“ Nick, I really wish I knew what runs threw that head of yours.” Despite the fact that I’ve known him for two years I still don’t understand him. Not one single ounce of him. He’s like one big mystery that walked into my life and has yet to reveal himself. Sometimes I wish I could read minds. Then maybe I could understand the things he does and why he does it.
“What are you talking about Maria? You’ve known me for what? Two years now? I would have thought you’d know me by now.” Nick replied- eyes glued to the TV. Or should I say eyes glued to the Nintendo game ON the TV screen? That is one thing I would NEVER understand no matter how hard I tried. How can a 21 year old man get so involved in a kids game that he can be so oblivious to the world around him. I have been trying to get his attention for the past hour to no avail until 2 seconds ago. I even banged some pots and pans together.
“Niiiiickkkk, I NEED you help.” I whined. If nothing else would get his attention that would. He couldn’t stand it when I whined.
“What DO YOU WANT? I am trying to play this game.”
“Nick, you’ve been trying to play that game all morning. This house is a mess; get off your lazy butt and help me clean it.” No matter how hard I tried to keep this house immaculate Nick always managed to make it look like a tornado sweep through it within a day. Dirty dished everywhere, Nintendo games everywhere. He drives me crazy. I need to find my own place to live.
Nick still made no move to help.
“Okay Carter, Listen up. Your my best friend, I love you, but GET UP AND HELP or I will be forced to take drastic measures.”
With a smirk on his face he finally turned around.
“Oh really? What are you going to do?”
“Does the word ‘Kevin’ mean anything to you? I will call him right now and tell him how messy this house is and he’ll come over and lecture you about it.”
Nick lost his smirk and immediately got to work.
‘I knew that would work.’
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I laid in bed that night reflecting on these past two years.
It dawned on me. Me and Nick met in a very unusual manner. It was almost like we were supposed to meet.
We were both running from our problems. He was running from his troubled relationship and me……well I was running from everything. My life was pretty screwed up. But Nick and I became each others safe harbor. He saved me and I helped him. Of course his relationship ended, which in most cases, would be bad, but for him it was one of the best things that could have happened.
So how did he help me? He gave me the most important lesson. He told me, that maybe life wasn’t out to get me. He told me that if I could take things as they came everything would get a lot easier. I listened to him- I took his advice and my life has gotten so much better.
And as it turns out- through one of the rockiest times in our life Nick and I became friends, as odd as it may seem.
Some people wonder how I ended up living with Nick. That was one of my biggest problems in my life. My parents. They seemed to think everything I did was a sin. Eventually they kicked me out. Luckily I had known Nick by then and he took me in. Sometimes I really feel like a charity case. But Nick has repeatedly assured me that he doesn’t do anything he doesn’t want to do. Good thing to. God knows I need his help.
**********************************
“Hey squirt! Sleep well?” Nick asked when I walked into the kitchen that morning.
I groaned at the nickname. I’m only 5’1 a whole foot shorter then him, so he likes to pick on me a lot. “Barely.”
“Why?”
“My thought wouldn’t leave me alone.” I joked.
“What was on your mind?”
“Oh- nothing in particular. Don’t worry about it. I’m gonna go to the store today. Do you need anything?”
“Yeah. But I’m gonna come to.”
”Um, Okay. Be ready in an hour.”
“Something wrong?” Nick asked at the tone of my voice.
“Since when does Nick Carter go grocery shopping”
“Hey. Can’t a guy spend the day with his best friend?”
“Nick, it only takes an hour to go shopping.”
“Oh, quite contrary. We are having a ‘Nick and Maria day out.’ FIRST we are going shopping then were gonna bring the food back here. AND THEN we are going out. By the way we are going to Aj’s tonight for a barbeque.”
“And when we’re you going to tell me about out little ‘day out?’”
“Now. By the way, could you do my hair?”
“UGH! NICK how OLD are YOU?”
“21. But you KNOW I can never get it to look right.”
“You and AJ, I swear.” I said dragging Nick up to the bathroom. He and AJ where constantly asking me to do their hair. Color it, Spike it, Cut it. Whatever they needed done at the time. I had a degree in cosmetology. In fact on tour I was the hair stylist.
“So Carter, what shall we do with this mess today?” I asked Nick referring to his hair. It was apparent that he hadn’t brushed his hair since he woke up. It was sticking up in 50 different directions.
“The usual.”
“Okay.” I squirted a bunch of gel on my hand and as expected Nick protested.
“Maria, why do you always use so much of that junk?”
“Because if I don’t, it won’t stay put. Come on hun, we got shopping to do.
~**~**~**~**~**~**~
“No Nick! Put those cookies down right now!”
“Aww Maria come on! I’m hungry for chocolate ship cookies!”
”See Nick. This is why I go shopping by myself. You can’t keep your hands off Junk food. It’s like shopping with a 3 year old.”
Nick and I were shopping. Our cart was already heaping with junk food and Nick was trying to pile more junk food in.
I turned my back to him to get something behind me and Nick discreetly tried to slip the cookies into the cart.
”Freeze Carter.” I turned around, grabbed the cookies out of his hands and put them back on the shelf. And of course Nick being Nick, starting pouting, but luckily for me I was immune to his childish behavior by now.
”NO!”
“Fine. Have it your way like ALWAYS. You know, just cuz you’re a girl doesn’t mean I can’t beat you up.”
‘Hey Carter. How many times do I hafta tell you? I could whip that cute butt of yours anyday.” I said grinning.
”Uh huh. Sure You just keep on dreaming doll face.”
Doll face. Nick had been calling me that for about a year and a half now and for the life of me I don’t know why. He always told me I looked like a doll. A perfect face. But I didn’t see it. I mean I wasn’t ugly, but I was no Britney Spears. I was a typical brown haired blue –eyed girl.
“OOOH icecre-“
“No Nick.”
*******~~~~~~~~~~~~~*******
“This goes here. That goes there.”
“What are you doing?” I asked Nick walking into the kitchen to find him talking to himself.
“Putting groceries away.”
“Since when did that require words, blondie?” I asked him laughing. Boy that kid could crack me up sometimes.
“Since now.” Nick grinned.
Oh that grin. I loved him grin. And his laugh. His laugh could always make me laugh, and his grin, well that could ALWAYS put an identical one on my face.
I have to admit. I had the hugest crush on Nick when I first met him. The other guys always told me Nick felt the same way. But no matter how many people told me that, I couldn’t bring myself to believe them. It was probably because I was so insecure back then. But soon enough my crush turned into friendship, nothing more, nothing less. And from that day on I vowed to myself It would stay that way- forever. And I never lie to myself. Most of the time.
“Hey squirt? Anybody home?” Nick asked waving his hand in my face.
“Huh?” I asked dumbly.
“Didn’t think so.”
“Huh?” I asked yet again.
“Wanna go out on the boat for awhile?”
“Sure. What time is AJ’s barbeque?”>
“5.”
“Who’s going?” I asked as I grabbed my sunglasses and made my way to the boat.
”Us, and the guys.”
“Will Leighanne and Kristin be there?”
“I think so.”
“Good, I haven’t seen them in a while.”
“Yeah, neither have I.”
“Nick?”
“Hmm?”>
“ I love you. You know that right?”
”Yup. I love you too.”
“I never really thanked you.”
“For what?”
“For helping me. You’re the only person who ever really cared enough to help.”
“You know your welcome. You help me a lot to. Don’t worry, I think we’re even.”
Nick and I slowly made our way done to the boat, arms around each other’s waist. Now I see why people always think we’re a couple. We are really close. All I can say is I hope it stays that way. I don’t know where I’d be without this kid.
Chapter 2
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