“Just Another Day”
Chapter 15: The Artists
So I’m here with a girl who is staring daggers at me, and is Nick’s girlfriend. Well, that makes my hunch clear: that she does hate me. I glanced at Brian who just put a hand on my shoulder. I felt odd enough, having only known Brian and Nick there. I’m in a recording studio and I kind of wanted to bolt. I guess I should admit that even though I knew about the girlfriend, I never had to see her; now that I have, it kind of dampens it all for me. I could see Nick whispering in her ear, probably trying to keep her from killing me. So why am I staying? I didn’t want to go home. I’d have to deal with Sebastian and I wanted him to cool down before we talked.
“Trace, babe...this is my friend Cally. Cally, this is my girl Tracy.”
Is it odd I noticed he calls her babe but calls me baby? I’m a freak. But I did notice it.
I wave my hand slightly, wishing my eyes would leave the floor. I’m nervous and shy, gah. “Hi…”
Her response was just a condescending smirk, like she felt she was better than me. Yuck. “Yes, well, hello.”
Don‘t I feel welcomed. I just nodded. “Nice to meet you, Nick says all sorts of nice things about ya.” Liar, liar, pants on fire. In fact Nick shot me a look.
“Well…” She gave a smug smile that confirmed the she’s better than me idea. “He has plenty to talk about…”
Then a very awkward silence. After what was really seconds but felt like hours, someone, I think Brian said it was AJ, spoke up from where he was watching on a sofa. “So what do you do girls? Cally, Tracy.”
“I was this assistant for a law firm, secretarial, but I ended up quitting.”
Nick’s brows flew up at that news. Guess he didn’t know. “You didn’t tell me that babe…”
“Wasn‘t worth chatting about Nicky…”
“What about you Cally. Tight name, Calypso, you as wild as a goddess?” He asked with a playful grin.
Feeling myself turn red I wiped my glasses offhandedly. “I’m just a student, majoring in Psychology. Nothing special…”
“Alex, maybe she’ll be able to figure you out once she’s done…”
“Yeah right! Impossible. Jay, she also has some mad paintin’ skills.”
“Just a hobby, Squishy exaggerates.”
AJ snickered as he rubbed the bead he was beginning to grow. “Squishy?”
I heard Nick groan as I beamed at him playfully. “Just a nickname.”
Oh goody another glare from the red headed devil. Can I go now? Another silent pause arrived, as a tall raven haired man with the greenest eyes ever came out of the booth. He turned towards Nick with a small smile.
“Bro, you’re up.” Then he saw me. “I’m Kevin, Brian’s cousin.”
“Um Cally… Nick’s friend.”
He gave a warmer smile as Nick headed into the recording booth. “Heard a lot about ya, don’t feel nervous, none of us are as crazy as Nick.”
I laughed as Tracy stood there, watching me. To her I was a cockroach she wanted to drown with bug spray. Good thoughts huh? Always.
“Can you boys excuse us? Me and Cally should have a ladies chat.” She informed them, sounding as sweet as a spoiled apple pie. She took my arm, dragging me behind her. There we stood, outside under the beauty of the setting sun. Then that pretty face of hers grew cold, hard, and ugly within seconds, a true nature now revealed. A perfectly manicured finger adorned with pink polish poked me hard in the chest as I stepped back a bit.
“You need to stay the HELL away from MY man.”
“I…I’m only friends with him. I’m allowed to be his friend…”
“Not if I have anything to say about it. I have Nicky wrapped around my little finger; I get what I want when I want it. I want you gone, and you better bet that he would drop your frumpy, annoying, lard ass like…” A snap clicked next to my ear, causing me to jerk. “-that. I mean you can’t fit into his world. People want to BE me, be him. Who would want to be your ugly ass self. You’re huge, those glasses make your face seem even larger which is nasty, your teeth have a space that makes Madonna’s look nonexistent. You’re hideous. Get a clue Cally. He just pities you.”
“That’s not true.” Why can’t I raise my voice? It wasn’t true, it wasn’t. “You’re just using Nick anyway aren’t you? That’s why you have no job. You prolly never did…” I hated her right then. See I realized she actually was using him right as I said it. So I hated her for it. Simple as that.
