The Wrong Guy

Chapter 17 Nike. Just Do It!

                It was about an hour before midnight when I had just awakened only to find myself driven home by Nick. The car was just slowing down in front of our apartment. I sprung my head away from the side window where I laid my head to sleep and took deep yawn. I didn’t notice that the two drunks were already gone. I wondered how Nick got them off without waking me up. Nick just parker the car upfront when I got a little settled. Nick used to keep the car key sometimes when we let him borrow the car. Nick’s house was only across the street, so we didn’t bother if he parked the car in their garage. I was supposed to say goodbye to him for the night, but I wanted to ask him a few things before leaving.

                “You got the two out?” I started.

                “Yeah.”

                “Amazing. You got them home without waking me up.”

                “Well, yeah.” he chuckled. “Harvey came out fine. I walked Laura while she was half-asleep.”

                “Cool.”

                At least it had gone for the better. We would have been in trouble if Laura’s parents found out that she got drunk, but her parents are out of town, and she does everything on her own, pretty much why she had more free will than me. Since everything went fine, all I had to worry about was Alex. I was afraid that he would have changed his impression of me or maybe avoid me in any way. It wasn’t likely, but it still got me worrying.

                “Nick.” I said. I didn’t know why I wanted to ask him; I just did. I faced Nick, waiting for him to respond.

                “Yeah?” he responded and faced back at me. I thought I could have still backed away my thoughts, but I didn’t.

                “If you loved someone and you knew that you barely have any chance, what would you do?” I asked him straight off, a question that probably triggered a thousand of bitter memories to strike his mind, but I wanted to ask because I wanted to know what to do. I’ve never felt that way before, and I didn’t know what to do.

                Nick gave me a short gaze, but he quickly asked back, “Why are you asking me that?”

                “I don’t know.” I shook my head and let my sight fly off in front of the windshield. “I don’t know what to do.”

                “Are you doing this for Alexander?” he followed up. I couldn’t answer right away. I still wanted to deny it, but it didn’t feel like it would have worked.

                “I guess so, yeah.” I said and nodded as I turned my face to him. His expression didn’t change, but I know that it affected him somehow. He took some long exhales and rubbed his hair, trying to think maybe. I wanted to say more, so I did, “I don’t know what this feeling is. I get goose bumps every time I see or get near him. I lose control. I know, maybe you’re not the right person to ask about this, but I know that you know what’s best to do. You said you wanted to help me as my friend, right?”

                “Liyah.” He said and paused. He took a deep breath and went back on, “I know exactly what that feeling is. It’s the same thing I felt when we first met.”

                “I’m sorry.” I wanted to apologize. All that time, I didn’t know he was that serious. “I was young and naïve. I didn’t know a thing about that.”

                What if what I was feeling was exactly what he felt back then? What if Alex didn’t care about my feelings like I didn’t care for Nick’s?