Running Wild in the Night

Nikki's POV

"So, Nikki, want do you want for a present," Val asked as the guys and I walked
around the mall.

They decided that today,we they should go shopping each for a birthday
present for me. As much as I protested, there was no changing their minds.
Everyone, especially Brian, had their minds made up about getting me a present. The only thing was that they forced me to come with them to give them ideas.

"I don't want anything," I said for what felt like the billionth time.

"There has to be something you want, Coley," Jimmy said as they followed me into the food court.

"As of right now, all I want is a cookie."

Brian's POV

Nikki has got to be the hardest person to shop for. She has given us no
clue of what to get her for her birthday.........then again, we found out
yesterday but still. There has to be something that she wants but she doesn't
say anything. The only thing she told us that she wanted was a cookie and she
was getting that herself…………………and she’d throw a fit if someone else got it for her.

I ran a hand through my hair and watched as Nikki got in line at the cookie place and looked at everyone. "There has to be something she wants," I said, a bit frustrated.

"I know there is but you know Coley. She didn't even tell you guys her birthday
was tomorrow AND she refused to have a party until we convinced her
otherwise," Jimmy said, looking at his cousin.

"Jimmy, you're her cousin and she lives with you! Do you have any idea of what
she likes?"

"She's a mystery! Hell, I got her a bunch of art supplies and crap like that.
You all know I suck at giving presents," he yelled.

Thank god Nikki didn't hear that but he is right. Jimmy does suck at getting
presents.

I looked at Nikki and noticed that she strayed away a bit, looking at the glass
containers in the jewelry store. She cocked her head to the side a bit and I saw
a small smile creep onto her lips. Someone started talking to her, I assumed it
was a salesperson, and Nikki just shook her head.

"What were you looking at," Johnny asked as she walked back towards us.

Nikki just glanced; her eyes as she sat down next to me, taking a bite of her
cookie. "Nothing."

I just looked at her as she took a sip of her soda; an idea formed in my head. Oh, I'm such a smart boy.

"Nikki, what do you want," Matt asked as we walked around the mall for the third time.

She still refused to tell us what she wanted. To her, giving her a party was enough but to us, it wasn't. After all those years of hell with her father and getting high, we all say that it was high time that she had a kick-ass party.

"Hey, I'm going to head to the bathroom real quick," I said; everyone stopping to look at me.

"Alright, meet up with us at the arcade."

I nodded and turned around, heading straight for that jewelry store Nikki was at. When I got there, I moved to the place she stood at and looked down, trying to figure out what she was looking at.

"May I help you?"

I looked up to see a salesperson standing in front of me, behind the counter. "Uh yeah, did you see a girl around sixteen or seventeen with black hair that was in a clip, with green eyes, wearing a white tank-top and black jeans," I asked, describing Nikki.

"Oh yes. Why?"

"Well, she's my girlfriend and her birthday's tomorrow and I want to get her an amazing gift but she won't say anything but I saw her looking at something here," I answered.

She looked at me and smiled. "Aw, how sweet. She was looking at this necklace, actually," she answered, unlocking the case.

She pulled out a silver necklace with an emerald pendant and laid it on top of the counter. I looked at it, thinking how much her eyes matched the pendant. I'm being retarded but they do. "She said her mother had a necklace just like this but the pendant was a ruby."

"How much is it," I asked, about ready to pull out my credit card.

"Its $250, tax included," she answered.

That's when I slapped down my card and said, "I'm buying it."

Nikki's POV

I sat with Val as I watched Jimmy and Matt go at it at that free throw basketball thing while Zacky and Johnny were playing a game of air hockey. "Why are you guys so obsessed with the idea of throwing me a birthday party," I asked.

Val just looked at it, confused, "Why wouldn't we? You're part of our little group, you're Jimmy's cousin, and you're Brian's girlfriend. Why wouldn't we?"

"Still. It makes no sense to me."

"Hello, people! I am back," Brian announced as he walked in.

As I turned to look at him, I noticed a small bag by his side. I raised an eyebrow and cocked my head, "What's with the bag?"

He looked at it and hid it behind his back, "Nothing. It’s nothing."

I just rolled my eyes as I turned back to watching Johnny and Zacky's game. Brian took a seat next to me, putting the bag behind his legs, and put his arm around my shoulder. "So what is everyone doing?"

"Zacky and Johnny are sucking at air hockey and Matt and Jimmy are being idiots with that basketball thing and Val and I are just sitting here," I answered.

They all just yelled at me jokingly.

"Nikki, this is the millionth time that we've walked around the mall, isn't there anything you want," Val asked as we passed Borders again.

I just rolled my eyes and said, "I don't really want anything and you guys don't have to get me anything. Why won't that go through your thick skulls?"

"Because! We want to get you a killer birthday present," Matt answered as we walked into Borders.

"You know, just pick something and I'll probably end up liking it."

That's what they did. Everyone went their one separate direction and got me something different. I don't know what they got me, but they got me something. At times, I don't understand these people.

But what's bugging me the most in my curiosity of what Brian could possibly have in that bag. I seriously want to know. Every time I asked him what’s in the bag, he'd just smile at me and say, "Something."

Brian's POV

I walked into my room after the fun mall trip and placed the bag on my dresser so I wouldn't forget about it. Something told me that she was going to like it but I was scared that she wouldn't. What if it reminded her too much of her mother? No. She'll love it, I know she will.

I looked at the necklace one last time before I went to bed, trying to imagine what she'll say or do when she sees it. I'm hoping for a good reaction.

"She'll love it," I said, putting it back in the box and walking to me bed, "She'll love. It’s the perfect gift for her and she'll love it."