CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE ~ Time to Break
"Nicole, come to think of your parents, have either you or Ashley talked to them since you moved down here?" Jacob asked leading Nicole over to the sofa.
"Nope, I don't know how to get in touch with them. Like I told you before, they've had all the numbers changed, and I don't know what the new ones are."
"Does anyone know? Maybe Ash's girlfriend?"
"She says she knows, but she won't tell me cause she doesn't like me, and Ash hasn't tried to phone home so he doesn't even realize what's going on."
"He doesn't talk with his girlfriend that much either does he?"
"I think shes kind of like our step-dad, Jacob, she doesn't approve of Ashely being down here because it means that he can't be with her 24-7. She hates the idea of not being able to watch over him all the time. Shelli is the jealous type, and she doesn't really trust Ash," Nicole said realizing that Erik was no longer in the room. "Where did Erik go?"
"I'm not sure. He might have went to his room to lie down or something."
"Jake, I'm going to go check on him. Why don't you go out to the kitchen and get us something to snack on. I think 'I Know What You Did Last Summer' is on in a few minutes. We can watch it if you want."
"Sounds good. If you need me just yell alright, Angel."
"I think I can handle Erik," Nicole laughed as she made her way down the hall. She tapped lightly on Erik's door as it was ajar and she didn't want to open it completely and intrude on his privacy.
"Who's there?" she heard him say quietly through tears.
"It's Nicole, Erik, can I come in for a minute and talk to you?"
"What do you want? Are you here to lecture me and intrude on my relationship?"
"Erik, I'm here to try to be your friend. I know that this whole Rachel situation is really hurting you, but I also know how Rachel is feeling and how this whole this is affecting her."
"She's not thinking about my feelings. She's only thinking about herself and her relationship. Not once has she asked me how I feel about everything."
"Erik-Micheal Estrada," Nicole raised her voice. "If you weren't such a pig headed, egotistical, spoiled brat you'd see that Rachel is only thinking about you! She wants what is best for your career and she's afraid that if she were to start dating you then you'd have to deal with a lot of negative media and pressure if you make the final five. If you weren't so blind you would see that if you make the final five and she's dating you people would think that she had some sort of pull and that you only made the cut because of who your girlfriend was and not because you have talent. If thats the way you want people to look at you for the rest of your life, then so be it, but don't you ever say that no one warned you what it would be like!"
Erik hung his head and thought for a moment realizing that everything that Nicole was saying was the truth, even if she was a bit harsh with her words. "Nic, I'm sorry, it's just that I've never really liked someone this much before and it hurts me to think that I can't be with her."
"Erik, you will get to be with her, you just have to give her some time and space to think everything through."
"Don't you think I've given her enough time and space? I think that by now she should have come to some kind of a decision."
"She has come to a decision, Erik. She wants to be with you, but she has to think over some of the things that Lou said today during your meeting. If you aren't willing to wait that extra day, then you aren't really in love with her like you say you are."
"I guess," Erik sighed. "Did she say when she would talk to me tomorrow?"
"Nope, but I'm assuming she'll probably get here early so that you two can discuss things before you go to the studio, so I suggest that you go to bed now and set your alarm for quite early in the morning."
"I will, as long as you and Jacob promise not to be too loud out there," Erik snickered.
"Oh we're just the regular comedian aren't we," Nicole laughed as she picked up a pillow which was lying near the door and threw it at Erik who hid his head at the flying object. "I'll make sure we make the couch squeak, and I'll see you in the morning," she laughed as she shut the door and headed back out to the living room where Jacob and the other guys along with Carrah were sitting. "When did you guys get home?"
"Just about the time you called Erik an egotistical pig headed spoiled brat," Trevor laughed as he flopped down on the couch next to Jacob.
"Eek, was I that loud?"
"Don't worry about it Nicole, I hate to say it but it's the truth," Mike reassured. "Maybe now that you've told him to his face the way everyone sees him he'll smarten up, and start acting his age."
"I didn't mean to be so blunt and mean with him, but he was getting on my nerves with all his whining."
"Baby Doll, don't worry about it," Jacob smiled before he turned to Trevor. "You're in my girlfriend's seat, and you're eating our movie snacks," he laughed as Trevor stuffed his mouth with the popcorn that Jacob had just popped.
"Your girlfriend huh," Trevor got up and smiled deviously. "Well, what would you do if I did this to your girlfriend," he laughed as he picked Nicole up and threw her over his shoulder before running out the door.
"Put me down now, Trevor Penick!" Nicole screamed as she saw him running towards the pool.
Jacob and everyone else ran out the door behind him and watched as he flipped Nicole over his shoulder and into the pool. "If you were to do that to my girlfriend, I'd do this to you," Jacob laughed as he pushed Trevor in the pool and jumped in after Nicole. Before long everyone had jumped into the pool shoes and all and were splashing and playing having fun being teenagers again.
"Trev, I can't believe you did that, but you will pay," Nicole laughed as she jumped on his shoulders and sent him under the water.
"Ash, your sister is crazy! She's trying to drown me!"
"Woohoo, let me help," Ash laughed as he swam over to join his sister.
"And the winners are...The Angel Siblings," Jacob joked as he picked Nicole up on his shoulders and set her down over on the side of the pool.
"We're still undefeated Ash," Nicole shivered as Jacob wrapped a towel and his arms around her.
Everyone went inside and got changed and most of them headed off to bed so that they would be up and ready for practice tomorrow. Nicole went and phoned Rachel and told her that she wouldn't be home that night then went and joined Jacob on the couch to finish watching the end of "I Know What You Did Last Summer". They both fell asleep close to the end and didn't awake when Rachel came in the front door at 7:00.
"Rachel, Nicole told me you'd be here early this morning," Erik said when Rach walked into the kitchen where he had been sitting and waiting. "I talked with her last night, and she really knocked some sense into me. I'm sorry for the way I've been acting Rachel, and I want you to know that I'm willing to wait as long as I have to for a decision from you."
"Erik, thank you, and I promise that I won't make you wait that much longer. I'll have a decision for you when you all come back from your week vacations."
"Week vacations?"
"Starting tomorrow y'all are free to do what you want for a full week. You can go home and visit your family."
"Vacation?" Nicole said sleepily as she walked through the archway. "Wait!" she said realization in her voice. "Ash and I have no place to go!"