"Please, please, please pick up," she whispered repeatedly almost chanting the words. The phone seemed to never stop the constant ringing.
"Hello," a voice asked groggily.
"Dammit! How long does it take you to answer your phone?"
"Candice, Ohmigod. What the hell do ya want?"
"To talk?" She asked innocently. She could tell she had woke him and by the tone of his voice..he was pissed.
"To talk? I'm tired..can't ya call me tomorrow?"
"Nope. I wanna talk now."
"Ok then," he chuckled rubbing his eyes. "Bout what? Miss I-call-people-on-their-private-lines-at-all-hours-of-the-morning!"
"That's not fair Nick," she insisted. Nick let out an exhausted sigh and rolled his eyes. "Fine, fine if ya don't wanna talk to me."
"No! You called me and woke me up, you're gonna talk to me dammit!"
"Nick?"
"Hhm?"
"Do you think I'm crazy?" Nick sat up quickly in bed and sighed heavily.
"No. I don't think you're crazy, but then again I haven't heard your next comment."
"Funny Carter."

Goose bumps filled his arms.
This is just like old times.
"Nick?"
"Do you really love me," his voice was weak and for the first time in the past year shy. He could have kicked himself for saying that, but wouldn't have taken the words back. He loved her as a friend and he never figured out if she felt more. They kissed and stuff, but that was different. Kisses as all they were. Just kisses.
"Nick. I love ya as a friend, so yeah. I do love you. You hold a place in my heart and someday I hope you can take it entirely." Nick closed his eyes.
Not what I wanted to hear.
He dropped the phone and rubbed his temples, his head was throbbing.
"Nick! Nick!" She screamed into the phone.
Stupid why'd ya tell him that? Like he'd ever love you! Dumbass!
She pressed 'end' on the phone and crawled back under her covers.

He reached for the phone and listened as she clicked 'end' and then that annoying dial tone. He pressed in her numbers and waited; no answer. He dialed again. And again. After about five times he gave up and went to sleep. If she truly loves me she'd understand, I can't take her heart. I just can't!

She slapped her hands over her ears and screamed until the phone finally stopped its constant ringing. She opened her eyes and stumbled out of her bed.
Too bad I fell in love, she thought sadly. Maybe dad was right, how could I truly love 3 plus guys?
"No, I've only loved two; Pat and N.." She stopped as Jeff sat down in front of her.
"Hard night?"
"I'm so sorry Jeff. I'm sorry you're grown to like me. I'm so..Ohmigod! I'm doing the same thing Nick did to me!"

With his usual wake up call from Brian, Nick crawled out of his bed and into the shower. The hot water seemed to wash most of his problems away. When the water began to turn chilly Nick shut of the water and sighed. He opened the glass to grab for a towel and almost screamed. One of his problems was standing in the doorway of his hotel bathroom.
"I'm sorry," she whispered as he drew her body close to his. She buried her head in his still warm and wet chest.
"What on earth are you doin' here?"
"I realized something last night Nick. I had my dad's friend fly me out here on his personal plane."
"Why on earth would.." She pressed her hand over his mouth.
"Nick. I am crazy. Crazy to love, crazy to think that we'd ever work out. I mean you're..and I, I'm."
"Normal."
"Nick." She couldn't manage the rest of her sentence. It was too hard. Nick held her body close and smiled.
"Why are you smiling Nick? Are you happy I'm goin' crazy over here? Are you happy I'm in love with someone I won't ever be with!"
"Now. Why would ya say a thang like that?"
"Nick be real for once!"
"I am and I'm not sad. I'm happy. Happy to know that when, if it's even twenty years from now, when I want to retire from music and just sit at home and play video games and write music. I'll have you."
"And I'm happy to tell you that I'm willing to wait 20, maybe even 22 years!"
"Promise?"
"Promise."

"Even if I'm all old and wrinkly?" He made an eww sound and a disgusted face.
"Yeah. I'll take ya all old and wrinkly. If you're lucky, that is." She taped her finger on the tip of his nose and laughed.
"Why is that?"
"Cuz no one else will want a wrinkly old saggy butt man!"
"You're so dead Trouble!" he called after her as she made a leap out of his arms and the bathroom. Nick laughed as he pulled on the closest pair of shorts. Suddenly it seemed as if his problems weren't as bad. Not that she was one of his only problems, but one of them. Not in a bad way though; he smiled.

Candice collapsed on his bed in a fit of laughter. How she loved and missed laughing. It had been such a long time since she had laughed like this and it felt good. All her problems seemed to drift away with her laughter as Nick ran into the room laughing just as hard as her. Nick wasn't her only problem nor the biggest, but right now none of that mattered; she smiled.