Chapter 9. Nick’s Promise and the Knife in the Dark
When I woke up, I didn’t find Nick by my side. I grabbed my phone from the nightstand and saw that it was already 9 a.m.
The savory smell of cooking filled my senses, making me suspect that Nick was in the kitchen.”
“Hi, Princess. Did you sleep well?” Nick turned his head as I walked into the kitchen. He picked up a plate of toast and placed it on the table. There was also a cup of tea on the small table in front of me.
I smiled awkwardly, looking at his cooking. “Nick, you should’ve woken me up. Let me do the cooking.“>
“Princesses should be treated well.” Nick pulled out a chair and gently pushed me to sit down. We enjoyed our breakfast with jokes. Nick always had a way of teasing me.
Suddenly, his face turned tense. I had trouble swallowing my bread.”
“Kate, I don’t know how to tell you this. But… last night, something happened that we really didn’t expect.”
I stiffened instantly. “W–why?“”
“I heard you snoring.” Nick rubbed his temples dramatically. “I thought sleeping with a beautiful woman would be romantic. Instead, I slept with a chainsaw.“>
“Nick!”
I pinched his arm mercilessly. What a jerk!!
He burst out laughing, occasionally wincing as I pinched him. “Kate, you’re so cruel!” he joked.
“You’re so annoying, Nick! I thought you were up to no good last night.” I folded my arms across my chest, genuinely annoyed by his
antics.
Nick laughed even harder, clutching his stomach, tears forming in his eyes.
“You’re really funny,” he said. “Your face is as red as a tomato. And when you panic, you look like a Matryoshka doll.“]
I ignored him. My appetite was suddenly gone. Seeing my reaction, he moved his chair closer and put his arm around my shoulders.§
“Calm down. I didn’t do anything, honey. You’re safe. I didn’t touch you at all. You looked good last night,” Nick said.
“Did I really snore last night?” I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye.
Nick seemed to be holding back a smile. His lips were pressed together, as if he was trying not to laugh.
“Tell me, Nick!”
“You didn’t snore. You sleep so gracefully. Your mouth stays shut, and you look absolutely beautiful,” Nick said with a smile.”
I let out a relieved sigh. If I had really snored, it would have been so embarrassing. If Nick had seen me like that, he would probably be disgusted.
“Oh yeah. Do you remember the surprise I told you about last night?“>
I nodded, though not too enthusiastically. Nick was unpredictable. What if he suddenly pulled out a dead cockroach from his pocket? “Wait a minute.” Nick ran into the room. He came back with both hands behind his back. He then told me to close my eyes, and I complied.”
“Open them!”
I opened my eyes and saw two concert tickets in Nick’s hand. I took them hesitantly.
“Oh my God! This is my favorite band! I haven’t seen them live in so long. The last time was in Australia a few years ago!“}]
Without thinking, I hugged Nick. It was a reflex, something I hadn’t planned. I hugged him so tightly that Nick seemed awkward.
Realizing what I was doing, I quickly pulled away. We stared at each other awkwardly, like teenagers in love.”
“S–sorry,” I said.
Nick scratched the back of his neck. “Umm… I knew you liked them after I stalked your social media. I found a post of you at their concert about six years ago. And coincidentally, they have a concert today. So, would you like to go with me?”
Without thinking, I immediately said yes. Tears welled up in my eyes–this was my second time experiencing this.
When we arrived at the venue, I looked at the tens of thousands of people waiting eagerly for the band to take the stage.
Nick had taken me shopping for clothes at the official merchandise store earlier since I hadn’t brought a change of clothes.
“We look like a couple,” Nick said with a mouthful of fries.
“Why?”
“We’re wearing the same thing.”
I looked down at my pink sweater and then at Nick’s T–shirt. They were indeed the same, featuring the band members posing together.”
After waiting for two hours, the concert finally started. I completely immersed myself in the music, singing along to every song I had memorized.
Nick, on the other hand, simply tapped his foot to the rhythm and nodded his head. Occasionally, I saw him pick up his phone to record or take pictures–mostly of me.W
“You don’t know any of their songs?” I shouted over the music.”
“I have terrible taste in music. The last time I sang was probably in elementary school,” he said with a laugh.
Hooked at him in awn towne willing to nit though a concort for a hand ho didn’t ouan likn–ho won’t into munin at all
Dromise and the Knife in the Dark
0004
1:09 PM R
I looked at him in awe. He was willing to sit through a concert for a band he didn’t even like–he wasn’t into music at all.
About six songs in, suddenly, a fan proposed to his girlfriend right in front of us. The crowd and even the band members cheered on
the romantic scene.
Surprised, I quickly took out my phone to record their moment.”
The female–dominated audience erupted in cheers, making my skin tingle with excitement.
Nick, noticing my enthusiasm, leaned in and whispered, “If I proposed to you, would you say yes?“}
I froze, staring at him in shock, my stomach fluttering.
But before I could answer, someone behind Nick–wearing a black hoodie and a face covering–suddenly stabbed him in the stomach with a swift movement.}
I screamed as Nick collapsed, blood soaking his shirt.
What had been a joyous moment turned into chaos in an instant.§
(To be continued)}
