| Chapter Two |
| She rolled her eyes and tried to keep her composure as Charlie smiled down at her. Danay was sick of these passes, and he knew it. “Charlie, do you never give up?” He laughed, “Oh come on D… lighten up. All this is, is innocent flirting. You can’t say you don’t like it.” She smirked, “Oh please. You’re the best manager we’ve had so far, but you really take this too far.” She patted his shoulder, “Sorry hun.” Charlie snickered as she walked away, “Alright, alright. But you do know that this might double your work load!” “I’ll chance it!” She yelled over her shoulder. She shook her head and giggled as she walked into the compound. “Greg I don’t understand you! Why in hell would you think you had the right to do something like this? Its unexcusable!” Nikki had her hands on her hips as she yelled at him. “Oh, are you forgetting Nikki? What’s the deal with you and Blake? THAT is what gave me the right! You act like you’re all innocent, but you’re not. Get off your high horse Nikki.” She glared at him, “Greg, Blake is my best friend, and if you can’t handle that fact, then maybe I’m glad you did what you did! Maybe I’m too good for you!” “Oh please. What is the matter with you? You always want to hang around with Blake instead of me! So you’re telling me I can’t…” “You didn’t ask me! You didn’t clear up the situation! The fact that you had no clue what was really going on, and that you made such a stupid conclusion about me… I can’t believe that you would do that!” She turned away from him, “I hate you.” Greg stared down at her, “You what?” When she didn’t turn around, he sighed, “Fine. See you around.” Blake stepped up to her from the hallway, “Nikki? What’s going on?” He snaked his arms around her waist and turned her face toward him. “Why were you and Greg fighting?” She looked around the room, avoiding his eyes, “Nothing. Blake, I’m fine.” She glanced down at the ground, “Leave it alone.” He stared at her, “Nikki….” “Blake, I’m ok. Trust me… please.” She broke out of his embrace and walked out of the room, “I have to rehearse.” He watched her retreating back and slammed his hand down onto a table. “Dammit!” He suddently turned and ran out of the room, running over to Greg. “What the hell did you do to her?” “The question is, what did YOU do to her? I’m not the bad guy here-“ “No, you never are, are you?” “Are you going to let me finish, Blake, or what?” When the other man stayed silent, Greg continued, “I have no clue what you’re talking about. I haven’t done a single thing to Nikki, and I think we both know that.” “Then I want you to tell me why she told you she hated you. And you better tell me the truth.” “This may sound cliché… but you can’t handle the truth. Now, Blakey-boy, I suggest you mind your own business.” “And I suggest you do the same.” “Nikki IS my business.” “Not anymore she’s not. Are you deaf?” Blake sneered at him, and waited for a response. “Better deaf than dumb.” Greg walked out of the room before Blake could respond, leaving the younger man alone with his thoughts. Hours later, Nikki walked over to Blake, where he sat with his back against the mirror in the dance studio. “You ready to go? We’re done for today, thank God.” He held a hand out for her to help him get up, and he pulled her into a hug. “You sure you’re okay?” “Blake, PLEASE. Drop it.” She walked out to the parking lot, heading toward her car. Blake looked toward Mandy and Veronica with a questioning look. “You guys…” They both shrugged and Mandy put a hand on his back, “Talk to her, Blake. She’s holding something back, we all know that.” He nodded and headed out towards Nikki. “Ok. You ready to go home and relax?” She nodded and leaned her head against her hand as she drove down the highway. “Relaxing sounds good right about now.” Blake rubbed his temples before speaking again, “Did you have a good day?” She laughed as she turned into Taco Bell. “Oh yeah, just fantastic. Come on, I’m hungry.” She hopped out of the car and started walking towards the restaurant. His spirits fell, something was seriously wrong with his best friend, and she wasn’t letting him in. “Nik, wait up!” He ran after her and held the door as she walked in. Later, as they pulled into their driveway, Blake grabbed her arm before she could get out of the car. “Nikki, I’m begging you to please, just please talk to me.” She got a frustrated look on her face, “Blake, I’m telling you, its nothing for you to worry about. Now… what are you doing tonight?” He kept his groan inside, but answered her, “Tray, Mark and I are going out to a club or something. What about you?” “Not much. Like you said, I just need to relax.” She pulled open the front door and headed toward the bathroom. “I’m gonna take a shower. You leaving now?” “Yeah.” He pulled her into another hug, “Take care of yourself.” “Oh please, you’ll only be gone for a few hours.” She kissed his cheek, “I’ll be fine.” He nodded as he walked out the front door. Once he was outside, he let out a groan of frustration. “She always lets me in…” Nikki stepped out of the shower and looked at her face in the mirror. “What did you do to deserve this, DeLoach?” She sighed and walked out of the bathroom and into her bedroom. Throwing some clothes on, she pulled back the covers and snuggled