Piece 15: Walk on By
I just can't get over losin' you and so if I see the world in blue, walk on by Boy, walk on by Don't even try You know that I can't feel, so let me hide the tears and the sadness you gave me when you said good-bye Oh, walk on by
Oh, make believe that you don't see the tears, honey Let me grieve in private 'cause each time I see you, I just break down and cry Oh, just walk on by Walk on, walk on Oh, oh walk on by
-Walk on By; Kelly Clarkson
(American Idol)
The last concert had ended. The tour was officially over. And Kelly knew that so was her correspondence with Nick Carter.
She took giant breaths as she did some last-minute packing in her hotel room early the next morning. In two hours, she would be on a flight back home. She would see her family and her friends and she would never again see Nick ... not how she had for the past couple months.
There was a knock at her door and Kelly knew it was her bodyguard coming to fetch her. With a deep sigh, she glanced around the room before bending and zipping up her suitcase. She grabbed her bags and her purse and made her way to the door, swinging it open and expecting a big, burly man to be standing on the other side.
"Nick."
Nick ran his fingers through his hair and looked down at the ground.
Lord, she's never looked so beautiful, he thought to himself as he looked back up, their eyes meeting for one frightening moment.
"Hey, Kel," he spoke quietly, finding it hard to talk any louder. She'd practically knocked the wind out of him. "I came to say good-bye. I know you're leaving in a few minutes."
"Yeah, I thought you were Jimmy."
Nick nodded and glanced down the hallway nervously. "Well, um, I hope you have a safe flight."
"Yeah," Kelly nodded. "You too."
Gosh, had it all really come down to this? Small talk?
"Maybe I'll see you around." Nick smiled lightly and moved aside as she made her way out of her room, closing the door behind her. They were now standing right in front of one another. He could even smell her perfume.
"Kel, you ready?" Jimmy walked up and broke their eye contact. "You got a flight to catch, girl."
"Right." Kelly sighed and glanced at Nick for the last time. "See ya, Carter."
Nick watched her step onto the elevator and sighed as the doors came between them. He'd let her go. He'd really let her go.
Had he just made the biggest mistake of his life?
