Dedicated to Ari_Crimson_m

Question of the day: "What would be your perfect day?"

"I wish I could explain how your eyes and how the sound of your voice gives me butterflies. How your smiles makes my heart skip a beat and how every time I'm with you, I feel complete."

****

"So, what'd I miss?" Nathan asks, one of his hands still clasped around mine. If I didn't know him better, I'd think he was claiming territory.

"Not much, we were just talking about family." Ian's cool voice has an edge to it.

"Oh yeah? What about?" This time Nate directs the question to me, looking me in the eyes. Damn that ocean blue.

"I just told you. Family." Ian inconveniently stops me before I start to swoon over Nathan.

Nate gives him a stern look. "You know, I think that Zara can answer for herself." Okay, note to self: Nate doesn't like Ian. Try to make sure they don't cause a scene.

"Well, you shouldn't ask the same questions twice. Especially if you've already gotten an answer." Ian counter backs.

"Oh boys, are we fighting already?" Eli's voice stops Nate before he can give a smartass reply. I take notice that this is the second time I've called him smartass in my head.

"No, just warming up for a debate with you." Ian's bold reply makes me widen my eyes in surprise, while Eli laughs. Ian winks at me and I don't dare look at Nate's reaction. I thank Heavens when Lav brings up the beverages she went to get so that the chatter around the room table turns into a more friendly one. Ian and Nathan don't talk but I guess the tension between them is gone now.

Me and Eli talk about Aragain as we eat.

"What are you gonna do with the terrace?"

"Mom had plans to convert it to your photo shoot studio."

"Do it. But only to the main store. See how it goes. If it succeeds, only then open the studio on the downtown stores."

"That was my original plan. I wanted the downtown stores to stay lowkey for a while."

"I get it," he says, matter-of-factly. He can get so businesslike in terms when we would discuss Aragain. "Do you have any photographers in mind?"

"We have put an ad." I say, unsure of what he means. I may be a business major, but Eli is the statistics king. Just like Uncle Frank. The father and son duo are more alike than they let on.

"I have a friend who may come in handy. I'll ask him," he says with a dimpled smile and I want to cross the table and hug him. Sometimes, I feel like Eli is the best big brother ever. He was so unhappy with me when I decided to go to NYU, and I felt so bad for disappointing him. So was his sister Claire. But at least it didn't put a strain on our relationship like it did with my friends.

The air in the backyard is cold even though fall hasn't ended yet. And when we see the clouds, we all decide to take the party inside the house. Mr. Roberts isn't home, so we make ourselves comfortable on the couch or the floor in the living room. I try not to look at Naomi much and try to have a good time. I guess I was so absorbed in my grief for my mother, I forgot how to have a good time. This seems like a much needed break from that sadness.

I am on the couch with Nathan beside me. He has an arm draped around my shoulders and I'm leaning on him. Beside me, Eli is talking to Ian who's on the other couch with Jeremy. Naomi and Lavender are on the floor with Paste. Pastel perfectly designed my meeting with Nate, I don't blame her for waving her magic wand in our direction this time. Because I'm actually having a great time. Nathan and I really do connect, and his ways of flirting are so artistic you may convince him for Leonardo da Vinci.

"They sure have a nice window. It conveniently showers light over you to make you look like an Angel." I laugh at his words.

"Oh yeah? What about the roof?"

"They have a nice roof, but it would have been better if it wasn't there. Because then I could gift you all the sunshine in the world." I laugh again.

"Yeah, but it will start raining soon. If it weren't here we would drown."

"Even better. Then I'd be able to see you wet."

I process his words for a little bit and then swat his arm when I get the real meaning behind his words. He grabs my hand and kisses it and boy do I get chills.

"As much as I'd like to talk to you all day, I have to take a piss."

"Oh so you won't let me see you wet?" My words crack him up as he gets up from the couch and gives me a wink. When he is out of the living room, Ian stands and makes himself comfortable on Nate's place, leaving Eli and Jeremy in an uncomfortable silence.

What's the deal with both of them anyway?