into her bed. When Blake came home and went up the stairs, he could hear an odd noise from Nikki’s room. He stopped by her door and listened. “Nikki?” He whispered, “Are you okay?” “Yeah,” a trembling voice answered from inside. He shook his head, “Yeah right.” He opened her door quietly. “You’re crying sweetie.” He sat on her bed and gently pulled her into his lap. “Nikki, tell me what’s going on! It has to be serious or you know I wouldn’t have to be sitting here.” She shook her head, “Nothing’s going on. Blake, you are so damn perstistent.” She turned her head away from him and tried to wipe the tears away without him seeing. “Bull. You have to tell me Nikki. We’ve never kept secrets from each other.” When she still didn’t say anything to him, he sighed in agreeance. “Okay, okay. I’m not going to press you anymore. I trust you, and I love you. You know that right?” Those words made Nikki cry again, this time harder. “Blake, I’m so sorry. I don’t mean to shut you out, but I know that’s what I’ve been doing.” He held her tighter against him, “Its alright. You know you’re my everything. Just tell me what happened to you.” She looked into his eyes and all of a sudden felt safer than she had in a long time. “Greg came into the studio today, and he walked right up to me and told me…” She paused and took a deep breath. “He told me that he went out with another girl last night.” Blake’s eyes widened, “He told you that?” He shook his head… “He didn’t…” He shifted uncomfortably, “He didn’t sleep with her, did he?” She bowed her head, “Yeah.” Blake stood up and Nikki tumbled out of his lap, “I’m gonna kill him. I swear that jackass has not heard the last from-“ Nikki pulled him back down onto the bed, “No, Blake, please stop. He thought that I was involved with you.” “With me? And that’s why he cheated on you?” Blake started to turn a deep shade of red. “This is not the way to keep me from tearing him limb from limb.” “I know… but Blake, he’s not worth it. You know he’s scum, you’ve said it all along. Can’t we please just drop it? Just go to bed and try to calm down.” Blake smiled at her, “You’re too nice for your own good, you know that?” “Yeah, I’m just awesome like that.” She winked at him. “Oh please.” He waited until she was lying on the bed again, and tucked the covers around her. “Good night.” He leaned over and kissed her cheek, before walking out of the room. Back in his own room, Blake tossed and turned as he tried to fall asleep. He couldn’t get the image of Greg walking up to Nikki and tearing her world down out of his mind. He gave up on sleep and turned the tv on. He layed there in his bed as he surfed through the channels. He finally stopped on “When Harry Met Sally”, and sat there watching it in silence. Just watching the screen as the two characters fought made his mind drift to the sleeping girl across the hallway. He glanced at a picture of the two of them sitting on his bedside table, and he finally broke down and began to cry. Blake slowly climbed out of his bed and padded over to Nikki’s room once again. He lay down next to her very gently, careful not to wake her. He quietly put an arm around her, and rested his head against hers. The next morning, Nikki stirred out of her sleeping state and gently rolled over. She was confused, but smiled when she saw Blake snuggled up next to her. She watched him sleep for a few minutes, until her curiosity got the best of her. She shook him awake and giggled when he let out a loud yawn. “Good morning.” She whispered to him. He smiled at her sleepily and she kissed his forehead, “Dare I ask why you’re in my bed?” She winked at him, “Not that I mind or anything.” “Don’t tease me.” He stretched an arm out and she cuddled closer to him, “I’m just scared, Nikki. Last night was so scary for me.” He pulled her closer. “I don’t ever want to lose you.” She pulled back slightly, “Blake, why would you ever think that you would..” Her words were cut off by a ring from the phone next to her bed. She rolled her eyes so that he could see, and grabbed the receiver. “Hello?” “Nikki? Its Greg.” A timid voice said from the other side of the line. Nikki felt her blood run cold, “What do you want?” “Look Nik, I’m so sorry. I thought about what you said, and I realized that you were right. I didn’t have any of the facts and I should have…” “Stop right there Greg.” Nikki could feel Blake’s body tense up, and she placed a hand on his arm, “You’re right. You should have done a lot of things. But you didn’t, and that makes all the difference. I’m sorry.” “Nikki, I love you. You know I love you. I think that we were made for each other. That other girl meant nothing to me, I swear. You have to believe me. I would never do anything to hurt you inte…” Nikki quietly took the phone away from her ear and hung up the phone. Blake cupped her chin with his hands and turned her face towards him. “Are you okay sweetheart?” Nikki’s eyes began to water and tears spilled down her face. She buried her face in Blake’s chest and sobbed. As she sat up, she brought her eyes to meet his, “You’d think by now my body would be dry.” Blake sighed and hugged her again. “It’ll come. I promise.” He held her close to him as silent tears ran down his face and gently fell into her hair, unnoticed. |