"I don't understand why you don't want to go Nick!  It's just a party, we don't have to stay long." Kayla yelled in frustration, two hours after the fight had started.  "You should at least make an appearance."

    "Why do you care so much if I go to this birthday party?" He asked.  "Why don't you just drop it?"

    "Because Howie's one of your friends and you should be at his wife's birthday party, just to at least say hi, we got her a present, why not go to the party."

    "I just don't want to go, okay!  Why do you wanna go so bad? Do you wanna schmooze the celebrities."

    "You asshole, do you actually think I'm that type of person?"

    "'I was kidding Kayla." He sighed.  "You barely know anyone that's gonna be there, celebrity or not.  And I know you're not that type of person."

    "You'd be surprised at who I know Nick." She stated, sure she didn't talk to AJ anymore, but she knew him.

    "Then by all means Kayla, go without me, go see all the people you know."  He said with a wave of his hand, like a king waving away his servants.

    "Fine."  She said firmly, zipping up her jacket.

    "Where are you going?" He asked in bewilderment as she made her way to the door, not expecting her to actually leave.

    "I'm going home to get changed Nick.  I was invited to the party and I'm going.  Where's the present we got her?" Kayla scanned the room for the silver wrapped package.

    "You'd actually go without me?"

    "You're damned right I'd go without you." She yelled from the kitchen as she retrieved the wrapped gift from the counter.  "In fact I am going without you.  Bye." Kayla pulled open the front door and walked out.

    "Kayla!" Nick yelled from his seat on the couch, getting up as the door slammed shut.  "Kay!" He repeated from the door step as he heard the tires of her car spin out of his driveway.
 

    "Bastard!" Kayla yelled to herself, pounding her fist on the steering wheel.  She turned up the music on her tape deck loud, drowning out any and all thought she had.   Why does he get like this all the time?  One minute he's sweet, amazing and more wonderful then she could ever imagine anyone being, and the next he gets moody and reclusive and refuses to tell her what's wrong.  Kayla couldn't understand why he wouldn't even make a tiny appearance at Christine's party

She didn't want to go that party alone, she barley knew anyone there, and the one person she did really know. AJ. Wasn't talking to her.  Maybe I'll just go home and go to bed.  She thought.  No, he doesn't think I'll go, and if I don't go he'll just act all smug and I don't want to deal with that.  Kayla pushed her foot on the accelerator and zoomed along the roads to her house, the music not masking her thoughts and annoyance at Nick.
 

    Nick wheeled back and forth in an uncomfortable  chair as he played solitaire on the computer, as he had been doing for the past hour and a half.    He had almost given in and gone to the party to find Kayla, but the more he thought about it the more he realized he'd be better off not going, and Kayla would be better off not knowing why, regardless of how many fight ensued because of it.  Besides, it was Christine's party, and his presence would only make her uncomfortable, and he didn't want to be the reason she was uncomfortable at her own party.  Kayla probably didn't even go, he thought, returning to the cards on the screen.

In the middle of another endless game, Nick noticed the date that was on the bottom corner of the computer.  Wow, it passed. He thought to himself, giving a semi relieved sigh of happiness.   Last wednesday marked the year anniversary of the day Jenna left, over a week had passed since that date and he hadn't even realized it.  He hadn't thought about her once.  Nick smiled to himself, it was almost therapeutic knowing she hadn't crossed his mind on that day, knowing the day had gone by like any other, only now he had other things to think about, better thoughts to occupy his mind, although tonight's thought were filled with annoyance and frustration.

    "What are you smiling about." The bitter voice said from behind him.  He turned to see Kayla still decked out from the party, her hair in big wavy curls and her arms folded across the front of the dress she was wearing.

    "Nothing." Nick said wheeling around to face her, he didn't think she'd appreciate the event as much as he did.  "So how was the party?"

    "It was okay, I didn't  stay long."  He could tell by the tone in her voice that she wasn't impressed by having to go alone.

    "I noticed."

    "What have you been doing all night?"

    "Nothing really." Nick said putting the papers he had in front of him off to the side, trying to hide the game of solitaire that was on the screen.  "Are you mad at me?"

    "No.  Are you mad I went to the party?"

    "No."

    "Wonder which one of us is a better liar?"

    "You must be, because I'm not lying." He shrugged, knowing that her silence to his statement meant she was mad.   He didn't have a clue what he could say that would make her understand or forgive why he didn't want to go.  Before he could figure out something to say she turned around and began walking up the stairs again.

    "Kayla where are you going now?"

    "I'm sleeping in my own bed tonight."

    "Why?"

    "I pay rent there, I might as well stay there once in awhile."

