Going Up - Now On Amazon

Chapter Twenty Four - Nick POV

So a couple of you asked me for a Nick POV. Generally I don't like putting them in, because I like to let the unsaid or unknown things develop over time and become blindingly obvious somewhere near the end. BUT having said that, with Nick's constant highs and lows, I did feel it was important to include one. It's rather short but I do hope it helps you to see that inside his feelings haven't changed regardless of his actions.

Anywho, On with the show, I'm going to go and start on the next chapter, it probably won't be up until tomorrow after work though :P

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Nick POV

Ever since she’d bumped hands with me the very first day we’d met I knew I was in trouble.

I’d not been a believer in love before, let alone love at first sight, but when she’d looked at me with those beautiful emerald green eyes, fresh with the fear of a new start something hit me in the gut, or perhaps it was the heart. Either way I was a goner.

Of course when she mentioned her name I was taken aback, the fact the one she was the girl with the troubled past, the one Julie had been hesitant about hiring because she was only 18. The one I knew we had to hire in spite of her age, because she deserved to escape. She was the girl I insisted on having work for me, for the very selfish reason of wanting to redeem my past mistakes of not being there for Alex.

I'd done enough research on Sarah to know her life had been nothing but a never ending tragedy.

It should have been enough to quash any inappropriate romantic feelings I was even slightly entertaining about the new filer.

But it didn’t.

Very Quickly I’d pulled her in to my world and hadn’t given her much of a choice in the matter. I’d forced her through a rollercoaster during her very first week with my company. What she’d given me and taught me in less than two weeks was overwhelmed by all the confusion and heartache I’d caused her.

That day when I’d heard her sing creep, my skin had prickled. I’d stopped attempting to call Amelia and had stood by the bathroom door in the spare room just listening to her in awe. She sang with such conviction, like sometimes she felt the way the lyrics described. I knew the minute I heard her; that music was her calling, Whether or not she was ready to admit it.

I let myself entertain the idea that once this stupid contract with Amelia was over, Sarah and I could be together. The timing would all of a sudden be right. Our love for one another would conquer all and we’d be a true testament to love, and love at first sight. Maybe it would still be like that, I hoped it would.

I just wouldn’t let Sarah live half a life when there was so much out there waiting for her to grab with both hands. I’d found my calling at 18 and I until I’d met her nothing really made sense.

She deserved the same opportunity, after a lifetime of being trapped; Sarah really deserved to be free. I just hoped one day she’d see that was all I was trying to do.

I couldn’t forget her. That first hand bump had cemented the fact that Sarah was going to always be the first girl I loved. Yes, I’d been late to the party of first loves, most experience that first hit of it in their teens. It had taken me 26 years. I spent far too many years being an angry shell of a man, to let what I saw as a fickle unnecessary and hurtful emotion get in the way of where I needed to be. Now I knew I was wrong.  

 “We’ve known each other a week, you’ve been given an amazing opportunity. One that will take you all over the world. You’re only 18. Whatever ‘this’ was, it’ll diminish” I uttered, hoping the last five words were wrong. Hoping that she’d return to me when we were both ready.

Sarah’s eyes narrowed and she looked away from me. She bit the bottom of her lip like she did when she was angry and pulled her hand from mine. The sting of her retreat refused to settle and my hand just continued to behave as though she were there, her fingers intertwined in mine. But they weren’t and I worried that they never would be again.

“Thank you for everything Nick. I’m going to go home now.” She said walking to the front door. Her voice was slightly breathless and I wanted to stop her. I wanted to throw the contract in the bin, declare my love for her again and go on her music journey with her.

But her dreams are not mine, her youth isn’t mine.

She isn’t mine.

So I let her walk from my apartment, and my life and least for now.

Once she was gone I called DJ back. I sat down on the couch, the laptop on my knees and hit call.

“Sup bruv” Dj called out with a grin on his face “Thought you might call back”

“Yes, well you’re about to steal my best filer from me Deedge.” I retorted

Dj nodded then leant back in this chair “You were right about her Nick, she’s really something. I think she could be bigger than Jaron given the right guidance and development”

I nodded; there really was no “think” about it. I had no doubt Sarah was the next big thing. So far love had clouded many things for me, but not this.

 “I’ll be taking her underground for at least 6 months to work on things Nick. She probably won’t have too much time for friends outside of her roommates if she has any. Is that going to be a problem for you?” DJ asked with a mischievous grin, he winked. If he’d had been joking about any other person, I’d have laughed and made a joke.  Sarah was different though. I swallowed hard and shook my head.

“She’s just an employee I helped out Deedge. Just look after her alright”

“Don’t worry Nick; you know she’s in good hands with me.”

 He was right too, DJ was well known for his ability to build rapport with even the most diva ridden acts. Not that Sarah was a Diva in any way shape or form. In fact she was quite possibly the anti-diva.

DJ would probably spend the next 6 months not only developing Sarah’s stage presence and other such things, but he’d probably also bring her out of the shell she’d hidden in all of her life. He’d help do what I couldn’t. He’d help bring Sarah out of herself through music.

Hopefully in time it would pay off. Hopefully she’d return to me and our timing wouldn’t be wrong anymore.

Finally I let DJ go again, and sighed.

Tomorrow I’d have to re-advertise the job. Research a new influx of applicants. While I welcomed something to distract my mind from Sarah and her new direction, the idea of re-hiring was already doing my head in.