“Is that true?” Nick muttered looking down at her. He took hold of her arm and pulled her inside away from the photographers. Now they had a hot story and had started to flutter towards the building. Alex hadn’t even heard everything the photographer had said to Nick. Her head was spinning. She was only catching a few words here and there. “Alex…” Nick trailed off and shook his head. As soon as he saw the tears flooding her eyes he knew he had been played.
“Nick, it’s not what he made it out to seem, I swear to you,” Alex shook her head, tears pouring out freely.
Nick paused. He wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt. Rumors started in the media all the time. Maybe it wasn’t what he thought. “Then what exactly is it?” He frowned.
Alex sucked in a deep breath and looked around at the faces already staring at them. “Can we go somewhere else to talk about this, please?” She practically begged. He nodded with a sigh and draped his arm around her lower back to lead her outside to a taxi cab. Dinner would have to wait. The photographers didn’t waste any time in attacking the couple for answers. As they loaded into the taxi, Alex rattled off the address to one of her favorite thinking spots.
“Burnet Park, please?” She asked hastily. The driver nodded. She looked over at Nick. “It’s only about ten minutes away…it’s where I go to think.” She sighed. Nick nodded, not making much conversation. He wasn’t willing to say anything until he knew for sure what was going on.
The driver pulled over and the two got out, making their way to a swing set close by. “What’s going on, Allie?” Nick whispered. He didn’t want to get hurt, but if she said something he was afraid of, there was a good possibility his heart was going to hurt.
“Nick, the night that I met you, my intentions were…different,” she began to explain. She might as well start at the beginning. “I got an idea for a novel. I was tired of hearing how heartless men were picking up women and using them, so I figured I would turn the tables. Kerstin and I went out clubbing that night so I could meet a man that was insensitive and a complete jerk.”
“And you met me,” Nick whispered and glanced down at the mulch under his expensive dress shoes. Alex sniffled back tears and nodded slowly.
“I knew automatically that you weren’t the kind of guy I wanted to use for this novel,” she closed her eyes and dried the tears falling from them. “My publisher wanted me to lead on this guy, in this case you, and journal it.”
“Basically you wanted to make a fool out of me,” Nick scoffed at her and stood up from the swing. Alex jumped up after him and caught his arm.
“Please,” she begged, sobbing hysterically now. Nick hated seeing her like this. His heart was breaking from what she was explaining, but his heart also went out to her. “Please…just hear me out.” Nick sighed and sat down on a bench across from the swing Alex sat back down on. “The novel was to be a feminist movement, in my book. I wanted women to have a chance to get back at men. Nick, I’m not beautiful or glamorous.” Alex shook her head and tried to wipe away a few tears. “I’m a loner. I never used to wear make-up or care about my clothes. Until I met you.”
“All this time…I thought you were someone else…” Nick mumbled and ran his fingers through his hair. “This can’t be happening.” He stood up and paced the ground in front of him. “All this time…” he repeated. “I thought you were different, Alex. I really did. God dammit. Is that even your real name? Alex?”
“Yes, God, yes,” Alex nodded as more sobs fell over her. “Nick, I am different. I swear to you I am. You brought out the real me. That’s why I confronted my publisher about changing the novel. I wanted to change everything because in the process of everything my feelings for you changed.”
“Why should I believe you?” Nick frowned and shook his head. He walked towards Alex as she stood up from the swing. When he was directly in her face she could see the tears forming in his own eyes. “I don’t fall in love, Alex. I don’t. I never have. But with you, everything changed. I thought this was more real than any relationship I’ve ever had. And trust me, I’ve had my fair share,” he muttered rudely. “You just proved to be another illusion in this game of love.”
“It’s not a game, Nick!” Alex yelled after him as he began to walk away.
“Then what the fuck is it, Alex?!” He yelled back and spun towards her. For a second, she was afraid he was going to lash out at her. “Please, tell me. What exactly was this to you? A job?” He asked her sarcastically. When he saw her face look down as if she was afraid to admit it, he kicked at the mulch chips below him and shook his head again. “You have got to be kidding me. That’s all I am to you…all I am is a job. Damn you, Alex.”
She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She felt as though she was going to be sick. “Nick, please.” She cried. “Please, you have to believe me…”
“Believe what, Alex? That you would choose your damn novel over me?” Nick questioned. “Because that’s pretty hard to believe. You went into that meeting this morning and came out completely satisfied with their response.”
“I thought I could play the company, Nick. I swear to you I never once considered playing with you. At the beginning, yes. I’m trying to be honest with you by admitting that,” Alex sighed. She was beginning to calm down, hoping he would just believe her. She just wanted him to trust her.
“You’re trying to be honest?” Nick scowled. “Think about what you just said, Alex. For three weeks you’ve been a liar and now all of a sudden you’re trying to be honest?”
“Yes,” Alex jumped back. “Because my feelings for you have grown so much that I don’t even understand anymore. You mean more to me than that company and that novel. I swear.”
“Then why did you choose the company?” Nick muttered and began to back away to the street.
“I didn’t choose the fucking company!” Alex screamed as her tears resurfaced. “I choose you, Nick. I promise you that I choose you.”
“I don’t believe you,” he shook his head. “I’m sorry, but I can’t believe you.” And with that, he got into the taxi. “Goodbye, Alex.”
Author's Chapter Notes:
Things get a little...hard. But keep reading!! Reviews = amazing!
