"Get up you lazy asshole!"

Nik's eyes squinted open as he struggled to adjust himself to the light. He could barley make out a female figure. As his eyes opened more he could make out the shiny blond hair that belonged to his sister.

Nik sighed as he sat up, "What do you want?"

"I need a ride and mom told me to ask you. She's going Christmas shopping with dad."

"Ask Al."

"He left around ten in dad's old truck."

Nik's eyes wandered over to his alarm clock. It read 11:34. He sighed and thrusted his knuckle into his bed as he pushed himself up. He rolled over and looked at Hilary, "Do you know how to start a vehicle with a standard transmission?"

"Yes."

Nik reached onto his side table and picked up his keys. He lightly tossed his keys up to Hilary and watched her catch them. She walked outside as Nik stood up and walked over to his bag. He dug through and found a pair of beige cargo pants and a blank black t-shirt that he put on quickly. He then covered up the t-shirt with an oversized red hoodie.

Nik walked out and heard the stereo on his 240 blasting out Hip-Hop. He walked over to his car and slowly slid into the driver's seat. He reached at his radio and turned off the station that was playing. He saw his sister look up at him with an annoyed glare. Nik smiled and drove out of his driveway.

Nik dropped off Hilary at the local middle school and watched her walk over to a group of people. His eyes carefully watched all of the guys in the group before he pulled away. Just because he was away for a few years didn't mean that he could trust other guys with his sister.

Kim sat in her kitchen as she slowly sipped a cup of coffee that sat in front of her. She was dressed in a pair of jeans and a blue short-sleeved shirt. She looked up at her mother and younger brother as they left. She looked over at a clock. 11:46. She had to go too. She stood up and walked out the door after putting on her leather jacket.

She walked to the edge of the street and unlocked the door of her 911. She stepped into it and tied her hair back before she started the engine. She revved it up once before putting the car in gear and pulling off of the curb.

She drove around a turn and then pushed down harder on the accelerator pedal as she made her way up the on-ramp. She sighed and turned on her radio to a local station. She bopped her head along with the music and smiled as she made her way off the highway.

She took a corner and then pulled around a black car that was going slow in front of her. She accelerated again around another turn and then stopped in a small parking lot across from a pizza place.

She got out of the car and locked it before she walked across the street. She stepped into the back of the store and saw an aggravated Italian man standing in front of a pizza oven.

His dark eyes floated upon her and he spoke with a heavy accent, "What is it you doing here? Didn't I fire you?"

She smirked as she took off her jacket, "I knew that you wouldn't last long without me so I decided to come back for a day. I'll finish up my work week by the end of today than I'll never see your ugly face again."

She heard him growl before turning and going away. She walked over to the clock and grabbed her time card. She marked her time and then dug through the pile for an apron.

She found one and then she picked up an old order booklet. She placed it in the pocket of the apron and walked up to the counter. She looked out and saw two customers sitting at a table, waiting.

She put on a fake smile and walked over to the table. She tilted her head down and brought her head up when she had it in her hand. She looked into the eyes of the one sitting on the left, "What can I get for…"

Nik's eyes met the stain glass blue eyes that belonged to the waitress. They were different then the girl he had met the other night but he remembered the face and the body. He stared at her quickly and then brought them back down to the table.

He looked up at Jesse who was proudly wearing a delighted smile, "The best racer in the entire state works at a pizza place. That's great."

Nik's eyes drifted over to the 911 driver's face as it brought a nearly the same smile to her face, "Oh yay, I get to serve the worst driver I've ever gone against."

Nik saw Jesse automatically prepare another comeback but then Nik kicked him in the knee. Jesse looked over to him and Nik's eyes had a strong push of the words 'shut' and 'up' in them.

Nik's eyes gazed up into the blue ones of the girl who was now his waitress, "Just a pepperoni pizza will be fine."

He saw her gaze change as it fell off of Jesse and on to him, "No problem Nik."

Nik smiled. She remembered his name. Nik leaned back and watched as she walked away from him. The sun shone brightly through the window and off of her body. She looked amazing.

Kim stepped around the corner and dropped the order on the table. She walked over quickly to a chair and sat down. He was here. How could he be here? Why did she meet him again? Why?

She looked over and watched as Luigi put a pepperoni pizza into the oven and shut it. She sighed and stood up, 'Ok Kim. You have to chill out. He's just a guy like all the other guys you've ever met. Except he doesn't want you for your body…He doesn't want you at all. Does he?

