Hello. I'm back! BACK. For all that read The Basketcase, this is chapter one of the sequel I promised…in 2014. Yeah, I suck :) for all that have not read TBC, what are you doing?! Go read it! Haha no, you don't have to, but it's advised, and I'd love you forever.
So I'm back in the FF NG fandom (in time for season 5!), and I'm determined to get this entire story out before March, fingers crossed! For anyone who lost faith in me, I'm sorry! I hope this sequel is enough to make you forgive me. I've been away from FF for too long and fully plan to make it up.
Anyway, I'll just get on with it now. Keepin' it zipped. Forever grateful to my beta, Ztofan.
The Toast
Nick reached out and pressed the end of his half-smoked cigarette against the thick wood of the tree house wall and then threw it out of the window, making sure it landed on the other side of the fence. His Mom would kill him if she saw cigarette butts on her lawn, and considering how much of a thin line he was treading already, he didn't want to upset her even more.
He'd tried giving up altogether, but it had been harder than he'd first anticipated, and even the fact that he'd started putting them out half way through had been enough to satisfy his girlfriend for the time being. And that was all that mattered to Nick.
He was waiting for her now, in their place, legs stretched out on the cushions where they'd had their first kiss, their first…everything. They'd been together a while now, longer than Nick had expected. Part of him thought he'd have fucked it up by now, in some way, like he always did with people he cared about and let too close. But Jess was stubborn. She didn't let him mess it up, and for that they were stronger than ever.
Which was why he was worried, the evidence of this in his bitten nails and tapping foot. It was almost time. Syracuse was looming ahead of him, the days ticking down, and soon he'd be thousands of miles from the girl that kept him sane, held his hand when he was angry, sang softly to him at night. They'd discussed their relationship at length, and agreed that neither of them wanted to break up, but Nick knew they both understood how many challenges they were going to be up against. It sure wasn't going to be easy, for Nick in particular. He bit his fingernail again.
The squeak of tires made him sit up straight, a grin forming on his face. She sounded like she was in a rush, which could only be a good thing.
He stuck his head out of the window to see Jess clambering off her already-too-small bike, long brown hair falling in a curtain across her face.
"Where for art thou, Jessica?" Nick called out, his usual smirk plastered on his face. Jess looked up at him, eyes sparkling.
"Shut up, Juliet," she laughed in reply, pushing her hair behind her ears. "I have news."
As she started to climb, her Converse easily gripping the bark of the tree, Nick wondered when Jess had stopped being the girl with the skinny knees he'd known at school, who hid behind her bangs and never spoke a word. The girl approaching him now was gorgeous and tan, her hair wavy and her legs long. Nick hadn't noticed the gradual change in her and the confidence boost that had come with it. She had a brilliant sense of humour and a wicked smile. She'd become the kind of girl guys looked at in the street. Not that she noticed any of that, of course. She was still the oblivious basket case he'd fallen in love with when he was sixteen.
"What did your Mom say, then?" Nick asked as he helped her into the tree house and watched her sit across from him. She'd been at home, trying to convince Joan Day to let Nick drive her to college in Oregon. Nick had been secretly looking forward to spending some quality alone time with her, and had been keeping his fingers and toes crossed…not that he'd tell Jess that.
"It took about four hours to convince her, but she said yes!" Jess said, entwining her bare feet with Nick's sock clad ones. "Her only conditions were no drugs and no hitchhikers."
Nick pulled a face at her. "Do you know me at all? If we pick up any hitchhikers we might as well just drive the car off a cliff. All hitchhikers are serial killers. Everyone knows that Jessica."
"I'm pretty sure that's not true," Jess laughed, raising her eyebrows at him. "But rules are rules, and that includes the drug part too." She looked pointedly at him. He pretended to look offended, but both of them knew Nick's days of smoking pot were pretty much over. The friends he'd kept when he was Miller were long gone now, none of them wanting to hang out with him once he'd started spending time with the likes of Schmidt. Nick didn't mind. Schmidt was cool, and they were going to college together, which was more than what any of Nick's old stoner friends could say. Nick still sometimes couldn't believe it. He was going to study Political Science. At college. The first Miller to make it past high school.
