~ Chapter 39 ~
A sense of deja vu hit Nick as he pulled into the parking lot of the recording studio. He sat in his car trying to access why he was suddenly so on edge. Why this foreboding feeling seemed to have situated itself in the pit of his stomach. He shook his head rapidly as if trying to release the demons trapped within. He locked his car and strode towards the building. With every step he took, his stomach muscles tightened.
It wasn't until he inserted his security pass into the door did something dawn on him. He thought back to a conversation he had with his mom a few days after his release from the hospital. He wanted to know the details of his accident. She had said, "You'd just left the recording studio when you were hit."
So that's why his stomach was in knots. His subconscience knew the fear of being back here. He glanced in the general direction of the intersection where he was told the accident had occured. Why couldn't he remember anything? Surely this temporary amnesia, as his doctor called it, wasn't suppose to last over a year and a half. But the doctor had also said with that time, people, and circumstances would jar his memory. 'Maybe I don't wanna remember,' he said to himself. He also realized that he'd taken a different route today. Without being aware of it. But again, his subconscience knew. Somwhere deep in his brain, the memories were floating around.
He stepped into the building. It was deathly silent. As if it knew a secret. His footsteps clattered down the empty hall. Trying to shake the ominous feeling of dread, he thought about the call he'd received the day before. The reason he was here. Max Martin was in town for a few days and wanted to discuss the song he was writing for Nick and Aaron.
Rounding the corner to where the conference rooms were, he heard a voice. Recognizing the voice, he flung the door open without knocking. The voice stopped and four eyes stared at him in surprise. But they couldn't have been as surprised as Nick himself, who stood in the doorway, rooted to the spot. Blurred images flashed through his mind.
"Nick, are you ok?" She came towards him like a figure in a dream. She touched his hand. He jerked it away as if it was on fire.
Trying to gain control of his emotions, he moved a few feet from her. Instead he tried to focus on the images that were whizzing by in his mind. He couldn't hit the stop button fast enough. His head hurt.
"Nick?"
She spoke again. His flesh tingled at the sound of her voice, laced with concern. Before he could stop them, the words tumbled forth, "I never thought I'd see you again." His voice was barely audible, but she heard. And she smiled. That smile that use to set his heart aflutter.
"It's nice to see you again Nicky..uh...Nick." She looked embarrassed as she called him the pet name of their days together.
Her voice was still the same. Soft and melodic. He shivered. "What are you doing here?" His blue eyes bore into her grey ones.
She tore her gaze from his and in that instant Nick knew she was about to lie. He remembered every time she'd lie, she averted her eyes. All the lies she told him of going to the Y when she was out with another man. Sleeping with another man. His blood started to boil.
"I was waiting for you. Kevin told me you'd be here at two."
Nick had all but forgotten Kevin was in the room. He glanced at him. Kevin was staring at them, but looked away when he caught Nick's eye. "Waiting for me? What for? What could you possibly have to say to me now?"
She wrung her hands nervously. He stared at her wishing he wasn't feeling anything. He thought he was over her. But the old feelings resurfaced. With them came the pain and anger of betrayal.
"I..I just wanted to see how you were."
Nick sighed loudly. He looked at Kevin. "Kev, could you leave us alone?"
Kevin nodded and stood up. The door opened. "Hey Nickster man! There you are!" Nick smiled as Max slapped him on the back. "I've been looking all over the studio for you. I only have an hour so can we get started?"
"Sure Max. Sorry to keep you waiting." Looking at his ex-girlfriend, he said, "Wait for me. I'll be back."
She nodded, her eyes huge with what Nick thought looked like sorrow. Or maybe it was fear.
A little over an hour later, Nick whistled as he made his way back to the conference room. He and Max had ironed out all the details of the Xmas song he and Aaron would be releasing. Max wanted to include Leslie on it as well and it was titled "Merry Xmas Carter Style." His happiness turned to trepidation as he got closer to his ex-girlfriend. He didn't want to see her. Didn't need to hear her apologies. Why did she have to come back into his life? For some reason, he thought of Shae at his house. Probably sunbathing by the pool or thinking of what to cook for supper. He grinned in spite of himself. He wished he was home with Shae.
Lost in thought, he opened the door to the room. One look was all it took. She was standing close to Kevin. Too close. Nick's eyes widened as everything sunk in.
His eyes turned glassy as some memories long buried slowly drifted to the peak of his mind. He couldn't talk. Couldn't breath. He ran from the room.
Kevin went after him. "Nick wait!" He caught up to him and grabbed his arm. "I said wait!"
"Let go of me Kevin!"
Kevin kept a firm hold on him. "What you saw just now... we were just talking."
"Do you think I give a F**K what you were doing just now? But I did care once! I guess you thought I'd never remember. Convenient for you that I had this amnesia. The doctor was right. That people and circumstances would jar my memory. You were standing in the almost the same spot last year when I came in and caught you with your tongue down her throat. You f**ked my fiancee! How could you?!" His accusatory glare shot daggers through Kevin.
Kevin's face was ashen, his skin cold. "F-fiancee?"
"Don't play mind games with me, you bastard! She must have told you we were engaged!"
"She didn't tell me that," Kevin managed to say.
"AND THAT GIVES YOU THE RIGHT TO F**K MY GIRLFRIEND?" he screamed. He caught sight of her standing a few feet away. Wrestling out of Kevin's grip, his eyes blazed fire at her. "YOU," he yelled, "are nothing but a bloody whore! You two belong together!"
Kevin reached out and slapped him hard. Nick reeled against the wall. "Don't you touch me, Kevin! Don't you ever touch me again. Don't even LOOK AT ME! I HATE YOU!"
He turned and fled as Kevin collasped to the floor.
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