Chapter 16
Nick was bouncing off the walls throughout the two interviews he was like a little kids overflowing with excitement on Christmas Eve, filled with the anticipation and hope of what the next day would bring.
Back at the hotel he darted out of the elevator and quickly made his way along the corridor to his room, juggling what was in his hands he fumbled around trying to release his key card from his wallet.
As he entered the room, he could hear the TV, sounded like Friends was on.
What’s with all the re runs? He said to himself.
Due to his hectic schedule he never watched much TV he preferred films or sports, something he could just pick up whenever he had some time out.
As he peered around the corner of the room he saw Kim fast asleep on the bed, she looked like a little angel resting on a white fluffy cloud.
He threw his stuff on the side table then knelt down beside the bed and rested his head on his folded arms as he watched her softly breathe in and out. A small curl had fell onto her face, he’d not seen her curly hair before and smiled as he pushed the damp curl from her face not being able to wait any longer he began to gently called her to wake up.
“Wakey, wakey sleepy head.”
Kim began to stir but kept her eyes closed.
“Good afternoon.” He whispered again.
She rolled onto her side so she became face to face with him but still kept her eyes shut.
Nick was fast losing patience; he found it difficult to have to wait for things so he playfully flicked her on her forehead then quickly returned to looking at her angelically.
Kim opened one eye and pulled a cross face.
“Finally!” He chuckled.
Kim kept the one eye on Nick and began to smile, she ran her tongue over her teeth and licked her dry lips before croaking.
“Hey you.”
Her heavy head sank further into the oversized pillow so only half of her face could be seen now.
“Miss me?” Nick instantly asked.
“Yeah like a whole in the head.” Kim playfully retaliated.
Nick looked at her puzzled not fully understanding what she ment.
“I got you something.” He beamed.
Kim raised her one free eyebrow as a way to ask what it was. Nick looked down to his side then as if by magic produced a large Starbucks cup.
“White chocolate mocha.” He grinned.
“With cream and cinnamon dusting.”
He held up the container looking increasingly pleased with himself.
That was Kim’s favourite drink although she tried not to have it too often, as it was so sweet but she could never resist.
“You remembered.” She gasped as she quickly shuffled up the bed so she could sit up and drink it.
“Of course I did.” He still grinned as he lent on the bed to get to his feet.
Kim began to sip the coffee as she watched him remove his jacket.
“So I know how to get you out of bed, it’s just how to get you into it now.” Nick smirked as he hung the jacket up.
Not expecting to hear a comment like that Kim’s coffee went down the wrong way causing her to cough and splutter. Nick spun round and laughed as she wiped her mouth and caught her breath.
“Oh my god I can’t believe you just said that.” Kim said as her cheeks began to flush.
Nick pulled his best I am innocent face. “What, what? I didn’t say anything.” He toyed.
Kim shook her head and chuckled. Nick took a run and jump onto the bed, collapsing next to her.
“So what you wanna do then?” He asked. “A few of them were on about goin to a club or something tonight, but I don’t mind staying in it’s up to you.”
Kim thought about it for a few minutes. “A club could be fun, I’ve not been out for ages, who’s goin?”
“Cool, erm AJ n Ro, Q obliviously. Erm, Jenn n the girls and Justin, pretty much everyone except D n Leigh n Bri n Leighanne and the kiddies.”
Kim took another sip of her coffee n nodded in acceptance.
“I got nothing to wear though.” She screwed up her face. “I’ve only got my work bag with me.”
“That’s not a problem Oxford Street is only around the corner we’ll go find you something.”
“OK I’ll just finish this up then.” Kim said trying to gulp down her coffee.
Nick lay there watching her as she let out little laughs every now and then at what was on the TV. Just as he began plotting how he could smoothly achieve another kiss there was a loud knock at the door.
Nick sighed displeased at yet another interruption; he reluctantly rolled off the bed and headed for the door where more loud, impatient knocks were being made.
He flung the door open to see AJ n Rochelle standing there.
“Yeah?” he asked resenting his friends call.
“Yo bro, were heading out to do a bit a shopping n wondered if you two wanted to come?”
Nick expressionlessly looked at the pair of them.
“Yeah I guess,” He rolled his eyes. “we were headin out anyway, Kim needed something to wear for tonight.”
“Super! We just gotta wait for Q then we can go, we’re gunna head down for a smoke, I can’t frickin believe you can’t smoke in this place. Who fuckin chose this place? Heads are gunna roll man.” AJ mellow dramatically joked as Rochelle gave him a gentle push to get over himself.
