A/N; I own everything in this story...PLEASE READ AND REVIEW! :D


I awoke in the morning alone, tangled in sheets. Nicholas was no longer beside me. I stretched, flinching when I felt pain, and got up, dragging my feet across the floor.

In the kitchen, Nicholas sat at the table, quietly sipping a coffee.

"Hey." I said quietly, smiling as I took a seat across the table from him.

He smiled. "Good morning." He said. "Did you sleep well?"

I nodded. "Yeah. Did you?"

He shrugged. "I guess."

We both sighed and after a minute, I asked, "So what are you doing today?"

"I don't know." He shrugged, taking another sip of his coffee.

"It's Saturday, don't you usually go out on Saturday's?"

He sighed. "Yeah. But I don't know. Maybe I'll hang with someone."

I nodded and we sat in silence for a bit.

"Are you gonna go home?" He suddenly asked.

I shrugged. "I don't know. Probably."

"Well you can't stay here forever." He stated.

I narrowed my eyes, pulling my eyebrows together. "I know that, Nick."

"I'm just saying." He said, shrugging. "'Cause you know you can't sit around here all day and sulk. That would be dumb."

Well, I was fine. "I know that, Nick." I repeated.

"Yeah and I know you."

"What's that suppose to mean?"

"Whenever something goes wrong, you usually sit around, acting like it's the end of the world." He said. See what I meant by him being uncaring?

"I don't act like it's the end of the world!" I said, raising my voice a bit.

"Dude, chill. I'm just saying."

"Yeah, you're always 'just saying'." I got up from the table. "Jeez, you can be such a dick sometimes."

"And what? You're not a bitch?"

I walked around the table and whacked him on the back of the head. "Ow!" He yelled as I walked out of the room. "What was that for?"

"For being a jerk!" I yelled, heading back into his room, slamming the door behind me.

He doesn't get that I can't just forget about what happened last night. It's impossible. He thinks that, 'well, it's done and over with. Move on.' But it's not like that. I wish it could be, but it's not. I can't forget it. I'll always be scarred.

I searched his drawers, finding a pair of my dark blue skinny jeans and slipped them on, throwing my pajama bottoms to the floor. I found a pair of socks, put them on, grabbed one of his gray hoodie's, pulled it over my head and went out into the living room.

He came in, saying, "Hey, that's mine."

I ignored him, slipping on my shoes.

"Oh, so you're not talking to me now." He said and I ignored him as I walked past him into the kitchen. He sighed. "Come on, Vie. I honestly don't see what I said wrong."

I scoffed, grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge and slammed the door shut, walking past him again to the front door.

"Vie." He sighed.

"I'm leaving." I said. My voice shook as a lump formed in my throat. "Thanks for letting me stay."

He caught my hand before I could get the door opened and pulled me back. "What did I say?"

"You're just an ass." I said simply, turning to leave, but he wouldn't let me. He pulled me back.

"Why?"

"Because you don't care about anyone but yourself!" I said, raising my voice and hands in frustration.

He sighed. "That's not true, Vie, and you know it."

"Oh, that's right." I said sarcastically. "You care. Just not for me."

"I do so!" He shouted.

I shook my head, turning back toward the door. "I'm outta here."

"No." He grabbed my arm and pulled me over to the couch. "You are staying and we are going to talk." He pushed me down onto the couch and sat next to me. I went to stand back up and leave, but he grabbed my arm and pulled me back down. "You're staying." He repeated. "Now talk to me."

I ran a hand through my hair and rested my arm on the arm of the couch, leaning my head on my hand. "There's nothing to talk about."

"Yes, there is." He insisted. "Now talk. Tell me what's bothering you."

"Other than the fact that you're a dick and the biggest jerk I've ever known, there's really nothing more to say or talk about." I said.

He sighed, leaning back against the couch. "Come on, Vie. I'm trying here and all you're doing is insulting me."

"And your point is?" I asked, not really wanting an answer.

"Just tell me what's bothering you."

"You already known what's bothering me." I said, keeping my voice strong as I held back the tears that were threatening to spill over, thankful that my back was to him and he couldn't see my face. I ran a hand through my hair again.

"I don't, actually but if you'd tell me, that would be great."

I shook my head, sniffling as I wiped away a tear that had slid from my eye.

