Saving Nicole

Chapter 12: 15

Nicole's POV
--

The next day, I wake up to the hum of my flip phone vibrating against my nightstand.

I lift my head groggily from my pillow and sit up on an elbow. The covers fall back with a thump and I stare at the spot where Shock was last night. Again, he's not there and I feel myself sigh disappointedly.

My hand finds my phone on the nightstand and plucks out the charger before bringing it to a rest over my face.

It's a message from Dallas.

The phone falls on my face causing a grunt to escape into the silence of the room. The cold screen startles me awake.

I pull my phone up and check it again. Yup, it's Dallas.

How'd he get my number?

My eyes scan his message and I almost drop my phone on my face again.

'Happy Birthday Nic! (:'

How did he know it's my Birthday today?

Even I forgot!

At least, I try to.

You see, my birthday is April 4. So.... 4/4. Look at that "lucky" number!

I quickly respond with the question that pounds in my head. How on EARTH did he get my number?!

'I got it when you left your phone at my house that one day. Didn't think you'd mind'

I roll my eyes. Of course he doesn't think I'd mind. That little...

I ask him how he knew it was my birthday.

'I have my ways Nicole Elise Videns'

The phone falls on my face again. "Urrrf," I groan as it slides down my neck and chest and rests on my stomach.

I've never told him my middle or last name before.

After getting out of bed, I quickly head to the bathroom, urgency in my step. He will be the death of me.

--

"You have a lot of explaining to do." I say when I walk down the sidewalk of his street. Dallas is sitting on a step of his porch and grinning that maniac grin of his. He's too far away for me to see his appearance.

"Nope." He replies, his voice leaking amusement. His hands are in his lap, clasped together, as if he has been expecting me the whole time. He looks upon me as if he is a teacher scorning his student.

"Well." I retort, my head shaking theatrically. Blond curls twist and shiver as I move, and I feel more alert today. My vision seems clearer, hearing sharper, and scent stronger.

"Well." He mimics me poorly, his accent failing to reach American standards. This causes me to giggle slightly while he huffs in fake annoyance. "Whatever. You Americans aren't perfect with your accents as well, you know." He retorts.

Today, he is wearing a light-weight burgundy sweatshirt and denim jeans. Meticulous holes splatter his pants from a designer's touch and his hair is back to normal. No more blood is seen and his eyes are back to their luminescent glow. All scrapes and signs of possible scars are gone.

"At least I kind of sound Australian." I tease. He rolls his eyes again, remembering the time he told me I had a good impression of an accent.

"Whatever." He mumbles defeatedly. A smile tugs at his lips. I lift my hands and tilt the corners upwards, in a forced smile.

"Turn that frown upside-down!" With that, I turn and walk through the open door of his Mansion like I own the place. He mutters under his breath.

The house is as beautiful as always and I still find myself staring in awe. The staircase glides upwards as if the backward version of a waterfall. Chandeliers hang from the ceilings, the marble interior glowing brightly. It's as if the sun itself entered the room. My shoes tap against the cold floors, reminding me to slide them off. Carly and Dallas always joke about me and taking off my shoes to keep the floors as sparkly clean as they always are. They always end up insisting I don't need to. But I still do.

When I walk into the kitchen, streamers of all colors hang from the ceiling. Birthday balloons are tied to candles and lamps and anything worth tying to. A white box smelling of cake sits on the granite counter and four- Ha -presents sit behind it.

Dallas walks in behind me grinning. "Happy Birthday, Nic!" He yells gleefully. Carly emerges from behind the couch and blows a noise maker. After taking it out, she, too, congrats me.

"Fifteen at last!" Dallas shouts, wrapping his arms around my waist from behind and lifting me up slightly. A laugh erupts from my mouth, a warm feeling exploding in my chest. No one has ever done anything this nice for me before. "Welcome to the club, sunshine." Dallas says against my ear, a grin on his face. He always teased me about not being fifteen when he was.

I pull away from him just enough to turn and face him before hugging him tightly. My face buries in his sweatshirt and he clutches me in surprise. "Thank you so much." My voice comes out muffled from his shirt, but he hears me nonetheless and a chuckle vibrates in his chest.

"You're welcome, Nic. " he kisses the top of my head and then rests his chin there. Sparks are shooting through me, making me feel as if I could run four miles nonstop.

--

With a grin, I rip open the wrapping paper covering a cardboard box. It's the last present.

I crumple the blue paper up in a ball and toss it at Dallas who catches it with one hand effortlessly.

After opening the box, I grin uncontrollably, pulling out a new phone. The IPhone 6. Oh my gosh.

"Ah! Thank you so much!" I jump excitedly, earning a laugh from both Dallas and Carly.

"Dallas payed for it." I turn my head slowly in his direction. His hands are eased into his sweatshirt pockets and he's grinning like a mad-man.

"Dallas Amicus!" I screech and launch myself at him. A laugh leaves him as he grabs me, and I hug him again. I pull away slightly to look up at him. "Why would you spend your money on an IPHONE for ME?!" I demand.

His eyes glint and he winks. "Because I'm your number one fan, sunshine."