Opposites Attract.

Chap 8

Nick leans against the cold brick wall outside the building, lighting a cigarette. The smoke fills his lungs and swarms his body, reaching his head, he suddenly feels relaxed again.
He looks out to the view in front of him, it's nothing special, but he can't take his eyes away from it, all the silhouettes of each building, the grey sky ever so slowly becoming darker by the second.
He waits patiently for Simon, John has went home with a girl he met not too long ago, if Nick was being honest, he never has hope for John's relationships, according to him, each girl he talks about is 'different', but it never seems to lasts. He hopes this one is a keeper, she seemed nice enough.
Just as Nick exhales the smoke from his mouth, leaning his head back on the wall, he's close to closing his eyes, but Simon stops him in his tracks. Nick lets out a surprised gasp, turning to Simon.
"Did I scare you?" Simon says with a smile, putting his hand out, Nick sets a cigarette into his palm, they didn't even need to ask, although Simon isn't much of a smoker, compared to Nick anyway.
"Just a little." Nick mumbles, a smile tugging on his lip.
Simon leans back on the wall like Nick, exhaling the smoke from his mouth once taking a drag, the smoke curling in front of his face.
Nick watches Simon closely, watching his mannerisms, when he blinks, when he goes for another puff of his cigarette. He's simply confused as to why he isn't speaking, didn't he want to talk to him?
"It's real depressing here, isn't it?" Simon says, breaking the silence between them. Nick perks his head up, looking about his surroundings.
"Quite, yes." He responds, flicking his cigarette away, watching the last flicker of orange drift away by the damp ground.
"Shall we walk? You know I can't stand still." Simon asks, Nick smiles to him, he definitely does know he can't, it's quite easy to tell.
They walk along side each other, not exactly knowing where to, they just walk, their legs stepping perfectly in sync, many cigarettes in Nick is completely calm, his shoulder stuck to Simon.
"I need you to be honest with me, Nick." Simon says, putting his hands into his pockets. Nick looks to him, taking his cigarette out of his mouth.
"Okay." He simply replies, giving him the silence to speak.
"How do you feel about the album?"
Nick's eyebrows furrow, he's told Simon many times he thinks it's amazing, maybe he wasn't convincing enough.
"I think it's amazing, Charley. Of course I do."
Nick replies, and he means it too, he thinks it's one of the best they've done by far, it's just not felt the same without Andy and Roger.
Simon nods, but Nick isn't going to leave it like that.
"Why'd you ask?"
"I don't know, I just notice you don't always look so happy in the studio."
Nick faces forward, biting his lip slightly.
He gives a small laugh, Simon must think he's unhappy because he doesn't like the album, but that is far from the truth.
"No, Charley. I'm not upset because of the music, I love our album."
"Well then why are you upset?" Simon asks, raising a brow at him.
This almost feels like a test to Nick, an experiment to get information out of him, but that's all in his head.
"Well I... It's very different now." Nick stutters nervously, he reaches for his pocket, to light yet another cigarette.
"I know, I get that. Were you just scared of the album not being as good?" Simon asks, Nick knows he should just say yes, although he recalls Simon saying about how he thinks of them, and why he doesn't think they're good enough to make and album of their own.
"Not particularly... It's complicated." Nick says, slightly swerving his question.
"Go on, just tell me." Simon says, nudging his shoulder.
"Well... I suppose I-" Nick stops himself, he feels so stupid for saying he misses them, it just makes him look weak.
"You miss them, a lot. Right?"
Nick sets his eyes on Simon's nodding slowly, his lips pouting slightly.
"Well what's wrong with that? Of course you do." Simon says, Nick soon fills with relief from his words, his shoulders loosen, he's no longer so tense.
"I just feel so stupid for missing them this much."
"Why? I miss them, so does John." Simon says, a small smile on his lips.
"I miss them too much, Charley. Like you said, I constantly look upset."
Simon looks down, giving a small sigh, he does recognise that Nick is more down than him and John, it worries him, let alone confuses him.
"I still get confused about it sometimes, I really didn't expect Andy leaving to affect you so much." He mumbles, the sound of Andy's name catches Nick's attention, he's so stupid for him still being on his mind so much, even in a room full of people he knows, Andy would always be the one he would look for.