"Hey! Come get your pizza you lazy American!"

Kim's eyes became dark as she stared at the Old Italian man. She stood up and walked over quickly. She grabbed the pizza and then brushed him off as she headed back for Nik's table.

Nik watched her again as she set the pizza down. He searched for her eyes and couldn't find them. Was she avoiding him? He watched her walk away and then saw Jesse staring at him.

Nik sighed, "What?"

"Do you like her?"

Nik looked up at him, "Why would you think that?"

"It's the way you looked at her."

Nik leaned back as he pulled a piece of pizza off of the tray, "I don't know."

"You don't know?"

"Yup."

Jesse took a bite out of his slice, "You're on something, aren't you?"

"I wish I was, at least then I'd have a reason to be confused."

"Yeah, guess you're just crazy."

"I spose"

Nik and Jesse finished off the pizza quickly and then stood up. Nik said bye to Jesse and watched as he drove away. Nik walked out to his 240 and sat in his driver's seat for a moment.

He started the engine and then drove back to the school to pick up Hilary. He saw her with some guy and Nik gave the guy an evil glare. He smiled as he watched the guy back away from her and then he beeped his horn.

Hilary ran to the car and get in the passenger seat, "Am I going to be able to meet any guys while you're still in America?"

Nik shook his head, "Probably not."

Nik smiled and drove away from the middle school and took a sharp left towards home. He got there at 5:00 and let Hilary get out. Nik looked over at her when she looked at him, "Tell mom and dad I'll be home later."

Hilary agreed and Nik pulled out of the driveway. He drove back down the hill and took a turn at the bottom. He then headed back towards town…

Kim walked out of the pizza place the second that Luigi gave her her paycheck. She looked up at the night sky and smiled at all the stars. It was the first clear night she'd seen in a while. She looked over towards her red car but couldn't see it. There was a black car in front of it.

Her eyes widened as she saw the tall guy who was leaning against it. It was him, 'How did he… When did he…Why is he staring at me?' She held back the look of shock redness in her face and walked over to him.

Her blue eyes met with his hazel ones as she stopped, "What are you doing? Stalking me or something?"

Nik shook his head, "I was wondering if you were hungry."

"Maybe."

"Well then would you like to get some food?"

"Yeah, I think I should." She started to walk around his car but then she heard his voice behind her, "I meant with me."

She turned back with a stone cold look on her face, "Why would I want to do something like that?"

"Because of the fact that you probably haven't eaten anything through most of the day."

She sighed, "So what if I didn't?"

Nik sighed, "Figures…"

"What figures?"

She watched him open the door of his car, "Nothing."

"No. What?"

Nik smiled before he sat down, "If you want to know, follow me."

Kim felt her cheeks get warmer. He was really intriguing her. She heard his engine start. She quickly stepped into her 911 and started the engine. She followed him out of the parking lot and then around a quick corner. He was really fast.

She kept following him tightly around turns but just barley breaking the speed limit. He actually accelerated harder when he saw how easily she was catching up to him. The speed wasn't a problem for Kim. She loved going fast.

She heard the screech of tires and hit her own as she stopped. She looked to her side and saw a restaurant. It wasn't especially fancy but it wasn't crappy at all. She stepped out of her car and looked over at him. He was smiling.

He walked towards the restaurant and she stood there staring at him. Nik looked back at her, "Apparently you don't really want to know, do you?"

She sighed and followed him inside. She watched as he took a seat at a small booth and she took a seat across from him. She stared across the table at him and listened to him speak.

Nik smiled, "So what do you want to eat?"

She shook her head, "Nothing, I'll just pick off your plate."

Nik sighed. Didn't this girl eat? He looked through a menu and ordered a bacon double cheeseburger. He had been deprived of American food for way too long. He needed to refuel. He was thinking of bringing 40 or so pizzas home in his suitcase.

Nik looked over into her eyes and stared. They were different then before. They changed… "You know that your eyes change colors."

She looked surprised. She sighed and looked away from the table at the wall, "Yeah, they've done that for a long time."

He smiled, "They look great in both shades."

She sighed and looked up, "If you're trying to get in my pants, its not gonna…"

"No, no, I'm sorry. I must seem like I'm coming off as a stalker and a creep."

"Just a lil."

"I'm sorry about that. I'm really not."

"So, why do I keep running into you then?"

"Last night was coincidence. Same with the pizza place unless Jesse has a hidden agenda he hasn't been telling me. The only planned meeting I've had with you was tonight in the parking lot."

