Of Love and Hate:

Chapter Two: Hurt

"So, you ready for tonight?" Rob asked Nicole as he stretched.

Nicole looked up from her position on the couch where she was picking out an outfit for that night. "Yup, sure am. If I only I didn't have to kiss…UGH! Him!"

Jay looked up at his friend and laughed. "Nic, what do have against him?"

"Well, he's cocky, self centered, and a bunch of words I shouldn't be using." Nicole replied, going back to picking out clothes.

"Well you both hang out with the same people. Why can't you learn to get along?" Rob asked.

Sighing, Nicole looked at her two friends. "I dunno, maybe because Jericho doesn't care about anyone but himself?"

"This coming from little miss perfect?" A voice from behind the door questioned.

"Hey Chris." Rob greeted, standing up.

"Hey Rob, Jay, princess." Chris replied, smirking at Nicole.

"Guys, don't start." Jay warned. "You need to go practice for later."

Chris smirked again. "Practice? You mean our kiss? Man, I don't need to practice, I get it right every time." He replied, earning a laugh from Nicole.

She nodded, standing up. "Yeah, it should go okay, as long as I don't throw up."

"Haha." Chris answered sarcastically.

Nicole turned her attention away from Chris and to Jay and Rob. "So, what do you guys think of this outfit?" She asked, holding up a pair of tight black khaki pants and a see through lavender shirt.

"Nice." Jay said, grinning.

Rob nodded. "Yeah, it should look better on you." He joked. Nicole smacked him and smiled.

"I'm gonna put lavender streaks in my hair too." She said.

"Oh yay, now you're turning into Hardy?" Chris asked, rolling his eyes.

"Chris…" Jay warned, not wanting an argument to start between his friends.

"What? I'm just pointing out the obvious." Chris said, smiling.

Nicole rolled her eyes and walked up to Chris. "I don't care what you think, I'm just hoping to get this night over with so I can go home and wash my mouth out like a hundred times with soap." She said, looking Chris in the eye. "Cuz I'm not looking forward to this any more than you are. I just want it over and done with." She walked past him and went in the bathroom.

Rob and Jay both went back to their stretching, neither of them noticing the look of hurt in Chris's blue eyes.

*~*~*~*~*

A half-hour later, Nicole emerged from the bathroom in her outfit for that night. She was wearing the same black khaki pants and see through lavender shirt she had picked out. She also had black boots on and she had put lavender streaks in her hair.

"How do I look?" She asked her friends. Rob and Jay smiled their approval.

"It's cute." Rob said. Jay just nodded.

Nicole smiled and turned her attention to Chris, expecting a rude comment or come on. When none came, she decided to see what was up. "Hey Jerky, is my outfit for tonight acceptable?"

Without looking up, Chris responded. "Sure, whatever."

"Chris, what's up?" Rob asked, giving his a friend a confused look.

"What do you mean?" Chris asked.

"You seem kinda out of it." Jay said. "What are you, sick or something?"

"No I'm fine." He replied, standing up. "I'm gonna go, I wanna be alone before the match. See you later Jay. I'll see you in the ring Rob."

Nicole stood near the door, her arms crossed over her chest, confusion evident in her eyes. Chris glanced over at her and then walked out the door.

"What's up with him?" Nicole asked. "I think I'm actually missing the come on's and insults."

"I don't know." Rob said, shaking his head. "He looked…"

"Upset?" Jay suggested.

"Yeah." Rob agreed. "But, over what?"

Nicole walked over to her friends and sat down. "You guys don't think… you don't think it was what I said, right?"

"What, the thing about not wanting to kiss him?" Rob asked.

Nicole nodded. "I don't see why he would care. He says things all the time."

"He's Chris, he doesn't always make sense." Jay said, laughing.

"Yeah, come on Nic, let's go practice for later." Rob said, walking to the door.

"Okay, see you later Jay." Nicole said, hugging him. She stood up and rolled her eyes. "Boy oh boy, this should be a fun night." She added, laughing and following Rob out the door.

A/N: I'm not planning for this story to be very long, but I hope you like it anywayz! :)Nicole***