"Want some?" Jake passed me the cigarette, wiggling his eyebrows.

"You know I don't smoke, Jake."

"Nora has able to change your life in many aspects except this," He sighed, "This is heaven rolled into a small element," He pointed towards the cancer stick.

I rolled my eyes, "That's bullshit. My moral compass is far superior to my frivolous temptations."

"How can you say if you have never tried it? You don't know what you are missing out on," He scoffed.

Nora had said the same thing about sex once. Everyone claimed I had no idea what I was missing out on. So, I was more willing to take that one rather than smoking. With someone nice.

Nora... I guess? I mean, I didn't know any girl besides her with whom I could...

I cleared my throat and shifted to sit comfortably, "What's new?"

"Nothing. Except Reina and Axel are fighting like children. Poor Axel. He is trying to do the right thing but its effecting him a lot," He burst out laughing, "Stupid asshole."

"Poor Axel?" I inquired, grinning, "You are defending him?"

"You don't know, do you? The reason behind their fighting," He smirked arrogantly, blowing smoke out and looking like a Playboy Magazine model.

"Yeah, he is busy with work and not being able to give her time-"

"That's a lie," He snickered, "His office work has nothing to do with the office."

"What do you mean?" I asked curiously.

Jake stared for few seconds before he leaned in, "Here's a thing. Don't tell anyone. Axel is planning a huge surprise for Reina. He only told me. You will probably receive the invitations by thursday. It's next week. He is planning something big. Its their anniversary."

"Oh. What kind of surprise?"

"Unfortunately, that is a surprise for me too," He frowned, "He is just planning something for Reina and staying out late for most of the time. Maybe its a gala event. I know Emilia Clarke won't come, but a man can always dream, right?"

"I don't think Axel will invite Emilia Clarke, buddy," I replied, "But its good he is making such an effort for her. At least its not what we were thinking."

"Of course not. Dude is so sickeningly into my sister that it makes me want to throw him down a building sometimes or scrape off the excess cheese off his body," He snorted, "But I would kill him if he cheated on Reina, yes."

"Of course. How is Olivia? It's been few days I spoke to her," I leaned back on my palms.

"She is as usual studying way too much to handle. She is taking extra courses and will go for her masters. She stays up late night and wakes up early. I don't get it. Why would you stress yourself out so much for a grade written on a piece of paper?" He took a puff.

"That grade is going to land you a job and ultimately good money," I pointed out.

"Then, I don't need a job. I work part time at a bistro and it's bearable. I can't imagine myself slaving behind a laptop eight- nine hours a day in a formal suit. I would kill myself," He shuddered.

"What else will you do if you don't work to earn?" I asked.

He paused for a bit, looking a bit uncomfortable.

"I was thinking of game designing. I don't feel like continuing with my current course. I love games so maybe I will love that," He shrugged, "I love that world."

"Then, do it. Who is stopping you?"

He looked conflicted suddenly, "I don't know if I would do it. I kind of followed Olivia but I realized science isn't for me. I don't mind coding but other than that, it doesn't excite me. I know two dudes who can help me out if I dropped out and would teach me but Mom and Olivia expect a lot from me. I took some online courses on designing and AI."

"And?"

He glanced at me, swallowing, "I am thinking of opening my own business."

My eyebrows shot up, "Wow."

He nodded, immediately clarifying, "I have thought about it, didn't plan yet. I am just waiting for college to end so I can shove a degree to my mom because if I don't, I will be the first to drop out in my entire clan. A degree will please her. I have knowledge,  partners who are willing. I just need funds and capital. I know mom can help with that but ever since I finished high school, I knew riding on her success wasn't it for me. As it is, thanks to my mom for lending me some money for my apartment which I have to pay off till I earn big bucks comfortably. We had a lot of arguments about this. I just want to start it as soon as possible so I can repay her back and just finally do what I love."

"Does Olivia know?"

