"She fell so naturally into my arms
like a flower in the sun."
⌒Atticus ⌒

♞♞♞

"Is she okay?" I heard April as I was laid out on the couch playing some Call of Duty. Mostly because I had gotten a call from Joe bragging about how far he had gotten and that guy had a kid to occupy him. So I was offended that he had made it so far already.

"Who?"

"Pause the game and pay attention, Colby" she giggled and I reluctantly did and turned my attention onto her. I smiled due to her wearing her specs and briefly kissed her.

"Is Nikki okay?" She questioned pointedly as I leaned back.

I nodded knowing she was concerned as Nicole hadn't really looked so good when I had pitched up with her by my side. I didn't really know what was going on, I know Randy seemed to be holding grudges and there was some serious tension. Tension that probably worsened due to her leaving with me but I knew her well enough to give her some time. "Yeah she just wants to give Randy some space, his head is going crazy, nothing new. I know I didn't exactly give you time to prepare for a guest."

She shook her head, "It's Nicole. Its hardly a surprise to see her with you, I'm guessing going to her sister would have raised too many questions"

I shrugged with a small smile at how understanding she was. I mean Nicole had been important to me before anything even happened with April and I so of course she knew I wouldn't just abandon her. It was something I had been straightforward with from the beginning of our relationship, "Probably. I have a meeting later so you two will be hanging out on your own."

"Are you sure? She was in the room all day yesterday." She glanced in the direction of the hallway.

"She's tired. You know how being champion is, she stays with Randy basically so they go home, pick up Alanna and she spends all day playing family. She's a pleaser so she wears herself thin for everyone in her life." I sighed as it was what annoyed me about her but what also made her an important person in my life. "Let me go check on her."

"Okay I'll try and finish killing these guys for you." She smiled, grabbing the controller from me before I could even think to protest.

"Thanks babe" I chuckled as I made my way down the short hallway and opened the door surprised to find Nicole awake.

"I could have been naked."

I rolled my eyes as I closed the door and strolled in, "As if that would be a new sight."

"I have lost weight, so it would." She giggled slightly.

"I loved all the curves though so it would be less tempting" I smiled and she giggled louder before sitting up and I got onto the bed beside her. "What's on your mind?"

"What makes you think anything is on my mind?" She narrowed her eyes and I narrowed mine in return as her coming with me served no purpose if she was just going to be brooding by herself all week.

She sighed before frowning, "I don't really know. I miss Randy I guess but he hasn't called, pretty sure he is pissed I left with you"

"You think?" I smirked knowing if looks could kill I would be six feet under with a viper dancing on my grave.

"I didn't want him to be though. He has just been very weird and I want him to realize that. He says things and then contradicts himself" she groaned.

"We all do though. You have in the past and so have I, you need to speak to him Nicole. You can't just take off everytime he annoys you, I mean I am happy to have you here cause its been ages but not with you upset. He is your boyfriend, you guys are in a relationship. I know with Hunter you couldn't talk to him because of your arrangement but Randy is all yours. Communication is key babe." I shrugged and she nodded.

"I know I know. It just feels like when we get rid of one thing its another and if its not he is holding onto old things. I just want everyone to get along and have a nice balance in my life but I can't."

"Does everyone include Hunter?" I questioned to which she remained silent for too long before speaking.

"Not everything goes back to him, Colby. I just want to be at peace and it seems the more I believe I am the more uneasy Randy truly is."

"We both know Randy aint all there" I chuckled and she shoved me. "Okay okay I'm just saying he probably also has a lot going on in his mind. He loves you and he might be a tough guy but putting your heart out there takes a lot out of you. He just wants to make sure you won't hurt him."

She picked up a pillow and groaned into it before tossing it aside and staring at me, "Why would I? I am only with him and will only be with him."

"Yeah but you just have to be patient. He will understand that and learn to accept that there is no risk of you leaving him. But you taking off doesn't really help with that you know?" I smiled and she groaned and rest her head on my shoulder.

"I know. I will go home tomorrow" She mumbled.

"So his place is home huh?" I nudged her which led to her sitting up with a smile.

"It is. I want to sell my place and fully move in with him." She stated, staring at the wall as she seemed to be thinking.

"Does he know that?" I wasn't sure how I felt about her giving up her place. I knew she was hardly there but I also knew how she could get. She was head over heels right now but there would always be times she would need an escape and having her own place would be good for her.
I loved seeing her find a man she wanted and who wanted her in the same way but I didn't want her being consumed by another man so much so that she just tossed aside all she was.

She shook her head with a small pout, "I don't know how he would feel about it to be honest, maybe he still wants alittle space. And its his house, I don't really just want to barge into it. I mean yes I have been practically living there but the same way I don't want our relationship being exploited I don't want him to feel like I'm just moving in and sponging off of him."

