Gina

46.

Why don't you love me?
Baby, open up your heart tonight,
Because I might be all that you need.

Nick was in a good mood-had been for the last three weeks-and his brothers kept teasing him about it.

Even Taylor noticed it.

He didn't say anything. He just kept writing love songs and smiling to himself. He already had four ready and was working on a fifth and a sixth and a seventh, and already had outlines for three more.

Gina ran into him during one of their classes together and smiled at the change. She teased him after class, wanting to know if he finally asked Demi out, but he just smiled and skipped off. That was something people didn't see everyday.

She went to tease Demi who raised an eyebrow at Gina. First because Gina had just sneaked into the music room during a class, and second, because how could her and Nick be dating? Eww, eww, eww!

The look on Gina's face was hilarious. She spluttered then ran off before the teacher could notice her. Demi wasn't so lucky though, she got called out on her disinterest.

"Oh that girl!" Demi said under her breath.

*&*&*&*&

Nick was curious. Fiona hadn't come to school in a week. She stayed at home and he visited during his free period.

Anytime he came, he brought her a little something. Sometimes he played songs for her, sometimes he brought her comfort food, and this one time he brought her flowers. It was actually twice, but who was counting? Definitely not him.

On this day he had a huge teddy bear with him. She loved it, and hugged Nick and he loved the hugs. He wanted to hold her in his arms forever but... he didn't know what to do.

"Does Gina know?" He asked her when they'd eaten some food he had brought. She loved teriyaki chicken so he had brought it with him. She was making him all soft inside and he didn't even know.

"No."

"Why?"

She shrugged. "If she knows she'll confront Hussein. I don't want Hussein to get beaten by Gina. You know... Gina brought Hussein and I together." Here she blushed. "I wasn't who I was and she got scared. Then one day she came up with this idea that maybe I needed more friends and that's how Hussein and his sister came in."

Nick didn't want to be angry but... why Hussein? Why not him? Hadn't he been friends with Gina from elementary school?

As if she had read his mind, she spoke again. "You had been the first person she thought would be perfect for me. After all, we were dance partners for years. We both wanted you but you'd gone on your band's European tour, so she chose the second best-Hussein-and yeah... we did fall in love..."

Nick looked away, suddenly wishing he never went on that stupid European Tour. It had given them international recognition, but he had lost Fiona. To some guy.

Some guy.

Nick hated it. He hated him. How could he break up with his girlfriend over something she had no control over?

"He wasn't good for you Fi."

"Hussein... he couldn't take the thought of another man with me... I... I don't blame him... I am pretty messed up."

Nick shook his head. "Everyone has got baggage. It wasn't right for him to do that!"

"Nick, I don't blame..."

"Of course you can't! You still love him-you still want him! He hurt you, but you still want him back! Fi, listen to me, he is not good enough for you. He isn't good enough for you!"