Here's a shoutout to _Tanu24_ for making this beautiful, beautiful cover with our princess' castle! A million thanks, girl! 😘😘😘

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~~~ CHAPTER 9 - BUMPKIN ~~~

        "I'm Kara and you are?"

        I was taking my snacks in the cafeteria at the same time busy observing the other students when I heard someone introduced herself. When I looked up, I saw a girl about my age extending her right hand to me for a handshake.

        "I'm Althea," I replied clasping her hand.

        She sat down on the chair at the other side of the table.

        "I can't believe it's the first day of classes." I heard her mumbling. Then, she talked to me again, "I saw you in my English 101 class and I believe you still have no friends around 'cause I don't see you with anybody here. Can I be your friend?"

        I was relieved to hear those words from her. Actually, I had the dilemma of blending in with all the other students in the university for I found every one of them too different. Their sense of fashion was different from me. They were more stylish and more sophisticated. Even with how they talked was different. I was afraid that if I would talk to any of them, they would get the impression of my being a country bumpkin and they might ignore me. Everything was just not-so-common to me that I really had the hard time of blending in.

        "Y-yeah, sure," I spoke timidly.

        "Okay, great!" she exclaimed.

        Kara Mondego appeared to be a cheerful girl. She got the sweetest and the most genuine smile that I had ever seen in the university. Though her heavy make-up, sexy top, mini skirt and stilettos didn't match with my simple make-up (just blush on my cheeks and a touch of gloss on my lips), white button-down, skinny jeans, and doll shoes, I still believed that we clicked the first time we talked. So, I spent the rest of the day with her and I was glad I found a new friend.

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

        Who's that guy?" Kara inquired excitedly when she saw Nigel waiting for me at the parking lot. I just pointed at her the man who was to pick me up.

        Nigel looked very attractive wearing a pair of shades, a long-sleeved gray button down and black slacks. With his right trunk leaning on his car, he was at the same time scrolling something on his phone. He probably had seen me already approaching or he probably still hadn't... I coudn't tell but he appeared to be very busy with his cell phone. Texting somebody, perhaps?

        "He's my fiancé," I replied proudly.

        "Fiancé? Seriously?" she gasped in disbelief.

        "Seriously, Kara," I said matter-of-factly.

        "Oh, my goodness! You are engaged to that man? You really are full of surprises, Miss Ruiz!"

        "Yup, I'm already engaged and that's my man over there."

        "A country bumpkin, huh? Then, now engaged? You really are something!" She laughed, still in disbelief, and looked at Nigel again. "Oh, girl, you've got a gorgeous man out there. Is he an actor or ---?"

        "Now you're kidding me, Kara," I stated giggling. "He's a businessman."

        "Oh, sounds like he's a big time," she said, her mouth in an oww shape.

        "Come on, I'll introduce you to him." I grabbed her wrist and, together, we walked towards Nigel.

        When we reached at where Nigel was, he immediately glanced up.

        "Uhmm, look, what I've got here. I've got a new friend!" I started.

        "Hi, call me Kara," she did not wait for me to introduce her. She appeared excited.

        Nigel stretched out his right arm to give her a handshake and said, "Nigel."

        He did not say much words. Instead, he signalled me to get in the car. He seemed to be in a hurry.

        "Oh, demanding," Kara whispered to me while hitting my left elbow with her right.

        I smiled and said, "I've got to go now. See you tomorrow."

        When Nigel and I were already in the car, I decided to speak first, "My first day in the university turns out fine." I gave him the news though he seemed not interested to know. Well, I was just trying to initiate an interaction since he was silent all along. "It was not great but I managed my day just fine."

        He did not speak a word. His eyes were directed to the road.

        What was this? It was like he was raising a cold war. I believe this was his way of protesting his being my driver this time.

        He kind of actually told me a day before that he didn't have time to drive for me. But I pestered him telling him I was not familiar with the place.

        "I'm a very busy man. You can't just tell me to drive for you."

        I rolled my eyes at him. "Well, if you wouldn't be there with me, I might get lost. If so, you would lose your soon-to-be-wife."

