I'm Nothing Without You Chap18

Klive opened his eyes and searched for his wrist watch. He looked at it. He cursed upon seeing the time. He was up late. He sighed, took his phone and dialed. ‘Cancel my appointments today. I’m taking a day off.’ he informed his secretary. After his phone call he stayed in his bed, lying supine and his gaze was transfixed at the ceiling, he recalled about last night's event. He smiled to himself as he recalled Avie in her beautiful gown. She looked sophisticated yet with an innocent touch of her personality and her smile, she looked well composed yet she doesn’t care anything about it. That night, upon looking at Avie, he thought that she was born and raised at the same circle as his. She knows how to blend in with the group and her wit made her stand out from the crowd.

Klive suddenly frowned as he remembered Ethan’s appearance. If his Dad didn’t stop him, he was sure he will bet Ethan up. He was shocked and furiously seeing Avie so clingy to Ethan. It was as if she will do everything Ethan will tell her to do. He was also pissed as he saw Avie hugged Ethan and Ethan kissed her. He was pissed with his sudden appearance because of Ethan, his presence was nonexistence to Avie. She ignored him throughout the night, and Ethan didn’t give Klive time to be with Avie alone. When the dance started, Klive planned to be Avie’s first dance that night but Ethan materialized immediately in front of Avie and asked her. To Klive’s disappointment, Avie instantly accepted Ethan’s offer in a snapped.

What really bugged Klive was that after their dance, Avie seemed to be different. She was spacing out, sulking for something and he noticed she was sighing every now and then. She seemed so upset and depressed about something.

Klive sighed. ‘What were they talked about?’ he asked himself audibly. Minutes past by but he couldn’t find an answer to his own question. Now with the appearance of her best friend, can things will be the same as before? He then sighed. Another question pops in his mind.

He shook his head and decided to take a shower thinking it will help him cleared his mind. After his shower he hurriedly marched towards his door but was stopped abruptly seeing the box at his table. He moved towards it and picked it up. ‘When will be the perfect time I’ll give her this?’ he asked himself and then sighed.

I flinched as I heard a sound came from the pan. Irritatingly I stand up and check it. I was spacing out since our ‘talked’ with Ethan. To be honest, that night I kind off regretted seeing Ethan at the party. I don’t know if it was the right thing to feel but I really felt somehow he didn’t understand me and of all people I was expecting him to understand me. But I guess I had expecting too much from him.

‘What the HELL are you doing here? You DON’T BELONG HERE and you KNOW that. Your BETTER than this and yet you traded your JOB for THIS! And I thought you love your job. What’s gotten into you? Where was the best friend that I knew long time ago? C’mon T your smarter than this.’

I sighed remembering his lecture last night. We argue pretty well. I guess this was our first time to have an argument as big as this. I stared the pan in front of me. I knew this was all my fault but I can’t agree with Ethan. He wanted me to drop everything I have now and came back to the life I have before the accident. I can’t do that! I came to loved Katherine and Jake and I don’t have a heart to just leave them. I know they were treating me as their own child now and on my benefit, they helped me have a family that I was been longing for the past three years. And also-

‘You’re spacing out again.’

I flinched hearing a voiced behind my back. I was taken by surprise that I involuntarily put my hand at the edge of the pan. ‘Ouch!’ I said. ‘What IS wrong with YOU?’ I asked him irritatingly at him.

‘It’s not my fault your mind wasn’t into what you are doing.’ He turned off the stove, then gently took my scalded hand with him, opened the faucet and he let the cold water flowed into my hand. ‘It’s not safe cooking that way. You might hurt yourself seriously.’

I gently pulled my hand from his. ‘I’m okay now.’ I looked at him. ‘What are you doing here anyway?’

‘Huh… this IS also my house Ms. Henrich so it is NATURAL that I’m here.’

I walked pass him and seated at the chair I evacuated. ‘Are you kidding me? Katherine told me that you moved years ago and YOU have YOUR own house.’ I paused to look at him. ‘Besides that was not what I meant. Aren’t you going for work today?’

‘Oh that… Nope. I decided to stay home. I need a lot of catching up to do since I was out of town for a month.’

‘It was just ONE MONTH. You haven’t lost track of anything.’ I said stoically at him. I looked at my hand and sighed. I hope it will be okay. I may lose my- no! I stopped my thought silently. I shook my head thinking it may help to erase it.

