A/N: This chapter is dedicated to prinxxexx for taking your time on reading my story!! I love you so much! ❤😚

Also, I want to let you all know that we have an amazing new cover, made by ZealousZoey!! ❤ Picture is on the media box above! All credits to her!

C h a p t e r 4 6

"Did you spot Nathan somewhere, yet?" I murmured to Hailey, while I took a seat beside her on our first class.

"Good morning, Nikki." She greeted monotonously, as she kept her gaze focused on her phone screen.

"Left home with empty stomach, I surmised?" I asked, eying her with my hands rummaging my bag for my phone.

She sighed heavily, and gradually shook his head. "Better be, left home with empty heart."

How's that better?

"Hailey," I paused as I withdrawed my hand from my bag to her shoulder. "Do you want me to start, again?-- Look, we finished this yesterday, remember?

Her eyes met mine, and for the first on this day, I saw how puffed up they were. It hurts me thinking that my best friend had to go through this, but she deserves someone better. I want to show her that crying over some junk whom never even cared about her, was a total waste. Yesterday, I thought I succeeded with that matter, but guess I didn't. So, now I'll go foursquare and tell her.

"Did you seriously cried last night for one asshole who doesn't even give a shit on what you feel??"

"Nikki, he died!" She wept quietly, while wiping her tears away.

My eyes widened after hearing what Hailey just spilled out of her mouth. As much as I want to not think it was Nathan she meant, I did.

"May the heavens save your soul..." I shook my head, "Hailey, for the love of God, you did not do it! Tell me I was wrong, and tell me he's alive!" I argued with her, yet not in a way that even one inside the room would hear and gossip.

She gradually cut her gaze from me and looked down on her fingers, "I can't..."

Everything around me stopped. I thought only Chase could make me feel this way, until now. My hands turned clammy, and I could scarcely think straight. Not longer than two seconds, my nerves acted to pull her with me as we made our way to the powder room. Once I cleared the stalls, I bursted out every emotions I was repressing. Frustrations, perturbation and extreme uneasiness.

"What were you thinking?!" I yelled, openly disappointed in her actions. "For goodness sake, have you even thought of what it might do to you?! You might freaking spend your whole life in prison!"

Hailey lifted her brows in a notch and interrupted me, "Wait, Nikki..."

"Don't cut me off, okay? I think, it's enough that you made the whole situation in snafu..." I paused, eying her and mentally squeezing out my outrage on her. "You killed Nathan! You... killed the poor guy! Why would you even do that?!"

"Nikki, wh..."

"Zip! Just listen to me! What we need to do right now is plan a getaway to Neverland, where you'll be staying for fifty years top! Probably, once everyone forgot about the crime you did, or maybe, when everyone is dead!" I cried, while pacing restlessly in rounds. "Oh God!-- Where are we gonna find that place?" I weeped in my palms.

"Nikki!" Hailey yelled, forcing myself to look at her again. "We are not going to Never-f*cking-land! I won't be detained behind bars, and most importantly, I did not kill Payton!"

"What?"

"Yes! I did not!"

I knitted my eyebrows in confusion, "Then... Who died?--" I contracted my shoulders leaving half of my body flushed in embarrassment from pointlessly rambling a second ago.

"The man from the movie I watched last night..." She trailed off, while I let my jaw hit the floor. "Look, I've been wanting to tell you this earlier, okay? And I know you could care less, but he's just so hot and totally a boy friend, real man material. But, as I said, he died." She paused to sniff, and wipe a tear away from her face. "It tears me apart knowing he's gone... Forever."

I gave her nothing more but an apathetic gaze, "You know what? I'm not gonna say anything." I said, before I left the powder room.

"No, Nikki!" She called from behind and followed. "Wait up! Who is Payton?"

I stopped on my tracks and looked at her. Where in the world did she get Payton, when I only mentioned Nathan?

"Some girl from the movie I watched last night." I imitated her line, and pulled a half smile before ambling back to the room with her. "...So, have you seen Nathan?"

"Nathan who?" She asked back.

"Andrews?"

She crimped her eyebrows and brushed a finger on her lips humming, and said. "Nope. Never heard of him either."

It didn't concern me much if she somewhat had an amnesia, on the contrary, I beamed knowing she's over with him.