        His brows furrowed the moment he heard what I just said. Obviously, the mention of my being his future wife irritated him. He stopped talking to me. Yeah, just like that.

        Because of that, I thought I had to attend to my first day in the university without him. I slept too worried how to get to school.

        However, this morning, after we took our breakfast, Nigel announced in his irritated voice that I had to get moving or else he had to leave me behind.

        So, he was going to leave me behind... What? It took me several seconds to realize what he was telling me. He was to send me to school? Really? He was to drive for me?

        So, what happened next, I had to carelessly yank my shoulder bag and my notebook from the sofa as I found my way to the door and ran after him. Since I really wanted to keep up with him, it was too late for me to realize that my cell phone slipped from my hand and fell to the floor. I was already out in the hallway when I turned and saw that Suzana was picking it up. She seemed worried upon seeing its condition. She was shaking her head. What did she mean? But I had no more time to ask about it. I needed to run after Nigel. I just waved at her and ran only to find out that the elevator Nigel had stepped into had just shut its doors right before my face!

        Oh, I didn't know how to operate that damn thing! I was panic-stricken! I just got confused if I had to press a button or not, or if I would, which one?

        Oh, such a bumpkin! What a dilemma!

        I was already teary-eyed when it opened again, and there inside in that tiny space, I saw Nigel standing in his business suit, leaning on the back wall, elbows crossed and giving me an amused grin. He probably was playing some kind of prank on me!

        Oh, he had to be thankful that I needed to get to the university or else I would have gone back to his condo, locked myself in my room, and grounded myself for life! Okay, I was just over reacting... but, hey, could you blame a naive country girl that was me?

        Yet, the fact that he offered me a ride was still something, so my heart actually forgave him the moment I stepped into his car. I went to school already with a mended heart. Still, he didn't say anything while we were heading to the university except, "I'll pick you at the park after your class," when I was about to get out of his car. He was indeed maintaining that cold treatment to me.

        "I've already hired a driver for you."

        His announcement woke me up from my recollection. Finally, he had spoken!

        "A driver?"

        "You can't possibly expect me to drive for you everyday, Althea."

        "Why? Isn't it possible?" I asked disappointed about the news.

        He gave me an annoyed expression, "You are truly impossible."

        I gave up the conversation and allowed myself to be entertained with the magnificent sight of the elegant buildings we passed by.

        And, every time I saw something odd or unfamiliar, I would point a finger to it and asked him what it was.

        Well, he never answered any of my questions. He returned to his silent mode.

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

        "Good night," I said to him as I was about to go to my room to rest. We had just dinner and he appeared to be busy scanning some papers in the study room.

        He seemed not to listen so I just left him and went straight to my room.

        Oh, I had already enough of this cold war! I couldn't take it anymore!

        It hurt me so much. It hurt the fact that I was finally with him but he made it sure that pushing me away would be his most remarkable achievement of the century!

        No, he would never ever succeed! I would prove to him that all his efforts would be in vain! In the end, I would be declared the winner of this exhaustive matchup!

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

        I was half-awake when I heard a slight knock on my door. Who could it be at this time of the night?

        I looked at my wrist watch and learned that it was almost 10:30 in the evening. Oh, I was almost asleep.

        Could it be Suzana? But she had already gone home.

        Nigel? What could be so important that I had to be awaken?

        Pushing the comforter away, I struggled myself to rise up from bed. Thinking that my spaghetti-strapped top and pair of sleeping shorts weren't that revealing, I did not bother anymore grabbing my robe. Well, it was not really revealing like last time...

        I was in total awe when I finally saw Nigel right before me as I opened the door.

        "Nigel..."

        Without saying a word, he handed me a box.

        "What's this?" I asked curiously while trying to decipher what it was.

        "Can't you refrain from asking? Just open it," he demanded.

        Like an excited kid, I opened it and I was completely delighted when I realized what it was.

        "Suzana said your phone fell this morning and it's broken ---" he said.

