Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Home and Away characters.
Summary: Set not long after Nick leaves the Bay (In the UK we've only just got to the part where Nick decides he is leaving). Also this is my first ever fic.
Chapter 1: Starting Over
'A part of me hates his guts, but another part still loves him. He may have caused me a lot of heartache but after everything with Angie Russell and the bus crash, that love for him still remains. He says it was a set up and that he never slept with that girl, but I saw it with my own eyes. My mind tells me to cut off all links with him but my heart tells me to forgive him. Maybe over time my mind could forgive him and we could get back together but that's not even an option now. Now that Nick's left the Bay in order for me to stay and live with my family. Kristy and Seb say good riddance and are glad that Nick's left but I feel guilt. Although he was in the wrong, leaving Irene and Hayley behind must have torn him in two but he did it for me. Now that Nick's left my life, I must try and repair it.'
The Sutherland house was as busy and noisy as ever in the morning. Kristy and Max were busy arguing over who should have the last of the cereal and Dani was trying to think of a way to tell her dad that her car owed $4,000 and that it had been reprocessed. Jade slowly walked down the steps and wiped her eyes through tiredness. As soon as she reached the bottom step she nervously smiled at everyone hoping to fool them about how she was feeling at the moment, "Morning."
Max and Kristy stopped arguing and Dani snapped out of her daze, as Jade walked over to the fridge and pulled out some orange juice. Jade placed the juice on the table and grabbed a glass, "Where's dad?" Kristy let go off the cereal box, "He's just gone to the diner to see Alf about something, he should be back soon. Should you be up?"
Jade started to pour the juice into the glass, "I'm fine. Anyway I can't miss much more of school or I'll fail some of the assignments." Kristy sighed, "OK,…. Max where's my cereal?" Max stopped chewing straight away and shrugged his shoulders. Kristy glared at him, "I know you've eaten it. I'm letting you off this time but if you do it again, then Eloiuse's dad will find one of your love letters. Understand?" Max's look of innocence changed to a look of fear and he slowly nodded in reply.
Jade smiled at the sight of Max cowering from Kristy's glare, "So what goss have I missed out on." Max smiled and clapped his hands together, "Well, let's start with uncle Rhys, he spent the night at Beth's, so they'll probably marry soon…" Before Max could continue Dani slapped him in the head, "They've already said there not going to marry." Max rubbed the back of his head, "But they will someday. Anyway, Dani owes $4,000 on her new car as she failed to check some documents and it's been reprocessed…" Dani slapped Max in the back of the head again, "How did you find out about that? You better not tell dad?" Max rubbed his head again, "You've been mumbling about it for two days. Back to the goss, Kristy might break up with Seb as she finds him boring…" Once again Max got hit in the back of the head but this time by Kristy, "You are so dead, Max. What did I say about going through my diary?"
Dani and Jade stared at Kristy shocked and managed to mumble in time with each other, "You have a diary?" Kristy stopped glaring at Max and sighed, "Yes. I best get going, school's going to start soon." Kristy got up and left the room closely followed by Jade, "So you really going to dump Seb?" Kristy nodded, "Yeah. Seb's nice and all but he's not what I'm looking for. Anyway I think he fancies someone else." Jade raised an eyebrow, "Who?" "I don't know who it is for sure but I have some ideas on who he fancies."
Jade flicked some of her blonde hair away from her face, "So who do you think it is?" Kristy stopped walking and sighed, "You." Jade's face vaulted, "WHAT! You've got to be kidding? You do know that the thing of kissing Nick when he was dating you was a one off and that I'd never do that to you again." Kristy nodded, "Of course I do. But I'm glad that he fancies you as it makes it easier for me to break up with him. You should ask him out, he's probably your type." Jade rubbed the back of her neck, "Seb's nice but I don't think him and I'll would work out." "Come on Jade, you have to get over Nick sometime. Seb's perfect for you. He's sweet, romantic and not likely to cause lots of problems unlike Nick."
Jade sighed and started to walk again, "But he's Nick's best friend." "Former best friend. Seb doesn't like Nick anymore after what he did to you." Jade started to speed her walk up, "But it will feel weird as he's your former boyfriend." "That didn't stop you dating Nick."
"But Nick was different." Kristy turned her head and looked at Jade, "How? Your just making excuses. Jade you have to face up to the fact that Nick's gone and never coming back." Jade lowered her head, "I guess your right. I need to move on and Seb is cute." Kristy put her arm around Jade, "Finally. Tonight, I'll break up with him and then in the morning you can ask him out. Ok?" Jade smiled nervously and nodded.