"Okay, one second. Let me see if we got everything..." I said to Chase while stopping him with the cart. "Mouthwash, check. Listerine strips, okay, check. Breath mints, more breath mints, and... another pack of breath mints, check, check and check." I marked on the list through my phone of what Aunt Crissa asked me to buy before heading home.

Chase let out a chuckle while pushing the grocery cart before him. "Does your aunt have halitosis, or just an addiction to those things in particular?"

After class and Chase was about to drive me home, I told him to pass by the supermarket and help me get the stuffs I was asked to buy. He didn't say no, even if he just told me that he has some important things to do with the team, with regards to their upcoming match with the other school.

"Actually can't explain, though, I'm pretty certain that she has no fetid breathing or some sort." I shrugged, before I continued on to the rest of the list. "Ginger shots. Guilt free snacks, must not forget, check. And, we're done!" I grinned before approaching the long queue to the cashier.

Shortly, the line moved, and we took a step forward just as Chase spoke. "Would you mind it if I leave you for a few minutes to take another cart of groceries?"

"Of course not. Go ahead, it's okay." I smiled reassuringly while holding the handle of the cart.

He nodded, "I'll be right back."

Chase jogged his way to get another pushcart to fill with, while I patiently started waiting for the queue to be less and less. It took me three random songs playing on the background, before reaching the cashier who has a friendly smile plastered on her face. Chase, however, came with his cart after I was done. In a couple of seconds more, we were already walking our way out and into the parking lot.

"God, I'm starving. I forgot to buy a snack." Chase complained, while rummaging each paper bags in the cart for something.

"Chase, you filled your cart."

He tilted his head around the area for a snack stand, before responding. "These are for dad. It's his birthday tomorrow, remember?"

"I do know that, but then again, you decided to buy him groceries, instead?" I stifled a laugh, "That's so..." I paused after meeting his eyes with his brows lifted, before I chose my words. "Sweet, and generous of you. I'm sure your dad will appreciate those." I forced a grin.

He shook his head to disagree. "Not after you made a tone." He said, releasing a heavy breath.

I nodded in understanding and hummed, "...But if you have some time, I can help you find a present to give to your dad?"

He stopped on his tracks and stretched out his arm to look at the time on his wrist watch. "Twenty minutes can do?"

"Even lesser than that." I smirked, as we continued walking. "Now, tell me what he's currently into."

He shrugged, "Work."

"Okay?" I crimped my eyebrows, and thought of something more to ask. "How about sports, though?"

"Signing papers."

I hesitantly let out a nod, hearing how life determined his dad was on his work. "Perhaps, anything away from his table? Unless, you want to give him a stack of office supplies whatsoever? I mean, that's not half as bad as it is."

"And let him think that I'm willing to lock myself inside the office just like him?" He asked, "Never."

I rolled my eyes on having to witness his rude self-assertive behavior when it comes to his dad. "Do you really want me to help you?"

"Okay, okay... Let me think," He trailed off, and pondered, "Hearing client complaints, closing deals, shaking hands for brotherly negotiations, and kissing Tofu's butt. Everything done, away from his table." He enumerated in a tone done with humor, intending to annoy me more.

"Are you doing that on purpose?"

He shook his head, softly chuckling. "What am I supposed to do? That's the truth."

"No work related. I want to hear his hobbies."

"Eating?" He stated with more of a question, as we just reached his car and started stuffing the grocery bags inside the trunk.

My mouth fell, as I resigned myself from inquiring more about his dad. "You know, I guess these foods you bought for him are more than enough."

"I told you." Chase chuckled.

When all grocery bags where placed inside the compartment, we took a quick drive through the nearest fast food store, and extended fifteen minutes before reaching home.

"So, you're not coming tonight?" I curiously asked, while I gleaned my stuffs ready.

Chase casted a glimpse at me, as he unfastened his seatbelt. "I'll find some time." Then he faced me and continued. "I promise."

"Should I wait for you?" I queried, eying him purposely.

He gradually leaned over the console after a minute of staring at me, and placed a sweet kiss on my forehead. "I'll call you, don't worry." He smiled back and shifted on his seat to press a button, unlocking the doors. "Come on, let me help you carry the bags."

"No, it's," I hadn't got a chance to finish because he already climbed down the car, taking the groceries out of the compartment. "...fine."

I jumped out, and rushed to him. "I said, it's okay. Those aren't too heavy to carry anyway."

