“Just Another Day”
Chapter 13: Last Night You Saved My Life
I woke up to find Nick Carter asleep facing me from where he was on the couch. For a moment I was taken aback until I remembered last night. I can’t believe I did what I did. I’m freaking insane. I hadn’t meant to find him last night. Let me say that much. I had no clue he was going to be on the highway. Maybe I had gone down the one that goes towards upper LA, but this is not what I expected. I’ll be the first to say it’s a freaky coincidental series of events. That’s my life for you now. So not normal. I glanced down at myself; I was a mess in my baggy sweats and a random huge t-shirt I had thrown on. So I left Nick there, who looked quite sweet there sleeping, and headed to my room to get some clothes and take a shower. I smiled a bit to myself, more in amazement than anything else, turning on the small CD player in the bathroom. I grinned as Michael Jackson began to play, old school of course-before he became a freak, as I started running the water in the bathroom. I raised the volume, my clothes happily being shed away from my lumpy dumpy body, stepping under the steamy relaxing water waiting for me.
I guess I could say I felt in a dream state. I still had to get to school later on, I had my Psych 101 class at 1:00 PM, but it was only 9:30, and so the thought really wasn’t that upfront in my head. I couldn’t believe the crazy spin last night took. I had Nick in my living room, fast asleep. The person I was trying to avoid cause I wanted my life to be boring again. But, did I want it boring? I hated being ignored. And yet I wasn’t ignored, people would see those stupid candid pictures and look up and see me. It wasn’t the attention I wanted. I wanted to be ignored by the random people staring and making snickers. Since the rumor is I’m Nick’s new short fling, I know I was getting mocked likely from jealousy, even though there was nothing to be jealous of. But the comments I overheard when people looking at their magazines, or streaming news on their laptops bugged me. It wasn’t like every person in the world, but Nick was pretty A list celebrity, known by many. So the number not huge, wasn’t exactly tiny either. At Arby’s I hadn’t been able to concentrate, people kept giving me comments. Hell my coworkers were. I hated the job even before this so I had quit. School, well it was a little better only because I was never noticed much anyway. Nick was a well known rockstar, but at school, if I’m invisible, they wouldn’t make the connection, and it held true.
All these thoughts were running through my head as “The Way You Make Me Feel” played through the bathroom, and I ran my hands through my soapy hair. I felt bad for ignoring Brian as well, it was the fact I knew if I talked to him, I would have talked to Nick. Still happened, but it wasn’t like I saw it coming. I’ll have to call Brian, he was great for talks. I was surprised he had patience for someone young like me, but he says-in his sweet way that’s wise and just, typical Brian- that I’m “a breath of fresh air in a stagnant world” and how I’m mature for my age in a way most aren’t. He totally took on a big brother role. Since mine, well he doesn’t call except to lecture. Which even then that’s rare. My parents gone, all I have to greet me, other than Nick, are messages on my machine from my brother, who had just found out, and since he’s a publicist and deals with celebrities sometimes, had this long rant about how he knows how they are and I’m smarter than this… etcetera. Bunch of stuff that made me feel about twelve years old again.
No one had faith in me and my decisions. I wondered if I gave reason for that. Maybe I’m not the painter I think I am. Maybe that’s why I’m always directed towards Psychology. Maybe I’ve made many bad decisions like everyone says I do. Maybe I shouldn’t have quit my job. Maybe I should have gone to UCLA rather than a community college. Maybe I should have told Sebastian, before he first left for NYU two years ago, not to go, to stay, like I had wanted to then. Maybe I never should have become friends with Nick the way I did. Maybe I should listen to what people tell me to more.
That’s a lot of maybes.
One last one. Maybe, everyone is right in not having faith in my choices.
I wonder if Nick does.
Finishing my shower, stepping out and starting to dry off, I grabbed the clothes I brought in with me, changing after I braided my long, thick, damp hair. For now, I’ll stay in that bubble that wanted to surround me and Nick for the moment.
Guess I forgot that all bubbles eventually pop.
**************
Waking up to sunlight is something I ain’t adjusted to anymore. I squinted, trying to cover my face. Worked fine till I got tangled in the damn blanket I was using to block out the damn light. Next I knew was the thud of the not so comfy carpet that seemed pretty fucking soft last night. ‘Course, carpet always seems soft when you ain’t coming crashing down on it like a huge ass sack of potatoes.
THUD.
