Chapter Two

Nick sat there on the airplane, mid flight to New York City, staring out the window, with his hand up to his mouth thinking about Jamie. He thought about how different she looked, how happy she seemed, and how satisfied she was with her life. She’d actually moved on with her life.

He on the other hand sat around, thinking about her day and night for the past two years. Every morning when he woke up, he thought about her. Every day or night when he worked, he thought about her. Every night when he went to sleep, he dreamed about her. Everything he did, he thought about her - while she moved on with her life.

He reached down over in his backpack that was in the seat next to him and pulled out a little notebook that he wrote things in. He opened it up and reached in the back and pulled out a picture of them that was taken on their first date, which was at some fancy Italian restaurant. He smiled thinking about it as he looked down at the both of them smiling.

[[ 1997 ]]

“Nick, why’d you pick a place like this?” Jamie asked as she glanced around the restaurant, seeing mostly older couples.

“Well, we’ve been to McDonald’s and all that junk before so it wouldn’t make it a real official date.” Nick said, “Plus, I wanted to see you dressed up.”

“You just wanted to see up my dress. I know what you’re thinking.” Jamie said as Nick looked at her with a innocent look on his face, “Don’t play innocent.”

“I swear.” Nick said as he held his hands up, “I’m innocent.”

“Yeah right.” Jamie said laughing as she held her hands in her lap and looked around, “This place is too fancy.”

“The maitre d gave me the weirdest damn look. It’s like he was thinking ‘What the hell is this kid doing making reservations?’. Damn old punk.” Nick said, looking down at the menu as Jamie laughed.

“So when are you leaving again?” Jamie asked as Nick continued to look down at the menu.

“Hmm two days I think.” Nick said, “Yeah, I know I’ve only been back a day, but atleast I’ve got three days home.”

“Yeah.” Jamie said, “Too bad you won’t be here for New Year’s Eve.”

“Yeah I know.” Nick said, “Work work work work work.” As he looked back up at her, “What are you going to do?”

“Probably baby-sit because everybody will be wanting to go out.” Jamie said, “We’ll stay up and watch MTV.”

“MTV sucks.”

“Yeah, I know.”

“You should fly out with us.”

“My mom would never let me.”

“Yeah, I know.” Nick said as he laughed a little, “Well, let’s not worry about that right now. Let’s just enjoy tonight.”

“Okay.” Jamie said as she smiled and looked back down at her menu.

Nick sat there, still staring down at the picture as he looked back out the window. He sat there thinking about how much he missed her and how much seeing her in the airport made him miss her that much more. But there was nothing he could do about it.

He couldn’t do anything about it.

____________________________________________

1997

“Aren’t you glad I’m home?”

“No, I didn’t miss you at all.”

“Liar.” Nick said as Jamie smiled at him and hugged him. Nick wrapped his arms around her, hugging her tight as he smiled, “You’re hugging me like you haven’t seen me in months.”

“Okay so it’s only been like two and a half weeks. Sorry.” Jamie said as she put her hands beside her back, “Miss me?”

“Of course.” Nick said as he looked around and back at her, “Isn’t it cool that I have my own place now? Not that I’m moving in it anytime soon.”

“And it’s all empty.” Jamie said as Nick started to laugh.

“Yeah, except for a few things.” Nick said laughing a little, “So… look at you.”

“What?” Jamie asked as she looked down, “What about me?”

“You’re glowing.”

“Maybe I’m happy.”

“So you did miss me?” Nick asked as Jamie nodded her head.

“Just a little, ya know, not much at all.” Jamie said as she wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him again, “Smartass comments over the phone aren’t the same.”

“Nope. They aren’t because I can’t see your sassy attitude.” Nick said as Jamie leaned back, looking him in the eyes. They stood like that for what seemed like hours, looking in each other’s eyes, until finally Nick leaned down, pressing his lips against hers, and they began to kiss each other slowly.