"Vie." He said softly. He ran his fingers through my hair, down along my back. I looked over at him and the minute I did, more tears sprang to my eyes and slid down my cheeks. He took my hand and pulled me over to him. I rested my head on his chest and he hugged me close as I cried.

"I feel like a dirty slut. I feel so used and exposed." I said, my voice cracking as more tears spilled from my eyes.

"You're not a slut." He said, his voice soft.

"But I feel like one." I whispered.

"But you're not." He argued.

"But I feel like one."

He sighed. "Are we really gonna have this conversation?" He asked. "You're not a slut."

I laughed once softly, saying, "I still feel like one."

"But you're not." He said, in a singsong tone and I laughed again. Then we were silent.

He kept running his fingers through my hair because he knew that was one way to keep me calm, to relax me.

"Every time I close my eyes," I whispered. "I see their faces. I relive what they did to me." I held back a sob as my vision blurred with more tears. "Everything hurts."

"I know." He said, his voice just above a whisper.

"And it hurts when you tell me, in not so many words, that you don't want me here. That I'm pathetic because-"

"I never said any of that." He said, his voice firm, sounding a bit angry.

"No, but you did say that I couldn't stay." I said.

He sighed. "I didn't but whatever. Have it your way. I'm not arguing with you again."

We were silent and a few minutes later, I pulled away from him and stood up.

"Where are you going?" He asked.

I grabbed my purse that sat on the floor next to the couch and headed for the door. "Home." I said.

He sighed, following me. "You're mad."

"No, I'm not." I lied.

"You are." He said and caught my hand, making me turn and look at him. I looked down, not meeting his eyes and he sighed. "I'm sorry."

"It's fine." I said, looking up at his worried expression. I put my hands on both sides of his face, making him lean down and touched my forehead to his, closing my eyes. "I just-" I sighed. "I just need to be alone for a bit. I need to go home."

He put his hands on my waist, pulling me closer. "Okay." He sighed.

I half smiled and kissed his cheek, then stepped back. "I'll see you later."

"Are you sure you're gonna be alright?" He asked, worried.

I nodded. "I'll be fine."

When I got home, my mother was sitting on the couch. At first she looked worried, until she seen my face, that is, then she was mad.

"Where the hell have you been, Violetta?" She said, angrily-I knew she was angry because that's the only time she calls me by my actual name-standing up from her spot on the couch to come stand by me with a hand on her hip. "I've been worried sick about you all night! Why haven't you called?"

I sighed as I slipped my shoes off at the front door. "I'm sorry, mom. I forgot."

"You forgot!" She shouted. "Where were you?"

I walked past her to the hallway to get to my room, saying, "I was with Nick."

She caught my arm and spinned me around so that I was facing her, while saying in a disapproving voice, "You were with him again? You know I don't like you staying there alone with him, Violetta."

I sighed. "Mom, he's my best friend."

"It doesn't matter. He's a boy-"

"Yeah, yeah," I cut her off, annoyed. "I know and I'm a girl and the only things guys want from girls is to get in their pants-I get it, I'm not stupid, but Nick is not like that." She raised an eyebrow in disbelief, crossing her arms over her chest. I raised my hands in frustration. "At least he's not with me!"

"Mhm." She hummed, then she took hold of my face, turning it to the side, asking, incredulously, "And where did you get this bruise?"

Think fast, think fast-where could I have got it from? "Uh," I racked my brain for a lie I could tell her because I didn't want to tell her the truth. I'd never be aloud out then. "I wasn't paying attention and when Nick opened the fridge door, I walked right into it."

She crossed her arm over her chest, looking at me with disbelief. "Do you honestly expect me to believe that?"

"Yes…?" It came out more like a question than a statement.

"Are you sure Nick didn't give it to you?"

"Mom! I'm positive he didn't, I walked into the fridge door-and besides that, he would never hurt me like that!" How could she even think that he would? Nick is not like that.

"Fine, stick to your story but I know you're lying."

I sighed. "I'm not but whatever. Can I go now?"

"Yes, you can, but you're grounded." She said, turning around to head back into the living room.

I sighed in frustration and anger. "Why?" I shouted.

"For not calling me and staying out all night without my permission." She said.

"I'm not a little kid anymore, mom!" I argued.

