Nick lay on the sand of the California beach, trying to fall asleep. Filming of the movie was going on further along the beach but he wanted to get away from everyone to have some peace. He was so tired yet he found it hard to drift off. Not that he was wearing himself out physically like he used to when in the band, however he was tired mentally. He couldn't rest his mind because of everything that was going on.
Nick had thought everything would be find after his engagement to Sarah. But now, just a week before the wedding was to take place, things had hardly changed. Sarah was always out; filming the movie or 'out with her pals'. Sure she stopped to say 'I love you' and gave him kisses, but they would hardly talk. And Sarah was always in another world, unknown to Nick this was because of the drugs she had become hooked on thanks to her secret boyfriend Andy. Nick had no idea that she was with him every evening. Yet he couldn't break off the engagement. He believed that once they were married and filming was over they could be a proper couple and be together all the time. Besides, if he was to finish with her he would be totally alone with no-one. He was trapped.
Lucinda strolled along the beach after finishing her task for the morning. She had helped set up the volleyball net and arrange the props; now she had a couple of hours off while filming took place until she had to get back to work. She walked along looking for somewhere to buy some lunch, wondering where Nick could be. She, him and her brother talked regularly, as they were Nick's only real friends now. She still felt quite shy around him but was improving. He was pretty easy to talk to.
She spotted Nick lying on the sand with his eyes closed. She reached him and knelt beside him, wondering if he was asleep.
Nick opened one eye and saw Lucinda. He gave her a small smile and sat up. "I can't sleep, it's no use trying," he said, getting to his feet and brushing the sand from his pants. "What's up?" he asked her.
"Nothing, I have a few hours off so I was gonna have some lunch," she said softly, looking into Nick's sad blue eyes.
"I'm hungry too, I'll go with ya Lu," he said. "Where should we go?".
Lucinda shrugged. "You chose,". She didn't mind, anywhere with Nick would be fine! Lucinda had been a fan of Nick before and now she knew him personally she liked him even more. But she hated seeing him so sad, she wanted to help somehow. She had been upset over the news of his engagement but had said nothing to Nick about it in fear he wouldn't speak to her again.
"I have plenty of food at home, so why not go back to my place?" Nick suggested. He and Lucinda walked to his car and drove to his house which was just a couple of miles along the coast.
"I love your house, it's so beautiful," Lucinda complimented. It was only the second time she'd been there.
"Thanks," he said, sitting down wearily on the couch. "What do ya wanna eat?".
"What have you got?".
Nick went into the kitchen and opened the fridge. "How about pizza?".
"Sounds cool,".
He put it in the microwave and they sat waiting for it to cook. "You look so tired," Lucinda observed. "Did you go to bed late?".
Nick sighed. "Not that late, I just couldn't sleep,".
"How come?" she asked, concerned.
"My life's such a mess," he confessed. "I feel so sad and depressed, I just can't sleep,".
"But you're getting married next week! Surely you must be happy about that...".
"I'm not," Nick replied with a frown. "She's all I have left and if I said no to her about marriage I'd have nothing,".
"I'm sorry," Lucinda said quietly. "Maybe things will improve after the wedding,". I doubt they will! she thought.
"I hope so but.... I don't know! Maybe things would be better if I was dead,".
"That's stupid!" Lucinda exclaimed, shocked. "That's the worst thing that could happen. Don't even think of it,".
Nick sat awkwardly, tears forming in his eyes.
"You look like you're hot. Why are you wearing a sweater in this weather?".
"I'll take it off," Nick said, slowly taking off his long-sleeved sweater. He paused, wondering if he should. He didn't want Lucinda to see his arms. What the hell, he thought, pulling the sweater off.
"Nick, your arms!" Lucinda exclaimed. "How did you get all those cuts?".
Nick looked down at the cuts that scarred his arms, feeling ashamed. He started to mutter a response, then broke down in tears, some were tears of relief as someone could now try and help him, some were tears of sadness as he was seeing what a mess his life had become.
Lucinda took him in her arms and hugged him tightly. "It'll be OK," she promised. "It'll be OK,".
Brian drove along the ocean road looking for the beach location where filming was taking place. Since Nick's departure from the band he had missed Nick and been very concerned about him. But this was the first time he had tried to make contact with Nick. he though he should leave it a while and now was the right time to make a move to restore their friendship. He had flown to Cali with his fiancee Leighanne and enquired about where Nick was. The people at the movie studios had given him directions to the beach where filming was that day.
"There, see there's the filming!" Leigh exclaimed as they passed a huge crowd of people on the sectioned off beach. They saw a bunch of cameras and lots of crew members.
Brian parked the car and they got out. "I can't see Nick," he said, disappointed. "But there's her,". they saw Sarah acting in front of the camera, big smiles on her face.
"Where's Nick?" Brian asked some crew members passing by.
Stuart heard him and approached the couple. "Nick wandered off a while ago, I haven't seen him in a while," he told them.