He shook his head, "I haven't told anyone. It's unsettling. There is no dearth of youngsters here but opening a business like that is risky here. I don't want to be a failure but I have already thought so much about it. I just..."

"Want to make it on your own this time."

He gave a rueful smile, "You can say that. I cannot believe I am saying this but Axel has provided a lot of inspiration. That dude went from rags to riches by struggling and I know how hard he has worked for last few years, aiming to climb high. Granted, he isn't rich but he has enough money of his own now to sustain. I want that too. I am done depending on my name and inheritance."

"You are going to be fine, Jake. You know I will support you and so will others.
It's your life. I am pretty sure they will be happy with whatever you choose," I reasoned.

"They will support me but I just hope that later in life they won't be disappointed in me," He looked thoughtful, "Olivia is working hard every day. She has a plan on what to do and how to go about and I am pretty sure she will achieve everything she wants and here I am, a confused but sexy as fuck person."

"Olivia understands you better than me now. She will be there beside you," I said, ignoring the last part.

He gave a wide smile finally and looked up at the sky, "Can I tell you one thing? I never told this to anyone."

"That you are secretly gay for me?"

He snorted, "Keep dreaming. Do you wanna hear it or not?"

"Speak, Your Highness."

"Have you ever met someone, a girl to be more specific in our cases and immediately went all confused whether to make her your wife or best friend?" He asked.

I paused, "Um, I don't know. I mean, previously it was Reina but now..."

"It's not, right? The confusion didn't stick with you. I met that someone but I wasn't confused," He smirked.

"What do you mean? You were not confused about Olivia?" I furrowed my eyebrows.

"Maybe on the outside, yeah. But deep down inside, somewhere or the other I knew this girl was made for me. Since the day I first saw her I was like, 'Damn, I want to make her my something someday.' I never told you this," He let out a throaty laugh.

"Wait a minute. You fell in love with her at first sight? You know that's shitty," I huffed.

"I dunno, Derek. I didn't realize it that day or few months after that. But once I did, I regret not talking to her before that. It wasn't just one instance but our first conversation definitely initiated my feelings despite me being a bonehead. We studied together since kindergarten, yet I didn't even know she existed before senior year," He wondered.

"But she was the topper of her class," I frowned, "How could you have not noticed her?"

"You know how I was, I barely paid attention whenever others spoke. Half of the time, I slept in class while the rest I stared outside the window. My sports records saved me from failing in class. I was nowhere close to you or Ashton, let alone Liv. You guys were like gems in front of the teachers' eyes. The children who make you proud in future. Even Reina was brighter than me. I was too much into sports and too less in my books. When I graduated, I still didn't know half of the students in our class. Girls included," He shrugged.

"But you slept with half of them."

"I forgot about them immediately. I didn't even know their names. Mostly, they were the aftermaths of drunk high school parties. God, how bad they must have felt when they left. What a fucktard I am," He looked very depressed all of a sudden.

"You are a nice guy, dude. They knew what they were getting into. You used to have this ritual of giving them a rose after every night, didn't you?" I laughed.

"They were fake. I had a stack of them in my cupboard. I always carried one with me whenever I went somewhere," He grumbled before pausing, "Flowers were too intimate for me. I never wanted to give a real flower to a girl ever unless I actually felt something for them."

"Were?" I raised an eyebrow.

His neck turned red slowly and since he was at least two shades fairer than me, I could see that he looked flustered even in the night. He gulped and turned away, looking shy.

"What?" I poked, grinning again.

"I gave one to Olivia when we moved in and spent the first night in our apartment. It was a single rose," He curled his lips in, "Don't start."

"You are much more romantic than me, aren't you?" I punched his shoulder, "You sly dog."

"But I still feel like I could have spared those girls. I didn't have to do that. I was too eager to do it in order to prove I was cool. I decided I would be brawny instead of brainy and use my assets to my advantage. I knew very well I was called "The Golden Fucker" in school," He said slowly.

