Fool Everyone

I took my time getting ready to go. I knew driving in a can with my brother and his best friend who I had possibly just slept with was going to be hella awkward. But I knew I couldn't delay it forever so I trudged out of the hotel.

It didn't take long for things to get uncomfortable. Andrew had apparently overslept and missed Eric's meltdown with Nick. He took one look at his singer and smirked.
"Damn Nick, that's a pretty nice hickey you got there! Glad one of us got some action!"

Everyone went silent as Nick turned a bright pink. "I...I didn't get any action..." he slowly responded. His voice sounded like he was hiding something. My stomach began to churn.

Andrew could feel the deception in his voice too. "Lies! Come on dude, who is that from! And don't lie this time dude or else I'll kick you in the balls so hard you won't be able to sing fo-"

"IT'S FROM ALLIE OKAY?!" he blurted out. I swore the world stopped turning as everyone looked from Nick to me. "Wait stop not like that! She bit me!" Justin and Andrew started to smirk at me. Is dying from embarrassment possible? "Stop trying to make it sexual guys! She....she uh...she thought I was Eric!"

Nicholas. What are you doing. Just stop talking.

"No!!!" He was getting exasperated now. "She thought...I was Eric and being overprotective...and she got all bitchy...and she bit me...it's nothing kinky guys stop going down that path."

All eyes flickered between me and Nick. Everyone was thinking the same thing: Was Nick lying? Could Halvo's baby sister really have given the great Santino a hickey?

I thanked God for Justin as he finally broke the tension. "Hey I mean, if Eric was being overprotective and mean to me like he is with Allie, I'd probably go bite him too! I don't blame you at all girl. Nick probably had it coming." Nick rolled his eyes and the two of them pushed each other around playfully. The guys all laughed and began to load up the van. I was still sweating like a whore in church, but at least the guys had all let it go.

At least, most of them had. There was one glaring exception. Nick ignored me for the entire ride to the next venue. It was like I wasn't even there. Even after we arrived and I helped load in, I didn't even get so much as a "thanks" from him. He looked for any excuse to stay away from me. This was even worse than his normal rude ways!

I was starting to get fed up so I called Deanna for more advice. However, a love-sick best friend isn't such a great place to go for guy problems.

"I don't know why he's being so mean...I just guess not every guy can be as wonderful as my Jarry..." she sighed into the phone.
"Stop that. You're gonna make me vomit."
"It's true!" she giggled. "He's just so lovely...no one can compare to him..."
"Yes. I know. You love your ginger. Can you help me now?!"

She huffed at me. "You need to talk to him. Get inside his head...and more importantly in his pants..."
I yelled at her, but agreed to talk to him about whatever the hell was going on between us.

I hung up with Deanna and went to hunt down Nick. I saw that he was alone warming up his voice for the show and decided to corner him. "Hey Nick...can I talk to you?"

He pretended not to hear me and continued with his wailing. Not giving up, I poked him. "Nick. I need to talk to you. Now." He groaned and glared at me.
"I'm kinda busy at the moment and I really don't have the time for you ok?!"

I stamped my foot angrily. "I don't care! What the hell did I do to you?! Why are you being so incredibly rude and hateful to me?!"
"I'm not being rude! I'm just busy!"
"Oh bullshit Nick! You've been ignoring me since last night! You're avoiding me like the fucking plague! If I didn't know any better, I'd think that maybe I DID give you that hickey! I'm starting to wonder if you're acting like this because we might have slept together!"

He laughed. "Slept together?! You really think I would be stupid enough to sleep with you? I would NEVER do something so dumb!"

I stared at him as my pride shattered. "Something so...dumb? What I'm not pretty enough or good enough for you? I'm so far below your standards?" His bravado fell immediately. "No Al, that's not what I mea-"
"No. It is what you meant. It's fine. I get it." I felt my throat closing up. "I wouldn't want me either. I'm just Eric's ugly baby sister." I ran past him as drops of salt water fell from my eyes.

I sat outside the venue crying for a while. It was pathetic I told myself. I didn't even have feelings for him! So I wasn't good enough for the great lady-slayer Nick Santino. What did I care? He meant nothing to me. I could never have feelings for someone so heartless.

...at least that's what I told myself.