        "So, can I text you now? Like really, really text you?" I said excitedly upon seeing the newest iphone model in my hand.

        He smirked. "Yes and no."

        "Huh? What's that supposed to mean?"

        He leaned his right arm on the door jamb and placed his left hand on his waist. He was wearing a pair of gray pajamas and white sleeveless collarless cotton shirt showing a generous amount of his muscular arms. God, he looked so sexy and hot even in the simplest of clothing.

        I could almost hear my heartbeat...

        God, do I have to drool every time I see him?

        "Do not text or call me whenever you like. I'll be the one to tell you when to text or call me... Only when I want to, get it?" Nigel made it clear to me.

        Huh? What kind of set up was that?

        "That's very unfair!" I protested.

        All of a sudden, he snatched the phone away from my hand. He did it so fast that, in an instant, he was holding it already.

        "Then, you don't need this!" he exclaimed.

        "Oh, you're very unfair! Of course, I need that," I gasped in frustration.

        "If you want to have this, then you've got to conform to my rules," he uttered as he waved the phone on the air.

        "No!" I stubbornly interjected. I was clenching my fists tightly.

        I would call or text him whenever I wanted to. That was what I wanted. I had been deprived of contacting him when I was in The Fields because he never bothered to answer all my calls and texts. Would I have to endure the same now that I was here? Now that he was giving me a phone? No, I couldn't just give this up!

        "No!" I cried out again as I made one quick strenuous effort grabbing the phone from his hand.

        The effort was to no end for he was twice as quick as I was! Nigel was too fast backing away from me. The next thing I knew, I lost my balance I felt like I was to fall!

        Oh, my! You're going to pay for this, Nigel!

        But, to my surprise, Nigel's hands promptly grabbed me and I found myself pulled to his lean, sturdy muscular chest, his back rested on the wall adjacent to the door. The bad thing was I heard a loud bang as the iphone fell to the floor.

         Awestruck, both of us were gasping our breath as his arms circled my waist. As my face rested on the crook of his neck, I could see clearly the movement of his adam's apple. I could also feel the beating of his heart and mine too. His was in constant rhythm... while mine was ecstatic, jumping wildly. It just jumped and jumped and jumped...

        With the need to see how he was handling this unexpected scenario, I glanced up at him. He was also looking down at me and boring his eyes into mine.

        God, please let me handle this properly. I prayed silently.

        Nigel, I love you so much... I wanted to tell him that. With this wonderful scene of me locked in his arms, I felt this was the right time to say it.

        "I love you," I whispered.

        He was seriously locking his eyes into mine. I felt like he had no intention of taking it away from me.

        Suddenly, I felt him pulling my body even closer to his. My heart beat so rapidly that I was delirious with joy. I wanted to kiss him, to taste his sensual lips... if it would be warm and responsive, if it would be willing to give and receive... I slowly raised my hands, from his chest, to surround his neck. I raised my toes a bit so I could bring my mouth closer to his. And I closed my eyes.

        I'm ready now, Nigel. I'll prove to you that I'm no longer that seventeen-year-old girl that you once kiss.

        "I love you," I repeated as I waited for him to kiss me.

        Will he bring his mouth to mine in ten, nine, eight, seven ---

        His hands tensed in my waist, I felt it, as he gripped it tighter... even tighter.

        --- six, five, four, three, two... ?

        "I... " he spoke.

        Okay. Cut.

        I opened my eyes and placed my heels back on the floor. He was trying to say something. Was he going to say that he loved me, too? This I couldn't miss for the world.

        "Yes?" I motivated him to continue. "You are saying..."

        "I... I've just dropped the phone on the floor," he replied huskily.

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A/N

        Whew! Really so wanted to have their second kiss in this chapter but, I guess, we just have to wait for the right time, okay? Haha!

        Thanks to all readers! Guess what, it's going to be my birthday on Tuesday! Now, you probably have a clue about my username. So I'd be happy if you show your support to this story by VOTING, COMMENTING, and SHARING! Just a birthday gift, please?..   

        Lovelotz,
        (sapphiregirl22)   ~_^