Chapter 6
She pulled into the parking lot and grabbed her purse from out of the back seat. Another long day at work, she just wanted to soak in a tub and read her book. She started towards the door and then stopped abruptly. Someone was sitting at the front of the door to get inside. She squinted then raised her eyebrows in shock. "Nick?"
He stood and quickly made his way over to her. "Hi."
"Hey, what's wrong, what are you doing here?"
"I need to talk to you, I called Vanessa."
Illana stared at him. "Is everything ok?"
"Let's go inside."
She nodded and they made their way up to her apartment. "Have a seat, make yourself comfortable. I won't be but a few minutes" She called, closing the door behind them and starting up to her room. He didn't look too good; she was dying to know what had happened when he talked to her. It didn't look positive that's for sure, well she'd find out soon enough. Quickly changing into some shorts, she slipped her robe on and padded back downstairs. She saw Nick sitting on the couch and walked over and sat next to him.
"Sorry to barge in on you like this, but I just..." He sighed.
"It's ok, I have to admit that I've been wondering what'd happened."
"Well, let's just say it wasn't good...that's an understatement actually."
Illana groaned. "That bad?"
"Yeah, she said I blamed her for how things were going."
"Ok ok, let's start at the beginning. What'd you say?"
"Well I told her that we should talk about our relationship, that we were having problems."
"Ok, what next?"
"I asked her what she thought was wrong, and she said I was more physical and stuff."
"Uh huh."
"And then I said I've always been like that. Then I said that maybe it was her that was different."
Illana raised her eyebrows, that couldn't have gone over well with Vanessa. One thing she knew about Vanessa, she never liked to be the cause of a problem. "What did she say?"
"Well, she wasn't too happy that's for sure. I told her I felt like I was in the relationship by myself and how we were no longer intimate, and she said I was only upset cause I wasn't...getting "laid" as she like to put it."
Illana groaned and rubbed at her head.
"So then basically she told me that I was blaming it all on her, and when I wanted to talk about what was really going on, to let her know. Then she slammed the phone down." Nick finished, frowning.
"Oh Nick, sweetie I'm sorry. Maybe it was a bad idea."
"No, no it was the right thing to do. I'm glad that you talked me into it, it needed to be said. I'm just so tired of it, of being in this by myself. I'm tired of feeling so alone. I mean, I have my friends and the guys and shit, but I...I'm lonely. I thought being in a relationship was supposed to keep that from happening." He shook his head, looking away.
Illana reached out unconsciously and rubbed his back. "Aww Nick, it'll get better, it has to. I think that maybe it'd be best, if you talked with her face to face ya know. It'd be more sincere."
Nick turned to look at her. "Hey, how bout you come with me when I do it?"
"Huh?"
"I'll get Vanessa to go to the mall with me tomorrow and I'll tell her then. You can be there to sorta...I dunno, help I guess."
"Uhh Nick, don't you think it'd be better to do this alone, in private?"
"Nah, you're her friend and mine. I think it'd be good, and you can see what I mean about how she acts."
"But Nick, you said she doesn't do it in public."
"Well I'll find a way to show you, like when she thinks you're not looking."
"I don't know Nick..." Just then the phone rang. Illana reached over to pick it up. "Hello?"
"Illana, it's me."
Her eyebrows rose. "Vanessa, hi."
Nick's head shot up.
"What's going on?"
"Have you talked to Nick?"
"Nick?" She looked over to see Nick waving frantically and shaking his head. "Uhh...no, no I haven't. Why?"
"I dunno, something is really wrong with him. I just don't understand him. Sometimes he just makes me so mad!"
"What happened?"
"He called me today and said that all the problems in our relationship are my fault! MINE! Can't you believe that!? If it's anyone's fault, it's his!"
Illana looked over at Nick who was studying her intensely. "I'm sure he didn't mean it like that. And I mean, come on Vanessa, that's not really fair is it? Why can't it be all your fault, but it can be his?"
"Whose side are you on anyway?! I though you were my friend!"
"I am your friend, and I'm not choosing sides. Look Vanessa, you should talk to him again, really talk to him."
"Yeah right, whatever. I gotta go." Vanessa mumbled, hanging the phone up.
Illana rubbed at her temples.
"That bad huh?"
She groaned.
"If anything, you can tell me at least if you think it's the right time to say something. Please Illana, please." He looked at her; he was desperate and needed her help. She couldn't turn him down, she couldn't.
She stared at him, at the desperation on his face. How could she say no? She looked up at him.
"Alright, yes Nick. I'll do it."