I rolled my eyes as she hinted towards him thinking she was some sort of golddigger which she definitely wasn't. "I'm sure that's the last thing he would be thinking. He will probably be throwing a fucking party, I mean you think just giving up Hunter was all that's needed. But with him out of the picture you guys will face normal problems and that's that people have insecurities in relationships. Remember Nick?"

"Of course. I know I need to be mindful of things, but we are both stubborn so its tough. I wish he could see how supportive you are and maybe then he would stop seeing you as a threat" She sighed and I frowned before chuckling.

"I'd say he should feel threatened. I mean have you seen me?" I sighed dramatically and she giggled before hugging me.

I smiled into her hair, helping Nicole was something I would never get tired of so while I pretended like I was always tired of her never ending cycle of confusion. Apart of me was thankful for it because it meant she still needed me...

■■■

"Why did Nikki send me a text from your phone?" Hunter questioned as soon as I sat down in the booth.

"Well hello to you too, Hunter." That led to a glare being received by me from my boss.

Sometimes I wondered if we were even friends at this point or if I was just some sort of way of him being able to check up on Nikki without speaking to her directly.

We used to be extremely close, I was his protege alongside Nicole, of course I later found out that their relationship was more than just a teacher and a student. And while I always believed he liked having her around to stroke his ego it was evident that he enjoyed her stroking something else as well. I never had to compete with Nicole as he valued both of us, in different ways obviously, but our relationship strained once I became more loyal to Nikki and I suppose he saw me as somewhat ungrateful for some time.

He sighed, "I don't want our lunch to be filled with tension so I want to get that out of the way so we can actually enjoy it, Colby."

"Alright then" I shrugged as I looked forward to having a normal lunch like we used to have, discussing plans for the future or just talking about whatever random shit came up. "Because I figured she would be more comfortable doing so in case Randy decided to check her phone."

"Her keeping secrets from him probably isn't a good idea" He said thoughtfully before we ordered our drinks.

"Why? Because you fucked up his head so bad he is like an insecure teenager?" I blurted out and luckily no glare was sent my way for being truthful.

I knew how Hunter was, yes Randy was good at getting into people's heads but Hunter had a way of doing it so good that his words wouldn't only hit you in the heat of the moment but continue to haunt you. And how did I know that? Well because I was his protege...

"I might have said things yes. But in the end if he loves her the way he says he does then what I say shouldn't be having any impact. He should trust her enough to know that she loves him" He shrugged resting his arm on his glass and twirling the contents.

"I don't really think that's the problem. The problem is that she still loves you even though she loves him and he knows it and hates having to share her heart."

"So you're having heart to hearts with Randy now? Weren't you two on a war path?" He scoffed, I wasn't surprised by it cause he never liked being told things. He liked things his way or you would be exiled which is why I used to be afraid of voicing my opinions until Nikki needed my help.

"You do know that it is because of you and Nikki that I am his biggest fucking enemy right now?"

"Blame your closeness with her" He chuckled and I rolled my eyes.

"You didn't seem surprised" I frowned searching his eyes.

"When?"

"When I told you that Nicole still loves you."

"Because its something I have always known. She was never shy about it, in her words or her actions. We both know that." He stated nonchalantly as if it was just everyday news.

I sighed and tried to get my point across, "The key word being 'still' loves you even though things are over and she is with Randy."

He stared at me and sighed heavily, "I know. She loves to believe she doesn't and I play along with her."

"Because you love her too and her believing that she doesn't love you let's her stay with Randy and be happy?" I was merely thinking aloud not really expecting him to agree but he did.

He nodded and I frowned, "there has got to be something I am missing. You spent two years being a selfish prick using her to satisfy your needs and.."

"That's what you chose to see, yes it seemed abit one sided here and there but she was a grown woman who chose to be at convenience to my schedule. There was no using, I never promised her anything. I never told her I loved her because that would have been selfish on my part. Telling her how I felt when there was no future would have been pointless so I settled for the heartless selfish prick role."

"Does Randy know?"

"I'm sure he does. Despite our conflict right now he has known me for a long time. He chooses to see me as the villain which I am but he can't deny what I feel." He shrugged. "I can't give her what I want to honestly give her so I will always be her biggest fan backstage and give her enough opportunities that we both know she deserves despite the many critics."

"What is it you want to give her?"

"Whatever she wishes. I'll tell you Colby, its tough when your heart is in two places. They say you have one true fucking soulmate and you think its true but then you meet someone else who just gets you too. And you can't choose because how can you? There is no way to have both so you just stick with your bed. And you know how I know I love her?"

"How?" I sighed as his words hit too close to home and I gulped way too much of my drink.

"I miss her more than the fucking sex." He chuckled. "Loving two people at the same time is tough."

He raised his glass and I did mine too, "now that is one thing I can strongly agree on.."