Nikki could only stare at her plate. The dinner looked great, but somehow, she couldn't bring herself to eat it. A strange thought was pulling at the back of her mind. Though she knew it was there, she couldn't tell what it was. It was driving her crazy...
"Nicole?" Nikki jerked her head upward.
"What?"
"Are you okay?" the concerned voice belonged to Meryl. Her head was tilted over her own plate and she was looking at Nikki with an expression of mixed worry and care.
"Yes, I'm fine." Nikki responded. "And I told you to call me Nikki. I hate the name Nicole." Meryl's brows lowered. Nikki turned her gaze toward her mother, who suddenly looked hurt, then to Vash, who wouldn't meet her eyes. "Mom? What's wrong?" It was Meryl who ansered her question.
"You shouldn't hate your name," she said simply, cutting into her steak.
"Why not? It's too fancy for me. I don't like it."
Meryl slammed her fork and knife onto the table so suddenly that Nikki jumped. "It's ok, Meryl." It was Milly's voice that said it. "She doesn't understand."
"What don't I understand?" Nikki cried.
"Maybe when you're older, we'll tell you," this voice belonged to Vash. Now it was Nikki that that slammed her hands down.
"Why is everyone keeping secrets from me!?" She hadn't meant to yell, but her "family" was frustrating her. Vash and Milly looked suprised.
"Nikki," Milly began.
"No, why?!"
"Nikki, please!" Vash yelled.
"Are you in on it too? Are you keeping something from me?" Nikki was furious now.
"No, Nikki, I didn't mean--"
Nikki looked at him, hurt. How could her own Uncle Vash, her own best friend for fifteen years, keep something from her? And apparently it was something big.
"I hate you," she said softly.
Now Vash looked hurt. "Nikki--"
"Don't talk to me..." Nikki pushed herself away from the table and ran upstairs to her room. Vash, Meryl, and Milly stared after her, unable to say anything.