Sandcastle
Dreams
By Vanessa
Ch. 3
After dinner…
“Jesus, Nick, where the hell did you learn to cook like that?” said Kayla delightedly, putting the used dishes in the sink.
Nick shrugged, smiling, “I guess I’m just real good at making some good ol’ chicken fettuccini.”
“I guess so,” replied Kayla enthusiastically, heading towards the living room, “So what’d you rent?”
“Mmm…this Robert DeNiro flick, 15 minutes and…this chick flick, Bounce,” said Nick, following Kayla and settling down on the couch beside her.
“Whoop. I’m gonna need my box of tissues,” said Kayla, digging around the couch.
Nick laughed, “Don’t go getting all mushy on me during the film, Kay…I won’t be too sympathetic.”
Kayla glared at him, “All right…what do ya wanna watch first?”
“The action flick…so I can sleep through Bounce without you having to wake me up,” snickered Nick.
Throwing a pillow at his head, Kayla shoved the action tape into the VCR and then relaxed back into the couch beside Nick.
Five hours later…
“Nick?” asked Kayla, her voice cracking and face tear-streaked.
“Yeah?” replied Nick, his voice equally strained.
She turned to look at him, smiling slightly, “Wasn’t that great?”
“Um, yeah,” grunted Nick, recovering, “It was okay.”
“Aw, don’t lie to me. I saw those tears in your pretty little eyes,” teased Kayla, her head in Nick’s lap, smiling charmingly, “I’m your best friend…I know you like the back of my hand.”
Nick glared at Kayla, saying, “You better not breathe a word of this to anyone.”
Kayla grinned, craning her neck so that she could kiss Nick’s chin, “Aw…that’s so cute, Nick…don’t worry, I won’t say a word.”
Smiling, Nick bent down and blew a raspberry against Kayla’s neck, making her squeal, “Good. Now if you don’t mind…I’m going to sleep…in my manly bed, wearing my manly boxers.”
Kayla giggled, sitting up, “Nick…I have no doubt at all that you’re VERY manly.”
Nick stopped and gazed at Kayla, a smirk spreading slowly across his face, “What are you trying to imply, Kay?”
Blushing furiously, Kayla began walking back to her room. This was sounding very familiar. Why do I even let myself speak? “The opposite of whatever the hell you think I’m implying.”
Nick smirked to himself, yelling out, “You want me, don’t you, Kay?”
3:00 a.m.
“Nick?” whispered Kayla, tiptoeing into his room; she whispered louder, “Nick?”
The figure on the bed grunted and rolled over, muttering sleepily, “Kayla?”
“Are you sleeping?” asked Kayla quietly, padding over to Nick’s bed.
Nick opened one eye and smiled at her, “I WAS.”
Blushing, Kayla returned his smile sheepishly, “Sorry. I’ll let you get back to that.”
“No, no, it’s all right. What’s up, Kay?” said Nick, scooting over in his bed so that Kayla could get in.
Slipping beneath the warm covers, Kayla sighed, putting her head on Nick’s chest, “Nothing…I was just lonely.”
“Aw,” crooned Nick, nuzzling the top of Kayla’s head, “My poor baby. Do you get lonely every night? Cause…you know, I’m good for more than just talking—”
“Nick,” whined Kayla, though his offer made her grin uncontrollably, “I’m serious. Ya know, I don’t know what I would do without you. It’s been so awesome having you here.”
Nick sighed heavily, kissing the top of her head, “I know…god, I’m gonna miss you when I go back on tour.”
A sad look upon her face, Kayla traced small circles on Nick’s chest, “Sometimes I wish we could just go back to our sandcastle days…things were so much easier.”
“Yeah,” agreed Nick, chuckling, “Our biggest problem was keeping the sandcastle from drying up and crumbling.”
Tears filled Kayla’s eyes; she murmured, “Yeah, but that never worked. In the end, our sandcastle always fell apart.”
Nick stopped, gently brushing back Kayla’s hair, “Kay? Are you all right?”
Sniffing quietly, Kayla smiled through her tears, “Yeah, yeah…I’m fine. I just…isn’t there a way to keep a sandcastle together?”
Smiling, Nick grabbed Kayla’s hand, which had still been drawing circles on his chest and held it, understanding her little metaphor, “You can keep a sandcastle together by calling…writing postcards…visiting…coming on tour with us…”
Kayla snickered, “Right, Nick. I’m gonna drop everything and rely on you for dear life.”
“Hey, I kinda like the sound of that,” grinned Nick, meeting Kayla’s watery eyes.
Poking Nick lightly in his side, Kayla sighed, “I can’t, Nick…”
“Think about it. Besides, I’m not gonna leave you knowing that some guy could just break into your house,” said Nick sternly.
“Nick,” began Kayla smiling, “So far, you’re the only guy that’s broken into my house.”
Laughing, Nick shrugged, “You never know. And I’m not gonna leave you knowing that there’s a chance that it could happen.”
“Watch. I’ll go on tour with you and then you’ll go ahead and idiotically fall in love with another little big-breasted bimbo. Then she wants me out of your life. Sound familiar?” sighed Kayla, looking at Nick pointedly.
“Kayla,” said Nick, “Don’t bother yourself with shit that ain’t gonna happen. After Mandy…I don’t think I’m ever gonna have another serious girlfriend in my damn life.”
“And this coming from the man who cried watching Bounce,” teased Kayla.
Nick smiled slightly, pointing at her, “Hey…I thought we were keeping that a secret.”
“We are, we are,” said Kayla, before falling silent, enjoying their time together.
Nick wrapped his arms tighter around her and sighed softly. Minutes later, Nick bent his head down and gave Kayla a kiss on the cheek, saying quietly, “Sleep, Kay…and think about it. Best friends are forever, okay? I love you.”
“I love you back,” murmured Kayla, closing her eyes tightly, just enjoying the feeling of Nick’s arms around her.