An hour later, I am struggling to deal with the hurricane that is Jennie and Becca together. When Jennie pranced into my bedroom, I was surprised to see Becca jump up from the floor and wrap the girl in her arms excitedly. I wasn't sure how this would go, but I am pleased with how they are interacting, although slightly overwhelmed.

They are both the type of girl who needs to be heard when they speak. They want to say what they want to say when they want to say it. It makes for a loud atmosphere, but I can't stop smiling as I watch the two bond over clothes and makeup.

As Jennie and Becca discuss which outfits to wear, I watch them from the edge of my bed. My phone clutched in my hand, waiting for Nik to text or call me. I try not to think about it, but it's 10 p.m. and I still haven't heard from him. My attempts at drowning myself in alcohol to forget are not working, one because I only had half a bottle of tequila and between the three of us it is already gone, and two, Becca and Jennie will notice something is wrong if I appear too eager for alcohol.

"I think you should go with the black dress, it makes your butt look bigger." Jennie encourages as she smacks Becca's voluptuous back side.

My phone vibrates in my hand, and I jump to my feet. My heart races and a loud sigh escapes my lips when I see Nik's name across the screen. I hurry from the room and answer the call.

"Nik." I breathe into the mouthpiece. "I miss you."

"Hey babe." His voice sounds different, but I am too relieved by hearing it to pay much attention. "Are you home, I mean at the Hutch's?" He corrects himself.

"Yeah, I'm here with Jennie and Becca. Did you get my messages?"

"Come downstairs, come alone." I hear the click of the call ending and stare at my phone confused. Without letting the girls know, I hurry down the hallway and punch the elevator button repeatedly. It feels like years before the doors slide open onto the lobby. The sight of his red truck parked outside the building is enough to make my heart race.

When I pull the front door open, Nik opens the passenger side door and stumbles onto the sidewalk. He grins at me, looking ridiculously attractive in his dark sunglasses as he leans lazily against his truck. I try to maintain a normal pace, taking in the sight of him. It has only been 24 hours since I have seen him and I feel like I have been missing a part of myself.

"Babe." I breathe and as we wrap our arms around each other I am engulfed in the smell of alcohol. "Oh, wow." I choke out and pull away from him. It is only at this moment that I realize the clues. He wasn't driving, the way he nearly fell out onto the sidewalk, the lazy leaning on the truck's paint job. "How drunk are you?" I laugh. "Whose driving?"

"Chase." He grins and pulls me back into him, plastering my neck with wet sloppy kisses.

I laugh and pull away, wiping my neck dry. "Cut it out, you're going to make me stink too." I realize I have never seen Nik drunk, not this drunk anyway. As I rack my brain of all the times we have drank together, I don't think I have ever heard him slur his words or even stumble.

"I missed you." he laughs and grips my hips tightly pulling my body to meet his.

"So why didn't you text me back instead of getting wasted?" I accuse playfully.

He shrugs and gives me an innocent smile I can't help but return. I stand up on my tiptoes, peering into the truck to see Chase in the driver's seat, it's odd that he hasn't come out to say hi to me. From what I can see, he is on the phone and he seems upset.

"I want you." I feel the tickle of Nik's breath as he whispers into my ear. His fingers trail the hem of my black and white dress. I push his hands away and give him a scandalous look.

"Your crazy." I kiss him lightly on the lips, the overwhelming aroma of alcohol causes me to back away, leaving him pouting for more. "You really stink. What are you doing here, anyway? I have Jennie and Becca upstairs, were going out for a girl's night, in case you didn't get my 15 text messages."

"I just had to see you." he straightens up, "How did it go with her anyway, is she being a complete bitch or what?"

Now, I am the one who straightens my back, instantly in defense mode. It doesn't matter if Becca is a bit bitchy by nature, I won't stand for anybody talking smack about her. I raise my eyebrow at him and detach his hands from my body, taking a step back. "It went as expected. And no, she isn't being a complete bitch." He holds up his hands defensively and then tries to pull me back to him. Drunk Nik, is a very grabby Nik.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to like, be a dick or anything."

"It's fine." I grumble, suddenly very annoyed with his drunken behaviour. "I've gotta go back up, text me okay?"

