Chapter One: Men Suck

Nick sat there listening intently to the voices coming from the speakers, trying to make sure everything sounded perfect, especially his part he didn’t need anymore badgering from the guys for not hitting the right note.  He jumped when his sidekick began to shake across the table.  He laughed at himself and then picked it up. “What?” He asked gruffly annoyed at being interrupted.

An all too familiar voice replied, “Well I was just calling to see what you’d like for dinner, geez Carter get a grip.”

“Mack, I’m sorry here call on the studio line and I’ll be able to talk more because my phone is dying on me.” He answered back rattling off the number for her.  He hung up and waited for her to call back.  When she did he clicked on the speakerphone.

“So from your intensely agitated tone I can tell that recording isn’t going so well today?” Alyssa asked a little concerned.

Nick sighed and answered, “Well it’s going ok, just Kevin is being a jackass about this one part where it doesn’t sound just right.”

Alyssa laughed a little, “Probably just being a perfectionist, like you had told me he is.”

“More like Kristin is pissed at him for one reason or another, and he isn’t getting laid.” Nick retorted.

Alyssa snickered, “Ok way too much information, besides how in the hell do you know if he’s getting laid or not.”

Nick chuckled a bit as the guys walked back in from getting lunch, “You’d be surprised Mack, anyways I have to go I’ll see you tonight, bye hon.” And with that he hung up.

Howie laughed at Nick’s jumpiness, “Who was that, a new girlfriend?”  He said while AJ made kissing noises.

Nick glared at the both of them, “No, just my good friend Mack.”

“And when are we going to meet this mysterious Mack you keep talking about?” Brian asked curiously.

“Actually, tomorrow.” Nick answered.

AJ promptly got up and felt Nick’s forehead with the back of his hand, “Oh my God I think it’s serious, he finally gave us a straight answer.”  He exclaimed while being swat at by Nick.  “Ok sorry, how do you know this Mack guy?”

Nick busted out laughing, “Mack isn’t a guy.” He said between laughs.

Brian looked bewildered, “Umm, then why the name?”

“Mack is her nickname; her full name is Alyssa Mackenzie Monroe.” Nick said after controlling his laughter.  “She’s my roommate, well housemate; she’s awesome, she cooks and everything.   She met Leslie at summer camp back in 1995 and they kept in touch. So my genius sister invited Alyssa to her birthday the following year and that’s when I met her, and been best friends ever since.”

“Is she hot?” AJ asked unashamedly.

“To be perfectly honest, yeah she is, I have a couple of pictures of her if you want to see for yourself.” Nick replied as he pulled out his wallet pulling out a couple pictures of them both handing them to AJ. 

AJ eyed the first picture, of a tall brunette standing next to Nick wearing board shorts and a tank top with the strings of her bikini top showing.  The next was a picture of Alyssa looking at the camera with a glare, wearing a black polo shirt, jeans with small rips with frayed edges, and a pair of flip-flops. Standing in between two other girls with equally pissed expressions “She looks pissed in this one.” He said.

“Yeah she’s not so much pissed as much as she is sarcastic in that picture that I took.”

“Who’s the red-head?” AJ asked passing the pictures on to Brian.

“The red-head is Lori, a little older than Alyssa, and the blonde is Kellie, whose a year behind Alyssa in school because Alyssa’s quite the over achiever.” Nick replied.  “Also they play soccer together at UCLA and their nickname is Triple Trouble.”

“Why are they called that?” Kevin asked.

“Well think Samantha, Miranda, and Carrie from Sex and the City and that’s them.  They talk like them, act like them, hell even quote the damn show.  They’re hilarious to hang out with but be careful if you’re the only guy and they are all single, talk about male bashing but they leave me out of it. Plus they are wild out on the field, they all play forward and they work together so well that the team is really going to miss Lori and Alyssa when the graduate in December.” Nick explained seeing the amused looks on the guys’ faces.

“I wonder which one Alyssa is like?” Brian asked not so subtly implying something.