Great, that just felt great. In case you can’t tell, note the hella sarcasm I’m using.
“Oomph!” I grunted, still tangled in the bright blue evil torture device I am forced to call a blanket. NOW the blanket is over my face and I can’t see the damn light that instigated this. Instigated, big word, yay Nick! (Sarcasm is my friend, since the world thinks I’m stupid.) But yeah, NOW I can’t see that light. Fucking figures. I struggled against the evil blanket that tried to keep me, the good guy, in its evil clutches… and I was losing, pathetically.
I hear dogs barking outside, I think in the backyard, going absolutely nuts. I chuckle, I’m a sucker for dogs, guess she was too. I get the blanket off my face at least, just not off the rest of my long awkward body. I see her run out, in some jeans splattered with paint and another tie-dye shirt that matched the colors of paint on the jeans. Something simply her. “Skye and Star now you two just shush, I’m sure it wasn’t a robber or any-” I’m thinking then she saw me cause she started just laughing her ass off. Turning red even, not even helping me escape my deadly blanket prison. Thanks Cally. I pout at her, forgetting for a moment just how my life is so fucked up, that that had been why I escaped to here.
“Sorry…” she giggles some more before finally helping me up and away from the blue blanket of evil. Cally, my hero! Twice now actually, though she don‘t know about the other. Or is it three times? Focus now. I run a hand through my spiky mess. Bed hair. Eh, run some gel in it and it’ll be fine. “Morning.”
I gave a grin/smirk…thing. Then I took a whiff since you could tell she was fresh out of the shower. She smelled of peaches and mangos. I’ve never had a mango, but you know, that shampoo-y mango smell. Yum. I wonder why the fruity smell in stuff never smells like real fruit smells? It’s like that in bath stuff, candy, liquor… Focus Nick! “Morning, thanks for letting me crash again.”
She nods, letting her gaze hit the floor, like she had no confidence in herself. Not even enough to fake like she did. Damn, who put that into her head? I tilted her head up and chuckled, after doing me a favor like that, I wanted her to feel comfy. “Am I scary or ugly in the morning?”
She laughs; I wonder if Cally realizes how cute she is. Likely not with the fucked up world today. She ain’t perfect; I saw the “flaws” fine. The tubbiness, the gap in her teeth, the way she held herself. I did see it. They just, didn’t seem to matter with her for once. It was fucking weird. “No…”
“So look at me, or I’ll start thinking the floor is prettier.”
“Sorry, habit.”
Then she went silent, and wanting to break it, I stole her hair tie. Making that long braid of hers come out. Yay! Liberation of the hair! Oh yeah! “Hey!” She jumped for where I held it with my long ass stetcho man arms. Good to be tall. I snickered. “Give it back.”
“That’s no fun.”
Then she leaped for it, landing on me instead clumsily. I, trying to be a nice guy for the hell of it… (okay maybe not for the hell of it) try to catch her. Both of us being klutzy as hell, end up falling onto the couch that evil blanket tripped me off earlier. In fact I’m pretty damn sure it’s the blanket that caused us to trip and fall back! Fucking evil thing I tell you. So down we go. Laughing our asses off as she, on top of me, tried to get the ever demonized scrunchie. Laughs and giggles, chuckles, squirms, and wiggles are what took over. Then a door slammed harshly, echoing through the small home, startling the heck out of both of us. We both jolt in surprise, causing me, who was on the bottom that moment (not that way heh), to slip and fall off that couch again. She fell off as well, laughing and landing on top of me again. Footsteps grew closer, and we both looked up to see someone I didn’t expect to be in the house. Likely cause, well, I didn’t know him.
*************
“Cally, what the hell is he doing here?”
I looked up to see Sebastian, looking, well, pretty perturbed. Word of the day, perturbed. I’m a dork. I got off of Nick then, brushing myself off and taking back my scrunchie. My hands, fiddling for something to do, played with putting my hair back into its ponytail. I looked up at my friend, who looked well, annoyed. Behind him I could hear another voice.
“Sebbi! Did you find Cally yet? Lets G to the O yo!”
Seconds after Iz bounced up behind him, her brown hair bouncing happily about her round face sparkling with light. Oh boy. No this situation didn’t look bad. No this didn’t feel awkward or anything. Oh Lordie. I looked at Nick and found myself hiding a grin, he was still on the floor, looking a mess, and pretty silly in a way I’m discovering only Nick can.
