• 6
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My hair was in a half up ponytail, curled at the ends. I wore it down way more often now, unlike when I was younger.
I wore a long light-pink satin dress, tight around my waist, soft on my skin. Thin straps, bare shoulders, silver kitten heels, gold jewelry. I wanted to look nice for my birthday, even if no one but Lizzy cared.
Lizzy wore a short pink-and-white dress that fit her perfectly. She completely stole my style and I secretly loved that she did. Her blonde hair was down, glowing in the sun, and she wore pink kitten heels to match mine. We looked like a pair of the girliest girls.
"Who's that?" Lizzy asked suddenly.
A black Genesis G90 was parked at the curb.
Sleek. Insanely expensive. Tinted windows so dark I couldn't see a thing inside.
I frowned, squinting.
No idea who would—
The back door opened.
I gasped a little.
Lizzy grabbed my arm tightly.
And then he stepped out.
Oh my God!
Nico Costa.
Not the senior boy I remembered.
A man. An actual man.
Broad shoulders under a black button-up, the sleeves rolled to his forearms. His hair was longer now, styled back but still messy around the front like it refused to stay.
His jawline was perfect with light stubble. His eyes looked colder, darker, somehow deeper. And he wore that same expression he always had around me. The one no one else ever got.
Somewhat soft but not really. I had no idea what he had been doing all this time, but somehow he still remembered my address and he was here.
I stared, eyes wide, because since when did Nico have that many tattoos?
Since when did he look like that?
He stopped a few feet in front of me.
Tall.
All black clothes, expression unreadable. As usual.
"Nico..." I breathed, barely.
His dark eyes moved from my face to my dress for half a second, then returned to my eyes like nothing fazed him.
"Daria," he said, his voice low and rough in a way that didn't belong to anyone under twenty-five.
My breath caught. I didn't move.
Lizzy was also frozen beside me, her nails digging into my arm. Ouch Liz!
"Oh my gosh..." she whispered. "Daria... that's Nico? The Nico? Holy freaking hell. Talk about UNREAL."
"Happy birthday," he said.
No smile. Just Nico.
It still made my stomach flip. What was Nico Costa doing here?
I blinked, heat rushing up my neck because wow, he was... actually very handsome. Grown. Sharp. Intense. But I tried to reel myself in because he was my best friend, and I wasn't supposed to stare at his jaw or body like that.
"You... you came," I said, trying not to sound as shocked as I was.
"I said I would one of these days," he replied quietly. "Did you think I forgot?"
I shook my head, flustered. "No, I just... didn't expect you here. In person."
Lizzy whispered loudly beside me, "Daria, he's like so hot... like WHAT?"
My eyes widened and I nudged her quickly, cheeks burning. "Lizzy!"
Nico's jaw ticked, but his expression didn't change.
Almost amused.
I stood up straight, trying to act normal. This was strange. Why was I acting like this. I talk to Nico all the time on the phone.
"You look... different," I said softly.
He raised a brow. "Good different?"
I swallowed. "Um... yes. Very good different."
Lizzy smacked my arm, whispering, "Girl, you're blushing."
I was.
But only because it was strange seeing someone from my past, someone who used to be the grumpiest boy alive... standing in front of me looking like the kind of man that turned heads everywhere he went. He looked like he'd been working out everyday for a five years.
I guess you could say I was just surprised.
Nervous.
Maybe a little flustered.
And Nico?
He just stood there, hands in his pockets, watching me like he didn't have a single regret about showing up.
I was still trying to get my brain to catch up to the fact that Nico Costa was standing outside my house... when he reached into his pants pocket.
For a split second, Lizzy froze like he was about to pull out a weapon. I almost laughed. Nico looked dangerous but he was far from it. I think.
Instead, he pulled out a long, black velvet box.
Elegant. Heavy. Too nice to be anything casual.
He held it toward me.
"For you."
My breath caught.
"Me? Nico... you didn't have to."
Did he like win the lottery or something? How is he so rich. I wasn't about to ask. I think his family has money. He drove a nice car even in high-school.
"I did," he said simply.
I swallowed and opened the box slowly.
Inside was the prettiest necklace I had ever seen.
A delicate gold chain with a small pendant that spelled out my name:
My fingers trembled a little as I touched the letters.
"Nico... it's so beautiful," I whispered. "This looks expensive. You really didn't have to get me something like this."
"I know," he said. "I wanted to."
Lizzy slapped her hand over her mouth.
"Oh my GOD, Daria. It's gorgeous. Nico, yes this is what she deserves... very beautiful things."
I felt my cheeks warm.
This was a lot.
It felt like something a boyfriend would buy, but Nico wasn't... he was just Nico. My best friend. My grumpy, non-smiling, terrifyingly protective best friend.
I looked up at him, trying to hide my confusion behind a grateful smile.
"Thank you," I said softly. "Really. You're too sweet."
His jaw flexed at the word sweet like I had cursed at him.
"I'm not sweet."
"You kind of are," I teased gently.
His eyes lowered to the necklace again, then to my collarbone.
"Put it on," he murmured.
My heart fluttered. "Right now?"
"Yeah."
I turned so my back faced him and lifted my hair.
His hands brushed the back of my neck, warm and steady and careful, and I swear my breath stuttered.
Lizzy was vibrating beside me like she was witnessing a proposal.
The clasp clicked.
"There," he said quietly.
I turned back around and brushed my fingers over the pendant.
"How does it look?" I asked.
His eyes held mine for a long, heavy second.
"Right," he said.
"What does that mean?" I laughed.
"It means," he said, voice low, "it looks like it belongs on you."
My stomach flipped again, why is my body betraying me, he said it in that Nico way but I knew it was a compliment.
So serious. Intense. Like it wasn't just a necklace to him.
Lizzy leaned in to whisper into my ear, not even trying to hide her grin.
"He's so obsessed with you."
"Lizzy," I hissed. My cheeks flamed. He was not obsessed with me.
Nico's eyebrow lifted slightly. "She's not subtle."
"She never is," I sighed.
He looked at me again, at the necklace, at my dress, at me, and something unreadable passed through his eyes. Then he inhaled like he was holding back a thought.
"Ready to go?" he asked.
"Go where?" I blinked.
"It's your birthday," he said. "I'm taking you somewhere."
He scanned the street once before focusing on me again, like he expected some sort of danger to come.
Lizzy squealed as we followed him to his car.
Every chapter of this book has me kickin my feet!
xoxo