"Yeah--yeah I think I do." He whispered in her ear smiling.
Oh great she thought how can he love me, I'm psycho, fat, and ugly, her thoughts were interrupted by Nick pulling her into the house. "I'm hungry," he flashed her a smile; she frowned.
"Can you at least try?" He lifted her chin up, "for me?"
"Nick it's just not that easy, maybe four months ago, but now I can't I just can't."
"Four months?"
"Yeah," she looked down at her bare feet.
"That's when you moved here."
"Yeah," she walked out of the kitchen. I'm trapped now she thought sitting on the sofa, he'll think it is because of him..Which isn't true but.. Nick walked in, interrupting her thoughts.
"Hey," Nick sat next to her. "Is this..all this because of me?" he stared into her eyes.
"No," she lied.
"God it is," he stood up. "Why? Why? Why?" He repeated getting louder each time.
"Nick hate me please..just let me live my life..please!"
"Why? Why? Why?" He repeated.
"Why? You wanna know why! Well, I'll tell you why!" She pushed him down on the sofa, "It's because I'm falling in love with you and I don't want to," she screamed falling next to him. "I just don't know what to do."

"Why are you doing this?"
"I dunno..I'm not good enough for--you," she turned away.
"What? Where did you get this from," he asked turning her back around so she was facing toward him.
"I dunno, I guess because every other girl is so pretty and skinny."
"Every other girl isn't my best friend! Every other girl doesn't know the real Me..every other girl doesn't have my heart," he whispered touching her face.
"Nick."
"And you're not fat or ugly," he lifted up her oversize shir. "You're bones and that's it!"
I'm not she screamed in her head pulling down her shirt.

"Now we can get you some help and you'll get better!"
"Amanda didn't tell you about before did she?"
"Before?" His face fell.
"Well, I was 15, I was you know..my boyfriend was just.."
"You mean you have been through all this before?" She nodded her head; Nick's eyes widened his mouth formed an O. "Unbelievable," he whispered.

"Nick I'd really rather not talk about it now, I just wanna be here with you," she leaned against him.
"But first I need some food," he jumped up and ran into the kitchen.
"Hey," she jumped up after him and ran into the kitchen.
"Yummy pretzels," Nick waved a pretzel in front of her face.
"You are so mean Carter! I am going to take a shower.
"Oh--Oh me too!"
"Um..let me think..NO," she gave him a soft kiss on the lips and ran upstairs.

Nick woke up the next morning in her bed but she wasn't there, "Candice?" he rubbed his eyes. He got up and walked downstairs, she was in the kitchen.
"Hey babe," he hugged her.
"Hey," she kissed him on the cheek; he pretended to pout. "Now go get ready, you leave in two hours."
"Fine mother," he stomped off.

"Ready," she asked hiding the box behind her back.
"Yeah..whatcha got," he asked trying to look around her.
"No," she said. "First my good-bye kiss then you," she was cut off by his warm lips pressing against hers. He pulled away, "Ok now you can have these." She handed him a blue container.
"What is it?" He asked, his eyes wide like a child's' eyes on Christmas.
"Cookies," she grinned.
"Aww you made these for me," he pulled the lid off and looked down at the perfect chocolate chip cookies.
"You are so sweet," he kissed her lightly on the lips.
"See you later, I'm just gonna go shopping since I haven't bought you any food and you plan on eating all of it!"
"Yeah I know," he flashed her a grin opening his car door, "bye."
"Bye," she smiled. He shut the door and started the car and watched her walk back into the house.

"Nick Ohmigod you're not late," Aj teased.
"I know shocking huh?" Nick smirked glancing around. "Hey, can I talk to you outside?"
"Sup Nicky?" Aj asked as Nick pulled him outside.
"Well, I have some good news and some not so good news."
"OK what's the good news?"
"Candice and I are kinda dating.."
"That's great Nick," Aj patted his back.
"But..she-she has an eating disorder and I don't know what to do..." Nick trailed off chewing on his bottom lip.
"That's horrible. Dude how did you find out?"
"Amanda."
"I miss her," Aj sighed rubbing his eye.
"Hey guys," Brian waved walking towards them.
"Yo, Bri," Aj said giving him a high-five. "Talk to ya later Nick."

"So Frack whatcha up to?" Brian leaned against the brick wall.
"Oh, Bri" Nick cried. He told him the whole story and about him feeling so bad for her.
"So whatcha gonna do dude?"
"I dunno yet, but I've gotta do something," Brian shook his head.
"Come on guys," Kevin called sticking his head out the door.

"Nick?" Candice sat up rubbing her eyes.
"You go back to bed. it's late," Nick whispered throwing his shoe across the room.
"Tired?" Candice wrapped her arms around his waist.
"Yeah," he kissed her cheek. "I'm gonna go shower, night."
"Night Nickels."
"Night Trouble," Nick walked to the bathroom.

The sun shining in through the windows woke her up very early this morning, she glanced at Nick sleeping next to her and kissed him lightly on the lips. She got up and got dressed, then headed downstairs. She walked into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator, for a glass of milk, she picked up the note left on top of a pizza box.
"Hey sweetie I got this for you, please try it it's great. Love ya, Nick," she read aloud. She held the small box in her hand, then threw it back into the fridge. "I need a walk, " she mumbled grabbing the nearest set of keys.