"That's right, you're seventeen and you should know better."

"Ugh, whatever!" I shouted and slammed my bedroom door shut. I threw my purse on the floor next to my dresser and flopped down on the bed on my stomach.

My room is medium sized, with a dresser in one corner, a stereo and mirror on it, a small T.V and shelf with DVD's and CD's in the other corner, my double bed in the middle and my walls were painted a dark shade of purple, except one wall that was left white.

I pulled my iphone out from my back pocket and turned so that I was lying on my back, while opening a new text message.

I wrote; Hey, wut are u doing?

I pressed the 'send' button and stared up at the ceiling as I waited for Nicholas to reply, and about five minutes later, my phone was buzzing with a new text.

He said; Heading out. U?

I replied with; Nothing. I'm grounded.

A few minutes later, he answered me with; Why?

Because I was with you and never called home. I wrote back, hitting 'send'.

So what are you gonna do?, He sent back a few minutes later.

I wrote; There's nothing I can do, I'm not aloud to leave the house.

He answered me with; Sucks to be you.

And I said; Tell me about it.

After that, he never wrote anything back and I fell asleep about an hour later because I was so bored.

I awoke in a cold, dark alley, lying on the damp ground. I sat up, looking around. Why am I here? And more importantly, how did I get here?

I heard laughing coming from somewhere close by and quickly stood up, keeping my back to the wall, in hopes that I wouldn't be noticed. My heart raced in my chest and my hands shook at my sides as I seen two guys round the corner of the alley. To my great horror, as much as I wanted to be unseen, they noticed me and one of them called out, "Hey!"

Then suddenly the images shifted and I was lying on the ground again, on my back, only this time, someone was on top of me, straddling my waist. A sob escaped my mouth and I realized I was crying, my cheeks wet from tears. The man straddling me pushed and groaned and all I could feel was pain as I screamed.

Once he was done, the other man took his turn and I shut my eyes tightly, screaming as loud as I could.

Then just as fast as it all happened, when I reopened my eyes, I seen that I was no longer outside, being abused by two men-I was in the comfort of my own home and my own bed.

Tears rolled down my cheeks as I realized with relief, that it was just a dream. My mind had replayed what had happened the night before.

My hands shook as I ran them through my hair. It was just a dream, I kept telling myself over and over again to calm my nerves but it wasn't working much because I knew that most of it wasn't just a dream. It had already happened.

I reached over on my nightstand table for my cell phone and searched for Nicholas' name, needing someone to talk to.

It rang three times before his answering machine picked up, sending me to voice mail. I hung up and opened a new text message.

Hey, what are you doing?, I wrote. I waited ten minutes for him to reply, then threw my phone back on my nightstand and I curled up into a ball on my side, bringing my blanket close to my face and eventually cried myself back to sleep.

And that's how it went for the next four days. I'd wake up screaming and sobbing, tell myself it was all just a dream, sometimes I'd call Nicholas or leave him a text, but he never answered me and then I'd just cry myself back to sleep again. Everyday it was like that. I think I might have even been starting to worry my mother because she kept coming into my room every hour to check on me.

I hardly ever left my room, only to use the bathroom and occasionally to get a drink, but it was very rare that I would eat, which worried my mother more. She thought I was sick, but in truth, I was just becoming depressed.

I stayed home from school the whole week and missed work because I couldn't find the energy or courage to leave my bed, and I didn't want to face the kids at school, or anyone for that matter.

Friday morning, I awoke much like I had every other day that week; crying. I tried to go back to sleep for a whole hour before finally deciding to just get up.

I dragged myself out of bed, running a hand through my tangled curls and rubbing my swollen eyes. My mother seemed to be no where around, so I guessed she was at work.

My mother works at the grocery store a few blocks away from our apartment, from nine A.M, to five or six P.M, or something like that anyway.

I headed for the kitchen, but didn't get very far; there was a knock at the front door. I peeked through the peephole and seen Nicholas standing there, his perfecting freckled face looking down at the ground. I unlocked the door and opened it, squinting from the light that shined through the hall.

"Hey." He smiled, stepping past me into my apartment.

I closed the door behind him, locking it back up as I asked, my eyebrows pulled together, "What are you doing here?" My voice was hoarse from not using it all week and from crying, and I cleared my throat to try and get it to sound better.

