How Did I Fall in Love With You? Chapter 20: It's Been You

Leah walked down the staircase carefully. She was wearing a tight red tank-top that was low cut and rose just above her belly button, with a calf length black skirt, and platform shoes that wrapped up her legs. She grabbed a light jacket and her purse as she heard Nick jogging down the stairs a few moments later. Their eyes locked quickly as they spotted each other and Leah smiled.

"You look good, Nicky," she walked to him and kissed his cheek gently. He smelled nice too. Gosh, her best friend had good taste in cologne. The baggy khaki pants that he wore hung nicely on his hips and his nice black T-shirt hugged his chest perfectly.

Nick returned her smile, "So do you, Lee, so do you!"

Leah laughed and took his hand, pulling him to the door as he grabbed his jacket as they left. They chatted amicably on the way to the restaurant and Nick was actually surprised with himself ... he was feeling bold and wasn't extremely nervous ... maybe a little bit, but it wasn't showing.

"Thank you, Nick," Leah said suddenly as he parked the car in the restaurant's almost full parking lot.

Nick looked at her confused, "For what? I haven't paid for dinner quite yet ... I still may stick ya with the bill."

"Whatever," Leah laughed. "No, I mean ... thank you for you. Ever since you've come into my life it's been wonderful, and I'm just so happy that I have you."

Nick grinned, "THANK YOU, COLBY!" he shouted, imitating a TBN preacher.

Leah gave him a weird look, "Colby??"

"Yeah, wasn't she the girl who's father had 'connections' and got you those tickets and backstage passes the night I met you?"

Leah suddenly remembered as a slow smile spread across her face, "Oh ... yeah! Haha."

Nick rolled his eyes, "How quickly one forgets the little people."

She stuck her tongue out at him as she opened her door and got out of the car. They walked towards the restaurant, their arms linked, and Nick guided her through the doorway with his hand placed gently on the small of her back. They were seated in 20 minutes and by the time they sat down they were both extremely hungry. They ordered quickly, having ordered their usuals, and fell into conversation immediately. By the time they were done with their meals, Nick was about ready to burst with the need to tell her why he had really brought her there.

"Lee, can we talk?"

"Nick," Leah quickly quipped, "that's what we've been doing this entire night."

He laughed. She was such a smartass sometimes. "Duh, you bimbo. I meant ... I need to talk to you about something specific."

"'Duh!' Okay, spill..." She leaned forward, showing him that he had her undivided attention.

Nick sighed and leaned forward also, taking her hands gently in his own. The waiter suddenly came over with their check and Nick sighed, looking down at the table, waiting for him to leave. Once he had, Nick squeezed her hands in his and stared at her for a moment.

"Nicky, what is it? You look so serious," Leah began to look concerned and Nick quickly flashed her a smile, so she wouldn't be scared.

"No, baby, it's okay. I just need to confess something to you."

"What, Nick? Gosh, hurry up ... I hate the suspense. What'd you do? Break my powder?"

Nick sighed, "No, I'm afraid it's a little more serious than that."

Leah was growing impatient and she sat up a little straighter, "What then??"

"Leah, I've known you for about 3 years or so ... I've never told you this before, because you were always much younger than me, and although you still are, you're now 18 and it's a little more appropriate. I admit this may come as a major shock to you, but I ... I just have to tell you this. Leah, I love you." She went to interrupt Nick's speech, but Nick wouldn't allow her to. "No, I don't mean that I love you as a sister, or a best friend; Leah, I love you ... as in, I'm IN love with you."

Leah's eyes quickly widened and her jaw dropped. As her mind began to swarm with exactly what this meant she pulled her hands away from his quickly. "Wh-What???!"

"Leah, I love you," Nick now sounded slightly desperate as panic began to settle in. This wasn't exactly the reaction he had conjured up in his mind for the past couple years. "Leah, say something..."

"Nick, how... how..." Leah quickly jumped up from her side of the booth and in a daze she grabbed her purse. Tears began to fall from her eyes as she looked at Nick's face. He looked completely crushed and she began to cry even harder because of that. With a strangled sob she ran from the restaurant and didn't look back.

It was a few minutes before Nick could actually move. His entire body seemed to be glued to the seat, but finally he found the strength to stand and reach into his pocket for his wallet. Throwing money down on the table he left the restaurant and slowly got into his car, starting the engine. He had to get home and make sure that Leah was okay. His heart was breaking, but she came first to him, and the fact that his best friend was upset made him upset too. He drove through the night quickly and reached his house in less than 10 minutes. He pulled into his driveway and was grateful that Leah's Eclipse was still in the driveway. It was quiet and dark in the house when he entered and he wondered for a moment if Leah had returned home yet, but suddenly he heard whimpering from upstairs and he knew that she had. He sprinted up the staircase quickly, taking them two by two, and rushed into her bedroom. The sight before him made him stop quickly, almost falling over his own feet. Leah was standing at her bed, a suitcase opened on top of it, half full of clothes. She was rushing between her closet and her bed, throwing all of her clothes into the suitcase and she didn't notice that he was even there until she began to zip up the bag and Nick let out a strangled cry.

Leah jumped and turned to him with flushed cheeks and wet eyes. Her chest was heaving with each unsteady breath and she felt as though the walls were getting closer. She could hardly breathe. "How could you say that, Nick??" she whispered suddenly and Nick felt as though he'd been punched in the stomach.

"What do you mean? I meant it. I love you, Leah."

"No, you don't, Nick!! D*mmit, no, you don't! You are NOT in love with me ... do you understand me?!! You are NOT!!"

Nick's eyes were wide as his own tears fell down his face. He'd finally, after 3 years, worked up the courage to tell her how he felt and now she was leaving.

"We're best friends, Nick!! Best friends don't love each other like that!! Don't you see that you're ruining everything?!!" she was sobbing, her shoulders shaking violently and her legs wavering on her tall shoes. "I gotta go ... I gotta go, Nick. I'll send someone to get my things. I'm going back to Seattle," she ran from the room with her one suitcase.

"Leah, I love you!!!" Nick yelled out after her between his tears, but a moment later the front door slammed shut.

He'd just lost his best friend. Sitting down on the bed that had once been hers, Nick cried.