Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

Oh man! I totally wasn't expecting the response the first chapter received. It really is mind blowing! I really hope that y'all enjoy this next installment of this fic. I'm pretty excited about it. Heck, I'm just excited I can write more in general, nowadays. Anyway! I am so grateful for the positive feedback the first chapter got! Thank y'all so much!

Darkness Before Dawn
Chapter Two: Day to Day

The sunlight beamed down on Nikki's face as she tried her damnedest to not greet the day. Rolling over in bed did little to alleviate the discomfort caused by the rays of the sun piercing her eyelids, so she grabbed the nearest pillow and pressed it to her face.

"I've never seen someone so eager to waste the day away."

That brief flicker of a memory caused her to shoot up in bed and grasp her head. It was strange, hearing John's voice so clear, almost as if he was in the bed with her and not miles and miles away.

"This is ridiculous," she said to herself, slinging her legs over the edge of the bed and slowly rising to a standing position. Looking over to the clock on her nightstand - that was the one of the only things she had been able to unpack completely - she saw that it was exactly nine o'clock.

Funny, even when she wanted to sleep the day away, she just couldn't. She blamed it on years of a schedule on the road, constantly being up with the sun and working out, practicing in the ring with Brie and Daniel and John...

Nikki groaned again and ran a hand over her matted hair. She had been so exhausted the night before she just collapsed into her bed as soon as she made it - okay, maybe slightly before - and slept harder than she had in ages. Though she admittedly missed having a man in her bed, she couldn't deny that it was often difficult to really, truly have a good night's rest with someone else occupying the bed with her.

After forcing herself into the bathroom to brush her teeth and hair, Nikki checked her phone only to see that she had four text messages.

"Want to work out tomorrow morning?" From Brie, sent at around eleven last night.

"We are at the usual gym right now... Probably until around nine o'clock. Text me when you can?" Another from Brie.

"Hey girlie, want to get mimosas with me and Naomi?" Cameron.

"Me and Cam are getting mimosas with Nattie at 10:00 at that restaurant... Nina's, I think? Want to join?" Naomi.

Nikki let out a sigh that she didn't know she had been holding in. At least John hadn't text her. She was pretty sure he had no idea that she had moved out, and she was slightly worried about his reaction when he found out, but...

A part of her really didn't care.

Of course, that was a very tiny part of her. The majority of her being wanted John to care about her more than anything, to want what she wanted, for the both of them to have mutual goals, for the both of them to grow together as separate people as well as a couple.

But an even bigger part of her - the part of her that made the decision to pack her things and finally leave - knew that those ideal things just weren't possible. At least, not for the two of them, together.

Nikki didn't really want to dwell on that.

She made her way into the kitchen, finding everything as she left it the night before. Boxes left scattered around the place, only the bare necessities actually unpacked and slightly put away. There were clothes and books and other random knickknacks scattering the floor. Some boxes were completely gutted of their contents, but others still had yet to be opened.

Nikki opened the refrigerator in vain, finding that it was empty. Of course it was. She was still moving herself in, after all. Groceries were kind of on the unimportant side of the list right now.

She knelt over the boxes that contained her normal clothes, feeling like she should at least try to dress up somewhat to get a sense of her normal self. It was ridiculous, but maybe those flashy clothes would help her cope. Lying around in her pajamas all day and watching cheesy girly movies would not help her get over John. And that was what she desperately needed to do at the moment.

The brunette ended up choosing a tight-fitting red top and a pair of skinny jeans along with the designer heels she had bought herself for her last birthday. She would try to seek out the proper jewelry after her shower.

A high-pitched ringing caught her ears and she gripped her phone in a perfectly manicured hand. "Hello?"

"Hey girl! We hadn't heard back from you and we're about to leave for Nina's. Are you up for some breakfast-brunch-type-deal?" Naomi greeted over the line.

Nikki fought a smile at Naomi's calm voice, comparing it quickly to Cameron's...Cameron-ness. She really couldn't find another word for it. It was really odd how different they were and yet they were best friends. "Well..." she fumbled over her words.

"Come on," Naomi said, her voice kind yet firm. "We feel like we haven't seen you in forever."

Nikki pursed her lips, pondering the event itself, before ultimately relenting.

After all, if today wasn't a mimosa type of day, then what was?

As soon as she arrived at Nina's, Nikki recognized her mistake.

She had been avoiding people for a reason, after all. However much she missed the calming presence of Naomi or the wisdom of her sister, she still needed time alone, she felt. Being around people at a time like this just simply wasn't a good idea, no matter how fabulous she looked.

Of course the topic of conversation would be everyone's significant others. Of course everyone would be talking about her sister's upcoming wedding. Of course. Of course.

Nikki just gritted her teeth and bared it. She couldn't think of any particular reason to get up and leave, really. Maybe she could just pretend she had to go to the gym to keep up with her workout regimen? She can hear her excuse already, "I can't allow myself to get fat, guys."

But despite that thought, she continued to shovel eggs and grits and bacon and biscuits into her face. An emotional-eater, through and through. It was almost disgraceful, eating like this in front of everyone - especially Nattie and her carefully chosen, protein-rich diet; or Cameron and her singular damn grapefruit; or her sister and her organic food.

She caught her sister glancing at her every now and then, but she never said anything. Clearly, Brie understood that something was wrong and that Nikki wasn't ready to share it with the entirety of their friends.

To punctuate this fact, Brie sent Nikki a text during their brunch that said, "Talk later."

To which Nikki replied, "Damn you."

As soon as she pressed 'send', another message popped up on the screen of her cell phone. Without thinking, she scrolled to it and her heart sank as she read the very words she had been dreading all day from the very person she had been so futilely trying to bar from her thoughts.

"So, Nikki, when exactly were you going to tell me that you moved out?"

"Well, shit."

End Chapter Two.