Nick groaned throwing his arm over to the other side of the bed expecting her to be there.
"Huh?" he opened his eyes, the house was silent besides a quiet meowing from the cat downstairs. He slowing rose out of bed rubbing his eyes and yawning, "Well good morning to me," he whispered walking down the stairway.
"I'm starving," he mumbled to himself, "hey kitty." Nick picked up the white cat and headed for the kitchen. He started a conversation with the cat, "so you know where Candice might me? Me either, Hungry? I am," he sat the cat on the table and opened the fridge. Oh crap, he thought looking at the pizza box thrown in the fridge and no note. "Crap, crap, crap," he whispered running to her room. He threw on a pair of jeans and a wife beater and ran to the garage. "She took my car," he said to himself. "I'll take her car, but where would she be?" He thought aloud pulling out of her gate. "The beach," he answered himself. There was a beach just a few miles down the road almost no one knew about it beside a couple of elderly people and they were never there this early. He pulled up next to his car, but didn't see her anywhere. He finally spotted her down near the water line watching the tides come in.

"Hey Nick," she said keeping her eyes on the ocean.
"How did you know it was me?" Nick asked sitting next to her.
"Because only two people I know walk so damn loud! You and my little brother, and he is in Missouri so it had to be you," she turned to face him. He stared hard at her face, her eyes were blood shot and her face pale, she had been crying.
"You Ok?" He asked putting his arms around her shoulders.
"Yeah, I was just thinking."
"About what?"
"You and I, this whole mess..My life, my future--just everything." She looked at him with a frown.
"So what about it all?"
"I really want to get better," his lips curled into a small smile.
"That's great," he hugged her.
She pushed him away, "but about us."
"What about us?"
"I don't think we will make it," Nick swallowed hard. "The first time I got better I lost almost everyone, my friends and even my family."
"We will, trust me," Nick said trying to sound sure but he wasn't even sure about it himself. "I mean I've been in love before but this is so different, you are so different. I don't know what to do when I'm with you, you confuse me to no end."
"Did you love her?"
"Yes, I did and I still do," Nick sighed.
"Nick you have so much to learn about me still, I can't call this love."
"I know everything about you and you know everything about me!"
"No, Nick you don't know everything, you know only my past," she grabbed his hand pulling him up from the sand.
"What do you mean?" His face appeared so frightened; she squeezed his hand. "Nick, I haven't even started school, I quit my job. I have nothing but my parents--and you."
"Then you have way too much 'cause all you need is me," he pulled her small frame closer to him and they stood up.
"I think I might have to share you though," she put her arm around his waist.
"Yeah I guess so!" They walked back to their cars.
"Why'd you take my car?"
"I love it!"
"Fine, fine take it!" he threw his hand sup in the air and walked to her car and got in. When they got home they went over to Nick's house. When they opened the door three little pugs greeted them.
"Hey guys," Candice picked one up.
"You guys want some food," Nick asked with the other two in his arms.

"I called the doctor," Nick declared that next morning.
"And?"
"We are meeting him at two, today in room 311."
"Oh."
"It'll be fine," he hugged her.
"I hope so," she looked up at his eyes burning into hers.
"Don't worry," he kissed her forehead hard.
"You have rehearsal in an hour."
"How would I manage without you?"
"You wouldn't, that's why I can't leave."
"Got that right, so let's say we go swimming," Nick grinned. She frowned, "or we could just sit around and do nothing, that's my favorite!"
"I guess we could swim, I will just watch you."
"No, we'll just sit in my room and read."
"But we aren't in your room."
"Not yet," he jumped on the sofa.
"Whoa Carter," she moved closer to him. "I dun like your room anyway, I like it right here." She kissed his lips lightly.
"Well, then so do I," he put his arms around her giving her a deep kiss.

"Room 311," Nick opened the door, "right here." Candice grabbed his arm as they made their way into the small room. She squeezed his hand tighter.

Nick glanced around the room it was almost empty. There was a young girl sitting in the far corner of the room. She looked around 15, her face was pale and she looked like a skeleton. He noticed she pulled her heavy coat tighter as he looked at her, he took his eyes of her and sat next to Candice. Nick's eyes settled back on the young girl, she whispered something to her mother.
"Nick! Nick," Candice whispered shaking him, "don't stare."
"Sorry," he grabbed a magazine without looking at starred down at the cover, he moaned.
"Nice choice," Candice laughed as Nick sat the Teen magazine down. A tall nurse stuck her head through the door and whispered something, the girl got up and walked in the door with her mother. Candice squeezed Nick's hand again.
"It'll be fine," Nick kissed her cheek lightly, "don't worry." The door opened again and a short nurse stuck her head out the door, "Miss Thompson?"
"That's me," Candice stood up and let go of Nick's hand, heading for the door. Nick stood up to follow her not knowing if he should or not. He slowly walked to the door and then SLAM the door was shut in his face.