Chapter 10
She arrived the next morning at seven fifty, after buzzing to be let into the gate; she drove up and parked. Nick's truck had all the doors open, the trunk included. Reaching in, she grabbed her few bags and set them out on the driveway. Looking around, she noticed another car and groaned, just as Nick and Celeste made their way out the house, Nick with a few bags in his hands.
"Aww baby, I just don't see why you didn't fly."
"Cel, I already told you why I was doing it this way."
"Cause you had to think, I know, but you can think on a flight too."
Nick rolled his eyes as he made his way over to his truck, stuffing his bags in. Pulling away he looked over and saw Nyla standing there, he waved. "Hey Nyla, just bring your stuff up and I'll load it in."
Celeste looked over and saw Nyla, her eyes narrowing. "What's she doing here?"
"She's coming with me."
"She...is?" Celeste looked over at him, stunned.
"Yeah."
"Why didn't you tell me this?"
"Didn't think I had to."
"I mean..."
"Her Grandmother had a heart attack Celeste, she's going to New York and I'm dropping her off so she can see her, is that ok with you?" He bit out.
"Hey! You don't have to get nasty. I was just asking." Celeste frowned.
"Sorry, I'm sorry baby. I didn't mean to snap. It's just...I really care about her Grandmother and I'm worried too."
Celeste nodded. "Well, I'm gonna get going. Call me as soon as you get there to let me know you've arrived safely...in fact call me along the way. I'm gonna be worried sick bout you." She frowned again.
"Baby, I'm gonna be fine. I'll call you when I get there and if anything else comes up."
She sighed. "Ok fine. Well, have a safe trip, I love you." She whispered, reaching out and hugging him tightly.
"I love you too."
Nyla watched the whole thing with mild disgust, rolling her eyes, she slipped her sunglasses on and turned, making sure she had everything out of her car.
Celeste pulled away, kissing him deeply suddenly, moving in closer to him. Nick, tried to push her away a bit, but she tightened her hold. Why did it feel like she was doing this on purpose? And why did he feel so uncomfortable with Nyla around?
Nyla turned and stopped, her gaze resting on the two again. Clearly Celeste was trying to convey some kind of message to Nyla, which she got loud and clear. Not that she really had anything to worry about. It was funny to her that Celeste found her to be such a threat to their relationship. Her and Nick barely ever spoke at all and she went to all the trouble to make sure Nyla knew her boundaries. Rolling her eyes, she went back to checking her car.
Nick finally managed to pull away, breathing hard. For some reason, he wasn't into that, he just wasn't. He never really minded kissing in front of people, but for some reason he just couldn't in front of Nyla. "Whew, I won't be gone for that long honey."
"Just wanted you to have something to remember me by. I'll see you soon. Bye baby."
"Bye honey." Nick smiled, hugging her tightly and waving as she walked away.
Nyla pulled away again, confident she had everything, she shut her door. Turning she watched as Celeste sauntered by.
"Bye Nyla, sorry to hear about your Grandmother. I hope all goes well."
"Thank you Celeste."
"You're lucky that Nick happened to be going that way, otherwise you'd have to go all by yourself."
"I was willing to go by myself, but everyone else insisted on me going with Nick since we're going to the same place."
Nick didn't like this; Celeste had stopped and started talking Nyla. He hoped she wasn't causing trouble.
"Oh, yeah. Nick's really generous like that. He'd do anything for anyone. That's why I love him so much." Celeste stated, looking at her.
Nyla nodded. "I know."
"And I know he loves me too."
Nyla blinked, she should've seen this coming. "I'm sure he does Celeste."
"You'd be wise to remember that."
Oh boy, here it comes. Sighing, Nyla removed her glasses. "Don't worry Celeste, I'm not after Nick. In case you've forgotten, I have someone."
"Things change. Time alone can make a person think, think about what she gave up. Make someone long for what no longer belongs to them, but to someone else." She replied coolly.
"I assure you, you have nothing to worry about Celeste, so I'd advise you to cut the shit ok? You don't scare me, and you don't intimidate me. I don't care that you don't trust me, that's fine. But if you're that worried that I'm going to ruin what you have with Nick, then you seriously need to look at your relationship." With that, she grabbed her bags and started up the driveway towards Nick, who was standing, watching intently.
"Is everything ok?" He asked, his eyes drifting to Celeste's retreating form and then back to her as she approached him.
"Fine, why?"
He watched as Celeste drove off and Nyla turned to watch with him.
"Nick?"
"Uh, nevermind. Anyway, here, let me get those for ya." He grabbed her bags and started to load them into the back. "You always did pack light."
"Oh come on, you know better."
"Yeah, you probably have everything but the kitchen sink in those bags." He grinned.
"You know it." She chuckled.
"I never figured out how you were able to get so much stuff in to such a small area."
"It's a woman thing."
"So you've said before."
She nodded, hoisting the bag up on her shoulder she'd bring up front with her.
"Ok, so I think that's everything."
