Finding Me

Chapter 24

Nicole gives me a look of compassion and walks back toward me. "You can't believe everything you hear, so no, I'm not dating Nick. We're just really good friends. You have nothing to worry about."

I jump at the last thing she says and quickly but nervously ask, "What are you talking about? Why would I worry?"

Nicole smiles and shakes her head. "No reason, I guess. That is, unless you decide something different. Anyway, I have to get inside. I'll see you tomorrow."

I just nod, and she goes back to the front door to walk inside. I turn before she goes inside and briskly walk down the path back to the house. I hurry inside and back up to my room. I pull my laptop out and search for Nicole Hart on Google.

The article comes up about her, along with a picture of Nick and her. I don't know why I'm doing this, but I feel like I need to know more about her. I scroll through the article and just see stretched information made to make it sound like they're together.

One of their big reasons is that while he was gone on his hiatus, he was secretly spending time with Nicole in a romantic place. That is completely false since I know exactly where he was during those few months. I close my laptop and sigh.Why am I even worried about this? I close my eyes and sink into a peaceful sleep.

~•••••~

I'm awakened by the sound of my phone ringing. I rub my eyes and hurry to get my phone from where it's plugged in on my desk. I manage to trip over something on my way, and I face plant. I groan and slowly get back up. The phone stops ringing.

"Shoot," I mumble.

I go over to the desk anyway. After all, I've already fallen, so I might as well not have the fall be in vain. I unplug my phone and look down to see who called me. It's an unknown number with an area code that I've seen in the last few years, but I can't place where it is.

I go back over to my laptop and open it. I search the area code and find where it is, but I still don't really know why I've seen it recently. It's the area code for New York City. I almost stop breathing when I begin to think of the possibility of it being Nick. I quickly shake that thought out of my head and exit out of the website I'm on.

Just then, the front door opens and closes. I assume it's Uncle Sam and Emma, so I move to go meet them downstairs. I check the time and see that it's almost ten o'clock. I slept way longer than I thought.

I hurry out of my room and begin to walk down the stairs. I stop when I see them deep in a conversation. They're so deep in it that they don't notice me standing in the middle of the staircase looking at them curiously. They move into my uncle's office.

I debate whether or not I should try to listen to their conversation or go back up to my room. I eventually decide to eavesdrop, so I quickly but quietly hurry to the door of his office. I lean into the door and strain to hear what they're saying.

It doesn't take long for me to hear what they're saying because Uncle Sam raises his voice slightly and tells Emma, "Honey, it's out of my control now. I tried as hard as I could."

"Sam, do you see how much of a disaster this could cause? From what you told me about it, this could ruin things with Maya," Emma replies.

"Emma, there's nothing I can do," my uncle states.

I hear Emma sigh. "You can't give up. We can't give up. We need to do it for Maya."

"She's eighteen. There's nothing more we can do. It has to be her choice and her choice alone. She's going to find out eventually, so we'll have to tell her before they do," my uncle says to Emma.