I Will Buy You a New Life
Chapter 14
~*"Give others freedom to be themselves. Appreciate the differences between their
ways and yours." –Unknown*~
Nick and Angelina sat in the living room of her seemingly microscopic apartment talking about everything from religion to new movies. Brian was off visiting some high school friends who’d just flown into town for the weekend. Brian, Angelina, and his two friends, Keith and Kristina all went out to dinner the night before, but today Angelina decided to take a step back and let Brian catch up with his two friends without her around. Not that anyone would ever come visit her, but if they did, she’d want some time alone to make up for lost time.
“So where’s Jill today?” asked Angelina walking in from the kitchen. She tossed Nick the Budweiser he’d requested and sat Indian style on the couch next to him popping open her can of Mountain Dew. Nick seemed a to tense up a bit at her question. “Nick, what’s wrong with Jill?” He looked over at her. He was trying his hardest not to smile.
“I did something…”
“Oh God, what’d you do Nickolas?” she asked, almost afraid of his response. She knew it couldn’t be anything good by the mischievous look on his face. A muted smile continued to play on his lips as he began to tell her the story.
“Okay, you know how AJ and Jenn broke up a few weeks ago?” Angelina nodded, knowing what he was going to say, but afraid to hear it. She loved Jill and didn’t want to see her hurt. She loved Jenn, too and wanted her to be happy. She was torn between her two friends before the words even left Nick’s mouth. “Well, I was over at Tabu last night…you know, D’s club. Anyway, I was over there and she was there…I guess Howie got her some VIP passes for herself and a friend.”
“Oh yeah, she asked me if I wanted to go, but Brian and I already had dinner plans.”
“Yeah. So anyway, we were talking and stuff…and I realized that I really like her. She’s an awesome chick…I guess I just never got to see it because she was tied down by AJ. She’s got a lot of spunk and a real love for life, something I miss out on with Jill. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I love Jill, but…God I don’t know anymore. Jill just puts me down too much. I mean, she’s awesome and she’s hilarious and she keeps me grounded and down to earth, but I think Jenn can give me that and so much more. I don’t know, maybe I’m just having feelings for her because we had sex.” He obviously hadn’t meant for those words to slip passed his lips. He immediately slapped his hand over his mouth and closed his eyes. He knew he was in for it now.
“YOU WHAT, NICK?” She could see the smile dancing on his lips even behind his hand. “You cheated on Jill? Nickolas I am so disappointed in you!”
“Look, you can’t be mad at me! It was an accident,” he said, trying to cover up his obvious excitement about his new endeavor.
“Does she know?” He nodded his head.
“Next to you, Jill’s my best friend. I had to tell her, I would have felt horrible. She was pissed and she broke up with me…and she called me a dickless bastard, but I think we'll manage through and somehow become friends somewhere down the road.”
“You’re such a guy, Nick! You actually think Jill will ever want to see you again? She probably hates you and Jenn now. Good one, pal. Another thing, you cheat on your girlfriend and then you tell her about it? You’re a good guy and a bad guy all rolled into one, Nick.”
“I like to think of myself as a walking paradox, thank you.”
“You do know that AJ is gonna kick your ass when he finds out, don’t you?”
“I could take him.”
“Are you kidding me Nick? AJ would tear you apart. You of all people know how he gets. He’s gonna flip out on you. He loved that girl with all of him and you know he was devising a plan to get her back and now you ruined that for him. Your ass is grass, Nick…I’d watch my back, he’ll probably throw a grenade at you from behind or something.” Nick laughed at her statement nodded his agreement.
“He’s gonna tear me another asshole. Whatever though. I mean, as of right now, Jenn and I are just talking, nothing more.”
“Is talking the new slang term for sluttin around?”
“Look, Angelina, I know you’re mad, but this is my life…let’s not forget that.”
“You’re right, and if you want to screw around and mess up your life and not give a good God damn about the effects your actions have on other people, then fine, but I will have no part in it.”
“Nobody’s asking you to.”
“You’re asking me to be okay with the fact that you are dirty and disgusting and proud of it on top of that! Don’t get me wrong, I want you and Jenn to be happy, but you’re both screwing over AJ and Jill. You say you love Jill and then you treat her like this? That doesn’t seem like any kind of love I’ve ever heard of.” Nick sprung to his feet, slamming his beer down on the coffee table.
