Xia's POV:

"You might wanna sit down for this." I told Adrian who was standing in my living room, drinking soda out of a can.

"Okay, now you're scaring me." He said, eyeing me.

"Just sit, will you ?" I said, gesturing to the space next to me. I decided to tell Adrian about all that had happened up until last night.

It was mainly due to the fact I couldn't help but feel guilty because I had canceled on our plan to go to the club.

"Alright, alright." He said, taking a seat next to me.

"So...." I started. "On one of the ways when you traveled for Layla's wedding, Antonio came to the shop with his nephew, Nicolas...."

I told everything. From the day I met Nicolas, to the day I met Ricardo and explained everything to him, including what had happened at the park. I didn't forget to tell him about the gun that I saw Ricardo with.

I know that it wasn't exactly necessary but I could not keep such a huge secret to myself. But sometimes, if I really have to, I can.

When I finished telling him, he looked completely shaken up. He stayed still for a while and didn't blink. And I couldn't help but think: Did I break Adrian?

"So let me get this straight. You met Nicolas, Antonio's nephew on one day, then met Ricardo who is his father, Ricardo holding a gun and survived the attack at the park, woke up at his house a few hours later after passing out, and then a week after that you went to his house again to take care of Nicolas." He recollected everything I had just told him.

He continued, "And then you spoke to him last night. And now we're here."

I nodded, confirming all that he had said.

"Wow...that is a lot to take in." He said, taking another sip of his soda.

"Yup." I replied, popping the 'p'.

"So, you're going to stay away from him, right ?" He curiously asks.

"I mean...if Nicolas wants to spend time with me, I wouldn't mind." I said honestly.

"I meant the father...." Adrian clarified, referring to Ricardo.

"Oh, well I can't ignore him...." I said, my voice trailing off. "I can't spend time with his son and not to talk to him like he isn't even there..."

As soon as I said these words, Adrian spat out the beverage from his mouth onto the table in front of him.

"Drama queen." I muttered under my breath and pulled out some tissues from the box to clean the now wet and sticky table.

"You should stay away from them, Xia." He said, placing his hand on my shoulder. "I know how much you like children and all but he's dangerous. It's not safe for you."

Now I knew that he was being serious about this because he said my name; something he doesn't do often.

"But if you really want to, I won't stop you." He said, giving me a side hug. "Plus, I think it's time that you forget about the past; forget about what happened with him."

I nodded and hugged him back, feeling at ease in his embrace.

Moments later, Adrian pushed me away, "Okay, enough with this. I can't do more canoodling with you."

In an attempt to tease him, I held on tighter and boy, that was a huge mistake. The big, old ogre started tickling me which made me let go of him almost immediately.

"Butt-head." I said, narrowing my eyes at him.

"You started it." He whined.

Before I could say anything back, the microwave beeped, indicating that the popcorn in there was ready to eat.

I stood up and walked to the microwave, pulling out the bag and shook it to make sure that all the butter was evenly mixed throughout.

"I'll be back." Adrian announced, and left the living room. Thinking that he was probably going to the washroom, I continued shaking the bag and then put it in a huge bowl for the both of us to snack on.

I jumped on the couch and switched the TV on. I played the movie 'Central Intelligence' and started eating from the bowl popcorn in my hands.

After a few minutes, Adrian came out of my room wearing my clothes. And no, he wasn't wearing a tank top and booty shorts, although it would be freaking hilarious to see him like that.

He was wearing the sweatpants and a sweatshirt that I had bought from the men's section at Target.

"Sure, make yourself at home." I said, sarcastically.

"Aww, you're too kind." He said, sitting right next to me. When he saw the bowl of popcorn on my lap, he dug his hand into it and took a handful.

Normally, I don't like sharing my food but Adrian is an exception.

We sat for hours on end, watching all sorts of movies while munching on the buttery goodness.

"Look! That's you." Adrian exclaimed, pointing at the Oompa Loompa on the screen that appeared we while were watching 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory'.

"I'm not even short." I said, furrowing my eyebrows.

"Shore, Thumbelina." He retorts.

Adrian has been saying the word 'shore' way too much these days, like how James Charles does. He says that it makes him feel quirky.

I scoff and hit him with one of the cushions on the couch. He narrowed his eyes at me, just like how I had a few hours ago.

"Oh it's on." He muttered and hit me back with another pillow. Soon enough, both of us started running all around the house, hitting each other with pillows and no later it turned into a pillow fight.

You might call us childish but that's just how we are. Pillow fights and calling each other names is what our friendship is.

If I'm being honest, I never had friends whether it was as a child or whether as an adult. I mean, yes, I did speak to people but when I really needed them, they were never there for me.

When I met him in culinary school, we just clicked. We used to attend the same classes and both of us learned everything that we know now together. Since then, he has always been by my side.

Besides him, I have Damon, Ava and of course, my parents. But I feel empty inside like I'm missing something...someone.

Someone I need; a place that I haven't called a home yet and true love I have not experienced yet and I know that I'm not the only one.

It's not that I'm not in love with anyone and I'm not even seeing someone but for some reason I feel like I'm missing that person; like my heart longs for someone who I don't know.

Like a void that needs to be filled.

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