With the Lights Off...

(63): Can't Sleep Love

*Well, it sucks. My original chapter was deleted. It breaks my heart, really </3 I don't even remember what was on it anymore, because it was so long. I hate everything right now. Thank God for feel good music from Trevor Wesley, Fetty Wap, Rae Sremmurd, and Shawn Mendes. Love love them. This PTX song WILL get stuck in your head, I swear. Also, I'm in love with Scream Queens and Empire. As if you didn't know that already. Finally, follow me on IG @camzieebautista, if you like random pictures of food, typography and lettering, and books. Oh, and me HAHA. Love y'all! Also, Sam Smith's cover of Hotline Bling is the shiznit <3 And Adele!*

Nina's POV

"Nina, I'll see you here in fifteen minutes, am I right?"

"Clive, bello. You are on such a tight schedule right now," I said, trying to speak as softly and audibly as I could. "But, yes. I'm on my way."

"Good, because even though the entire world knows that you have the body of a goddess, I still can't have my Maid of Honor's dress not fitting well," he said. "It will ruin the aesthetic."

"Oh honey. No one will be looking at me on that day," I said, sitting up on my bed. "All eyes will be on you."

"I hope not," he said. "I spent nights trying to find the perfect fabric for you girls' dresses. I will not have them go unnoticed."

I smirked and stood up silently, making sure that I didn't squeak the springs on the bed. My back ached a bit but it was okay. "Who else is coming?"

"Well, I have Ashley, Maggie, Lala, and my cousins Tria and Jordin as my bridesmaids," he answered. "Also, Claudia finally apologized for going against my relationship and my engagement, just a few weeks ago. She practically begged me to also be my Maid of Honor."

I smiled, although I was completely unaware that Claudia was against them. "Sweetie, if you want Claudia to be your only Maid of Honor, it will be completely fine."

"Tush, no," he said. "I want her to be my Maid of Honor, but I also want YOU to be. I can't NOT have either of you there. You are both coming and you are both being a Maid of Honor. No questions asked."

"Well, I am honored," I whispered, trying to find my shoes. "I'll see you in fifteen minutes? Maybe, twenty. I have to get home and get dressed and stuff."

"Wait, you're not home?" he asked. "Then where are you? And why are you whispering?"

"At the hospital," I answered, sitting down on the edge of my bed. I grabbed my shoes from under the bed and put them on, balancing the phone between my ear and my shoulder.

"Nina..."

"Derek needs me here, Clive," I sighed. "I cannot let him be here without me. He needs me."

"And Ian doesn't?"

"Clive, sweetie," I sighed. "Please don't start with me. Not right now."

"Fine," he said. "I'll start with you later."

"Do you have to get started?" I asked. "Can we just let it go? Please?"

"Nina, I saw those photos," he said. "Not wearing your engagement ring or your necklace. What is going on?"

"It's a long story," I said, standing up to take my cardigan from the edge of Derek's bed. "One that I would rather not talk about right now. Or at all."

"Nina, please," he begged. "I'm beginning to worry."

"Don't," I said. "Bello, just know that we're fine."

"Everything else says otherwise," he said.

I sighed and stood still by Derek's side. He was asleep. He looked so... tired. He was pale and thin and - everything that he wasn't before this happened. I looked away and bit my lip. "Clive, I'll see you in a few, okay?"