"What a night!" I exclaimed, climbing out of Nick's car. It was gone midnight and the street was dark and silent.

"Yeah, it was really cool," Nick said. "Hey, I'll walk you to the door,". He climbed out of the car.

"It's OK Nick! I'm sixteen, not six!". I hated Nick thinking of me as a kid!

He laughed. "I know, Lila! But I insist!".

As we went though the gates of my house, I tripped and fell over something; probably a stone.

"Ouch! Ow ow OW!" I cried, clutching my ankle.

Nick bent down beside me. "Aw you poor thing!" he exclaimed. "It's a good thing I insisted in walking you to the door,". He scooped me up and carried me up the path to the front door.

I felt safe in Nick's strong arms. I forgot about the pain of my ankle. What I wouldn't give to be in Nick's arms more often... I thought dreamily to myself. ...No, he has a girlfriend, I mustn't think like that...

Liz unlocked the doors. "Lila! What happened?" she asked concerned about me.

"She fell over in the dark, just outside the house," Nick told her. "I'll lay her down on the couch,".

Nick gently put me down on the couch in our large living room. He crouched down at my side and stroked my hair. "How's your ankle now?" he asked.

"Um, it hurts but I don't think it's broken," I told him. "Nick, it's late. You go home and go to bed. I'll be fine!".

Liz returned with some ice, which she put on my ankle.

"If you're sure you're OK," Nick said, standing up. "Well thanks for coming with me Lila, I really enjoyed the concert...".

"So did I!" I replied, giving him a little smile. I dug into my pocket. "Here's the money to cover the costs," I said, handing him some of the money my mother had left me while she was away.

Nick refused to take it. "Don't worry!" he said.

"You still owe me a game of Rally Car!" I reminded him.

"Oh yeah!" Nick exclaimed. "Come over during the week! Mary-Anne hates car games so I'd love some competition!".

We said goodbye then Nick went home.

"How was your night?" Liz asked, coming back into the room with a blanket, putting it over me.

"Wonderful!" I said, grinning despite the pain. "Nick's great, we have so much in common. I really like him but he has a girlfriend... anyways sixteen is a little young for him!". I was really pleased he called me his 'friend'. Anyways, I knew he would never date me, as I wasn't very pretty and popular.

"You better sleep down here tonight," Liz said, putting some cushions behind my head. "In the morning I'll get the doctor to call round and check out your ankle...".

I dropped off to sleep soon after. The concert had tired me out. But it had been one really cool night!

I counted the white lilies in my hand while I waited at the doorstep. I was paying Lila a visit a couple of days later, along with a bunch of flowers.

Mary-Anne was beside me, shivering in the cold. "I knew I should have worn my thicker jacket!" she said, teeth chattering.

I put my spare arm around her waist. "We'll be in the warm soon baby," I said.

The door was opened by Liz. She greeted us warmly and let us in. "Lila's ankle is nearly better now, it was only a slight sprain. She can walk around the house now,".

"Nick! Mary-Anne!" Lila exclaimed, walking carefully towards us from the kitchen. "You didn't say you were coming!". She looked pleased to see us.

"We wanted to give you some flowers as a get better present," Mary-Anne said, taking the lilies from my hand and giving them to Lila.

"That's so sweet of you both, thanks!" Lila said, putting them down on the table. "Do you want something to drink?".

We took up her offer and Lila made us coffee.

We sat in the living room in front of the fire. "I never realized Florida could be so cold!" Lila said, rubbing her hands together in front of the fire.

"It does in winter!" I told her. "Anyways, where did you live before you moved here?". Lila hadn't told me much about her past so I didn't know.

"Mainly in Europe," Lila replied, taking a sip of coffee. "My dad is from England so I lived there for a long time. He still lives there. I lived in France, Germany and Sweden for a while too... and New York. But we're staying put here in Tampa now, maybe for good,".

"You'll love Tampa in summertime, the ocean is the best place to be," I said. I love the ocean and often took Mary-Anne there on a date.

"You're taking me there tomorrow aren't you Nick," Mary-Anne said, turning to me with a smile.

"Oh no," I said quietly. I had arranged to take Mary-Anne out the next day but I had also arranged to go into Orlando and go over songs for the new album with the guys and our producers.

"Never mind," Mary-Anne said, trying not to sound too upset when I told her. "It would probably be too cold anyways,".

We spent ages sitting in the warm chatting with Lila. She was so easy to talk to and she got on well with Mary-Anne; they were only a year apart in age.

"I wanted to see a couple of new movies that are out," Mary-Anne said as the conversation turned to movies. "Nick, wanna see the Pokemon movie?".

"Um, no," I said. My ex. had a song on the soundtrack and I didn't want to be reminded of her! "But what about that new space movie...".

"I prefer movies with hot guys who don't wear space suits over their gorgeous bodies!" Mary-Anne laughed.

"Me too!" Lila agreed. "Hey, why don't you and I go see a movie like that tomorrow while Nick is at the studios?".

Mary-Anne agreed and they talked about what movie they would see.

When me and Mary-Anne went back home, she was looking forwards to going to the movies with Lila the next day.

"That Lila is real sweet," Mary-Anne told me as we drove back. "She's the first real friend I've made since moving here,".

>>>>>

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