“OK you go smoke before the world ends, we’ll be down in a minute.”
“Righty Oh governa, Come on wench.” AJ said in his London accent as he turned to Rochelle and playfully slapped her on the ass.
Nick let the door shut as he turned and headed back to Kim who had begun to get ready for the shopping trip.
“Ok so shoppin n coffee get you moving.” He jested.
Kim looked up to him and smiled.
“Coffee yeah but shoppin NOOOO!”
Kim grabbed her makeup bag and headed for the bathroom. Seeing she had left the door open Nick went over, lent up the doorframe, and watched as she began to apply the make up to her face.
“So you don’t like shopping? I thought all girls loved shopping.” He queried.
“Erm, I do like shopping a bit but clothes shopping kinda does my head in, you know?”
Nick shook his head not understanding what she was getting at.
Kim saw him through the mirror and continued.
“I like buying things but with clothes it just annoys me after a while. You have to search through the shop, then when you do find something you like they either don’t have your size or have to go out back and locate it. Then you have to try it on and it very rarely fits properly so then you have to go back out find a few different sizes, go back n try them on, they’ll either be to tight or way to big so you’ll just end up with the first thing you picked anyway. It’s just all a bit of a chore.”
Kim began to laugh as she saw Nick’s lost expression.
“O Kay.” He puffed as he turned to escape from the mad woman.
He sat on the edge of the bed and pulled out his phone as he decided it would be fun to leave some cryptic message on his twitter page for people to try and decode.
Kim emerged from the bathroom a few moments later and grabbed her bag and coat, double-checking she had her phone and purse.
“Good to go?” She asked as she checked her reflection in the mirror.
Nick looked up to see Kim in grey skinny jeans a long white top hung from underneath her fitted black jacket. She had tied her hair up so her curls were hidden again.
“You ever just wear your hair down?” Nick got to his feet and stretched out.
“Sometimes but it’s a bit wild so it’s very rare.” Kim responded.
“I like the curls, there cute.”
Kim stared at Nick. “I hate them.” She huffed as she headed for the door.
A few hours had passed as they trailed the streets being mid week it was pretty quiet out there so they were only stopped a few times mostly by tourists who instantly recognised AJ and were then even more pleased when they realised Nick was with him too.
As the two of them stopped for a few photo’s and gave out a few autographs Kim and Rochelle took the opportunity to get some quiet shopping done in a nearby store.
“You know what you’re wearing tonight?” Kim asked Rochelle hoping for some inspiration.
Rochelle held up several dresses against herself.
“I’m not too sure there’s just too much to choose from.” She laughed “You?”
“I dunno I’m still looking for inspiration.” Kim answered as she examined a super high pair of black shoes.
“OOOh there hot.” Rochelle said joining Kim at the shoes. “You should so get them.”
Kim looked at them a little more. “I dunno they seem a bit high for me, I’m more of a trainer’s girl.”
“You know we should get ready together to night It’ll be fun. AJ can go n hang with Nick n leave us to it.”
Kim smiled a little unsure. “Yeah OK.” She finally gave into herself.
“Cool, I’m pretty stoked about tonight now.” Rochelle flashed a huge smile as she headed off to the changing rooms.
Kim looked around a little longer then decided to just grab a few different outfits, she was getting bored of it now and would end up with nothing if she didn’t hurry up.
The two soon emerged from the store with several bags. AJ and Nick were still talking to fans where Kim and Rochelle had left them.
A few fans recognised Rochelle and asked for pictures with her.
A girl looked over Kim. “Are you Nick’s girlfriend?” She asked politely.
Kim glanced at Nick and smiled. “No I’m just a friend of Rochelle’s.” She quickly answered
“Oh.” The girl looked at Kim coyly then turned her attentions back to AJ and Rochelle.
Nick stayed the other side of Q and began playing with his phone.
Kim felt her bag vibrate and pulled out her phone to see a message from Nick.
Hey girlfriend! X
She burst out laughing as she read it causing everyone to look over in her direction. She felt herself go red then quickly put the phone back in her bag.
“OK guys we better get going now, say bye ladies.” Q boomed as he began to lead the boys away.
Knowing all eyes were on the group AJ, Nick walked slightly ahead as Q hung back with Rochelle and Kim.
AJ turned around waving his phone and shouted to them,
“Jenn’s just around the corner you guys wanna get food?”
All of them yelled back “Yeah” as they followed AJ lead the way round to Jenn.
After a lengthy walk, they reached a place called Cape Town Fish Market. Kim followed Nick over to the conveyer belt where Jenn and the others were sitting.
