"Dad! Come here!" I screamed from my room.
"What baby girl?" he asked. I smiled at his pet name for me.
"How do I look?" I asked. He scanned my outfit and smiled.
"You look so beautiful. Nick's gonna get so jealous because all the guys are gonna ask you to dance."
"Thanks Dad," I whispered. "Can you put this on?" I handed him my silver necklace and turned around. I reached for my hair carufully as to not mess up the soft curls or to knock the crown off of my head.
"I got it sweetie." He quickly hooked the necklace and backed up. "I need to remember this moment forever."
"You can." I walked to my desk and picked up my polaroid camera. "Take a picture of me." I walked to the other side of the room, in front of the window so we could have a picture of the sun setting in the frontyard. Ever since Nick and I had spent the day outside watching the sun set, I've been in love with it. I can't spend a day without watching the sun and it's different shades of pink and blue.
"A little to my left so the shadow can be perfect." I did as he said and he snapped the picture. "Another one, and pose like the beauty queen you are."
"Dad!" I exclaimed as I blushed, but I obeyed.
"Done." He handed the camera to me and I quickly snapped a couple of pictures of him to remember. I shooed him out of the room so I could check myself and make sure everything was perfect.
"Check!" I said. I glanced around the room as I was about to leave, and I saw the polaroid camera. "Can't forget this!" I picked it up and walked over to the window. I opened up my window and leaned as far out as I could to get the perfect picture of the sun set. I prayed silently as I snapped the shot that it would come out right. Just as I was heading back in, I saw Nick pull up in his parents' car. The car that had the keys locked in the other day. I laughed and hurridly laid the pictures on my desktop and left, camera in hand.
"He's here Dad!"
"Alright, let me take pictures of you guys together."
"Fine fine, whatever makes you happy." I answered the door just as Nick knocked twice.
"Hey Nick." I said. I took in Nick's appearance and he looked...gorgeous. He had on black dress pants, black dress shoes, a white shirt, and a black tie. And my favorite part. His hair was wet with all of it looking loose, perfect. "You look really good Nick, really good."
"Thanks. You look beautiful." This time he made me blush, instead of the other way around.
"My Dad wants to take some pictures, if you don't mind."
"No problem!" he came inside and we waited for my father to come into the room. He finally did with three cameras!
"Dad! You're embarassing me now!"
"Now now. The polaroid is your camera, and I had this one, but there wasn't enough film left for it so I looked for the other camera, and what do you know! It doesn't have hardly any film left in it either."
I waited for him to take our pictures, which took an eternity but I stopped him by mentioning the dance doesn't go on forever. I shouted quick directions to him about where to put my camera and the pictures. He shouted quick directions about no sex, no drugs, and being back before midnight. I rolled my eyes and dragged Nick out of the house with me before he could change the plans, or even worse, take more pictures!
"Took long enough!" I said. "Does he know when to stop?" We both laughed.
"It's alright. We're done now." Nick walked ahead of me and opened my door for me. He was being a complete gentleman.
"Thanks," I said. He closed the door after me and walked around to his side and hopped in the car.
"A beautiful crosage for a beautiful girl." He pulled out a crosage from under his seat and opened up the outside plastic.
"Nick! You're so sweet. I can't believe this!"
"You better believe it baby!" I laughed my butt off from that one. It was hilarious the way he said it and when he said it. I let him put the crosage on my wrist before I leaned forward and kissed him on his cheek.
"That's all you're getting tonight mister. No hanky panky!" I said, mocking my father.
"Alright milady, whatever you say." Nick pulled out of the driveway and headed to the highschool for what I expected to be the best night of fun in a long time.
"Amanda! Hey girl!"
"Courtney!" I quickly walked over to my friend by myself, who was with a girl I recognized from school.
"Where's Nick?" she asked me.
"Talking with his boys, you know how it is."
"Exactly! Drake's somewhere around here. Just chillin' I guess," she said. "Are you guys like, a couple now?"
"No Courtney, we're just friends. Best-friends."
"That makes me feel real nice! I thought I was your best-friend," she said with a touch of hurt in her eyes.
"You're my best girl friend. He's my best guy friend. Nothing to worry about Court, k?"
"Sure thing! How about we go dance?" she suggested. "I'm anxious to see how Drake dances. Everyone says he's got it goin' on! I'm just gonna have to see it for myself to believe it." I laughed at how excited and ridiculous she sounded.
"Yeah, well, I don't know about Nick. I don't really care 'cuse I know he's gonna at least slow dance with me. If not, it's okay. Nick's...he's shy and I don't want to force him to do anything he doesn't want to." Courtney just nodded and started walking to go find her date. I went my separate way and found Nick sitting at a table with a group of his friends. I snuck up behind him and grabbed his tickle spot, his neck.
"Hey! You KNOW I don't like that," he said smacking my hand.
"I couldn't resist, sorry."
"Here, sit down." Nick pulled up a chair and I just shook my head.
"No, you come here." I pulled his hands and lead him out to the dance floor. "It's a dance, I wanna dance."
"I didn't say anything!" he shouted above the music. We both smiled and started dancing to a rap song I didn't know. I began to grow hot after the first couple of fast songs and I felt a little relieved when it slowed down to where we could just sway.
"You're a good dancer Nick! I'm surprised."
"Oh yeah? Why? 'Cuse I'm a white boy?" he teased.
"No offence, but yeah!"
"I felt the same with you. You've got the right stuff!" We somehow managed to stop laughing and talk and just slow danced until the music changed back to a fast song.
