𝔟𝔢𝔞𝔲𝔱𝔦𝔣𝔲𝔩 𝔭𝔢𝔬𝔭𝔩𝔢, wayhaught

chapter 24.

"That's something I always admired about you," Nicole says as she looks back toward Eliza. "You would always tell me 'if you're constantly looking behind you...'"

"You're going to crash into what's in front of you," Eliza finishes her sentence.

"And break your nose," Nicole adds with a laugh as she points a finger toward the blonde.

Eliza breaks out into laughter, nodding in agreeance. Silence falls over them for a moment.

"That girl in there loves you more than I ever could," Eliza finally speaks. "And it's not that I didn't love you or don't love you. Because let's face it, part of me always will, but I was never going to be able to give you everything you needed. Everything you deserved. And it's okay that you don't want me to anymore."

Nicole pauses for a moment before she speaks. She lets her brain absorb the words that are being spoken to her. "Thank you. I probably needed to hear that more than I know."

"I see the way that girl looks at you, Haught. From the moment I met her in the city. You got yourself a good one."

"Yeah, I'm not sure why she's with me," Nicole says, laughing off her own comment.

"Don't do that. You're Nicole Haught. You're an incredible person who loves with every fiber of her being and deserves that in return," the blonde says.

"Not everything happens the way we think it should, Eliza," Nicole argues.

"What are you so afraid of, Nicole?"

"I'm not afraid of anything," Nicole answers quickly.

"I may be wrong about knowing you better than everyone else in that house, but we both know I know you well enough to know you have fears just like everyone else," the blonde explains. "Whether or not you think you've made this big change since I left, I can still see right through the facade."

Nicole sighs and rubs her face with her hands. "I'm afraid I'm never going to be good enough," she reluctantly admits. "That something better will always come along or something will always stand in the way."

"Look, I don't know much about your relationship with Waverly, but from what I see, she's good for you. I suggest you get out of that head of yours and be open with her," Eliza says, poking Nicole in the middle of the forehead with her finger. Nicole laughs, nodding her head at the other girl.

The sound of the back door sliding open fills her ears and they turn to see Waverly sanding in the doorway.

"Speaking of," Eliza says, gesturing toward the brunette. She smiles at Nicole and turns to head back in the house, allowing the pair time alone.

Nicole sees Waverly mouth 'thank you' as the blonde passes her, going back into the house.

"Are you okay?" Waverly asks as she makes her way over to Nicole. Nicole immediately places her hands on Waverly's hips, reducing the space between them.

"Yeah, sorry I just needed some fresh air," she explains. "I'm sorry if things are a little awkward. Eliza was just out here apologizing to me. She-"

"I know," Waverly says quickly. "She asked me if I could give her a minute with you. I'm sorry if you didn't want her here," she says. "I was just trying to bring the most important people in your life here for you."

"I know and you didn't do anything wrong," Nicole assures her. "Birthdays are weird for me. There were a few years where I didn't know if I'd even make it to the next, you know? Or where I'd be, who I'd be with. It mostly just meant a new year of changes that I didn't want to keep having to deal with. I always thought when I turned 18 I'd be completely on my own to figure it all out. I thought I'd age out of the system and no one would be around to help anymore. But then I moved here and it's the first time I've felt like I've had a stable place to call home for as long as I can remember. And as strange as it sounds, that's a lot to swallow some days."