I kept quiet as the guy poured his heart out. Booze and Jake might not always be a bad combination.

"I have always had the Johnson tag associated with me. I had a name to live upto. Reina did but I didn't, I realized that early on in middle school. That's why I put more efforts into my looks and basketball. After Olivia, I realized having too many flings and acting like an arrogant cool dude wasn't worth it. It sounded fancy then, not now. I am so much more at ease currently."

"But you are still worried about the future."

"Who isn't at our age?" He scoffed, "I just hope mom, Reina and Olivia can be proud of me by next five years. I don't want to go the conventional way."

"How much did you drink before coming to meet me?" I sighed.

"Just three bottles," He brushed it off.

Nora should realize her long lost brother was Jake.

"Hey man, listen to me. You are going to be fine as long as you slog your ass off. You need to put your entire life into it if you want to succeed. And coming to girls, they knew what they were getting into. You always told them," I patted his shoulder.

"You have no idea how much I thank God everyday that you were absent that day and I met Liv. I was a boy then, I feel like a man now," He spread his arms, looking very affectionate and too inebriated.

Um... sure, if he thought so. He had improved, but Jake being a mature and serious man was still a vision.

"I am sure you do."

"I am gonna marry that girl one day, Derek. I am gonna give her so many books and bonsai plants that she won't be able to complain about the lack of them in her entire life," He threw the cigarette butt away.

I chortled, "It's so weird to see you like this but this is so weirdly awesome."

"She doesn't like me smoking and we fight a lot about this, but I have reduced a bit. Axel has done a commendable job of stopping it entirely in months, but I am still trying. I take one or two a day now," He said proudly.

"That's great, man. I wish Nora reduced it too. She is even worse than you when it comes to smoking and drinking," I rolled my eyes.

"Liv said she won't ever think of taking any step further in our relationship if I don't stop it but it's really fucking hard when you are addicted to this," He held it up, "It's gonna take some time."

"You'll do it. Just like Axel did. He is completely off it, right?"

"Smoking, yeah. He drinks sometimes at parties but that's it. He almost didn't touch any alcohol after his mother's death for almost half a year, if I remember correctly. He makes an exception rarely but Reina tells me it's been a drastic change for him. Hats off to both of them. One for quitting and the other for supporting," He nodded.

"That's great. Nora is really addicted to smoking and drinking, you know. She-"

"Leave her now. Let's talk about you. What is your mental status now? Confused? Complicated even if its simple? Refusing to acknowledge anything?" He asked, lighting another cigarette.

I narrowed my eyes, "You are not funny and don't smoke."

"I am funnier than you. You have the potential to even bore my grandma to death," He chuckled, "Just one. This is the last, I promise."

"Nora doesn't think so. She thinks I am funny," I argued.

It was a lie. Almost everyday, she made it a point to tell me how boring I was and how I was never getting laid.

"And I am the next President of America," He said, looking deadpan.

"Nora-"

"Again her? Look, as much as I want you to hook up with her, this is getting kinda irritating now. Stop speaking about her all the time," He scoffed.

"Yeah, you are right. I am speaking and thinking too much about her," I shook my head.

"You are confused since the day you were born, Callingham," Jake blew out smoke again, "None can change that."

"What did you guys speak about that day? When she went to your place because she was pissed off at me. I never spoke to her about that," I remembered suddenly.

He paused, thinking deeply about something, "Nothing much. Just the usual. She was a bit frustrated about how stupid you are. Nothing new."

"Oh. That's it?"

"That's pretty much it," He nodded, looking away, the usual smile of his dropping a bit but I could feel he left out some parts. I didn't prod further, however. It was between him and Nora anyway.

"I don't want her to go away yet. Few more days are left for her stay. It's going to get boring and dull without her," I said truthfully, changing the topic.

