The door creaks open, indicating the arrival of my next patient. I shift my gaze from the papers on the table to the direction of the door. When I look, shockingly I see Sam walking in.

I was certainly not expecting his appearance. He looks a little dejected as he enters. His eyes look tired with a slight stubble on his face and I unknowingly feel bad for him. I have never seen him this strained. He had always been happy and playful whenever we have met. What happened to him? I didn't see him since the night when we went to the club. I can't deny the fact that things haven't been normal between us lately. I don't know why, but I have been avoiding him since that night. I really feel bad about it, but that's what felt right to do at the moment. It's not that I enjoyed doing it. It has been even hard for me to ignore him because he was the first one to become my friend when I came here. We have spent so much time together and it was only Sam to whom I have opened so much. He understands me very well, and that's why we have this special bonding. It has always been fun to hang out with him and I really like that about him.

I cherish our friendship very much and I would never do something which would cause him pain.

But something changed after that night. The way he reacted made me realize that what I was doing was wrong. I realized that spending time with him has raised his hopes about us being something. Which I couldn't approve of. After confirming that he likes me, I felt it wouldn't be right to keep him hanging. I know he is immature, and he still acts like a kid, but I am not like him; I am mature enough to understand when to limit things. I wouldn't want him to think that anything could happen between us, so that's why I restrained myself from seeing him much. I don't want to play with his feelings. That's the only reason why I didn't go to his cafe after that night.

Sam looks at me and gives a sad smile. "Hey, Nikki."

"Hey, how are you, Sam?" I stand from my seat and ask him, trying not to sound awkward.

"I am good." He utters. His gaze wavers around as if he is struggling to find the right words. He then looks down and says. "I haven't seen you coming to the cafe in the last few days?"

I couldn't make out if it was a question or a statement. "I was busy, Sam...I am sorry." I lie to him, looking away.

"That never happened before." He says catching up my lie. I avoid meeting his gaze, knowing that what he said was right. Whatever happened, I never stopped visiting his cafe. Cupcake story is my favorite place to hang out, and he surely knows that I would never forget to have my morning coffee there. Why am I even trying to give an excuse to him?

"That's fine. I know it's my fault." His shoulders sag and he shakes his head, looking disheartened.

"Sam..." I try to speak, but before it, he continues.

"I want to apologize to you, Nikki. I should have done this earlier, but you weren't picking my calls up." His soft brown eyes gleam with grief as he says. "I know you didn't like the way I acted that night. I shouldn't have called you my girlfriend. I shouldn't have dragged you out of the club like that." He sighs.

"I am sorry Nikki if that's the reason behind you not wanting to meet me or talk to me. That guy was your friend too, and I had no right to interfere in your personal life and ask questions. I am really sorry." He says looking down at his shoes.

"No...Sam. It's not the reason." I move from the back of the desk and walk towards him. "Yes, I was upset with you when you called me your girlfriend, even after knowing that we are nothing more than friends... I didn't expect that from you." I stand in front of him. "But then I realized you didn't do that on purpose. You said that at the moment to protect me because you thought Christopher was going to harm me."

I take a deep breath and look into his eyes confidently. "But that's not the reason why I was avoiding you. I just wanted to give you space. I know you like me and spending time with you will be like raising your hopes about us getting together." He stares back at me as I continue. "You are my friend, Sam, and I don't want to hurt you. I respect your emotions, but I wanted to give you time so you can move on from the feelings you have for me."

"I know Nikki. I realized that later." He says giving me a small smile. "I hope you are not disappointed with me."

I move closer to him and place my hands over his shoulder. "No, Sam. You didn't disappoint me. You are my sweetest friend and no one can take that place, you know that." I smile, trying to lighten the mood.

"It means you forgave me?" He says with an expectant shine in his eyes as he waits for my reply.

"You didn't do anything to be forgiven for so stop saying that." I laugh and his smile brightens. God! I missed his smiling face so much!

But after a moment the pleasant smile on his lips disappears, and then it's replaced with a worried look.

"There is something else too that I want to tell you." He says slowly making me scared about what he is going to announce.

"I'll be completing my college this year. And then I am planning to apply for Stanford University for doing M.D." He says.

"You just scared me! I thought, what is it that you are going to tell me with such a serious look on your face." I smile. "That's such great news, Sam! I am so happy for you."

"If I'll get accepted. I'll have to move out." I stare at him intently, trying to get what he is saying. "So I don't want to leave our friendship like this. That's why I came here to amend things." He states in a low voice and I understand what he is saying.

"I'll miss you then." He whispers desolately.

"Oh, Sam, You'll always be my friend. How can I forget you? I'll just be a call away from you." I say cheering him up. "And we can always facetime whenever you'll get time."

"And I am damn sure you'll get there a ton of hot chicks to keep you entertained." I joke, nudging him lightly.

