No One Knows You Like I Do

Madison rested her head on Nick’s chest as they watched Tower of Terror. Madison mumbled words as the characters said them and Nick just chuckled softly. Before they knew it, the credits were rolling and the movie was over. Madison sat back and stretched as Nick took out the DVD and put it back in the case.
“So, I have some new.” Nick said as he sat back down.
“Good or bad?” Madison asked as her heart began to race.
“Well, good, but I don’t know how you’ll take it.”
“Okay, I’m five seconds from a heart attack. You might as well just spit it out, now.”
“Alright, then.” He cleared his throat. “We, as in Rocket, are going to Jakarta.”
“As in Indonesia?”
“Yes, just for a week.” Nick said nervously.
“That’s awesome!” Madison smiled. “Why were you so afraid to tell me?”
“Because that week is next week and you can’t come with us.” Madison frowned. Not because she couldn’t go, but because he was leaving next week and didn’t tell her until right now.
“How long have you known?”
“A while. Like a few months or so.” He rubbed the back of his neck nervously and looked away. Madison sighed. She wanted to be upset, but she couldn’t when she looked at how uncomfortable Nick was. He had obviously wanted to tell her, but he had known it would be hard.
“I wish you would have told me sooner, just so I could have been more prepared for you leaving.” She laid her head on his lap and laced their fingers together, letting him know he could relax.
“I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay.” She smiled. “But next time you plan to leave the country, tell me when you find out.” She chuckled.
“Deal.” He chuckled with relief. They sat there in silence, just enjoying each other’s company. Madison closed her eyes and Nick began running his hand through her hair softly.
“Don’t ever stop that.” Madison mumbled and Nick let out a laugh. “So…” Madison opened her eyes. “I’ve been thinking.”
“That’s good, but what about?”
“You mostly, but more about us.”
“Should I be scared?” He stopped running his hand through her hair and she sat up. She pushed herself back so she was now sitting in Nick’s lap.
“Absolutely.” She smirked before laughing. “I was thinking that maybe…I want to move back in with you.” Nick’s face lit up.
“Do you mean that?” Madison nodded. “I definitely like that idea.”
“Good.” She placed her hands on his cheeks and kissed his lips roughly. After a moment, Nick pulled away.
“Okay, you can’t do things like that while sitting on my lap if we’re still ‘taking things slow.’”
“I’m sorry.”
“Well, we could always…”
“No, I have to follow this rule. I have to make you pay for breaking my heart like you did.” She looked away and got off his lap, moving to the farthest part of the couch. Nick sighed.
“I’m sorry; you know I am.” I love you, Madison, and I never meant to hurt you like I did. It’s the biggest mistake I’ve ever made in my entire life.” He paused for a moment. “I’ll respect that you want to wait longer, but it’s not fair for you to keep punishing me like that.”
“I’m just scared, okay? I’m scared that I’m gonna lose you again.” Nick moved closer and placed a hand on her knee.
“I’m not going anywhere. You could never lose me because that would mean I would lose you and I can’t have that again.” Madison nodded and wrapped her arms around Nick’s neck.
“I love you so much, Nick.” She whispered.
“I love you, too.” He kissed her temple.
“When you get back from Jakarta…” Madison smiled.
“I can live with that.” He chuckled and pulled her back into his lap.

******

Madison drove Nick to the airport so she’d have an excuse to pick him up when he came home in a week. She pulled into an empty parking spot and turned off the car. Nick got out and went to the trunk to grab his bags. He closed the trunk and Madison slowly made her way to his side.
“Don’t frown like that. It makes it harder for me to leave.” Nick said as he laced their fingers together.
“I’m sorry. It’s just gonna be a long, lonely week.”
“You have Mackenzie!”
“I know, I know. It’s just gonna be weird being at the apartment without you.” Nick sighed as he put their foreheads together.
“I’ll be back in a week and everything will be fine, okay? I don’t want you to be sad all week. Have fun with Mackenzie and I’ll be back before you know it.”
“Okay.” She sighed. “But call me whenever you get the chance. I don’t care what time it is; I’ll answer.”
“Duh!” He chuckled before kissing her softly. “Now, I got to get inside and get my bags checked and whatnot. I’ll call you as soon as I get there.”
“I’ll be waiting.” They kissed again and hugged tightly for a minute before Nick picked his bags up off the ground and headed inside. Madison watched him until she couldn’t see him anymore before getting in the car.

Madison lay around the couch for hours, attempting to watch movie after movie to keep her mind off Nick’s absence. Nothing was working out very well. She couldn’t keep her mind on anything. She even attempted to bake cookies and they ended up burnt.
Before Madison knew it, it was morning and she hadn’t slept for a second. She decided that said she would go bother Mackenzie. At least Mackenzie could keep Madison busy for a little while.

