bestfriend to boyfriend? //Nick Austin

64

"You're joking, right?" I scoffed. "When did this happen?"
"The morning after the party at your place." He sighed. "He woke me up and started yelling, trying to start a fight. Said that if I didn't 'leave you the fuck alone' he would post that video everywhere and ruin your life."
"I- I- I don- don't know why he would do that." I stuttered. "Wait, Nick. Did you text me the morning after the party?"
"No?"
"But, you did. Hold on" I got my phone out of my back pocket and searched Nick's name in my messages. "Here"
Nick read the messages 'he' sent me the morning after the party checking on me.
"I didn't send this Zoey. I don't even have those messages on my phone"
"I'm assuming Jaden did it then." I rolled my eyes. "Holy shit, I'm dating a psychopath."
"So he made you choose between me and him?"
"Yes. I'm sorry, Nick."
"Zoey this isn't your fault. None of it." He clenched his fists. "I'm going to kill him."
"No, Nick. I don't want to start a war with him because he may expose me anyway. He's got to be lying about having that on video."
"Zoey... I saw it."
"He- what?"
"It was from the night of the party." He said. "The video was. He showed me time stamps and everything."
"Nick... I blacked out the night of the party. I don't remember anything after you holding my hair after I puked."
"He's dead."
"Maybe the video is from a different night and he was lying. He wouldn't do that Nick, I know Jaden and I know he wouldn't do that."
"Stop fucking making excuses for him. He's been controlling you ever since you started dating and he's exiled you from everyone who loves you- even your own family. Enough is enough."
Tears started pricking my eyes as I faced reality.
Nick walked over and embraced me into a hug. Whether or not we were on speaking terms right now I needed my best friend right now.
"Zoey... breathe. I didn't mean to be so harsh. We're going to figure this out. We need to talk to our moms."
"No, please. Don't tell anyone. Let me deal with this, okay?"
"Okay. But only if you promise to dump his ass the second we get back to LA."
"I- I can't."
"Why?"
"Because where will I live, Nick? I'll have nowhere to go and I'll be forced to come back home because I can't afford to live on my own there yet."
"You'll live in the Hype House. We have so many extra rooms in the new place that you can pick any room you want."
"Nick I can't do that. I'm not your problem."
"You're not a problem Zoey. You never were and never will be. Please let me help you."
I sniffled in between tears and slowly calmed myself down.
"So what you're gonna do now is go into your room, wash your face and take a deep breathe. Come downstairs and fake happy just for dinner and then we can say we're tired. We can watch your favorite movies and cry all you want after that. Okay?"
"Okay." I agreed. "I love you Nick. I know I probably shouldn't be saying that but regardless of our relationship I still love you like family."
"I love you more Zoe."