Please Don't Cross Me, I Asked Nicely

This was the first time I walked the halls this late at night. I opened the double doors once I reached them, almost screaming at Nick's figure sitting on the top step waiting patiently. Immediately, he stood, shushing me.

“Rose, it's OK. It's just me”, he said with a quiet chuckle, his hands rubbing my bare arms.

I took in his appearance. Nick was dressed in a dark blue t-shirt and black shorts. I became self-conscious as I realized I was only in a light blue, sleeveless blouse and blue and white short pajama shorts. I remembered I didn't have a bra on either. I felt like such a slut.

Nick took a quick look at me. His eyes trailed down to my feet and back up to my face in a matter of seconds. I blushed like a mad man.

“I'm sorry I freaked out. I just didn't expect you to be right out here”, I admitted.

“It's alright. I should have told you”, Nick replied, removing his hands as he sat back in his original spot.

I mimicked his actions, sitting on his right. He handed me a bottle of Propel, having a regular water himself.

“Thanks. You didn't have to”, I said sheepishly.

“I wanted to”, he said with a smile. “Besides, I wouldn't have been content having something to drink and leaving you empty-handed”, he added.

I smiled slightly.

“So, you're ready to listen?” I asked changing the subject. He nodded eagerly.

“First of all, I'd like to apologize to you. I was out of line earlier and you were just being a concerned friend and-”, but Nick cut across me.

“Rose”, he sighed, “I understand why you reacted like that. I was prodding into your life when I barely even know you. I was wrong to do that and I'm sorry”, he said sincerely.

“Wow”, I said in shock. “Actually, I'm glad you did, otherwise, you wouldn't know. You're the only person who knows”, I said in a quiet tone.

“Wow”, he said this time.

“Yeah... Let's just continue with what I was going to say”, I replied.

Nick nodded once more.

“OK, so the thing is... my mom is sick. She's been sick for the past two months, almost 3 now. I'm really worried because no one gets sick and stays sick for almost 3 whole months, right?” I asked, looking at him.

His eyes flickered from me to the staircase. He placed his right hand on his chin, furrowing his eyebrows in concentration.

“I-I don't know. Maybe her immune system...”, he trailed off, trying to think, but coming up with nothing.

“I know”, I said in a quiet tone. “I don't know, either. My dad and Vic are both acting as though everything isn't going to be OK. I try not to think that way, but I have a feeling that... Well, let's just call it a bad one”, I said, twiddling my thumbs.

“I see. You must have been closer to your mom than your dad or Vic”, he replied, relaxing himself.

Tears threatened to fill my eyes, but I fought them back.

“Yeah... but the thing is, Vic isn't the same as she was when we were younger. She's changed and not for the better”, I said, trying to be cryptic.

He practically knew part of the story already.

“Why did she change?” he asked sounding a little confused.

“She changed because she wanted everything to herself. She hated the fact that I'm so different from her in almost every way. She thought since our mom would spend time with me doing things differently than she did with her that she loves her less than she loves me. But Vic always had it all. Anything she wanted, she got. It wasn't until our Freshman year of high school when she decided to start taking those closest to me for herself”, I explained.

I thought of Brian and Jake, two horrible, deceiving people.

“Seems like she's jealous of you for the wrong reasons”, Nick said, bringing me out of my thoughts.

“What do you mean for the wrong reasons?” I asked in confusion.

Nick stood and stepped down a step.

“One, you are pretty, Rose. Two, even though you have your problems, you still pretend to everyone else like everything is OK. That takes a lot of strength, strength that not a lot of people have. Three, you're selfless. You don't want other people to know your problems because you feel like... like your problems will be a burden on or for other people”, he said with a sort of fire in his eyes.

I bit my lip.

“I don't believe the first one. I partially agree with the second one... the third... How do you even know that? You've known me for barely 3 days and you know a few important things about me”, I replied.

A smile graced his lips, his teeth actually showing. He looked... really happy.

“I know from observing. Your words and actions towards me are the key”, he said, sitting back down in his spot.

“You don't want to know me. I'm nothing special”, I said looking away.

“That's where you're wrong, Rose. You need two people at least that you can trust instead of just one”, he replied.

I felt his hand on top of mine. My head snapped back to his hand, my eyes slowly trailing to his face. I was surprised. Nick.... wanted to know me. Even though I barely knew him, I felt like.. like there was something special, in a good way, about him.

“I'd like that, but on two conditions”, I said in a business-like tone.

“Name them”, he said with a small smile.

“One: you have to let me get to know you, too.”

His smile widened as his eyes bored into mine.

“Two, you have to promise not to hurt me”, I concluded.

“Rose, I would never hurt you like Brian did”, he said in a serious, yet gentle voice.

“Just promise me, Nick, OK?” I practically begged.

“I promise, Rosalina”, he said in a serious tone. His hand squeezed mine lightly.

“OK”, I said, feeling tired all of a sudden.

“Why don't we get some rest? It's pretty late”, he suggested.

I nodded, moving my hands, one grabbing the Propel, the other helping myself up.

Nick did the same. We walked down the long hallway, reaching our respective doors.

“See you tomorrow, Rose”, he said as he stood on my side, practically right behind me.

“See you tomorrow, Nick”, I said in a shy tone, getting ready to place my key in the door, but Nick stopped me.

“Rose, do you need a hug?” he asked.

I was surprised again. Usually when I talked to people, well, Mom and Mel, I get a hug, but I didn't expect Nick to give me one.

“Yeah. That'd be great”, I admitted, turning around to face him.

I watched him open his muscular arms. I cautiously walked to him in one step, wrapping my arms around his torso. He smelled nice... I don't know how to explain it, but it just... felt right.

His arms finally wrapped themselves around my small torso. I loved this feeling. Wait, we aren't dating, so I shouldn't expect hugs like this from him or at least, not very often.

“Rose”, he said quietly, “we should really get to bed.”

“Yeah. Oh. I'm sorry”, I said, pulling away, lifting my head up at him.

“It's fine. Don't worry about it”, he replied.

His brown eyes bored into mine and I just... couldn't look away.

“Right. Bed”, I said dumbly, smacking myself mentally as I tore my gaze from his.

He nodded, unwrapping his arms from around me.

“Night”, he said one last time.

“Goodnight, Nick”, I replied as I unlocked my door, entered, and closed it behind me.

Well, that was awkward.