It Was Easier Not Loving You

Niki woke up and looked around the room to recap where she was. Still on the couch. Of course. She slowly rose from the couch, stretched, and looked around the house for Tre. He wasn't anywhere to be found. It was unusual for him to just up and leave. She looked around for a note. Stuck to the stove was a purple post-it note.

"Dude, what's wrong with the fridge?" she asked herself.

She picked up the note and read it to herself. Out of beer and toilet paper. Be back soon. She rolled her eyes, tossed the note, and sat down at the table. She rested her elbows on the table top, linked her fingers, and rested her chin on her knuckles. She liked Tre not being there, it gave her time to think.

'Why does this have to be so hard? The first time I'm ever in love and it's a fucking love triangle between two rockstars that are best friends.' She buried her face in her hands. 'They're both so sweet and friendly. Funny and nearly care-free.'

"Why does this have to be so fucking difficult?" she asked out loud.

"What's wrong?" she heard from behind.

She jumped and put her hand to her chest. She turned around to see Mike. "Dude, don't scare me like that. When did you get here?"

"Just now."

"And you don't kno-" she cut herself off and rolled her eyes. "Nevermind, we've been through this with Billie."

Mike pulled up a chair and sat down next to her. "So what's up?"

Niki looked down at the table and relinked her fingers. "Nothing, really."

"Liar, what's wrong? What's 'so fucking difficult'?"

She sighed and pressed her forehead against her fingers. "I've been thinking about what you said the other day."

She paused and felt the tension increase in the air.

"Yeah?" Mike raised an eyebrow.

"Well, this poses a problem."

"A problem?"

She nodded.

"You mean Tre, right?"

"Sorta. You see, when I met you, I really kind of liked you but let it go after nearly being shot to death by Jennifer. Then we slept, we made up, and then you confessed your love. In between the last two events I had been thinking about how I used to like you but realized how much Iiked Tre too and decided to stay with him since I was already here. Then you called me up and I'm stuck between both of you now."

Mike looked down at his lap and exhaled. "I'm sorry I bothered you. I have to go before Estelle is dropped off."

Niki looked up and all she saw was his back almost at the door. "Wait!"

She jumped from the table, almost knocking over her chair and grabbed his elbow. He tried pulling away without hurting her. She swung around to face him and grasped both of his arms. She gazed into his eyes and realized he was beginning to cry. She scrunched her eyebrows and frowned.

"I'm so sorry. I really do like you." She pulled him into a hug and rested her face against his chest, fitting her cheek bone in his sternum. He slowly raised his arms and placed his hands on her shoulders. He pulled her back and gazed back into her eyes. Quickly he leaned in and planted a kiss on her lips.

She slightly inhailed at the surprise and closed her eyes. She snaked her arms up her back and he mimicked her movements, pulling her closer.

'Oh my God,' she thought. Sporadic thoughts of their night together came popping in her head. 'And I was drunk during this. What was I thinking?'

Niki stood on her tip toes and pressed their lips together tighter. He ran his arms up her shirt lightly running the pads of his fingers up her spine sending chills through her body.

The door opened and they immediately parted.

"Hey, I'm ba- Oh, hey, you're already here." Tre smiled and took his grocery bags to the kitchen. "Be right back."

Niki readjusted her shirt and looked up at Mike. She exhaled and smiled. "Wow," she whispered. Mike smirked. "Ditto." He winked.

Mike walked back into the living room and sat down on the couch. Tre walked back through the kitchen doors and stood behind the couch.

"Hey, are you just going to stand there all day?" Tre asked.

Niki shook herself out of her trance and blinked. "Uh, no?"

They chuckled and Mike patted the couch cushion beside him. "C'mon, join us."

Tre jumped the back of the couch and plopped down on the other side of Mike.

"Come on, hurry up. I want to put this movie in. I've been dying to watch it."

Niki sat down between them and asked, "What movie?"

"Saw 4," he replied.

Niki's eyes narrowed and her mouth flattened to a partial frown. "That's a scary movie, isn't it?"

"Yes."

"NO!" Niki tried jumping off the couch. "I don't watch scary movies!"

They both grabbed at her, Mike pulling her arm and Tre grasping her shirt.

"Come on, fun sucker, watch it with us," Tre said as they pulled her back onto the couch. Mike started making sucking sounds and making hand motions of closing his fingers and pulling his hand back. Niki clenched her eyes shut and shook her head frantically.

"No, No! I can't watch scary movies! Especially one named Saw!"

"Please? You could always duck into my arm or chest." Mike smirked.

Tre slightly raised his brow and frowned, but quickly covered it and hopped up to put in the movie.

"I've been waiting for this to come out on DVD since I missed it in theaters."

He closed the door and sat back down on the couch. Niki put her hands between her knees and tried to resist from shaking. She wasn't prepared for a scary movie. She didn't want to make either of them jealous of the other. She didn't know if they were the jealous types, but she didn't want to chance it.

During the course of the movie she ducked her head down and whimpered. About half way through she felt Mike put his hand on her knee. She slightly opened her eye to look at it. She stopped shaking for some reason. She didn't move her head, though. She didn't want Tre to notice.

'Please don't look, please don't look,' she pleaded him in thought.

She felt Tre's arm snake it's way around her waist.

'Oh God, please don't let him look down. Mike Move Your Hand!'

Niki closed her eyes and pulled her knees up to her chest, resting her cheek on them. She and Mike looked at each other. She looked down then buried her face in her knees.

"I- I have to go to the bathroom."

She jumped off the couch and ran to the bathroom. As she shut the door she heard a man scream and she slunk down do the floor.

'Oh God, what have I gotten myself into? Help me.'

She placed her hand over her eye and forehead, placing her elbow against her knee. She exhaled, stood up, and turned on the water for a bath. She stripped down and soaked in the warm water.

She sighed. 'I just want this all to be over. They're both so great, but I can't choose one of them, but I don't know what I'd do without them. They're my only friends other than Alec. But I can't move in with her because she doesn't have enough room in her apartment with her mom staying there.' She ran her hand down her face and cupped her lips. 'I'm stuck with Billie. It's not a problem, but I don't want to be a burden since they have the kids also. But I'll ask them tomorrow.'

Someone knocked on the door. "Hey, you alright?" Tre asked.

"Yeah, I just decided to take a bath. The movie was a little much for me."

"Okay, well the movie is over now. Mike went home."

She could sense a smirk was growing on his face.

"May I come in?"

"N- no, that's alright. I'll be out soon."

"Aw."

"No, Tre. I'll be out soon."

"Fine."

Niki got out of the bath and wrapped a towel around her chest. She gathered her dirty clothes, threw them in the laundry room, and walked up stairs. She began to walk into Tre's room, but stopped before she grabbed the doorknob. She pulled her hand back and went to her room. She opened her door to a vaguely familiar room. She shut the door quietly and flipped on the light. She looked around the room and at the dresser trying to recall which drawer had which clothes in it. She had been sleeping in Tre's room for a while and hadn't been in there for a few months. Thinking about it she couldn't believe how she managed to fend him off. They were so close for so long and never did anything.

She broke her thought and dressed herself into a big t-shirt and girls boxer shorts. She flipped off the light and crawled under the covers. She shivered between the cold sheets and pulled the covers closer. She sighed and closed her eyes to sleep.