Please Don't Cross Me, I Asked Nicely

We walked to the far right side of the roof, away from everyone else. I rested my arms on the edge as Nick did the same.

“So, I’m guessing you didn’t bring me away from everyone to greet me with a kiss, did you?” he asked in a knowing tone.

“No, I didn’t”, I answered honestly.

He sighed before speaking again.

“I was afraid of that. Then, it must be an interrogation of sorts, isn’t it?” he asked.

“Yeah. First question, what’s been going on between you and Vic lately?” I asked.

“Nothing. We’re just friends. She always has something to talk about and since I promised to listen, I do just that”, he answered.

I raised a brow skeptically at him and he saw it, rolling his eyes.

“You know I don’t like it when you give me that look, Rose”, he said in a slightly cold tone.

“Well, I don’t mean to start another argument, but you’ve been listening a little bit too much”, I said with an attitude.

“How am I listening too much when I still listen to you as well? It’s not like I neglected you!” he exclaimed, the anger evident in his voice.

“But you have, Nick! Don’t you see? I wouldn’t be acting this way if you hadn’t!” I retorted.

“I’ve been spending the last few weeks trying to make you happy and what I get in return is this?” he asked incredulously.

I sighed in annoyance as I held a hand to my forehead.

“Again, like I said, Nick, I don’t want to argue about this. I only want-”, I began, but he cut across me.

“I wrote the song, just for you and I’m confronted with an interrogation based off of assumptions and conclusions”, he said incredulously.

“It’s not assumptions or conclusions. I can just tell. You never acted that way towards her when she wasn’t hanging around us, so why start now?” I asked, causing silence to reign over the both of us.

“Are we always going to be arguing over me hanging out with Vic, Rose?” he asked in a low tone after a while.

“If you keep treating me horribly because of it, yes”, I answered honestly.

“How am I treating you horribly?!” he asked angrily.

“OK, where do I begin? Let’s take tonight as an example, shall we? I cried tonight because I realized it was the first New Year’s I’ll be spending without my mother which you didn’t show up until everyone else had already done so because you were talking to Vic!” I began, Nick flinching a little as he heard my voice quiver.

I held myself together, but only because of my anger.

“Secondly, you said I looked ‘amazing’ tonight instead of beautiful like you always do. Yes, you called me beautiful, but after I performed that song with you. Then, you escorted Vic here instead of me. I honestly thought ‘what the hell’, but I let it go. Then, oh ho, then, when we got here, you took two hours before being in a close proximity of me because you were with VIC!” I exclaimed angrily.

He sighed angrily before responding.

“I didn’t know you cried because I was outside talking to Vic, which I apologize for. Second of all, I didn’t call you beautiful because I made a mistake. I was also embarrassed to do it in front of Mel and Vic. Third of all, I escorted Vic because she said she needed to talk to me so I listened again. Fourth of all, it took me two hours because I had to get permission to perform the song and everything, so excuse me, Rosalina if I didn’t make every single second revolve around you!” he exclaimed, his voice rising.

I let the tears fall freely from my eyes as I spoke, my voice thick as I tried harder than ever to hold myself together.

“I never asked you to make every second revolve around me, Nicholas! Never. You were never embarrassed to call me beautiful in front of Mel, so, why should that matter and you fucked up once again. Why should it matter if you call me beautiful in front of Vic? Better yet, how could you forget to call me beautiful or even make that mistake?” I asked, searching his eyes for the answers.

Silence fell over us again and I saw tears form in Nick’s eyes, but he never let them fall.

Instead, he uttered six words that broke my heart.

“I think we need some space”, he said in a cold tone.

“What? Why?” I asked, my voice quivering more as the tears increased.

“We keep arguing and I’m just so sick of arguing with you. We just need this”, he said, his voice breaking a little.

“No, we don’t”, I said, a tear falling. “You do”, I concluded before turning on my heel and walking away from him.

Nick never stopped me that day. He never consoled me. He never did anything.
…

I spent New Year’s Day with the Jonas’, gang, and the others, but Nick and I stayed apart from one another. Even Vic and I didn’t speak.

I barely spoke about the situation besides to the usual, but otherwise, I didn’t say anything.

I was so lost that I spent most of the day inside than out with the others.

Somehow, I fell into a deep slumber only to be jolted back awake by the tears that cascaded down my face.

If I thought I was broken around Christmas, I was dead wrong.

The second of January rolled around and we were already heading back to New Preston, taking a non-stop flight there.

It was a little heart-wrenching to not be able to see the gang until the next break which would be near the end of the year.

Once Mel and I reached our dorm, we unpacked our things, then headed down to academic building to receive our schedules for the end of the year.

Mel got hers after I got mine and we began comparing them.

My schedule read the same, disappointing the both of us. Since ours were the same, then that means that Mrs. Thorton changed the rules and made it so that all Juniors had to pick their classes for next year early.

We headed to the D.A.B seeing it packed already with students, each of them more than likely wanting to get the good classes full before anyone else could get to them.

My eyes scanned the room and I saw Nick amongst them with Vic. Vic spotted me, but looked away as I did the same, turning towards the door as Mel grabbed my arm.

“Where are we going? We need to stay here to get the good classes, Rose”, she said.

“Both Nick and Vic are here. I can’t stay here. We just ‘took a break’ yesterday”, I said.

Mel didn’t loosen her grip at all and gave me a look.

“Rosie, I understand, but you can’t run from them. We go to the same damn school for crying out loud!” she exclaimed exasperatedly.

I sighed, closing my eyes as I bit my lip, finding an empty seat as Mel went to grab a couple of clip boards, schedule sheets, and pens.

This was going to be a long day.
…

Two hours later, I was seen by Mrs. Thorton. She was in the usual business suit, but her hair was tied in a tight, messy bun.

She received the clipboard I handed to her, taking the paper off of it, scanning it quickly. On her desk lay folders and folders of paperwork as well as a laptop in front of her.

“So, you want to take Music Appreciation next year, also?” she asked, quickly typing in the information I’d provided on the document, clicking a few times with her wireless mouse.

“Yes, Mrs. T”, I answered politely.

She typed a few keystrokes, clicking her mouse again as she scanned the screen.

“There’s a few slots open, but I think I can fit you in one of the courses. It will have to be later in the day, though. Maybe third period or fourth. Is that OK with you?” she asked.

I nodded in return. She typed some more and clicked her mouse a few more times before sighing contently as she smiled at me.

“Well, we’ll have to see how things turn out, then. Do you know what kind of dorm you want to be in?” she asked.

“Same as usual, please”, I answered.

“With Melanie Parker, I assume?” she asked in a knowing tone.

I smiled at the mention of my best friend’s name.

“Yes”, I said a little more cheerful than I did the last time.

“OK”, she answered, trailing off at the end as more clicking and typing persisted.

“Alright. You should be all set for next year, Rosalina. Just check again over the summer. Are you going to come back over the summer as one of the seniors who will give the new Freshman a tour of the campus?” she asked.

I knew she was only asking for college apps for the students. I thought the matter over, but couldn’t make a decision.

“I don’t know, honestly”, I admitted. Mrs. Thorton took out a sheet of paper, quick scribbling down something, then tore it off, handing it to me.

“If you change your mind before summer starts, then let me know, OK?” she asked.

“Will do. Thanks, Mrs. T”, I said, getting ready to exit the door when she spoke in a low tone.

“And Rose?” she asked.

I turned to face her, a confused look on my face.

“You have my condolences again”, she said with a solemn smile.

I smiled a small smile, nodding once before I exited the room without a backward glance, tucking the paper into my back jean pocket.