"I'll still miss you." He admits making a face like a five-year-old kid whose lollipop has just been stolen.

"Now you are making me cry," I tell him, fighting back my tears, and then without wasting a second I embrace him into a tight bear hug.

"You are not going tomorrow, Sam. You have to first crack the exam and then apply for it. It's a really long-ass procedure." I tell him, hugging.

His shoulders relax as my arms wrap around him and then he hugs me back, placing his chin over my head. Of course, he is taller and muscular than me, so it's him who is embracing me into a bear hug now. It doesn't feel wrong to hug Sam. I have always seen him as a little kid. I can never be angry with him for a long time, even if I want. We have hugged before too, so it isn't an awkward one. It's a comforting and friendly hug, much needed for us at this time. We stay like that for a moment, having our little happy moment that's when the clinic door bursts open. I snap my eyes open and see an inflamed Christopher standing at the doorway. His nostrils flare in anger as he glares at us. I quickly pull away from Samuel, knowing what it might appear to him like. What is he doing here? Why does he always have to come when I am with Sam?

In a blink of an eye, Christopher reaches towards us and angrily pulls Sam by the back of his collar.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" He demands angrily, pulling him and I gasp in shock.

"I..I...came to meet Nicole," Sam says, stuttering as he stumbles back. Christopher now stands in front of him. He glares at him furiously. I look at them aghast, unable to comprehend what is going on.

"Don't you fucking lie? What the hell were you doing?" He says grabbing his collar now and pushing him over the desk.

"Christopher, wait!" I scream immediately fearing what he might do if I don't stop him. I pull him by his arm and say. "I'll explain it to you. Just leave him."

"No...he is going to fucking die for putting hands on you." He growls like a wild animal, startling me. He doesn't look at me as his deadly eyes are still on Sam, who is cowering in fear. I have to do something. I can't let him hurt Sam.

"Christopher, stop!!!" I tell, raising my voice. I pull Christopher with all my power, making him lose his grip on Sam. He jerks a step back and I take the advantage of the situation to shield Sam by getting in front of him.

I give a threatening look to Christopher who is looking at me in bewilderment and then I turn towards Sam. "Sam, please leave.." I request.

"No, Nicole. I can't leave you alone with him." He tries to protest, looking at Christopher behind me.

"Please listen to me Sam. Go. I'll be fine." My voice becomes barely audible as I plead to him desperately.

"But Nic..."

"I said leave now. I'll call you later. Please leave." I command, dragging him towards the door.

"Okay. I'll leave but promise me you'll call later?" He asks and I instantly nod. He purses his lips looking sympathetically at me and then leaves the clinic glaring one last time at Christopher.

I sigh, closing the door. Thank god! Sam is gone. The last thing that I want is to witness is a fight between Sam and Christopher and that too in my clinic.

I turn around agitatedly and face Christopher. "What the fuck, Christopher? Have you gone crazy or what?"

"You can't barge in my clinic like that." I scowl, shaking my head in displease.

"Why? So that you wouldn't get caught making out?" He accuses mockingly as he crosses his arms over his chest. What did he say? Did he really think so? I can not fucking believe it!

"What the hell? I wasn't making out with him." I retort defensively.

"Surely I do believe." He scoffs with a dirty smirk.

"I don't care what you believe," I tell him sternly. "And what's your problem, Christopher? He just came here to talk."

"It didn't look like you were talking." He says eyeing me with a disgusted look. Why is he behaving like this? I move back to my seat behind the desk.

"He is my friend Christopher," I tell him calmly. I don't want to fight with him here. It's my clinic I can't fucking put its reputation on the line. "How many times do I have to tell you that?"

"Okay let's think that I believe you then what do you want to say about this?" He says throwing some pictures over the table. I look at him in confusion. What is he talking about? I move closer to the table to look at the pictures and to my shock, I see that they are of me and Peter sitting together. The photos show us laughing and chatting together. It was probably of yesterday when we met in the cafe. Then I suddenly remember the creepy guy who was taking our photos. What the fuck? So that was one of Christopher's men? Is it really him who sent that man to click our pictures? I fucking can't believe this!

"How do you know Peter?" His enraged grey eyes stare at me.

"What the fuck, Christopher? Were you spying on me?" I spat, losing my temper.

"That's not the answer that I wanted." He says making his way towards me behind the desk.

"Why the hell you think you'll always get what you want?" I snap back furiously, turning towards him. I can't believe he did that? And now he even has the audacity to question me? I look into his eyes and see pure rage radiating in them. His chest heaves and he clenches his jaw in anger as he makes his way towards me. I realize I shouldn't have said that, knowing how riled up he is at the moment. He moves forward slowly and I shudder under his stare, taking steps back. But before I can move back any further, he catches my arm and pulls me towards him.

I hit his chest harshly and then tilt my head to look at him in utter shock. "I don't get what I want. I claim what is mine." He breathes harshly, gripping my left arm.

