Break Free

Two Months Before

"This is weird." Sarah blushed.

"It's just two friends getting ice cream." Nick smiled at her from across their table.

"Why would you want to do anything with me? I've been so mean to you." Sarah felt guilty and stabbed at her cookie dough ice cream.

"We both could have handled the situation better, but I just want that to be in the past. I want things to be like how they used to be." Nick remembered how they always got along with no problems. Of course now every memory was tainted with the fact that Sarah had been in love with him, but he was getting past that.

"I'm sorry, by the way." Sarah apologized.

"Don't worry about it. Now, why did you get cookie dough ice cream? It's disgusting." Nick laughed.

"I think it tastes good!" Sarah defended her favorite snack.

"It's gross. Charlie made me try it once and I nearly puked." As Nick laughed at the thought, he saw Sarah's expression change.

"That's funny." She fake smiled and ate some of her ice cream.

"Sarah,  you can't get weird when I talk about her. She's our friend." Nick tilted his head to the side and tried to catch Sarah's gaze.

"Can you just answer one thing?" Sarah looked up.

"If you're going to ask if I'm in love with her, I'm not going to answer you. It's ridiculous." Nick shook his head.

Sarah accepted his answer. She just figured that if he loved Charlie then the real reason he didn't love her back wouldn't be so hard.

They ate in silence for a while. Nick didn't like that everyone kept bothering him about Charlie. He didn't understand why everyone kept pestering him. They were just friends.

Sarah was regretting her agreement to come have a friendly ice cream outing with Nick. She felt awkward sitting next to someone she still hadn't gotten over.

"How are your parents doing?" Nick got bored of not talking.

"Fine. My dad keeps trying to get my mom to go visit Spain with him, but she's deathly afraid of getting run over by a bull." Sarah smiled.

"What does that have to do with anything?" Nick laughed.

"Well they have the bull runs in Spain and that's what my dad wants to go see." Sarah rolled her eyes.

"I agree with your mom. I don't want to get run over by a bull." Nick approved.

***

"You didn't have to walk me back." Sarah rolled her eyes as they walked up the driveway to her house.

"You never know who's going to be walking around the neighborhood." Nick didn't mind. Even though he had parked at the ice cream place, it felt good outside. Plus Sarah refused to get in his car.

"Well thank you. And thank you for the ice cream and listening to me talk about my silly parents." Sarah smiled and paused as she got to the front door.

"It feels weird not living here sometimes." Nick glanced up at the large house that used to be for five people.

"You could stay." The words slipped out before she even knew what she was saying.

"My car is still at the ice cream shop, so I'm just going to go get it and head home." Nick brushed off the awkwardness of Sarah's comment. There was no point in dwelling on it.

"Yeah, of course." Sarah nodded quickly.

"See you later." Nick smiled and started walking away.

Sarah was about to open the front door, but suddenly felt extremely courageous. There was no point in feeling like Nick didn't want her if she didn't try.

She ran the short distance to catch up with Nick. He didn't even register what was going on until Sarah had planted her lips on his.

The moment felt magical for Sarah. She was finally kissing the man she'd been in love with for so long now.

Nick was very surprised. "Sarah!" He grabbed her arms and pushed her away.

"I'm so sorry." Sarah stuttered as she searched for anything else to say.

"I have to go." Nick studied Sarah's face for a split second before walking away quicker than he was before.

Sarah ran back into the house and tears started falling down her face as she raced up the steps and into her room.

Maya, who was setting up the dining room table, had seen the entire exchange. She made a mental note to talk to Sarah after dinner.

"Did you see that?" Charlie came downstairs after seeing Sarah run past her.

"See Sarah crying? Yes." Maya straightened a fork so that it lined up with a knife.

"What happened? I thought she was having ice cream with Nick?" Charlie sat down in her chair as Maya continued to check that everything was perfect.

"I'm not sure." Maya lied.

Charlie wondered if Nick had ever made anyone cry, but still didn't see the connection. How could having ice cream with Nick lead to tears? Nick was a good guy. He would never say or do anything to make someone that upset.

"I'm starving." Abby whined as she came into the dining room.

"Me too." Benjamin followed in after.

"Well maybe if you guys took a break from making out you would remember you're supposed to eat every once in a while." Maya left the dining room.

"Oops." Abby giggled.

"I thought I saw Nick outside. He isn't joining us?" Benjamin asked Charlie.

"No. He's got plans tonight." Nick had texted her earlier to see if she wanted to come hang out with some of his work friends, but Charlie didn't want to go hang out with him right after Sarah did. She would've felt bad.

"Oh well." Benjamin smiled.