After a few minutes of all of us being insanely quiet, and a lot of staring, I said the thing that should be said. “Um…hi guys.”
Alright they weren’t exactly wise or confident words but what would you say in this situation?
Iz said something that, well, covered it pretty well. “Oh…wow.”
I turned and helped Nick up, my hands itching for something to do again. My hair already was in a ponytail though. Sebastian, had the meanest look he could have on that usually happy go lucky face of his. I’ve only seen that look on him when he saw someone trying to hurt me. Nick scratched the back of his neck idly, I don’t think any of us knew what to do or say. Just one of those kind of moments you’re pretty sure hell (if it exists, I have my own theories) is like rather than the stereotype of fire and brimstone. Finally my voice came back to me to stay. “Nick, this is Izzy, Iz, this is Nick…and Nick this is Sebastian” I smiled, really hoping this could not go the really bad way I knew it was heading.
“What is he doing here?” Sebastian repeated again, ignoring the look, knew I was giving him that was almost pleading for him not to do this. Grrr.
“Look man, she let me stay the night-” Nick started, wanting to stop it before it started.
“He got in an accident and I happened to drive by when I borrowed your car, so I let him stay the night rather than try to find his house.”
“Look buddy, you need to stay away from my Lypsi, haven’t you caused enough trouble in her life already? She barely goes out cause she know they’ll be talking about her, cause of her befriending you. So just leave her the hell alone.”
“Look, Sebastian, I asked him to.”
“You don’t know what you’re doing.”
“Yes I do, no worries.” Try nice first.
“You just think you do.”
I raised a brow. How dare Devi pull that!? He’s doing what everyone else does and making my decision for me! That’s it! “Sebastian, if I wanted to not be friends with him he wouldn’t be here right now. So just back up off.” I wish I had yelled it but I didn’t. I did say it, albeit a bit quietly.
“You just are confused by this flashy wanna-be.” Nick’s face is fuming, I could just tell when I noticed him tense up behind me, but he stayed quiet, knowing Sebastian was my friend. Me? I was getting beyond annoyed at my so called friend’s actions.
“So you don’t trust my judgment?”
“Not on this.”
“Et tu Devi-us? Join the club since no one trusts me! God I am not a baby, if I want to have someone here, I’ll do it! If you don’t like it Sebastian then -” My anger rose as I saw him not really focusing on what I was saying, like I was a child who had to be pacified. How could my best friend be like this to me? “well then fuck off!”
“Cally, I’ll just go, its nothing.”
“No, its fine Nick, you stay, shower and stuff so then we can get breakfast.”
“Its aight, I mean it-”
“You should leave”
“Nick, its fine, its my house. It’s all good.” I gave Sebastian a glare; I couldn’t believe the way he was acting.
“You know your parents would kill you for this.”
I turned back to my friend when he said that, my eyes blazing. “If you told them I don’t think I’d be able to forgive you for it. I’m an adult, same as you or them. So if I want to fuck up my life the way everyone says I will, by hanging out with the big bad Nick Carter, then I should be able to.” I looked at Nick then, “Go ahead and use the shower if you want, second door to the right down the hall.” I watched him nod and start towards it. He had to feel awkward as all get out, heading down that hallway of mine. I sigh as he does, I knew he felt bad and that was why I sent him to a shower. He didn’t need to feel like the cause of fighting and weirdness. Iz looked at me, and the moment she heard Nick shut the bathroom door she let out a small squeal.
“Girl, did you know you have Nick freaking Carter, Flames Of Ice Nick Carter, in your house?”
I smiled a little. “Oh do I?” I joked.
“You do Lypsi and you need to kick him the hell out.”
“Stop talking about him like that. He needed a friend last night, and I can’t abandon my friends, I don’t have it in me, YOU of all people should know that Devi. If you can’t handle that, leave.”
He ran a hand through his spiked sandy hair, his blue-green changing orbs hardening at me not agreeing with him for once. ”I’ll leave for now but I’m not going to let you be stupid and have him hurt you…”
“What makes you think a choice I made is stupid!”
“Cause it is! Look at what you’re doing! How many sane people invite celebs who just had a DUI and ANOTHER drunk driving accident into their home?! How many normal people can take being friends with someone so well known, and someone known to use people like tissue.”
I raised a brow as Izzy smartly stayed quiet and in the background. Don’t blame her for not wanting to get in this mess.