"I think so...oh, excuse me." She called, turning to answer her now ringing cell phone. "Hello? Hey baby, yeah we're getting ready to leave in a minute." She turned, walking off a bit.
Nick couldn't help but watch, though he tried really hard not to. Turning, he went to resituate the stuff in the trunk, trying hard not to listen, but to no avail.
"Yeah I know...right. Well I'm with Nick so I should be ok...I'll call of course...I'll miss you too." She replied softly.
He stilled, just listening. If he closed his eyes, he could pretend she was saying that to him, that she missed him. He remembered all those times when he'd leave on tour or go away for promotion and she'd tell him how much she missed him, soft acceptance and a hint of sadness. Part of him longed for that again, longed for someone to miss him like that again. Not just anyone...a certain someone. Someone he shouldn't be thinking about.
Sighing in frustration, he once again tried to go back to the task at hand.
"Yup, I'll call if there's any problems. I will...yes...I love you too. Bye baby." She pressed the button and turned, slipping the phone back into the case on her waist. "Sorry bout that."
"No problem. Alright, I'm gonna go lock up and if you're ready we can get going."
"Sounds like a plan." Just then her phone rang again, and confusion registered on her face. Once again pulling it from her case, she turned it on. "Hello?" She blinked. "Erin? What...? Oh, oh yeah. I know, right...I will." Her eyes widened. "ERIN! Shut up!" She rolled her eyes, sighing. "Yeah right...mmm hmm...yup, I love you too. Yeah, see ya when I get back! Bye!" She hung up again, shaking her head.
"I don't know about Erin." Nick chuckled.
"You and me both."
"Ok, let me just go lock up, be right back."
"Alright, I'll be waiting in the truck." Turning she started to the truck, opening the door and slipping in while Nick ran back to his house.
About twenty minutes later, they were off.
"Umm, do you want me to take care of the map?" Nyla asked.
Nick looked at her graciously. "Do ya mind?"
"Didn't I always?"
He blushed. "Mmm, yeah."
"Ok then." She grabbed the map and opened it, looking it over.
"Do we have to make any stops? Need to go to the store or whatever?"
"Umm...maybe that would be wise, pick up a few last minute things, once we get going, buying stuff at gas stations is gonna run expensive."
"True." He pulled into the nearest grocery store and they got out, heading in quickly.
Thirty minutes, six grocery bags, five autographs and two bathroom breaks later, they were off again. Making sure the bags were settled in back, Nyla turned and stared out the window as Nick drove. It was like that for a while, nothing but silence when Nyla finally spoke into the quietness.
"So, Celeste didn't mind that I was going with you?" She asked, trying to talk to him a bit.
Nick looked over at her quickly. "No, why would she?"
Nyla shrugged. "I dunno." Obviously he didn't know how Celeste felt, that Nyla posed some sort of threat.
"You must have had some reasons if you asked me."
"I didn't."
"She didn't care, she's got no reason to care. Sure she was curious when I told her just now, but..."
"You just told her today?"
"Yeah, so?"
"I can't imagine her liking that you kept it from her."
"I didn't keep it from her! I didn't think it was that important, that she'd care."
"But she did didn't she?"
"No she didn't. She just wanted to know why."
"Oh, of course."
"What's that supposed to mean?" He spat.
She held up her hand in defeat. They had too long to go to be arguing the whole way. "Just forget it Nick ok? I don't wanna fight with you. I didn't mean to start anything, let's just drop it." She said softly, looking back out the window.
Nick focused again on driving. He'd done it, he hadn't meant to be so defensive, he knew she was just trying to talk to him and he had to get all excited. No one could rile him the way she could, seemingly without trying. That's all they had done the weeks before they broke up. It felt like they were always fighting, no longer a couple, but strangers.
It was too late; thoughts of their relationship came rushing back. That had been common towards the end, fighting and arguing. She shook her head, her eyes starting to burn. It'd been almost a year and still, still she hurt over it. She'd been a fool and she'd been played. Not again, never again.
Not able to stand the silence, she looked over at him briefly. "Do you mind if I turn the radio on?"
He shrugged.
He always got like that after an argument; he'd close himself off and basically ignore her. She saw that hadn't changed. Sometimes they'd go days, even weeks without talking. He never liked to buckle so it was always her who ended up caving in first. He never liked to be wrong and he never wanted to give that inch and make things better. Part of her was a little saddened by it, still. After all this time, he couldn't do it, still couldn't do it.
Reaching over, she turned the knob and music floated through the once quiet space. Sighing deeply, relieved to have another voice in the truck, she looked back out the window.
Nick watched her out the corner of his eye and he felt like an ass. He hadn't been very nice to her; he'd reverted back to his old ways. He wasn't mad at her like he knew she though he was, just...frustrated. That's how it'd always been. He'd never really ever been mad at her, he loved her too much to ever really be mad at her. He just couldn't help it, anytime they'd argue, he'd just close himself off, distance himself. She was always the one who started talking, made things right again. It was wrong of him he knew, but it couldn't be helped. Or, maybe it could.
