"Good morning Winters!" I say cheerfully buckling my seatbelt to which he chuckled slightly and responded.
"So where in the world are we going to?" I ask him curiously
"On our honeymoon" he taunts and my eyes grow wide as he chuckled at my reaction.
"Seriously? We are not even married yet! Not to talk of engaged!" I say and playfully swat his arm.
"Chill Nikki! Its just a cheeky answer I gave you" he says and pulls out of the driveway into the road.
"So much for being cheeky!" I scoff.
"So how did the date go?" Jake asks and I swallow hard. I saw it coming. I knew he would ask.
"It was absolutely lovely! We went to one of the fanciest restaurants and we joked and laughed having a good time together" I summarize trying to see if I could trace jealousy on Jake's face. His face is undecipherable and I sigh defeated.
"Did you tell him the truth about your feelings?" Jake asks, his voice demanding.
"I erh...."I trail off trying to get something to say.
" I guess I will take that as a no!"Jake says exasperatedly.
"Its not easy telling it to his face Jake!" I quickly say defensively.
"Not easy? Well was it easy for me telling Kate to the face?" Jake retaliates with the vein on his neck standing out
"I know it wasn't but my case is different from yours" I interject
"What makes it different?" Jake yells and glares at me before looking back onto the road.
"You and Kate just became friends recently! I even doubt you know her smallest details like her shoe size" I say ending with a chuckle to which he also chuckles
"Shoe size? Seriously?" He says between laughs.
"It may sound funny but Aaron knows mine and I know his. We have been friends for a long time and he has always been there for me. Its difficult." I finally end with a frustrated sigh with thoughts of Helen pondering in my mind.
"You are just going to hurt him in the end Nicole! You should have fucking told him!" Jake cusses.
"Would you stop cussing at me! At least I don't have a picture of Aaron under my damn pillow!" I spit venomously and I see Jake's cheeks redden.
"Besides, Aaron understands I don't have feelings for him but he is still ready to fight for my love" I add up and I see Jake's face soften.
"What did you mean?" He asks tenderly
"What?"
"The picture! Did you see the picture of Helen under my pillow?" He asks more softly and it breaks my heart. Whenever it comes to her, he is so gentle and human. He will still love her.
"Yes I did! Its not like I was going through your stuff but I saw a part of it and just took a look" I answer but he doesn't look at me. He stares straight ahead looking on the road as he drives.
"You still love her right? Jake please don't play with my feelings okay? If you still love her just let me be with Aaron! At least, he is transparent and he loves me"
Jake tenses beside me and I hear his jaw tick. He stops the car parking at a small parking space and then looks at me. His grey eyes have this undecipherable look in them. Was he hurt? Sad? Angry?
"Do you prefer him?" Jake asks taking his gaze off me but I could feel hurt in his voice.
"Who?" I ask confused.
"Aaron" he deadpans and my breath hitches.
"I'll take your silence as a yes! He has been your childhood friend right? You don't wanna lose him. So sweet" Jake deadpans looking at the sky. I follow his gaze and its already cloudy about to rain. Typical of October.
"Jake its not that but---" he cuts me off mid sentence
"But what Nikki?" He yells raucously at me.
"You always manage to hurt me!" He adds and I furrow my eyebrows in confusion
"Excuse me? You were the one who hurt me first when I saw that damn picture of that.....that...girl" I spit frustratedly.
"Don't use that tone on her! You don't know her!" Jake threatens and I flinch in surprise but I chuckle
"You will continue to love her Jake! Just say it" I demand
"So you doubted all that I said to you about my feelings right? Well yeah! I love Helen! I'm still madly in love with her and I can't stop thinking about her" Jake blurts and my eyes flood with tears.
"Happy now?" He adds when he is done without looking at me.
"I knew you were deceiving me! Never come close to me again! Aaron is a thousand times better than you!" I spit and I see his expression darken as I climb out of his car and shut the door. He doesn't follow me but I stop a cab and climb in.
I give the driver Alec's address and we were down the road. I don't look back at Jake's car. I made my neck so stiff that I didn't want to look back. Tears roll down my cheeks as I think about what he just said to me like twenty seconds ago or so.