“Hey you found us then.” Jenn beamed as soon as she saw everyone.
Nick signalled to Kim to sit in a seat and hopped up on the stool next to her.
“So you like sushi?” He asked grateful they finally had the opportunity to sit and talk.
Kim curled her mouth up. “It’s ok, I eat it but I’m more of a steak n chips girl, I like some think I can sink my teeth into.”
She began to laugh as Nick flared his nostrils and cocked an eyebrow at her.
“Howie n Bri have gone to a bar n grill place around the corner if you wanna go somewhere else?” Jenn butted in from overhearing their conversation.
“Baylee was buggin Leighanne for a burger.” She continued.
“Nah this is cool.” Kim smiled back.
As she picked up a bowl containing Californian rolls one of the girls with Jenn called Nicole began asking Kim a series of questions about her background. Nick sat there silently picking at his food, Kim saw he looked a little pissed so she placed her hand on his knee and gave it a gentle squeeze.
As soon as Nicole gave Kim a break from the interrogation, she turned to Nick and softly asked.
“Are you OK?”
Nick smiled again as soon as she spoke to him and his mood began to lift.
“Yeah I’m fine, Just hate that every time I think I get to spend a few minutes with you there’s an interruption or something. At least we get a few hours before we have to go out tonight.” He smiled.
Kim bit her bottom lip. “I guess this would be a bad time to tell you then that Rochelle wants us to get ready together later?”
Nick placed his head in his hand and let out a heavy sigh, he opened one eye at peered out from behind his hand at Kim beginning to smile.
“We’re so not coming outta that hotel room tomorrow.” He jested.
“English coming out for a smoke?” AJ shouted from across the other side of the conveyor belt.
Kim and Nick both looked at each other and burst out laughing.
“Yeah come on then.” She shouted back hopping off the stool.
“You coming with or you waiting here?” She asked turning to Nick.
“I’ll wait it’s too cold out there.” He joked.
“OK be right back.” Kim grinned as she just about stopped herself from planting a kiss on his cheek.
Nick watched as she followed Jenn, AJ and Rochelle out of the restaurant, he could still see her through the huge glass windows that surrounded the building.
Q shuffled around to Nick. “How’s it goin buddy?”
Nick nodded his head and took a sip of drink as he looked over his shoulder again to check Kim was still outside.
Q smiled to himself it had been a long time since he’d seen Nick this way about someone but then remembered how badly that had ended.
“So how’s it going with you and Kim? She seems pretty cool.”
Nick smiled at the sound of her name. “She is man, It’s going well I think. It’s just a ball ache that I never seem to have enough time alone with her you know, if I’m not busy with work then she is or when were both free someone always interrupts.”
Q nodded his head fully understanding Nicks complaint, he paused for a second before asking.
“So have you two talked at all about what’s gunna happen after this leg ends?”
Nick sighed and played with the label on his water bottle as he took another glance over to Kim. This time she spotted him and widely smiled through the window as he winked back.
“No, I’ve not mentioned it to her but it’s driving me mad. I really can’t see how I can just let go of her and that’s the end of it. I know it’s been pretty intense and I just keep thinking I’ve only known her for a few months but I really can’t imagine any time without her.” Nick signed as sorrow came over him.
“You need to have this talk with her dude, see what she’s thinking and try and sort something out.”
Nick shook his head. “I can’t Q, we both promised we’d just see what happens n be cool about the whole situation. I can’t now just turn round n be all Hey I can’t live without you.”
Q stroked his chin with his hand as if he was deep in thought.
“You know it’s a real shame there’s no way she can work on the next leg of the tour. Maybe the extra time together could help you both finally admit to how you really feel about each other.”
Nick stopped pulling the label from his bottle and turned his head to eye Q.
Q smiled back broadly and shrugged his shoulders.
“But hey what do I know I’m just the security guy.” He winked at Nick as he got up from the seat leaving him to ponder what he’d just said.
Kim came back shortly after and was about to sit down as Nick stopped her.
“You wanna head back to the hotel or you got more shopping to do?” He asked counting out some money to settle the bill.
“Yeah lets go back I’m bored with shops now.”
Nick grinned thankful for Kim’s answer.
“Jenn we’re going back now I need to send a few emails n that, so we’ll catch up with you guy’s at the club yeah?”
Jenn nodded to Nick as she looked at her watch she gasped. “Is that the time already? Where has the day gone? We’ll come back with you I need to start getting ready soon anyway.”
They all exited the sushi bar and headed down the now busy evening London streets back to their hotel.
Chapter End Notes:
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