right words together, organize your thoughts logically to receive a good grade from your English teacher. It was that hard to start and even stay in conversation with him.

        Then, he turned his head again to me as if trying to know if I was still there. When he wrinkled his forehead, that gave me the idea that he was waiting for my reply.

        I closed the door behind me and walked closer to where he sat.

        "I... I am sorry about l-last night," I stuttered as I began.

        Wearing a plain navy blue tee shirt and a pair of gray sweat pants, Nigel stood up and turned around to face me. His expression was calm. I couldn't see any hint of anger in his face but the look that he was giving me now was blank and passionless. It was like telling me that my presence didn't have any effect on him. At all.

        "Like I said---" he started. He probably wanted to remind me that my sorry wouldn't change a thing. What had happened had happened already. I already caused enough trouble last night. There was nothing I could do to change the course of things.

        "Still, I have to," I insisted.

        "You don't have to say sorry to me. It isn't my concern if you stay out late," he said it with calmness and ease as if he didn't really care about what I was trying to explain to him yet a tone of scorn started to unfold in his voice.

        "But I caused a lot of trouble last night. I just want you to know that I really regret what I did," I continued anyway no matter what he would say.

        "There's actually no need for all this drama, Althea. As I said, it's not my concern if you stay out late. I looked for you because mom pestered me to. Had it not been of her, I wouldn't waste my time looking for some unmindful spoiled brat."

        Okay, those words hurt. He was starting to pick a fight and my ears began to feel some prickling heat. Like the spoiled brat that I was, I couldn't help myself but answer him.

        "Yes, you're right. You will never be concerned of me because, in the first place, you don't consider me your fiancée, do you?" I managed myself to act strong and fearless in front of him even if, deep inside, I felt the pain.

        "Fiancée?" He feigned a smile. Wow, even if he was faking the smile, he still appeared handsome wearing it.

        I gulped something in my mouth.

        "People will only believe that you're my fiancée if you have a ring from me. As of this time, Princess," he mocked as he drew my left hand and looked at it, "I don't see any on your ring finger."

        His words rang a bell in my ears. He was absolutely right.

        I tried to pull my hand from his grip because I couldn't stand the chill it was giving me. But he was very strong.

        "Besides," he continued, "there was never a formal engagement, was there?"

        I was tongue-tied again. I pouted my lips and twitched them as I struggled to open my mouth to say something. I had to say something. What was I going to say?

        Unintentionally, I caught him staring at my twitched lips. And I couldn't figure out why my heart began to beat hard as his dark eyes lingered there. Instead of opening my mouth to speak, I bit my lower lip to hide it from his stare and, also, to relieve myself from self-consciousness.

        All of a sudden, he pulled my hand he was holding and grabbed my back with his other hand to move my body closer to him so that my bosom crushed to his lower chest. The surprise, the tension, the astonishment --- they were all there like a gust of lightning in my being! Still not satisfied with our physical contact, Nigel leaned his face down to meet mine as he gripped my chin with his fingers.

        "Fiancée?" he asked, whispering the word.

        I nodded as the tension I felt from our body contact got even more intense. I stared at his handsome face.

        "You claim yourself my fiancée?"

        I nodded again. Of course, I was his fiancée and I'd claim that title no matter what.

        "Let's see if you really are," he whispered slowly in between his breathing. His tone broadcasted danger and it made me shudder. "A fiancée can kiss her man. Now, let's see if you can---"

        And with that, in just a heartbeat, he pressed his lips against mine. What the---? I wanted to shout. However, the sudden bolt of electricity that rushed all over my body especially when I felt his warm lips in mine made me halt. Both my eyes widened. But when Nigel began to caress my lips slowly with tender brushes of his, I laggardly closed my eyes for, honestly, I didn't know what else to do or react. Somehow, my mind just commanded me to shut my eyes and... and... his lips were so warm and tender and tasted so damn sweet and delicious...

        Oh, my God! I didn't know heaven was just a kiss away!

        I thought the world stopped revolving. I felt weaker and weaker as my knees began to shiver until I found my arms around his neck. I was convulsing terribly and there was no way for me to pull myself together anymore. I was getting so delirious I thought I would collapse entirely in his arms.

        Nigel, what the hell are you doing to me?

        While I was trying to process everything in my brain, I eventually felt his tongue moving, teasing, and trying to find a way into my mouth. Goose bumps were immediately all over my body. I was shocked with how his tongue moved... and flicked... and...

        Truly astounded, I pulled myself away from him. I was scared. I wasn't ready for anything like that.

        Nigel was surprised with my sudden reluctance. He breathed hard as he gazed at my eyes.

        I, on the other hand, stood taken aback. I didn't imagine kissing on the lips would be like that! It was... it was absolutely a new experience for me. It was my first kiss!

        "See? You can't even kiss me," he finally declared, his gaze not leaving my face.

        "I... I... I don't..." I tried to explain. Tears rushed through my cheeks. What would I say?