"What the fuck, Christopher? Let me go." My eyes dart between his hand and his face in horror. I try to free my hand from his grip using my other hand. But he doesn't let me go. His hold is so powerful that all my struggle goes into vain. I look at him with my pleading eyes, but I don't see any mercy extending from him. His body is so close to me that I can clearly feel hot anger radiating from it.

"What the hell were you doing with Peter? Answer me, Nicole?" He hisses furiously, making me gasp in fear.

"He is... my friend, Christopher," I tell in a small voice, afraid of what he might do. I don't know what happened to him. I have never seen him this angry, and it makes me feel scared thinking about what he might be capable of doing in this state.

"Fucking bullshit, Nicole! For god's sake, stop lying!!" He yells in my ears, making me shiver.

"I am not lying, Christopher," I beg. "Please let me go."

"If he was your friend then why didn't you ever mention it to me? Huh?" He narrows his eyes at me intimidatingly.

"I..I...." His grips tighten over my arm before I can say anything, causing me pain. Tears begin to form in my eyes. "You are hurting me, Christopher," I say in a pained voice quivering under his hold. But nothing seems to be working as the only emotion visible on his face is rage.

"Trust me, Christopher, I am not lying. Peter is just my friend. Please.... If you want I can tell you everything." My tone comes out laced with desperation as I beg him again. I don't know why am I even trying to explain to him when nothing is going into his head. He doesn't listen to me as he continues speaking, appearing to be under some kind of monstrous spell.

"I thought we were doing well." For a moment his eyes soften, looking at me. But It's only short-lived as the scowl on his face appears back. "But then you freaking kissed me." He says sounding desperate. "Why did you do that?"

"When we get along well, you freaking kiss me and then you ignore me." He says through gritted teeth, pulling me towards him more.

"I fucking can't keep up with you!!!??" He yells maliciously.

"Listen to me, Christopher...." I appeal to him with my blurry vision.

"I can't believe you were hiding things from me after kissing me fucking twice??" He snarls.

"I am..." before I can explain to him he cuts me off.

"Are you sleeping with him?" He looks disgusted trying to get answers from me. How could he say so? I am not able to take his disturbing accusation. It's shocking for me to believe he would say that. I close my eyes, trying to control my tears.

"Are you with him for money?" He says. "Say something, Nicole?!!!" He screams in exasperation.

I don't have words to say as tears begin to fall. I am completely flaggerbasted by his words. I didn't expect this from him. I feel disgusted, Is this how he thinks about me?

"What are you doing, Nicole? Sleeping with Peter, making out with me, and rendering future plans with that kid? Huh? Juggling around with three men? That's fucking disgusting!" He snaps with wrath, shaking me.

"I thought that you were innocent, Nicole." He says looking down at me and a shaky sob lets out of my mouth. "I never thought you'll stoop this low." He says shooting a pathetic look at me. The rage in his eyes turns to grief, but then again anger masks over it. "But I was wrong...."

"You are no less than those selfish bitches who use men for their own purpose.." He lets out a humorless chuckle and I snap my eyes back to him, not believing my ears. Did he really say that? My eyes pop out in disbelieve hearing his words.

And the next line that he says truly breaks my heart. It shatters my soul completely.

"I bet even a whore would have more dignity than you. At least she wouldn't be fooling around with three men at the same time." The moment those words leave out of his mouth, my other hand flies over his cheek, hitting a hard slap. How dare he say that?

I feel searing rage bolting through my body. Tears flow through my eyes uncontrollably. "LEAVE, CHRISTOPHER?!!!" I scream, jolting back from him.

"Nicole, I am...." His eyes redden with grief as he struggles to defend himself.

He looks down at me in horror, and I see the hurt in his eyes. It seems like my slap has brought him out of the spell he was in. The regret that he is feeling after uttering those words is clearly visible on his face. But nothing is of use now as he could not take back what he said. He leaves my hand and I see light red marks on my arm. The pain caused by his grip is nothing compared to the pain that he has caused by saying those things. Why did he do that? I don't know him and I don't care about him, his opinion shouldn't matter to me. I shouldn't be affected by his words. Despite that, I feel this immense pain. I have never felt this hurt and insulted by someone as much as I feel now by Christopher's denotation.

"GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY CLINIC?!!!" I yell on top of my lungs.

"Nico.." He again starts with an apologetic look on his face. He reaches to touch me but I flinch back.

"GET OUT!!??" I yell again, cutting him off.

This time he doesn't say anything as he keeps staring at me. His eyes turn darker and the guilt brims in his orbs. He opens his mouth to say something, but he stops midway. He clenches his jaw and storms out of the clinic immediately. As soon as he leaves I slump down to the ground with tears spilling out of my eyes. It feels like I have been punched in my gut. Everything becomes blurry in front of me and the room echoes with my loud sobs. How could Christopher do this?