"I came to see how you were." He said, shrugging. His eyes took in my appearance and I suddenly felt very self-conscious as I crossed my arms over my chest, wondering exactly how bad I looked in my short shorts and black tank top. "You look awful." He stated. How nice of him to say so.

I put a hand on my hip, getting ready to start my little rant. "So you come to my house, acting like everything is all hunky dory between us after you ignored everyone one of my phone calls this week, and then you insult me?" I shook my head. "You have balls, man."

He smiled, following me as I walked into the kitchen. "I know." He said. I rolled my eyes. Of course he'd be cocky about it.

I grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and turned around to see him standing a few inches away from me, making me almost walk right into him.

"Jeez, could you get any closer?" I huffed and walked around him to the other side of the kitchen. He watched me, with his eyebrows pulled together, like he was concerned or something. "What?" I asked, my voice coming out harsher than I intended it to be.

"You look thinner. Have you been eating lately?"

"Nope." I popped, taking a sip of my water.

"Why not?"

I shrugged. "Didn't feel like it and I haven't been hungry."

"That's not good, Vie." He said, shaking his head in disapproval.

"I don't care." I said, leaving him stand there as I headed back to my room, knowing he was following me as I climbed back into my bed and pulled the blankets up close to my face, curling into a ball.

"Why haven't you been in school or at work?" He asked, sitting on the edge of the bed and looking down at me.

I shrugged. "Don't feel like it, too tired, don't have energy."

"Have you been in bed all week?"

I sighed, closing my eyes. "Yup."

"Does this have anything to do with what happened to you the other night?" He asked quietly.

I shrugged, keeping my eyes closed.

He sighed. "Vie, come on, talk to me."

I looked up at him. "Oh, so now you wanna talk but when I needed someone to talk to all week, you weren't there, you refused to answer me." I said angrily, feeling my eyes fill and blur with tears. "So tell me, Nick, why should I talk to you now? Why should I open up to you now?"

He sighed again. "Look, Vie, I'm sorry I never answered you but every time you called-"

"You were busy-yeah, yeah, I know, I've heard it all before." I said, cutting him off. He tells me this all the time but it never makes anything better, it just makes me angrier. I rolled over onto my other side, turning my back to him.

He pulled on my arm but I refused to move and he sighed. "Vie, don't be like this."

A tear fell down my cheek and I quickly wiped it away.

"Please talk to me." He plead.

I sniffled. "What do you want me to say?" I said, my voice cracked because of the tears freely sliding down my cheeks.

I felt his weight on the bed as he lyed next to me, then tugged on my arm again, making me turn to him and he wrapped his arm around me, keeping me close.

"Talk to me." He demanded. "Tell me what's wrong."

"You know what's wrong." I said, my voice stronger than the last time.

"Okay but I know it's not only because of me. There's something else, so tell me what it is." He said.

We stared at each other for a minute, then I shook my head, my face twisting into that crying face as more tears flowed down my cheeks and I pulled away from him, but he pulled me back.

"Vie." He said, his voice soft as he wiped away a few tears. "Tell me what's going on."

I stared at him for a minute, then finally just gave in. "Every time I fall asleep, my mind replays what happened the other night. I see those guys faces, I feel what they did to me and I wake up screaming and then it leads into me sobbing the rest of the night or day, until I finally just fall back to sleep."

His face suddenly looked guilty and full of regret and I figured he was finally realizing exactly why I had been trying to call him. "Yeah, I called you," I said, rubbing it in his face just a little bit. "I left you messages because I just wanted to talk to you, I needed someone to assure me that everything was alright but apparently you were too busy for me." I said, then added, my voice just above a whisper, "You always are." I shook my head and tried to pull away from him again, but he wouldn't let go.

"Vie, I'm so sorry. I had no idea." He said, seeming sincere, guilt coating his tone.

"That's what you always say." I whispered.

"But I really do mean it, Vie. I'm sorry."

I sighed. "It's fine." I said, then mumbled, "I guess."

"I'll make it up to you, I promise." He half smiled, then kissed my nose. I laughed lightly, which resulted in him grinning back at me.

"You're such a dork." I said.

"And that's why you love me." He said, still grinning. He knew it was true too, which he sometimes liked to tease me about.

