Her eyes met with the other woman's.

"Care for a cup of coffee Miss," Cossy asked.

Cossy was one of the house maids at the mansion. She was a gentle woman with pale black hair and in her late forties. She was more familiar with the family more than the other workers. It had been about ten years since she had started working for the Woods.

"Thank you Ma'am, but I'm okay," Nina replied with a faint smile.

"No you're not. Look at you. You've turned pale. Plus,  your legs are not helping much to confirm what you're saying."
Cossy poured two cups of coffee and placed them on the slab.

Nina had been unable to realize that her legs had been shaking. Her skin has developed goosebumps and her fingers were shivering. She was clearly freezing.

"Come on. Sit here with me." The fairly tall woman placed the cups on the kitchen slab and gestured to the girl to take a seat.
Besides the slab were a few stools.

Nina sat down and took one of the cups in her hands. She did not feel the heat of it until after a few minutes, after her numb palms regained the sense of feeling.

"Call me Cossy please," the woman said and took a sip of her coffee.

"I'm sorry I can't call you that."

Cossy's rolled her eyes and touched her forehead, in disbelief.
"Oh my. Rick!"

"Haha.  He's funny." Nina giggled.

"He's like that, but only around ladies," she said. 
"He's gentle with women but harsh with boys/ men.
You should have seen how angry he was when one of Tom's friends broke the sink last year."

"He doesn't look like he can get angry. He's been so sweet to me ever since I got here." Nina looked surprised.

"Who? Me? Are you ladies talking about me?", a deep voice interjected.

Nina's eyes shot up to look straight at Cossy, who was staring at the person behind Nina.
The woman's eyes drifted back to Nina, meeting her seemingly scared gaze.
The now more serious look in her eyes warned Nina that it was a Woods that stood behind her.

It's him.  That's his voice.
Her heart jumped at the thought.

Nina was not sure whether to turn or just keep looking at the woman seated across from her.
The motion of the person behind her saved her from her indecisiveness.

Tom walked around the slab and poured himself a cup of coffee.
Nina could not help but scrutinize his figure.  Her eyes roamed from his messy spiky hair, to his evidently strong shoulders, continuing down to his ankles.
She had a bit eye nutrition.

The tall boy turned as he sipped on the coffee. He placed the cup beside Cossy's hand and pulled a stool for his butt to rest.

"So what are you ladies talking about?", he said with a wry smile.

"Oh it's nothing Tom." Cossy was quick to answer. " I was just telling Nina here about Rick."

"Cool. Where is he?"

"In his quarters probably." Cossy shrugged.

Tom's brows furrowed, he looked to be thinking about something. And then in an instant, he smiled to himself, before turning his eyes to Nina.

"You're Nina. I'm I right?," he said.

"That's me."

"Nina. Where are you from?"

"Around"

"Around? Interesting." Tom laughed.
"How come my sister has never mentioned you to me?"

"She probably has her reasons." Nina was in the least surprised. She knew Erica well and  so she was used to her ever changing moods.

"Oh! Okay." Tom stopped his attempt at asking more questions.

Cossy, who had been looking at the two in amusement, excused herself from the kitchen.

"I'll go finish up with some work, she said. "It was nice chatting with you Nina."
She smiled to her and left the room.

This can't be happening. It's never a good idea to remain anywhere alone, with a boy.
She thought.

She started in a stammer. " I...... I'll go upstairs."

"So soon," Tom replied. "You barely touched your coffee."

She looked at the cup in front of her and realized that the liquid was at the same level it had been when Cossy had given her the cup.

"I'll have another one some time."

She stepped from the stool and took the cup to the sink.

What a waste of pure brew! She thought as she looked at the liquid she poured out.

She rinsed it with soap and clean water before placing it on a rack.
She dried her hands with the small kitchen towel and prepared to escape from the room.

When she turned to get her phone from where she had left it on the slab,  she was shocked at the sight.

Tom was going through her phone, swiping right as he smiled to himself.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?, she barked.

"Going through your phone," he replied, his voice as calm as an angel's.

The fact that Tom was not ashamed about his actions infuriated Nina the more.

"You need to respect other people's property," she snapped and grabbed the phone from his hands.

"Come on baby. What's the fuss? I tried to get to know you but you did not answer my questions.
Thought I would get some answers there."

Baby? Who the hell does he think he is?
She was so angry at her thoughts. Overtaken by fury,  she ran for the stairs and moved to her room. She was not going to take anymore disrespect from an imbecile.

The wood made sequential noises with every step that she took.  She walked as fast as she her legs could carry her, desiring to get as far as she could from the annoying bully.

If it hadn't been for the rail, she would have fallen on her back and rolled all the way back to the foot of the staircase.
Tom had embarrassed her and he had not even cared about how she had felt.

She turned the knob and swung the door open, before proceeding to the window to catch some air.  It had stopped raining a while ago and the sun was starting to shine again.

What a bastard! She thought, clenching her jaw.

Still lost in thought, she felt a strong hand wrap around her waist, swiftly turning her around to face her attacker who pinned her against the wall behind her.
She gasped in shock.h

"How did you get.....  ," she stopped. Her jaw dropped. She remembered that the door had been left wide open, by her furious self.

"What are you doing here," she asked.

"Relax baby. Relax!"

Nina was breathing hard. Her heart beat twice the normal speed. The palms of her hands suddenly became moist.
She didn't know what to think or what to do.

"Why is he in my room?  What's he gonna do to me?"  Nina could not handle the pain caused by the thoughts that were crossing her mind at that time.

Tears pricked the corners of her eyes.
Her lashes met, letting out a salty colourless liquid. It made it's way down her cheeks to her chin, before dropping on her dress.

She was crying.

Tom let her go when he realized that she was shedding tears.

"Hey," he said. " Please don't cry.  I'm not going to hurt you."

Nina slid against the wall till she was sitting on the floor, leaning against the wall, still crying.

"Nina. I'm sorry, he apologized. "I was just teasing you but I guess I went too far.
I just want to know you."

She looked at him in disbelief. " Is this how you get to know people?"

"Not really. I don't know why I came to your room but I felt the urge to enter when I found it open."

"I thought you were......."

His eye brows furrowed, totally baffled at her thoughts. "You thought I what? You thought I was gonna touch you?
For Christ's sake. I would never."

She lifted her head and met his eyes, and dropped it again.

Tom sat down next to her and tried to calm the storm inside her. He placed his hand on her chin, lifting it so that her hazel brown eyes met his grey ones.

"Look," he said. "I'd never do anything that someone doesn't approve of.  There's nothing to worry about. Okay?

Nina nodded. Her right hand made it's way to the corner of her eyes in an attempt to wipe her tears but Tom's right hand stopped it. The white handkerchief in his hand graced Nina's eyes and cheeks. 
She did not stop him.

He held her chin with the other hand and used the other to dry up her face.  She closed her eyes,  making his action easier.

He stopped halfway after realisation donned on him.  She was beautiful.  His eyes danced over her face, scrutinizing every curve and edge on her small face. She had a short nose and small curved lips.

I wonder how it would feel having those luscious lips on mine! He thought.

"I want to be alone now,"Nina said. "Please leave." She had opened her eyes after losing the feel of the handkerchief on her face and caught him staring at her.

"You still mad at me. Damn it girl"
He was angry that his efforts to apologize had been futile. He tossed the handkerchief on the floor and dashed out of the room.

"Tom wait.... "

Her words met the back of the door which slammed shut behind him.
He had explained and apologized but she had refused to forgive him.

She frowned and sighed. She wished that she could turn back time and tell him that it was alright, that she had accepted his apology, but it was too late for that.