"How has he been?" Brian asked.
"Not too good," Stuart said sadly. He stuck his hand out. "I'm Stuart, I work on the set,".
"Nice to meet ya," Brian said. "So have you spoken to Nick?".
"Yeah, we're good friends," he said. "Me and my sister Lu are like the only people he talks to now. You heard about the engagement?".
Brian shuddered. "Yes. But has Sarah improved. Has she changed her ways?".
"No," Stuart said bluntly. "She's become even worse. And she's gotten hooked on drugs. Nick doesn't know but I've seen her getting high. I think Nick's only clinging to her cuz she's all he has left,".
"We have to do something," Brian said.
"And cut!" the director yelled. The cast wandered off set, Sarah passing Brian and Leigh. She gave them an icy glare, annoyed that they were there.
Stuart, Brian and Leigh saw her slip away from the crowds and approach a tough looking guy. They didn't know he was Andy, her secret boyfriend.
The three of them gasped as Sarah gave him a kiss and jumped into his car. "Come on, let's follow them," Brian said. "Something's going on!".
They bounced into Brian's car and followed Sarah and Andy driving down the coastal road.
Sarah and Andy got out the car when they got to a bar. "Leigh, you go in," Brian said. "If we all go they're sure to see us,".
"OK," she said. "I'll try not to let them see me,".
Brian and Stuart stayed in the car as Leigh snuck into the bar and slipped into the booth behind Sarah and Andy, unnoticed by them luckily.
"How long have we got?" Leigh heard Andy's gruff voice ask Sarah.
"Half an hour," Sarah said sweetly. "But don't be disappointed! We can go out tonight of course,".
"Good. I miss you baby when I'm not with you all the day. I hate only being with you in the evenings,".
"In a few weeks we can be together all the time, after you guys...".
"Shhhush honey, in case someone hears!".
Leighanne cursed under her breath, wanting to know what Andy was going to do. She feared it was something bad. That bitch is cheating on Nick! she thought, angry at Sarah yet triumphant that she had discovered something important.
"When are you gonna do it?" Sarah asked. "How about on the honeymoon. The sooner the better, I can't wait to get rid of him so I can be with you,".
"Yeah, pretty soon after the wedding. It won't be me doing it, it will be Barry. He's experienced. He won't get caught,".
"Will it be a gun, that seems the best way to kill someone,".
"Yeah,".
Leighanne was shocked, realizing their plan. She stay sitting silently waiting for more information but they changed the subject. She quickly got up and slipped out of the bar unnoticed, still in shock.
"Oh my Lord!" she cried as she got into the car where Brian and Stuart sat anxiously.
"What?!" Brian breathed.
Leighanne took a deep breath then told them what she had heard.
"We can't let them kill Nick!" Stuart cried. "We've gotta tell him,".
"He won't believe us," Brian said sadly, shaking his head. "We could try telling him but he won't want anything to do with us anymore. We need some evidence,".
They sat in silence, not knowing what to say.
"I've got to get back to work now," Lucinda told Nick as he blew his nose after lots of crying.
"OK, I'll run you back to the set, then I'm coming back here," he sniffled. He was glad to have had her company, spilling out all his problems on her had helped. He had spent the last hour and a half sobbing as he told her how his life was falling apart. Lucinda was a good listener and had offered good advice. He felt comfortable talking to her. If only Sarah was that sympathetic, he thought sadly.
Lucinda ruffled Nick's tufty blond hair. "You'll be OK won't you?" she asked with a worried look.
He nodded slowly. "Yeah, I won't do anything stupid, don't worry,".
"No more harming yourself?".
"No, I promise," Nick said sincerely.
Lucinda smiled. "I'm glad to hear it,".
They got into Nick's car and he drove her back to the beach, listening to music.
As they arrived back, Brian spotted them. "That's my sister he's with," Stuart informed him.
"Nick looks terrible," Brian said, his heart sinking as he saw Nick, his skin pale, his mouth in a permanent frown, his clothes creased. He had bad breakouts on his face from stress and had lost a lot of weight.
Nick noticed Brian and stared at him. He was surprised to see him. "Rok," he finally managed to say.
"Nick," Brian said softly, managing a small smile.
Nick looked down at the ground not knowing what to say. He then shifted back towards his car. "I gotta go, see you around," he said quickly then drove off back home.
"Poor Frack," Brian said shaking his head. "He looks awful,".
"He'll look even more awful after Sarah's boyfriend has finished with him," Stuart muttered.
"What was that, bro?" Lucinda exclaimed.
Stuart sighed and told her about what Leighanne had witnessed.
"Oh my God!" she said, her eyes watering. "Nick's life is in a bad enough mess already but this is terrible,". She looked at her brother, Brian and Leighanne. "We have to do something. Fast. We can't let them kill Nick. We're the only people that can help so we have to save him,".