Well, right now I have got bigger fish to fry. Or Ian to eye. Urgh, that doesn't make any sense.

"Nate is not really the good guy material. You should steer clear of him."

I narrow my eyes at him. "And you're not my brother, Ian. No need to be overprotective."

"Yeah, you're more to me. That's why I want you to stay safe."

I pretend his mention of more didn't just totally beguile me. "Yeah? So what are you gonna do? Pretend to be a random stranger and text me from an anonymous number telling me not to date him?"

Instead of answering, he just keeps staring at me. I stare back with an equal amount of intensity. We don't realize how infested we became because we're so close, I don't realize it till I hear someone swear.

I turn immediately to see and disappointed Nate leaving the living room and my heart drops. The conversations around us keep going as I stand up and leave without telling anyone goodbye. I don't even spare Ian a second glance. He has done enough damage.

As I follow him outside, I find him pacing around the front of the house. I know why he is so worked up and I have to let him know that he is wrong. From what he saw at our position at the couch, Nate must be thinking the worst possible thing.

"Nate-" I start but he puts a hand up motioning me to be quiet as he continues pacing. There's a long stretch of silence as my heart starts beating fast like a teenager who is about to be busted. He finally stops pacing and looks me in the eye. There's so much hurt in it, it pulls at my heartstrings.

"Do you like Ian?"

"What, no!" I say immediately, shocked that he would think that.

"Then what was that at the couch?"

"We were just talking then... why would I have to explain myself to you anyway?" I know he's hurt by what he saw but his question pisses me off anyway. I'm an adult. I shouldn't have to explain myself to anyone.

"Because I thought we were having a good time today. We were talking and flirting in the next second I see you almost making out with a guy. If you don't want anything to do with me, stop giving me mixed signals!"

"First of all, we were just staring. So there was no make out. And second of all, why would you think I don't want anything to do with you?"

"You are asking me why I think that? Well why did you break up with me in high school?"

"I told you. I didn't want the stress of a long distance relationship."

"Why? Didn't you have feelings for me?"

"I did. I just thought what we had may be ruined once I moved away. So I decided it would be best if we did the inevitable beforehand."

"Well, I get what you mean. But I guess you don't have feelings for me anymore, since you refer to it in the past tense."

This really angers me. "You think I don't have feelings for you? Are you blind? Didn't you see how I said yes to your offer on dinner like a hummingbird eager to fly? Or didn't you see the way I flirted with you yesterday and this afternoon? You're telling me you didn't notice my long stares or the way I smile when I look at you? I still have so many feelings for you that I could jump down a building if you wink at me with your beautiful eyes! And if you don't see that, then you are dumb, you handsome son of a bitch."

Nathan is smiling his pretty smile when I finish. I'm still angry at him so I try to refrain mine, but it's impossible to let go of the tug of my lips.

"I am not dumb. I am handsome." His word to make my smile broaden.

"Well, I guess then, handsome men are dumb."

From where we're standing we're about 6 feet apart. He immediately crosses the five feet leaving the last for me to walk. "So what are you gonna do with this handsome man?"

"Does this handsome man like me?" I ask innocently.

"Yes, very much. Infinitely."

"Does he want to kiss me?" This causes a gleam to enter his eyes, which make me wanna swoon. He nods. "Well then, I'm gonna give him that overrated kiss." I close the one foot gap between us and lock our lips. His hands go to my waist, as my mine find their way to his silky smooth hair. We spend the next 10 minutes making out and it starts raining but we don't care. We get completely soaked yet we don't take our hands off each other.

There are bumps on every road of a relationship and though I thought at that moment that all the bumps in our roads were finished, I was wrong. It was just the beginning of many more unfathomable bumps to come.

A/N: I k tht it is nowhere near Thursday, but i thought that since i am soo happy, i'll just update it! why am i happy? Bcoz my first book, NAF, has 8 award wins! EIGHT! lmao, i almost cried!!

Anyways back to the story topic. Did u like Nate and Zara's *cough cough* moment?

What do u think of Ian, Pastel and the other characters?

tht is it, guys! its a wrap! happy reading!