"Don't go." He complains, and just then Chase comes around the truck and offers me a curt wave. Nik rolls his eyes at the sight of his friend. "Let me guess, we gotta go?"

"Yupp. Get in the truck." Chase demands.

Surprisingly Nik obeys, peeling himself off the side of the truck, taking a moment to steady himself berfore pulling the passenger side door open. He leans against it, staring from Chase to me, apparently waiting for something. With a frustrated sigh Chase groans, "Cya around Haven." as he disappears to the other side.

"Bye babe." I offer Nik a quick brush of the lips and turn to leave.

"Hey wait." he tugs on my arm, turning me back to face him and then grabs my face in his hands and kisses me hard. When our lips part, he keeps hold of my face. I think he must be staring me in the eyes, but all I can see is myself reflecting in the dark lenses of his sunglasses. Why is he even wearing them, it's practically dark out? "I love you more than anything." he states fiercely.

"I love you to." I whisper back, thrown off by his intensity.

"No matter what?" He asks in a voice that breaks my heart to pieces.

"No matter what Nik." I reassure him and then Chase honks, and Nik climbs into the truck without another word. As I watch the truck pull away from the curb, I can't stop the sound of his broken voice ringing in my ears. What was that all about? 

The lights and music that usually lift my spirits and make me want to dance are doing nothing but giving me a headache. I glance at the time on my phone, 12:45 am. Which means at least another two hours before the bar closes. I glance at Becca and Jennie, out on the dance floor shaking their asses off and wish so badly that I could join them. I don't want to be sitting in this booth alone, but every move I make sends another pulse of pain through my skull.

I check the time again, only a minute has passed and I know I can't take another two hours in this club. As I waltz across the dance floor, tugging my dress down as I go, Becca and Jennie light up, and beckon me towards them.

"Feeling better?" Becca yells over the music. I shake my head in response, instantly regretting it as another stab of pain races through me.

"I'm gunna go. You two should stay." I holler back.

"Is Nik picking you up?" Jennie asks, leaning in so I can hear her.

"No, he went to bed." I lie too easily, I have no clue if Nik has gone to bed because he hasn't texted me at all. This shouldn't annoy me. I should be fine with the both of us going out and doing our own thing for a night, but I'm not fine with it. There is too much going on in my head and being concerned about Nik isn't helping me to work through any of it. "I'll just catch a cab." I shrug. "You're good with her, right?" I question Becca, praying she doesn't throw a fit about me leaving.

"Of course." She grins a dazzling drunken smile and continues to roll her hips to the music. "I love you!" Becca calls to me as she allows the dance floor to swallow her back up.

"We need to talk tomorrow." Jennie yells into my ear. "It's about Nik."

My eyes widen. "Did Chase tell you something?" I grip her arm tightly, not allowing her to pull away.

"No, but he was very adamant about not talking about Nik; It was weird."

I nod in understanding, sending another throb of pain through my head. Jennie kisses me on the cheek and tells me not to worry and that we will figure things out. As I leave, dodging through the crowds of dancing drunks I can't help but wonder, will we figure it out? And if we do, what effect will it have on mine and Nik's relationship?

The cool night air greets my too hot skin, the wind blows up my dress and I have to use two hands to keep it from flying up. When the smell of cigarettes hits my nose, I nearly gag and my head pounds harder. I hurry away from the group of smokers close by and try to glimpse a cab down the road. Nothing.

I walk, my arms folded into my chest as a chill rises over my body from the wind. The last time I was at this club with Jennie there were several cabs waiting at the curb, but I walk a block and see none. Just as I turn on my heel to walk back towards the club, I see a figure across the street and instantly recognize him.

Joey is leaning against a light post, wearing the same oversized hoodie and too big jeans from the first time I saw him. My skin crawls at the memory of how he looked at me like he wanted to eat me. Despite my disgust for him, I am tempted to cross the street and demand to know how he knows Nik. Somehow, I doubt this will go over well. So instead, I shrink into the shadows and walk as quickly as I can back towards the club.

About ten steps in, I hear somebody call out his name and I can't stop myself from turning my attention back towards Joey. I do my best to remain hidden in the alcove of a closed shop, not wanting to be seen. When a group of three people approach Joey, he detaches himself from the light post and greets them with a bump of the fist. These people are grungy, just like he is and don't seem capable of standing still either.