“If he caused the accident last night, he wouldn’t have been sitting by the car when I came upon him. Figures it hit news. I don’t think he’s the type to use people either. Either way...I’m pretty sure that’s MY decision.”
“You’re being naïve, inviting someone who fucks groupies all the time, using people like you, into your house after the crap that was on E! Just from you two going to the Grove.”
“My choice, and I want to be friends with him.”
“You said before you didn’t.”
“Oh it’s okay to decide something as long as I agree with you? Well I changed my mind.”
“Well change it back!”
“Leave then Sebastian! If you want him away from you. Cause I am NOT kicking him out, he‘s my friend, you don‘t do that to friends.”
“You’ve known him how long?”
“None ya business! It doesn’t matter. Go away if you can’t take it.”
“I will then.” He was staring me down, as if he knew I’d cave any moment on what I was saying. It irked me all the more. I hate confrontation, but I just couldn’t go with the idea of rudely kicking Nick out just so Sebastian would be happy, best friend or not, I couldn’t do it.
“So go Sebastian, go like you did to NY-fucking U! Leave if you can‘t handle what I‘m doing!”
Then I saw my best friend, turn around and stalk out the door angrily. Door slamming. Maybe that last part was uncalled for…slightly. Iz followed, but not after another squeal.
“You’re filling me in with details later Cally!” Then she went out behind him, I knew it was because she knew it was better he not go blow off that hot air alone. I heard two cars drive off as well. Well grr, there went any ride for me and Nick. He did that on purpose. Ugh. I’ve never talked to him like that before. I haven’t seen him act this way either, not since we fought over the phone because I decided to stay in California when I graduated and he wanted me to go to a school in New York. This is also the first time he told me what I should be doing so forcefully. If he has before, I never noticed, or had agreed with him anyway. I just… lost it. He comes back, from NYU yes at the right time, cause I needed him, but he thinks he can tell me how to run my life. I never wanted him to go there to begin with. Him going came as a shock, a betrayal, one…admittedly I never did fully forgive. He left and expects everything to be the same. Forget that.
I sigh again as I go to feed my dogs Skye and Star, my two golden labs. Sweet pups, only a year old, and still being trained which is why they’re not in the house. My life has been pretty crazy that I forgot to mention them. They’re adorable though, and make me feel like I’m actually here when no one else does. Opening the screen door, I feed them as I pet them softly; they looked up at me with loving eyes. I love dogs, they accept you, and just love you, they know nothing else. People should be like that. “You guys like who I am huh babies…you two never try to tell me how I’m always wrong, how I should be this, and how I should be that, who I should know, who I shouldn’t, where to work, how to dress, how to act…what’s wrong with just me?”
*****************
Hearing that question, as I walked up, clean but stuck in the same clothes as last night, I couldn’t help but be angry. It seemed like this girl, who fascinated me on the simplest freaking level, was always told to be someone else. Well that explains the self esteem issues. That guy had been her friend, heh, though I think he wants more if you want my view. But he’s doing the same thing. How can you have feelings for someone you want to change and control? I live in a fucked up world, but even for me that logic is too damn twisted. I walk up behind her, giving her a hug. “You know there’s nothing wrong with just you.”
She jumped and turned to see me; I felt bad I startled her. “I didn’t know you were there Nick, I was just spurting nonsense to my dogs.” She closed the sliding door behind her.
I shrugged, “I was just letting you know Cally, that anyone who says you can’t be you is full of bullshit.” I send her a grin to try and lighten the mood. “Let’s get going.”
“Sebastian made sure to take his car so we don’t have a car to use now.” Damn. Asshole. But if he’s important to her, I’ll play nice. My phone rang loudly in my pocket, maybe its Brian. I can con him into picking us up. At least to my place so we can get one of my other cars. Surprised no one else called yet… I checked the caller id. SHIT. Tracy. I completely forgot about my own damn girlfriend. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Of course she’d call. The accident last night likely made the sleaze news, if my DUI and outing did, this shit sure would. Shit. How could I forget Trace? Shit I haven’t called anyone. Double shit. Brian has gotta be over-worried. Triple shit! Kevin is going to go all dad like and kill me! Shit! Phone still ringing. I answered, hoping this would go well.
“Hey babe.”
