thought, maybe I’ll get some pointers.
“Michael?”
“Yes, Nikki,” Michael snapped, “I meant after the breakup. Now go to sleep.”
“But…” It was clear Nikki didn’t understand the 180 degree shift in Michael’s demeanor.
“But nothing, Nicole. I’m done talking about this. Go to sleep.”
The sound of his grinding teeth was not nearly loud enough to drown out the painful sound of her sniffles.
Chapter 8
Sometime in the middle of the night, Nikki got up to use the restroom and noticed the picture Sophie had given her in her back pocket, folded in half. She stared at it. Michael’s face was so much more handsome without the snarl she had been dealing with most of the last few days. She heard Sophie’s voice in her head, reminding her she was loved. It might have been true once, she thought to herself, but it sure didn’t feel true now. She looked at Michael, who looked so peaceful in his sleep, so much closer to the boy in the picture. She fell back to sleep wishing she had a better idea of who that boy was, and what had changed him so drastically.
*******
Nikki sat on the edge of the bed and watched as Michael paced back and forth from one end of the hotel room to the other. His tuxedo tie was untied and hung loosely around his neck, the top collar button undone. He looked… pissed off. Actually, he’d looked pissed off for going on three years. Nikki wasn’t sure why she kept trying. She was certain the only reason he’d asked her to prom in the first place was because Christian and Sophie guilted him into it. Dr. and Mrs. Brennan probably helped too.
Christian and Sophie had the whole weekend planned out, their last big hurrah before graduation. Christian had rented a limo, first to take them to prom, then afterwards to Atlantic City for a long weekend. Nikki didn’t know exactly how he had gotten the funds for such an extravagant vacation, and she didn’t ask. She knew whatever he was doing was illegal. It was the one part of his life he didn’t share with her, and she respected that. It was probably better for them both that way. Her father had his suspicions, of course, but he chose to turn a blind eye. Christian was too good to his daughter to do otherwise, he’d once said.
Prom was awkward at first. Michael stood stiffly for pictures, being polite but distant. She couldn’t get him to dance with her, but he glared menacingly at anyone else who asked. Especially Sebastian. Finally, Christian announced he’d had enough. Michael wasn’t just ruining Nikki’s night, he was on the verge of ruining his and Sophie’s as well, not to mention the entire damn weekend. Prom was supposed to be the best time of their lives, and after all they’d been through, they deserved a little happiness, damn it. Christian pulled a flask out of his inside jacket pocket and spiked their drinks with vodka. Michael raised an eyebrow at him when he did it, but after a moment’s hesitation, raised his plastic cup, tapping it against Christian’s before downing it in one large gulp.
A couple of drinks later, and Michael’s gruff exterior melted away. He pulled Nikki close to his side and didn’t let her go. The rest of the evening was spent dancing in each other’s arms, talking with friends while Michael wrapped his arm around her waist and nuzzled his nose into her hair, kissing her neck, whispering words of love in her ear, singing along to love songs to her while they danced. For a couple of wonderful hours, she’d had her Michael back, the one she was beginning to think was gone for good.
There was a bottle of champagne waiting for them in the limo. Christian made an uncharacteristically eloquent toast about true love and true friendships lasting forever. It made Sophie and Nikki beam with joy, toasting enthusiastically. Something about it set Michael off, though, the distance returning to his gaze as he set the glass down in a cup holder and
“Michael?”
“Yes, Nikki,” Michael snapped, “I meant after the breakup. Now go to sleep.”
“But…” It was clear Nikki didn’t understand the 180 degree shift in Michael’s demeanor.
“But nothing, Nicole. I’m done talking about this. Go to sleep.”
The sound of his grinding teeth was not nearly loud enough to drown out the painful sound of her sniffles.
Chapter 8
Sometime in the middle of the night, Nikki got up to use the restroom and noticed the picture Sophie had given her in her back pocket, folded in half. She stared at it. Michael’s face was so much more handsome without the snarl she had been dealing with most of the last few days. She heard Sophie’s voice in her head, reminding her she was loved. It might have been true once, she thought to herself, but it sure didn’t feel true now. She looked at Michael, who looked so peaceful in his sleep, so much closer to the boy in the picture. She fell back to sleep wishing she had a better idea of who that boy was, and what had changed him so drastically.
*******
Nikki sat on the edge of the bed and watched as Michael paced back and forth from one end of the hotel room to the other. His tuxedo tie was untied and hung loosely around his neck, the top collar button undone. He looked… pissed off. Actually, he’d looked pissed off for going on three years. Nikki wasn’t sure why she kept trying. She was certain the only reason he’d asked her to prom in the first place was because Christian and Sophie guilted him into it. Dr. and Mrs. Brennan probably helped too.
Christian and Sophie had the whole weekend planned out, their last big hurrah before graduation. Christian had rented a limo, first to take them to prom, then afterwards to Atlantic City for a long weekend. Nikki didn’t know exactly how he had gotten the funds for such an extravagant vacation, and she didn’t ask. She knew whatever he was doing was illegal. It was the one part of his life he didn’t share with her, and she respected that. It was probably better for them both that way. Her father had his suspicions, of course, but he chose to turn a blind eye. Christian was too good to his daughter to do otherwise, he’d once said.
Prom was awkward at first. Michael stood stiffly for pictures, being polite but distant. She couldn’t get him to dance with her, but he glared menacingly at anyone else who asked. Especially Sebastian. Finally, Christian announced he’d had enough. Michael wasn’t just ruining Nikki’s night, he was on the verge of ruining his and Sophie’s as well, not to mention the entire damn weekend. Prom was supposed to be the best time of their lives, and after all they’d been through, they deserved a little happiness, damn it. Christian pulled a flask out of his inside jacket pocket and spiked their drinks with vodka. Michael raised an eyebrow at him when he did it, but after a moment’s hesitation, raised his plastic cup, tapping it against Christian’s before downing it in one large gulp.
A couple of drinks later, and Michael’s gruff exterior melted away. He pulled Nikki close to his side and didn’t let her go. The rest of the evening was spent dancing in each other’s arms, talking with friends while Michael wrapped his arm around her waist and nuzzled his nose into her hair, kissing her neck, whispering words of love in her ear, singing along to love songs to her while they danced. For a couple of wonderful hours, she’d had her Michael back, the one she was beginning to think was gone for good.
There was a bottle of champagne waiting for them in the limo. Christian made an uncharacteristically eloquent toast about true love and true friendships lasting forever. It made Sophie and Nikki beam with joy, toasting enthusiastically. Something about it set Michael off, though, the distance returning to his gaze as he set the glass down in a cup holder and
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