"Hey Frack" Brian greeted, as soon as he spotted Nick at their usual spot at the beach where Nick had called to meet him.
"Hi Bri" Nick said unenthusiastically.
"Whoa, some shiner you got there" Brian said, letting out a low whistle.
"Must say, Nat's got a great career in boxing ahead of her" Nick softly laughed.
"Hang on a minute. Nat did that?"
"Oh yeah, I felt every single moment."
"She really beat the crap out of you. It's a nice shade of balck, blue and a hint of purple" Brian commented with a small laugh.
"Can't say I didn't deserve it" Nick admitted with a shrug of his shoulders.
"So what did you do?" Brian wondered aloud before taking a seat next to Nick on the sand.
"Have you ever had one of those days where absolutely everything goes wrong?"
"Yeah, everytime I'm near you" Brian teased.
Nick gave him a sidelong look before letting out a small laugh. "I'm being serious Frack."
"Okay I'm all ears."
"Man everything just went wrong yesterday. Nat, Cassie, even Sarah's mad at me."
"Whoa, three females on the war path, not good. I'm surprised you're still in the country."
"Believe me I was tempted to skip town. I tried to apologise to Nat this morning but she completely blew me off."
"What did you do anyway?"
"Well it all started from this Rob guy she's been hanging out with. I told her what I thought about him and how I think he's moving way too fast for her. She got defensive, so did I, then she said I was acting like her boyfriend and I said thank God I wasn't. Then comes the part where she slapped me, runs off, Sarah sees it and walks out as well. Cassie heard everything, got jealous then walks out as well" Nick recalled.
"You really know how to clear a room don't you" Brian commented. "So why were you getting all protective anyway?"
"I don't know" Nick shrugged. "I just see the way Rob looks at her and Nat can't see it but I know he wants more. I was just trying to save her from a situation she can't handle."
"Nick, she knows how to look after herself."
"Obviously" he said, commenting at his bruised cheek. "But I don't know, I just felt like protecting her from him."
"Yes Frack, but it's not your call to make."
"I was just trying to be a friend."
"It sounds like a little more to me" Brian pointed out gently. "What you did yesterday does not sound like the actions of a friend."
Nick remained silent, trying to think about what Brian had said. "So what are you planning to do about Cassie?"
"I don't know. She's majorly pissed as well. She said something about waking up to myself and dealing with my feelings before coming back to her. I don't know what feelings she's talking about though."
"The ones you have for Nat" Brian answered.
"I do not have feelings for Nat" Nick insisted.
"Oh I think you do."
"No I don't. What I did yesterday was me being a friend. Nothing more."
"Uh-huh and you've got one helluva bruised face to prove you're just friends" Brian said incredulously. "Think about it."
**************
Sarah finished up posing for the photographer, before kicking off the shoes she had been painfully enduring for the past three hours. Taking a huge gulp out of a nearby water bottle she went to go and take off the layers of makeup caked on her face. All of a sudden the studio doors opened and there was a commotion amongts the models, wondeinrg what it was, she scoured the crowd for whatever was causing the excitement. As one make-up artist moved out of the way she groaned when she saw Nick coming towards her.
"Sarah" he called to her.
"Nick" she said curtly. "Come to show off your prized jerk skills?"
"Fine, I deserved that" he conceded. "But I really need to talk to you."
"What if I don't feel like it" Sarah remarked.
"Come on, countless years of friendship you at least owe me that" Nick tried to joke.
"Alright, just let me change and I'll be right out" Sarah agreed before heading for one of the trailers.
After a few minutes Sarah emerged looking tired but fresh faced. She grabbed a stool and took a seat opposite Nick. "Shoot."
"I need your help."
"With what?"
"How messed up my life has been since a few days ago. I can't handle this many people being mad at me, all at once" Nick replied.
"And?" Sarah said with her arms crossed over her defensively.
"Alright I'm sorry for whatever I may have done to you, I didn't mean it."
"Forget about me, look what you did to Nat, not to mention your supposed girlfriend" Sarah shot back. "I don't really care about how you may be feeling to be honest Nick, but what you did to Nat was the worst I've seen you behave of all the years I've been friends with you."
"I know that" Nick replied. "I know all of that."
"So why'd you do it?"
"I was just trying to protect her from him. I don't know why, I just felt the need to" Nick answered trying to figure out why he did it himself.
"Can't you see that she's happy with him? Why try to ruin that, and of all the days on her birthday."
"Oh shit" Nick exclaimed. "Her birthday. I totally forgot."
"Bravo for making it one of the most memorable days of her life, and for all the wrong reasons" Sarah said dryly.
"No wonder she won't talk to me" Nick said with a frown. "I can't believe I ruined her day like that."
"You better believe it Nick" Sarah nodded. "Cause not only did she run out crying for what you said but what you also said about Rob. She couldn't stop crying, but Rob eventually calmed her down and Nat had at least some fun on her birthday, no thanks to you."
Nick sat in silence, feeling thoroughly ashamed of himself. "She seems to really like him."
"Uh-huh, and she doesn't need you ruining that for her. Damn it Nick, I won't let you ruin it for her" Sarah responded.
"I don't even know why I did it. I just don't feel right whenever I see them together."
Sarah gasped lightly, recognising the fact that Nick may have started to develop feelings for Natalie. "Nick have you ever considered you may be with the wrong person?"
"Why does everyone keep saying that?!" Nick exclaimed with a confused look on his face.
**************
"Yeah what?" Cassie said when she saw Nick sitting in her living room.
"Hi Cass" Nick tried hard to smile.
"Mmmm yeah so what do you want?" She said looking annoyed.
"I came to say I'm sorry" he said shyly.
"For what?"
"For the way I acted the other day. I'm sorry you had to hear it and that you felt bad about it. I didn't mean to."
"Uh-huh, that's all?" Cassie said with an incredulous expression. "I hear you screaming your head off about Nat and that guy and that's all you have to say. Do you know how bad I felt? My boyfriend, obviously getting overprotective of a girl who is supposed to be just a friend."
"Okay I know that Cass, but I am really sorry. Nat's like my little sister, I get protective of her sometimes but it doesn't mean I love you any less" Nick responded.
"Yeah Nick, I love you too, but you're not fully there half the time. It's obvious you have something for Nat and I'm not ready to stand by and wait for the time when you eventually realise who you want" Cassie sighed. "So decide."
"I don't think of Nat in that way. I don't know why you'd think that, but Nat and I are friends. Plain and simple."
"Are you sure about that?" Cassie asked.
"Positive, I want you" Nick noddedm trying to ignore the conflicting emotions inside him as he said it. "Truce?"
Cassie looked at him carefully before breaking into a hesitant smile. Nick held his arms open and took her into an apologetic hug. "Apology accepted."
Chapter Twenty-One
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