Three days later I received the money from Nick, along with a letter. I opened it up and began to read it while I sat outside the student center.
Kate,
I know that you think that I’m doing this just out of a sense of charity, but please, believe me when I tell you that I’m doing this because you need help. I consider you my best friend, even though I haven’t known you for that long, and this is something that a best friend does. They help the other one when there’s nowhere else to turn. That’s the situation you’re in, Kate. You can’t turn to anyone else and I want you to turn to me. I want to do this for you. If you don’t accept this, what are you going to do? Think about that before you send this back to me. You shouldn’t have to go through this alone, sweetie. I wish I could be there for you. You know if I could drop everything and come up there, I would. But I can’t. I wish I knew what to tell you so you could get through this. I wish Rob knew what he did to you. He should be doing what I’m doing. He should be the one helping you. I could kill him for what he’s done, Kate. I don’t even know the guy but I could kill him because he did this to you. Please, just trust the fact that I’m not doing this out of a sense of charity. I see that you’re in trouble and I want to help you get out of it. Please call me as soon as you receive this letter. I want to know if you’re okay (since you conveniently screen all of your phone calls now. ) Anyway, talk to you later!
Love ya babe!
Nick
A tear rolled down my cheek and landed on the paper, smudging part of the writing. I quickly ran back to my room so I could go call Nick.
***** ***** ***** ***** ***** *****
Nick and Brian were sitting on Nick’s balcony, deep in conversation while the rest of the guys were inside hanging out.
“So, have you talked to Katelin lately?” Nick sighed:
“Like four days ago. She hung up on me.”
“Why?” Nick decided to vent his frustrations to his best friend:
“Cause she thinks that I feel that she’s a charity case. Her fucking ex-boyfriend raped her the night that I found her and she just found out that she’s 4 weeks pregnant with his baby. She wants to have an abortion but she can’t afford it and she doesn’t want to call Rob because he’s a fucking asshole. So, I wanted to help her so I offered to send her money to get it done and she basically ripped my head off and then hung up the phone.” Brian laughed, inwardly:
“Gee, wonder why?” Nick snapped his head up:
“What?” Brian cleared his throat:
“Nick, you can’t expect her to not feel like a charity case when all you do is treat her like one.” Nick looked at Brian, angry:
“I don’t treat her like one. She needs help right now, though and I want to give it to her. Bri, she can’t afford this on her own and she can’t call her ex. And she won’t talk to me now because I told her that I was sending her money. Everytime I call, she refuses to talk to me. I must have left a million messages on her machine and she won’t return any of them. I don’t know what to do. Hopefully she’ll get the letter and the money soon.” Brian’s eyes widened:
“You sent it anyway?”
“Yeah. A couple of days ago.” Brian shook his head:
“She’s gonna kill you. That’s not a way to win her over, Frack.”
“What are you talking about? Win her over? What’s that?” Brian looked at his best friend, sympathetically:
“Nick, you’re totally in love with this girl. Just face it. That’s what’s behind all of this. You’re helping her, not only out of a sense of duty but the fact that you want her to fall in love with you. You’re acting like her knight in shining armor.” Nick angrily stood up:
“Brian, I am sick and tired of this same speech from you. I’m not in love with her. I have a wonderful girlfriend whom I love very, very much. Why don’t you understand that?” Brian grimaced. He’s not very fond of Mandy. Actually, none of the other guys are. They think that she uses Nick. He doesn’t see it. Brian shook his head free of these thoughts:
“Yeah, Mandy. I know. I think you might want to reevaluate your feelings for both of them. You may not realize it now. But you’re falling head over heels in love with the girl that’s not your girlfriend.” With that, Brian stood up and walked inside, just as the phone rang. He walked over to it and picked it up:
“Hello?” I cleared my throat:
“Who’s this?”
“Brian.” I relaxed a little bit:
“Hey, Brian. It’s Katelin. Is Nick around?” Brian laughed:
“Speak of the devil. We were just talking about you.” I smiled and sarcastically said:
“I’m sure it was all good talk to. I know I’m Nick’s absolute favorite person right now.”
“Don’t be so sure he hates you, Kate. Hold on.” He walked out on the balcony with the phone and handed it to Nick:
“It’s Katelin.” Nick grabbed it and cleared his throat:
“Hey. How ya doing?” I smiled. At least he would talk to me:
“I’m okay. I got your letter and everything. I’m calling to say thank you.” He relaxed:
“So you’re going to do it? Good.” I sighed deeply:
“I have no other choice, Nick. I have to do this.” We talked for a little bit longer. Nick was acting very strange but I brushed it off. After I hung up the phone, I smiled for the first time since I found out that I was pregnant.