The tree house went quiet as Jess nudged Nick's feet with hers, smiling tentatively. Nick smiled weakly back. "We'll be okay," Jess said. "We're Miller and Day. We'll be fine."
Nick nodded, but the implications weighed heavy on both of them as the silence stretched on. Jess was going to study English at the University of Oregon, and Nick wasn't sure how often he would get to see her. It wasn't like they could meet every weekend. He knew Jess was proud of him though, for what he had chosen to do, and even he himself was surprised that he was still all set to go. Part of him had wanted to just forget it all and move to Oregon with Jess, get a job fixing things or in a kitchen somewhere cooking burgers. He was sure he would have been fine as long as he was with Jess. But he had chosen a career instead, and Jess appreciated that.
Jess shuffled forward, seating herself next to him with her bare legs over his lap. She put her arms around his neck. "I love you," she smiled, locking her fingers at the base of his neck. "And I'll love you forever."
"I love you too." Nick put his arms around her waist and pulled her into his lap, burying his head in her neck. She smelled fresh, like oranges and clean hair. "We'll talk every day, I promise."
They stayed like that for a while, until Nick started to feel the familiar pull towards her, the fluttering in his stomach. He lifted his head, ready to kiss her in that way he knew she couldn't resist, but she pulled away quickly. "Oh! I forgot to tell you. Everyone is meeting at the park tonight. Cece said something about a last goodbye before we all go. I think she's a bit sad that she's not jetting off anywhere."
Nick tried to hide his disappointment at how the situation had suddenly turned. "She'll soon be jetting off all over the place, the way her modeling looks like it's going."
"Yeah, well." Jess beamed down at him. "I still think we should go. We haven't spoken to those guys in ages. Winston and Cece anyway."
He sighed. "I guess so."
Jess paused. "So how's your Mom?"
Nick shrugged. "She's getting used to the idea of me not being here. I think she's surprised I got in to be honest, I mean it's weird for her that I'm suddenly this smart kid with responsibilities."
"You've always been responsible," Jess replied, looking him in the eyes. "You've taken care of Jamie and your family this whole time, this is just a different kind of responsibility. Your Mom is probably just scared of losing you and all your help with your brother."
"He doesn't need me much anymore," Nick said. "He's grown up a bit, he can cook a few things now. He cooks with Mom a lot."
"See," Jess nudged him supportively. "They're gonna be fine you know, just like us. You wait and see."
Nick touched his forehead against hers for a moment, their noses bumping affectionately. "Okay, but you don't get to tell me you told me so."
Jess pulled away, feigning shock. "Me? Miss know it all? Never." She grinned and he couldn't help but return it.
"So when are we meeting the guys then?"
Jess checked her watch. "In about an hour or so?" She smirked, flicking her hair behind her shoulders. She wore her bangs to the side now, and Nick could see the mischief in her eyes as she locked them with his. "More than enough time for what you're thinking."
He grinned, letting her lean down and cover his mouth with hers. They had gotten way too good at this. His fingertips tingled with excitement as he felt her move toward him and her thighs wrap around his waist.
"You know me too well," he mumbled against her lips, and she let out a breathy giggle, leaning back to take off her shirt.
The air was warm as they made their way to the local park, fingers intertwined. Nick found himself sneaking looks at Jess over and over, the way her fleecy cardigan slipped off her shoulder and her annoyance as she tried futilely to cover up again. It was the little things about her that had him completely in awe. He squeezed her hand and looked away, focusing his attention on the group ahead of them, their features harsh in the light of the flashlights they had brought.
Cece and Schmidt were sitting side by side on the grass, knees touching. She was whispering something to him as Winston sat on her other side, drinking from a bottle in a brown paper bag and looking bored. His eyes lit up when he saw them. "Thank God!" he cried, jumping up to bump fists with Nick. "I've had enough of being a damn third wheel here!"
