I Won't Let You Close Enough to Hurt Me

Chapter 18

     "No, no, no, no, no," Brooke whispered softly. This couldn't be happening, not now. She had already had so many problems with Brandon and Nick, she couldn't pull Ryan into this too.

     As Brooke was frantically trying to think of something to say to Ryan, Chloe came out of studio C. "Brooke, you look upset, what's wrong?" she questioned.

     "I've just had so many problems with Brandon and Nick recently, and now Ryan told me he likes me. I know for a fact that I don't like him, but I don't know how to tell him that without ruining our friendship," Brooke responded.

     Chloe thought for a moment. "Well, why don't you tell him that you really need to talk about this in person, so you guys can hang out when we get back from L.A. That way, you have a little while to think about what you're going to say."

     Brooke gave Chloe a kiss on the cheek, and then sent her response to Ryan. It was perfect.

     About two hours later, it was time for group rehearsal. Brooke didn't feel like dancing at all, but she tried to put on a smile, because this dance had to be flawless. When the girls were done with the routine, Abby beamed. "This is a winner, and I know it. You guys are dismissed for the night, so make sure to get plenty of rest. I need everyone to be on time tomorrow!"

     Brooke and Paige got their dance bags ready and headed to the car. While they were driving home, Brooke sent Nick a message.

Brooke: Hey Nick. I know you're really mad at me right now, but I need a chance to explain myself. Can you come over around 8:00 tonight so we can talk?

Nick: Alright, I'll be there at 8:00.

     Brooke let out a sigh of relief. If she could work things out with Nick, it would make her life so much easier.

     "So Paige, what time is Thomas' mom picking you up?" Kelly asked.

     "At 7:30," Paige smiled. She was so excited. "Are you still helping me get ready, Brooke?"

     "Of course. And mom, is it okay if Nick comes over tonight for a little while?" she asked.

     Kelly nodded. When they arrived back at the house, the girls ran up the stairs. While Paige took a quick shower, Brooke picked out her outfit: a loose floral print dress with white sandals. When Paige was done in the shower, Brooke curled her hair and applied a little bit of make-up. When Paige was all ready, she looked absolutely beautiful.

     At exactly 7:30, the doorbell rang. Kelly answered the door and said a quick hello, but Paige was afraid that her mother would embarrass her, so they left pretty quickly. While they were walking to the car, Brooke looked out the window to see Thomas slip Paige's hand into his. It was adorable.

     After Paige was gone, Brooke started to get ready herself. She took a quick shower and crimped her hair, put make-up on, and then got dressed in navy jean shorts and dark and light blue knitted top. She also decided to put some make-up on her arms to cover up the bruising.

     A little after 8:00, Brooke's phone buzzed; it was a text from Nick saying that he was here. She let him in and they went straight to the basement. At first they just avoided the topic of their fight. They played 'Just Dance' on the Wii, they watched a little bit of TV, and they got a snack. When they were done eating, things got silent.

     "So Nick, I think I have a few things that I need to explain to you," Brooke started. Nick looked at her curiously and waited for her to continue. "I know that I told you I wasn't sure how I felt about you. I think I've always known, but I've been too afraid to admit it. Before I dated Brandon, we were best friends, and look at us now. I couldn't lose you too. I was also terrified that you would break my heart. But I know that I can't push you away just because I'm scared, because I really do like you."

     Nick smiled. "I'm sorry if I was too forward. I shouldn't have tried to kiss you. I was only thinking about how I felt, and if you want, we can take things slow."

     Brooke took a deep breath. "I know what I said before, but I didn't mean it. I really like you, so I never want to feel like you can't kiss me." With that, Brooke put her arms around Nick's neck and scooted closer to him. Nick grabbed her waist and lifted her onto his lap. This time, Brooke knew exactly what was happening, and she was glad that it was.

     When their lips met, Brooke felt fireworks. She moved her legs so that she was straddling him. While she was kissing Nick, she didn't feel as nervous as she had when she kissed Brandon. She felt safe in his arms, and she loved it.

     After a couple of minutes, Nick laid Brooke on the couch and got on top of her. When he began to pull at the bottom of her shirt, Brooke stopped him. "Nick, stop. Not here. My parents could come down at any minute."

     "You're right," Nick said while he climbed off of her. As Brooke sat up, Nick wrapped his arm around her shoulder and kissed the top of her head.

     Finally, things in Brooke's life were working out perfectly.