(Nick’s Point of View)
“Dakota! DAKOTA! Come on, girl!” I yelled. She came charging towards the patio door. I stroked her soft fur on the top of her head. “Good girl,” I praised. “Let’s go inside.”
I went in and back upstairs to the bathroom to finish getting ready. I put gel in my hair and ran a comb through it in about twelve different directions. I gave up and raked my fingers through it. I washed my face and put some astringent on so I wouldn’t look like a total greaseball. I walked to the bedroom and put on some cologne.
“Now, clothes,” I muttered. “This’ll be fun.”
I went through my closet. “I should probably look halfway decent,” I said to myself. I pulled out a forest green polo, a pair of khakis and my Doc Martens. Not bad.
I stumbled down the stairs and grabbed my keys to my truck. The clock read 9:09. Perfect.
“Here goes nothing,” I murmured to the Durango.
It took about ten minutes to get to Applebee’s. I had no idea what Brittany’s car looked like, so I went in and looked around from the tiny lobby. I didn’t see her, so I requested a booth for two. The host must have read my mind, because he seated me in the far back of the non-smoking section, away from all the chatter of the restaurant. I sat down, and realized that I was feeling mighty nervous. The waitress came by, and I ordered a Coke. I drank big gulps, trying to cool myself down and stop sweating. I couldn’t figure out why I was so nervous.
After a few minutes, I saw Brittany walk in. It seemed like the entire restaurant just stopped. She was wearing a white tank top and a pink and white plaid skirt. Her curly hair was hanging above her shoulders. She waved, and I smiled. My butterflies were drifting away. Britt walked over, and I stood up. She reached in for a hug.
“Hey,” Brittany said. “Man, you clean up really well.”
I grinned. “You don’t look bad yourself.”
She laughed. “I sure hope you’re serious. It took me awhile before I agreed on something.”
“I am,” I replied.
“Good.”
We sat down, and she looked through her menu, her eyes frantically scanning the choices. She looked up and caught me looking at her. She grinned.
“Are you getting dinner, or an appetizer, or just a drink?” Brittany asked.
“Definitely dinner. I’m starving.”
“Good, because I am too. What are you getting?”
“Bacon cheeseburger with the works. And yourself?”
“I haven’t decided yet. That sounds good, but I don’t think I could eat all of it. I had a snack a couple of hours ago.”
I laughed. “Brittany, I had dinner two hours ago and I’m hungry again. Just get it!”
She looked at me in surprise. “You’re going to have another dinner?”
I nodded. “I’m a growing boy!”
She laughed. “Okay.”
The waitress came back, and Brittany ordered an iced tea to drink. I ordered my burger, and Britt said, word for word, the exact same thing I said. The waitress gave her a funny look, picked up the menus, and left. I burst out laughing.
“What?” She asked.
I shook my head.
“Now, if I get sick from all of this food, you’ll never hear the end of it,” she threatened.
I raised my eyebrows. “Tell you what – what you can’t eat, I’ll take home and give to my dog, okay?”
Brittany’s mouth dropped. “Nick, you’re gonna give your dog all of that fat, calories, sodium, and cholesterol?”
“Yup. Dakota eats anything and likes it. Just like me!”
She laughed. “Are you excited for the tour?”
I shrugged. “I wish you were going.”
She gave a weak smile. “I wish I was too. But you’ll have a good time. Your own fans, singing your own music, getting your own entourage – “
I interrupted. “ – But I won’t have a girl with me. AJ will.”
Brittany blushed, and then she sighed. “That’s true. But hey, maybe you’ll meet someone.” Her expression saddened, and she looked out the window.
I reached across the table and grabbed her hands. Her eyes came back and looked into mine.
“No way,” I said, holding her gaze. “I’ve found that someone.”
Britt continued to look at me. “You’re going to make me cry,” she whispered.
“Why?” I asked.
“As much as I want to, I can’t go with you. And I don’t want to be in a relationship with a guy that is away from me all – “
“Hey, hey, hey,” I interrupted again. “Let’s not talk about that now, okay?” I wanted to savor the moment, and I hoped that she would change her mind. Maybe I could change it tonight…
She smiled. “Okay. And anyway, here comes our food!”
I turned around, and the waitress was walking towards our table. I let go of Brittany’s hands, and the waitress put the burgers in front of us and left. We ate mainly in silence, thinking of each other and of our future as friends, or as something more.
“That was good,” I said, sitting back in the booth. I pushed away my plate, and belched. Britt rolled her eyes.
“Men are pigs,” she said, scraping at her hamburger bun. “I can’t stand this mayonnaise! It’s so nasty.” She pushed her plate away, too. “I give up. Let’s ask the waitress for a doggy bag and get out of here!”
“Where do you want to go?” I asked.
“How about your place?” She suggested.
I nodded. “Sounds great. My family is in California at the moment, but they’re all really annoying anyway. So it’s a good thing we got them out of the house!”
She nodded. The waitress came back with a Styrofoam box and the check. I pulled out some bills, and we got up and left.
“Follow me, okay?” I said to Brittany as we walked out of the restaurant.
“No problem,” she replied.
I followed Nick back to his house in Ruskin. I could tell from the streetlights that it was a fairly large house. I parked behind him in the driveway.
”You like?” He asked, locking his door.
I shrugged. “I haven’t seen the inside.”