This was too familiar to him, driving somewhere, them in the truck. It was comfortable and a little scary. He had this crazy urge to reach out and kiss her hand, her cheek, anything. He didn't know why. But, it didn't matter now, he was over it, he really was. That's what he'd keep telling himself.
Why was she dwelling on it? Maybe it was because he was so close now; it was impossible to avoid him. But it was ok; she was over it, over him. Everything that happened between now and the end of their trip didn't matter. She was over him and she'd be ok.
I've been over you
For some time now baby
I don't miss your kiss like before now
Anymore now...
"How are you?"
She blinked, turning her head to look at him. "What?"
"I said how are you? How have you been lately?"
Nyla stared at him a moment before responding. "I'm fine, busy, working a lot and all that, but I'm alright. You?"
He nodded. "The same, doing all this stuff for my album and all, just trying to find time to relax has been hell ya know?"
She nodded. "Yeah I do. But I'm really happy, work is going well and things with Scott are even better so..." She trailed off, the words becoming harder and harder to come out.
"Yeah, I know what ya mean. Like all this work with the album and being with Celeste, has just been really good for me too. I think it's just what I've been needing, to kinda get my life straight again."
"Everything's better with time as they say." She whispered.
"Yeah, time heals...all wounds." He stopped suddenly, staring straight ahead.
Nyla looked over at him again, could she have really been replaced so easily? It looked like it, like; he didn't need her anymore. She bit her lip, fighting back sudden tears.
She always seemed so happy to him he realized, especially after the break up. When she started dating Scott, it'd only been four months since they'd broken up, it kinda upset him that she seemed to replace him so easy, like she didn't need him anymore, not even as a friend. As much as he didn't want to admit it, it hurt, it hurt like hell.
If you ask me how I'm doing I'm fine
All I needed was a little time
So if you think that I still need you baby
I really don't know why
He'd walked out on their relationship long before she'd ended it. But she didn't want him to think she was gonna stop living because of it. She went on and picked up the pieces of her broken heart and started over. She'd been lucky though; she had a lot of friends to help her through it, though sometimes it wasn't enough. There were times it felt there would never be enough anyone could do to stop her from hurting, well none of them. Only one person could stop that pain, and he wasn't an option anymore at that point and would never be again.
He figured out later, that if she could do it, go on like it didn't matter, then so could he. It'd been tough, but he'd done it. Eventually getting into the studio to do some writing and getting out the feelings he held inside and eventually putting them into a song with the help of some friends. It'd turned out better than he thought it could and had ended up being very therapeutic. Then he met Celeste and the rest was history. He was happy, or so he made everyone think. But he knew better.
Oh baby since you left me
You might think that my world's been torn apart
But if you see me, baby you'll that
Nothing's broken... Nothing's broken but my heart
She took deep breaths, no more tears. No more tears over what was done and over with. She wouldn't think about it.
"Hey, you ok?"
Nyla turned her head at his soft voice. "Oh yeah, I'm alright."
"You sure?"
She nodded. She'd never let him see how much he hurt her.
"Well I'm glad you're happy Nyla, really. I've always wanted you to be happy."
"Thanks Nick, I am happy. I'm doing what I wanna do." She said softly, looking down quickly. He'd always been able to tell when she was lying.
You won't find no tears
In my eyes now baby
If you think I'm sad
That you're gone now
Then you're wrong now
If you ask I'll say I'm happy I'm free
Tell you that's the way I wanna be
There had been tears in her eyes, he knew it. Did he dare think that maybe she wasn't as happy as she wanted him to think she was? He knew her moods though; he could remember all the times she'd cry on his shoulder and the nights they shared together. He'd learned everything about her in those nights. How to touch her, how to hold her, how to make her cry and how to make her melt into him.
She was a hard person to forget, and for so long he'd buried those memories away, telling himself that they no longer meant anything, to either of them. Looking over at her now, he wasn't so sure.
And all those nights we shared together baby
Well they don't mean a thing
Oh baby since you left me
You might think that my world's been torn apart
But if you see me, baby you'll that
Nothing's broken... Nothing's broken but my heart
"I'm glad you're happy too. And I'm really proud of you and your album. I know how badly you've wanted it. "
"Yeah I have, everyone's been so supportive. I'm finally doing it on my own and it's great."
All on his own. She frowned inwardly. "Congratulations."
"Thanks." He smiled.
He didn't need her and that hurt most of all. He watched her and a small part of him died all over again. She didn't need him like she used to.
So if you think that
I still need you baby
I don't think about you
I'm happy now without you
Nyla looked out the window again. This time he'd initiated the conversation, maybe he was changing. Maybe Celeste was good for him, better than she had ever been for him. Resting her head against the window, fighting back the tears. If only the pain would stop.
She was happy and that was all he really did care about, even if that meant she was happy without him. He looked over at her again sadly before looking back out at the road ahead of them.
Oh baby since you left me
You might think that my world's been torn apart
But if you see me, baby you'll that
Nothing's broken, Nothing's broken but my heart
Nothing's Broken (But My Heart) - By Celine Dion