"You wanna go sit down?" I asked. He nodded and led the way back to the table we were at before with our friends.
"Uh oh! Nick was getting his thang on!" One of his friends remarked. I looked at Nick and saw he was embarassed.
"Don't be jealous!" I called out. "Where's your date?" the boy didn't answer, knowing he didn't have one, nor did he have a comeback.
That's how the rest of the night went. Nick and I danced, sat down and chatted, danced more, and just hung out with our friends, laughing more than ever.
"Ladies and gentlemen!" the D.J. announced. "This is the last song of the night, let's make it slow to remember the night by. Thanks to everyone who came!" I felt Nick grab my hand.
"C'mon." I bit my lip and followed him, not wanting the night to ever end.
I wrapped my arms around his neck and started running the nights events through my head. It had been perfect, so far.
"Let's go back to my house after this," he said.
"Now remember the rules. No hanky panky!" He laughed.
"Not that. We can go out on my boat for a little while. Take you for a nice quiet ride. After all, it's only ten and we both don't have to be back until midnight. It's too much time to waste."
"Alright, whatever Nickolas. But if you try to drown me, I'm warning you, I can swim!"
"Hey! I'll behave." I smiled and let the music take control of my body and before I knew it, the music had stopped and the lights had turned on. Nick and I just continued slow dancing. It was like we were in a trance, that's when I first heard the perfect voice.
"Open up, your heart to me, and say what's on your mind. I know that we have been through so much pain. But I still need you in my life, this time. I need you tonight, I need you right now, I know deep within my heart it doesn't matter if it's wrong or right, 'cuse I see heaven in your eyes. I figured out, what to say to you, but sometimes the words come out so wrong. And I know at times that you will understand me, and what we have is so right this time. And I need you tonight, I need you right now, I know deep within my heart, it doesn't matter if it's wrong or right, 'cuse I see heaven in your eyes," he sang softly in my ear.
"Nick, I didn't know you could sing." I pulled away from him and scanned his face.
"Yeah, I've been taking singing lessons for awhile now."
"And you never told me?"
"Well, I wanted to keep it a secret. I thought people would make fun of me for it."
"Awwww Nick! That was so beautiful! You shouldn't be ashamed of it! It was perfect."
"Thanks." I saw him smile widely, as if it meant the world to him I said those words. But it was the truth.
"Did you write that song?"
"No. A friend of mine did. He's really cool, real talented too. It's not finished yet, he's still working on it."
"It's still good!" I said.
"C'mon, let's go." He walked beside me as we headed to his car.
Nick wanted to tell her so bad, there was only one reason why he sang that song for her...because he meant every word of it. He had asked his friend to write it for him a couple of weeks ago. Now he finally sang it to her, and she still didn't have a clue it was for her.
"Where to sir? Your boat?"
"Yup!" he and I got inside of the car and silently drove away from the crowded school. We drove a few minutes and finally arrived to his house and parked. It was weird because it felt like I should be walking up to his front door and getting him. But Nick was with me, and there was no way I wanted anyone else to bother us tonight.
"Step aboard." He held my hand as I unsteadily stepped onto the boat with my three inch heels.
"Next time bring a pair of extra shoes for me, we'd have more fun."
"Girls and heels. I don't get it. Especially when you're taller than the guy." I laughed.
"Shrimp."
"I take that offensively."
"Yeah, sure ya do." I gave him a slight shove and sat down.
"Look, behave or I WILL try to drown you." I held up my hands as if to surrender and promise I'd be good. "All aboard?"
"Oui captain!" I did a little salute and watched as we drove out into the middle of the lake and stopped.
"So this is where you're planning to dump my body huh?"
"You guessed it." I looked around at the atmosphere.
"Why this particular spot?"
"Because, it's the best." Nick walked over to where I was, maybe a little too fast because he slipped and fell! He did however grab onto me to prevent himself from falling, but only making me go down with him. We both couldn't help laughing.
"Klutz," I said.
"I know I know." He breathed onto his fingernails and rubbed them onto his shirt, joking around like they do when they know they're slick.
"I can always count on you to fall Nick. Always."
"Nuh uh."
"Okay, or lock keys in the car, or trip, or run into a door, something! You're a big..." I was cut of by a touch on my lips. Nick and I kissed softly at first, then more roughly. It was so unexpected, he had caught me off guard.
"Nick, wait." I pulled away feeling embarassed and confused.
"I'm sorry."
"It's fine," I said. Neither one of us could look each other in the eye. He stood up and started the boat up again. I hope I didn't lead him on in anyway. If he felt I did, he would be really pissed, and I would soon see it once I saw his face.
We docked the boat and got off, heading to his car to take me home, all in silence.
"Thanks Nick. I had a really good time."
"Me too." I waved goodbye and headed up into my room where I could be alone with my thoughts. I entered the house and saw my Dad fast asleep on the couch with the tv on in front of him.
I quietly entered my room and closed the door behind me. I was so confused about what had happened with Nick and I.
Was a relationship right between us? What if it didn't turn out right? How would we get past those feelings and be best-friends again. Did I really want to be his girl?
I walked in front of my mirror and stared at my face.
Was I even pretty enough for him? Would his friends make fun of us and tease us like they did today?
I took the crown off from the top of my head and carefully brushed my hair. I started humming to myself while I thought about Nick. Me. Nick and I. I stopped and stared dead at my reflection when I realized what I had been doing. I had been humming the song Nick had sung to me.