He smiled. “You will. Come on.” He held my hand and took me up the concrete steps and to the front door. He fumbled with his keys, since he was only using one hand. Finally, he unlocked the door and stepped inside. He stumbled.
“Shit, Dakota! I almost stepped on you.” The dog whined and scampered to get up.
“Why don’t you turn the lights on?” I said.
He gave me a look. “Ha ha. I will, just give me a minute to find the switch. Why, are you afraid of the dark?”
I’ll show him, I thought. Even though we were in the dark, I had an idea of where the wall was. I got in front of Nick and pushed him against it, my hands on his hips. He gave a little gasp.
”No,” I replied defiantly. “Are you?”
He laughed. “Oooh, she knows what she wants. I like, I like.”
I rolled my eyes, taking my hands off of him, and he turned the hallway light on. Nick was absolutely gorgeous. No doubt about it. He was so masculine, and so good-looking. He led me to the family room and turned another light on.
“Have a seat,” he gestured toward the couch. “Do you want to watch a movie?”
“Sure,” I said.
“Okay, we’ve got Men in Black, Independence Day, Armageddon, Speed, Selena, Aliens, Termin-“
“Selena!” I cried.
He rolled his eyes. “You’ve got to be joking.”
“No way,” I said. “That’s one of my favorite movies.”
“It’s Leslie’s favorite, too. All right, we’ll watch it. But under one condition.”
“What?”
“No reciting lines with the movie.”
I laughed. “If you say so.”
“I mean it.”
“I said ‘okay,’ Nick.”
He put in the tape and sat down on the couch. He put his arm around my shoulders and drew me close. I snuggled up against him. The movie started, but for once, I didn’t even feel like watching it. I just listened to Nick. He cleared his throat, sighed, and inhaled deeply. I watched his chest as he breathed. He struggled to get comfortable. A half-hour into the movie, Nick began to whine.
“This is so boring. Who cares about this girl, anyway? She’s dead now.”
“Nick!” I cried, laughing. “That’s so mean.”
“Well, she is.”
I sighed. “You can turn it off if you want.”
“Thank God.” He reached forward for the remote and pushed stop. The movie clicked off. He reached for another remote and turned off the TV. The room was awkwardly silent.
“What do you want to do?”
“Sit here with you.”
He laughed. “Am I that exciting?”
“Sure.”
“Are you tired?”
“Nope.”
“Britt, are you sure?”
“Yup.”
“How come you’re giving me one-word answers?”
“Don’t know.”
“That’s two words!”
I laughed. I reached for the pillow beside me and I threw it into his face. He tore it off and threw it behind him and started to tickle me. I twisted and turned, laughing and pleading for him to stop. Nick shook his head vehemently and continued torturing me.
“Mercy, mercy!” I yelled.
“Not the password!” He replied.
“Uncle!”
“Not even close. Repeat after me. Women are second to men.”
“No way!” I yelled. He continued to tickle me even more. “Okay, okay! Women are second to men.”
“Louder!”
“WOMEN ARE SECOND TO MEN!”
He finally stopped. I tried to catch my breath as I lay on the couch. Nick laughed and pushed himself to the far end.
“Thanks a lot, Nick.”
“You’re welcome!”
“I’ll get you back.”
He rolled his eyes. “I’m too good. And remember Britt, women are second to men!”
I sighed. “Pig.” He snorted.
“Do I have cooties or something? How come you’re so far away?” I asked.
He scooted closer to me. “Better?
I shook my head. “Closer.”
Nick got even closer. “Better?”
I shook my head again. He sighed, exasperated. Then he turned his body and got on top of me! I stared at him, shocked.
“Better?” He said, smiling, as he leaned in to kiss me.
I nodded, and met his kiss. It was soft at first, but then he became more forceful, and I felt his hands on my stomach and creeping north. I broke off this kiss and gently pushed him off of me.
“We need to stop,” I said, sitting up.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”
“It’s not that,” I said. “I liked it and all, but, I know you’re leaving soon. And I don’t want to get too attached to someone that’s going to be away for six months.”
He sighed and leaned back against the couch. “I know.”
An awkward silence possessed the room. I didn’t know what to say or do that wouldn’t ruin the friendship or make him sad or upset.
“I better go,” I said, standing up.
He stood up next to me. “I’ll walk you to your car.”
Nick followed me outside, and leaned up against my car as I searched my purse for my keys. I finally dug them out, and unlocked my door. I turned up and looked at him.
“Call me before you leave, okay?” I said, my voice shaking. I was already attached to this guy.
“I will.”
“Bye,” I said, and I started to get into my car.
“Wait,” he said. “Can I give you a goodbye kiss?”
I smiled. I pushed the car door shut and leaned back against my car door. He leaned forward and put his hands on my waist. Our lips touched, and he gave me a long, but simple kiss. When it ended, he pulled me closer to him for a hug.
“I’ll call you all the time,” he whispered into my ear.
“You better.”
Nick pulled back, and he gave me a kiss on the cheek. Unfortunately, a tear had slipped down, and he felt the wetness on his lips. He gave me a sympathetic look and brushed it away with his thumb.
“Bye Nick,” I said, opening my door.
“Bye Brittany,” he said, and walked back into his house.
LINKS
INDEX
Chapter Six (coming soon!)
