Nina finished shooting her scenes and went home. Ian had a few left, and when he finished them, he drove to Nina’s apartment without anyone noticing him. They didn’t want their colleagues to know.
He entered the elevator, then he got to Nina’s floor and rang the doorbell. She was just putting something on and opened the door quickly.
"Ian. Hi." She smiled, as the the rhythm of her heart was getting faster.
"Um." He grinned at stared at her. She was wearing a big T-shirt, probably one of his and he couldn’t see if she was wearing any pants or not. "Hi." He then smiled.
"Um, will you come in?"
"Yeah." He got in the apartment and closed the door after him.
Nina walked inward, expecting Ian to follow her and started talking. “What is it?”
"You asked me to come at your place after shooting and to pick up Lynx if you still remember." He laughed at her forgetfulness.
"Oh, that’s right." Nina laughed with him and enfolded herself with a tippet. "I won’t be in Atlanta, so take care of her. And I wanted to talk to you." She picked the cat up, caressing it.
"You can always leave her at my place when you’re not here."
"I appreciate that." She put the cat in his arms.
Ian reached out his hand and touched her gently. “How are you, by the way?”
"I’m doing great." She smiled. "Packing while watching Friends. Just great."
"I should probably go. Where are you flying to?"
"Los Angeles. Stay if you want. Do you want wine or something?"
"Yeah sure." Ian did that eye thing he always did, then sat down casually and caressed the cat.
Nina was kind of happy to have him there in her apartment, so she smiled widely and went to the kitchen, giggling. She took a bottle of red wine, opened it, filled two glasses with it, then walked back to the living room. “So, how was your day?” She sat next to him, bent her legs and took a sip from the wine.
"Thanks." Ian smiled and took a sip from his glass. "I’ve had better."
"What got wrong?" She leaned and looked at him with a smile.
He did the same as her. “Simply everything.”
"How’s that possible?" She laughed softly and stroked the stem of the wine glass. She was sort of flirting, it wasn’t right but she couldn’t help it.
Ian looked at the glass, then looked at her. He understood the body language, so he couldn’t help but grin. After a second, he started talking. “I don’t know. It just happened. Life sucks.”
"No, it doesn’t. We are all blessed, in different ways. And it will always get better." She took another sip from the wine.
"You’re amazing and I lost my positivity." He laughed softly and drank as well.
"Okay, that’s not good. Why did that happen?"
"I think you’re the only one that knows actually. The things that happened between us. It hurts and it sucks." He took a large sip.
Nina really wanted to avoid that subject and she was overdoing to hide her pain. So she just swallowed and looked down.
Ian didn’t want to upset her though, so he changed the subject. “So, when are you coming back home?”
"Early Monday."
"And when do you want to see Moke?" He smiled.
"Um Monday." She giggled, then took a quick sip from the wine and put the glass on the table.
Ian took the last sip of his wine and did the same as Nina, then got closer and hugged her. He couldn’t stay so close to her without being able to touch her or wrap his arms around her. She hugged him back.
"More wine?"
"No thanks."
She pulled away and smiled lightly. “You look different.”
"Different how?"
"Kind of… different. I don’t know."
"Sleepy? Old? Sad?" He laughed.
"Sad and happy at the same time." She bit her lip nervous.
"Hahah. I’m not happy."
She swallowed. God, she hated hearing this from him. She loved him so much and she cared about him. She didn’t want him to be miserable. It killed her inside.
"You have to enjoy the life, Ian."
"I can’t do that. But don’t worry."
"It will get better soon, I promise." She touched his hand and looked at his eyes.
Damn, she was so beautiful. Her eyes were filled with hope and love. That’s what he loved about her. It was obvious that she was hurt, but she wasn’t showing it and she was so positive about everything. And he missed her so fucking much.
She was always on his mind and he just wanted to touch her pretty face again. To feel his hand flow through her lovely hair. He missed how he used to make her laugh with his silly jokes. Sometimes he felt like breaking down into tears and sometimes those thoughts and feelings did overwhelm him and he did cry.
That time she left for Los Angeles and she started texting him, just casually asking what’s his doing and how is he, made him so nervous that he almost collapsed. He was feeling so close to her and that closeness, even as just a friend, meant the absolute world to him.
Nina was going to spend the weekend with her best friend Julianne. She needed some distraction. It had been two months but Nina was still feeling empty, especially when she was at Atlanta, at the apartment. It brought her so many memories of Ian and she was constantly having dreams of him, which made her heart ache. But no one knew about that. She kept it to herself and was trying to have as much fun as possible.
"So, my lovely Dob! We have to clean you up from Ian! No Ian anymore, okay?"
"What do you mean?" Nina narrowed her eyes, as looking at Julianne.
"I know that he is like chocolate for you. Your temptation. But look on things that way. He’s a harmful chocolate and you’re gonna get fat from it, okay?"
Nina laughed softly. “You managed to make me laugh. But I love him Julianne. The feelings aren’t just gone.”
"Oh my god, Dob! You’re talking bullshits, he’s not God!" Jules laughed. "Come on, come with me."
"You know what? You’re right. Let’s just get drunk." Nina smiled and walked with her friend.
They got into the Beacher’s Madhouse. It was very crowded but Nina didn’t mind. She needed to get drunk and forget about some things for a while. There were half naked women dancing on the stage and a bunch of people around them, having fun.
Nina and Julianne grabbed their drinks.
"That’s right!" Julianne clapped her hands and smiled widely, as she was watching Nina drinking till the last drop. "Do you know what else do you need?"
"What?" Nina smiled as well and grabbed another glass.
"You need a boy to entertain you, and I know exactly who the right one for you is." Jules smiled jauntily and got off her chair.
Nina giggled, lifting her eyebrows and drank up. She looked around and she saw her friend, pulling Derek Hough to the bar.
When did everything get so screwed up? I don’t know who I am anymore! :|
1. http://untilthedayafterforever-fic.tumblr.com/post/78219426676/ssential-feature-of-the-one-with-beachers