Madison knocked on Mackenzie’s door, very impatiently waiting for Mackenzie to come open it.
“Mackenzie!” Madison yelled.
“WHAT?” Mackenzie said as she pulled open the door.
“What took you so long?” Madison rolled her eyes.
“I didn’t hear the door at first. I was upstairs on Skype with Garrett.”
“Did I interrupt? I’m so sorry!”
“It’s fine. You can stay as long as you don’t mind if I keep talking with Garrett.”
“I don’t care if you don’t care.” Madison shrugged as she went into Mackenzie’s kitchen for some water.
“I’ll be upstairs.” Mackenzie ran up the stairs and returned to Garrett on Skype. “Sorry. It was Madison. You know how she can be.” Garrett chuckled.
“Of course I do. How’s she holding up with Nick being away?”
“Seeing as she’s here, probably not well. She needs a distraction and that’s what she wants me to be.” She shrugged.
“You’re a good friend.”
“DUH!” Mackenzie laughed as Madison entered the room.
“Whatcha doing?” Madison sat on Mackenzie’s bed and looked at the computer screen. “Hey, Garrett!”
“Hey, Madison. How have you been?”
“Pretty good. Yourself?”
“Good, good.” He chuckled.
“And the rest of the guys?”
“They’re all good, too.”
“Madison, we-” Mackenzie began.
“Oh my gosh, I’m sorry!” Madison stood up. “I’ll just leave you two alone.”
“MC.” Garrett said and made a face. Mackenzie sighed.
“I’m sorry. You can stay.” Mackenzie smiled.
“I just don’t want to bother you guys.” Madison frowned as her phone started ringing in her pocket. “Oh my gosh, it’s Nick!” She grinned. She ran out of the room, so she could talk to him downstairs.
“Well, there she goes.” Mackenzie laughed at her and Garrett continued their conversation.
“Hi.” Madison grinned once she answered Nick’s call.
“Hey.” Nick chuckled. “I’m here.”
“That was like the longest flight ever.” Madison whined.
“And you weren’t even on it.” He chuckled again.
“I know, but I had to wait for you and it was the longest wait of my whole life. Did you get any sleep?”
“Actually, I slept the whole way.”
“And the rest of the guys?”
“They didn’t sleep a wink.” They both laughed. “So, what are you up to?”
“Just bugging MC.”
“Of course. Did you sleep?”
“Well…”
“Madison!”
“I couldn’t sleep without knowing you had landed!”
“Don’t use me as an excuse! You hardly slept before I left and now you’ve been up all day and night. Go home and sleep!”
“But I can’t.” She pouted even though Nick couldn’t see it. She knew he could hear the pout in her voice.
“Madison, don’t say that. You’ll be just fine. I’ll only be gone for a week. I can’t be the reason you don’t sleep or eat or whatever. I’ll be back before you know it.”
“Okay, okay. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry.” Nick laughed. “I’m just looking out for you, like you were looking out for me. You need to think of a hobby or read a book series or something that will make the time pass by more quickly. It will be the perfect time for you to read the Harry Potter series.” He grinned.
“Now, we all know that’s never going to happen. I’ve seen the movies and that’s as far as that’s gonna go.” She chuckled.
“Damn, I just thought I’d try again.” He chuckled. “Alright, well, I’ve got to go to hotel and get things together. I’ll call you again when I can.”
“Alright.” She frowned.
“Now, go get some sleep!”
“Okay, I’m going home, now.”
“I love you, Madison.”
“I love you, too.” The two hung up and Madison went back upstairs. “Nick’s landed and everything’s good.” She told Mackenzie.
“That’s good.”
“He’s forcing me to go home. He’s a million miles away, yet, he’s telling me what to do. He says I need sleep.”
“Well, you do need sleep. You haven’t slept since before he left. Which was hours and hours ago.”
“I know.” She frowned. “So, I’m leaving, but you should come over tomorrow.”
“I will. Now, get outta here.” She chuckled.
“I’m gone!” Madison turned on her heel and went down the stairs.
Once she got home, she hopped into bed and got comfortable. She did her best to not think about Nick being gone and she managed to fall asleep quickly.

******
“Why did you tell Madison you slept the whole flight?” Justin asked when Nick hung up.
“Because I did.” Nick shrugged.
“No, you watched Tower of Terror, like, three times, then fell asleep, but woke up every hour until we got here. I hardly call that ‘sleeping the whole way.’” He smirked.
“So, I bent the truth a little bit. Either way, I’m awake and I slept more than you did.”
“Yeah, but I don’t have a girlfriend that’s all worried about me. I don what I want.”
“And that’s why you don’t have a girlfriend.” He ruffled Justin’s hair before entering his room. Justin rolled his eyes and went into his own room.
Nick got his things settled as he waited for the guys to be ready to get some dinner. They didn’t have a show until the next night, so they had some time to relax.
Justin knocked on Nick’s door before poking his head in.
“You ready to get some food?” He asked.
“Yep.” Nick grabbed his phone and shoved it into his pocket before following Justin out.
As they sat down to eat, Nick continuously checked his phone. Every time he checked, he had no notifications and he would sigh.
“She’s not going to text you.” Halvo said, noticing Nick check his phone for the 10th time in the past five minutes.
“What?” Nick asked.
“She’s not going to text you because you told her to go to sleep. Even if she’s not really sleeping, she’s not going to text you because she thinks you’ll get mad that she’s not asleep.
“Well, for your information, I’m not waiting for waiting for her to text me.”
“Oh, really?” Halvo smirked.
“Yep.” Nick put his phone away and finally started eating the now lukewarm food in front of him.
“What are you waiting on then?” Justin asked.
“Well, uhm, I…”
“I don’t know why you’re lying to us.” Andrew laughed. “We all know you miss her as much as she misses you.”
“Of course, I do! I just got her back and then I had to leave.” Nick frowned. “It just sucks that she can’t be here to experience this, that’s all.”
“Hey, you signed up for this lifestyle.” Halvo said.
“I know and I love it, you know that. I just-”
“Miss her. We know.” Halvo laughed. “Which is normal, but she’ll still be there when you get back. Just have fun and enjoy the time we have here because it’s brief. You’ll regret it if you don’t.” Nick sighed.
“Okay. Thanks, guys.” He smiled.
“Now, finish your food and then go get some rest. We have a lot to do tomorrow and it wouldn’t hurt to be well-rested.” Justin chuckled.
“Alright, Mom.” Nick laughed.
“Just doing my job.” Justin said in a high-pitched voice as he ruffled Nick’s hair from across the table.