Some Things Are Meant To Be

--Bailey’s POV--
The phone rang, and rang. Finally, Nick picked up. “Hello?” he asked.

I had been stressing earlier about figuring out what I needed to tell Nick, and how to tell it. When I finally figured out my story, I waited a while, trying to procrastinate. Finally, I manned up, and had dialed his number.

Taking a deep breath, I started to talk. “His name was Jake,” I said.

“Wh—”

I continued talking before he could finish speaking that single word. I had to get this over with. “Don’t talk, just listen. He was a singer, and he acted in a few big plays that travelled nationwide. He wasn’t super famous, but he was pretty well known. He made it to Broadway once or twice.

“Three years ago, we started to go out. He was everything someone could ask for, I mean, he was nice, and good looking, and he had a good reputation. I had a bunch of friends back then. I still hung out with them, even though I was with Jake. Our relationship was going great.

“One day, Jake started questioning me about the guys that I hung out with. He didn’t like the fact that I was hanging out with so many of my guy friends, and he wouldn’t let me hang out with them. He always made sure that if I was anywhere, I was at a girl’s house or with my family. It got to the point where he wouldn’t let me out of his sight, and I lost touch with all of my friends. He was just becoming a total jerk.

“He would get angry with me a lot, too. There were people that followed him around. If we were in public, and there were people around, and I did something that he thought was embarrassing, he would get angry with me. If I was at a play that he was in, and I slipped up, if I did something wrong, he would always get so angry with me. He told me that he didn’t want to ruin his image. He would tell me that he liked me, but the next time I slipped up, he would get angry again.

“He wanted me to break all the rules. There were parties past curfew, there was beer. There were so many things that he wanted me to do that either I didn’t believe in or my parents wouldn’t allow me to do. He got me in trouble so many times.

“He just got angrier, and I wondered if he was worth it.” This part was the worst part. I could feel a knot in my throat, telling me that a good cry was coming on. Don’t cry, you big baby, I thought. “Once, I did something that was really screwed up in his opinion. I don’t really remember what it was, because I’ve tried to block everything out of my memory. But we were at his house one time, his parents were gone, he was yelling, and he cornered me. He hit me.” I began to cry. Ugh, I couldn’t believe I was crying like this. “He hit me hard.”

There was silence on the other line. I didn’t know if he was still there, but I heard him take a deep breath, as if he was about to talk. I was sure he could hear me blubbering like a baby. “Bailey, don’t cr—”

“Anyway, that’s why I can’t be friends with you. Ever. Because all famous people, no matter what, turn out to be jerks, one way or another.”

Before he could reply, I hung up my phone and tossed it on my bed. I rolled over to put my face in my pillows, so that no one could hear me cry.

--Nick’s POV--
How do you think it feels to bug somebody for weeks about being your friend and then have them tell you a heart wrenching story about their past?

I’ll go ahead and tell you. Awful. I didn’t know what to think, what to say. I kept the pressed to my ear even after Bailey had hung up. He hit her. I didn’t know who this Jake guy was, but I already hated him.

Realizing that I still had the phone pressed to my ear, I pressed the off button and put it on my bedside table. I sat there for a moment, contemplating my situation. So, Bailey thought that all famous people were full of themselves. She thought that all famous people were jerks. She thought that I would end up hurting her.

I had to prove to her that I wasn’t that kind of guy. Bailey had to know that I wouldn’t do that to her, or anyone, for that matter, ever. There had to be a way to show this to her. I would do it. I would go to her house every day, I would call her, send her texts…no. That would show I was full of myself; it would make me seem spoiled. I knew that some time I would find a way to work this all out.

I didn’t think that I could talk to her, just yet. She seemed pretty upset, which was another thing that confused me. She had been putting on this tough girl act ever since I had met her outside of my house. Was that all an act? Was Bailey a totally different person than I ever knew?

--Bailey’s POV--
Later that day, Carly and I were sitting in her backyard on the swings.

“So, you told him, huh?” Carly asked. “What did he say?”

“I didn’t let him say anything. I was already crying on the phone. I didn’t want him to think I was a baby. I didn’t want his sympathy. That would be the last thing that I would need if I don’t want to be his friend.”

“I’m sorry that I gave him your phone number. I had totally forgotten about that whole thing. I feel really bad,” Carly said, looking at me.

“It’s ok,” I told her. “At least my life is somewhat interesting now, right?” I laughed. “I kind of like the drama. It’ll get old later, but for now, it’s kind of fun.”

“Or…” I could tell that Carly was choosing her words carefully. “Maybe you just let him do all this stuff because you want to see him!”

I shot her a glare, and she hung her head. “Sorry.”

--Nick’s POV--
I waited a day. I let Bailey calm down a little bit and gather her thoughts. One day probably wasn’t enough for what she had been through, but I had to see her. I had to talk to her.

Against my better judgment, I picked up my car keys and headed to Bailey’s house. When I got there, I saw Bailey on her driveway, taking out the trash.

I snuck up on her. “Bailey!” I said.

“OH. MY. GOD,” Bailey shouted, jumping. She turned around and saw me, and immediately crossed her arms. “Don’t DO that to me! What are you doing here, anyway? I told you, if it wasn’t clear to you yesterday, I’m not going to be your friend!” her voice escalated until she was yelling very, very loudly.

She headed toward the steps that led to her front door, but I ran ahead of her and got on the middle step, putting my arms up on the rails like a barricade.

“How many times do I have to tell you,” Bailey said through gritted teeth, “to stay out of my life?” The anger in her eyes, against her knowledge, turned to pain. “I just want you gone, ok?”

“No. Not ok. Bailey, I’m going to show you that I’m not the type of guy that you think I am, no matter what it takes. I’m determined to win you over.”

Bailey rolled her eyes and threw her hands up. “I don’t understand what makes you so interested in me anyway! I mean, there are plenty of girls out there who would love to have you around! Why waste your time on me?”

“Because,” I said, hopping down and getting within two inches of her face. “I think you’re special and different. In a good way.”

With that, I brushed past her shoulder and headed home.