“Excuse me ma’am. Would you like a beverage?” The stewardess asked as Jamie snapped back and looked around, and then glanced back at her.

“Oh sorry. No thanks, I’m fine.” Jamie said as she smiled and the stewardess walked to the new row, asking the other passengers.

Jamie sat there, wondering what she was thinking about until she was interrupted. She moved her hand back, running it through her hair and leaned her head back, looking at the top of the plane and sighed when she realized she was thinking about the first time they kissed and after that, they went on their first date, and they were inseparable, except when Nick was working.

She turned her head, looking out the window smiling a little at how things were back then, until she remembers how it all got ruined.

______________________________________

“Fuck.” Nick muttered as he walked into his hotel room, throwing his bags down over by the door. He had taken them from the bellboy because he couldn’t stand someone else walking into his room.

He walked over and sat down on the edge of the bed, putting his head down in his hands. He pulled at his hair a little and looked up, seeing a stereo above the TV in the entertainment center. He stood up and walked over to turn the radio on. He heard the latest No Doubt song and then walked back over to the bed, and sat down again, trying to get Jamie out of his head until No Doubt went off. Then another song came on.

Nick looked up when he heard the first note, recognizing it. He closed his eyes and fell back on the bed, putting his hands over his face.

1998

“And I’m finally fully moved in my house.” Nick said as he sat there in the living room, looking over at Jamie who sat there looking over at him, “I have nobody running in and messin’ with me now.”

“Except me.” Jamie said as she stuck her tongue out at him.

“Yeah well I like you messin’ with me though, so see there’s a point behind the logic.”

“Do what?”

“Nothing.”

“Trying to sound smart.”

“I am smart dammit.” Nick said as Jamie started to laugh at him. He stuck his tongue out at her and reached over, turning the TV off and pressed the button on the remote for the stereo to come on.

“Oh he thinks he’s all fancy now.”

“Shut up.”

“Well you do.” Jamie said as Nick cut his eyes over at her and smiled as Boys II Men’s “On Bended Knee” came on over the speakers, “Oh now he’s trying to be all slick.”

“Oh shut up.” Nick said as he stood up, grabbing Jamie’s hand, pulling her off of the couch, “Wanna dance?”

“Should have asked me before you pulled me up. My answer might have been no.” Jamie said as she wrapped her arms around his neck as Nick hit a button on the remote for the lights to dim in the room and he threw the remote over on the couch, “Now he really does think he’s something.”

“Damn straight.” Nick said as he wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her up closer to him. They stood there dancing for a few seconds, looking at each other, until Nick leaned over giving her a little kiss on the lips. Jamie moved her arms around his neck more, resting her head against his shoulder, “I wish you could stay here tonight.”

“I can’t though.”

“Yeah I know.”

“I want to.” Jamie whispered back as Nick smiled a little.

“I want you to too.” Nick whispered back, “But -”

“I’ve got my last day of high school tomorrow.” Jamie said as Nick laughed a little and she lifted her head up, looking at him, “But…”

“But…”

“After tomorrow night, I’m a high school graduate and I’m an adult. So I’ll stay.”

“You will?”

“Yes.” Jamie said as she smiled, leaning up to kiss him lightly on the lips.

Nick moved his hands from his face and laid them flat on the back, looking over at his cell phone, that was laying on the bed beside him as the song went off. He sat up, wiping a few tears away as he grabbed it and dialed a number.

“Fucking busy signal.” Nick bitched out loud as he dialed another number. He listened as it rung. And it continued to ring.

“You’re ass had better be there or -”

Hey, I’m not home right now. I’m off getting my groove on, so leave a message after the beep!

“Damn.” Nick thought as he sat there waiting for the beep.

BEEP!

“Hey, it’s me Nick. Um, listen dude, we really need to talk because I saw somebody today I haven’t seen in - well forever and I need you to do something for me. Call me back. Later.”

Nick closed his cell phone and threw it on the bed beside him. He stood up, walking back over to the stereo and turned it off as he began to smile at himself.