As Long As You're Mine

Chapter Thirty-Five

Chapter Thirty-Five

Nick

       “Hey! Aspen! I’m so happy you could make it,” I greeted as the girl with platinum hair and an attitude entered our condo.

       “Yeah, six feet is a really long way to come,” she rolled her eyes. “Where’s the beer?” I laughed, pointing her in the direction of the alcoholic beverage I would be avoiding.

       “Happy New Year, Nicky!” someone said, jumping on my back, and clasping their arms around my neck. I quickly removed their hands, and spun around only to face Lexie.

       “Hi, Lexie,” I said slowly.

       “You look so cute!” she babbled on.

       “Uh huh. We need to talk,” I said, using the most clichéd line in the book there was. She blinked, and then nodded as if knowing something was up. “Let’s go up to my room.”

       “Okay!” she said excitedly, clearly not getting the right message from the four-word phrase I had uttered.

       Sighing, I led the way past all the less than sober partygoers, until we reached the stairs. Though I was almost positive Lexie had just gotten here, she already appeared to have a buzz; but, then again, she was Lexie, so maybe that was just her normal. After hiking the steps and passing through the second-base infested hallway, we arrived at my room. Cautiously, I opened my door, and walked into my room to find a couple half naked on the floor.

       “Please, leave,” I told the intimate two.

       “Hey, Nick!” the guy slurred, pulling the girl towards the door. “Awesome party, bro!”

       “Yeah! Totally awesome!” the girl giggled, as they left my room peacefully. I looked over to Lexie who was closing the door behind them, and locking it to ensure no unwanted visitors would enter.

       “So, Nick,” she said, walking over to me at a delayed pace, “what did you want to talk to me about?”

       “We should sit down for this,” I gulped, heading over to my bed. She complied, copying my actions and joining me on the edge of the piece of furniture most generally used for the act of sleeping.

       “Nick,” she said, placing a hand on my thigh, “you smell really good.”

       “Uh, thanks,” I said, as her hand began to travel up to my chest, tugging at the hem of my shirt. “Uh, Lexie, what’cha doing?”

       “God damnit, Nick!” she exclaimed, throwing her hands up, off of me. “I’m practically throwing myself at you- acting all desperate, and all you want to do is freaking talk! There’s something wrong with that!”

       “I’m still in love with Elle,” I blurted out quickly.

       “What?” she said as if she had heard me wrong.

       “I’m in love with Elle, Lexie. I always have been, and I always will be. She’s the girl for me,” I continued.

       “She has a boyfriend,” Lexie pointed out, clearly still stunned by my proclamation.

       “Yes, yes she does,” I nodded.

       “You can’t be with her!” 

       “Not if I’m with you, I can’t,” I said steadily, always hating the termination of relationships, even if they were fake. I didn’t like seeing girls cry and be put in vulnerable places; breaking up was always the hardest thing to do in my mind, and, occasionally, came with major repercussions.