‘And there she goes spacing out again, leaving me talking by myself, here, all alone!’ He kid.

I rolled my eyes. I saw Katherine walking down the stairs fully dressed. ‘Hey Katherine,’ I called here attention. ‘I’m coming with you. Just give me a minute to change.’ I announced and started leaving Klive at the kitchen.

‘But Avie, I thought you don’t want to go out today?’ Katherine asked me confusedly.

‘I remembered just now that I have a friend with a photo gallery this week. I want to check it out and also I want to buy some paints, sketch pads and all.’ I lied.

She nodded at me. ‘Okay then, I’ll wait for you here.’ She smiled at me as I run into my room. Katherine looked at his son. ‘What?’ she asked upon seeing his scornful looked he gave her.

Klive sighed. ‘Nothing, nothing at all…’

It was late in the afternoon that Katherine and I were back at the mansion. I saw silver Lexus parked outside the mansion and I know pretty well the owner of the car. MS. SUPER MODEL. ‘Katherine, uhm… I want to have a stroll in the neighborhood just before dinner time. I like to try this new stuff.’ I lifted the paper bag which contains my new paints, pencil and sketch pads. ‘Don’t worry Mr. John and Ms. Alice will be my companion.’ I said referring to my bodyguards.

She smiled at me. ‘Okay just be back before dinner. Are you sure you only want bring two of your bodyguards?’

‘Yes Katherine.’ I said I started to dismount from the car. Mr. John took the paper bag from my hand and without a word the three of us started to walk. ‘I want to go to the nearest park here.’

‘Okay Miss Avie but,’ Alice hesitated. ‘Are you okay? You seem like you’re not in your usual self since last night.’ She asked with a trace of concern in her voice.

I smiled at her and to Mr. John who was silently listening to us. ‘I’m okay Miss Alice. I’m just thinking about something, that’s all. There is nothing to worry about.’ I said reassuring my two friends.

We arrived at the park. I looked for a place for us to seat and with a nice view. After a lot of patience, I found a place and I immediately sat down. I smiled at Mr. John and Ms. Alice. ‘Hey you guys, why don’t you sit down?’ I looked at my surroundings. ‘There are no threats so just relax.’ They followed my order without a word.

I found my subject to sketch a mother holding her child but for some reasons I can’t draw the image. I kept on sighing as I tried to focus but something really was bothering me. Later I gave up.

‘What’s wrong Miss?’

‘I can’t concentrate Mr. John. Something really IS bothering me.’ I sighed. Ethan… I thought silently. I decided to call my best friend. I took my phone from my purse. I stared at the device and sighed. I dialed Ethan’s number. On the fourth ring he answered.

‘Hello… Hello…’

I cleared my throat. ‘It’s me Ethan.’ I said. Ethan’s line was silent and for a while I thought my call was disconnected. ‘Ethan are you still there…’

‘Yeah… I’m sorry T. What’s up?’

‘Can we talk?’

‘Yeah I’m here at the hospital know-’

‘Not at the hospital Ethan, please…’ I pleaded. ‘I know this coffee shop near the mall. Their coffees were great and the milieu- I mean the ambiance is great.’ I told him the name of the coffee shop. ‘Can we meet their? I just need someone to talk to right now and I miss my teddy bear.’ I said referring to him. I sometimes called him weird names. ‘I really need to explain my part Ethan.’ I said seriously after I heard him chuckled.

‘Okay see you there.’

‘Mom where is Avie? I thought you clearly told her that she should be here before dinner time?’

‘Maybe honey she was looking for a nice subject to draw. I heard painters were like that.’

Jake stood up from his chair. ‘I’ll wait for Avie upstairs. If you want to eat ahead then you’re free to do so.’

Denise sighed. ‘Klive, your dad is still angry with me.’ She told him in a whisper but Klive didn’t mind her.

‘Have you called her Mom?’

‘Yes dear. But her phone was dead. I also called John and Alice but no one answered.’

‘Where can Avie be?’

I sighed at Ethan. ‘Since when did a teddy bear learned to talked back to his master and lectured her?’

Ethan chuckled. ‘Master, you were missing these past six months and this teddy bear here learned some things in life.’ He said meaningfully at me.

