Caught In The Middle by Melissa (Lissy4859@aol.com) and Marianne (Pnut1515@aol.com) Chapter 8 ***AT MELISSA'S HOUSE, WHERE BRITTNEY IS STAYING*** *ding-dong* Brittney quickly added finishing touches to her hair, then went to open the door. Just like she thought, it was Nick. He was wearing a white wifebeater and Tommy jeans, and filled the air with Gravity cologne. He looked up, to see her in a pale pink crop top, and light blue flare jeans. Her blonde hair was down and curls, and she was wearing a pink and white beanie hat to match. "Hey" he said, smiling. "Hey Nick! Hold on a sec, k?" and she turned back into the house, to let Melissa know she was leaving, grabbed her purse and beeper, and shut the door behind her. "Thanks for taking me out, I feel so lost here!" she exclaimed, once seated in the truck. "Anytime, how could I say no to a face like that?" he waited for a reaction. She looked forward, to the road, obviously either not caring, or not paying attention. Nick decided to change the subject. "I think you'll like where I'm gonna take you, a friend showed it to me once, and it's the best of Orlando! Well, actually, just outside." He turned the truck down a narrow road, outlined with large trees, bloomed to perfection. ************************* Annie got out of the row-boat, and tied it up. She had been thinking so hard that she hadn't even noticed the 2 tears, slowly trickling down her face. She walked along the shore of the lagoon, set into the mysterious island, discovered by her, and she only shared the mystical place with Nick. Everything here held a memory for her, although she was sure it had meant only a fun thing to do for Nick, who had probably forgotten all about it. She looked at the overpowering weeping willow tree, and remembered the first time she had brought Nick here. She told him that it was her place to go away, and although few knew about the island, she was sure no-one new about the lagoon, it was all hers. He looked at her then in a way that made her heart beat double-time, the face he gave her made her feel understood, for the first time in her life. It was a comforting look, and she read into it, to find affection, which, her brain told her wasn't there, but her heart wasn't listening. 'Shit, why do I do this to myself" Annie thought aloud. 'I love Nick, but Nick loves Brittney, and I’m too chicken shit to tell him how I feel' she thought, inside this time. Annie walked over to the tree and climbed it, like she used to do when she was a kid. The feeling of looking out over the island was the most amazing feeling, Her heart would fly then. When she was little, she used to think that if she stood up there, God could see her better, and that he listened to what she said. Now, she realized that the feeling she felt only compared to one thing, the feeling she got when she looked into Nick's eyes. She leaned back on the branch, closed her eyes, and let the wind blow freely through her hair. **************************************** Nick stopped the car. "Ok, you have to put on this blind fold now!" he told Brittney, in a mischievous voice. "Nick..where are you taking me?" she waited, curiously, as Nick tied the bandanna around her head, and helped her into the small rowboat. He sat down on the other side, and began to row. "How does sunny Florida compare to NYC?" Nick asked, striking up a conversation. "The differences are amazing! Its so calm here, most of the time, I’m glad to get away from the city, though. I have many shadows there, and I just don't wanna deal with them for the next week." she replied. "I have a feeling that this place will reassure you about Orlando, I love to come here and relax, without the pressure of work, and home." The sun was starting to drift off, and it was beginning to get dark. Soon enough, Nick rowed up close to the island that Annie had taken him to about 2 weeks after they had become friends. Skimming the edge of the island, he quickly found the loophole, that was covered by the falling branches of a circle of weeping willow trees, that gave the atmosphere a greenish, mellow appearance. He pulled up to the shore, and got out, helping Brittney along. "Ok, I'm gonna take off the blindfold now!" he told Brittney. He untied it, and she looked around, hypnotized by the beauty of the lake's cubby hole. "Oh Nick, it's beautiful! Lets go look around!" she said, taking off. He followed closely. ********************************** Annie was startled when she heard voices. She listened closely, to realize that one voice was Nick's. She looked down, to see Brittney and Nick stepping out of the little rowboat. She couldn't believe that Nick had the nerve to take HER there, it was their place, and Brittney was part of them. She started to get down, and head back to her rowboat, but stayed on impulse, wanting to know what was going to happen. ************************************************ Brittney walked around the half circle of the hidden lagoon, looking for every living thing she could find, from frogs to wildflowers. Nick walked along side of her, pleased to excite her. "Oh Nick! Look at those birds!" she said in a hushed excited tone, she rushed over to the rockbed, that had a variety of beautiful birds on the other side. She stepped on the first rock, and slightly lost her balance, falling into Nick. She looked at him, to apologize, and he looked at her with longing in his eyes. Suddenly, his lips were on hers, before she could utter a word. ***************************************** When Annie saw them kiss, that was all she could take, holding back sobs, she jumped down from the tree, and rushed through the trees to her boat, on the other side of the island. ************************** As soon as Brittney realized what was going on, she pulled away. "Nick, no, this can't happen." she exclaimed softly, looking away. He was confused "Why not? I thought you liked me!" She looked back at him. "I do like you , Nick, alot, but looking at you, listening to you, brings back so many bad memories of someone I once new, who was just like you. He died 3 months ago, on a plane crash on his way to see me, and you are sooo much like him. All I've tried to do for the past few moths was escape my past, but you bring it back. And if I loved you, it wouldn't be right, because inside, I would be thinking about him. I don't want to hurt you like that, understand?" Nick looked at her with caring eyes. Without a word, he walked over and hugged her, comforting her. "I understand, that must have been really hard on you, I’m sorry for letting my emotions get in the way, but I really like you, Brit." "Let's just go back to Melissa's house, I'm sure she's fine with one more person" replied Brittney, purposely leaving out the fact that Kevin would also be there. "Ok, lets do that" agreed Nick, and the got back in the rowboat for a quiet ride back. *************************** By the time Annie got out of her boat, she had swallowed her tears, and held back her emotions. She had known all along that Nick would eventually find someone to love, and had to accept that that someone wasn't her. She went back to AJ's, to finish her homework, and found him there alone. "AJ, hey!" she said, determined not to show her feelings. "Hey Annie!" She looked around "Where's Mandy? Gone so soon? "Amanda? Well, eating only takes so long! She had to go to work." "So, are there sparks? She told me what how much she thinks of you!" asked Annie. "I dunno, soooo? What does she think?" Annie giggled "This is so 6th grade! But, she really wants to hook up with you, if that’s what you wanna know! I talked to her for awhile, she seems I think it would work! She's shy on the outside, but wild inside, and your the other way around, you would bring out the best of eachother!" "Thanks, Ann Landers, but can I decide who I date on my own?" Annie gave AJ a hurt look. "Fine!........so, well?" "Excuse me, while I call my love interest, Amanda, and invite her over to watch a movie tonight." he said, matter-of-factly. Annie laughed in his face, and went to the guest room to do some homework. But she couldn't concentrate. After an hour and a half, she decided that she would take Melissa up on her offer, and go swimming there tonight. She grabbed her suit from her bag, changed into khaki overalls and a white baby tee, and asked AJ to drive her over, quickly. He obliged, not having to be ready for his date for an hour, and they left. Next: Chapter 9 -FanFics -Home