Investigation: Shunned

Chap. 7

*ALICE'S POV*

I sat on the couch with my stomach turning and my foot bouncing. I've been waiting for Nick to come over and tell me the news for at least 2 hours now. With every minute that passes my nerves grow stronger, so strong I feel like I'm going to barf.

I lean back further in the chair, the soft couch swallowing me. Just as a breath leaves my mouth I hear a knock on the door and I jump up. I haven't been this excited to answer the door since I was 3.

I ran to the door and swung it open without even checking who it was. When the door opened I saw the legendary Nicolas Walker, well maybe not so legendary.

I can tell he came straight here, his clothes still soaked with sweat and his hair ruffled.

"I would hug you but," I scrunched my nose and looked him up and down. "You're covered in sweat." I finished.

He just gives me a shrug, expression blank, and walked into the house like he has been all week.

We awkwardly stood in the corridor for a minute until I spoke up.

"Did you get in?" I asked, my nerves growing yet again. Nick continues to look at his feet, not looking at me or answering.

I was about to speak again when he gave an ever so slight shake of his head. With that one, small movement everything in me shattered, every strand of hope gone. I feel my throat grow tight and suddenly I'm fighting back tears.

"It's okay," I say, trying to hide the fact that I'm about to cry. "We..." I begin but I find myself not being able to finish the sentence.

Suddenly I see Nick slowly raise his head with a massive grin. I narrow my eyes, not sure what to think. But suddenly all suspicions are confirmed.

"I MADE THE TEAM," Nick screamed with as much enthusiasm as a kid at a candy store.

"WHAT?!" I exclaimed, all hope returning.

Nick started nodding his head so hard I was afraid it would fall off. Screaming, I took off in the direct of Luke's room. I only made it half way to his room till I saw him burst through the bathroom door, panic written all over his face. Luke looked at me then relaxed, but soon his face scrunched up in a glare.

"Nick made the team?" I finished lamely, waving an invisible flag. In response I got a groan and an eye roll before he walked his way to his room.

With a shrug I turned to Nick with a massive smile, practically bouncing with joy.

"You made the team," I told him as if he didn't already know.

"I did," he said through a laugh. We stood there for a while, just smiling.

"I'm hungry. I'm going to make some dinner and you're having some," I said, giving him no choice. With that I walked toward the kitchen, Nick right on my heels.
~.~
Now I know why Luke always cooks.

My original plan was to make steak and mashed potatoes, sounds easy right? Well, it's not. Somehow I over boiled the potatoes, something not Nick nor I thought was possible. Then I put the steak on and I forgot about it. Next thing I know the smoke alarms going off and the smell of burnt is filling my nose.

So here we are now, eating mac and cheese that Nick made, not me.

"Please remind me to never cook again," I groaned as I shoved a fork full mac and cheese in my mouth.

"Will do, I don't really fancy charcoal," Nick said through chews. I picked up the thing closes to me, which happened to be a spoon, and threw it at him, striking him in the forehead.

"Don't spoon me!" Nick exclaimed and I cracked up laughing. I was laughing so hard my stomach and cheek muscles hurt and tears were rolling from my eyes.

After I had sobered up I looked up at Nick to see him staring at me.

"What?" I asked, a smile still plastered on my lips.

"How can you be so positive through all this?" He asked, taking me by surprise. I sat and thought for a while.

"I'm not," I answered truthfully. "During the day I fake a smile but at night I cry myself to sleep." I look down at my bowl and tossed my mac and cheese around, all signs of hunger gone.

"Oh," Nick whispered quietly.

"Most people wouldn't care," I said, suddenly feeling the need to get it all out. "They wouldn't care that a bunch of bitches dropped them because let's face it, they are bitches. But for some reason I feel like I've lost more then popularity, I feel like I've lost friends and I hate it. I've known Alyssa for my whole life and I really thought she was more then some popular bitch. I thought the same about Margo. But I guess-" I stopped, tears clearly flowing down my face and my throat tight.

"I guess they don't care," I said, finally letting myself accept the fact that maybe they just didn't care.

A thick silence fell over us and I suddenly realised that it was idiotic to tell Nick this. I've only know him for a week!

Slowly I looked up at Nick, the tears still spilling from my eyes. When my eyes finally land on Nick I see his eyes have started to fill with tears and there was such sadness in his eyes, the most deepest sadness I've ever seen.

We stared at each other for a while, no talking. Jesus, I'd be surprised if I even breathed!

"I better go," Nick whispered and when he whispered I ever so slightly heard a chock.

And with that he got up and left. Left me sitting there all by myself with tear streaming from my eyes and for some reason, him leaving made me cry harder.