I smiled, shaking my head.

We were silent after that and my eyes started to fill up with water and my bottom lip quivered. He noticed and pulled me tighter against his chest, saying softly, "Everything's gonna be alright, Vie. I'm here for you."

I took a deep, shaky breath as a tear slid down my cheek. "Yeah, now." I said.

He sighed. "How many times do I have to say 'I'm sorry' before you believe me?"

I wiped my eyes, then snuggled up closer to him, feeling his warmth and needing his touch. "Just hold me." I whispered.

He tightened his grip around me and rubbed my back soothingly. We stayed like that for a while and I eventually fell asleep asleep, my eyes too heavy to hold open any longer because of all the crying I've been doing lately.

I woke up later with Nicholas' sleeping face an inch away from mine, feeling something vibrating on my leg, which made me jump back a bit. Nicholas groaned, then sighed, reaching into his pocket and pulled out his phone.

"Oh," I said, my voice still groggy from sleep. "It's just your phone."

He laughed softly once as he glanced at the caller ID before he answered it.

"Hello?" He said. I rolled over onto my other side, away from him and tuned his voice out, trying to go back to sleep.

I was almost back into a deep sleep, when Nicholas called my name. I didn't answer him because I was half awake and half sleep, and I thought I was just dreaming, until he suddenly put his arm around my waist, whispering in my ear, "Vie."

I jumped, then sighed, annoyed that I was woken up again. "Hmm?" I hummed.

"Do you want to come to a party with me tonight?" He asked, his voice just above a whisper. His hand found the exposed skin on my stomach and I shivered as he ran his fingers over my skin.

"No." I said. I didn't want to be around a ton of people, especially seeing how I haven't really been around anyone all week.

"Please, Vie? You've been in here for like a week, without any contact with the outside world what's so ever." He said. I ignored him. "Come on, Vie. I'm taking you out."

I turned more onto my stomach, with my arms bunched up against my chest and my face smushed more into the pillow. "No, I'm not leaving the warm comfort of my bed." I mumbled stubbornly.

He lightly tugged on my waist, where his arm rested. "Come on, this could be my way of making it up to you."

"No." I said. "You've ignored me all week and now you're telling me that I just have to go with you to this dumb party. Well, I'm not. So go away."

He sighed. "I thought you forgave me and we were past all of this?"

I shrugged. "If I go, then knowing you, you'll probably just end up ditching me at some point anyway."

"I promise I won't. Now come on, let's go, you're coming with me whether you like it or not." He tugged on my arm, making me turn on my back, then he hovered over me, keeping his face close to mine. "Come with me." He said, his voice just above a whisper, his warm breath hitting my face.

I glanced up at him, groaning as I turned half on my side, closing my eyes back up. "I don't wanna go." I whined. "I'm tired."

I felt his hand brush my hair away from my face and heard the smile in his voice as he said, "You've been sleeping all week, I think it's time to get up now."

"Uh-uh." I said. He stayed silent for a few short seconds and I felt his eyes on me, watching me.

"Vie," He said softly. When I didn't answer him, he leaned down and kissed the spot just below my ear, trailing soft kisses down my neck, knowing it would get some sort of reaction out of me. He's such a tease.

I shivered. "Vie." He whispered.

I smiled and turned so that I was on my back. We stared at each other for a few seconds and I took in every inch of his perfect face, from his soft brown curly locks, his dark blue eyes, to his pink full lips, that I was dying to kiss.

"Come on," He said, smiling crookedly as he got up. "You're coming with me and I'm not taking no for an answer."

I groaned as he took my hand, pulling me out of bed, then pushed me towards the bathroom. "You shower and I'll get your clothes ready." He said.

"But-"

"No but's, just do it." He said.

I pouted angrily, crossing my arms over my chest. He laughed. "Love you." He kissed my cheek, then closed the bathroom door.

"Hate you!" I called back, hearing his soft laughter as he walked away.

Sighing, I ran the water and started the shower, waiting for it to warm up as I stripped, then got in. I washed, shaved and brushed my teeth and once I was done, I got out, wrapping a towel around my small frame, then opened the bathroom door, poking my head out before heading back down the hall to my bedroom.