“She’s most like Carrie, with Samantha’s imagination.” Nick replied getting shocked expressions from everyone.  “What? It’s her favorite show we watch it all the fucking time. And if you were wondering I have not slept with her, my God she’s innocent everywhere except her mind, which by the way is entertaining to say the least.”

“Why?” Howie asked completely intrigued.

“Because she’s a virgin that doesn’t have a virgin mind, she’s got a wild imagination.” Nick answered.

“You’re kidding right?” AJ asked.

“Nope, not kidding, she has a guy’s mentality about sex yet can be a complete girly girl when she’s around her asshole boyfriend Tom.”

“You jealous?” Kevin asked noting Nick’s overly protective tone.

“No, just protective of my girl that’s all.”

“But if she has a boyfriend then she isn’t your girl.” Brian shot back.

Nick glared at him, “Ok enough about my private life can we please get back to recording?” He exclaimed as all the guys chuckled and agreed to go get to work.

Later on that day…

Nick paced around his living room waiting for Alyssa to get back from grocery shopping.  Somehow she had convinced him to stay home and keep working on a song that Kevin had been bugging him about.  He heard the car pull into the drive and walked out, taking the bags from the back of the car and walking inside. Alyssa followed with the bags from the trunk of the car laughing a little under her breath knowing he'd been waiting for her.

When they reached the kitchen they unloaded the bags into the near empty refrigerator.  Afterwards Nick eyed Alyssa going towards the message machine to check messages.  “I wouldn't play that back if I were you.” He warned.

But to no avail she pressed play anyways. “Hey Ali its Tom, I'm going to have to cancel dinner tonight.” He paused, “And well uh this just isn't working for me.  I can't wait forever for someone to let me in.  I just can't understand how you can let him in and not me.  But yeah I hope you find what you're looking for. Bye Ali, have a good life.”

Alyssa turned around with an eerie blank expression on her face and promptly walked out of the kitchen, up the stairs to her bedroom.  Shocked by her lack of a reaction Nick followed her seeing her clothes strewn every which way on the way to the bathroom door, which was closed.  He knocked lightly on the oak door.

“Come on in it's not like you can see anything anyways.” Alyssa called out from under the scalding hot spray.  Nick walked in throwing her clothes in the hamper, then walking over propping himself up on the counter near the sink.

“Are you ok Mack?” He asked tentatively.

She looked over her shoulder at him through the only transparent part of the shower doors. “I'll be fine it's just I should have expected it is all and I didn't.” She answered.  She then rinsed off and turned off the shower, grabbing the towels hanging over the top of the doors and dried herself off.  Wrapping the towel around herself she walked over to the mirror, grimacing at her reflection as she took the pins out of her hair letting it fall down past the middle of her back in light wavy curls.

Nick noticed her grimace, “What are you frowning about?”

Alyssa looked at him, seeing curiosity in his eyes. “Just that I feel old now, since I'm turning 21 and now I have no date to my birthday party Friday night.” She ran a hand through her long dark hair.  Then she walked into her bedroom and into her walk-in closet shutting the door to change while Nick went over and sat on the edge of her bed.

She emerged a few minutes later wearing her navy blue silk drawstring pants and a light blue lace edged tank top.  She scratched her belly button lifting her shirt a little standing in front of Nick.  He reached out grabbing her hand and pulled her to sit next to him.  “Hey I believe you have a standing offer for your birthday.” Nick replied pulling her into a hug.

“Oh joy, spend my birthday with you, just what I’ve always wanted!” Alyssa retorted sarcastically.  She smiled at him letting him know she was just kidding.

Nick sighed, “This sarcasm thing is never going to get you a guy you realize this?”

Alyssa punched his arm, “Yeah and the tortured puppy trick will only work on blonde bimbos for so long, Carter.” She shot back.  “Sorry just a little pissed that he broke up with me on the answering machine, that’s almost as bad as breaking up with someone on a post-it.  God why can’t I get a guy like Big or Aidan rolled into one, why must I keep getting these crap boyfriends who can’t even break up properly.”