From my dark alcove, I watch as they talk for a moment and then Joey digs into his pockets. He pulls something out, looking from side to side as he does so, apparently making sure nobody is watching. I tuck myself further into the alcove, breaking my view. When I peek out, I sigh in relief because I haven't been spotted. Joey and one of the men shake hands and then they separate, Joey leaning back onto his lamppost and the three grungy strangers walk away, turning down a dark alley.

I narrow my eyes and again fight the urge to cross the street and demand answers from Joey. The risks are too high, me alone and dressed like this approaching a stranger that Nik wants nothing to do with... it would be too stupid. Instead, I slink out of the shadows and hurry down the sidewalk, my mind racing and a lump in my throat.

Yet again, a noise pulls me to a stop. This time, the sound of an engine roaring and then the squeal of tires. I whip around; The sound sending my heart into a frenzy. A silver sports car comes to a stop right in front of Joey's lamp post. He saunters over to it and leans his arms on the window frame. For a second I watch as he appears to have a conversation with the passenger but then as Joey leans in closer, he is sent flying back onto the pavement.

Suddenly the driver and passenger explode from the vehicle, both clad in dark clothes with the hood from the sweatshirts pulled up. The passenger is instantly on top of Joey, who appears to by clutching his face in pain. I watch as fist after fist finds its way into his ribs, his face, his stomach. The driver pulls the passenger off and lifts Joey by the scruff of his shirt, slamming him against the brick wall of the building behind them.

I can hear yelling, but my blood is pounding in my ears as I watch this act of brutality unfold before me and I can't tell what they are saying. With a final crack to the jaw, the driver lets Joey go and I watch as he crumples to the ground unmoving. Then, the two assaulters turn their backs on him, leaving him in a heap on the sidewalk, and climb back into the sports car before speeding away into the night.

With one look back at the crumpled heap that is Joey, I run. My feet ache and protest, running in heels is not fun by any means. I cross the one street that separates me from the club and nearly burst into tears at the sight of Becca and Jennie standing outside smoking cigarettes. When I launch myself into Becca's arms, she nearly falls over and pushes me off of her. Then she realizes it's me and her face wrinkles with concern.

"Haven? I thought you left, what's wrong?"

"I just saw..." I choke out, ready to explain everything I just witnessed but I stop myself. Becca doesn't know. She knows nothing about Joey, about my suspicions of Nik. I shift my eyes from Becca to Jennie and then back to Becca who is watching me with wide concerned eyes. "I just saw some guy get beat up." Guilt racks my body as I realize I must keep the full truth from my best friend, again.

"I was walking down that way to get a cab and then these two guys driving a sports car just attacked this guy." My eyes dart to Jennie and I give her a look that I hope she understands. She gives me the tiniest nod of her head and then a look crosses her face that I can't quite decipher.

"Did he deserve it?" Becca chuckles and hauls on her cigarette, the smell brings my headache back full force. Jennie and I both give her disbelieving stares. "What! It was just a joke. And I don't know why you're so shaken up about it, we have seen tonnes of bar fights back home."

This is true, so I nod my head in agreement and take a deep breath. I need to calm down before Becca gets suspicious. "You're right. I guess I just freaked out because I was alone."

Becca wraps her arm around my shoulders, pulling me closer into the haze of smelly smoke that surrounds her. "We should have just left all together, I'm sorry Baby." Jennie coos at me, flicks her cigarette to the ground and pulls me into a hug.

"Was it Joey." she murmurs into my ear so quietly there is no way Becca can hear her. I confirm by nodding my head ever so slightly into the crook of her neck. "What color was the car?" she questions in a tight voice.

"Silver." I whisper back unsure of why it matters but then it hits me. Jennie had once told me that Chase drives a tiny two-seater sports car.

"We should go." Jennie tries to sound neutral so Becca won't pick up on what is going on here.

Did Chase just attack Joey? Was Nik the other attacker? And more importantly why would this seemingly normal group of friends be mixed up with a dirty, grungy guy who likes to spend his nights leaning against lamp posts and meeting people who hang out in dark alleys?