Jake seemed relieved at the topic change before gave an all knowing beam and took another puff, throwing the short killer stick away, "I love how dumb you are. You make me look so smart and obvious. And by the way, I will keep you entertained. Don't insult me like that."

I stared at my right palm, rubbing it with the left palm. Shit, I was thinking too much about Nora now. More than that was required.

I had once thought no girl could ever compete with Reina. Olivia had told me a thousand times that it was not a competition. Love was not a competition. I hadn't understood it that time.

It seemed simple now. I wasn't deeply in love with Nora yet, but I knew that with each passing day, the possibility was growing bigger and bigger. My promise to her was getting more real and it wouldn't be long before I could actually see and have a future with her.

Nora didn't have to compete with Reina. There was no need. There was no winner or loser because there was no competition.

There was just Nora. Crazy Nora.

It was true that I had started developing a crush on Nora since a while now. I knew that I was willing to take that extra step and find out. I wouldn't sit back anymore.

"I might like her a lot, Jake," I whispered.

"Oh, thank god for that. Your realizations always come so late, that I fear I might lose some hair and develop a pot belly by the time you realized it," He snorted.

"I have a crush on Nora," A slow grin broke out on my face, "Jesus Christ, I... like Nora Wright. I can see a future with her and the best part is, it doesn't involve anymore heartbreaks."

And then I burst out laughing. Not the usual chuckles or snickers that I had with Nora, but a full blown ear shattering laugh that would scare birds away.

"Holy fuck! I like her. I don't know, Jake but I do. It's unbelievable. Nora Wright. Derek Callingham likes Nora Wright. My God! This is madness," My sides were aching from so much of laughter.

"Every night in my dreams, I see you, I feel you..." Jake started singing.

"Shut it. You are singing? Your friend is going through a huge epiphany and you are-"

"Can you be anymore overdramatic?" He looked completely bored and disinterested.

"Says the guy who declared his feelings in front of everyone, ran away from there afterwards and then had to take a lot of coercing to accept it later," I pointed out.

"Hey! I thought I was not made for love before realizing it! You were born romantic and knew exactly that you were meant to be for love," Jake accused.

"Touché. I don't know about love though. I like her a lot. Like by a huge amount," I said smiling.

"That's stupid. I always get confused when people say this. I think if you like a person, you love her. What's this huge gap of like and love? Like is supposed to be more than attraction and less than love. It's confusing," He frowned, "For me, like and love are the same. It's either everything or nothing."

"Don't worry. I understand it's beyond your thinking capacity," I patted his back.

"Liv did the same thing too. You know Nora for so long. Don't you think you love her?" He asked, "Why do a square root of 4 and get 2 when you can subtract a 2 from 4 and get the same?"

"You are making me think too much. I am not in a mood. I will go home and tell Nora," I got up.

"Right now? Let me finish this," He pleaded, holding up his death stick.

"Enough for a day, Jake. Go home. It's getting late anyway," I said, grabbing his arm and trying to get him to stand.

"Great, now I am missing out on heaven because of your liking towards Nora. God knows how many more sacrifices I have to make," He grumbled.

"Stop being so grumpy. Look at you, complaining while I am grinning like a fool. The roles have reversed," I laughed.

"Oh please, I might get to have sex whereas the maximum you can do is stutter and faint before you can actually tell anything to her."

He had a point.

"Tell me. What did you feel when you saw Nora for the first time? Best friend or wife?" He asked.

"I was very intimidated. That was the first feeling. I was already a mess and she had me wrapped around her pinkie within no time," I admitted.

"I don't find her intimidating. She thinks she is funny but she is not. She is reckless and a daredevil," He said.

"I don't mind it," I rolled my lips in.

"Of course you don't now, do you? She is your girl," He grinned naughtily.

"More like I am her guy," I looked down, feeling a blush creeping up my cheeks, "But you are right. She is my girl," I added quickly.

~°~

The house was quiet as I creeped in. I checked my watch to see it was later than usual. Ma had probably gone to sleep by now.

