Vote For Nick, I Mean Nicole!

Nicole sat and watched her friends have fun. She was chatting away with her other friends and danced often. Starr and Chloe were nowhere to be found.

After several songs, Chloe and Starr disappeared with Derek and Josh in different directions. God knows what they're doing now. And Nicole didn't really want to find out.She looked around at all the smiling faces. The laughter, the happiness, it made her happy too. It filled her lungs and made her want to do a crazy dance. So she did, just for the hell of it.

And even though she tried to ignore it, she got that feeling (once more) that someone was watching her from afar. And she was right, because when she turned around, Nick was watching her. And when she looked at him, he smiled a full frontal smile.

The worst thing about it was that she got all red faced and butterflies filled her stomach. Then he started to come her way. That freaked Nicole out and she quickly told her friends that she had to go to the bathroom and fled.

Nick furrowed his eyebrows, confused, but was still following after her. He couldn't follow much longer though. He stopped when Nicole went into the ladies room. That confused him more than ever! 'What's wrong with her! Nick thought. 'Can't she see that I've been trying to talk to her all night? Why is she avoiding me? I mean, I know, we haven't been the best of friends but I just want to talk it out. She looks so beautiful tonight...

Nicole looked in the mirror of the bathroom. She didn't understand why Nick kept trying to contact her. 'What's wrong with him!' She thought. 'Doesn't he see that I'm avoiding him? Why is he trying to talk to me! We hate each other for crying out loud! But oh, god, he's just so stunning...'

After Nicole fixed up her hair and makeup in the best way that she could without using any beauty supplies, she sighed and walked out of the bathroom. And to her dismay Nick was nearby waiting for her!

She quickly stopped in her tracks and went the other way, walking into the crowd of dancers. The object was to lose him in the crowd, and it worked because when she turned around, she didn't see Nick anywhere. Sighing with relief, Nicole decided to go outside into the garden that she had done the photo shoot in earlier in the day.Nicole turned the knob on the classic glass door.

The night was chilly and windy, but it felt good against Nicole's overheated skin. Like air conditioning after being outside on a hot summer day. But this time it was the other way around. Smiling, Nicole slowly walked over to the bench near the fountain, facing the beautiful ocean view several yards away from the garden. Goosebumps formed on her skin and her hair blew gently. She looked up at the night sky, and saw the glistening stars. 'how beautiful,' she thought. Then she glanced over at the moon. It was an especially beautiful golden color today, not its usual color. And then she thought about how many people in this world have looked up at the moon. From cavemen up until now, everyone has seen the moon. She wondered if any of them were ever as confused as Nicole was?

Then came the questions. What's going to happen now? Will Nick always try to talk to me? Why was he staring at me so much? Why am I afraid I know the answer to that one? Where are Starr and Chloe right now? And more importantly, why hasn't Nick rub his victory about the elections in my face yet? What is he waiting for?!'

She didn't have time to contemplate her questions, as someone cleared their throat behind her. "Ahem." Nicole turned around and her heart skipped a beat. Then two. He had seen her after all. She couldn't escape, and she didn't want to anymore. It was time to face him, once and for all. To ask him all her questions she'd been dying to know. She had a feeling that after this party was over, she and Nick would bury the hatchet and be friends again. And for some reason, she couldn't wait.

He smiled shyly at her. It was so cute, Nicole couldn't help but to smile back. Nick looked down at the ground, red coloring his face. That's when Nicole finally noticed Nick's costume. He made it from his own wardrobe. He wore a black leather jacket, black skinny jeans, black t-shirt, and his hair looked like he stepped out of the fifties. He looked like a better version of Danny from Grease. No offense to John Travolta of course.

But why was Nick blushing now? Why was he acting so shy? Nicole wanted to know but didn't ask. But Nick was acting shy because now he could actually talk to her. Alone. Just the two of them, with no one else around. And he just felt more nervous being alone with her than being with her with a group of people.

"Hey," he said.
"Hi," she said back.
"Whatcha doing?" he asked.
"Um, nothing really."
"Well can I join you?"
"In doing nothing, you mean? You want to join me in doing nothing?"
"Well, yeah, as long as i'm with you..." he mumbled that last part. Then spoke up again. "So can I?"

"Err, sure,"she patted the seat next to her. Nick smiled and sat down about three inches away from Nicole. This, odd enough, didn't make Nicole uncomfortable. She actually...she put the thought out of her mind then. Looking straight ahead of her at the crashing waves, she was aware of nothing but Nick next to her. He was gazing at her. Then she stole a glance in his direction. He looked away quickly and it made Nicole giggle. She looked away from him as he gazed back.

After a while of sneaking little glances at each other, Nicole shivered from the cold. She rubbed her arms and her teeth clattered. "Cold?" Nick asked.

"Oh, what gave it away? My shivering or my teeth clattering? Or are you just psychic?" Nicole said sarcastically. Nick rolled his eyes and smirked.

"Well that's what you get for wearing such a tiny little dress!" he retorted.

'Now here's the Nick I know and and...sort of tolerate-ish!' Nicole thought. Because believe it or not, she actually enjoyed fighting with Nick. It was their way of communicating, their own way of getting along, if that made any sense. Nicole didn't realize it before, but their fighting is their friendship. She just had an epiphany.

Nick proceeded to take off his leather jacket and give it to Nicole. She rolled her eyes at him but smiled and took the jacket. It smelled wonderful. She looked at the fountain near them. The water was glowing a crystal blue. "But you look nice though," he murmured. She blushed and looked away, biting the inside of her lip.

Nick smiled, he knew. Then he kept gazing at her, but it was a soft look. She gazed back at him, once her cheeks went back to it's normal pale pink shade. This time though, Nick was closer to her. Really close. She looked into his caramel brown orbs and felt her heart speed up. It was beating a million beats per second; she hoped Nick didn't notice. He seemed too concentrated on Nicole's lips though, and he seemed to be getting even closer to her.

Nicole knew what was happening too. Every second that passed by, she felt the kiss getting closer. Nick's lips opened slightly, and now his face was just centimeters away. Nicole could feel and smell his warm minty breath mixed in with his cologne at this point. She began to wonder, 'What will happen after this kiss? After the party? Will we go back to hating each other or just become friends? Will we become more than friends? Is it too late to stop the kiss at this point? Do I even want to stop it?!"

Before she could answer though, Starr came rushing to where both Nick and Nicole sat, very close together. "Nikki!" Starr yelled out. Startled, the two teenagers moved away quickly and turned their heads to Starr. She finally caught up to them, but she was out of breath so she put her hands on her knees and bent over to catch her breath.

Whatever she was going to say couldn't wait, and she seemed to not notice was was about to happen between Nick and Nicole.

"Nikiii, you need, to come quick," she panted, "there's people here, and they're not in-invited," another pause, "they're crashing your, party!" Nicole's eyes widened and she stood up. She gave Nick her jacket back now. He took it, but didn't put it on.

"What?! What are they doing?!" She asked quickly. And looked at the mansion.

Starr stood up straight and with alarmed eyes that didn't seem to notice the curly-haired boy that glared at her, she grabbed Nicole's hand and rushed her into the mansion.