"So you doubted all that I said to you about my feelings right? Well yeah! I love Helen! I'm still madly in love with her and I can't stop thinking about her" Jake blurts
I have never cried like this before. I felt like such a loner. He still loved her! That ghost who is now in heaven or wherever she went to! I guess he would never love any one else apart from her. Its obvious! I hate this! Maybe Alec would cheer me up a bit.
ððð
"Nikki! What a lovely surprise. I haven't seen you since Friday" Alec says when he opens the door.
"Oh Alec!" I say and hug him. He hugs back even though he was surprised.
We break apart and I sniff.
"What happened? You still haven't found Trina? Or did something bad happen to her?" Alec rolls out the questions and I shake my head looking at his messy hair and concerned expression.
"We found her" I told him and he smiles.
"That's great. Madison is here with her dad discussing some issues with my dad about the pregnancy" Alec says looking down on the ground.
"How is it going?" I ask him wiping my face.
He smiles slightly.
"They are deciding we move to another country and start a new life there far away from the critics cause my dad is popular and the press is always after his life" Alec half joked and I chuckled as he joined me outside to talk. We walk together to a summer hut in the house and sit down.
"Or I decide to take the baby and Madison and I would get married when we are adults here despite the critics instead of leaving to another country" Alec adds up with a dejected look on his face.
"With the two options, I still have to live with her so" he shrugs and I sigh. He also loved me genuinely unlike Jake who just played with my feelings.
"So which option are you going to choose?" I ask him
"I'll take the first one. I have my reasons though. I know I'm being a bit selfish but I cannot disgrace my dad in front of the press like that" Alec says with a sigh.
"So when are you leaving Washington?" I ask horrified. I will really miss him. He was such a nice person to admit.
"As soon as my daughter is born" he says with a small smile and I'm shocked.
"Its a girl?" I blurt
"Yes. We had an ultrasound yesterday" he says with a chuckle.
"She is beautiful to admit" he adds.
"I can't wait to see her born" I tell him honestly
"Me too" he says with a chuckle.
"So which state will the two of you be going to?" I ask him
He sighs.
"I wanted to go to California but Madison wants another country. What was the name again?" He asks trying to remember the name.
"Hawaii" he says quickly.
"Cool! Its a nice country" I compliment
"Yeah. " Alec says with a smile.
"But why do you choose California?"
"I just want to go to college there. Heard of University of California?"
I nod
"Yeah! Its been my dream to go there" he says.
"What about you? Which college?" Alec asks.
"WSU. Although I wish I could go to Paris and study there! Maybe I can see the Eiffel tower too"
"Why don't you go to Paris?" Alec asks
"Depends on my parents"
"But WSU is also cool. Its just that you have lived here for quite too long" Alec joked and I laugh. My anger slowly dissipating.
"I'll really miss you if you go but then, I would love to be your soon to be born daughter's godmother" I tell him honestly
"Are you serious?" Alec says with a chuckle and I nod.
"Okay if you wish"
"Nikki! You are here" Alec's mom greets me out of the blue followed by Thomas and Lucas who were busy playing games on their tablets.
"Yes" I reply and she pecks me lightly on the cheek.
"I'm so delirious to see you again! I thought you would never visit us anymore" she said
"Oh no! Besides I understand everything Alec has told me"
She smiles
"Sincerely, I wished my son ended up with you but unfortunately he got a girl pregnant" Alec's mom states with clear disdain and I see Alec shift uncomfortably.
"But then, I have another son! He may not be my blood but he is still my son. You can---" Alec's mom begins and I cut her off.
"No I found someone else already. Thanks for the offer anyways" I tell her and I see disappointment written all over her face. Alec too was about to cut her off but was interrupted by Lucas.
"Oh that's too bad! But if you become available again, he will be the right choice" she states and I nod with a small smile.
"You are also free to come visit us anytime! You are welcome here" she says before leaving. She was nice like her son.