I let out a loud yawn before walking to the fridge and taking out a bottle of coke. Drinking one gulp, I kept it back in. I checked the fridge for any leftover food. There was some cake Ma had made few days back and I took a scoop out of it. It was tasty enough, Ma made the best black forest cake ever.

"Why don't you share it?"

I immediately turned around to find Nora leaning against the kitchen door, with a blank expression and her arms crossed.

"You scared me," I said, taking out the cake and a spoon.

"I do that to people a lot," She shrugged and came in before sitting on a tool and picking another spoon and dipping it inside the soft fluffy heaven.

"I told Ma I had dinner outside. She was so pissed again. Did you have it with Ma or get takeouts?" I asked.

"Takeouts. Figured your mom could do with some break from cooking. It was actually good. We had Chinese. Your mom is so cool. We chatted and gossiped a lot for the first time. She doesn't judge me for who I am and I am so in love with her already," She smiled widely.

"That's good. Nice to know you two are bonding," I swallowed before speaking, "I promised her I won't be having dinner at Jake's for at least 2-3 days now. It gets hard sometimes to balance the time between family, friends and you of course."

"She compensates her love for my mother's. You are lucky to have a mom like that. She knows when to leave you alone and when to intervene. I also love the fact that you share your thoughts with her. Not every person is lucky enough to do that. While you have been going out to meet Jake, she has taught me some cooking. It's actually interesting. I never knew cooking was this fun. It's good I learnt though," She crossed her leg and babbling away, "Once I go back, I will make an omelette."

She had just worn a flimsy dress that reached halfway down her thighs and showed off her brilliant legs. Her feet were naked again and I felt myself grow warm as I dragged my eyes from her legs to her face painfully slowly.

Now, that I had established I liked Nora, it seemed more difficult to tell her. She was probably dying to hear it, but my previous experience was so bad, I had to make sure I said the right thing.
      Her tattoos were shining in the little light that came inside from the street lamps outside and despite knowing I was never a guy who found tattoos or piercings hot, I found myself wanting to carve every ink line of hers and a tiny portion of me wishing she had the piercings back on so I could trace them as well.

Woah. What the hell. Since when did I find tattoos and piercings sexy? She kind of pulled it though, no doubt about it. Not everyone could, for example, me. I would rather drink alcohol with someone else's spit than let a needle put permanent marks on me. But I suddenly found myself desperately stifling the urge to grab her and just touch them and her. I wondered if she had some more hidden ones that I didn't know of.

"You're staring at my cleavage. I don't mind but you can stare at my face too if you want," She said darkly at me, like she had a hidden agenda.

My eyes enlarged, "N-no, I wasn't s-staring at your-"

"You are not so innocent, are you?" She narrowed her eyes, "First my legs, then my cleavage. You vile boy."

"No! I swear I wasn't-"

"You were staring at my legs before. You can't deny that," She was dancing her legs as she licked the spoon slowly, penetrating me with her eyes.

I felt my face would burst to flames now. I scratched my head awkwardly, "Well, yes but I couldn't help it. You haven't worn pants and-"

"I don't mind taking off the rest, seeing how hot it is. Would you like that?" She asked innocently.

I seriously wish I had half her confidence.

"NO!"

"You are a legs person, aren't you? Not an ass or boobs person," She asked, having complete fun watching me squirm.

"Why are we having this conversation?" I whimpered, scratching my head, "It doesn't matter."

"You love my legs," She burst out laughing, "Glad to know at least there is some part of normal sexual urges left in you. You don't know how curious I am about you, Dora."

I couldn't speak anything further. Whatever I would say, she would twist and turn it.

"Nora, I need to say s-something. V-very important," I gulped, deciding to come to the point.

"Me too. I will go to my parents' anniversary. I am pre-poning my ticket," She said, casually throwing it, "Your turn now."