"It's all right, you can just open the door for me." He winked, as we approached the porch steps.

After agreeing, I strode ahead of him and unlocked the door before he reaches it. The garage was empty and my car was nowhere in sight, so I presumed that Aunt Crissa took it with her, again. I just hope she refuels the tank before bringing it back home. Chase placed the bags on top of the dining table and bid goodbye before leaving.

Moments later, I found myself on bed while scanning my textbook. Aunt Crissa arrived, letting me know about it and also did not fail to report it to the neighborhood by yelling my name around the house, as if she was totally losing herself.

"I'm up here!" I called her attention to stop, until she came upstairs and entered my room. "You still have to undergo a few sessions. Why did you escape the rehab?" I joked.

She rolled her eyes and grumbled. "Look, I did that on purpose. Actually, I was wishing you'd come down on your own, because I'm just too tired and lazy to take fourteen steps of the stairs up..."

"Yet here you are." I let out a chuckle.

Eventually, the pleasing aura she brought in with her a second ago, changed. She sat on my bed, and eccentrically let her hands feel the fabric by allowing them to travel within a close reach. What used to be her insouciant disposition everyday was unlikely what it seem to be the same right now. The mint green color of her skin-tight jeans and white coat only dove away with her dull mien.

"Something bothering you?" I asked in concern.

She averted her gaze from me briefly, before speaking and stretching her attention back. "We need to talk."

"Okay," I did a light nod, "What is it about?" I inquired, closing the lid of my book and paid heed to her to listen.

"Is Chase coming tonight?" She questioned, out of the way.

I shook my head, unsure of what to say. "He's got stuffs to do, but he said he'll call... Why?" I probed, as I grew impatient on wanting to know what she'd tell me.

For a minute, Aunt Crissa avoided my question. The silence filling the room was making me feel uncomfortable. My anxiety builds up, and I started to feel a little jittery. I wanted to think it was something I ate, but how would a regular food I normally eat be a fault to this?

"I booked a flight to Germany on Saturday." She said, giving me a blank stare.

I had my lips parted and my brows knotted, as I was confounded. "What's with the urgency? Did your boss---"

"You're coming with me." She unceremoniously curts an interruption, while I was halfway through.

I was dumbfounded, expressing it openly my mouth agape, "What?--"

"Nikki, you'll stay with me in Germany. I know it's a sudden notice, but I assure you, you'll love it there, I promise. Your uncle and I have been thinking about this for..." She pushed, as she tries persuading me to go with her.

"Since when?" I cut her off, while I darted my eyes at her. She fails to answer, or rather, kept herself from spilling the beans for her own's sake. "Since when?!"

"Long since,"

"What?" I furrowed my eyebrows, unable to accept everything I was hearing. "For so long, you kept it from me?!"

"Because I didn't want to ruin the very moments I talk to a happy you! Why can't you just understand?! I'm doing this for your own good!" She argued back.

I shook my head, and let out a false chuckle, "You knew what I've been through, and what's happening right now in my life! Aunt Crissa, you knew that Chase and I have just been together, you knew how much I love him, you also knew how much my best friend needed me at this moment! I thought you really cared,-- but I'm wrong. You think you did it for me, but you did it for your own good!--" Silver linings streamed down my eyes, feeling nothing but how I despised her for the time being.

"Don't you talk to me like that, young lady!" She abruptly stood up, and pointed a finger on me. "You are coming, whether you like it or not!"

I gritted my teeth, and grimaced at her. "I can't go with you... I won't."

"I've already told you. There won't be any exemptions." She spoke low-key with a sorry, after realizing how doleful I became with the situation partly a fault of hers. "I'm sorry, Nikki. You're a minor, and it's illegal to leave you behind on your own. I hope you understand."

She walked her way outside my room thereafter, and closed the door. Leaving me, while I weeped on my own. My cries reechoed in my room from feeling distressed with raged. Tears sheds, while I saw nothing but blurs. I hugged a pillow, and let it all out with sorrowful moans.

Suddenly, my phone rang, I didn't bother answering, knowing it was Chase. I'd rather let him think I was asleep, than let him know I was crying. Whatever that was happening in my life, surely sucks, but I bet tomorrow would suck more, reckoning the fact that I suck at goodbyes.

Sucks.