‘Yeah right.’ I looked at my watch. ‘Ethan, I’ll better be going. I’m half an hour late for dinner and I bet Katherine and Jake were worried about me. Please send me those documents okay?’

He smiled at me. ‘Okay. Don’t worry but don’t expect me to stop annoying you-’

‘I know.’ I said simply. ‘I’ll go ahead.’ I stood up and immediately Mr. John and Ms. Alice do the same and they were marching side by side with me. By the time we arrived at the Thompson’s mansion, we were two hours late. I hurriedly carried the painting I bought awhile ago.

‘Where had you been?’ it was Klive.

‘I’m sorry I- where is Jake?’ I asked him. ‘I have something to show him.’

‘What is it?’ I was Jake standing at the bottom of the stairs.

‘Look.’ I raised the painting. ‘I saw this in one of the antique shops awhile ago. I heard that you were collecting paintings such as this one so I bought it.’ I gaily said to him. ‘You like it?’

‘Of course I do.’ He said happily and took the painting in my hands. ‘John can you please put this on the library together with my collection.’ Mr. John followed him. ‘Have you taken your dinner?’

I nod my head in answer to his question.

The next day, I found out that Klive was not going to his office so I think of a way to avoid him. After breakfast I hid myself at the library doing some research about Ethan’s information. I was shocked to found out that everything Ethan told me were true. Someone is jeopardizing my life without me knowing it! I sighed and tried to remember the steps Gareth once told me about hacking a computer. I tried so many combination and on the third try I was in. I smiled at myself. ‘Thank you for teaching me this babe. I can’t imagine it could be useful.’ I said loudly at myself. I then tried to block one system at the other. I first started blocking a system that cost multimillion with a connections world wide. I tried to put an access code that only the ‘real’ owner can open it. I smiled again to myself upon reading the screen; it says that the changes had been completed only Ticiatriz Killian can open such systems.

I took my phone and dialed a number. ‘Hey,’ I greeted Ethan. ‘I’ve done my part. I’ll send to you the documents and stuff that’s all yours.’ I said at him. ‘Bradley sure wasted so much money and check this out.’ I said as I kept scrolling down. ‘A part of the company’s stocks he was holding were BANKRUPT?! OH MY GOD!’

He chuckled. ‘Thank you for this information Ms. Avie and thank you for blocking some of his systems. If this will go on someone’s company will lose.’

‘I guess so…’ I trailed off.

He sighed at my comment. ‘You’re hopeless.’ He paused for a while as if he was thinking of something. ‘Hey, today is your birthday. What are your plans?’

‘What?’ I looked at the calendar. May 11. ‘Oh yeah you’re right! I totally forget about it.’

‘You just forgot your birthday?! You really are something.’ he sighed hopelessly at the other line. ‘Meet me at the coffee shop thirty minutes from now. I’ll treat you for your birthday and for doing a good job hacking Bradley’s computer.’

I laughed softly. ‘Okay then see you.’ I put my phone down and looked intently at the computer and read some files that Bradley reported. ‘Bastard!’ I said loudly.

‘Are you referring to me?’ A voice asked me confusedly. It was Klive who just entered the library.

I instantly closed the windows and open my YM and iTunes for a cover. ‘O-of course n-not.’ I cleared my throat and seated comfortable at the chair. Okay, I’m not good at this but I hope Klive didn’t suspect anything, I silently prayed.

‘I thought you were referring to me.’ He said as he seated in front of me. ‘I was looking for you everywhere.’ He started.

‘Why are you looking for me?’

He smiled at me. ‘I heard today is your birthday-’

‘What the- you eavesdrop my conversation a while ago?!’ I accused him.

‘Of course not! I have connections.’ He said at me and was satisfied on my murderous looked I cast on him. He handed me a boy. ‘Here. It’s my gift for you. Happy birthday.’ He said smiling at me. ‘Open it.’

I followed him. I opened the box and to my surprise I immediately closed it and handed it back to Klive. ‘Are you crazy?! Why are you giving me those things? I don’t need those.’

He looked at me seriously. ‘If you didn’t accept these,’ he said as he raised the box. ‘What on earth will I do with it?’

‘Give it to your GIRLFRIEND!’ I said simply as if it was just one, two, three.

‘Look here Ms. Avie Henrich.’ I winced upon hearing him said my name. ‘It is yours. I let someone designed it JUST FOR YOU.’

I flinched. ‘Why did you do such thing?’

