Stella woke up with a start.She had a nightmare.her eyes met Nicholas' cold ones who sat facing her.she looked around then looked at her clothes.they were intact and she realized she had slept off while still sitting due to anxiety.
She was Embarrassed to face Nicholas who just stared at her.
"Good morning" she stuttered. Her voice hoarse.
"Good morning.no need to ask,I guess you didn't have a goodnight rest".
"I'm going out, you can eat that on the table.I will be back soon". Nicholas said as he Left the house.
" Thank you".
Stella looked towards the table and saw bread and eggs.the sweet aroma wafting in the air into her nose, making her stomach Grumble. She was really hungry. She quickly Gobbled it down in a go.then she noticed she was a bit sticky ,so,she quickly made use of Nicholas' bathroom to freshen up.
Just as she came out of the bathroom, Nicholas came in,startling her.didn't he say he was going out? Oh and yes,Will be coming back soon. Nicholas only glanced at her.but he could see that she had just had a shower.her black hair looked messy and her eyebrows and eye lashes seemed to get darker.her eyes looked pale because of the water but he also saw that they were very beautiful.her lips had a healthy light pink colour.
Stella was Embarrassed. She didn't know he would come back this soon.her clothes were dirty and wet now and she didn't have another change of clothes.
"I just took a shower" she said softly and gave him an apologetic look.
"Remove those clothes" he said.
What!? What does he mean?Stella clutched unto her clothes tightly while throwing him a warning look.Nicholas was confused at first but tried to Read meaning to her actions .at the end he just sighed and got one of his Shirts around then threw it at her.
"Your clothes are dirty and wet.you can wear my shirt while you wait for yours to dry" He told her.
Ohh..that was it?
Stella straightened up a bit as she blushed. She had misunderstood him.she took his shirt and went to the bathroom to change. She breathed in his masculine scent and it felt so Nice. She's never worn a man's clothes before.
She stepped out of the bathroom wearing his shirt which looked very big for her.she had a small body frame.so, when she wore it,it stopped right at her mid thighs and the sleeves covered her hands making her look more childish than she already was.
"Thank you, Nicholas,for everything. I Will leave after my clothes are dry". Stella said.
There was a moment of silence,Stella looked at him while Nicholas remained quiet.
" where are you going to stay now?" Nicholas asked.
Stella was a bit surprised.she noticed that Nicholas was someone who didn't talk too much and seems indifferent. But she had a good impression of him, he was someone who cared.
"I don't know". She said.where could she go? She didn't have the money to Get an Apartment and even if she did, she couldn't get an apartment because she was underage.
"you can't get an Accommodation now because you're still a child.so,can you become my Roommate? " Nicholas asked.
Roommates? A man and a girl? That's Ridiculous! What will people think of her? What's this man even thinking? Does he want to take advantage of her?hmph! She sneered.some men are scums.
"We'll share the rent equally" he said again.
Oh wow! He was being serious.how will she pay him?she thought about it,Even though this man was a stranger, he had still helped her. He didn't seem to be a bad person and she didn't have a choice now.
"Okay, but we will share the rooms.because we are.." She pointed to herself and him,talking about their gender differences.
"I understand, we will set boundaries because I'm a principled guy.I just want to help you because you're homeless"
Stella nodded.did anyone ever told him he was very straightforward?
"I know you don't have a job now,we'll sort that out later.so,for the next three months you're going to pay me with yourself till you get a job".
What!? Stella wasn't a naive girl at 17.her face turned ugly when she heard him,she stood up.
" what do you mean by that? Look,I won't let you Ruin me. I think I Will leave your house". Stella was angry now and even her hand balled into a fist.Nicholas couldn't help but chuckle. She looked angry yet cute.he had the urge to tease her.
"Why are you angry? You didn't even let me explain.I mean,you would be cooking for me for the next three months since you can't pay me now" Nicholas explained, he watched as she breathed a sigh.
"I can't Cook that much" she could only make simple meals like noodles and others.
"Don't worry, I'm not so picky and trust me,you'll be fine, okay?" Nicholas said.
Stella smiled,she hoped she will really be fine one day. A young girl with no parent, no money and worst still,homeless.
"Okay, I agree."
"You're now my Roommate"
It felt like a dream. She's now living with a man as his Roommate! She remembered how one of her classmates was discriminated because she got pregnant after going to stay in a man's House whom she had lied was her cousin.she did not also want to become a single mum just like her mother.But she knew what to do.she would make money and move out within two months.but Nicholas didn't know this.
"Aren't you going to work today?" Stella noted how it was almost midday and he had not gone out for work.
"Yea,all thanks to you" Nicholas muttered, throwing his head back and closing his eyes.
but Stella heard him,seems like she has caused him trouble. Stella stared at his Adam's apple for a while and it was becoming boring.
"Nicholas, did you go to the university?"
"No"
She didn't want one word replies.
"Why did you save me?"
"Because I saw a little girl that was stranded and I knew I needed to help" he said without looking up.
Stella sighed,it's difficult talking to him.
"And I'm not a little girl or a child"
'Oh'
"Where are your parents?" She asked again.
"I don't know"
"Do you have a girlfriend?"
"Maybe"
"Do you have siblings?"
"I don't know"
"Why don't you want to answer my questions? I already told you everything about myself, what about you?we are now Roommates, remember?"
"Yes,we are Roommates and I Will answer your questions when you have paid" Nicholas replied nonchalantly.
How shameless!
'I'm done talking to you!
She looked around again when she saw the picture of a middle aged woman on the wall.
"This.. Is this your mother?" She asked.
"Yes"
"She's beautiful!" Stella complimented. The woman in the picture had a beautiful smile,Nicholas had some of her features but she has not seen him smile to know if he also had a beautiful smile.
"Yea,thanks" he said without much Enthusiasm. Stella noticed his mood change after she mentioned his mother. He looks like he didn't want to talk about it. so,she didn't ask him anything Else.
Stella wasn't one to stay without talking but just as she was about to say something else,her stomach grumbled in protest. She was hungry now.but did her stomach have to Embarrass her like this?
"Hungry?" Seems like Nicholas also heard that Embarrassing sound. She nodded her head,no need to pretend or lie.
"Then let's go and eat" he stood up.he wanted to go to a restaurant.he picked up his keys and Stella knew he was going out.
"But..I don't have any clothe to wear" Stella said.
Oh..
"Then stay here .I will be back soon" and with that,he left.
"Okay".
Few minutes later,someone knocked at the door. Stella opened the door and saw a young man in his late twenties grinning but it disappeared when he saw her. He looked surprised.
Hello..
"where's Nicholas ?" the young man asked.
"He has gone out for a while and says he will be back soon"
"okay, I guess I will give him a call and you can also tell him Ahmed came ".
"Alright " Stella nodded with a smile. Ahmed was stunned for a while. The girl was an absolute beauty and her smile almost left him in a trance.he has never seen her before nor has Nicholas ever mentioned her to him.he was almost leaving but his curiosity got a better part of him.
"who are you? " he asked.
"um.. His sister " Stella lied.
"His sister!?? ".