He was late for his meet and greet but Nick didn't really care, a grin on his handsome face as he stared down at Monique. Wow, it was really Monique… She looked…incredible. To think the beautiful girl Tyke had taken a liking to had been his childhood friend all along… Shit! Damn, he had just posted a selfie of him and Tyke with a caption about how cute Monique was. Hm, oh well! What's done is done! Besides, there was nothing wrong with finding one of your friends attractive.

Geez, Nick was looking at her with such fondness, her cheeks warming as she shyly looked away.

"Come to my meet and greet with me," Nick smiled.

Monique looked back at him in surprise. "H-Huh? B-But I haven't even purchased a meet and greet pass, Nick."

Nick waved her worries off by casually swiping at the air, chuckling. "Mo, you're my friend, so why the hell would I charge you for a meet and greet pass?"

The timid girl fidgeted. "B-But wouldn't that not be very fair to the people who actually paid?"

Nick rolled his eyes, smiling at his friend's kind nature. "Don't sweat it too much, Mo. Now, come on. I'm already running late."

Nick's much larger hand was suddenly twined with hers, the introvert gaping down at their locked fingers as Nick pulled her in the direction of his meet and greet. The more this day stretched on, the more sure she was that this all had to be a dream that she would soon wake up from. Geez, they must look like such a couple right now. Nick holding her hand really wasn't necessary, though she quite enjoyed having his hand in hers.

Her eardrums were filled with the excited, borderline hysterical screams of Nick's many female fans as she entered the store the meet and greet was taking place in.

"Nick! It's Nick! Oh my fuckin god!"

"He's so hot!"

"I love you, Nick!"

Nick led her by the hand to the desk he'd be sitting at as he signed posters.

"Who's that bitch he's with? And why the hell is he holding her hand?"

Monique tensed, holding Nick's hand tighter. They all had the wrong idea. She and Nick were just friends. The only girl his fans should feel threatened by was Lissa.

"Hm, there's only one chair," Nick said, frowning as he plopped down. "Looks like you'll just have to sit in my lap for now."

Monique blinked. "H-Huh?" She let out a surprised cry as Nick yanked her down, Monique internally screaming as she realized she was now sitting in Nick's lap, his hand around her waist. Dear god…

Nick looked over his shoulder at a bald man in a suit. "Hey, could you get my friend here a chair?"

Monique dared not move even a centimeter, face on fire, heart beating at erratic speeds. She kept her head down as fan after fan approached the desk, each one taking a second to profess their love for Nick and his music as he signed a poster for them, Nick always politely thanking them for their support. Monique never missed their eyes falling briefly on her still form, feeling the hostility radiating off them. She was more than relieved when the suited man finally brought her a chair. She didn't get a chance to move a single bone in her body, gasping as Nick gripped her gently by the waist with both his hands before lifting her up, setting her down in the chair now next to him.

Nick smiled teasingly at the girl. "You're so light, Mo. Do you even eat?"

Monique was too embarrassed to come up with a response. Perhaps it was for the best she was tongue tied, however because she already stuttered enough as it is while talking with Nick.

Nick had taken her for a bite to eat at the local burger joint after the meet and greet. Fans constantly approached their booth, vibrating with excitement as they either asked Nick for an autograph or a picture. Nick never turned down a single fan. Monique smiled at his graciousness.

"You look like you wanna say something," Nick said, dipping a fry in ketchup.

She nervously fiddled with her hands. "It's just that… Don't you worry about rumors spreading?"

Nick smirked, leaning back. "I stopped giving a shit about rumors a long time ago. It did wonders for my mental health."

Monique smiled.

"If the media wants to start coming up with bullshit stories about how you're my girlfriend, then just let 'em," Nick continued nonchalantly. "They'll get bored and move on, eventually."

He was suddenly looking at her with so much warmth in his eyes, her stomach doing backflips.

"I really missed you, Monique," Nick said sincerely, smiling gently at her.

She was proud of herself for not shyly looking away like she desperately wanted to. Smiling brightly, Monique replied, "I missed you, too, Nick."