The Girl I Love
She was tall for her age, everyone said it and she excepted it, at 5’8” it seemed common knowledge. Most girls her age were barely 5’4” and she towered over a lot of them including her best friend. The boys were tall like her, though some were shorter than she was and that was distressing. One look at the new boy in her class and she couldn’t help but smile, he was her height at least and gorgeous. His hair was in perfect curls and all the girls in the room except her were almost screaming. His eyes met hers and she smiled before looking down at her desk. He sat next to her, as the teacher instructed, and smiled a smile she would pay to see every day. They didn’t talk that day, his voice not strong enough and her personality failing.
The next day was started as both stormed into the room, trying not to be late, and in their rush both knocked the other to the floor.
“Sorry. I’m Nick by the way,” he smiled his smile and she couldn’t help but smile back.
“Audrey.”
With that their friendship started, talking in class, over the phone, online until one day Nick had to tell her something that was devastating to both.
“Audrey... I got to go,” he said.
“Where?”
“No Aud you don’t understand. I’m moving tomorrow. I didn’t know how to tell you,” Nick answered biting his lip.
“Moving to where,” she asked a single tear falling down her cheek?
“California.”
That was all it took to send Audrey running, away from Nick, away from his friendship, away from the boy she was sure she loved. She ran, even though she hated it she ran, straight home as far away as she could make herself from Nick. She cried for days, making herself sick, until she had to be brought to the doctors. He said it was some bug that was going around, that he’d had ten other kids in with it in the past four days. But she knew he was wrong it was heartbreak.
She forgot him about 6 months later and did her best to hide herself from him. And she did she hid herself and changed herself so well that when she ran smack into him three years later he didn’t know who she was. He muttered a curse as he picked tried to wipe the coffee off the front of his shirt as she stared up at him from her spot on the ground. A lot had changed in not only her but also him, however she could never forget his eyes. Those would always be the same. He was a lot taller now, probably six foot maybe taller and buff he had muscles and was... Fit. Though one thing that really stood out to her was that he wasn’t smiling. This was the boy who grinned every time someone looked his way and he wasn’t smiling. He wasn’t frowning but his lips were glued shut. Audrey tried to get up only to fall back down, slipping on some of his spilled coffee and managing to kick him in the leg at the same time causing him to fall on top of her.
“Gah Nick get off of me,” Audrey says pushing him realizing how heavy he is.
“How do you know my name,” he asks sitting up and scooting away from her?
“Your famous everyone knows your name Nick. Thanks for moving,” Audrey mumbles standing up and getting off the ground.
“Yea thanks for kicking me in the shin,” Nick says rubbing his leg.
With a roll of her eyes Audrey was off again trying with all of her heart not to cry because of the boy who almost smashed her a minute ago. She makes it to her apartment and looks slowly at the girl sitting in their living room. With a groan Audrey launches her body at the couch and gets a look from the other girl.
“Cana I just saw him!”
“Him could mean any few boys with you Audrey,” Cana replies looking down at the book in her lap.
“Nick,” Audrey says causing Cana to gasp.
“You saw Nicholas Jerry Jonas and you didn’t get me an autograph,” Cana asks her eyes wide?
“That’s right Cana only care about an autograph, not the fact he broke my heart all those years ago or that he almost killed me today,” Audrey says with a roll of her brown eyes.
“Almost killed you?”
“He ran into me and fell on top of me almost killing me. I mean that boy ways a lot,” Audrey answers.
“HE WAS ON TOP OF YOU! UGH! I hate you,” Cana says before walking away.
Audrey rolls her eyes at her friends reaction, spoken like a classic fan girl. After a few minutes to clam down and a glass of water Audrey was feeling a little better. She had enough sense to check her messages to see if her boss had called to put her on a job yet, and not drop her cup when she heard the great news. Though the screaming at the top of her lungs was probably not the brightest thing to do. Cana ran from her bedroom looking shocked a broom in her hand.
“I got a job as a ‘tour reporter’. I’m going on tour with some band and every few days I’m going to send a little thing, full of pictures over the web to my boss and it will be posted,” Audrey smiles widely at her.