A wicked smile crawled across her face in the form of crimson lipstick. “Well Calypso, seems he doesn’t mind too much does he? Calypso, that’s a freaky name for a tub of lard. Now you stay away from him or you WILL be sorry.”
“What if I don’t? Don’t you care what Nick wants?”
“Heh, Nick wants me sweetie. Reality check. Trust me, I’m making connections, I can make your life hell, so just go back and play with your finger-paints and textbooks and pretend like Nick never existed.”
The doors swinging open instigated Tracy’s sweet shell to revive itself. Brian stepped out, looking concerned. “Just checking on you ladies. Everything alright?”
“Yes, thank you. Cally here was complaining of a tummy ache though, huh sweetie…”
I just shook my head at it all. It wasn’t worth fighting. All this drama has been getting to me anyway. I nodded at Brian. “Yeah, stomach ache…”
“You want a ride home hun?”
“Sure.”
I could see the cocky little smirk on Tracy’s face, and wanted to rip it off. She was poison, but poison usually survives longer than sugar. I followed Brian to his jeep, getting in wordlessly. I just wanted to go home. I never do like every flaw I had being pointed out to me. Especially when I thought I had forgotten them. Brian turned the radio to a pop music station and Brian McKnight filled my ears with his song “My Kind Of Girl“. They were celebrating “old school” music of the 90’s. He was trying to comfort me. If he was my age and not married, I’d so be into him. Such a sweet guy.
“You really alright?”
“Yeah…”
“I know the tummy ache is a lie, what did that little tramp say to you?”
I raised a brow at him. Wow, I never hear Brian talk like that. “We just talked…”
“That girl is faker than a three headed cow at a rodeo. Nickolas has terrible taste in girls. She’s using him but he won’t see it.”
I shrugged. “Maybe he’s happy with her…”
“You really believe that?”
“No, but it’s his life. She just wants me out of it.”
“Why did you let her talk to you like that? It’s not true. She’s threatened and is beating you down.”
“You heard her?”
Brian shot me the cheesiest grin as he stopped at a red light, waiting for it to change. “When we were younger, Nick and I used to develop our eavesdropping skills. I never lost them.”
I pulled the small notebook I had out of my back pocket; I always have one in case I get an idea. I started sketching if only to get myself out of the conversation and it might be nice to paint later. “Yeah well, maybe it is true. I should just listen to everyone telling me I’m screwing up my life by being friends with him.”
“You let people dominate you too much.”
Ignoring that last comment, I continued sketching until he pulled up to my house. Then he caught sight of simple sketch. It really wasn‘t anything special. Really. “Cally, hun, did you do this?”
I shrugged. “Just felt like drawing out some emotions.”
His finger ran across the page lightly. “This is good. Really good. Maybe we can get you to draw out and paint our album cover.”
I raise a brow, getting out of the car. “You’re insane.”
“I’m an honest country boy, you know that. So, think about it.” He replied, and drove off. I headed into the house, seeing Sebastian’s car out front. Not looking forward to this. How did my life get so complicated?
*****************
Stepping out of the recording booth I noticed two things. One, Tracy looked really happy with herself. Two, Cally was nowhere to be seen. Uh oh. Damn. I went to Trace, resting my head on her shoulder. “Miss me?”
“Mmm,” her lips tilted to the side to meet my own. ”Always.”
“What happened to Cally?”
She just glanced at me, looking bored. “She said she didn’t feel well. So she left.”
I glanced at Brian who just came in. He must have been her ride home. “I should call and check on her.”
Her slender hands landed on my own hands as they reached for my sidekick. Glancing at them trying to stop me from using my phone, I gave her a questioning look.
“She was pretty sick Nicky…I’m sure she doesn’t want to be bothered…”
Hmm, well she had a point. I was a little surprised still that she left without telling me. “I guess, I might wake her if she’s all sleepin’…”
Brian stood as Jay headed to the booth to lay down his own powerful as hell vocals. There’s a reason he’s a lead. Kevin was now on the phone saying sweet nothings type stuff to his wife. Howie was STILL on the damn phone, working on business plans. Little Donald Trump I tell ya. I looked at Brian and he gave a nod and I kissed Tracy on her cheek soothingly. “I’m going out for a smoke real quick babe.” I lied. I’m damn good at it took cause she kissed me ever so sensually and gave me a smirk.