“Maybe because they are fictional characters from a TV show?  Honey, I’m sorry but I tried telling you Tom was an asshole, but would you listen, no.  And the reason why you haven’t found anyone is because you’re looking too hard.  Maybe you just need to sit back and see what’s in front of you before you start searching for something not many people can find.”

Alyssa sighed, “You know you are super depressing ever since you broke up with Miss Princess Slut Puppy.”

Nick laughed knowing that she was referring to Paris, “Paris was an escape and you know that, with all the parental drama, I needed a distraction for a while.  Besides I couldn’t have whom I really wanted anyways so I went with the easy choice. And you’re never going to stop calling her that huh?  Not that I mind really.”

Alyssa looked at him quizzically, “Either that or Stick-bitch.  Anyways who did you really want?”

“I don’t want to get into that right now, what’s done is done, can’t change it and I learned a lot about myself from that relationship and who and what I really want out of life.  And also, we’re both single now and Friday’s your birthday…”

“The pact I know, and I’m ok with it. I made this with you almost five years ago and you know me I won’t back down from a promise.” Alyssa replied.

Nick got up from where he was, “You’re sure, because if you aren’t ready it doesn’t have to happen, especially if you think it might ruin our friendship, because that comes first.”

“Why are you so nervous about this? I can see it in your eyes you’re afraid of something.”

“Why are you so calm about this?” Nick paused. “OK we’re going to talk about this later, let’s go make dinner.” Nick said as he left the room to go down to the kitchen.

Alyssa laughed to herself, “Nice save Carter.” She mumbled lightly as she followed him down the stairs. 

He pulled what they needed out of the refrigerator, ignoring that Alyssa was staring at him waiting for an answer.  He turned around and asked, “You going to help or are you just going to stand there all night?”

Alyssa laughed at his avoidance of the topic and walked over and pushed him out of the way, “You know you can’t cook.” And began to prepare their dinner.

After dinner Alyssa was holed up in her room furiously typing away on her laptop erasing and restarting her last chapter of her thesis.  Nick knocked on her door lightly.  “Come on in.” Alyssa shouted over the sounds of Metallica’s The Black Album, which she promptly paused when he walked carrying a steaming cup of tea, and a plate of Oreos.

“Thought you could use a break.” Nick smiled shyly.

Alyssa smiled back in relief that one chapter the last of her thesis had been getting to her and she needed the relaxation. “Why is it that you always know what I need before I do?” She asked as he handed her the plate and mug and sat on her bed. 

“Maybe because I know you better than I know myself, so it’s easy to predict you.” Nick smiled back as she began to munch on the cookies.

She chuckled a bit, “That’s kind of disturbing.  But anyways your sister called complaining how she hasn’t gotten an invitation to my party yet. Didn’t you send them out?” Alyssa asked.

Nick looked around trying to remember, “Yeah I sent them out three weeks ago, besides she doesn’t even need an invitation, and which one are you talking about?”

“Leslie, she’s all pissed since I was her friend before you and all.” Alyssa reminded.

Nick rolled his eyes, “Then she should have moved cross country to live with you then, geez.”

Alyssa put the plate and mug on her nightstand and put her laptop on a nearby pillow.  She then scooted over to him and laid her head on his shoulder, “Tom called my cell phone tonight.”

“And what did that low-life have to say for himself?” Nick asked not even trying to hide his hatred for her now ex-boyfriend.

Alyssa sighed and replied; “He said that he was sorry for breaking up with me on the answering machine, that he wanted to do it in person but just couldn’t.  Also he told me he couldn’t date anyone who couldn’t kiss properly after I told him that it was rude and cowardly to break up like that.”

“He told you what?!?!?” Nick exclaimed.

“In a nut shell, I suck at kissing.” Alyssa replied frustrated.

Nick thought a moment, “Stand up.” He somewhat commanded.

Alyssa looked at him strangely, “What in the hell are you smoking?”

“Just do it.” He shot back as he stood up as well.