"Me neither." Nick replies, although he definitely did, maybe not this much, but he knew Andy leaving would obviously give him some sort of heartache.
"Why did it? I mean, I didn't remember you and Andy being so close."
Nick sighs, he could go on about Andy for hours if he had too, he knows if he starts talking about him he'll never stop.
"We grew very close, actually. So close sometimes we were inseparable." Nick begins, he doesn't want to cry over him in front of Simon, but this is the first time he's really spoke about him aloud.
"We stopped the arguing, and started to understand each other more, learn about each other."
Simon listens closely, he's quite intrigued by the different side of their friendship.
"He became someone I truly needed, I mean I hate to say it about the bastard, but he became my best friend." Nick's voice becomes shaky, he tries everything to keep control of his voice.
"He's just so sweet once you crack him open, you just have to gain his trust you see, and I seemed to do that quite well." Nick smiles, even just thinking about how kind he could be to him makes his heart flutter.
"Then, he just drifted away from me, so fast I didn't even recognise until he was gone. That's when we all started arguing." Nick says, recalling those awful months he wishes he could forget.
"So when I realised he just left me like that, I-I got scared, so I became distant with everyone, because I'd lost someone who truly understood me for those few months."
Simon scoffs, before setting a hand onto Nick's shoulder, turning him around to face him.
"Oh my god, Nick." Simon breaths out, he can't believe the information he's received.
"I know, like I said, complicated." Nick says with a small laugh.
Simon pulls him into a hug, holding him close, he feels it's all he can do right now.
"I'm sorry he left you like that." Simon whispers, keeping him close.
"It's okay, I don't hold anything against him. I'm sure there is some other reason why he's doing this. I know him too well, he's not thinking straight."
"I hope your right, I hate to admit it but, I miss the little guy, he was fun."
Nick lets out a small giggle, he knows they miss him, it would be hard not too, he meant a lot in the group.
The two walk for what seems like forever, almost reaching Nick's house, he wonders if Simon is walking him home, although he doesn't want to be alone once he's gone.
Nick perks his head up at the sound of his name being called, but he knows it's not just anyone, especially when he's called by Nicholas.
Simon looks to Nick, confusion on his face.
"Did someone call you?" He asks, looking around himself.
Nick doesn't respond, he turns around, to see his parents waving and smiling, embarrassingly.
"Oh god." Nick groans, seeing them come his way.
"Is that your parents?" Simon asks, knowing well it is, he tries to keep the smile off of his face.
"Yes, sadly." Nick replies, once his parents start talking, they never stop.
Simon lets out a small laugh, causing Nick to glare at him, he can only imagine how this is going to go.
"Nicholas!" Nick's mum shouts, taking Nick into a hug, rapping her arms around his small figure.
Nick looks to Simon, he's laughing his head off, Nick can just feel himself go red.
"Hi, mum." Nick says, dodging a kiss from his mother. His parents still treated him like a child sometimes, he wishes Simon didn't have to find that out now.
"Oh look at you! You look fabulous!" His mum squeals, cupping her hands to Nick's face.
Nick rolls his eyes, he feels bad, but there is no need to act like this.
"He is fabulous looking isn't he?" Simon teases, fluffing Nick's hair. Nick mouths to Simon to fuck off, he didn't need him to wind up him more.
His dad then takes him into a hug, a less embarrassing hug, even he notices her behaviour.
Nick's mum turns to Simon, looking him up and down, a smile appears on her face.
"Simon! I remember you! God, what a very tall handsome young man you turned out to be!"
"Mum..." Nick whines, a little exasperated.
Simon laughs, before his mum takes him into a hug.
"Thank you, Mrs Bates, your looking lovely yourself." Simon replies, giving Nick a wink.
"I hate you." Nick whispers to Simon, causing Simon to laugh.
"Oh call me Sylvia, my dear. Oh, and this is Roger, Nicholas' dad."
Simon shakes his hand, they've met before, but only quickly, Nick is surprised they even remember his name.
"Uh- mum, dad- we should go back to my place, yeah? Let Simon go..." Nick says, he doesn't want to be embarrassed anymore by his parents.
"Let Simon come with us! Would you like that Simon?"
Nick turns to him, shaking his head, he doesn't even know why he bothers.
"Of course I would! If you'll have me." Simon says, smiling at Nick. Nick rolls his eyes, before finally giving in.