Chapter 44
They'd all met at Howie's house for dinner that Sunday. Eventually Nick and Illana came up again and Nick was explaining to them what'd happened.
"She told you to go?" Kevin asked incredulously.
Nick nodded. He hadn't seen her since the whole thing happened and he couldn't seem to focus on anything.
"Wow man, that's something else." Brian frowned.
Nick looked over at AJ who was shaking his head. "What?"
"I just don't know man. What...I mean...why? She loves ya right?"
Nick shrugged. " I don't know. She never said she did, all she said was we're friends."
"Come on Nick, she does. She just said that as some sort of justification about what she was doing, so that you didn't feel obligated to start anything since you two became so close." Howie explain.
"Yeah, close. Very close." Nick pointed out.
"How close?" Brian questioned, a single eyebrow raised.
"As close as close can get."
"AHHHHHH!" They all exclaimed knowingly, nodding.
Nick rolled his eyes. "I just can't believe it. I mean, I thought we were gonna go to the next level ya know, I know we would've. Then the whole thing with Vanessa apologizing came up."
"That does cause a problem doesn't it?" AJ pondered, narrowing his eyes in thought.
"Well thank you for joining the conversation AJ, you catch on so quickly." Kevin groaned.
AJ flipped him off, looking back over at Nick. "So how do you feel about her?"
"I love her. I told her that."
"You did? What did she say?" Brian asked.
"Nothing, she didn't say anything. She got in her car and left." Part of him had been angry over that, like she hadn't heard him. She could've have stopped him, but she didn't. Maybe she really did just want to be friends, and all that had happened hadn't mattered to her.
"I don't think she blew it off Nick. I know Illana; she's not like that. You have to see it from her position though." Howie went on.
"Huh?"
"Think about it Nick. She became close to you, probably thinking that there may be a chance, and then your ex now your current girlfriend explains why she's been acting like she has been and wants you back. She figures the right thing to do is to get you two back together. She was there; she knows how badly you didn't want to break up. So why wouldn't you want Vanessa back?" Brian reasoned.
"Cause I love her!"
"You do, but I don't think she really realizes that yet." AJ concluded.
Kevin, Brian and Howie all clapped.
"Good job AJ!" Kevin exaggerated.
"I hate you." AJ replied calmly.
Kevin just smirked.
"So..." AJ went on, glaring at Kevin. "What are you gonna do Nick?"
"I guess just go on and be with Vanessa. I mean, I can't force her to be with me."
"Wait, there's one thing I don't understand..."Brian started.
"One thing?" Howie asked in amazement.
"If you didn't want to go back to Vanessa, then why did you?" He finished.
Nick looked up at them. "Cause she asked me to."
They all looked back at him shocked.
"Cause she asked you to, you'd be miserable...for her?" Kevin verified.
He nodded.
"Wow man, that's noble." AJ exclaimed. "I couldn't do that. Don't you think you're cheating Vanessa though? Shouldn't you be committed to the relationship?"
"I am committed, I wouldn't cheat on her or anything, but I think this is good. I think it'll help me to learn once and for all if my feelings for her have changed or not." Nick answered.
They all nodded.
"Yeah, I guess that could work." AJ nodded.
"Thanks for the approval." Nick rolled his eyes, smiling.
"No problem."
They all chuckled.
