This is the second call that Bailey has missed. Nick thinks about leaving a voicemail but doesn't see the point. This is when she told him to call her today. She will see his missed calls on her phone and call him back when she can.
This is actually the first time she's missed one of their "dates", as Nick likes to think of them, and he wonders what she's doing. Today was his last shift at work before Spring Break, and he's planning on leaving tomorrow for the week. He doesn't have the money to go to Cabo or Panama City Beach like his fellow students, so he's just going home—or to the Rogers' home, at least.
Bee just moved out this week to her new home at Senior Living. Bailey seems positive that this is what she really wanted to do all along, despite the fact that she loathed the name of the facility. She didn't like depending on her son and his family, and Nick thinks that's probably true.
It's good for Nick, too, because he gets the guest room back. The last time he slept in there was the night before he and Bailey—Nick closes his eyes. He shouldn't think about that, not right before he talks to her. Thinking about the best night of his life always makes him sentimental, and he's trying to keep things casual. He doesn't want her to freak out if he accidentally tells her he's still completely in love with her.
His phone starts ringing and he smiles as he picks up. "I should be pissed."
She gives an exasperated sigh. "I know. I had to talk to my professor after class, and she would not shut up. But I'm a few minutes from my room now."
Nick can hear that she's out of breath from walking quickly. "It's no big deal, don't have a heart attack. It's still early."
"I know, but we were going to try to watch two episodes tonight, remember?"
"It's okay if we don't, they'll still be there."
After Nick and Ian had brought Bailey back to school after Christmas, he had found the complete series of Game of Thrones in his duffel bag with a note that said, "Now you have no excuse."
He wasn't sure why she hadn't given it to him in person, but he was glad that he had an excuse to call her on his drive back to school the next day.
"You're welcome," she had said. "I almost wish I would have gotten two copies though. I'm jealous that you get watch it." She laughed.
Nick used what little extra cash he had, and she received an identical copy in her mailbox three days later. "You know this means we need to watch it together," she said when she called to thank him.
"I thought you wanted me to watch it now. Who knows when we'll see each other again."
"You should watch it now. We can be on the phone with each other though. I want to know your reactions."
And so once or twice a week, they set a time and date to call and watch an episode or two, counting down to press Play. Sometimes she wants to FaceTime to be able to see him, and he always knew that would be a particularly good episode.
"I'm walking down my hall right now." She updates him.
"Thank God because I'm literally about to hang up," he says sarcastically.
"Oh, shit."
"I was joking—"
"Hey...yeah...no. I didn't forget." Nick hears her voice but realizes that she isn't talking to him anymore. He can hear more voices in the background, getting louder as Bailey must be getting closer. He can't make out what they're saying, but he's almost positive he hears Derek, Bailey's date to prom.
He knows they hang out together—Bailey has mentioned him in passing a few times—but actually hearing the evidence sends a fresh wave of jealousy through him. "Let me set my stuff down. I'll be right out."
Nick gets a sinking feeling in his stomach. It seems like their date is about to get cancelled. He hears a door close and then "Nick, are you still there?"
"Uh-huh."
"I'm so sorry. I completely forgot I have a dorm committee meeting tonight. We are supposed to get supplies for a party next week. I'm so sorry. Reschedule?"
"I'm leaving tomorrow for spring break, so I'll have to let you know."
"Oh shit, I forgot about that. I keep forgetting since mine isn't until next week."
"I know. It's not a big deal." He's trying not to sound as disappointed as he feels. "I'll be in touch, okay? You know I won't forget. Have fun doing committee stuff or whatever."
She laughs. "Okay. And have a good break, if I don't see you."
He hangs up. He may be wrong, but it seemed like she was disappointed, too.
He gets an idea, and he's not sure why he didn't think of it before.
Me: Can I come see you?
He'd never been able to visit her before because he worked every weekend, but he's off this entire week. Why shouldn't he spend it with the person he wants to spend it with? That is, as long as she wants him to.
He has a message come through ten seconds later.
