Los Angeles

Jackie

I look up at him and shake my head, "Babe, giving up your dream is not something I want you to do. I just...I don't wanna be the girlfriend that has dirt secrets all over the front of magazines. I don't like it, and don't want it."

Nic

"Who said it was my dream?" I ask.

I swallow and glance away for a moment, shaking my head in the slightest. Without glancing back, I lower my voice to a whisper.

"Maybe I wanted what I have at the start," I say, "but it's nothing but lust and greed now. I don't want a dream like that. I want to mean something."

Jackie

"You do mean something, Nic..." I sigh, "But you did whatever. So..." I stand and run a hand through my hair, shivering, "Good luck. I didn't mean to put down who you are Nic. I'm sorry."

Nic

Good luck? No... good luck is final.

I stand as well and swallow. She's not just going to disappear because I gave that up, is she? She made me realize what I want out of a life I don't have. She can't just leave me to deal with it on my own.

Everyone does that.

"Why does that sound like the end of something?" I whisper, studying her.

Jackie

"Nic, I'm the one who did this to you. It's better if I stay out of your life, because All I'll do is ruin it. I want to see who you really are."

He looks broken, and it kills me almost, "I'm loosing everyone. Rayah...she's practically gone, my sis ger's dead, my mom never defends me, and I'm not close to my brothers. It's like a curse for me. I don't want anything to happen to you. I'd just be another heartbreak."

Nic

I don't feel as surprised this time, just broken. Odd how I do. Broken isn't a card I've ever been dealt. I don't like it. For a few moments, I just study her and rack my brain for some kind of response; but all I come up with are pleas. She won't listen to pleas. They'd just make her feel worse, and then she'd leave.

"We've been dating for twenty-four hours and you've already broken up with me twice," I say. "You act fine one moment, and then you want me gone the next. I do what you want, and you just..."

Shaking my head, I take a step back and try to compose myself. My face feels wet, and for once I'm thankful for the darkness.

"If you don't want to lose people, you should stop pushing them away," I tell her.

Jackie

I can't believe he just said that. Thanks for making me feel better. I shake my head, "I need to go check on Rayah."

I run out, but when I get to the house I find that Rayah is till asleep, which worries me. I look at Jace, "How is she?"

Nic

Shaking my head, I stay where I am a few minutes before deciding to get Jace. Being alone right now isn't a good idea, and he's the only card left in the deck for me. I fully compose myself before I reach the house and stay on the other side of the room as Jackie. My eyes don't wander to her, and I don't have to force them not to look like I had before.

That just makes me feel worse, though.

"She's the same as before," Jace answers a question I wasn't there to hear. "Maybe by morning she'll be better. The rest is helping, but not enough right now."

Jackie

I nod and glance up at Nic when he comes, but look back down at Rayah. She's still against him, which makes me feel guilty, and I feel her forehead. She slaps my hand away, "Dont touch me."

I glare at her and sit back, still shivering.

Nic

Looking at the way Jace and Rayah are together, I hesitate longer than I should to try and pull him away.

"Jae, we need to go," I say, arms crossed.

He studies me a moment and then lifts his gaze to study Jackie, looking back at me with his eyebrows raised when he's done.

"You both are pretty pissed," he states. "Might I ask what happened?"

"No, let's go," I say.

Jackie

Rayah holds onto Jace and shakes her head, pulling him close. I sigh, standing and walking into the kitchen without another word.

Nic

"Sorry, Nic," he says. "Go back to the hotel. I'll be back in the morning."

He looks back at Rayah, and I look down at my feet for a few moments. I almost criticize him for his priorities, but then I remember that those are my problems and not his. If I had been a little more like him, family would come before whatever it is he has with Rayah now.

It's not like he knows, anyway.

For once, I listen to him and walk back to the hotel. I lock myself in my room and try to busy myself the best I can, picking up a guitar and messing around with it for a while.

Jackie

I hear Rayah scream and freak out, running out to her. nightmare. I sigh and sit down infront of her. Nic had left, and I kind of with he could stay. But he doesn't want to. I smooth Rayah's hair back, "You guys have something, you know," I tell Jace.

Spoiler

Is it sad to admit I almost screamed when I realized this was a humongous chance to play only Jace and get out of the tortured state of mind of someone like Nic?

Jace

I study Jackie for a moment before glancing back down at Rayah. Instead of replying verbally to her, I just nod. The broken state of Nic's eyes and the shallowness of her's suggest fragility. The last thing I need to do is offset it.

"You and Nic do, too," I say. "It's a different kind of thing, but it's there, buried beneath a bunch of drama and crap I don't think Nic knows how to deal with."

Spoiler

Not really. XD

Jackie

I sigh, "We did."

Rayah stirs and opens her eyes, looking up at Jacw and then at me. I realize her lips aren't pale anymore and smile at her. She lightly smiles back at me, yawning.