~*~*Chapter 5*~*~
"Nick? Is that you?" Leah asked the man that was standing tall behind AJ.
"Leah, hi." Nick said, not taking his eyes off of the girl that took a seat on the couch.
"Wait a minute, you guys know each other??" AJ asked, thinking the worst. Nick nodded.
"Your girlfriend here almost drowned today," Nick said to AJ.
"What??" AJ cried. Leah told him the whole story while Nick drifted off to the girl sitting on the couch.
"Hey, Riana." Nick said, now understanding why she looked so familiar.
"Nick! Hey! What are you doing here?" Riana asked.
"I came with AJ."
"Ohhh," Riana said. ' Was this AJ's single friend?' she wondered. She smiled into his piercing blue eyes and quickly turned away.
"So, do you guys want to come out with us? This is the last night before the ship sets sail to party," Leah said.
"Where do you guys plan on going?" Riana asked.
"I saw a couple of clubs downtown," AJ remarked.
"Well, I guess I'll go. I have nothing better to do," Riana said, standing up and grabbing a jacket. "You game Nick?"
"Yeah, sure. I have to go get something back in my room, meet me there." With that, Nick turned on his heel and walked out the room.
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Nick walked at a fast pace all the way back to his room. He ran through the door and into his room. He was shuffling through his suit case when Brian appeared at the door.
"What are you looking for, Frack?" Brian asked. Nick turned around with a startled look on his face.
"Oh, B. You scared me!" Nick said. "You'll never guess what just happened to me!" Nick said.
"What happened to you Nick?" Brian asked.
"Look." Nick pointed towards the Teen magazine that he had finally found in his bag. "Brian, does she look familiar?"
"Yeah, she does! I don't know where I could have seen her though," Brian thought, putting a hand on his chin.
"We met a girl named Riana today..." Nick hinted. Brian studied the picture more closely and his eyes widened.
"That IS her!" Brian said. He looked down into the picture and felt himself smiling. Even though he secretly knew that Nick harbored a secret crush for the girl, Brian had to admit that he had trouble keeping his eye off of her today at the hospital.
"I'm going out with AJ and Leah. Wanna come?" Nick asked. He decided to leave out Riana's name. Why? He didn't know.
"Yeah. Let me grab my jacket."
Brian and Nick were walking out the door when they saw AJ, Leah and Riana walking towards them. Nick caught his breath when he saw her smile at them.
"Is this what you had to get?" AJ asked, motioning towards Brian.
"Hey!" Brian said in defense. They all laughed.
"Long time no see," Brian said to Leah and Riana. They all smiled and they went out for their night of fun.
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"Look at them! They have been dancing all night!" Riana exclaimed as her, Brian and Nick watched as Leah and AJ danced on the dance floor.
"Yeah, I know. It looks fun." Nick admitted, wishing he had the courage to ask Riana to dance.
"Yeah. Riana, wanna dance?" Brian, taking the golden opportunity, asked.
"Sure. See ya, Nick." With that, Riana and Brian walked onto the dance floor, leaving Nick at the table, seething with jealousy.
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"What's the matter with Nick?" Riana asked as her and Brian danced together for their fifth song.
"I don't know," Brian said, wrapping his arms around her waist. Brian knew very well why Nick was mad.
"I'll be right back, ok?" Brian asked.
"Sure. I'll be at the table," Riana said, and walked over towards Nick. _____________________
Nick's face lightened as he saw Riana walking over towards him. He double checked his breath and smiled just as she sat down across from him in the booth.
"Hey Nick." Riana said.
"Hey."
"What's the matter? How come your're not dancing?" Riana asked, curious.
"Umm, I really don't dance."
"You? Not dancing? What do you do onstage during a concert?" Riana asked him.
"T..That's different," Nick protested. Riana laughed.
"Come on," Riana said, and grabbed Nick by the hand. She pulled him onto the dance floor just as a slow tune by the band onstage began to fill the atmosphere. She wrapped her arms around her neck as he did her waist.
"See? I told you could dance," Riana breathed, trying her best not to drift away. It felt so good to be in his arms. To be held by someone. She shook the thoughts out of her head when she remembered Jeff.
'How could someone like Nick ever hurt me?' she wondered to herself as she stared up at his silhouette. But then, Jeff didn't look like someone who would become what he was. A stalker. She rested her head on his chest, and felt her head rise and fall with his breathing. She snuggled more into his embrace, getting lost in the arms that she had met only that day. __________________________________
"Ree, it's time to go. It's four in the morning," Leah said, tugging on Riana's arm. Nick looked at his watch. His eyes widened.
"It IS four!" he remarked.
"I'm glad you comprehend things well, Nick." Riana joked, smiling at him. He stuck his tongue playfully at her and walked with her back to the table to meet Brian, who had been watching Nick and Riana for the past hour. He had been heartbroken when he came back from the bathroom and he found his best friend dancing with Riana, but he knew that Nick was having a good time. Nick hadn't had a fun time like this since Emily.
"Hey, B. Ready to go?" Nick asked, slinging an arm around Riana's shoulder. Brian cringed at the gesture.
"You betcha," he said, putting on fake enthusiasm.
"Ok. We'll meet you in the car." Nick said and Riana and him walked over towards the sidewalk. It was only a 15 minute walk back to the ship. Brian could handle it.
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"So? Did you have fun tonight?" Leah asked excitedly when Riana and her were alone in their room. Riana nodded her head with enthusiasm.
"It has been so long since I have had that much fun."
"So? What's going on with you? I saw you dancing with Brian and Nick!" Leah exclaimed.
"Yeah, Brian is really cool, but Nick is.....I don't know." Riana trailed off, afraid of what she was about to say.
"Boyfriend material?" Leah suggested.
"I'm not ready to date yet, ok?" Riana said softly.
"Ree, get over him! My god! You have over a million men around the world that would die at your feet for just one day with you, but yet you turn them down. You will never know when the right one comes along!" Leah cried in frustration. Riana watched with amazement as her friend stormed out of the room, slamming the room into her bedroom shut with a bang. Riana shook her head. Leah was right. What was wrong with her? She secretly hoped that Nick would like her, but now she was determined to leave Jeff in the past and look forward to bigger and better things. Like Nick.
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