I stopped and frowned, "What? You are leaving? But you are already leaving a month before me. You wanna leave earlier than that?"

"Now, don't you cry. I know you will miss me-"

She had no idea.

"-but the thing is, I will again meet you after vacations at Yale," She flashed a lazy smile.

"You will not come back?" I asked thunderstruck.

"The party is on Saturday. I leave this Saturday. Then I have the workshop. Sorry honey, I don't think I am coming back here for now. Maybe next year again if you invite," She looked at the cake.

"One whole week before?" I scowled.

"Yeah, I have to go there and shop 'appropriately' for the anniversary," She said quoting.

"Oh. But, Axel is holding a surprise event for Reina! You can't miss that!" I whisper shouted.

Wasn't it supposed to be a secret?

"Surprise event?" She asked curiously, "I don't know about any surprise event."

"It's a surprise. We will get invitations by this thursday. Axel is preparing for this thing-"

"Wait. Wait. Who told you?" She frowned.

"Jake. It might be next week and-"

"But it's my parents' anniversary. I want to be there," She said.

"It's Axel and Reina's anniversary too!"

"Twenty five years is more important than two years."

"You can postpone it. If Axel's surprise bash is next week, you arrive on Friday. Just in time for the party," I said weakly.

Her brows furrowed, "The dates are clashing. What is this big thing? I don't have to go to every party, do I? I already attended one. You are more important here, not me. If you go, I think that will be enough," She shrugged.

"No! Absolutely no! You have to come!" I said, feeling horrorstruck.

She can't leave just like that. She just came few days ago.

"Dora, my stay here is almost going to end. I can meet you directly at university after summer if you want," She raised her eyebrows.

"No! It's been hardly one month..."

"My stay was supposed to be one and a half months, around five weeks or so. I am doing a workshop before third year begins and so, will be going back in the final month of our vacation. I will meet you after vacations again. I don't get why are you getting so hyper. It's been few weeks I am staying here. Have you forgotten to calculate time now too?" She frowned.

"Okay. Okay," I nodded vigorously, "Cool. Goodnight," I said, getting up as the chair scraped noisily.

"Wait. What were you going to say-"

"Ah, I forgot," I shook my head, the gears in my head going at full speed. Think Derek, think. What can you do to possibly delay? Am I a selfish prick for wanting to do that? Yes. Do I care? No.

Wow. Maybe being bad wasn't so bad afterall.

"Well then, let me have the cake at least," She said.

"Have at it," I gestured but she got up instead and came to stand in front of me before raising her hand and wiping the frosting off the corner of my mouth with her thumb.

Then, she ate the frosting off her mouth, licking slowly. And the like the dumbest idiot I was, I could only stand there, staring like I had frozen into a lump of ice.

Good god, how the hell would I confess anything to her when she stayed one step ahead of me almost everytime? I really had to work on just stop blushing everytime Nora pulled something off like this.

"Mmm, tasty," She murmured, trying to be sultry but failing as she chuckled at my expression.

"You're very bold," I breathed, reflecting her laugh but in a more nervous and resigned tone. I wanted to be more charming like her. I wanted to surprise her, make her stop breathing for seconds like she did to me or hell even flirt so bad that she would never doubt my skills.

Except that one time at Jake's place where I danced with her, I couldn't remember a single time I had made her mute with shock. I was definitely not getting the Manliest Man award.

"And you like it. Admit it."

"I do," I said without hesitation. Her eyebrows flickered in surprise and as much as I would love to stay and chat, I had a mission in mind.

"It's late. See you tomorrow. Goodnight, sweet dreams," I said and ran up the stairs to my room before

Slamming the door shut, I picked my phone and dialled Axel's number quickly.

"Pick up. Pick up. Pick up," I tapped my foot impatiently as the blasted phone rang.

"Derek? Why are you calling now?" His groggy voice answered.

"I need an urgent favor from you. I need you to come over to my place tomorrow."