“I still can’t believe you and Macy got into it,” Nick sighed as he took an alcohol wipe and tried to clean around the wound. Alex’s face was so swollen they couldn’t tell if she was bleeding on the outside or not.
“She just…shoved me…” Alex sighed. Nick had insisted on her changing into his clothes so she would be more comfortable. He was right. She was definitely more comfortable in his baggy black hoodie and his oversized gray drawstring sweats. “I’ve never been in a fight before…”
“Well, for a beginner, you did really well,” Nick smirked and pulled the frozen ice pack out from beside him on the couch and held it up to her face. She winced. “I know it’s freaking cold. Just keep it on your eye so maybe it won’t swell shut tomorrow.” He paused and drew his finger under her chin. “Why were you fighting?”
“Long story,” Alex muttered and looked down, only to feel her face be lifted once more so her one eye could look Nick in the eyes. The look on his face told her to continue. “Well…” she sighed. “I was talking to Kerstin having a conversation and I saw Macy staring at me. So I just walked over and asked if there was a problem. It just felt uncomfortable with her staring at me.” Alex explained. Nick nodded, allowing her to continue. “Well. She wouldn’t let up about how I wasn’t your type and how you weren’t my type. And how you don’t date girls…”
“She’s full of shit, you know,” Nick raised his eyebrows, hoping Alex didn’t believe her.
“Yeah, I guess,” Alex sighed. The entire night she hadn’t even thought about the novel. “Oh shit.” She mumbled without realizing.
“What?” Nick frowned, concerned.
“Is today Thursday?” Alex placed a hand across her forehead, completely getting lost in Nick’s world. Nick glanced down at his watch.
“Actually, it’s now 2:30 in the morning on Friday,” he corrected. “Why?”
“God dammit,” Alex mumbled and stood up quickly. “I have to be at work in six and a half hours! Do you understand how detrimental this is to my career? I mean, I cannot miss work tomorrow! I could be fired, Nick!” She began to pace the floor, holding the frozen ice pack tightly to her eye.
“Okay, okay,” Nick stood up and placed his hands on her forearms. “Just calm down, okay?” He requested. “You really want to go to work tomorrow – rather today – with that black eye?” He frowned and gently pulled away the frozen pack to get a better look.
“I don’t really have a choice. My boss allows me to work from home, but we specifically set up a meeting tomorrow morning,” she sighed, trying not to give anything away. She plopped down on the edge of the couch and looked down at the ground. “How could I have been so stupid? I let everything slip from my mind…”
“I’m sorry,” Nick apologized. “I guess that’s kinda my fault considering I asked you to go out tonight and got you into this mess.”
“Nick,” Alex sighed and smiled. “It is not your fault. I promise. But I really do need to get some sleep so I can wake up in a few hours. Hopefully my meeting won’t run too long. I’ll have to stop by my apartment…” she cursed herself when she realized she wasn’t in Syracuse. “Oh…fuck.”
“What now?” Nick frowned. He tried to hold in his laughter. It seemed like all of this was beginning to hit Alex at the same time. It almost seemed like getting hit in the face was bringing back her memory.
“We’re in fucking New York City. I have to be in Syracuse tomorrow to get my laptop and all my work. Then I have to drive all the way back here to present my project,” Alex mumbled with tears in her eyes. “And I have to present it with this huge ass lump on the side of my face. I’m a lost cause. I’m going to lose my job.”
Nick bit his bottom lip and then glanced down at his watch. 2:30 AM. “If we leave now, we can make it back to your apartment for you to get your work stuff, clothes, make-up and whatever else you might need. Then you can get dressed in the car and I can bring you back to the city.” He explained quickly, standing up to gather his things.
“Wait…Nick…you’d do that for me?” Alex stood up and approached him slowly.
Nick didn’t take much time to think about it. Instead, he let a smile grace his lips. He brought his hand up to the side of her cheek and kissed her softly. “Of course. I mean, it’s the least I could do. You fought for me. I might as well do something great for you.” He winked. Alex knew he wasn’t trying to “repay” her in anyway.
She smiled and thankfully grabbed her purse and followed Nick out the door of the hotel. “Okay,” he whispered. “Now we have to be really careful. Paparazzi will be everywhere. And if anyone from management or the band catches me, we’re screwed.” He gently grabbed Alex’s hand and led her to the elevator and out the door. There was a black SUV parked in a special spot on the side of the hotel.
“I can’t believe I didn’t realize we were in the city and I had to have all of my work things for tomorrow…” Alex sighed and rested her head against the window. “Feel free to stop for coffee…or if you want me to drive, I can definitely take turns.”
“No thanks,” Nick smiled. “You driving with one eye really doesn’t sound too safe right now…and I’d really like to keep my life, thanks.” He chuckled as he started the drive. “I do need you to kinda stay awake so I know where I’m going…” he smiled at her as he watched her eyelids slowly begin to close.
She smirked and yawned to try and wake herself up a bit. “Understandable. I can’t believe I was so stupid tonight. I mean, getting into the fight is one thing, but then forgetting about work? That is so not like me,” she sighed and ran her fingers through her hair.
Nick reached over and took her hand in his. He played with her fingers with a smile on his lips. “Yeah, but just think about it this way. Now we can spend some time together,” he shrugged playfully. “And the fight? I think it’s kinda hot, to be honest with you.”
Alex laughed and threw her head back against the seat. “I can’t believe you just said that. You sound like Paris Hilton.” She laughed but her laughter fell short when she realized he wasn’t laughing and had dropped her hand. “What? What did I say?”
Nick look at her as if she were stupid. “Are you kidding me?” He frowned and shook his head. When he realized Alex really had no idea what he was talking about, he sighed and decided to calm down. “Sorry. It’s just…you really don’t know much about me if you’ve never heard of Paris and I.”
“Y-You?” Alex nearly choked. “You and Paris were…together?” She sounded disgusted. In a way, it was a total turn-off. She hated Paris Hilton and everything she was. She made women in society look bad. “I didn’t know,” was all she managed to mumble.
The car got incredibly quiet as they drove on. The novel began to only become a worse idea as time went on. She wasn’t focused anymore. She wasn’t hanging around Nick Carter because he was her job anymore. It was different. Her interest had changed. That was when the idea sparked.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Tada! Chapter 16 is here! Reviews are lovely! Keep them coming!!