Alyssa complied and before she could say anything Nick pulled her into a kiss.  She was shocked, wanted to pull away but didn’t, somehow she felt extremely comfortable with her present situation.  A few seconds later they pulled apart a little out of breath.  Alyssa’s eyes stayed closed still lost in the kiss.  When she did open her eyes she was met with his that had turned a dark blue, the intensity shocked her.  “What the hell was that?” She asked.

“Proving the asshole wrong, you’re better at that then most of the girls I have dated.” Nick answered kissing her forehead then pulled her into a hug.  “Besides we better get used to the whole us kissing thing because on Friday everything is going to change between us, you know that right?” He reminded.

Alyssa pulled away, sat on her bed and motioned for him to sit next to her.  She sighed and began slowly, “I know it’s going to change everything between us.  I understand that, and I trust you.  Do you think I would have came up with it if I didn’t trust you?”

“I know but once this happens we can’t go back like nothing ever happened.  I’m just worried that once you and I are like that, that things will get weird between us and I don’t want that.” He replied sitting down next to her.

Alyssa smiled and grabbed his hand, “Ok since we’re being brutally honest with each other; you know that when I came up with that pact I had a crush on you.” She said laughing.

Nick’s eyes got wide, “What? Why didn’t you tell me?  I wouldn’t have rejected you.”

“Seriously?  I thought you would have just laughed at me and so I said nothing and moved on with my life.”

“Why would I have laughed at you?  You’re the one female that I’m not related to that I trust more than anyone.”

Alyssa sighed, “Because a 16 year old with a crush on her 19 year old best friend it’s almost laughable.”

“Well since we’re making confessions here… I have one of my own.  I had a crush on you when you were 16.  But I didn’t do anything about it.”

“Um why?”

Nick laughed, “First word jail, second word bait.”

Alyssa laughed, “So what?  Not like I would have told anyone about it.” 

“Well yeah that and I was just afraid of losing our friendship and so I built up a lot of will power to make sure, nothing happened.”

Alyssa thought a moment, “Is that why, when I moved in here that we’d have those moments where we came really close to kissing but it didn’t happen?”

“Yeah I was hoping you wouldn’t remember those.” Nick said blushing a little.

“Ok well I’ll forget that if you tell me who you wanted to have but couldn’t so you dated the world’s biggest ho.” Alyssa asked a little leery as to what he might say.

He sighed, “You really want to know?” She nodded.  “You.” He replied looking at his feet completely embarrassed.   Alyssa sat back a moment completely shocked.  Nick looked up at her seeing her sitting thinking.  “Ok awkward moment.” He offered trying to get some kind of reaction.

“No, not awkward, a little shocking, maybe amazing but not awkward.  You should have told me you big oaf!” She exclaimed.

“What was I supposed to say? ‘Hey Ali want to go out sometime?’ Please you would have laughed at me.  Besides you had Tom, so I’d thought that I’d wait until you guys broke up and then tell you.”

“More like drop a bombshell on me. Jesus Nick, I wish you had told me sooner.  I mean my God.  Is that why you’re so nervous about the pact?”

“You never told me that you had a crush on me.  Mostly, that and that I don’t want this to ruin our friendship, but I know we’re never going to be friends after this.”

Alyssa eyed him questioningly, “Why?”

“Because once two friends cross the platonic line, there is absolutely no going back.  You’ll always know what that person is like in bed, for some it’s enough to not be friends anymore.”

“Do you think that will be us?” Alyssa asked a little concerned.

“To be honest, I don’t know.  I guess I’m mostly just nervous about hurting you or doing something you wouldn’t like or go for you know?”

Alyssa put her head on his shoulder and smiled, “Well I have an idea.”

Nick looked down at her, “What now?” He replied laughing a little.

“Teach me.” She answered back.

“What?” He said making her look up at him. “What do you mean teach you?”

Alyssa smiled, “Well since I know nothing about what I personally like in that area I’m counting on you to teach me.”

He thought a moment, “What exactly do you want to know?”

She smiled again, “Everything.”