When Angels Fall (Fallen Angels) (46 page)

“Hey, you said it, not me. I just smiled,” he reminded her as he pulled up at the art store. Chloe got ready to get out and he took her hand. “Our kids won’t have any rules like you have. They will have everything though, because what your father hasn’t given you, I know you will make sure ours will have.” He touched her face.

She kissed him. “I’ll see you in a few hours.”

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A few weeks later, Chloe found herself getting ready for NY. She was leaving the next afternoon and had no clue what to take.

Nick sat on her bed, studying.

She looked at him helplessly and sighed.

“Don’t think I’m going to help you get out of this. You’re still going.” He didn’t even look at her; he kept reading.

“I don’t want you to help me to get out of this; I want you to tell me what to pack,” she whined and fell on the bed next to him. Since New Year’s, she’d been a different person. Nothing they said or did to her seemed to affect her anymore and she’d been happy. Until now, when she realized she didn’t want to be without Nick. “I really wish you were going.”

 
He took her hand. “I promise I will take you soon. I want to go for a walk with you in Central Park and watch you sketch there. Maybe spring break?” he suggested.

“That would be nice. We could go for the day and walk around the city.” She thought about it and smiled.

“I was thinking we could spend the night,” he offered.

“Oh, yeah, I guess we could.” She smiled nervously. “I made a doctor’s appointment for when I get back.” She felt like this was the right time to bring it up, since he suggested NY.

“Is something wrong?” He sounded concerned.

“I was thinking about going on the pill. I mean, a lot of my friends are and I just thought that maybe it would be a good idea.” She was terrified of messing up and getting pregnant if they did, in fact, go that far. After reading what her mother had gone through, she didn’t want to repeat the past.

Suddenly as she announced this it made what they had talked about all the more real.

 
“Don’t you trust me? I mean, isn’t it my responsibility to get that stuff?”Nick sounded concerned.

She got up and started going through her drawers again to pack. “I trust you. I just don’t want to take any chances. I mean, it’s no big deal. I just take a little pill every morning and things will be fine. We won’t have to worry about if you forget or if the moment hits us.” She tried to play it off, but she knew he could see right through her.

Nick sat on the side of the bed now and reached for her as she walked past him. “Baby, if you’re not ready for us to go this far, you don’t have to do this.”

She kissed him softly. “I am. Just be patient with me. I want this as badly as you do. I just want to be sure there are no mistakes.” She was playing with his tie and a mischievous smile came across her face. She looked up at him and kissed him again, lingering there for a while.

“Do you even know what seeing you dressed in this school uniform does to me? And then you go and kiss me like that, and it makes it so much harder not to want you.” He smiled and pulled her hips closer to him.

She put her arms around his neck and continued to kiss him playfully. “I don’t understand what the big deal is for you. But I’ll try my best to hold you over until then.”

“I want you to make me a man,” he teased and started to nibble at her neck.

Chloe giggled and pushed him back. “Do you even realize that by making you a man, you’re taking my virginity by ripping through my hymen and causing me pain and bleeding?”

He sat back down on the bed looking shocked. “You have a way of taking something that could be really special and making it sound so dirty. Do you know how guilty I feel now?”

“Hey, you’re the one who wants me to make you a man. Just filling in the blanks,” she informed him and went back to packing.

He was quiet for a minute, and then looked at her. “Okay, you have officially killed my fantasy of you and me making love for the first time. I don’t want to do it now.”

“Really?” She looked at him in disbelief as she put her hands on her hips.

“Yep, it is pretty much dead. I think I’m just going to become a priest now. I could never do that to a girl, let alone you. So my mom will thank you when I finish the seminary and become a Father Nicholas. He picked up his books and started back on his homework.

She bit at her lip and crawled up to him on the bed. “Really? You’re giving up on me completely?”

“Yep, we’re done. I can’t touch you anymore. You might as well just start confessing your sins to me now and I will pray for you,” he said playfully.

She unbuttoned his shirt. “Forgive me, Father Nicholas, for I have sinned,” she pleaded playfully.

“You really need to get your packing done.” He was trying to distract her.

“But, Father Nicholas, I really need to confess. I have had impure thoughts. They haunt me day and night.”

“You could go to hell for those thoughts,” he warned her breathlessly as she straddled his lap and threw her hair back, giggling. That was all he needed to send him over the edge.

 
For the rest of the night, they spent it in their own little world, exploring each other.

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Chloe stood at her locker and put the last of her books in it when she felt his hands on her butt. “Why, Father Nicholas, right here in the hallway? What would the nuns say?” she asked shyly as she put her hand to her lips.

He put his arms around her and kissed her hungrily. “You better stop that here, because if one of the nuns do overhear us, we’re going to be in big trouble.”

