In Real Life (Nemi)

U Got Nothin On Me

The guys were all pretty drunk by the time we left the party. Joe & Wilmer were all giggles, snickering at each other at their inside jokes. Wilmer didn't drink often, especially around me, but he knew I was okay if he did once in a while. Nick, on the other hand, was pretty hammered, barely able to walk a straight line. Once inside the limo, Nick pretty much passed out, his head leaning on the back of the seat, his mouth gaping open. Olivia sighed as if she were bothered, then saw I was watching her, so she smiled. Blanda was sitting against Joe, her head resting on his shoulder as Joe & Wilmer were still laughing about something.

"I hope there aren't a bunch of pictures of him stumbling to the limo tomorrow when I get online." Olivia said, under her breath. "It's so embarrassing." She rolled her eyes.

"So do you think you'll come to Africa with me & Nick?" I asked her, smiling.

Olivia looked at me, a confused expression on her face. "Nick probably won't be able to go." Olivia smiled, a little on the phony side. "When do you leave?"

"September 7." I answered. I wanted to ask her why Nick wouldn't be able to go, but I decided to let it go.

Olivia clicked her tongue, looking up at the ceiling. "Oh yea, that won't work. That's when Fashion week starts in New York & I'm in quite a few shows."

I made a face. A sarcastic face. "Nick said he was going." I shrugged my shoulders, triumphantly. Now I really wanted him to go. Olivia looked pissed all of the sudden. Uh oh. I may have caused some issues. I didn't give a fuck. "Maybe you & Nick could go after that." I smiled, matching her phony with my own phony. "Or you can join him once your shows are done." I suggested.

Olivia laughed, kind of loud. "I don't think I'd enjoy it."

I was stunned by her statement. "Why? I thought you liked helping people."

Olivia gave me a smile, tilting her head a little. "Oh, I do. More than anything, but that's a little more manual labor than I prefer." Her lips pursed, then she looked away, like she had nothing more to say. Wow. I sat there, stunned. She really was a princess. I tried not to laugh. Oh no, she wouldn't be with Nick much longer. Nick couldn't be with such a princess for the rest of his life. Sure, she was shiny & fun now, but she wasn't who he would want to spend all eternity with. Nick wasn't afraid of manual labor. He would help anyone, anytime, no matter what he had to do. I hoped maybe this trip to Africa would open his eyes to what Olivia really was.I was glad I invited him now. I was a little nervous about spending so much time with him, but I was excited about introducing Nick to this whole new world.

I survived the triple date from hell & it turned out okay at the end. I was getting to know Olivia a little better & I was realizing that my intuition was correct about her. She wasn't meant for my best friend, so I didn't feel as guilty for wanting to be with him. I would be doing him a favor if I drove a wedge between them. I wasn't going to, intentionally, but if it did happen, I wouldn't feel guilty. Olivia wasn't as great of a person as she wanted people to think she was. She wasn't as great of a humanitarian as everyone perceived her to be. I was beginning to see through her facade. She put on this front as a super sweet good Samaritan, but she was a little high maintenance. She thought she was above everyone else. I wasn't convinced she really loved Nick as deeply as she should at this point. I was starting to think he was her ticket to fortune for life. When she looked at him, she didn't see stars, she saw dollar signs. When we were at dinner, she ordered the most expensive thing on the menu, but hardly ate any of it. The more I started thinking about her, the more I actually disliked her & wanted to protect my friend. I wasn't going to say anything to him, but I would plant seeds of doubt, if I must. I didn't want Nick to be mad at me, so I'd keep my mouth shut. For now.