Nicholas had gotten my clothes out for me and had them placed neatly at the end of my bed. There was a blue polka dotted bra and matching underwear on the top of the pile, and I shook my head, smiling. Of course he went through my underwear drawer. He's such a guy. I could have gotten them myself.

I slipped them on, along with the dark blue skinny jeans and black and gray striped, long sleeved shirt, that showed off a bit of my shoulders.

Sighing, I ran a towel through my hair, drying it quickly before adding some mouse to it to keep the curls in. I looked in the mirror at my appearance. There were no longer any bruises on my face but I did have dark circles around my eyes and my skin was paler than usual from lack of sun. My long dark brown hair flowed down my back and over my shoulders in ringlets and the only thing I had left to do was add a little eyeliner and mascara to my blue eyes, then I would be done.

Just as I was applying eyeliner to the top of my eyes, there was a knock on my bedroom door and before I could say anything, it swung open and Nicholas walked in, asking, "Are you ready?"

I placed a hand on my hip, saying, "What would you have done if I wasn't even done getting dressed yet and you walked in?"

He smirked, stepping closer and wrapped his arms around me. "I would have stared at that sexy ass of yours, thinking, 'damn, I've been missing out'."

I laughed, hitting his chest lightly. "You're horrible."

He grinned. "But you love me."

I smiled, feeling a blush creep into my cheeks as I let my head fall onto his chest, trying to hide it. He squeezed me lightly, rocking us from side to side, but all too soon, he let go, leaving me feeling bare without the comfort of his arms.

I looked up at him, feeling disappointed.

"What?" He asked, smiling crookedly. I shook my head, half smiling as I turned back to the mirror.

He plopped down on my bed, leaning back on his elbow. "So how much longer are you gonna be?" He asked.

I shrugged. "Not long."

It was silent as I finished putting eyeliner on the bottom of my eyes and when I was done with that, I grabbed my mascara, glancing in the mirror over at Nicholas, who was watching me silently.

"What?" I asked, half smiling as I added mascara to my top lashes.

"You know, I don't see why you wear that stuff." He said.

I placed my makeup back in it's case, then turned around looking up at him as he stepped in front of me. "I think you're beautiful without it." He smiled crookedly, making my heart flutter as he brushed my hair away from my face and I blushed.

We stared at each other for a few seconds and my heart began to pound as he slowly leaned in closer, his eyes, like mine, flickering from my eyes to my lips and back again. His face stopped an inch away, his breath hot on my face. My heart pound, threatening to burst out of my chest as he finally closed the gab between us. His lips touched mine softly for the first time and I couldn't believe what was happening; I've been wanting this to happen for the longest time.

His hand came up to my face and he rested it on the side of my neck, while the other was on my waist, pulling me closer to him, until almost every part of our bodies were touching. I tried to breathe normally as he suddenly pushed me back against the dresser, the kiss becoming more intense and urgent. My head spun, becoming dizzy from lack of oxygen and having contact with Nicholas this way, the only thing keeping me from falling were his arms and the dresser planted under my butt.

After what seemed to be forever that had passed, I turned my face away, feeling like I would pass out if I didn't get any air in my lungs and he rested his forehead against mine as we both took deep breaths.

"Well," He said, stepping back a bit and running a hand through his hair, sounding, much like I felt, breathless. "That was-that was great."

I smiled, glancing up at him. I had made him stutter.

"Uh, I'll just-I'm just gonna wait...out there..." He trailed off as he backed away towards the door.

I smiled, nodding and he returned it, smiling crookedly. Once I was alone, I took a deep breath, trying to relax my racing heart. I couldn't believe that that just happened. We kissed. I never thought that we would-I never thought that he actually liked me in that way. I mean, yeah sure, sometimes we act like we're more than just friends, people have even asked us if we were dating and we always tell them 'no', because that's the truth.

But tonight we kissed. I raised my hand and touched my lips, where they still stung from where Nicholas' had been just a few minutes ago, and smiled.

I wonder where this will lead us, if we'll still be just friends or if this will change everything between us.

If it does, then hopefully it's for the better and not worse.


A/N: Thank you so much to those of you who read the first chapter, it really means a lot that you guys took the time to read my story! (:
Tell me what you think of this one please? If there's anything that I should change or you want to see happen, let me know and I'll see what I can do. (:
So please read and review and thanks in advance! (:
xo Melissa.