“What do you know about love?” he spat, then turned and stormed out of her apartment. Angelina sat on the couch stunned. She hadn’t expected that. His words came at her like a freight train. He was right, what did she know about love aside from the fact that it was complicated as hell? This was the first disagreement she and Nick had encountered. Without realizing it, Angelina’s shoulders began to shake and tears rolled down her face. She realized at that moment that Nick was 100% right. How could she have the audacity to give him a lecture on right and wrong when she had never been in that situation herself? His words didn’t have to be so harsh though, she thought. She needed someone to talk to, but who could she turn to? Brian was out with his friends, Kevin was out with Kristin and the only other person she really trusted deep down, Nick, was mad at her. She walked back to her bedroom, her hand pressed against the wall for support. She was crying so hard now, she could barely walk. She lay down in her bed curled into the fetal position and just cried. Months of therapy down the drain because of what Nick said. She realized that for the first time her “new” life wasn’t as pristine as she thought it was. Her problems and dilemmas would follow her wherever she went. What she didn’t realize is that everyone goes through the same things. She thought it was something she had done that God was punishing her for. All the memories of high school, of Dominick, of the nasty rumors spread about her and the horrible words tossed at her came flooding back. She couldn’t believe that Nick’s six little words could have such a profound affect on her. She cried all night until she finally fell asleep at about midnight that night.
~Next Day~
“Good morning Angel, it’s Brian. Just wanted to call to see what you were doing today, thought maybe we could go get some dinner when you’re done at the salon. I guess maybe you already left or something. Anyway, I’ll talk to you later. Have fun at work, baby. I love you. Peace.” Angelina refilled her glass of orange juice as she heard him speak. “I love you.” Those three simple words had totally messed up her life in a way no one would ever be able to comprehend. She wished she would have realized before she got involved with Brian and his friends that love was such a royal pain in the ass. She walked across the kitchen and looked at the blinking light on the answering machine. She contemplated calling him back, but instead reached over and hit the erase button. No sense in dragging him through her melodrama, she thought. He sounded so chipper and happy…two things she never was. The last thing he needed was to be pulled down from his spot on Cloud 9 and brought into her world of resentment and remorse. Angelina grabbed the phone off the counter, deciding to call into work. The last thing she wanted was to have to go into work today.
“Hello?” asked Tiffany, the salon’s manager.
“Hey Tiff, it’s Angelina.”
“Oh hey! Let me guess, you can’t come in today?” asked Tiffany chuckling. Her playful assumption wasn’t enough to bring Angelina out of her somber mood.
“Yeah, I’m not feeling well.”
“Hey, no problem. You don’t have any appointments today anyway. If we have any walk-ins I’ll just tell them to beat it,” she said laughing.
“Thanks, Tiff. I’ll see you tomorrow,” said Angelina hanging up the phone. Soon after she graduated from beauty school, she was offered a job at a local salon doing make-up and occasionally, when they were overbooked, she’d do some hair. Not cutting, just styling, though since she didn’t have a hair license. What she really wanted to do, though, was do make-up for big stars in Hollywood. Mel Gibson, Tom Hanks…people like that. She knew her dreams were a little far-fetched…that’s why she got the job in Orlando. She knew she could have that job as long as she wanted it.
She walked back to her bedroom as the phone began ringing again. She turned around and waited for the answering machine to pick up to hear who it was.
“Hey Lena. Look, I’m an asshole and I’m sorry. Please believe me. I’m such a jerk…you’re right, I’m being stupid, but I really like Jenn. You know better then anybody that you don’t choose who you have emotions for. Anyway, give me a call when you get this, if you want to. If not, I totally understand…I probably wouldn’t want to call me back either. Okay, well…bye.” Angelina shook her head and continued walking back to her bedroom, orange juice in hand. Nick was so fickle. One day he’d be the nicest, greatest guy on earth, then the next he’d be the biggest jerk ever. It just depended on his mood. She was getting sick of dealing with his constant changing attitude. He wasn’t like that towards her as much as he was towards Brian or one of the other guys. She always just assumed it was because she hadn’t been around him for as long, and apparently she was right considering the fact that once they really got to know each other he began treating her the same way he treated the guys. She sighed and flopped down on her bed. She glanced over at the picture of her and Brian taped to the mirror. She wished the two of them could just stay as happy as they were in that picture forever. Unfortunately, she was beginning to realize that no matter who she was around or where she was, things would never be sunshine, lollipops, and rainbows.
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