Sorry for the wait guys. :)
The three sat awkwardly on the couch, Nick and Jess at one end and Erin at the other, as an awkward silence filled the air. Nick had tried to sit as far away from Erin as possible, worried if he got too close Jess would sense his anxiety. If he was honest, he wanted to run as far away from the loft as his clunky, out of shape legs would carry him. In that moment the only thing keeping his butt connected with the sofa was Jess. Her hand currently resting on top of his leg, giving the occasional squeeze. To anyone else the gesture was casual but he knew differently. Nick could feel the tension rolling off her with each flex of her hand. This was what kept him here - Jess, she was the only important one in this equation.
Erin looked around her sister's apartment with a disdainful look on her face, surely even Jess could do better than live here. "This place is, um, interesting Jess..."
"I love it. So much space and light. And I would have been lost without the guys," Jess turned and gave Nick a quick smile, trying her best not to sound too defensive. She loved living here and Erin wasn't going to make her feel bad about it. Nick, whose arm was now around her gave her a little squeeze. Her life would be completely different if she hadn't moved in here. "Mom said you moved again," she added, trying to steer the conversation to one of her sisters favourite topics - herself.
"Yes, I needed somewhere a little more elegant. You know how it is.. Well sort of." Erin wasn't always this much of a bitch, but she couldn't help it. Jess just brought out this side of her, like they were both little kids again arguing over who gets the last lime Popsicle. That competitive streak. It didn't help having to sit here watching the couple on the other side of the couch. She would give anything to have someone look at her like Nick was currently looking at Jess, was it too much to ask? Her pride was still a little battered from the brush off she received earlier from the bartender. She was going to get her pay back. For once she was going to be able to wipe that smile off her sister's face. Bring her crashing back into the reality that everyone else had to live in. What was so special about her that she got to be the only one who gets to avoid that?
Every attempt of conversation Jess was trying to start got rained on by Erin. Her flight? Long and boring. Her hotel? Too 'LA'. The weather? New York has proper seasons, don't you know?
Nick could feel the huge sigh that escaped his lips over another failed attempt. He felt so bad for her, she was trying so hard. Sudden anger hit him towards Erin. How dare she treat Jess like this in her own home? His initial assertion that Erin was the bad apple of the family was certainly not changing with her continuing crass behaviour.
Jess got up to go to the kitchen, but not before she sent a pleading look at Nick, her eyes wide, round and slightly glassy. He hated seeing her upset; not being able to say anything he gave her an encouraging wink. This at least got him a soft smile. Jess thought to herself how lucky she was that he was here.
As soon as Jess was out of earshot he lent towards Erin, who put on an innocent smile as she crossed her legs, "Well this certainly is fun isn't it?" she said before he had the chance to speak, circling her foot as she bent forward at the waist, giving Nick a second glance down her blouse.
Nick ignored the bait, his eyes quickly flashing back to hers, "What are you doing? Jess is trying her hardest to be nice, she doesn't deserve to be spoken to like that." This was all said through gritted teeth, trying to keep his voice as low as possible. Avoiding all his instincts to yell at her and then to get her out the loft which obviously wasn't going to happen.
"Oh really Nick. What does she deserve? How about knowing that her sweet caring boyfriend kisses customers at the bar? I personally think she deserves to know the truth." There was no way Erin was going to let him get to her. She made sure she kept a smile on her face the whole time.
"You kissed me and it meant nothing. Jess is everything to me and I won't let you hurt her." Nick's stomach dropped with guilt again, but he meant what he said and he knew that with every thing he had. He was not going to let the woman he loved get hurt...wait.. Love? Did he really just think that?
"We shall see Nick," Erin said, straightening up just Jess came back to join them.
"What were you guys talking about?" she asked as she placed a bowl of potato chips on the table, her gaze flitting between the two. Nick pulled her towards him until she fell back to sit on his lap, "Nothing Jess, it wasn't important," he mumbled as he gave her a soft kiss on the cheek, his eyes staying on Erin the whole time.
Jess felt the atmosphere take a nose dive, she wanted to question them further. Unfortunately for her the front door opened and Winston walked in, "Hey guys," he smiled as he joined them on the couch.
"Hey Winston. Come and meet my sister. Winston this is Erin, Erin -Winston one of our other roommates," she sang brightly. She was trying her hardest to keep positive; if she stayed positive everything will be okay.
Erin stretched out her hand to the new arrival, turning on her charm which was automatic for her when meeting someone new, "Hello Winston, so tell me are you sleeping with Jess too?"
Nick and Jess stared open mouthed at Erin's question as Winston's face contorted into a disgusted snarl, "Hell no! That is all down to Nick and only Nick," He gave a weird salute towards the other guy, who nodded back - almost with pride. Winston gave Erin an odd look - that was a weird thing for her to say. Really weird.