Jess laughed as Schmidt and Cece looked on, embarrassed. Jess immediately plonked herself down next to Schmidt, excited to talk to him, and probably to have a good nosy into the Schmece situation. The two of them had been pretty quiet about the whole thing, but hadn't denied it. Schmidt had told Nick it was just a fling because he was going away, but Nick wasn't one to pry so he didn't know much else about it. He didn't really care, but Jess sure did. She'd explained that this was what happened when you were personally responsible for them hooking up.
Cece had scored herself a pretty sweet contract with a local modeling agency, but had been thinking of transferring somewhere else after it ended. Originally she had only wanted to model to stay in school, but now that was over plenty of agencies had told her she could go bigger, and she seemed curious enough to try it. Winston was going to Wisconsin on the basketball scholarship he had acquired, and although he was acting cool, everyone knew he was thrilled to have gotten in somewhere. Between the five of them, they had all managed to get a pretty good deal. Not bad for a bunch of misfits.
Nick took the bottle from Winston's outstretched hand and had a swig, recognizing the taste as whiskey. He shot his friend a look of approval. "My sister got it for me," Winston explained, shrugging. "I prefer a fruity cocktail, but they don't really do those in bottles."
Everyone looked at him strangely, Nick almost choking on the alcohol. "You're full of surprises kid," he spluttered, wiping at his eyes and offering the bottle to Jess.
"Will I like it?" Jess asked, eyeing the bag.
"No," Nick replied, before shaking it in her direction. The contents made a sloshing sound. "But it's all we got."
Jess hesitated a moment longer before taking the bottle from his hands and having a long swig that made Nick wince, knowing she wasn't going to like it. He was reminded of that time in the closet after they first met, Jess high as a kite on pot. The memory made him chuckle to himself.
"Urgh," Jess choked out after she swallowed. "That tastes like poison."
"That's because it is," Cece snorted, having a drink. "Pure, delicious poison."
"Who's getting poisoned?"
The group whipped round to see three figures approaching them. Jess shot to her feet. "You made it!"
Sadie emerged from the shadows, her new lip piercing glinting in the glow from their flashlights. She hugged Jess and nodded at Nick, who returned it with a smile. He and Sadie had gotten closer since he'd been serious with Jess. They actually had a lot in common – mainly their general hatred for other people.
Paul and Rachel followed, holding hands. They'd been going strong too, and were going to Chicago together, Paul to do Education in North Park and Rachel to the University of Chicago for Art History. Both smiled tentatively at the group. Nick suspected they still felt a little intimidated by everyone, especially as they were the quietest of the group, and the most introverted. They hadn't hung out with everyone as much as Sadie had, and weren't as willing to make a lot of friends. Nick got that, not much of a social butterfly himself. He liked who he liked, and that was that.
"Congrats Sadie, by the way," Schmidt said as they all settled down, passing the bottle around once more. "For Pre-Med. That's awesome. You'll be in Medical School before you know it, saving lives and…" he paused, realizing there wasn't much else to say. "…and stuff. Whatever else doctors do. Making money, scoring chicks." Cece glared at him.
Sadie waved it off, her face going red. "Yeah, sure. It's not that amazing, but whatever."
"It's so amazing, idiot," Jess countered, rolling her eyes. "You are gonna be an awesome doctor."
"I'm just ready to get out of this place," Sadie replied, taking the whiskey from Winston. "I'm so bored of it here."
Sadie and Roxy had gone through a pretty rough break up a couple of months ago, and both Nick and Jess could see that she was still a little hurt. Roxy had been her first girlfriend, someone she genuinely cared about. Nick wasn't surprised she was desperate to get away from Shermer High and everything that was associated with it. It was her chance for a fresh start.
"It's all really happening," Jess stated, to no one in particular. It was quiet now, everyone contemplating their future. "The club is breaking up to go on and do awesome and scary things."