“Hurry back.”
“Always.”
Brian and I headed outside and I just watched him, waiting to hear it. He wanted to say something. I knew it. He’s my best friend and all but he always has something to say.
“What?”
“Nick I know you hate us telling you what to do…”
A brow rose up at that. “Yes, I do… but you’re going to tell me right.”
He shrugged, running a hand over the curly, strawberry tinged, blonde hair. “I’m not telling, I’m suggesting. You’re too old now for me to be telling.”
“So what are you ’suggesting’?”
“That you re-evaluate your relationships is all.”
I rub the back of my neck, suddenly wishing for that damn cigarette I swore I’d quit. “What do you mean? You mean Trace?”
“I just mean take a look at your relationships.” With that he headed back inside, leaving me utterly confused. Before he went through the doors he paused.
“By the by, I suggested to Cally that she draw something for our album cover, I saw a sketch and was impressed. You might wish to call her about it.”
Long legs leading up to a slammin’ body and fiery red hair in the form of my girlfriend passed Brian as he went back inside. She wrapped her arms around me, her tongue slipping around near my ear, I grinned at her. Ahh, this was nice. Let the confusion be on hold. I get off on her wanting to be naughty like this. I admit it.
“Miss me?”
“Let’s ditch this place…”
“Babe you know I can’t do that…”
“You should.” Ooh biting. She’s making this hard. Literally.
“I’m sorry, I can’t. We got work to do.”
“Well then I’m on my way out, some friends thought we can all to the club, I just wanted your company.” She pouted, pursing those sexy dark red lips of hers. Damn. I kissed them, wishing I didn’t have to work, cause she’s teasing the hell out of me.
“Go have fun.”
She smiled and blew me a kiss as she headed off into a little red T-bird, (the new ones) as it pulled up for her. How‘d it get here so fast? Guess she figured I’ d say no and told ‘em to come by when they called her. Ah well. I headed back inside; glad work can take some harder thoughts away, and some confusing ones. What the hell did Brian mean anyway?
Damn that holy man.
**********
I came inside, looking around for Sebastian who I knew had to be somewhere. “Devi?” I called out, glancing for any sign of him.
“In here…”
I stepped into the living room and he stared at me with those piercing blue-green eyes of his. He sighed, just gazing at me as I sat on my chair, tucking my notebook back into my pocket. “Look about earlier-”
“You realized what happened was stupid? Did that bastard hurt you? I don’t care how damn famous he is, I’ll kill him…”
Rolling my eyes, I raised my voice to grab his attention again. “No, he did nothing. God, I came here to apologize for fighting with you Devi, but geeze, let me get a word in.”
“Oh…”
“Yeah, oh. But forget it, alright?”
“Lypsi stop. Look, sorry I exploded.”
I sigh and just kind of gaze at him. It’s hard to stay mad at him, really. And now he’s giving me those damn puppy dog eyes. GAH! “It’s cool, we’re cool. I swear on a case of red mountain dew.”
He chuckles. “Spiffy.”
“My word.”
“Stole it.”
Sebastian gave me a look after I remained quiet. We typically have a set playful banner with this type of conversation. He knew something was up. Great. Peachy keen even.
“You okay?”
“Deciding to stick with the lie that was placed on me earlier, my hands traveled to my stomach, staying upon the tie-dye shirt I wore as if I was having the worst tummy ache ever. Let’s see how my acting skills are.
“Just my tummy. It‘s been bothering me off and on all day.” Something has but it isn’t that, but I don’t really need to say it.
“You sure, I was thinking we could go out, grab Iz, go crazy like we used to.” I smiled only slightly at that idea. Darn guilt.
“Go. Fun. Do. Don’t let me spoil it.”
“You sure?” He hugged me against him. Oh boy. Guilt attack. But I needed to be by myself for once.
“Devi, I said go. No worries. Promise.”
Honestly, after dealing with the Miss Thang Nick calls a girlfriend I wanted the time alone. Needed it. Guess I was sick, sick of fakes anyway. Sick of dealing with crap just to be a friend with someone. That had come from Sebastian too. I forgave him for it, but still, it was on my mind. After he left, I headed into the family room, which was near the front door. Crawling on the very comfortable love seat, cuddling a pillow, I turned on the DVD player and the TV. Star Wars filled the screen. I let myself follow Anakin’s tragic tale, hoping to forget everything else.