Bailey: Yes!
Me: I'm on my way. See you in 3 hours.
Nick had already packed for the week, so he grabs his bag and heads out the door. He runs into Pete in the hallway. "You're leaving tonight? I thought you were going in the morning."
"Change of plans. I'm going to see Bailey."
Pete laughs. "Fuck. I guess Candace won the bet."
When Nick looks at him questioningly, he explains. "She said you would see her this week. I told her you'd be too chicken shit. Now I have to deliver her coffee all week. Fuck you, man."
Nick laughs and shakes his head as he continues on his way. The drive is a long and boring one—flat planes and corn fields as far as the eye can see—so Nick has time to think.
He's not nervous about seeing Bailey, just excited. He was relieved that they kept in touch this semester, unlike the last one. He wasn't sure how it would go. After their night together, they barely spoke over break.
With Bee being in the house, and Nick sleeping on Ian's floor, they weren't ever alone. He had hoped that she would go out with Ian and him on New Years Eve—he wanted an excuse to kiss her again—but she decided to stay with her grandma, who was still recovering at the time.
He finds a spot in a parking lot near Bailey's dorm and walks in. He decides to leave his duffel bag in his truck. They didn't discuss how long he would be here, and he doesn't want her to see a week's worth of clothes and think he assumed anything.
He remembers which room is hers from when Ian and he dropped her off two months ago. He knocks and waits, anxiously. He sees his reflection in a nearby window and straightens his hair where it was sticking up. He got it cut while he was home in December, but he needs it again. He looks like a bum. It's amazing how he never thinks about his appearance until he's getting ready to see her.
Bailey doesn't answer, so he knocks again. Maybe he was too quiet the first time. A couple of girls walk past him and stare, one of them smiles at him and winks. He returns an awkward smile, somewhat annoyed. He hasn't so much as looked at another girl since being with Bailey.
Bailey still isn't answering, and he's not sure what to do. Should he leave and come back? Should he leave and not come back? Should he just continue to stand here like an idiot?
Then he hears a familiar laugh down the hall. He looks and sees Bailey, walking and talking with fucking Derek. She sees Nick in the same instant and pauses, her breath catching. Derek looks surprised as well.
He wants to know what they were doing, just the two of them, and what Derek said that Bailey found so fucking funny.
"Nick, you're early," Bailey says, smiling when they are a few feet away. She seems out of breath, but Nick finds that he is too—ever since he spotted her walking toward him.
"Yeah, I guess I didn't realize how fast I was going," he says. She grabs a set of keys and slides one into her lock. He's staring at her, and he needs to stop before it gets creepy. He looks over at Derek who is still fucking standing here for some reason.
"Hey, Robinson, how's it going? I didn't know you were going to be here."
Nick responds. "Yeah, it was kind of a last minute thing."
"Yeah, I bet," Derek looks at Bailey who is just now opening her door. She smiles bashfully when she sees him. Oh good, they have some sort of inside joke that Nick doesn't get. Fucking fantastic.
Nick hopes Derek won't be joining them. "Well, I'm going to see what Abby's doing. Have fun, you two."
He walks further down the hall and walks into a room who's door is open. "So guess what?" He says as he walks in and shuts the door behind him.
Bailey walks into her room and leaves the door open for him, so Nick follows. "Do you want me to shut this?" He asks.
She sets her purse down on her desk. "I think so, don't you?"
He smiles and shuts it behind him. Her room is similar to his, two beds, two desks, two closets. A big difference, though, is that there appears to only be one person living here. "Where's your roommate?"
"She never came back from Christmas break. She missed her boyfriend too much, I guess." She gives Nick a look that lets him know exactly what she thinks about that.
"Pathetic."
He laughs.
"Sorry I didn't clean up. I didn't really have time."
Nick couldn't care less about the clothes on the floor or the books and papers scattered on the two desks. "What were you two doing, anyway?"
She smiles at him and pulls out a bottle of vodka from her purse.
Nick smiles back. "Some things never change."