"Oh, hey Rami. What's up?" Rami looked at him.
"You look horrible. Are you okay?" Nick nodded his head and said,
"Yeah, never been better. I was just deep in thought, that's all."
"Still thinking?" Nick didn't say anything. Rami said,
"Look, she was a good friend. We all know what it's like to lose somemone we're close to. But, things change. People move on with their life, you know? You just can't sit there depressed all the time. I mean, it's hard, but things change for the better." Nick said,
"You're right. I do have to move on." As Rami started to leave, she said to him,
"You know, you aren't the only one who has lost someone." Nick said,
"Why? What happend?" Rami sat down next to him.
"You are the only person I'm telling this to. My mother died when I was ten. By then, it was just me, Nina, and my dad. My sister went off to college, and I stayed with my father. That was a huge mistake. Later on, my dad started to get abusive. Everyday was like hell for me. I cried everynight. I couldn't hide my fears any longer. I told my guidance counselor at school, and she reported it to the police. And then..." Rami's voice trailed off. She started to sob. Nick stared in disbelief. Rami pulled up her shirt halfway to her ribcage. "You see this scar here? That's where my dad shot me. If that bullet went half way towards my heart, I wouldn't be here to tell you my story...." She started to cry again. Nick tried to comfort her, but Rami sat up.
"Nick, please. I don't need your pity, okay?" Nick then hugged her, and held her. She said as she hugged him,
"I'm sorry." Nick said,
"It's okay. You need a shoulder to cry on, and that's why I'm here." After a moment of silence, he said,
"I think this is how to heal someone's pain."
Another two months had passed, and things began to settle down for Rami and Nick. It was 6:00 at night, when the phone rang. Rami was laying on the couch, so she reached over to the phone. "Hello?"
"Hey, Rami. Guess who?"
"Oh hey, Nick. What's up?" "Nothing out of the ordinary, and yourself?" Rami started to chuckle.
"Very funny." "Well, I thought it was funny, don't you?"
"Yeah, I'm laughing my butt off." Nick started to laugh.
"So, what's up, Rami? I haven't spoken to you all week," Nick said.
"That's because Nina had been keeping me busy for hours and hours and hours and hours at the day care center. I don't think she has heard of the word day-off yet," Rami muttered. Nick laughed and said,
"I don't blame you. Our manager did the same thing all the time, but not anymore. Anyway, what are you doing right now?" Rami said,
"Nothing really. I'm just taking my well-needed break from all this work. Other than that, I'm pretty much free. Why?"
"Well, would you like to hang out with me this evening since you're free?" Nick asked. Rami checked her watch. She then said,
"Well, I have a curfew, so I can't be out late at night. I guess hanging out with a friend is harmless. I'll be right there."
