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We were both young when I first saw you / I close my eyes & the flashback starts…

Something tapped her window from outside. Her forehead crinkled, questioning what she believed she had just heard. Silence followed the supposed phantom sound. With a tearstained cheek resting on her balled up comforter, Bree sniffled and drifted back into her state of sorrow.

Why did he have to go now?

And why he couldn’t he take her with him?

Another tap. She sat up this time and perched on the edge of her bed, wondering if her ears deceived her. It was a short distance to reach out from the edge of her bed to the window, and she did so carefully. Pulling back the satin drapery, she let out a small gasp when a face stared back at her.

“Nick.” She whispered his name with exasperation and a hint of elation.

He smiled back at her, challenging her not to do the same. She lost that fight as she peeked over her shoulder to double check her door was closed. She remembered that not only was it closed; it was locked tight as well. She was angry at the world and didn’t want to let anyone in.

For him, though, there was always an exception.

“What are you doing here?” She threw open the window.
“I had to see you one last time,” He replied quietly, as not to call attention to himself. “I don’t want to leave you.”

Bree fought the lump back down into her throat. “You have to go, Nick. You’re following your dream. Wouldn’t you want the same for me?”

“No.” He stuck out his lips in a pout. “No, I would convince you that all you needed was here, with me.”

She laughed slightly at his idealistic response to hide her pain. “Always the drama queen.”

“Don’t be like that,” Nick reached out and stroked her cheek with his thumb. “Don’t pretend like you’re not hurting.”

Bree shrugged her shoulders and rested both elbows on the windowsill. Their noses almost touching, she extended her neck out to kiss his cheek. “I already said goodbye to you this afternoon. Don’t make this any harder.”

He stared blankly at her. “How much harder can it really get?”

“I…” Her voice cracked. “I’m already going through a lot right now and you want to come and drag this all out. It’s not fair to you or to me.”
“I don’t want to do that to you…” He started.
“Then why are you here?” She insisted.

She could feel her eyes beginning to brim with tears as she struggled to keep a brave front. Nick threw one leg over into her bedroom before she stopped him with a hand on his shoulder.

“Do you have a death wish?” She whispered to him as her eyes darted towards her door.
“I’m not afraid of your dad.” Nick scoffed, now with both sneakered feet on her floor.
“You should be.” She motioned for him to get out. “He’s extra overprotective now that Mom’s gone.”

“Why does he think he needs to protect you from me?”

Bree felt like a rod had been shoved into her heart as he peered at her with his honest, endearing blue eyes.
“I’m just saying,” She whispered. “I don’t think it would look good if he caught you trying to sneak into my room.”
Nick grabbed a hold of Bree’s hand as he exited out the window. “Then come with me.”

“What?” Bree shook her head.

“Meet me down at the water, in ten minutes. Will you? Please?” He leaned back in and cupped her chin in his hand.

Bree hesitated. It had only been two months since her mother had left, and her father had been licking the wounds for the both of them. To make matters worse, she was beginning to resemble her mother so much that every time her father looked at her, Bree felt as if she was pouring salt into those wounds. She felt like she was being constantly monitored, making sure she wasn’t going to have the same mental breakdown her father was having. Nick and her ambition for the dream of another life were the only things keeping her sane these days. She turned away from him and swore she could actually hear Nick’s disappointment float out around her. This could be the last night in a very long time she had contact with her sanity. It was going to continue to be a long, bumpy road for her. Nick was leaving tomorrow into a strange new world that could tear him away from her. Miles were going to be undeniable as they rolled out between the two of them. As his fame grew, people would be filtering into his life and influencing his days. He could evolve into a completely different person, and she could never see the same Nick again. Her Nick. Every single metaphor Bree could think up for a best friend, Nick was to her. He had been since they were little. A thought wondered in and settled deep, down into her brain: this was her last chance to be with him and the friendship that meant everything to her. She would have to tell her father good night, turn off the light in her room, and deal with the consequences in the day light. Taking a deep breath, she faced him again and nodded.

Nick’s eyes lit up the dark, starless night as Bree parted her lips. “Yes.”


Opening up her eyes, the rising sun screamed in through her window. The time glared at her with red, annoying letters. Bree let out a slow breath of air.

She placed the heels of her palms over her tired eyelids. Another dream -- a movie playing out in her subconscious when she drifted off to sleep; a dream so vivid it took a minute when she awoke to find out where she was. It took a minute to find out who she was with. Looking over at the lump beside her, she rubbed her disorientated eyes to adjust to reality. The person asleep next to her wasn’t who she dreamed about.

Disappointment drifted over her.

New York called out a noisy good morning to her as she threw the curtains the rest of the way open. A groan escaped from beneath the covers but Bree didn’t apologize. She couldn’t shake Nick’s face out of her head. The question of ‘why’ was resonating throughout her entire body. Bree figured a hot shower would wash Nick off and send the memories swirling down the drain…and out of her sleep. It had been ten years since she last saw him. She needed to leave the city for awhile. She needed to leave the person in her bed. Maybe, Bree thought, space would clear out her head and bury what was long gone.

Maybe.
Chapter End Notes:
I usually write AJ stories...I haven't written in so long, so I hope it's okay :D

I used to write on DLS under a different name. I don't know if I "grew out" of it but I think I just got a severe case of writer's block and I couldn't finish a story I had posted on there. But I finished this one...probably because it's short. I plan on making a series of this, and I'm new to this board -- it might take a while, but I'll try because I love it :)