“You would get it first, since I’m leaving in a few minutes,” she reminded him and wiped her lips gloss from his mouth.

“Gee, thanks, babe. Maybe when you get back, you could be the nun and I could be the bad-ass schoolboy who needs to be punished,” he teased.

“As long as you do what you did last night, I am so there,” she purred and then kissed him with a long, lingering kiss.

“Oh, my God, get a room!” Gabbie said as she and Dave stopped by Chloe’s locker.

Nick winked at her and smiled.

“So, even though she’s going to be a million miles away, you’re still coming to Tiff’s party, right?” Dave asked.

“I said I would. I’m even bringing Kevin, so you know I’m going out of my way to keep myself busy while she’s gone,” Nick said and laughed.

“I can’t believe you’re going to visit a college this weekend. I’m really going to miss you. I hate Tiff’s parties without you,” Gabbie whined and hugged Chloe.

“I’ll be at the next one. Come on, be happy for me. I could be this great, inspiring artist someday.” Chloe laughed, wishing she could stay and have fun with them.

“Don’t forget the little people when you’re off making millions. I want to come to some of those hot Hollywood parties,” Dave put in, as he wrapped his arms around Gabbie and winked at Chloe.

“Don’t worry. I’ll make sure you’re on the list.” Nick laughed and they high-fived.

“We have to get to lunch. Chloe, have fun! I’ll miss you!” Gabbie hugged her.

“Yeah, and I want to hear about the college parties you went to when you get back,” Dave added and hugged her, too.

“Guys, I’m not going away forever. It is just the weekend.” Chloe started to tear up.

Nick hugged Chloe and held her. “Okay, now she’s crying. Thanks, this is what I get to deal with in the car. I’ll see you in a little bit.” They stood together and watched Dave and Gabbie walk off.

Nick took her suitcase out of his trunk and, after shutting it, looked at her. “I’m not going to lie. I’m going to miss you this weekend. Call or text me when you can. Like tomorrow night, while I’m sitting at that party, bored out of my mind,” he said, taking her into his arms.

“I’m going to miss you, too. But remember, Sunday we have plans.” She laughed a little.

“Besides, taking you out to dinner for your birthday and the surprise I have cooked up?” he teased.

 
She rested her head on his shoulder. “I’m really looking forward to it. It will be nice to really celebrate my birthday again.” She smiled to herself, thinking about it.

“Damn, Mark just pulled in.” He sighed with obvious disappointed.

“Call me tonight, when you get home,” she said, a little depressed that it was time for her to go.

 
“I will. Don’t go falling for any of those college boys while you’re up there.”

“I won’t. You don’t have to worry about that,” she said softly.

Nick gathered her suitcase and another bag.

Mark got out of his car and opened his trunk. “You two have exactly two more minutes, then I’m stealing her away from you,” he informed them.

“Ha ha,” Nick shot back as he put her suitcase into the trunk. He then looked at Chloe. “I want you to have fun and really check this place out. It could be really good for you. Don’t think about not seeing me if you go there. Think about how it could really help you to improve your art skills and the opportunities you’ll have. I love you, Chloe Gardner,” he said and kissed her.

“I love you, Nicholas Allen.” She gasped breathlessly when he moved his lips away.

“And I love you, too, Nicky. I’m going to miss you so much!” Mark faked a crying expression and grabbed his brother, wrapping his arms around his neck.

“Dude, get off me, you Lunatic.” Nick pushed him away.

“I promise to take care of her. Have fun this weekend.” Mark laughed and got in.

Chloe gazed at him through the window.

Nick kissed his hand and put it on the glass.

Chloe mouthed, ‘love you’ one last time, and they were off.

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Nick sat at Tiffany’s party and nursed his beer. He’d talked to Chloe earlier that morning, before she went off to the lectures at the college. It sounded like she was having a good time, but he could tell she missed being home. The party was boring without her. He was still unsure as to why he’d even decided to come to Tiffany’s party, except for the fact that it got him out of the house. Looking around Tiffany’s house, it reminded him of why he hated families like hers.

His family did have money, but they never flaunted it and lived a pretty humble life in his eyes. Tiffany’s family flaunted everything. They had really expensive tastes, and when you were around Tiffany, you knew it. Even the beer he was drinking was imported. The room the party was in was decorated with a mix of black, white, and red. The music was loud and half of the kids were bombed off their asses.

Nick sat in a plush black lounge chair. He put his bottle on the smoked-glass table in front of him.

Seconds later, Kevin fell on him, laughing. “Dude, have you not seen there is a party going on around you?”

“Yeah, and if I were you, I’d stop drinking. I’m not carrying you in tonight.” Nick pushed him off.

Gabbie and Dave walked up and sat on the couch next to them. “This place is so dull without Chlo. Have you talked to her since she left?” Gabbie asked him.