        "Don't you know anything else to do except cry, Althea?" Nigel demanded, his face reddened. Apparently irritated of me, he pulled one of my wrists and dragged me to the doorway. "How could you think of marrying me when all you can do is cry?"

        "You're hurting my wrist..." I complained.

        He didn't listen to me. Instead, he opened the door and swung me violently out of the room. Before he closed the door right in front of me, he asserted matter-of-factly, "I don't need a crying brat in my life, Althea!"

        I was left standing there totally flustered. Heat was blazing my cheeks. A few seconds later, when I realized I was thrown like a trash, I ran away to my bedroom. There, lying face down on the bed, I cried and cried and cried.

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

        On the day of Nigel's return to the capital, I watched the servants carrying his luggage and some parcels to his car. The latter looked like framed paintings but they were carefully wrapped up and covered.

        I sat on the swing in the patio to wait for him to finally come out from the mansion. I waited for minutes.

        Later, he appeared together with Mommy Carol.

        "Be careful, son," mom uttered as she hugged him.

        "Take care, mom," he replied while kissing her cheek. "I'll call you."

        "Okay," she spoke and looked at me, "Oh, how about calling Althea as well? She'll absolutely love that. Right, darling?"

        I nodded. If only he would... Even a simple text like Hi would absolutely be appreciated. Too sad he would never do such a thing.

        He glanced my way but never spoke.

        "And by the way, don't forget that next year, Althea's going to move with you there. Remember, one more year to go and she's going to university," mom reminded him.

        "That's still a long way ahead, mom. Many things can happen in a year," he stated meaningfully.

        What did he mean by that?

        But I didn't ask him. I just looked at him.

        "She may realize later that she's not going to study in the capital especially if someone tells her not to," Nigel continued.

        Someone? Who on earth would tell me not to study in the capital?

        "And who would be that crazy fellow to tell her not to study there?" mom quibbled. "No, no, I'm not letting that happen. In fact, I'm already processing her application to St. Louis. She deserves nothing but the best education. Now, care to tell me, who are you referring to?"

        "Her boyfriend," Nigel stated confidently as he placed his right arm around mom's shoulders. Both of them were facing me. Nigel gave me an amused expression; mom was quite shocked.

        "You?" mom squeaked at him.

        "For the nth time, mom, I'm not Althea's boyfriend!"

        "Yeah, yeah, you're not her boyfriend, you're her fiancé..."

        "Come on, mom," he dissented shrugging his shoulders.

        Yet, mom didn't mind him, "If you're not her boyfriend, then who? Oh, no, that's totally lame, Nigelito! Althea doesn't have a boyfriend here," mom defended me. She sounded very disgusted of the accusation. "Come on, enough with your silliness, son. Althea's going to live with you in the capital. Period," she said thrusting her left elbow at his side.

        Nigel grinned at her as he jerked away from her. "Do you really think she can afford to live with me?"

        "Why not? That's what she likes, right, darling?" mommy winked at me as she asserted him.

        I blushed. Still grinning, Nigel turned to me. Did he really smile at me?

        "Okay, then that means she has to deal with my girlfriend there," he sounded amused.

        "Girlfriend?" mom reacted. "Whose girlfriend?"

        "My. Girlfriend. In. The. Capital. Mom." he made it clear.

        "What girlfriend are you talking about?" she became irritated again. "Come on, son, don't you dare tease me, okay? Althea doesn't have a boyfriend here and I'm not ever going to let you have another girlfriend! Your future wife is Althea and that's that. Period."

        "That's the second time you said period, mom," he said, obviously kidding her and hurting me in the process.

        Mom rolled her eyes at him, "Okay, you've got to go now before we make this conversation a fight."

        Nigel still wore that amused expression in his face when Mommy Carol and I walked with him to his car. The thought of him having a girlfriend in the capital just blew my mind off. He must be joking; he must be trying to hurt me. But, really, couldn't it be possible? He was ravishingly hot, good-looking, and wealthy. Many girls might just want to be with him... and that thought was slowly killing me as of the moment.

        Before he went inside his car, Nigel faced me and smiled. For the first time, I felt like that was a genuine smile coming from him.

        "Bye," I said trying to keep my tears from falling. I'm going to miss you. Please, come back soon.

        "Bye," he replied.

        "Take care."

        "Take care as well," he said, then he patted my head to dishevel my hair. "Grow up, Princess."

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

        That night, I caught a fever. It was, maybe, because of Nigel's strange effect on me over the past week. I was both deliriously happy and heartbroken of his presence in the palacio. It was both heaven and hell.

        My fever lasted for a week.

        And again, I had to face my daily life in The Fields without him.

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

A/N

        Yeah, Althea is left once again. What do you think will happen next?

        Sorry for the delayed update of this chapter. But, thanks for reading. Please vote and comment.   

        Lovelotz,
        (sapphiregirl22)   ~_^

Cover made by ijbplm.