*~*~*~A week later*~*~*~
"Nicole," her mother called.
"Yeah," she said walking into the kitchen with Steven in her arms.
"Look, sweetie, I was thinking about it. I remember when you were born. I never had any time to myself, and I remember it causing me to burn out, so I was thinking, I could take Steven for the day so that you can go out and maybe meet some people, or something."
"Mom, thats ok. I'll stay here and take care of him myself."
"Come on, you haven't left the house since we've been here. I just want you to go out and at least get some air by yourself. I'm just worried about you and I want to make sure you're okay."
"Don't worry, I'm fine," Nicole said looking at Steven as her mom took him from her arms.
"Go out, get some air."
"Mom....."
"Just for a little while," her mom intuerupted.
"Alright fine, but I won't be too long," Nicole said giving in, she knew that she wouldn't be able to win.
"Great," her mom said smiling. Nicole walked to the table and grabed her keys. She sighed as she walked towards the front door and out into the world.
*~*~*~Meanwhile*~*~*~
"Carter!!! I'm going to get you!" AJ yelled at Nick.
"Uh-oh," Nick said and took off running when he saw AJ heading in his direction yelling. Brian shook his head and laughed as he saw AJ run after him. 'Wonder what Nick did this time' Brian thought.
"Man come on stop," Nick yelled back to AJ.
"You first."
"I didn't do it!" Nick said out of habbit, but he honestly didn't know what pissed AJ off so much.
"Oh yeah right," AJ said rolling his eyes.
"Seriously," Nick said and stopped right in front of AJ.
"Are you lying to me?"
"No, I don't even know what happened!"
"Then why did you run?"
"Cause you were running towards me yelling!!! What else was I supposed to do? Stand there and let you tackel me?"
"Ok fine whatever," AJ said and turned to leave.
"Hey AJ, what happened anyway?"
"Nothing, I was just bored. Figured I'd scare ya a bit," AJ smiled. Nick laughed at him and shook his head.
"You're crazy man," Nick said.
"Oh Nick, look, I have this friend," AJ said putting his arm around Nick, "this girl, her name is Stacy. I think you would really like her."
"AJ, I don't think so."
"Come on, Nicole did tell you to see other people and it has been a year. I bet you she is already seeing someone as beautiful of a girl that she is."
"No, she would have told me."
"Maybe thats what she was hiding," Brian interupted.
"What?" Nick asked.
"Remember you said that you felt like she was hiding something, maybe that was it. Maybe she didn't want to hurt you by telling you."
"Well, there you go," AJ said, "I really think you would like this girl. Just give it a try."
"Yeah fine," Nick said after a long hesitation.
"Great, I'll give her a call later and set things up."
"Ok."
*~*~*~*~Back in ny*~*~*~*~
Nicole had been walking for about twenty minutes, she wasn't really sure where she was going, but she didn't care either. She just wanted to escape everything that had now trapped her. She felt lost, she didn't know what to do. At 19, she was a single mother, but she had chosen it to be that way.
She was the one that told Nick that they should just be friends. She was the one that didn't tell Nick about his son. Everything was the way it was because of her and now she wasn't sure if thats how she wanted it.
Nicole soon found herself surrounded by familiar things. She had wondered back to her old neighborhood when she used to live in New York. She hadn't planned on coming there, she just ended up there, but she was glad that she did. Maybe she would run into someone that she once knew.
"Nicole??" a female voice yelled from behind her and Nicole turned around to see who it was. It was Kelly her best friend while she lived in New York.
"Kelly?" she said shocked.
"Oh my god!!! It's you!!!" she yelled both girls started squealing and jumping up and down, they knew they looked stupid, but they didn't care.
"It's been a while," Nicole said.
"Yeah it has! How the hell have you been? How long have you been back to New York?"
"I've been back for about a year and I tell you I could be better!"
"A year?!?! How could you have been back a year and not look for me??"
"I couldn't."
"Oh by the way," Kelly said turning to the guy behind her, "this is my boyfriend, Ryan."
"Hi, nice to meet you, I'm Nicole," she said as she shook his hand.
"Nice to meet you," he said politely, "Kel, I'm gonna be over there," he said pointing to the basketball court, "come get me when you're ready to go."
"Ok," she said and watched him walk away, "So how was Florida? Meet anyone special??" she asked winking. Nicole laughed at her playfulness, it reminded her of Nick.
"It was alright, and yes, I did meet someone," she said.
"Oh yeah?? Whats his name?" she asked.
"Nick."
"Nick and Nicole, how cute," Kelly joked.
"You're the first one to say anything like that."
"So, what happened? Why are you back in New York?"
"My uncle got sick, my mom made me move back."
"Oh, are you still seeing Nick?"
"No we're just friends."
"Oh, those long distance relationships never work out."
"I know, thats what I told him. I was like we'd be better off if we were just friends so that at least we didn't feel like there was a huge commitment holding us back."
"Was it a serious relationship?"
"Yeah. I loved him and he loved me. When he found out that I had to move, he asked me to marry him so that I didn't have to go."
"Wow."
"But I told him no."
"I figured, otherwise you wouldn't be here."
"Yeah."
"You know what?? I got an idea," Kelly said with a smile across her face.
"Kel whats going on in that evil mind of yours?"
"Ryan has a friend, single and sexy, a great combination. Maybe we could hook the two of you up!!" she shouted.
"I don't know."
"Come on, you'll like him. Give me your number and I'll get back to you."
"Kel, I don't know."
"Whats the worst that can happen? You like this guy? Come on, I think you are really going to like him."
"Alright," she said as Kelly handed her a pen and a piece of paper that was in her pocket. Nicole wrote her number down and handed it to Kelly.
"So, do you want to come hang out with us?"
"No thats ok, I really have to get home."
"Oh alright. I'll call you."
"Ok, talk to you later," Nicole said walking home.
*~*~*~20 minutes later*~*~*
Nicole walked up to her front door and unlocked the door and stepped inside. She looked around and sighed. She wasn't sure if she should have let Kelly hook he up with this guy.
"Nicole is that you?" her mom yelled walking down the stairs.
"Who else would it be?" Nicole asked and smiled.
"So how was your walk?"
"It was alright. I ran into Kelly. Me and her were talking and shes gonna hook me up with this guy."
"Oh really? Thats nice. I knew you would enjoy yourself if you went out."
"I guess so. Were is Steven?" she asked.
"Upstairs sleeping."
"Ok, I'm going to go upstairs and relax."
"Alright."
Chapter 11