It had been two days since Nick had insulted Devyn’s cooking and still, Devyn hadn’t been fighting back. “Something’s wrong,” Nick thought. He knocked on Devyn’s door.
“Who is it,” she called.
“Nick, can I come in?”
Devyn sighed. “I guess…”
Nick pushed open the door, expecting to find disarrangement only to be pleasantly surprised. “Okay Devyn, what’s wrong?”
“What do you mean?” she shot back, almost as if she were expecting the question.
“First of all, you’re room is spotless, secondly, you haven’t been fighting with me for a week now…, on top of that, when we mention the Warpped Tour, you change the subject. What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” Devyn said, hiding her emotions. “It’s just been a bad week, that’s all.”
“Bullshit…you haven’t been the same since your date…with Tom was it?”
Devyn’s stomach turned with just the mentioning of that name. “Everything’s fine,” she lied.
Nick knew that tone. Something had gone wrong with Tom. His first thought was verbally made. “You were raped Devyn…weren’t you…”
Devyn was shocked as she looked up at Nick. “What are you talking about…?”
“Spill it Devyn,” Nick said. “I’m not kidding.”
Devyn tried to hold back the tears, but they flowed freely. “I wasn’t raped okay?!” she cried angrily. “Just leave me alone.” Devyn couldn’t go on anymore, she just continued to cry. She finally gained enough composure to go on.
Nick didn’t know exactly what to do. He wasn’t sure what Tom had done exactly, but his instincts told him that it wasn’t good. He walked towards Devyn and was shocked as Devyn threw her arms around his neck and cried into his chest. He stood there for a moment, allowing her scent to wash over him…that beautiful strawberry vanilla scent. Nick was amazed that after all the time that Devyn had spent fighting him back and now she seemed to need him more than ever. Nick kissed the top of Devyn’s head and held her until she stopped crying. Nick wiped the tears from Devyn’s eyes with his thumbs. Suddenly, Nick could not fight back the urge. He leaned forward, still cupping Devyn’s face in his hands found Devyn’s lips with his.
Devyn blinked the sleepiness out of her eyes and crawled out of bed at 10:03 in the morning. Her lips still tingled with passion from the kiss between her and Nick the previous night. They had pulled away, not sure exactly how the other felt, and Nick had stumbled out of Devyn’s room moments later. It was clear now…Devyn wanted Nick. The only question in her mind now was, did Nick want her? Devyn shrugged to herself, walked over to Mike’s bedroom door and knocked.
“What do you want,” came a voice from inside the room.
“It’s me,” Devyn called. “Can I come in?”
“Go ahead,” Mike answered drowsily.
“I’ll make this quick.”
Mike playfully flipped Devyn off from underneath the covers. “You’d better. You fucking woke me up on our day off.” Mike asked.
“Do you know where my gym bag is? I’ve checked everywhere and I have no idea.”
“Nick’s room,” Mike answered shortly. “He borrowed it from you last week, remember?”
“No, but thanks.” Devyn shut the door.
Butterflies fluttered through her stomach as she knocked on Nick’s door. After several attempts, Nick finally mumbled, “What?”
“I need my gym bag,” Devyn said.
“It’s in here…by books…” Nick said. With that, Devyn opened the door to Nick’s bedroom and stepped inside, leaving the door open for a quicker escape in case of any uneasiness. “Why do you need it back so soon?” Nick asked, his head still buried in a pillow.
“I’m going jogging with Nancy later today.”
“You’re still going to make it to that party right?”
Devyn froze. “Damnit,” she whispered. She had completely forgotten the dinner party that Alicia was throwing at her country club to celebrate the long weekend. Classes had been canceled on this Friday because of Professors Planning Day and on Monday, through some miracle, classes were also canceled and only Alicia would throw a formal dinner party which began at 7.
“You forgot?”
“Is that surprising to you?”
“Nope…I can’t say that it is.”
Devyn grabbed her gym bag. “Well, I guess that I will have to be back here at five then. Thanks.”
Devyn attempted to make an easy escape from Nick but was caught. “Hey Devyn, are you okay?”
Devyn sighed. “I’ll be all right, I guess.”
“If you ever need to talk, I’m right here. You know and hate that fact.”
Devyn smiled a little. “Thanks Nick.” With that she turned and exited Nick’s room, shutting the door behind her.
Once Devyn had left, Nick found it impossible to get back to sleep. He was still feeling the effects of what had happened last night. A simple kiss yes, but with so much meaning. When Nick had first met Devyn, he had never thought in a million years that he would be even remotely cordial to her. Now he wanted her more than ever.
