Piece 6: Natural Woman
Cuz you make me feel You make me feel You make me feel like a natural woman
Ohh, baby, what you've done to me Ooh, you make me feel so good inside And I just wanna be close to you You make me feel so alive
You make me feel You make me feel like a natural woman
-Natural Woman; Kelly Clarkson
(American Idol)
Kelly was the first to pull away from the kiss, unsure of what all of this meant. Had they really gone from despising each other to loving each other in the course of a few weeks? She didn't want to be strung along and she definitely didn't want a one night stand. In fact, for the first time in her life, she wanted a serious relationship with serious potential. If Nick wasn't ready for that, he wasn't ready for her.
“Nick, wait.” She smiled when he took her hands into his again. He was definitely attentive. “Are you serious about all of this? I mean, this seems a little crazy, don't you think? One minute you can't stand the sight of me, the next you love me?”
Nick sighed and looked away. He'd been praying they wouldn't have to talk about this. Sure, it was a little silly to think they wouldn't, but he could hope, right?
“Nick, what is it?” Kelly asked worriedly as she pulled on his face gently. Breaking eye contact was never a good sign. “What's wrong?”
“Nothing.” He smiled sheepishly, playing with her fingers as a method of distraction. “It's just embarrassing for me.”
“What is?”
“How badly I've been treating you.”
Kelly looked at him silently, with raised eyebrows.
“I was . . . I was jealous of you, I guess you could say.”
“Jealous of me?” Her eyes widened. “Jealous of what?”
“Your talent, your popularity . . . I don't know, all of it. I mean, here I was, headlining my own tour for the first time in my life. I wanted a fresh face to open for me . . . I got you, who has a fan base almost as big as mine.”
“I wouldn't go that far,” she laughed.
“Kel, they love you.”
“They love you too, Nick. It's not a competition. They're here for you.”
Nick sighed and looked away, running his fingers through his hair. “Not all of those guys.”
“Nick, they watch me for forty-five minutes. They stay and watch you for an hour and a half.”
He looked back at her and couldn't help but smile. How could one person make him feel so much better about himself in five minutes? Where had she been all of his life?
“Thanks, Kel,” he whispered, pulling her closer. “Anything you need?”
“Huh?”
“Well, you just encouraged me. You need some encouragement, yourself?”
Kelly giggled and pulled him in for a kiss. “Nope. I'm great!”
