Love Makes Me (A HunTia novella, A Hunter Hayes Fanfiction)

Breakeven

NICKY'S POV:

I hang up after my boss tells me what time to be at work tomorrow, and then I facepalm.

"You idiot, Nicky!" I whisper-yell at myself. "Now look what you've done!"

The credits are still rolling on the TV. I turn it off, and the resounding silence is eerie. Bri still hasn't come back to sit with me, and I know I've screwed up. But she wasn't pulling away. Is that a good sign? I don't know. I've never been in love with someone as much as I have with her.

Wait, who am I kidding? She's way out of my league. Intelligent, stunning, and a complete mystery, except to those who care enough to solve the strange puzzle that is Brianna Willows.

After another fifteen minutes, I walk into Bri's room. Seeing the mound of covers on her bed, I realise that she's sleeping. Her mouth is slightly open, and she looks like she hasn't slept well for a while. That's reasonable. She only got back from America a while ago anyway.

I walk inside and press a kiss to her forehead, before walking back outside again. She doesn't wake up.

In a way, I'm glad about that. Then I wouldn't have to explain myself to her.

But then, I want to know if she was just caught up in the moment or if she actually wanted the feel of my lips on hers.

As I try to sneak out of the room, I trip and faceplant. I freeze, as Bri stirs, but she just rolls over and sighs in her sleep. When I look around, I see the suitcase I must've tripped over. I try to drag it into the corner of the room, and out of it falls a small book.

This diary is personal property of Tia Evans.

Who's Tia Evans? Why does Bri have her diary?

Even though I know it's wrong, I start reading.

20th April, 2008

Crappy day. Again. It's not new, having Mother hit me, but it never feels nice when it happens. Today she drank so much that she ended up spewing. On me.

Eugh.

I can't help but laugh. Even though this girl is apparently abused, she still has sarcasm. That right there, that's strength. Putting everything aside to smile and make jokes. That's the definition of strength.

I'm not sure what to make of this, but I made a friend. Mark, his name was. He seems really sweet, came and sat with me, even though Heather and her cretins gave him the evil eye. Didn't even seem to care that I was an outcast. It was almost a good day. Strange.

Now I'm just confused. Why does Bri have this girl's diary?

I look back at her. She's still asleep, but somehow, she looks different.

Is she who I think she is?

HUNTER'S POV:

"So you're telling me," says Officer Jacobs, "that we have to get Br- uh, Tia- back to America."

"Yeah," I say, leaning back on the pillows of the couch.

He sighs. "I wish it were that easy."

I go pale, and so does Peyton. "Wh-what?" she asks.

"Tia's going to need to get her passport, and that won't take just a couple of days. By the time we do, I don't know if she'll be allowed back with an American citezenship."

I stand up. "You have to try."

He stands as well, towering over me. "It's your own fault you didn't answer the phone call." He nods. "I'll see you two some other time, I have another case waiting at my office."