I glance at the time and its noon already. I sigh. Its still cloudy and I wish I could be in my room right now sulking in my bed. Alec is leaving as soon as the baby girl is born! I am going to really really really miss him. He was like Aaron in a way. Always there for me! No wonder they were such friends!
"I won!" Lucas screeches all of a sudden making my heart skip a beat.
He begins to do his victory dance in front of Thomas and I chuckle. Alec chuckles too seeing the annoyed scowl on Thomas' face.
"I better go now" I tell Alec standing up.
"Won't you stay for a while. Besides you haven't spoken to Madison"
I shake my head
"I don't wanna spend much time here! It will be raining anytime soon" I tell him sincerely and he smiles sympathetically
"Alec!" Someone calls and I see Madison walking towards us. Her dark hair bouncing at her back.
"Your dad said...." She trails off when her eyes meet mine.
"Hello Madison! Remember me?" I say politely and she nods unpleasantly scanning me from head to toe.
"You are Nikki right?" Madison blurts and I nod. She remembered my name.
"I'm guessing Alec already told you that we will be staying together soon" she says dryly and I know she is trying to draw a line here. She wants me to stay away from Alec.
"Yes he did and I understand everything. I have found someone else so don't sweat over it" I reply and the colour on her face drains making me smirk.
"That's great! Alec your dad says get inside right now" she snaps before smiling at me one last time.
"I'll see you later Nikki" she sang and walked back into the house with her protruding belly. She was really possessive.
"I will leave now! See you tomorrow" I say and Alec smiles.
"Bye Nikki" he sang as I walked to the front if his house and took the bus home.
I sat by an old man in the bus and just fiddle with my phone.
"Nikki?" A familiar voice squeaks and I turn around to see Jenna.
"Oh hey Jenna!" I say happy to see her. I was starting to feel lonely.
"Danny! Wake up! Nikki is here!" Jenna says giggling.
"Danny is here?" I ask and she nods pulling his head towards me. He opens his left eye with the right one shut
"Nikki?" He moaned and I chuckle.
Then he opened the right eye and smiled rubbing the sleep off his face.
"Where are you guys going?" I ask them.
"To the mall"Jenna says with a shrug.
" what about you!"she asks
"Going home" I state
"Why don't you join us if you have nothing doing at home? Troy and Kimberly will be there. I think Claire too"
"Okay. I'll go" I reply and Jenna smiles gratefully.
ððð
We finally arrived at the mall and I got down with Jenna and Danny. My heart is still heavy from what happened earlier today between me and that jerk. I think I'm evolving into the soft hearted Nicole I used to be. I need to be heartless again. Melissa was right about people. They will just walk over you.
"Hey guys! You made it!.... Nikki?" Troy asks astounded.
"I invited her too" Jenna quickly chirped.
"No problemo!" Troy says with a smile.
"At least I've got a partner now" Claire says delighted
"These couples are really getting on my nerves smooching everywhere they please" Claire whispers in my ear and I giggle.
"Okay let's go to Starbucks" Kimberly announces and we all head there. We all enter and sit on a large round table. We begin to chit chat.
"I will buy our drinks. What do you guys want?" Danny asks
"Are you sponsoring us?" Claire asks with a huge grin on her face.
"Seems like it! I won a voucher from Starbucks" Danny says pulling out a notebook and a pen like a waiter.
"Cool" Claire chirps
"I would want a hot caramel macchiato with extra whipped cream" Kimberly chirps first and Danny scribbles it.
"I would love a steaming cup of Sumatra" Troy follows.
"I would just take a cappuccino with extra cinnamon" Claire follows.
"You know what I always take" Jenna says with a grin to Danny and he grins too writing it down.
"Mmm interesting" Troy coos making me laugh.
"Nikki! Your order" Danny says looking at me expectantly
I wonder what will relax my nerves right now.
"I would love a green tea latte" I tell him and he scribbles it.
"I will get your drinks here soon" he assures and goes to join the long line of customers.
Hi! It's me!
How was this chapter? I know most of you are sad because Jake and Nicole fought over Helen again. It gets better! I know what I'm doing so please stick and stay! I appreciate all those who have been reading and voting! Kudos to you all!
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