Ready When You Are

Marshal came up to me, grabbed my hands and began pulling me somewhere.

"You have to see this for yourself." He said, pulling me out to Nick's car. What was he talking about? We were getting closer to the car and I heard it; Nick's moan. Low and full of lust. I suddenly became sick to my stomach.

"Ready?" I wasn't but I nodded anway. Marshal crouched down by the car and snatched the door open. I heard a scream and a string of profanities. I dared looking into the car's backseat and saw a nearly naked Nick and a sweaty Asia. He didn't...

"Nick what the fuck, bro! A kiss, that was my fault. But this, this is low." Marshal stepped back to let me through.

"Nick... I trusted you. I mean, I-I messed up, but this. This is just uncalled for." I turned and ran off. All I heard was fading voices calling my name. But I didn't look back, I kept running. I didn't stop. I ran until I found myself on Cameron's street. His house sounded so good right now. No judgments, no cheating, just a friend. I walked to his house and rang the doorbell. I shuffled around and started catching my breath when he answered the door. He was a sight, no shirt and black gym shorts that I saw were Shaun's. He ran a hand through his messy hair trying to fix it.

"Hey Paisley, I thought you were at the party?"

"Yeah," I looked back down the dark street. "well it wasn't as great as it sounded at first."

"I guess, so um, I guess you wanna come in then?" All I could do was nod. I was too tired to talk. He moved aside and walked ahead of me and I walked in, shutting the door behind me. Plopping down on the couch I watched Cameron walk over to a basket of clothes and pull out a pullover hoodie. He slipped it on quickly and sat down next to me.

"So, what went wrong."

"Everything."

He arched an eyebrow and I started to explain everything. Nick and I kissing, him catching Marshal and I, and finding Asia in his backseat.

"Damn. You're a trouble magnet, aren't 'cha?" I smiled and laughed.

"I guess. I was never any good at being normal." I rubbed my eyes and looked around the room until I found a clock. I read the hands - 11:56. Ugh, gross. I don't think I can run all the way back there right now. I noticed Cameron texting someone on his iPhone and I stretched trying to peek. He snatched it away from eyes and stuck his tongue out at me.

"Dang it, Camel. Lemme see." I reached for it and he pulled back even more and we fell off the couch. I heard a car pull into the drive way and I got up to see who it was. I opened the door to reveal Nick, standing with a bouquet of yellow roses and the rest of the guys sitting on his car with a banner that said, "PAISLEY - TAKE HIM BACK!!!! :)" I just shook my head laughing.

"Please? Look, I'm sorry I acted like a dumb ass and I'm mega sorry I called you a skank. I should've called Marshal a skank. He admitted to kissing you first." Thank God for Marshal. He's officially my favorite person of the night. I thought about everything that happened that night and since I met Nick.

"I don't know."

"But-"

"Nick, I mean - I love you. I'm in love with you but what you did back there. With Asia..."

The shine in his eyes died. He dropped the bouquet at my feet and walked away. Marshal stuck his head out the drivers window and shook his head.

"Really? This failed? Krystle said this would work! What the heck!"

I watched as they all piled back into the car and drove away.

"I'll drive you home."

"HOLY FUCKING SHIT CAMERON!" I yelled and put a hand on my chest to keep my heart from fucking jumping out.

"Sorry! I forgot how easily scared you are."

"Yeah. It's okay, forget it happened. But I would appreciate a ride." I smiled showing all my teeth and closing my eyes. We got in his car and drove back to Caleb's house. There were still a few cars in the driveway. I got out, thanked him for the ride and walked to my car.

---

It was weird on Saturday morning, waking up and not having Nick call me and ask to come over to spend the day. I stayed in my room all day. Well, all night. I was so tired from the run that I slept until four in afternoon. I decided to venture out to the kitchen after I couldn't take the hunger pangs anymore.

"Hi Nick." I said, walking to the kitchen. "Wait, Nick? What the fuck? How'd you get in my house?" I asked, wide eyed. He didn't answer, he just got up and started walking toward me.
He backed me into a corner and put his arms against the wall on either side of my head. His face was inching closer to mine and then he kissed me. Fireworks exploded behind my closed eyes. I slid my arms around his neck and pulled him closer. This is so wrong. So, so wrong. His tongue grazed my lips and I granted him entrance. Our tongues danced and I couldn't take it anymore. I took my hands out of his hair and started pushing him off.

"What?"

"What do you mean 'what'? You had sex with my best friend and now you're in my house. Unannounced, and shoving your tongue down my throat!"

"Paisley I-"

"Get out."

"Please just let me explain! It's worth hearing, then I'll leave."

I thought about it, what's the worst that could happen?

"Okay, five minutes."

"Okay, when I saw you and Marshal kissing I got pissed off. After everyone left I saw Asia and decided to mess with your head. We sorta' staged the whole 'car sex' thing. That moan was fake and I was surprised you didn't notice." My jaw dropped.

"Nick do you have any idea how bad that hurt me? I felt horrible, I mean. Just a quick replacement, like you'd been with her the whole time."

"Now you know how I felt." He put a hand on my cheek and wiped away a tear I didn't even know slipped out. I kissed his cheek and hugged him, while snuggling into his arms. I breathed in his scent; vanilla and cigarettes. He kissed the top of my head and I looked at him.

"My room?"

"Sure."

We walked up the stairs and went into my room. He shuffled through his drawer in my dresser and found some shorts to change into. He crawled into bed beside me and wrapped his arms around my waist. He kissed my nose and we fell asleep soon after.

Maybe everything would be alright after all.