Chapter 43
"Hi, Amanda!"
"Hey, what's up?" Amanda smiled, seeing Tracy on her porch.
"I came by to tell you the good news." Tracy said brightly. Amanda looked puzzled until she saw the ring on her finger.
"You're kidding." she said out loud without intending to. Tracy seemed slightly annoyed but kept on with her story anyway.
"Nick and I are getting married. Isn't it wonderful?" she gushed. Amanda nodded but she felt sick. Nick had told her he was breaking up with Tracy....,nothing made sense. That afternoon at rehearsal Amanda waited for Nick to tell her the news, but he didn't mention it. Finally, she got frustrated and slapped him on the back of his head.
"What the hell was that for!?" he hissed, rubbing the bruise that was forming. Amanda had never hit him before and this left him in complete shock.
"When were you going to tell me? Tomorrow? Next week?"
"Excuse me?"
"I thought we told each other everything, Nick! You're my best friend and you weren't going to tell me?" Amanda said, almost in tears.
"I always tell you everything. What are you talking about?" he asked. Amanda realized then that either Nick was playing dumb....or he really had no idea.
"Your engagement?" Amanda offered. Nick's eyes went wide, his face pale....something was definitely off.
"I'm not engaged. Did she tell you we were? Goddamn it. I fucking told her to sleep on it." he exclaimed, sitting on the edge of the stage and groaning.
"Nick, how did this happen?" Amanda asked, sitting next to him. She wasn't angry anymore, her expression softening. Nick shook his head, chewing on his bottom lip.
"She asked me to marry her, but I'm not ready for it. We don't know each other well enough to be thrown into marriage." he explained. As Amanda listened, she hoped there was something she could do....wished Nick would break things off so she'd finally tell Lance to screw himself.
"I think a beach wedding would be so romantic, don't you, Nick?"
"Huh? Oh yeah....that's great, baby." Nick mumbled a few days later, not really paying attention to what Tracy was saying. She didn't seem happy that he wasn't interested, but kept going over wedding ideas anyway. The wedding was being moved up and was a few weeks away.....and all Nick could think about was Amanda.
He knew she was unhappy with Lance, he could see how he treated her like a maid, like hired help and not his wife.
"Nick? Are you listening?"
Nick's mind went back to New York....how Amanda had made him feel as they had lay in bed together....when they were both single, when nobody else in the world mattered. He smiled but Tracy snapped her fingers, startling him.
"Sorry, baby." Nick said sheepishly, grinning at her. He couldn't ignore the growing sick feeling in his stomach.
Amanda wanted to pull her hair out.
"Babe, I told you before- my work pants don't go in the dryer! They get wrinkles! Now what the fuck am I gonna wear?" Lance shouted from the hall, standing in his underwear. Amanda peeked out from the laundry room, rolling her eyes at him. There once was a day where she found him attractive....he was in shape and good looking, but his attitude and cockiness ruined it for her.
"Why don't you wear clothes, Lance? I'm sure you own more than one pair of pants." she hissed, throwing clothes into the dryer. She often wondered what it would have been like if she married Nick, what life they'd have. Amanda liked that Nick wanted children, she dreamed of a small family like he did. Lance had only recently been pushing for a baby, and he was the last person on earth she wanted to do that with. To her a baby with Lance meant she'd never be able to leave him. Once Lance left for work, Amanda went about doing things around the house....wishing there was a way to stop the wedding.
"Dude, are you okay? I've never seen you so down before." Brian said as he and Nick walked into his house. Nick had been spending the afternoon avoiding Tracy, he just didn't want to go over any more wedding plans. Just thinking about being married made him sick to his stomach with doubt.
"I don't think I'm ready for this. I'm gonna call it off." Nick said, sighing.
"Talk to her, I'm sure she will understand. Don't string her along if your heart isn't into it." Brian replied.
Nick nodded in agreement....but would it be that easy?
Amanda was surprised to see Tracy visiting the next day. The two friends had not spoken since Tracy told her she was engaged.
"Hi, Tracy. What's up?"
"Nick wants to call off the wedding." Tracy said, looking at her feet. Amanda smirked but quickly changed her expression.
"Oh wow. What are you going to do?" she asked softly.
"I've promised him we could adopt a little boy...I think that will change his mind, don't you? If all else fails, maybe you could convince him....since he always takes your advice." Tracy replied. Amanda stared at her. She hoped Nick would not fall for this ploy....he was being rushed to the altar and Amanda didn't like it one bit. Tracy had become so competitive, it was like she was a whole different person. Nick had become a trophy.
"I thought you didn't want children." Amanda said, looking at her in disbelief.
"He doesn't need to know that. I can tell him anything and he eats it up." Tracy snapped. Amanda's mouth dropped open. How did she get this way?
"So what do you need me for, if he bought that already?" she asked.
"You can help me convince him to go through with the wedding....you know, push him in the right direction."
"Like hell I will. I am not lying to him for you.....Nick wants a family more than anything, how can you promise something like this if you don't mean it? I thought you were above that, Tracy." Amanda hissed, her eyes narrowed.
"You're just bitter because you passed him by and I got him. It isn't my fault you married Lance, you picked him." Tracy shouted.
"Get out of my house.....I won't help you rush Nick into something that is a complete lie."
"How dare you talk to me like that!"
"Get out and STAY OUT! Nick doesn't deserve this. You've changed, Tracy....and I hope to God Nick sees it and leaves you. When that day comes, don't come crying to me!" Amanda screamed, slamming the door and leaning on it with her back.
It was then that she began to cry....she felt so betrayed by Tracy, so guilty that she had set her up with Nick....and there was no way to warn him without hurting him. Amanda cried for a few moments before drying her eyes. It was then that she realized she had one card left to play.
The only question was, would he listen to her? Amanda hoped this would make things right again. She knew Nick deserved better, they both did.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Back with a new chapter, hope you enjoy! Feedback is always appreciated!