****************
I’m standing at a door, with soup in my hand. Yes me. What am I doing here? Damn. This is stupid. I should go. Trace is still out at the club for any wondering. We got the tracks done and we’re supposed to have a meeting soon to start selecting. I forget when. Eh, Kevin will remind me. I should ring the doorbell before a random teenager, a random anyone, recognizes me. So here I am… with a bowl of soup, that I made! Ignore the bag it’s in labeled Quiznos! Aight, well it’s the thought okay. Finally I rang the doorbell. Her voice rang out loud and clear. Why was I here again? Oh, right, I felt bad and didn’t want to call because I figured I’d hang up. And she’s sick, so why not come by. This shy girl was my friend.
She came to the door decked out in some black and yellow batman pajamas, well it is Cally. She blinked and suddenly found her glasses interesting in her hands. “Nick, um hi, what are you doing here?”
I lifted the bag proudly. “I brought you soup…I made it.”
She released a chuckle as her hand went through that tousled golden hair. “Quiznos huh.”
I shrugged. “For me that’s making it.”
Then she realized I was still standing there and stepped aside so I could come in. I gave her a comforting smile as I set the soup on the coffee table and sat beside her where I could see the blanket and pillow where she must have been crashin’ on the couch. “How ya feeling.”
“Alright, look I wasn’t really sick; I just needed to think some things out alone. It was sweet of you to come down.”
“Hey, we’re friends. That’s what we do. People say I’m an ass but I ain’t. Not really.”
She picked up the soft yellow pillow, hugging it to herself. “You’re not an ass; you’re an artist, a musical one. People say I’m a future psychologist, a girl who makes bad decisions though.”
I rub her back soothingly. This girl needs it. Trust me. “And you ain’t, you’re an artist right now. The painter. Peeps say I make bad decisions too.”
Cally just fiddled with the fuzzy happy looking’ pillow in her hands. Pillows can look happy. What? They can. I ain’t crazy. I ain’t. Stop thinking I am. I wonder if pillows can look sad too, I guess they can… Aight anyway, so she kept playing with it.
“People are stupid. People are shallow, bitchy, controlling, stupid, mean, evil acting…just gah!” She exclaimed, from what I thought was nowhere as she threw that poor happy pillow at the ground a few feet away from us. “You’re supposed to be like that too, you’re famous. Why aren’t you? Everything would be easy if you were.”
“Um, cause I’m just me, heh and the world’s a bitch.”
“Yeah…I know.”
*********
Listening to Nick I felt a bit bad, bashing his girl in front of him. Don’t think he realized it though. I can’t believe I went off for a moment like that. I stared at the soup in front of me. “Thanks again for the soup. Sorry I blew just a sec ago.”
He waved it off, his ocean eyes impish. “Ain’t nothing Cally baby. I was just concerned about ya.” Nick pulled me close to him, hugging me against him. “You’re special.” He said softly then.
“Special huh.”
“Yeah special, I mean it…”
“Do ya?” I question, my face tilting back to gaze up at him, our eyes meeting.
“You don’t just call someone that and not mean it. Trust me Cally, you’re special…” Then, well you won’t believe it. His voice had grown softer, along with his gaze as his face got closer to mine. He leaned in, and well… our lips met and for a moment, all the crap we dealt with today was out the window. It was a few minutes later, when we finally pulled away, that this never been kissed before girl realized what happened. (If I had been kissed before, peck or otherwise, it wasn’t like THAT)
Holy shit. Yes I’m cursing. Nick just kissed me. Me and Nick kissed.
Jezel my bezels! Oh my Lordie. I kissed Nick. We kissed. Nick and I.
Nick who has a girlfriend.
And kissed me.
Just now.
Oh…boy.
Author's Chapter Notes:
So, yeah after all I said about likely not an update soon, I ended up with one. My idea bunny for this story won't let me be! lol. Anywho, I'm almost positive y'all are gonna love this. So lemme know whatcha think of it, cause for me, big step with me writing the romance genre.
Laters!
Laters!