Devyn watched as the clothes spun around and around in the dryer at Hale’s Laundromat. Because Devyn had cleaned her room last night, she thought that all her clothes ought to be clean too. That and she had absolutely nothing to wear to the formal dinner that night. “I hate dresses,” Devyn muttered to herself.
“Devyn!” A high pitched squeal was heard in the distance. Devyn spun around as if that squeal were gunshots. It could have only belonged to one person and Devyn really wished that she could run and hide.
“Hi Julia,” Devyn said, faking enthusiasm.
“I haven’t seen you in so long! What have you been up to?”
Devyn knew that any answer to this question would only bring silent yet potent ridicule. Julia was the typical snob, never trying to see things from any perspective but her own perfect one. Julia and Devyn had been in the same classes since 5th grade when Devyn moved to New York with her adopted parents. Julia seemed to know every button to push with Devyn, “Kinda like Nick,” Devyn thought as she answered. “Not much, what about you?”
“Oh my God! So many things! You wouldn’t even believe. Mommy and Daddy just took me to Paris for my 19th birthday. Isn’t that sweet?”
Devyn wanted to cough out a “not really” but she politely answered. “Yeah, that is.”
“I hear that you are going to Alicia’s little shin-dig tonight. Is that true?”
Devyn knew that Julie practically hated Alicia. It was always a fight over who had the most money. “Yep,” Devyn said shortly and proudly.
After 20 more minutes of being horribly put into place, the buzzer on the dryer finally went off, freeing Devyn from this torture. She gratefully gathered up her clothes and headed back to the dorm for lunch.
“Pass me the chips, will you?” Mike asked, his eyes transfixed on the television screen. Devyn sighed and handed over her coveted bag of Ruffles. “Screw you Mike.” “Maybe one day that wish will come true.” Devyn slapped Mike softly across the back of the head. She checked her watch. “Jesus…it’s 1:30 in the afternoon, how long is that kid going to sleep.” “Someone’s a little anxious to see Nick…” Mike chuckled to himself. “Am not…I was just commenting on the laziness that he possesses. That’s all.” “Admit it Dev. You want him…bad.” Devyn stood up from the couch and grabbed her plate and glass, still half full of milk. “Shut up Mike,” she said as she walked towards the kitchen. After rinsing her dishes, Devyn announced that she was off and quickly headed back out to finish the 100s of errands she had to make before jogging with Nancy.
Nick finally appeared awake around 3:00 in the afternoon. “You’re alive,” Mike said triumphantly.
“Maybe,” Nick yawned. “Is Devyn here?”
“Nope, you know her. She’s always out lately.”
Nick felt a surge of disappointment. “Oh…”
Mike just laughed a little and shook his head. “You two should just suck it up and admit it…can’t you see that both of you are head over heels in love with each other?”
“Huh?” Nick tried his best to act puzzled but it didn’t work on Mike so Nick decided to just shut his mouth and relax before getting ready for the dinner.
Devyn puffed heavily as she took her pulse. “Good,” she commented to herself thinking that no one else was listening.
“I’m glad that someone is,” Nancy said, holding on the railing of the jogging court at the athletic club. “I seriously can’t breathe.”
“Nanc…you’re doing awesome,” Devyn said wholeheartedly.
“Sure,” Nancy said. With that, she grabbed her water and gym bag and headed to the locker room. Devyn mimed Nancy’s action and followed her.
“Where the hell are my shoes?!” Devyn yelled to herself as she ran around the dorm room looking for her black heels.
“Probably with the rest of your crap in your room.” Mike offered. While Devyn was running around, Mike had found a spot on the couch and was becoming very comfortable. Nick was still getting ready in his room and thankfully wasn’t seeing this display.
Devyn ran into her room and searched her closet. Even though her room was finally clean, she still found it hard to see anything. “Thank God,” Devyn whispered as she extracted a pair of black heels out of the closet. She slipped them on and walked back out into the hallway where Mike and Nick were standing, ready to leave for Alicia’s party. Devyn felt stupid in a dress in front of Nick, but if she could only read Nick’s mind, she would know that Nick was very pleased to have the ability to see her. Despite it’s simplicity, the black dress beautifully accentuated Devyn’s figure. “Let’s go,” Devyn said as if everyone else had made her late…which wasn’t the case. She quickly walked out the door and the other two followed her, somewhat stunned to the party.
“Nick Carter, I have never been so embarrassed in my whole life!” Devyn yelled. “I can’t believe you!”
“Me!” Nick asked. “Me! What about you?”
“Would you two just shut up!” Mike yelled. “It was no one’s fault, besides, it was just a kiss.”
“I hate mistletoe,” Devyn huffed.
Chapter Ten
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