"Seriously though, we should have a reunion when we all come back," Cece responded, everyone nodding their approval at this idea. "I'll make sure I'm here. I'll quit modeling if I have to."
"Don't quit!" Schmidt cried, looking at Cece incredulously. "I get to tell people I hooked up with a model!"
Cece hit him in his side. "Ouch! No need for violence."
Nick chuckled to himself. He liked the more confident Schmidt, the one who had emerged once it became clear Cece was actually into him and it wasn't all some big joke, something Schmidt had thought to be true for far too long before she set him straight. They sure were a totally different bunch now, compared to the old Breakfast Club, a group of young idiots who couldn't get along if their lives depended on it. Now, Nick looked at his friends fondly, thinking reluctantly that he was going to miss them all.
None of that compared to how he was going to miss his girlfriend though. He watched her now, her head tipping back as she laughed at Cece and Schmidt's bickering. She was his dream girl. The thought of her being with anyone else made him want to sink into a hole. And then probably punch something.
But Nick knew Jess, and he knew them. They were a power couple, and nothing was going to get in their way. She caught his eye, lips pursing as she tried not to smile at his obvious staring. I love you, she mouthed at him. Everyone else seemed to melt away, his vision blurring at the edges. Nick could only see Jess. That's how it was these days.
"I propose a toast," Winston announced, standing up and raising the whiskey to the sky.
"You're the only one with a drink!" Sadie replied, laughing. Winston held his hand up to silence her and she rolled her eyes.
Jess stood up too. "I second the toast," she declared, raising her imaginary glass with Winston. "To friends staying friends."
Nick got to his feet with Schmidt, and soon everyone was playing along. "To friends staying friends!" They all cheered, clinking their invisible drinks and giggling, the effects of the whiskey sinking in. Jess pulled the girls in for a group hug, and then all of a sudden everyone was piled together, embracing whoever they could reach, cries of ooft and Schmidt, get your hand off my ass heard in the fray.
The girls were subtly trying to wipe their eyes as everyone pulled away, and Jess fixed Nick with a watery-eyed gaze that he understood completely. He crossed over to her and pulled her to his chest. She wrapped her arms tightly around him and he heard her breathing him in. God, who was going to take care of her in Oregon? He was the only one allowed to hold her like this.
Eventually, everyone said their goodbyes and headed home, the darkness fully starting to set in. Schmidt put his coat around Cece's shoulders as they walked away, both waving over their shoulders. Winston set off at a light jog, saluting everyone as he went. Nick and Jess walked with Sadie, Rachel and Paul for a while before they broke off respectively, turning down their streets until it was just the two of them. Jess was quiet, and Nick knew she was trying not to be upset.
He put his arm around her shoulders, hoping to protect her from the night chill. "I'm glad you made me come," Nick said to her, giving her a reassuring smile. "You're good at keeping me on the social map. If it weren't for you I'd still be in a hole somewhere, high as hell."
She chuckled. "I know, I'm amazing. Although…" she shot him a look. "You're not too bad yourself. I'd most likely be holed up somewhere too if we hadn't met. My circle or friends was more like a lame triangle before you came crashing into my life."
"Nah, it's a square if you count yourself, and that doesn't sound as bad," Nick replied, laughing as she punched his arm. "Hey, you chose to go out with me, knowing I was a jackass."
"You're alright," she smirked at him. "Even if you do steal all the covers and eat way too many burritos."
They had reached Jess' house now, and she leaned up on her tiptoes to kiss him. Her lips were warm and gone far too soon. "I'll call you tomorrow," she said, touching her hand to his cheek. He nodded.
"I love you Jess," he said, as she walked away.
She turned back to him as she reached her door. "I love you too. I'm yours, you know. And you're mine." She grinned. "We're stuck with each other."
He watched her until she shut the door, and then headed home. They sure were stuck with each other, although Nick thought that didn't seem so bad. He just damn well hoped it would stay that way.
