The stories in my flesh (Sequel to scars)

Part 49

Nick walks out his room rubbing his eyes. He looks at me and then looks down, I notice his cheeks blush a little. "Good morning." I say, he whispers back "Good morning."

I slide to him some pancakes I cooked and he starts to eat. He doesn't say a word the whole time he's eating and I watch him eat. He looks better than he did last night. When he's done he goes to change and I wait for him. I still don't know what I'm going to do. Anthony asked me to go live with him.. But that'll mean leaving Nick. And I don't want to leave him. But I also don't want to be away from Anthony.

I can't do that to him or Nick. It's obvious they don't like each other and thinking about it makes my head hurt. I've never had to make any important decision like this before and it sucks knowing I'm eventually going to have to pick.

"I'm ready." Nick says walking out, I open the door and walk ahead rubbing my temples. I didn't sleep much last night, I've been having nightmares. Again. Stupid nightmares that haunt me day and night.

"Sorry about last night." Nick finally says as we wait outside for a taxi. "It's alright." I say, "Not really. I didn't mean to make you feel bad or bother you with my stupid problems."

"Nick, you never bother me. And your problems aren't stupid." He sighs, "Well thank you." I bite my lip nervously, "I have to tell you something."

"Go ahead." He says, "Anthony asked me to move with him."

On the way to work we don't really talk much, it seems things are pretty tense between us.

Alice is quite bubbly today, "You seem happy." I say drying my hands. "I know I'm just really excited!" She says with a grin. "And whys that?" I ask curiosity building up inside me. "I applied for a college and I got in!" She says.

"That's great!" I say happily. "I know!" She hugs me and I'm startled, she quickly let's go. "Sorry." She says slowly, "No it's fine." I say still pretty shocked. "I'm just really happy!"

"I would be happy too." I say, "The thing is it's not a college here. It's in Pensacola Florida." I feel a little part of me die inside. Pensacola Florida? That means I won't see her anymore. "That's- that's awesome." I say voice a little shaky. Even though Alice and I haven't been friends for a long time it still hurts knowing I won't see her. Same thing happened with Amy, even though I wasn't friends with her for a long time it still hurt leaving her behind.

"I'm leaving in the fall. I'm so excited, you know I never thought I'd get in a college but I did. And I'm happy, I need to get away from this place." She says preparing some beverages. "That's awesome, I'm glad you're going to start a career."

"Why don't you apply for a college?" She asks, I shrug. "I'm not really that smart." I say, Alice looks at me, "That's a lie Sydney. I remember freshman year you won an award for having straight As, and your essay was chosen to represent the school sophomore year. You're pretty smart." She knows all that? I thought I was invisible to my whole high school years.

"But what can I study? I mean I'm not really good at anything- I might be smart and I might've gotten straight As but I don't know what to study." She hums, "Hmmmmm, you're smart and have patience. Maybe teacher? You could be a teacher. Or a doctor, can you imagine Dr. Williams! Sounds good." She says with a smile, I smile back. "It does sound good."

"You should go and apply somewhere." I nod, "Maybe I will." I say. Maybe I will, after all what else do I have to lose? I at least have to try, right? "What are you going to study?"

"I want to be a dentist." She says. "Interesting career." She nods, "And Alice. What about that guy you said you liked? What does he think of this career thing?" Why did I have to bring up the guy she likes?

"I haven't talked to him about it yet. But I'm sure he's going to be real happy." She grins and sighs happily.

"Do you like Alice? "

"Well of course I like Alice. She's nice, why wouldn't I like her?"

"No, not like that. I mean like her like her, like a girlfriend."

"No. Why would you think that?"

Nick doesn't like her. She's going to be hurt when Nick tells her he doesn't like her. "Have you told him you liked him?" I asked her, she looks at me confused. "Of course, he knows and he likes me back."

"What?" But Nick said he doesn't like her- "Why did you ask that?" She says. "Umm well, I was just wondering."

"Oh okay well yeah. I can't wait until I talk to him, I can't wait to see him." She walks out with a tray and I feel completely confused.

Minutes later she walks back in, "Did you tell him?" I ask. "Told who what?"

"Nick, you know about the college thing." She raises an eyebrow, "Umm well no. But I'll tell him later I guess." She looks pretty calmed. "But you said you couldn't wait to tell him."

"When did I say that?" She looks even more confused, "While ago. Like five minutes ago." She told her head to the side, "No I didn't."

Is she trying to play me right now? "Yes you did. I thought you were going to tell him you know him Nick, the guy you like."

"Woah what?! I don't like Nick. Who told you that?" I clear my throat, "Well I just assumed that.. Oh gosh." I feel my face heat up with embarrassment. I made a fool out myself. "No, no, I don't like Nick like that." She says. I clear my throat again feeling completely foolish.

~

Nick and I walk to our apartment building, "So guess what?" I say, "What?" He says and I blush thinking about it again. "So I totally thought Alice liked you like liked you, you know?" Nick nods, "Ah yeah."

"Turns out I asked her and she said she liked you just not like that, I felt like a total fool." Nick stops walking. "Why did you ask her? Why do you care if she likes me or not?"

"Umm- well. I .. I don't know." I say because honestly I don't know. He's about to say something but he stops. "Gosh." Nick says, by the voice of his tone I can already tell who it is. I turn around and see Anthony walking to us.

"I guess you're going to have to pick between us." Nick says and Anthony looks at me. I look at both and then I feel panic build inside me.

I can't pick between them.