Early the next morning Nick phoned Amanda telling her that he wanted to meet her at the hotel he was staying at. She agreed to come and was on the road about 10 o clock. She arrived there about 10:15 and proceeded inside.
Nick stood at the far end of the lobby, looking for her. He seen Amanda walk in and went straight over to her.
"Hi, " he told her.
"Hey."
"Let's go up to my room so we can talk."
Amanda obeyed and followed him to his room on the 3rd floor. He slipped his card through the door, unlocking it, and entered inside with Amanda.
"Sit down," he said motioning to his bed. He followed her and sat directly across from her.
"Thanks for coming here Amanda."
"Yeah, no problem."
"I'm sorry about last night, just dropping in like that. "
"Well, it was better than a phone call, I'd say."
"How mad are you about this whole situation?"
"Mad enough, Nick. But I know it wasn't your fault. I actually am just mad at Criss. I called her last night after you left."
"You did? What did you say?"
"I confronted her about the whole thing, and she ended up telling me a whole lot more than I expected."
" Like what?"
"Well, for starters, she was behind the whole trash your house, have you move in with her thing."
"WHAT!?"
"She put Megan and her friend Alicia, who I have no clue who she is, up to it. They got you drunk so you'd sleep with her. "
"I'm going to strangle her!!!"
"Let me first. And how come you never told me that Megan and Alicia were calling you at Criss's house everyday?"
"I didn't want to worry you."
"Nick, can we just forget everything that has happened please? I'm so sick of it all. I feel like I'm going to pass out after everything that has happened to me in the past year."
"We'll just put the past behind us and start all over."
"Good. "
"So everything is cool between us?"
"Yeah, unless Criss is pregnant, but we won't worry about that right now."
Nick smiled and pulled her into a hug.
"Sorry for the short, very short unexpected visit, but I have a flight tonight at 6 for Florida," Nick sprang on her.
"You have to leave tonight?"
"Yeah."
"I wish I could go with you."
"Maybe you can."
"Nick, we already went over this. I have school, I can't miss it."
"What's one week Amanda?"
"A whole lot!" she laughed.
"Come on, please. Just this once. I can call up the airport and get you a ticket to go with me to Florida."
"Nick.."
"Ok, I won't pressure you. If you don't want to spend a week with me in sunny, beautiful Florida, I understand."
"Don't do that to me. You know I can't go."
"I know, but I want you to."
"I'd rather go to Florida with you then go to school but that's just not an option."
"Can I make it one?"
"Nick!" Amanda said as she playfully shoved him.
"I need to know by 1 o clock if you are going or not."
"What are you doing to me Nick!? You know I want to go but I can't! Please stop or I might end up going and miss all my classes this week!"
"That's my whole point Mandy. To get you to skip class and come with me."
"And what am I supposed to do for one week in Florida when you are recording?"
"Well, Bri's girlfriend will be there, you can listen to us record, and spend every night with me for a whole week."
"Don't temp me Nickolas."
"Ok, then I won't mention the beaches, clubs, parks, and..."
Amanda interrupted, "Ok!! Fine!! I'll come with you!!"
Nick grinned. "Goody. Let me call the airport."
"I have to tell my parents too."
"Ok, let me get the ticket and then we'll phone your folks."
Nick dialed the Denver airport and got Amanda a ticket on the same flight to Florida as Nick for 6.
"I have to pack for a week, so I guess we can just tell them when we go to my house."
"All right. Do you want to come back here before we leave or go straight to the airport from your house?"
"Doesn't matter Nick."
"Well, I need to know if I should bring my stuff to your house with me or not."
"Just leave it here. We'll come back for it."
"Ok, let's go then."
"All righty!"
"We have to go in separate cars though. Cuz we don't want to leave your car here for a week."
"Bummer. I wanted to go with you. "
"Sorry!"
"Ok, well, I'll meet you at my house."
Amanda and Nick walked out to their cars and left toward Amanda's house. About 15 minutes Amanda arrived with Nick a minute later. They walked inside to see her family in the kitchen, looking like they just woke up.
"Nick! What are you doing here?" Amanda's father asked him.
"Very long story."
"I just back to pack some stuff. I'm going to Florida with Nick for a week."
"What!?" her mother replied.
"I'm g-o-i-n-g to Florida with Nick for a week."
"You'll miss classes Amanda."
"I know."
"Well, it's your choice, not ours. Just be safe and have fun dear."
"I will."
"What time is your flight?" her father asked them both.
"Today, 6." Nick answered.
"Oh. That's pretty short notice."
"I've got to go pack."
Amanda and Nick went up to her room to pack her suitcase. Amanda threw in all of her personal items while Nick picked out stuff out of her closet. He pulled out a dark purple halter top and went to put in her suitcase when Amanda stopped him.
"Nick. I don't want that."
"But I do."
Amanda rolled her eyes and said, "Whatever Nick. You can pack it but doesn't mean I'm going to wear it."
"I'll make sure you do."
Amanda ignored him and proceeded to finish her packing. She dug through her dresser drawer and pulled out a huge chunk of money.
"Whoa honey! Where did that come from?"
"A year of babysitting money and when I worked at this store from last year. I saved it if I ever went back to California. I was saving it for January but I'll use it in Florida."
"No you won't. I'll pay Amanda."
"It's fine Nick. I don't mind."
"Well, I do. You can use it in January. You just found out you were going to Florida. I wouldn't have expected you to pay for it."
"Nick.."
"Put it back. "
"Ugh. " Amanda put it back in her drawer but slipping two hundred in her pocket when Nick wasn't looking.
They continued packing and finished about 10 minutes later. Amanda had a week's worth of clothes, her make-up, brush, toothbrush and paste, her camera, and hair products. Also she added two swimsuits to her pile.
Nick carried her suitcase downstairs while Amanda carried her backpack that was filled with a book, a few magazines, CDs with cd player. She stuffed her two hundred inside her purse that was inside her pack. Nick put it in the backseat of his rental car along with her suitcase. They stayed with her family for about an hour before returning to Nick's hotel. They went up to his room and packed up Nick's belongings. Amanda took a quick shower after Nick did since she wouldn't have time tonight. She put her wet hair into a messy bun and threw on one of Nick's baggy sweatshirts over her American Eagle top. Nick and her spent the next couple hours watching TV. Around 5 they put Nick's stuff in the car and went off to the airport. They boarded the plane 30 minutes early to get settled. Soon they were on their way to bright and sunny Florida where the unexpected would happen.