    "How long are you gonna stay mad at me for not going to a stupid party?"

    "I don't know." She said.  "I'll see you tomorrow."

    "Kayla why did you come back tonight if you were so mad at me?" NIck asked following her upstairs.

    "Because I wanted you to know I was pissed off."

    "That makes sense." He said in frustration.  She didn't even say goodbye as she shut the door, leaving his house.

    "Fine, be that way Kayla." He said to himself.  He wasn't mad she went he wasn't even mad that she was pissed off at him, all he wanted to do was tell her about the revelation he'd had tonight, to celebrate it, to acknowledge that it was something he never would have done four months ago when he had begun seeing Kayla.  But that couldn't happen, she'd take it all wrong, she wouldn't see it the way he did.

Nick locked the door and shut off the lights, making himself comfortable on the couch and turning on the tv.  He fell asleep to the endless reels of sports footage on ESPN,

    Kayla slammed the door of her apartment as she entered, throwing her coat and purse on the floor and kicking off the uncomfortable shoes she'd been wearing all night.  Her day had gone progressively from bad to worse, and 3/4 of it was all her fault.  Like her fight with Nick hadn't been enough, she had to be stubborn and go to that party alone, knowing she'd feel out of place, knowing she wasn't really wanted there, and she felt like the biggest fool for doing it.  For what? She thought.  All to prove some stupid point to Nick, over something he probably didn't care about anyway.  Kayla went into the bathroom and turned on the shower stepping out of her clothes and under the water, wishing she could wash away the night.

Never had she felt the urge more to bang her head against the wall.  Why?  Why did I pick a fight with Nick? Why did I go to that party? and why did I pick another fight with AJ?

    Kayla had seen AJ at the party, drink in hand and the same patronizing look he always had for her shooting her across the room.  Kayla had set the present down amongst the others and marched right over to him, already pissed off and not in the mood for anyone to make her even more angry.  He didn't even get one word in before she began tearing into him.

    "What is your problem?  Can't you just be satisfied that I'm happy AJ, can you please stop dwelling on whatever the hell is bothering you about me and Nick?  Look whatever it was that he did, it's in the past.  We used to be friends AJ...my happiness actually used to mean something to you and just because you don't like who I'm in love with, well that's too fucking bad, because you don't get the final word.  I do."   Kayla said firmly.

    "And AJ, I've never come running to you when I've been hurt before, why would I start now?"  She added before spinning around and  leaving the party, not saying hi to Howie, his wife or anyone else she was even remotely aquatinted with.  The rest of the night before she went back to Nick's was spent driving in circles around the city, finally getting so mad at herself that she had to go to Nick's to prove that she actually went to the party without him.

The hot water washed over her face, and all she felt was guilt over everything.  Who cares if Nick didn't want to go? Like he said, it was just a stupid party.  Why did I make such a big deal about it?  Why am I such a bitch?  Kayla stepped from the shower, the cold air making her shiver as she put on the bathrobe that hung on the back of the door.  She grabbed a comb from the countertop and began combing out her hair as she made her way to her bedroom.

Kayla sat on the bed and picked up the phone, dialing Nick's number.

    "Hello?" Nick said, he'd been sleeping, she could hear it in his voice.

    "Hi." she said meekly.

    "Kay, that you?"

    "Yeah it's me.  Look, I just wanted to say that I'm sorry Nick, I've been having a bad day, I didn't mean to take it all out on you, over some stupid party that I didn't even care if we went to.  I'm just a horrible bitch who always thinks she's right and always has to have her way." All she heard was Nick laughing on the other end.

    "I'm gonna remember you said that." He chuckled,  "Want me to come over?"

    "No, you're already in bed.  I'll see you tomorrow or something." She said, her voice still full of remorse.

    "Or something?  Forget it.  It's Saturday, you don't work and you're spending it with me.  I'll be over when I wake up."

    "Don't even think about waking me up early." She said sternly.

    "Noon isn't early to most people Kayla."

    "Well I'm more important than most people!" She said smugly.

    "I'll agree with you on that one."  He said with another laugh before they said their goodbyes, both of them quickly falling asleep, both feeling better about the day.

The doorbell rang for the fifth time as Nick hurried from his room, wiping the sleep from his face and stumbling with a yawn down the stairs to the endless ringing of the door.  Kayla, if you think waking me up at 8 am is funny you're in for a week of 6 am phone calls, he thought yawning once more.

    "I'm coming." Nick yelled in an angry 'who the hell is here this early' tone, pulling the door open, a smile replacing the tired stupor as he looked into the familiar eyes of the one time love of his life, Jenna.
 
 

Chapter 9

Sunsets Index
Back to Main