"And that was because…?"

"I don't know. I'm looking for something."

"What?"

"What about you that I can't get out of my head."

"Line."

"True, but an honest line."

"…There's such a thing as an honest line?"

"Surprisingly yes."

Nik watched as a smile fell onto her face. He smiled back as his view was obstructed by a bacon double cheeseburgers and curly fries. Nik looked down at the food and then over towards her again.

He took a bite out of the burger and then looked at her. He spoke after the food had been swallowed, "Two days and I still don't know your name."

She reached over and stole one of his French fries, "Kim."

Nik smirked, "Kim…"

"Yup, its three letters unlike Nik."

"Actually it is three."

"Really? N-I-K?"

Nik took another bite out of his burger and smiled, "Yeah."

She smiled and stole another French fry from his plate. Nik returned her smile as he continued eating. The meal was relatively quiet as they discretely exchanged glances throughout the time they spent together.

Kim only ate ten of his numerous French fries. She wasn't especially hungry at all. She stood up when she saw Nik pay the tab. She walked out the door right beside him. She didn't mind now.

She walked over to her car and stared at him, "So will I see you again?"

"I hope so."

She smiled as she watched him step into his car. She heard the engine rev up before he left. She slid into her own car with a smirk on her face. He's cute and nice. Wow…'

She shook her head and started the engine. She pulled off of the curb and headed back home. It was a shorter distance from here then it was from Highland.

She pulled up to her own house at 9:30. She got out and walked inside. She went past her brother who was sitting in the living room and was almost to the stairs when her mother stopped her.

She heard her voice when she was 5 feet away from them, "Kimberly?"

She stopped abruptly and turned around with a forced smile, "Yes mother?"

"Do you remember Katie Strom?"

"Umm…Yeah, she used to work with you, right?"

"Yeah, she had us over for dinner a few times."

"Yeah, so?"

"Well, she invited us to a Christmas party tomorrow at noon."

"Oh, that was nice of her. So we're going?"

"Yeah, it's a big thing because her son is back for the holidays."

"Oh, ok, well I'll be there."

"Good, how was your night?"

"Good."

She watched as her mother smiled and then she turned and walked up to her bedroom. She walked in and fell onto her bed. A good night. That had been the first time in a while when she had answered her mother without using the word 'peachy'.

She smiled and walked into her bathroom. She looked at herself in the mirror as she pulled the hair band out of her hair. She felt it slide down to her shoulders. She smiled. Her smile held in it an emotion she hadn't had for anyone besides her family. Love…

Nik finished his 5th lake run at 10:30. He drove around once more and then drove up the small hill that took him too his driveway. He shut off the engine and walked inside to see all of his family members sitting on both of their couches.

Nik smiled and took a seat next to his brother on the blue one, "What's up?"

His dad looked over to him with a light smile, "We're just talking about tomorrow, Christmas."

Nik smiled, "Christmas in New England and no snow. Wow."

His dad nodded, "Yeah, but we actually have all the gifts at Aunt Katie's."

"Oh, ok."

His dad nodded once more, "Yeah, so, were gonna go over at noon like usual and then after lunch we'll do the gifts everyone."

Nik nodded in return, "That works."

His mom looked over with a caring smile, "So how was your night?"

Al smirked at him, "Did you go see that chick?"

Nik's eyes drifted over to Al for a second and then back to the room. Everyone was staring at him. Nik sighed heavily, "Yes, I did."

Hilary looked over with an intriguing smile, "What's her name?"

"Kim."

His dad came with a second question, "Is she nice?"

"Yes."

His mom came with a third, "Is she pretty?"

"Very."

His brother with number four, "Does she have a nice ass?"

"I told you not to ask!" Nik stood up quickly and eyed everyone in the room, "Look, I met a girl when I went to a race the other night. I ran into her again when I got pizza and then I had dinner with her till I came back here and took a few drives around the lake. I really like her. Is there any other questions?"

There were looks that floated around the room until his mom looked up at him, "No further questions."

Nik nodded and walked away. He went up the stairs and into his bedroom quickly. He ripped off his sweatshirt and t-shirt consecutively over his head and fell onto his bed. He dug his head deeper into his pillow as his long, dark, brown hair evenly spread along it.

He rolled over and stared at the pictures on the beams of the bunk bed. He closed his eyes and he could see her again. He could smell her again. He opened them and he missed her. It was scaring him. He wasn't sure how he felt. It was weird but he didn't mind. He just missed her…