VALERIE

Forty Five

"You're being so vague Nick, it's annoying me now."

"My bad."

"Then just tell me what you have to say." Valerie groaned in frustration as she rolled over onto her back,

"I'll tell you when I see you." Nick yawned tiredly into the phone.

Valerie groaned in frustration, "I really dislike you right now."

"Oh well princess."

"It's been like 3 days when am I going to see you?" Valerie asked sitting up on her round bed, her legs tucked underneath her thighs.

"Can you just chill out? I'll see you after Christmas."

"After Christmas? Nick, no." She whined dropping herself falling face down onto her bed.

"What why?"

"I wanna see you now." She mumbled into the bed.

"I can't me and Johnny are going to help his dad clean out their garage in a bit."

"Ugh! Fine then." Valerie sighed in annoyance, "Okay then if you can't come over now then come have Christmas Eve dinner with me and my family tomorrow."

Nick let out a a sarcastic laugh, "Your mom and sister hate me."

"So? You're coming for me, not for those bitches."

"I can't either way."

"Why not?" She whined again,

Nick chuckled, he found it cute, "Because I'm having Christmas Eve dinner here, with Johnny's family. Look Valerie, these people took me in. I'm so grateful for that and they actually want to spend time with me and I feel bad if I don't."

"Fine Nick."

Nick groaned, "Come on don't get mad."

"I'm not mad."

"Yeah you are."

"You're making me mad just by saying that so stop, I understand."

They both grew silent. Nick stood still on the other line with his cellphone in one hand and a cigarette in the other, Valerie could hear when he'd inhale.

She could just imagine how his diamond cut jaw looked as he inhaled the toxic smoke.

And Nick could in vision Valerie grumbling and pouting like a fucking child on the other side.

But his mind wasn't really even on Valerie, it had been on Mia for the past few days. He kept contemplating that there was a 50/50 chance he was going to be a dad to the fetus growing inside of her.

At first he was shocked, but one part of him decided that if it was his child he'd want to give him or her all the love he never received as a kid. But another part of him was terrified. What if he was an awful dad? What if he never got his shit together? And he also knew that if it was his, his friendship will forever be over with Johnny and his relationship with Valerie.

All these "What if's"

He took another drag.

"There's something wrong isn't there?" Valerie whispered,

"I'll tell you about it when I see you." Nick said sternly,

Valerie's heart clenched and she could feel her chest tighten until it felt like it was on the verge of ripping open.

"I love you." She blurted out.

"Valerie, I'm gonna go now, I'll call you tomorrow morning, promise."