“Nick!? Finally I got a hold of you! Are you okay? Where are you?! I had to find out about your accident over the radio! You‘re not at your place, no one in that damn band of yours knows where you are…Chris called my cell to try and reach you, said your phone must‘ve been off…that Rob‘s okay outside of a few broken ribs and a concussion…maybe something else, can‘t remember. But no one knew where you were-”
“Hey hey, calm down, I’m aight, just at friends.” I glance over at Calypso, who headed to her room to give me privacy. That or to work on a painting or something, can’t say for sure.
“Which friend? Chris’?” Uh oh. Fifty bucks says she’s seeing if I lie cause she called em. Fucking women. They only like to test you.
“No.”
“Tony?”
“No. I was at-” I ain’t stupid, even though it ain’t nothing, I know telling her the truth will get me in even more trouble.
“Where then Nick?”
But with her naming off names all paranoid female like, with that damn spidey jealous sense a tingling, I hadn’t much choice left. So I was honest, and waited for the explosion. “Cally’s.”
“Cally…” A pause, I think she’s trying to place the name with a person. “do you mean that Calypso girl? That GROVE Calypso girl?” And here I had been hoping she wouldn’t connect it. Damn.
“Babe she did me a favor and picked me up last night after the accident. She’s a friend. I’d like you to meet her actually.”
“Heh, uh huh. Just remember I’m the one you’re with Nick Carter. Me. Not her. I’ll see you at the hotel later. I’m on my way out to meet with some girls of mine. Love ya.”
“Bye Trace.” I hung up, going off to find the girl who angered my own girl so much. Trace shouldn’t feel threatened anyway; she was the more physically appealing one by all accounts. Won’t lie. I found Cally in what had to be her room, decorated an almost neon blue with bright splashes of yellow paint on the walls, then everything else having that blue or yellow shade. She sat in a worn out beanbag chair, sitting before a painting. She glanced up at me.
“Your girlfriend mad?” How’d she know? Damn. Women are psychic too. Forgot about that.
“Nope, not mad.”
She crossed her arms over her large…big…um… thinking of the word that won’t piss off the ladies reading this - see I’m sensitive! So she crossed those arms over her not small… boobies, breasts, bosom, Ta-Tas, take your pick though I like the term… heh heh - juicy juicy mangos. Decent sized and real - nice, very nice. What?! I’m a guy, a freaking dude, remember? Moving on…she gave me a smirk. I don’t think she knows what I’m thinking, or I’d be getting smacked right about now.
“Liar. Look…” She let our a short breath of air as she pushed a sunny strand of hair out of her face-see even her hair likes to escape the scrunchie-her sky blue eyes skipped away from my own quickly. You’d think I was trying to eat them or something. She’s confusing. More than most women. Damn those women! Um sorry. She kept her gaze away from mine. “I don’t want to get you in trouble with your girlfriend.”
“Don’t worry Calypso-baby, no trouble-except me, do I count?”
She hid the smile that started to peek through. “You sure, cause yeah after that last time…um…”
I knew what she was getting at, the rumors caused by those damn paparazzi. Telling you, if I had one wish, just one. ONE. It would be to get a penned up area with nowhere to hide, and go stalker paparazzi hunting with a big ‘ole shot gun. Be vewy vewy qwuiet, Nick’s hunting stawker pawps…hehehehe…
“It’s cool; I’ll call Brian and see if he can pick us up, taxis suck.”
“I have a class later, like at two.”
“So we drop you off.” Simple as that. I pulled out my sidekick, my handy dandy sidekick! Okay I’ve been watching too much Blue’s Clues with Baylee. Before I can do anything with it Cally snatched it away and started figuring out how to call Brian on it. I glanced over at her chuckling, wondering why my phone got stolen with me. “I wanna call; it’s been awhile since I spoke to Brian.”
Least it wasn’t just me she was ignoring till last night. “Why my phone?”
“You’re rich, you’re famous, I’m poor, I’m invisible…so your phone.” She teased, and I wonder if she was being honest and hiding it in her bratty teasing way. Cally set on the task of figuring my phone out, with this sweet (yes I said sweet dammit) concentrating face as she fiddled with it. This one’s an enigma, but in a good way. I felt drawn to this friend of mine, and not in the way of owing her something, though I did. I just couldn’t understand it all. But, I don’t have to.
Not yet anyway.
Author's Chapter Notes:
I finally updated yay me! I had midterms last week, hence the delay. So, enjoy this decent sized chapter and lemme know what you think as always, cause really...I adore reviews hehe.
