A.N: Yes There is more to the story. I couldn't just leave it like that. Hahaa. And thanks for those who write reviews. I always love reading your feedback. So for those who are my silent readers, try reviewing :) Thanks for those reading and enjoy the next few chapter. They're all already written, so they'll be uploaded pretty quick. But I'm only uploading one new chapter per day. :)
"Home," I whispered as I set my bags down on the carpeted floor. I snuggled my toes into the warm familiar material and took a deep sighed, breathing in the familiar scent of vanilla and Lysol.
"C'mon, honey. What do you want to eat?" It was almost 8 at night. Suddenly, my stomach dropped. It would be the first time I wouldn't be eating dinner with Nick in a long long time. There would be no watching the stars, no night- long conversations, no comfort. I shook my head, and told her I was too tired to eat. Trudging back upstairs I found my room exactly like I left it. Spacious, and messy. I took everything out of my canvas bag; sketch book, camera, and finally a shirt. It was the shirt I had worn on my birthday. I still hadn't washed it, and the frosting stains were still freshly coated as if it was just added on yesterday. I smiled and walked up to my closet and found an empty box, I didn't know I had. I folded it up, unwashed, and placed it in the box for safe keeping. It was one of the only things I had left from him. Instinctively, my hands grasped around the dog tag necklace, and his final words to me played through my head. Nick Grey loved me. No. Nick. My Nick loved me. I lied down on my bed and started wondering if Nick was doing the same thing in LA. He was probably asleep by now, or partying, or doing whatever he usually did. Or maybe he was doing the same exact thing I was doing; lying in bed and thinking about each other. I could imagine his curls in its regular messy state, his movie- star grin being flashed in every direction. I could picture his eyes, exhausted yet still somehow sarcastic and teasing.
Wow. I had only been home for the last 10 minutes, and he was already on my mind. I shook away my thoughts and tried going to sleep. I couldn't let myself love him… Did I love him? I thought I did when I was standing there saying goodbye, but he'd never know anyway. And now we were miles apart, and it wouldn't change things. He would continue his life as if I hadn't existed. Fame was an easy replacement for me. He had said forever, but I learned to never get my hopes up the day my dad didn't come back for us. The day he didn't even get to say goodbye. Life taught me one thing: The higher you build your hopes, the harder they'll fall.
The only problem was that my hopes were still under construction; not knowing what to do but wait.
I woke up to the noise of a loud ringing. The doorbell. I groaned and wiped my eyes frustrated. Let me just take a second to say that I am NOT a morning person. I picked myself out of bed, knowing that Mom was probably out for a jog or doing SOMETHING to keep her busy. That was her escape; work.
Whoever was at the door seemed to have a lack of patience as they kept ringing and ringing and ringing the doorbell over and over again. "Calm down!" I screamed. "I'm coming." I jogged down the flight of stairs already pissed. What a great way to start off my first day back in town.
"Well, hurry your butt up faster, Stewart," a familiar voice laughed. I opened the door quickly and was welcomed into the arms of my best friend, Lucas Tiller. "How'd ya miss me?" He rubbed the top of my head with his palm teasingly, and I broke into a smile. Lucas Tiller and I have known each other since birth. We had taken our first steps together, took our first swimming lessons together, even took our first baths together. He was also there when my parents had gotten a divorce. He was MY escape when I needed a place to stay. He was my best and only friend.
He was also what most girls in school called, 'a hottie'. Dark blonde waves of hair fell onto his fore head, a chiseled face and high cheek bones, a clear defined jaw, and a model- body. (Not that I notice that stuff about him.) To me he was just Lucas; the guy who was always there to make me laugh by tackling me on the ground and tickling me until I cried. He was a football player, basketball player, tennis player, a member of the track team, President of the high school council, and he was a good Christian boy too. He had friendly blue eyes, a soft curling smile, and probably one of the purest hearts the world will ever know. To the town, he was the definition of perfect.
"Lucas," I smiled as I took in his familiar scent. "I missed you."
"So how was good ol' Egypt? Did you ride a camel?"
"No camels," I smiled.
"So did your mom find anything interesting? New ancient cities? Artifacts? Mummies?" he smiled. He also had an interest in history and archeology. That's why I tried keeping him away from Mom almost half the time. I couldn't handle another boring discussion about the ancient Kush Empire.
"Actually, about that," I coughed. "We kind of didn't go on an expedition trip."
He cocked his head to the side confused. "Then what have you been doing all summer?"
"Well," I sighed readying myself to re-tell the story. "Mom was hired to inspire these actors on this movie set."
"What movie?"
"Before the Storm."
"Any famous actors?" he asked.
I shrugged innocently. "No one special. Just Jason Lewis, Sam Draine, Nick Grey, Laura-"
"Hold up," Lucas stopped me. "Did you just say Nick Grey? As in THE Nick Grey? As in this town's obsession, Nick Grey?"
I cleared my throat awkwardly. "Yeah. That one."
He broke out into laughter. "That must have been hilarious. Is he as bad as he looks?"
"What do you mean?"
"Like, conceited? Break- downs on set? Screaming? Pushy? Was he the perfect stereotype for a movie- star?"
"Um. No. He was okay," I explained trying to defend him, but not too much to sound suspicious.
"I hate that guy," Lucas grinned. "He thinks he's all that. EVERYONE in this town thinks he's all that. He's a little too into himself if you ask me, don't you think?"
My mouth was glued shut and I settled on a simple shrug. I couldn't say anything bad about him. Nick really did surprise me from what I expected. He was sweet, and caring, and he actually listened to me. He understood me. But on the other hand, if I defended him, Lucas would think I had become one of them. The 'Nick Grey' clones as we called them. Before leaving for the trip, we had always laughed at their obsessions. Who ever knew that I, someone who laughed at him, would end up meeting him, falling in love with him! Lucas was all I had left of comfort at home. I couldn't lose him.
"So, what's been happening around town while I was gone?" I asked changing the subject. He bit his lip trying to remember.
"Oh yeah," he grinned. "Jenifer dyed her hair back to blonde."
I slapped him on the shoulder. "No. Real news, please."
"Um, would getting into UCLA for a football scholarship be counted as news?"
I stood there mouth open. Lucas was accepted into UCLA! I was about to jump up and hug him congratulations, but another thought struck me first. He would be leaving me. I was going to be stuck in Virginia by myself. He would be across the country in California, and I would still be here. "I'm happy for you," I choked out.
He smiled, too excited to notice the quiver in my voice. "Yeah. Can you believe it, Mi? California. I've been waiting to get out of this town for years." Me too, I said in my head as I cast my gaze to the floor. Suddenly he noticed my lack of enthusiasm and brought his hand on my shoulder.
"Don't worry, Miles. We're still going to be best friends. We made that promise a long time ago."
"Yes. But we also promised that we'd grow up to be ducks when we were 5, Lucas. Not going to happen."
He laughed as he ran a hand through his hair. "Well, where are you going to school? Didn't you apply to an Art School in California?"
I shrugged. "Yeah. But I doubt they're going to let me in. I have no experience at all."
"But you're talented, Miles. You'll figure it out. And if you do get into that school, I swear to visit you every day," he smiled as he held up his hand in a mocking swear.
"Mhm," I laughed. I hugged him close finally realizing how much I missed his cheesy jokes of sarcasm that somehow made me smile. He was no Nick Grey, but he was all I had. And for now, that was enough.