He sighed and stood up. ‘Just accept my present and stop asking questions.’

I winced as he slammed the door so hard. ‘What is wrong with him?’ I opened the box. It was actually a jewelry box. There I saw a white gold bracelet, a white gold necklace and a white gold earrings but no ring. As I looked at it, it was a set. The jewelry had the same design that I swore I hadn’t seen before. It was weird looking but as I took another long glance at it, I was so surprise by its beauty. The stones were real diamonds, blue diamonds. ‘This is expensive!’ I sighed.

Later that afternoon I went home gaily. Ethan treated me as his birthday present for me. We do some catching up and all but after an hour and half there was a call from the hospital he was working. There was an emergency surgery so leaving without a choice he left me alone and promised me he will treat me next time. It was typical for Ethan to have a call from the hospital. What can you expect from a highly skilled neuro surgeon? If I’m not mistaken, there were few neuro surgeons in the hospital he was working. I only meet one, Dr. Lance Harren Villefort he was a good friend of Ethan.

I entered the mansion and was surprised to found out that nobody was around. Suddenly I heard a commotion upstairs. Feeling something was up, I hurriedly run towards the stairs. I heard another glass broke. I followed the sound and to my surprise I came from the library. I entered the room without knocking and there I saw Jake.

He looked at me. ‘Avie…’

‘Oh my god Jake!’ I hurriedly moved towards him. I check his carotid pulse which is located at his neck. His pulse was weak but at least he has one. I can hold that for now. ‘Mister- John!’ I shouted.

With my hands still shaking I dialed Klive’s number. ‘C’mon Klive answer the damn phone.’ I said loudly. There were tears flowing from my eyes.

Klive smiled upon reading the name of the caller. He waited for the fifth before he answered the phone. ‘Avie, you called?’

I broke into my sobs. ‘K-Klive…’

Klive stop his car. He was on his way to his office. ‘What’s wrong? Why are you crying?’

‘I-It’s Jake…please I’m in the hospital right now… he’s in the o-operating room… Klive please I’m so scared. I tried to call Katherine but she didn’t answer.’ I told him the hospital. ‘Klive can you please… hur-hurry up, I’m so scared as hell I’m alone here…’

‘I’ll be right there.’ He drove as fast as lightening. Minutes later, Klive materialized in font of me. He immediately hugged me. ‘What happen here?’

‘I went out just a couple of hours… then I found him lying motionless on the floor… I rushed him to the ER… the doctor said that it ruptured and then I panicked because the prognosis of it is poor about 1-4%... and I insisted that Jake should be operated immediately… Oh my god! Jake has a ruptured aneurysm and I didn’t know…’

‘Sshhss… Avie I can’t understand. Just calm down.’ He escorted me to sit down on the chair near the OR’s door. ‘What was the diagnosis of the doctors?’

‘The doctor said that Jake had a Saccular Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm.’ I said irritatingly. I first took a deep breathe before I continue explaining to Klive. ‘The doctors said that Jake’s aneurysm was caused by atherosclerosis it is an accumulation of lipids, calcium, blood components, carbohydrates and fibrous tissues on the layer of the artery making it weak that can cause aneurysm. He had two aneurysms one had already ruptured and the other was 5.5 cm wide and still enlarging. They do Endovascular grafting…’ I trailed off as if I was tried repeating everything the doctor told me.

‘It’s okay. Jake is a Thompson and you know us, we are not that easy to eliminate.’

‘But now is different Klive.’ I protested immediately. I looked at him straight into his gray eyes. He wiped my tears tenderly with his hand and he lowered his face to mine. To my surprise his he tipped my chin up and touched his lips with mine. I gasped and I felt my body tensed. I didn’t expect Klive would KISS me in such a public place, worse I didn’t expect HIM to kiss me at all. After the kissed I looked at Klive, my eyes were widen in shocked.

He smiled at me lamely and again he repeated his kiss but this time it took a full minute before he dragged his mouth away from mine. He the hugged me, he buried his face into my hair. ‘You know I hate to see you cry, so please stop crying.’ He whispered and then he kissed my neck.

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Sorry for some grammatical problems, Daniel, I'm trying to improve. I'm still trying to cope with the sudden changed i made in terms of my writing., but still I'm glad you like it...
Lily I'll explain everything soon...=p
And shin thank you if you think so...