“Wow Rey that is great! So who is the band,” Cana asks?
“I’m meeting them tomorrow. And I promise if it’s someone really famous I will get you an autograph,” Audrey says with a laugh.
“That’s all I ask,” Cana nods before grabbing a spoon and a thing of ice cream from the freezer.
Audrey laughs, before grabbing her own spoon and walking with Cana to the living room, both happily eating the ice cream straight from the carton. The next morning for Audrey was hectic. She woke up late, had a cold shower and couldn’t find anything to wear. Finally, twenty minutes before she had to be to the studio which was half an hour away she was ready. Jeans a t-shirt and sandals that was her daily outfit and she wasn’t going to change it for some band. As quickly as she could she stopped for a cup of coffee and hurried to the office praying that she wouldn’t be that late.
As soon as she stepped inside the huge room Audrey gasped and turned trying to escape.
“Audrey it’s nice of you to join us,” her boss says causing her to turn.
“I’m sorry I was late sir. You know me I like my beauty sleep,” Audrey mummers walking over to the man.
He certainly did know that, he was her brother and the owner and editor of the magazine she had just been hired to write for. He was harder on her than everyone else but he also knew exactly what to do to make up for it. Except this was not it she did not want to be going on tour as a reporter for them.
“Audrey,” he warns.
“I know. I know. You could have warned me,” she mumbles sitting in a comfortable chair.
“Boys this is Audrey she is going to be our eyes and ears on the inside. She’ll have a little digital camera and a laptop with her so that we can keep in touch. Audrey I believe you know who they all are,” her brother says looking at her.
“Unfortunately. And I can’t believe I am saying this but my best friend is in love with you guys. So will you sign something for her,” Audrey asks looking at her nails?
“Sure what’s her name,” Nick asks staring straight at her?
“Cana wants their autographs. I thought she got over them when... Never mind,” her brother says after getting a look from her.
“Cana that’s an unusual name. You know we used to know someone named Cana,” Joe says.
“Really,” Audrey asks her eyebrow raised high?
Of course you did that was her best friend. Now all that’s left is to see if they remember her too.
“Yea and her best friend was cute what was her name... Oh I don’t remember but Nick had the biggest crush on her. And when we moved he cried for weeks,” Joe says causing Nick to hit him.
“Really,” Audrey asks her eyes soft as she looks straight at him?
Nick just looks the other way and shaking her head Audrey reaches her hand over to his.
“Her name was Audrey wasn’t it Nick. And she was as tall as you were with big brown eyes and long brown hair?”
Nick looks shocked at the girl holding his hand and just nods slightly.
“You really are clueless. Why do you think I was so mad at you yesterday,” Audrey asks?
“You were the one who kicked me in the shins,” Nick says shocked.
“Sorry. But that was me Nick. Little fifteen year old me who stood taller than all the girls and half the boys. What happened to your million dollar smile,” Audrey asks softly?
“I left it with the girl I love,” Nick answers causing Audrey to frown.
“NO WAY! AUDREY! Where is Cana get her here! Audrey,” Joe says happily.
“Okay someone is eager,” Audrey says with a roll of her eyes as she stands and leaves the room.
The door slammed a lot louder than Audrey expected as she turned her back to it. She dialed the familiar number and waited for her friend to pick up. When she didn’t Audrey left a quick message turning back to go into the room. She stopped spotting the curly haired boy who had caused her so much pain over the years. He reached over wrapping a hand around her waist and she looked at him confused.
“Aud do you really think I would forget you of all people. I mean I was in love with you,” he whispers.
“You have the oddest way of showing it,” Audrey answers.
He steps closer and leans his face down as she stands on her tip toes. Their kiss is sweet and passion filled. She wasn’t sure that they would have stopped if Cana and Joe hadn’t emerged from two different places. Her eyes drift up to Nick’s face and she spots a familiar sight his beautiful smile.
“That’s the smile I know and love,” she mummers.
“Along with the girl I love,” Nick answers leaning down and kissing her softly again
