A couple of days had gone by and Nikki hadn't spoken to anyone since she ran off at the beach. She was still in bed when she heard the doorbell rang. She let out a sigh and slowly got up to answer the door. There stood Amanda with a look of worry on her face.
"Oh, my god. Have you been home all this time?" she said as she shoved herself into the door.
"Yeah. . .why?" Nikki asked as she yawned.
"Do you have any idea how worried everyone was? Why didn't you return my phone calls?"
"Amanda, I just needed some time to think. I'm okay, really."
"I can't believe you wouldn't just call me up and tell me you were okay. That's all I needed to know! Nikki, I'm your best friend, how could you scare me like that?"
"I'm sorry!" Nikki said on the verge of tears.
Amanda sighed and looked at Nikki. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to yell. I was just scared since you didn't tell me where you were or how you were doing. You've worried poor Howie to death."
"Howie was worried?" Nikki said as she wiped her tears.
"Yes, he's been trying to call you for two days and the phone has been off the hook. He said he even stopped by a few times and no one answered. Nikki, he's worried about you. You're his friend and he cares about you."
"Yeah, a friend is all I'll ever be," Nikki mumbled.
"What did you say?" Amanda said as she shot her a look.
"You heard me."
"You seriously think Howie only likes you as a friend? Girl, you are so wrong!"
Nikki looked at Amanda in shock. "What is that supposed to mean?"
Amanda grabbed Nikki's hand and led her to the couch and sat down next to her. "I really shouldn't be telling you this, but since he won't do it himself I'm gonna have to do it."
"I'm not sure I'm following you."
"Nikki, Howie has a crush on you. He has for a long time. He's tried to tell you over and over, but he's never had the guts to do it. I know you like him too so maybe you can hint to him that you feel the same way he'd get the courage up to ask you out."
"You mean to tell me that I've been worrying about him liking me and he's been worrying about me liking him? And all this time we've been worrying, we could have been together?" Amanda nodded. "Oh, god, what am I gonna do? I feel like such an idiot."
"Just call Howie and tell him to come over. I think you guys need to tell each other how you feel. He leaves in three days you need to tell him before he goes on tour."
Nikki nodded in agreement. "Okay, I'll tell him tonight."
"Good," Amanda said as she stood up. "I gotta go. A.J. and I are planning on spending some time with each other before he leaves. I'll talk to you later. Let me know what happens with Howie."
"Okay," Nikki said as Amanda left. She pondered for a second what to say to Howie when she calls him then slowly picked up the phone. "Howie?" she said after he picked up.
"Nikki! Are you okay? I've been trying to get a hold of your for days."
"I know. I'm sorry, but I'm okay." Nikki sighed and bit her lip in anxiety. "Howie, can you come over? I think we need to talk."
"Yeah, sure I'll be right over."
"Okay, I'll see you then," she said then hung up. "This better work," she said to herself then waited for Howie.
Nearly thirty minutes had passed and Nikki was pacing around her apartment, waiting for Howie to arrive.
"I can't believe I'm doing this," she said out loud. "What if I totally scare him and it ruins everything?"
She continued to mumble under her breath then she was startled by the doorbell. Nikki drew in a deep breath and straightened her shirt before she opened the door.
"Hi," she said once she opened the door.
Howie smiled and stepped into her house. "Hey," he said softly. "I've been real worried about you. Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine," she said quickly then sat down on the couch.
Howie sat down next to her, she avoided his eyes. There was a moment of awkward silence. Howie sighed and looked her with a straight face.
"Nikki, I think you know I can sense when you're lying. Tell me what's wrong." He lifted her head up with his fingers under her chin. "You know you can trust me."
Nikki looked into his brown eyes and nearly melted. God why does he have to be so cute?, she thought. "Nothing's wrong. I'm fine," she said, avoiding his eyes once more.
"Look me in the eyes and tell me nothing's wrong and I’ll believe you."
Nikki sighed. "I. . .I can't."
Howie took her hand. "Come on, let’s go for a walk. Grab your jacket, it's a little chilly out by the ocean tonight."
The two of the got in Howie's car and drove out to the beach. He grabbed her hand they tensely walked down the shore together.
"I'm willing to listen if you're ready to talk. You told me that you needed to talk when you called. . .so talk."
"It's not that simple, Howie," Nikki said as she jerked her hand away from his and walked over to a piece drift wood sitting up on the beach.
She sighed and sat down, resting her elbows on her knees and resting her chin in her hands. Howie sat down next to her at looked at her. Her brown hair was flowing in the wind. Nikki tucked her hair behind her ears and continued to stare at the ocean. Howie gently placed his hand on top of hers.
"Nikki. . .please talk to me. Whatever it is maybe- -"
"Howie I love you!" Nikki blurted out.
Howie sat there frozen. "Wh--What?"
"You heard me," Nikki said, facing him. "I don't know how to say this without ruining our friendship, but I have feelings for you. Not just best friend feelings. . .more than best friends feelings." Howie turns his head away from her. Feeling rejected, she looked down at her hands. "I shouldn't have told you. Now I've ruined everything," she said in a disappointed tone and turned away from him.
"You didn't ruin anything," he said as he gently squeezed her shoulder, urging her to turn around.
Nikki turned back around and stared at Howie. "I didn't?"
Howie smiled. "No," he said as he brushed a stray hair from her face. "You made everything perfect," he said then gently kissed her on the lips.
Nikki breathed in as she felt his lips on tops of hers. She linked her arms around his neck and continued to kiss him. He wrapped his arms tightly around her waist. Nikki felt as if she was floating on a cloud. She never loved anyone the way she loved Howie and she was glad he felt the same.