Nick suddenly jumped up from, pushing Jess to one side, "Winston as you are here I need you opinion on ... Errm.. On stuff in my room.. Now!"
Both Winston and Jess gave him a well deserved confused looked. Hers slightly more puzzled; she knew something was up he was so obviously bad at hiding things. Frowning she felt her mood dip a little lower; first her sister shows up being her usual awful self and now Nick was keeping something from her? She felt her face drop a little lower.
Erin on the other hand sat there, a knowing smirk dancing in her lips, knowing exactly what was setting Nick on the edge.
Nick dragged Winston into his room, slamming the door impatiently behind him, creating a loud bang. "Well Erin is a delight," Winston said as he strolled over to the chair beside Nick's desk, pushing a large pile of laundry to the floor and sitting down. Finally he had the chance to look at his friend, and what he saw scared him.
Now Nick was away from Jess, he could finally let himself go. He could feel the sweating starting. Maybe he was having a panic attack - the situation defiantly warranted it. The colour drained from his face and he could feel the bile rising in his stomach, causing his face to pinch together in an effort to make the sickness subside.
"What is wrong with you?" Winston asked.
"Something happened man, I don't know what to do." Nick started pacing the small area of his room. There wasn't a lot of floor space. So this is why people clean - so there is plenty of space to have a melt down in your own room. He finally got it.
Winston had to stop the pacing, so rising up he walked over to Nick and placed his hands on his shoulders, "Breath Nick, and start from the beginning." He couldn't believe the look in Nick's eyes; he saw loss, despair and, if his mind wasn't playing tricks on him, maybe the slightest bit of fear. There is only one person who could cause Nick to get that look. "Are you and Jess okay?" They had certainly looked fine in the living room, but he couldn't think of any other explanation.
Nick sat dejectedly on his bed, he had to tell someone. Even if it meant getting hit in the Sharons.
"Someone came into the bar earlier. I gave her drinks, we talked a joked a little bit. I was distracted on the time. I knew I had to get back to Jess," Nick was blabbering, not making much sense.
"So. Get to the point Nick?" Winston did not have a good feeling, that and Nick looked very green right now.
"I was leaving the bar and the thing is the customer, the woman.. She kissed me. And I can't say that I pulled away right away... I didn't know what was happening, it happened too fast."
"We'll, okay that's bad I grant you, but why do I feel like you are not telling me everything," Winston folded his arms and gave Nick a serious look.
Nick held his head in his hands, "The woman... well, she was Erin. I didn't know until she got here."
Winston's hands moved instantly to his hips in a somewhat indignant stance, "What! How could you be so stupid Nick!" he cried, almost shouting.
"Shhh!" Nick hushed, "Will you shut up Winston, before she hears you!" He eyed the door certain that at any moment someone, well Jess would burst in and he'd be busted. "I didn't know it was her! And I stopped it as soon as I realised what was going on. I told her I had a girlfriend. It meant nothing Winston." Nick wasn't sure if he was trying to get Winston to understand or to convince himself. He felt the relief of unburdening his secret like a weight being lifted from his shoulders.
"You have to tell her Nick," Winston was angry. Jess was the best thing that happened to Nick, he had never seen his friend so happy, well that was until now. Now that he was going to screw it all up.
"No way! She will leave, I can't lose her."
"Nick you kissed her sister, who she already has a bad relationship with. Look, it will be better coming from you than from someone else. Just explain to her what happened like you did to me," he moved over to sit beside his friend on the bed, wincing a little as a mattress spring pinched his butt.
"Winston, I love her. This will kill her," Saying that out loud for the first time Nick expected to freak out, but strangely for the first time since entering this room he was calm, "It's her sister."
"I know you're worried Nick," Winston said, patting him on his shoulder, "And I know Schmidt and I weren't exactly supportive of the two of you at first, but I can see the way you feel about her. Heck - how you both feel about each other. I'm not going to lie, yes there is a chance you could lose her - but it's a a slim one. You didn't do anything really wrong, but you don't want to be caught up in some game with the evil twin out there."
"They're not twins," Nick replied, not missing a beat.
"Evil sister. Whatever. What I'm trying to say is - no it's not great that somehow of all the bars in LA this women came into yours and somehow found you attractive enough to try and flirt with you and somehow looked past your sloppy exterior long enough to think it would be a good idea to stick her tongue down your throat-"
"Hey!" Nick said defensively, "Enough of the Nick bashing, and there was no tongue. Okay, minimal tongue. All hers."
"Just tell her man," Winston finished, gripping Nicks's shoulder firmly, "Get it over with. Before someone else does." He finished by raising his eyebrows and looking at the door.
Slowly Nick nodded, yep, he knew if he didn't someone else clearly would. Erin.